The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-22 00:00:00

MORE CORN-LAW MURDERS.

On Friday last an inquest, exciting considerable
public interest, was held at the house of Mr. John
Turner, the King's Arms Inn, Heywood, before Mr.
Dearden, the Coroner, respecting the decease of Eliza
Frankland, the youngest child of an extremely poor
man, named William Frankland, an operative clogger.
The deceased, who was two years and six months old,
appeared to have died from the effects of hunger and
cold. The first witness, Joshua Bold, policeman 92
of the county constabulary, stated that at an early
hour on Tuesday morning, whilst he was passing
through Hart-street, Heywood, his attention was at-
tracted by the dismal cries of children, proceeding
from a cellar. Having called another policeman to
accompany him, they enterod the place, and found
the only inmates to be three young children, huddled
together on a wretched bed. On examining them,
one was found to be a corpse ; and upon further
search, the dwelling was found entirely destitute of
food or money. All the children were in a state of
starvation, and most deplorably situated as regarded
clothing. The policemen went speedily to Mr. John
Phenix, superintendedent of police, and informed him
what they had discovered. The superintendent
promptly attended to the wants of the poor famished
survivors, and provided them at once with food. Having
learned where the father of the children was, he lost no
time in bringing him to Heywood. The father was at
work at Stockport, from whence he returned weekly to
his wretched abode. Being a widower, his family were
much neglected in his absence, and the rest was what
we have already stated. Mr. Phenix confirmed the
testimony of the police, and added, that the purpose he
had in view in causing the inquest to be held, was to
inquire whether the death was attributable to the
misconduct of the father of the deceased, or to the in-
attention of the assistant-overseer of Middleton, to
which township the family belonged. William Frank-
land, the parent of the poor child, a lank, thin-visaged,
and pitiable-looking person, stated he had been out of
work for some time ; but within a few weeks, he had
obtained employment at Stockport at nailing clogs. In
answer to questions from the Coroner, lie stated that
his earnings yielded only ss. 6d. per week, out. of which
he paid 4s. for food and lodgings at Stockport. Having
only Is. 6d. for the sustenance of the three children
we, kly, he had purchased some coarse flour, of which he
made porridge on Sunday last, and having obtained the
services of a poor woman to attend occasionally to the
children, ho again proceeded to Stockport. In reply
to queries as to whether he had been relieved by the
township to which he belonged, he stated that for-
merly he received a pittance of Is. 6d. weekly from the
overseer of Middleton : that, a few months ago, he
waited nearly a whole day to obtain this trifling sum
from the assistant overseer, who asked him what was
the reason he did not get work. lie replied that if he
had some blocks he could get on better. The Over-
seer, consequently, gave him 12s. to enable him to get
some work, and from that period the assistant overseer
had never been to visit the family, or rendered them
any assistance. He therefore thought it was useless to
make any further applications for parochial aid. Betty
Chaderton, the old woman employed to attend to the
family, spoke to the condition of the children, and stated
that they had gone about begging for food. Mr. Sa-
muel ltainsden, the assistant overseer of Middleton,
who was questioned as to the relief of Frankland,
said he had never seen him since the time he gave
him the twelve shillings, and he had never inquired into
the state of the family since. Mr. Leach, surgeon,
of Heywood, who had examined the body of the de-
ceased, stated that the child had died of inflammation,
produced by cold and want of food. He observed that
there was but a very small quantity of food in the
stomach, and the case was one of the most painful he
had ever witnessed. A verdict in accordance with the
evidence was returned. The gentlemen of the jury,
along with the police superintendent and a number of
his men, feeling for the pitiable state of Frankland and
his family, entered into a liberal subscription for their
relief, to which the Coroner contributed. Much sym-
pathy has also been manifested by respectable inhabi•
tants of Heywood for the sufferers.—Blanchester Guar-
dian.

The Hon. Miss Devereux, only (laughter of
Viscount and Viscountess Hereford, has been appointed by
her Majesty to succeed Miss Spring Rice, as Maid of
Honour to her Majesty: