The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

A FAMILY POISONED.

On Monday last, at the Spread Eagle, Lime-street
Groves, in this borough, Mr. Thorney held an inquest
on the body of Lawrence Waites, aged 11 years, son of
Joseph Waites, of this port, master mariner.
The father of the deceased deposed—The deceased
lived with me on board my vessel, the Conduct,
lying in the river Hull, near Mr. Gibson's, Groves-
yard. He was very ill yesterday, as were all
my family, including my wife and myself. We
were all hearty at breakfast and dinner, but
we had not eaten half a dozen mouthfuls before we began
to be sick. My wife had on Saturday night brought
home a quarter of a stone of flour, three pounds of meat,
and half a pound of sausages. The flour was got at
Else's shop. We had some salt, but no pepper on
board. My wife and daughter Margaret made the pie.
It was what we call a sea pie. We had it cooked in a
tin which was used every day. We had no copper
aboard at all. We were all very sick—my wife, my
daughter Margaret, Robert, and Joseph, and the de-
ceased, and also the dog, to which some of the pie was
given. Lawrence had eaten more than any of us. We
dined at noon. Between two and three o'clock we called
to a man who was on board a sloop, and told him we
were all poisoned, and he and his wife and Mrs. Jack-
man came on board. They asked us if we would have
a doctor, and I told them we would. A doctor never
came, however, but Mrs. Jackson bought sixpennyworth
of nitre. The man afterwards inquired if we were any
better, and I said we were very bad, and begged him t,
come on board, but his wife said there was no room. I
never heard them again, excepting that I once heard
them stirring the fire, although I called several times.
The deceased got worse, and about ten o'clock I heard
him call, " Oh, daddy;" and about four I went down to
the cabin, and he was dead. I went up and called to the
sloopman, but could not make him hear; but a policeman
heard me and got me assistance, and Mr. Munro came and
attended to us.
Margaret Waites, sister of the deceased, was
examined at considerable length. In the course of
her evidence she said—l was with my mother yesterday
morning when she made the pie. There was no one else
there but my mother, myself, and my brother Joseph.
The pie was made in the saucepan. It had been used to
boil some water in. and then we boiled some cl,thes in it,
and put in some washing powder; and after,the clothes had
been boiled in it the liquid Ras thrown out, I think by
Pay mother. I don't know that the pan was washed out
from the time it was used to the time the sea-pie
was made. I saw my mother make the pie. She
made it in a bucket. She put nothing in it but the
meat, dough, sausages, and salt.
Henry Munroe, surgeon, deposed-4 was called to the
deceased about 20 minutes to four o'clock this morning.
I went to the vessel of Joseph Waites, where he was.
I found the father Joseph, who said they were all
poisoned. The wife was bad, and the four children
were sick. The deceased was dead. The mother
complained of tightness of the chest and a violent
burning of the throat. She had been violently
sick and purged, and had great pains about the region
of the heart, with great thirst ; pulse small ; the
vomited matter had a green stringy appearance. I ex-
amined the sea pie and found some small round lumps
of a whitish powder, about the size of a pea. I also
found some small spots in the paste ; it may be flour
or some other substance. From the symptoms I saw
I have no doubt that the whole family had taken some
irritant poison, but I have not had time for an analysis
-or post mortem examination.
The inquest was then adjourned until three o'clock on
Wednesday afternoon, at the Town Min.—Hull paper of
Thursday. _

MARYLEBONE VESTRY.
On Saturday at the Marylebone Vestry the return
directed by Government of the 101. householders was
discussed. It was stated that this return was not cal-
culated to aid the Government in coming to a conclusion,
since in that parish there were 14,017 persons entitled to
vote on the register, but only 7,733 were actually quali-
fied, and out of that number 1,020 persons were disqua-
lified by reason of non-payment of the window-tax.
Sir DE LACY EVANS said this was a most important
subject, and one which deeply affected the franchise.
Many complaints had been made that the collectors, by
not calling for theiratenschtiielsld theafter vtohte er2s. Thisothof J
wulya,sthe
faultof the had
often
purpo Legislature, dsfraegislature, who allowed so great a power
to be vested in the collectors.
A resolution was then carried for re-appointing the
committee on the subject of the window duties.
THE ALLEGED DEATH FROM STARVATR.N.—A com-
munication was read to the vestry upon this subject from
the Poor Man's Guardian Society, who had passed the
following resolution:—
" That taking into consideration the fearful disclo-
sures relating to the death from starvation of Louisa
Mordaunt, on aecount of the harsh administration of the
poor laws by the parochial authorities in Marylebone;
as also the horrible details of the disgi sting rules prac-
tised within the Marylebone Workhouse, in connexion
with the washing of the persons of the poor inmates, a
public meeting be convened at the Princess's Concert Room,
Great Castle-street, Oxford-street, for the purpose of
further investigating the disclosures and practices re•
ferred to,with the object of producing such remedies as
will guard against their future repetition. And this
meeting further resolves that the members for the
borough of Marylebone be invited to attend (one of
whom being requested to preside), and that due notice
of the meeting be given to the vestry and guardians of
the poor of St. Marylebone."
Mr. RIDGWAY, in indignant terms, denounced the
communication as disgusting, and not couched in suffi-
ciently respectable language to be entertained by the
vestry. He would move that the document be ordered
to lie on the table.

Several other gentlemen spoke in very strong terms
respecting this communication, and declared that the
charges were altogether false.
Mr. DANIELL said that Mr. Charles Cochrane was the
chairman, and chief mover of the " Poor Man's Guar-
dian Society," and that his object was to gain popularity
and not to benefit the poor.
Mr. JOSEPH said, alt Mr. Cochrane wanted was pub-
licity, which the present proceedings would give him. It
appeared that he was a candidate for Westminster, but
if the Hon. Member (General Evans) was never turned
out of his seat till Mr. Cochrane could do it, his opinion
was that he would sit for Westminster till the day of
udgin ent.
The motion was carried unanimously.