The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-31 00:00:00

THE INQUEST AT HACKNEY.

EX TRAORDINARY TERMINATION OF
THE PROCEEDINGS.

Yesterday morning Mr. Baker resumed, for the
fourth time, the adjourned inquest, at the Old Mer-
maLl, Hackney, touching the deaths of the four
pauper children, belonging to the parish of Islington,
who died at the temporary asylum, Hackney, in a few
hours subsequent to their removal from Mr. Drouet's,
at Tooting, on the Bth January.
The jury having answered to their names,
The CORONER said he would read the following
communication which had just been placed in his
hands:--

" Tooting, Jan. 29, 1849.
" Sir,—l tun much obliged for yor letter of the
25th instant, informing me of other adjournment
of the inquest now pending ~the Vld,Nerrnaid,
Ilnelgnoy. I aeauie JOU It was y intehtiOii to have
been present at the inquest to-morrow (Tuesday),
but being unsuccessful in arranging my bail, I am
advised by my solicitors to remain away.
" I am very anxious to afford you every explana-
tion and information relative to the late melancholy
occurrences, and therefore trust my present painful
position will be deemed sufficient excuse for my
adopting their advice.--I am, sir, your most obedient
servant, "B. P. DROUET.
"To W. Baker, Esq., Coroner, Old Mermaid,
Hackney."
The CORONER—Gentlemen, under the peculiar cir-
cuustances of this case, you perhaps are unprepared
for the decision I have come to, namely, to discharge
you from further attendance, and thereby dispense
with any further inquiry into the matter.—(Sensa-
tion.) In coming to this conclusion, I have done so
advisedly ; for it has been pointed out to me that at
the present moment it would be more proper, both
with regard to the individual who is in a short time
about to undergo a trial upon a verdict of man-
slaugter, and the judges who are to preside over that
trial, that the course of justice should be rendered
quite pure, and left unsullied by any other proceedings
arising from a different source. Now, any decision we
might come to in this case would, in all probability, tend
to prejudice the case already made out against the un-
fortunate man. There has been many reports in the
daily papers, and a variety of comments thereon, cal-
culated under the peculiar circumstances in which
various inquiries have placed this matter, to do a
great deal of mischief, but to those reports of course I
can do no more than allude. I felt at first a great
deal of difficulty in entering upon these proceedings,
seeing that no inquiry has been instituted in the
county of Surrey, where alone the investigation ought
to have commenced, and it does seem to me an extra-
ordinary fact that we, who have not the power to view
Mr. Drouet's establishment in that county, should be
called upon to exercise a duty of this description
when so much may depend upon the result of our
labours as affecting the proprietor of the Tooting
asylum. It is now quite clear that the verdict of
manslaughter, be it good or not, or whether or not it
be supported by another verdict, will bring before
another and higher tribunal the whole proceedings
in reference to the deaths of all these chil-
dren, and of course including the deaths of
these at Hackney. I will not enter upon the cir-
cumstances attending the removal of these children
from the parish of Islington, as it has been shown to
us by Mr. Oldershaw, that there was no proper place
to be found for them, after their removal from Toot-
ing, except at Hackney. The disease broke out at
Tooting upon the 29th of December, and these chil-
dren were removed upon the Bth of January, and it
is a very remarkable circumstance in the case before
us, that the nurse who came from Islington with these
children, and who never was at Tooting, died from
cholera after attending upon them. Who therefore
can undertake to say that the deaths which have
arisen occurred from residence at Tooting, or from
any subsequent affection ? There are various and
conflicting opinions as to this visitation being cholera
at all, but it is quite clear, at any rate, that, after
their removal, all that could be done for the children
was done for them. I discharge myself of this duty
from a perfectly conscientious feeling—it is out of no
disrespect to you, gentlemen, for there could not
have been a more careful jury, or one actuated by
purer motives. It is my wish that this man, who is
already charged with an offence involving the whole
150 deaths which have taken place, should have due
justice done to him. The whole case is now before
the public, and it is due to the administration of
justice that we should not interfere in its course by
our verdict. Impartial justice requires no cumulative
charges, for its ends are answered if a fair and im-
partial trial is given. I see daily occurring observa-
tions in the public papers with reference to this case,l
and, as I said before, which may or may not be cor-
rect, but which certainly have a tendency to taint
the source of justice, and it Is painful that it should
be so ; for I will ask you whether, upon a case of a
trial, you would like an inquiry of this nature should
be going forward when all your energies would he
required in another direction ? Ido not shrink from
this inquiry, for it is of no importance to me whether
we sat here for six months if it were rendered neces•
sary, but circumstances with which you are all ac-
quainted make it unnecessary to prosecute
it any further. With regard to my own
fees, they will never be charged to the
county, but I shall feel myself bound to discharge all
other fees as far as they go—whether I shall receive
her Mai eqy's justices of the
them again rests with
peace. I need not detain yoit ally further by my ob-
remains me to dischar T
qurvations, and it wily tor
you hi tile usual form.
Mr. Merry (a juror)—Pray, is it common to con-