The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-02 00:00:00

THE CASE OF STARVATION AT
WORCESTER.-INQUIRY BEFORE AN AS
SISTANT POOR-LAW COMMISSIONER.

On Thursday J. T. Graves, Esq., attended at the
. Union Workhouse, Worcester, for the purpose of inves-
tigating a charge of alleged neglect against a relieving
officer of the union, whereby it was alleged an infant of
one Sarah Dovey had, for want of proper clothing and
attention died. At: the coroner's inquest, held on the
body about a fortnight ago, the jury found a verdict
charging the officer, William Crisp, with neglect, and
hence the present inquiry was directed by the Poor-law
Commissioners.
The first witness called was Elizabeth Scott, sister to
Sarah Dovey, the mother of the deceased infant, who
deposed that her sister was delivered of a male child on
Sunday morning, the 13th December. On the following
day she applied to Mr. Crisp, the relieving officer, for
relief. In reply to Mr. Crisp's questions, she told him
that her sister had been confined let the workhouse about
fifteen months ago of a child still-born. Mr. Crisp
thereupon remembered who Dovey was, and, using
.a
coarse expression, asked whether she (Mrs. Scott) was
not ashamed to ask a second time for relief under such
circumstances. Mrs. Scott replied that she had done
nothing to be ashamed of, and told Crisp that her sister
had nothing to eat, nothing to cover her, and nothing
to lie upon. To this Crisp replied, " She sha'n't have
much, I'll take care of that." Crisp said he should not
go to her sister that night, upon which witness told him
that if he did not, either her or her child would die, and
she must go somewhere else. Crisp rejoined, "and
serve her right too." Witness told Crisp that her sister
had had nothing since her confinement but what she
(Scott) and the neighbours bad given her. Witness had
taken her sister on the Sunday a pint of tea and some
toast, and had borrowed a shilling to procure it, being
very poor herself. She did not, however, tell Mr. Crisp
what she had had. The was pressed on the im-
portant points of her evidence, but she persisted that she
had told the relieving officer that Dovey had nothing to
eat, and nothing to lie upon. The witness was cross-
examined by the guardians and by the relieving officer,
who was present during the inquiry. She said she had
represented her sister's case to Mrs. Crisp also in the
absence of her husband, when she first called at his
house, but this Mr. Crisp said he was prepared to prove
was not the case. Ann Pool, a midwife, said she de-
livered Sarah Dovey of a male child early on the morn-
ing of December the 13th. She was in a deplorably
destitute condition. The house in which she found her
was a void house in Bridport-street, Worcester, and the
only furniture in it was a chair. There was no bed or
bedding, table, or anything else, and very little fire.
There was no food in the house on the Sunday when the
woman was confined, but she could not tell whether there
was any in the house on the Tuesday. Both on Sunday
and Tuesday, the only clothes which Sarah Dovey had
on were an old gown, which was open behind and torn
almost to pieces, and a shawl across her shoulders. She
had no petticoats nor cap. Before witness left on the
Tuesday, she had a conversation with Mr. Crisp, who
was with Dovey when she called. Crisp said, in reply
to witness's remark, that " it was a shocking place, and
that the woman had been confined in the workhouse
fifteen months before." Witness told him that she was
in the same state then as she found her in on the Sun-
day. Mr. Crisp said he should leave a shilling for her
at the huckster's shop near, and that she must do with
that until the Thursday. This was on Tuesday, the
lith. Thursday was board-day. In her cross-exami-
nation by the guardians, the witness stated that she was
of opinion that if the child had had sufficient clothing,
and if a fire had been provided (it being excessively cold
at the time), its life might have been saved. Her fee
was five shillings. She had not received it in Dovey's
case, nor did she expect to do so, unless the guardians
paid her.—Sarah Davey, mother of the deceased
child, was then called into the board-room. She ap-
peared very weak, and spoke low. She stated that
Mr. Crisp attended her for the first time on the Tues-
day, two days after her confinement. She was then
sitting on a borrowed chair with her child on her lap.
There was no food in the house, and no other furniture
than the chair on which she sat, but there was a small
fire in the grate. Mr. Crisp having asked her how many
children she bad had, said, " Are not you ashamed of
yourself ?" Witness answered, " Not more so than
other people." He then called her a dirty wretch, on
which she said that she was as much like a Christian as
anybody else. She was dirty then. Crisp did not ask
her who was in the house when she was confined.—Mr.
Crisp, in his defence, said he should prefer making his
statement upon oath, and being sworn, and cautioned not
to say anything which might criminate himself, said—
Elizabeth Scott called at his house on Dec. 14, to ask for
relief for her sister, telling him that she had been con-
fined on Sunday, and that both her and the father of her
child were " very bad off." She said the mother had
had gruel and tea, and he thereupon said, " Arn't you
ashamed to come a second time ?" She replied that her
sister was not the only one that applied a second or even
a third time for relief under such circumstances.
He said, " Very well ; be should not come to her
that night, but that he would see her in the morn-
ing." Scott said, " They be very bad off ;" and
he (Crisp) replied, "Ss-rve her right ;" and there-
upon she left him. He denied that Scott had ever told
him that if ho did not attend to the case that evening
either the mother or child would be lost. He was posi-
tive Scott never told him that Dovey had nothing to eat
or nothing to cover her. He did say that "it was too
bad, for that this was the second time St. Andrew's
ethefire,Tuesday,
on a chair, sewing, with her
parish had had her." With respect to his interview
with Doveytting boe
nfor the
Mr. Crisp said he found
he
child at the breast. There was no furniture in the room
except the chair which Dovey sat on. Dovey did not
make any complaint of her wanting anything in particu-
lar,r sitting
she said she wanted relief. He was not aware that
she had no under-garments, because she did not tell him
so. Before leaving her he told Dovey that he would go
to the shop in the street and pay for a few .
things for
her, which she could send for, but that, living the
state in which she was, he said she would have little of
him. He, however, promised to lay her case before the
board of guardians OR the Thursday—board-day. He
then went and paid for the things at the shop, and Dovey
afterwards sent for them as she wanted them. He con-
cluded by calling witnesses to his general character.
This evidence terminated the inquiry. The Assistant
Commissioner will make his report thereon immediately
to the Poor-law Commissioners, who of course will com-
municate the result to the board of guardians of the
Worcester Union.

NBw YEAR'S-DAY.—Yesterday being New Year's-
d,o
b
at hstelpppoloyr ifneheaabl
sit, a
rt se a
do
,f
at
de
other
ei
stys a
rpiaers sdhi es
y
coals,
st
weather, have
flannel clothing during the late incle:ae
the poor inhabitants.
and
meat, St.
bread, Pancras,tea in
sugar,
additionuga
oatmeal,to
blankets,
et giftsa
and
ordered a further supply of coals to
of distributed
s t. i‘raryt.hi
ei
s
wThisinte
winter.
gift
The parochial
pmaarktieebabove n
authorities
Strand and the precinct of the ttie°4llasvo St. Clement
Dbraenaeds,
and
dd
eSota.laPaiunl, Coventr-garden,
parishes.
St. M
tsTfhoer
parish of ary,
There were
ayv%3
ttickets
• •
lar
poor
IN EAST LOTHIAN.—e
-
Since issued from the City kitchen, and by the inhabi-
tantseLlaerrngliorfth, distributed coals, broad, andqouaatornuetyalotrocotthdes
ethneirofrestpheee tievxetednisstirviects.
robbery at Begbie, in
i f gifts i
ofn other
St.
George's,
parishes,
lean:o av e veryr.sq ul
sary
the neighbourhocd of Haddington, occurred, a number
of farmers and others in the district have got all the
sieliceTTtre
PaTtLeAiOTUSiotragl'and
windows on the first floor of their houses strongly secured
with iron bars; a watch-dog is also kept, and in many
cases a loaded gun in readiness. All these precautions
are most necessary, asthe Begbie affair seems to be but
the beginning of a system of robberies. Last week three
Irishmen, visit to
Theyth
broke a pane of glass, and attempted to open the
the
farm-house en,Carfrae,ef to
inbe the‘‘ "navvies,"
paidf
G a ra
v a d
window-shutter of the room, but being well secured,
supposed
a degree of violence was used to get it opened,
which aroused the inmates. On the farmer inquiring
what was wanted, they would not speak, but con-
tinued working with the window fastenings. The gentle-
man threatened to fire if they did not desist and go
away, but no attention was paid to him, and he from an
upper window fired a pistol at them. Immediately after
this one of them, with a strong Irish accent, exclaimed.
.g Let's he off, boys," when all three ran away. At two
o'clock on the morning of Thursday, a similar attempt
was also made by thtee men to break into the manse of
Athelstaneford. The breaking of the window glass
awoke the reverend clergyman, and on repeated ques-
tions being put as to who they were and what they de-
sired, no answer was returned. The manse stands at
the end of the village, apart from any houses, so that it
was impossible that the human voice could be heard by
the villagers, to come to the rescue of their minister ;
but he, with great prudence and presence of mind, took
from the lobby a largo hand bell,
and, going to the
highest window of the house, opened it, and began Ting-
ing the bell with great vigour. This had the de sired
effect. It made the villains decamp, and brought. the
inhabitants of the manse to ascertain the cause of this
unto ward ringin.—Berwick Watdtr.
liostEar.—the wrought cotton hose branch keeps
its ground, and the stockiugers in the villages are not
suffering so much as in the town; but cut-ups of every
description aro on the wane. The same may be said of
steam propelled stocking-frames ; they are evidently on
the decline. The drawer, pantaoon, and shirt branch
is very dull, and many good and steady hands make
heavy complaints of short employment, yet we bear
of no attempts to reduce the wages. 'The silk glove
trade is further on the decline, especially in tho town,
the two-needle frames in the villages taking the employ-
ment—in many eases through the t V t
truck sys o -
tinyhant Rcriew.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE STOCK EXCHANGE, DIC.
31.—The sales were—Fleetwood Preston, and West
Riding, ss. p.—Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction,
die.—Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, 265. 3d .p-
--Newcastle and Carlisle, Now, I frf p.—Newcastle :and
Berwick, 155 p.—North British, 11 Ditto, Quarters,
455. p.— Ditto, Extension, 7-
p.—York and North Mid-
land, Preference, 121 p.