The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-03 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

Yvs'erday an Inquest was held at the Gover-
nor's House, Tothill-ficld's 'Prison, on the body of Patrick
James Kelly. Mr. John Benly, surgeon to the Prison, de-
posed dint the deceased had been admitted into the sick ward
on the 2Llth of last February. He laboured under: severe cold
and fever, which generated into typhus-fever; but by the
treatment he received it abated, and hopes were entertained of
his recovery till within the last fortnight. He was allowed wine
and other proper nourishment, but he died on Titesday. John
Barber, a prisoner, attended the deceased since he was admitted
into the sick ward. He received every thing that was ordered
by the surgeon, and received no ill-treatment. He had his wine
and tea previously to his death orethatevening, but witness was
not present when he expired. The Jury inquired whether
any of the deceased's friends were in the habit of visiting
him. Witness replied, that a young woman was the only
person whom he had seen. The Jury next inquired what of.
fence lie was committed for, or how long he was in prison ?
Witness replied he was unable to answer any of these questions.
The beadle said that the deceased was the son of a merchant in
Dublin. He had been formerly in good expectations, but his
prospects failed, and he came to England, where he supported
himself for a time by teachhig at a school, but was ultimately
committed from Queen-square for obtaining money under false
pretences. The Jury were unanimous that the deceased had
been treated well, consistent with the regulations of the Prison.
Verdict—" Died by the Visitation of Clod."
Yesterday an Inquest 'was taken in the Vestry-room of St.
John's Church, on the body of Ann Anderson. The husband
of deceased stated, that on Sunday morning
he came hohis lodgings in Parish-street, after an absence of eight days he
knocked at the door, and one of his children, who was in the
n to
room with the deceased, put the key under the door; witness
then unlocked the door, anti went into the room and found his
wife lying across the bed quite dead and cold! George Lee,
surgeon, stated that he opened the head of the deceased, and
found a quantity of coagulated blood on the brain, sufficient to
cause death. There were no marks of violence about her per.
son. Verdict—" Natural Death."

. _
An Inquest was takenyesterday at the Moor's Arms, Brom.
ley, on the body of Mrs. Digs, late of Robinhood-sang, Poeler,
who was found drowned in the river lee on Monday morning;
had been missing from home for the last eighteen days, and no
tidings could be heard of her until she was found drowned.—
There were no marks of violence on the body, nor was there
any evidence to show the Jury how, or by what means, the de.
ceased came to be in the water. They returned a verdict of-L
" Found Drowned."

Tuesday, in the river Lee.—The de-
Viatitday an Inquest was taken on the body of Mary Win-
(
field,
f)ila tradesman residing in St. George's in
ceasedfou was found drowned
wwinfeedo
East, and having some time ago separated from her husband,
lived at service in Shadwell. She was missing four days when
picked out of the water. The Jury returned a verdict or—
" Found drowned."
An Inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon, at the Crown
and Fox Inn, Highgate, on the bud of Sarah Priest, whose
death was occasioned by excessive drinking. Anne Woolley
stated she resides in Mr. Doinville's family at Highgate; de-
ceased was cook there ; 'she has known her above tour months,
daring which time she has frequently seen her in a state of in-
toxication ; about six weeks since she was very much so, and
was very boisterous and ill behaved. On Monday week she
came home and was then much in liquor ; about twelve o'clock
on Sunday deceased was in the kitchen, and witness supposed
from her appearance she had been drinking ; she dressed the
dinner in an incorrect way, and she wits.also very strange dur_
ing the day; in the afternoon deceased went up stairs, and
on the witness going into the room she observed deceased
was very sick, but never spoke; the witness visited her every
half hour till one o'clock, and between four and five she was
found dead in her bed. Elizabeth Wells, servant to Mr. Dom.
vile, saw deceased twice in a state of intoxication; on one
oc-
casion when she went. to town, had seen deceased with two
bottles full of gin, and has seen her drink one off without using
afogulirdslierinir.aNsltarattesoone p
a u g
occasioned by some intoxicating
,liquor; he attempted to rouse her, but without effect. Verdict
s t surgeon ori
Died from the effects of intoxication."

Mys'rEtttous ROBDERY.—lnformation to the
following effect was given yesterday at the Police
Office, Hatton Garden:—On Friday
NNS, Esq. Solicitor, last Thos.
nu-square, em-
ployed a curter to remove his furniture from his
to%s is residence in Warwick court, Holborn, to
of 4, G ray r
a house he had taken at Queen's Elms, Bromp-
ton ; in consequence of much valuable property
being in the caravan, he sent a porter, in whom
he reposed much trust, to accompany the carter
to take care of it : a trunk filled with plate, with
a small box inside, containing a quantity of Va-
luable trinkets, and a box containing much other
valuable property, were deposited at the bottom
of the cart, under the furniture. Both are mis-
sing, but the carter and porter each profess to
be entirely ignorant of the manner in which they
were stolen.

The Gentlemen of "the Sock and .Buskin" have ever been
and should always be, the subjects of legitimate and liberal
criticism. They " hold the mirror up to nature," anti the por-,
traits they exhibit should be faithful, and should be just. As
all the performances of the drama are objects of deep interest
its admirers, those who assume to personify it, authorise the
strictures and judicious continents of all who claim to under-
stand the works of the author they exhibit.
• But, while the right to criticise is thus admitted, and its pro-
per exercise is acknowledged to be the best protection'bf the
stege, from invasion by pretenders, and the surest guard of
tit morak of the drama ; it is denied that beyond the bounda-
riei of fair and liberal remaril, a dramatic performer is to be
made the object of attack; or that his " vocation" gives any,
other right to assail him, in its honourable exercise, than is at-
forded by any other profession or occupation in a liberal and
polished society.
The feelings, rand the rights to protection and respect, of any
one; who has devoted his talents to the stage, are the same
as those of any other individual of equal education and at-
taimnents ; and if he is wantonly and maliciously aspersed
if an attempt is made to attack bins under cover of the ban-
ners of criticism—when other anti base purposes. are in view,
or the indulgence of malignant envy and motive, the tribu-
nals of correctional justice, are, and ought ever to be free and
open to him.
These remarks have been induced by the circumstance of
Mr. Mathews, who is now in our city, having recently appealed
to a Court of Justice against a Boston Editor, for reparation
far what he has deemed a malicious attack on his integrity • and
reputation, and a false and perverted representation of the cha-
racter of his dramatic exhibitions—
" You take from me my life
" When you do take the means by which•l
and thus, it is in the power of the Editor of any paper to bring
into the condeirmation and reproach"of the good and virtuous,
by calumny and misrepresentation, the dramatic efforts of Mr.
Mathews; he must, in the language of truth, exclaim,
" Othello's accupation's.gone."
As the publication which induced Mr. Mathews to institute a
suit against the Editor of the Cattily is not known here; and
the more, because Mr. Buckingham has endeavoured to make
his cause, that of " the Press," throughout our country,, the
public are entitled to an accurate statement of thee.
• It is not unkown among. us, that the seats in the boxes of the
Boston Theatre were, during Mr. Mathew's engagement, and
in accordance with a practice adopted when Mr. Kean was in
that city, sold at public auction, and it should be nntioncd
that the sum of 2000 dollars beyond the established price of the
box tickets was raised from these sales. To one half of this
sum Mr. Mathews was entitled by sthe terms of his engage-
nient, and 1200 dollars was faithfully paid over to him by the
Boston Managers.
The engagement of Mr. Mathews with the Managers of the
Theatre was completed to their entire satisfaction, and to that
of a unanimous public; and the terms of that engagemet did not,
in any wise, forbid an exhibition of his justly popular talents,
before the public after its conclusion. No such construction or
interpretation of-his agreement was claimed by the Managers,
nor was the language in which his arrangement or its ter-
mination was announced in the papers such as authorised that
expectation.
Very many respectable persons, whose stations and iyboae
pursuits did not permit their visiting the 'theatre ; and some of
whom had sought and cherished an intimacy and friendship
with Mr. Mathews, as a companion and a Gentleman, intimat-
ed their earnest wishes, that he would afford to them tin op_
. portunity to be present at some of his performances at a public I
room. Both willing and desirous from sentiments of gratitude,
for their hospitalities and kindness, to comply with those wishes,
as well as to contribute to a charity, to which his aid had been
invited, he determined to announce that he would be " At
flame" at. Boylston 1101, on a particular evening, and one not
appropriated far dramatic performances at the theatre. To
this measure, thus intended, rind -the emoluments of which
were to be appropriated to " the British Charitable Society,"
the Managers of the theatre made no objections which were
known to Mr. Mathews ; and a great number of the most re-
spectable members of society in Boston and its vicinity were
about to accept the invitation of Mr. Mathews, when on the
day appointed for the exhibition the following article appeared
in the Galaxy:
After publishing the Address of Mr. Mathews, offered at the
close of his 'engagement with the Boston Managers, the Editor
proceeds :
" After all' this excess Of grateful feeling, and the positive
assurances that his benefit would be the last night of his public
appearance in Boston, it was to have been hoped that Mr.
Mathews would have left the city without forfeiting the good
opinion of his friends, and without committing any act of gross
anti unpardonable injustice to time people of his profession. But
it seems, that, to gratify certain ladies and gentlemen, who
from various causes have been prevented from visiting the
theatre." Mr. Mathews is to be At Home' this evening, at
Boylston Hall. Mr. Mathews made a good bargain with the
managers of the theatre. He must have known that his visit
to this place injured their business before he came, as well as
after his departure. Ile has repeatedly assured them that Wed-
nesday evening was the last time that he could possibly appear
in public, and on the faith oft these assurances the managers
assured the public, that it was the last opportunity they could
have of witnessing his entertainment. But certain ladies and
gentlemen could not visit the theatre, to see him. Why could
they not? Because they would not. They will not give even
their minim:atter to support a theatre and a stationary corn..
pany of players, but they will encourage by their countenance
and money an itinerant mimic, who offers his instructive and
chaste imitations in any other place. They will not go to the
theatre to see a tragedy of Shakspeare or a comedy of Sheri-
dan, but they are extremely anxious to get into Boylston Hall,
to sec Mr. Mathews imitate a sea-sick rustic, or a drunken
coachman, and to hear him retail the old stale 'jokes 'of Jo.
Miller, arid tell the delicate adventures of Mr. Rumpfoozle and
Mrs. Ninicompipe !
" We hope that some obliging correspondent will favoUr us
with the names of the ladies and gentlemen who are most for-
ward in patronizing this entertainment, which can be viewed in
no other light than as a premeditated act of injustice to the
Managers of the Theatre, and an insult to the public generally.
If we hear of any of our Learned Professors, aageludges, wise
Legislators or pious Clergymen being present, we Shall.not
fail to make report thereof to the public, and endeavoitr to hold
up to the admiration if not to the imitation of our readers, the
example of those fastidious ladies and gent/men, whose delicate
stomachs cannot digest a play, but can gorge their cormorant
appetites on the vulgarity and smut, which have been scouted
from the' age as stale and disgusting excrescences."
" On further reflection, we think Mr. Mathews not so very
much to blame. His audience this evening will supply him
with abundant materials wherewithal to furnish a new en.
tertainment when he is next At Home,' on the other side of
the Atlantic."
It would be a violation of the respect due to the understand-
ings of those for whose perusal this paper is intended, to enter
Into an argument to chew, that therm nothing ofjust or liberal
criticism, nothing of generous or proper comment; nothing of
fair impartial observation, in the article, which has been faith.
fully copied.
It charges Mr. Mathews with having practised afraud on the
public, and upon the Managers of the Bostott Theatre, by re-
presenting his performances at tie Theatre as the last time he
could possibly, appear before the Boston public.
But the Editor was not satisfied with this. He proceeded to
hold up the exhibitions of. Mr. Mathews to the censures and
condetrination of the moralist; he represents them as "Amish.
ing the means ojj gorging
.cormorant appetites with vulgarity
and smut, which• have been scouted from tht stage, as stale and
disgusting excrescences ;", thus exposing to a criminal prase-
cution the object of his slanders, and then he goes on and
threatens to ► make report' to the public of those who should
because known to him to have been visitors of the performances.
The nature of this attack can better be known by its effects,
than by an examination of the particular language in which it
was made. Numbers of the citizens of Boston, who intended
to visit Mr. Mathews in the evening were deterred by it front
ammplishing their design. The father hesitated. to attend
himself, or to permit his children to view an exhibition repre-
-seated to be immoral anti shannAl in its nature, and in its
character : and many a virtuous citizen refused to countenance
an entertainment, thus openly denounced, and others who did
nat desire to have their nausea Iteld up to public notice, refused
to be iimoug the auditors of air. Mathews. Titus the purpose