The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-06 00:00:00

THE HYDROPATHIC SYSTEM.

IMPORTANT CORONER'S INQUEST.
Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held before Mr. W.
Payne, the City Coroner, at the King's Headi Eastcheap, on
the body of Mr. Richard Dresser, of No. 9, in the same street.
The greateet interest was manifested on the occasion, because
it had been generally reported that the deceased had died
owing to improper treatment received at the hydropathic es-
tablishment of Dr. Ellis, at Sudbrook Park, near Petersham.
Dr. Ellis was present, attended by Mr. Hance, solicitor, who
watched the proceedings on his behalf.
After the jury had been sworn, the Coroner said that he
was entirely ignorant of the circumstances immediately con-
nected with the death of the deceased; but as it had been
represented to him that Mr. Dresser had lately gene into an
establishment in the country, with a view of procuring me-
dical advice, where he had died, and that since the body had
been brought home some suspicious circumstances had been
discovered, he thought it advisable that an inquest should
be: held, for which investigation the jtiry were then as-
sembled.

Thomas Hubert, of the Great Hall, Hungerford-market,
lighterman, had known deceased for 30 years, who was an
accountant, and lived on the opposite side of the way. He
complained of being ill during the last 12 months, his illness
arising, as he thought, from rheumatism or sciatica, causing
shooting pains through the whole of his limbs, which at
times were quite powerless. On Friday last he saw deceased
at his own residence, when he said he was very poorly, and
that ho was going to place himself under the care of Dr.
Ellis, near Richmond. While witness was conversing, Dr.
Ellis arrived, when, in the most familiar manner, the
doctor said that he should go down with him in his cab that
afternoon, and appointed to meet him at half-past three,
in Sackville-street. They did not, however, meet, but
Mrs. Dresser accompanied her husband to the doctor's esta-
blishment.

Mrs. Eliza Muriel, of 32, Elm-grove, Hammersmith, had
known deceased for three years. He frequently complained
of being unwell. About five weeks since he bad an attack of
jaundice, but was soon cured. On Thursa'ay or Friday last
she saw deceased at Eaatcheap, when he told her that he was
in very good health, only that he suffered from severe rheu-
matic pains. On Sunday last she saw him at Dr. Ellis's es-
tablishment at Sudbrook Park, near Petersham; he then
seemed rather poorly, and complained of sickness. He was
in bed when she saw him. When he was afflicted with
jaundice he was attended by Mr. Waterworth, surgeon, of
the Old Kent-road.
W. D. Dresser, of 11, Rotherfield-street, Islington, is
cousin to deceased. Besides the jaundice, he complained of
severe pain about the hip, which he called rheumatism. He
had had a similar attack four or five years ago, when he was
laid up for three months. The last time I saw deceased
alive was on the 28th of May, when he complained of pain
in the groin. His expression was, that he was suffering
from rheumatism. He was fomented with warm water, and
witness then left him. On last Tuesday morning he learned
that Mr. Dresser was dead, when he accompanied Mrs.
Dresser to Richmond, together with Mr. G. Arnold. When
he saw deceased his body was lying on a bed in room No. 4.
There was a great change in his face. He was nearly black
about the neck. He was a dark man when in health ; but
his face, when a corpse, was particularly so. The body ap-
peared to be much swollen, and froth was issuing from his
nostrils, covering a large portion of his face. They had seen
Dr. Ellis previous to their examining the corpse ; when,
after asking the doctor the cause of death, he placed a paper
in his hands, which contained the diagnosis. This paper
was as follows :

" Mr. Richard Dresser came here on Eriday last, to seek
relief from what he termed rheumatism in the hip (properly
sciatica), giving no other particulars; the case was thought
admissible. But it soon appeared that he had been suffering
from hepatitis of the sub-acute character, giving rise to sup-
puration ; occasioning exudations of lymph and a rapid ex-
tension of the disease to the adjoining viscera. The symp-
toms were tympanitis, total inaction of the bowels, and
sluggishness of the urinary organs, very severe pain in the
left leg from the groin along the thigh to the ancle, coldness
of the extremities, and loss of power. He was treated as is
usual to subdue the symptoms; the pain was soon suspended;
the bowels, though stubborn, acted freely, after the means
had been tried, and continued to do so ; and the urine either
passed of itself, or was drawn off. The appetite allowed of
his taking a little farinaceous nourishment, but disease pro-
ceeded insidiously; sub-acute inflammation advanced gra-
dually, though there was no sign of active progress; the
organ became generally the seat of suppuration, the pulse
became quicker and softer, with much perspiration ; the
countenance became pale and sallow. There was tumefac-
tion of the liver, with a doughy, cedematous, or boggy feel
of the hepatic region generally. The enlargement, or bulg-
ing, was very great about the false ribs. Oppression, with
dyspncea, or short breathing, immediately preceded his de-
cease, which took place at twenty minutes before eight
o'clock this morning, June 2, without either . a sigh or a
struggle.
" In three or four hours after his decease the fluids filled
the chest and throat, and oozed copiously out of the ears,
nose, and mouth. " J. E."

The witness continued Having asked the doctor the
cause of death, he said it was not rheumatism but hepatitis,
and that, had he known he was labouring under that com-
plaint, he would not have admitted him into the establish-
ment.

Mrs. Dresser. widow of the deceased, was then led into
the room, and it was. with the greatest difficulty that she
answered the necessary questions. She saw her husband at
the establishment on Sunday afternoon last, when she un-
derstood that her husband had been placed in some warm
baths, and he said that his pain had left him. He was sitting
up in bed, covered with blankets, and with wet wrappers
around him. He said that they had kept him very humble,
not what he had been accustomed to. When she saw him
sitting in bed, she said to him, " What a strange position !"
He replied that his two legs were useless, and were as cold
as marble. She took tea with him, and wished him to take
some, but he refused, because he said that it was not allowed.
Dr. Ellis came home in the evening, when she told the
doctor that she thought her husband was vet y bad, because
he was so very cold. The doctor then took a large cloth,
placed it in a wash-hand bason containing water, and then
put it on her husband's stomach, because, he said, he was
afraid of inflammation, which he wished to stop; because,
he said, he could not suffer so valuable a life as his to be lost.
Deceased was shortly afterwards placed in a bath. She saw
him in half an hour, when there was so remarkable a change
in his appearance that she thought her husband was struck
with death.' He was so very dark under the eyes that Mr.
Ellis acknowledged he was much altered. My husband said
that he felt no pain. His perspiration had stopped, which
one of the bath. men told her was in favour of the patient.
The doctor asked her if she wished to have further advice, or
if she desired to remove her husband? She then left her
husband, the doctor promising to send her a letter in the
morning, which she was to receive by eleven o'clock; but at
nine the secretary of the establishment called upon her to
acquaint her with her husband's death. She went down to
Petersham, and, after a great deal of persuasion, was allowed
to see the corpse. She did not know whether the bandages
which had been applied were dipped in warm or cold water.
The baths were constituted of three pails of cold water with
a small portion of hot taken from a small can which the
bath-man held in his hand.
Mr. James Hicks, surgeon, said that he was in partner-
ship with Mr. Waterworth, of the Old Kent-road. The de-
ceased had been visited by his partner, but who was pre-
vented from attending the inquest in consequence of his
being engaged in a labour case. The witness had assisted
in a post mortem examination of the deceased, in connexion
with Mr. Waterworth, his partner,
the a
po
pne
arThursdayappearance
ofa
manmorning.
presented
the face being bloated and of a
Thehad diedbodyf
rom externallysuffocation,
livid colour, with bloody froth and serum issuing from his
mouth and nose; the whole of the posterior part of the
trunk also bore evidence of extreme congestion. In the chest
the lungs were healthy, but enormously congested, as also
the heart, which was large and flabby, but otherwise healthy
In the abdomen, the bowels were greatly distented with
flatus, but otherwise empty; the liver was healthy, but con-
gested, and bearing no evidence of any previous disease; the
kidneys were slightly diseased, and also congested. He consi-
dered the immediate cause of death to have been extreme con-
gestion of the internal organs—namely, the lungs and
heart, which existed to such an extent as to produce
all the effects of suffocation, in not allowing air to get into
the lungs. This congestion was likely to be produced by the
application of cold externally, whether by cold air or by
cold fluids, to the body; cold applications have the effect of
repelling the blood from the surface of the body to the in-
ternal organs, and from which, in many cases, arising from
a weak condition of the constitution, the system was unable
to relieve itself. He had read the paper written by Dr.
Ellis previous to making the post mortem examination,
which he then read again to the jury, endeavouring to
divest it of its technical character. ire did not think that
the paper written by Dr. Ellis at all gave the true cause of
death—quite the contrary. He did not think that there was
the least appearance of disease in the liver. There had evi-
dently been congestion of the lungs when the wet cloths
were applied, and if the water were cold it would generally
produce death. In these cases there should be the applica-
tion of hot flannels and stimulants, so as to restore circula-
tion.
so soon have been cold as it was said that he was. Had
Ith aadp pheeeerne d
wettedtot hi m
withthathot
water,the cloths .
Dresserapp applied to
coude-
ceasedld
not
there been rheumatism or sciatica, there could not have been
sluggishness of the bowels, or derangement of the urinary
organs; there was no suppuration of
i any kind.
confirmed Mr. G. Arnold, hatter, of 57, leap , the
tostirnony of previous witnesses, adding, that he had often
_
heard the deceased speak in most favourable terms of the
hydropathic system, upon which subject he believed he had
cs
written a small work.
The,Conoreen then said that it was highly necessary that
the jury should hear the evidence of Mr. Waterworth, as also
that of Dr. Ellis, together with some persons from the esta-
blishment, in order that they might detail the means
generally resorted to. He should, therefore, adjourn the
case till Tuesday next, at three o'clock, binding Dr. Ellis to
attend in the recognisance of 1001.

OPENING OF THE LEEDS AND BRADFORD RAILWAY.
—On Saturday last, the contractors of this line proceeded,
with a numerous body of the directors and their frinds, from
Leeds to Bradford. The train, consisting of twelve carriages,
accompanied by two bands of music, and propelled by two
engines, started from the Leeds station, Wellington street, a
little before one o'clock, the bands playing " See the con-
quering hero comes." The gay banners attached to each
carriage had a very pleasing effect, and the thousands of
people who had assembled along the banks of the river
testified by hearty cheers their delight in witnessing the
first trip on a line which will unite two of the largest
and most important commercial towns in Yorkshire. The
train proceeded slowly through Armley and Kirkstall, in
consequence of a portion of the rails at the Leeds end
having only been laid the day before. After passing
through the Thacklev Tunnel, which is a mile and a half in
length, and being detained a short time at Shepley for a
supply of water, the train proceeded at a rapid rate to Brad-
ford, when, after remaining an hour, it proceeded at a quick
rate on its return. It is impossible to conceive a more lively
and animated scene than that which presented itself on this
Occasion along the whole line, the inhabitants of all the po-
pulous villages throughout having assembled in their holi-
rteheot, those
o gentlemen remove shuechve manu-
facture holi-
day attire on the eminences.—Maxchester Guurdian.
Much dissatisfaction having arisen among the artisans
engaged in the production of the Llama Cloth in the West of
England, by raison of a rumour that it was the intention of
ed the fun of a large body of men.
tfaheeteArleesesresa.tNerictoollt,hoe
ul
allayed
allciyarcular denying such to be their purpose, and which has
of
et
rgeepnotliet,

THE LATE MURDER and SUICIDE.

ibr
Last evening, at six o4clock, Mr.W. Payne,. coronerthe city of Loudon, and a jury of 16 inhabitants of the
ward of Bishopsgate Without, assembled in the Board-
room of the East London Union, No. 1, Devonshire-
square, to investigate the deaths of John Toomey, aged
and Mary Toomey, his wife, aged 38 years, the
victims of the horrible tragedy which took place in
Widegate-street, on Wednesday last, under the circum-
stances detailed in our columns of Thursday.
The proceedings excited ccnsiderable interest, and
the Rev. Dr. Russell, Rector of Bishopsgate, the chair-
man, and several other members of the Board of
Guardians of the East London Union were present
during the inquiry.
The jury, having been sworn, proceeded to view the
bodies, which lay in the second floor back of the
house No. 13, Widegate-street, Bishopsgate- street.
On their return the following evidence was entered
into:.--

Elijah Myers was first called. He said-. 4 reside at
No. 12, Sandys-row. On Wednesday afternoon last,
about a quarter before 4 o'clock, I was in Widegate-
street, opposite No. 13, when a girl came runningfl out,
and said her father, she thought, was in
up stairs at No. 13, with a person named Taylor, and
went
found the door fastened, sad a chair placed against the
door on the inside. I burst open the door, and saw the
deceased man hanging by a handkerchief from the rail
of the bedstead. I saw no other person in the room at
this time. I gave Alfred Taylor a knife, and he cut
him down, There was a letter pinned on the outside of
the deceased man's coat, and Taylor took it off and gave
it to a policeman. We laid the decased man on the bed,
and Mr. Gilbert was sent for, but he was quite dead. I
saw nothing of the body of a woman.
The Coroner here read the paper found pinned to the
deceased man's coat, which was written on the back of
the title-page of a pamphlet entitled " The Magazine of
Popular Information on Capital and Secondary Punish-
ment." It was as follows :—" With all her faults I
love her still, if she would hitt reform. I have tried all
the means I could try, but in vain. She would not con-
form to anything rational, consequently, rather than be
bound to allow her a single shilling, I'll suffer this a
score times. No jealousy, both share alike, old
girl. Oh, friends of humanity ! console my poor afflicted
and distracted orphan girl."
Mary Crawley said—l reside at 11, Knight's-build.
ings, Sun-street, and knew the deceased, Mary Toomey.
I went to her house in Widegate-street on Wednesday
afternoon, and was there when the room door was broken
open. About three-quarters of an hour after the man
was found hanging 1 found the woman under the bed,
lying on her right side. She was quite dead, and her
hands and legs were tied up.
Ann Barrett examined—l reside at 6, Widegate-street.
The deceased, Mary Toomey, was my sister. She had
been married to John Toomey 18 years. They have
two children surviving, but neither was staying with
them. I saw my sister on Wednesday afternoon last,
about 4 o'clock, in Petticoat- lane, and conversed with
her. On the previous day I me, the deceased man, and
offerel to give him some beer, but he refused it, saying
that there was something the matter with his heart,
and he could not drick it. He went to my place and
had some coffee, and left about half-past 9 o'clock, and
I gave him 6d., as he said he had no candle. He was in
the greatest distress, and deceased and his wife had
pawned all their things to buy food. They were allowed
2s. a week and two loaves of bread by the union. He
was latterly a porter, but he had had no work to do for the
last three months. They paid 2s. a week for rent ; but
I think they were a week in arrear. The deceased man
had pawned his shirt off his back to get food. The de-
ceased woman was not a drunkard, but she and her hus-
band quarrelled very much about their distress. On a
previous occasion, last Christmas, I believe, he got a
bottle of poison with intent to poison his wife. I think
he was induced tocommit this act solely through distress.
Several witnesses were here called, who spoke to the
dreadful distress in which the deceased parties appeared
to be, and to their continual habits of quarrelling.
Mr. C. H. Gilbert examined—l am a surgeon, and re-
side at No. 1, Raven-row, Spitalfields. About four
o'clock on Wednesday last I was called to 13, Widegate-
street, and I found the deceased man dead from hanging.
About half an hour after I was called in to see the de-
ceased woman. I found her under the bed, covered with
a sheet, and quite dead from strangulation. The woman's
hands were tied in front of her, and the legs were also
tied with some shreds of old bed covering. Both de-
ceased persons had, in my opinion, been dead seven or
eight hours. The deceased woman was in the last month
of pregnancy. _ _ _

By the jury—The woman's hands were tied so loosely
that I think she might have released them if she had
thought proper. There can be no doubt but the man
had placed her where she was found under the bed be-
fore he committed the act himself.

Mary Anne Toomey, the daughter of the deceased per-
sons, was next called, and having been interrogated as
to the nature of an oath, was sworn. She said the de-
ceased were my father and mother. I was at place when
this happened. I saw my mother last alive about four
o'clock on Tuesday. She was then sober. I saw her on
Monday night, when she had been drinking. I saw my
father on Tuesday night at home, and he told me he
wanted me very early next morning. I cannot tell the
cause of what has happened, unless it was in conse-
quence of my father being out of work, and being so
poor. They had nothing but the 2s. from the union to
live upon for the last three or four weeks, as my mother,
who worked at tailoring, had had none to do. When she
got work she used to earn Is. per day. They used to
quarrel very much, and he used to say, " She might
view in him her butcher."

By the Cm:tortEn—My father has been in trouble, and
been abroad. He returned home about nine months
since. I have lost my place in consequence of this oc-
currence. My father attended Moorfie:ds Catholic
Chapel, but he received no relief from the chapel.
Two other papers which had been found in the de-
*ceased's room, were hero read by the Coroner. They
bore the following:—
" I tried every effort to surpass this. Oh, horrid deed !
But the misguided, deluded woman, as if born to goad
me to do it. May it be a lesson to bad wives, to reform
in time. I should wish to say much more, only my
mind is unsettled. Mr. Robertson talked to me very
kind, and no man could take more pains with me than
the Rev. P. Dyer, who offered me money—but to no
use—my spirits were entirely gone, through the unkind-
ness of my unhappy wife. Mr. Church, a good-hearted
man, and a true faithful servant to the City Gas Com-
pany, and a good friend to the stokers, but many of
them do not seem to know it."

Mr. James Roberts, relieving officer of the East Lon-
don Union, examined— I first had to do with deceased's
family about four years ago, when his wife came to me
for relief in consequence of his being transported. I
again saw the wife about six weeks ago, when she came
for relief, and I saw the man on Tuesday last, when he
came to me about his wife. After I first saw the wife I
visited them, and found the man had no shoes. I then
told them to come before the board. I hinted to the
board that as the wife was pregnant they had better go
into the house, but the woman had so strong an objection
to the union that the board allowed them 2s. per week
and two loaves of bread. This was on the 29th of April,
and that would carry them on for tour weeks. I told them
on the last time the allowance was given that that was the
last time. They omitted to apply until last Friday, in-
stead of applying on the 27th of May, and I then gave
her the same relief as before. They were to have come
before the board on last Wednesday. I called upon
them last Sunday evening, and tried to urge upon the
woman, as she was so far advanced in pregnancy, to go
into the house. They both objected to this very strongly,
and the man appeared very desponding. On Tuesday
evening last Toomey came to me, and told me not to
give his wife any more relief, as she was unworthy of it.
She had come home drunk on the Monday night, and
had gone out on that ( Tuesday) morning, and been out
all day. He added, that she had been the cause of all
his misfortunes, and tvas not worthy of relief, as she had
money. Ile shed tears, and appeared very desponding,
but was perfectly sober. They were never at any time
refused relief by me, although I acted, on their second
application, without the order of the board.
There being no further evidence,
The CORONER, at some length, proceeded to explain
the law as it related to the crime of murder and felo-de-
se, and, having concluded his observations, the jury were
about considering their verdict when
Mr. PAYNE observed that he had just had some cir-
cumstances mentioned to him by a gentleman on his left
which he thought would greatly assist the jury in coming
to a conclusion, inasmuch as it made the motives for the
commission of the act on the part of Toomey more clear.
He thought, therefore, the jury had better hear it in
evidence.
A gentleman, one of the guardians of the City of
London Union, but whose name did not transpire, was
then sworn. He said—John Toomey was, about four
years ago, in the employ of a wholesale confectioner
in St. John-street-road, where he committed, in con-
junction with a fellow-servant, robberies to a very large
amount. Indeed, when the discovery was made, a
whole roomful of grocery and other things were found,
with which it was his intention to set up business for
himself, he having given his companion 151. as his share
of the plunder. He was transported for seven years,
but his good conduct caused him to be liberated at the
expiration of four years. Shortly after committal,
Toomey's wife discovered that he had 1001. in the
savings' bank, and she got the Rev. Dr. Russell and
others to write to the Secretary of State about it. After
considerable trouble the Secretary of State wrote to the
then Sheriff, I believe Mr. Alderman Magnay, and the
woman ultimately got all the money but 101., which she
expended in her support. On the release of Toomey he
expected to have found his wife had still the 1001., but
when he found she had not he became so enraged and
disappointed that he appeared to detest her, and fre-
quently threatened to destroy her.
The jury, after hearing this statement, again con-
sulted for about a quarter of an hour, when they re
turned a verdict, " That the deceased John Toomey,
destroyed his wife and then himself, being at the time
in a state of temporary insanity."

INCREASE OF ATTORNEYS.—From the official list of
persons who have given the requisite notices of their inten-
tion to apply to be admitted on the roll of attorneys of the
Court of Queen's Bench, lately issued by the authorities of
the Law Institution, it appears that in addittion to 157 no-
tices given previous to Easter term last, 170 more have given
notices for Easter term next; eight for re-admission, and
eighteen for the renewal of certificates during the present
term, making altogether an increase of attorneys in two
terms of 335. The average annual increase of attorneys ex-
ceeds 600.
EXPECTED TURN-OUT OF COTTON-SPINNERS.— A
lengthy address, purporting to have emanated
ope-
rative cotton-spinners' committee, has
been from the
placarded on the
walls of this town and neighbourhood, in which it is stated
that the Messrs. Kirk, of Stalybridge, are paying Bs. less per
thousand banks, on some wheels, than the masters of Ashton.
It is intimated that unless an advance is given they will turn
L out.—Manchester Courier.

DUTC2, FLANDERS,- AND /1.131-

BURGY MAILS.

TIIEWAGUE, JUNE 2.—The American Consul agreed,
on the oth of May this year, to the motion for abolishing
differential duties on Java coffees imported into the
United States from European ports and ships of the
Netherlandg. . _

Count Arbadius Itotschnherg, Privy Counsellor to his
Majesty the tinikkor of Russia, has arrived at the
Hague, from St. Petersburgli.
His Majesty passed through Eisenach on the 29th of
May, on his way to Weimar. Her Majesty the Empress
of Russia made but a short stay at Sulzburgh. She set
out on the 24th of May in the morning with Princess
Olga, for Prague, by way of Leinz, at which place she
had an interview with the Empress of Austria and the
Archduke Francis Charles, with some persons who came
from Vienna to meet her.
The Emperor of Russia was at Warsaw on the 24th.
It is thought that his Majesty will meet the Empress at
Prague, to which city several members of the Royal
Family of Russia are gone.
BRUSSELS, JUNE 3 —The average price of wheat, in
the week ending on Saturday the 80th of May, was 23f.
69c. ; and that of rye, 17f. 88c. per hectolitre.
The Chamber of Representatives has passed, by a
majority of 54 to 3, the project of law relative to the
canal from Deynze Schipdonch ; four members declined
voting.

M. Bornjurghe, of Ostend, who had been to the Hague,
on a mission relative to the interests,: of our national
fishery, has returned to Belgium. Hence we may infer
that the negotiations have advanced another step to-
wards a final arrangement. There are, however, still
several points to be settled, relative, not to the principal,
which were all agreed upon, but to the amount of certain
duties of customs on our importations.
The report of M. Blondell to the Government, rela-
tive to the state of St. Thomas's and Guatemala, is
going to be laid before the Chamber. It is said to give in
general a favourable account of the state of that colony.
KONIGEIBURG, MAY 24.—1 t is reported that the Chief
President, before his departure to-day to the General
Synod at Berlin, issued an order to Dr. Rupp, prohi-
biting him henceforth the exercises of ecclesiastical
functions.

HILDESHEIN, MAY 28.—The German Catholics of
this town received to-day the happy information that
the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs has granted them
the chapel of the Lutheran Orphan House for the per-
formance of Divine worship.