The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-29 00:00:00

AWFULLY SUDDEN DEATH OF THE
LATE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
OF STAMPS. _ _

Yesterday a highly respectable jury were empan-
nelled before Mr. Wakley, M.P., in the board-room
of the Gray's Inn-line Workhouse, to inquire into the
death of the late Mr. Sergeant Sedgwick, formerly
Chairman of the Board of Stamps, aged 76. The
jury having viewed the body, the following evidence
was given :
James Sheadlam, footman to Lord Chief Baron
Pollock, deposed that deceased left Queen-square
House, Queen-square, at nine o'clock on Sunday
night. He dined with the Lord Chief Baron that
day. When he left the house deceased appeared in
his usual health and spirits.
Henry Pooney stated that while he was serving his
master's customers with beer, at a quarter-past nine
o'clock, on Sunday night, he found deceased lying on
his back close to the kerb-stone, Queen-square. He
was insensible, and his hat and wig lay two or three
yards from him. Witness got water from the ad-
joining pump, with which he bathed the temples of
deceased, who twice breathed, but never moved. A
policeman then came up, and witness went for Mr.
Richmond, surgeon, who instantly attended and pres-
cribed; but witness believed the deceased was dead
before the surgeon arrived. The police conveyed the
body to the workhouse, as deceased was not then
recognised.
Lord Chief Baron Pollock, who gave his evidence
with considerable emotion, said, I have known
deceased for the last 41 years. He dined with me at
six last Sunday, and left at nine for his residence,.
Church-street, Kensington. He dined very mode-
rately and drank no wine. He was very cheerful
and his health appeared unusually good. Latterly
my family observed him rather depressed. He was
called to the bar in 1801, and was lately Chairman of
the Board of Stamps. I do not believe that he ever
attempted suicide, nor do I believe that his death re-
sulted from ought but natural causes. A friend of
his told me that deceased complained of pain in the
region of the heart. He called upon me to write a
letter to Lord John Russell, which I wrote, and which
I found upon him.
Dr. Robert Richmond, 37, Queen -square, was
called upon to attend deceased. Last Sunday night
he felt his pulse, but could detect no motion, witness
thinking that he had fainted, dipped a towel in cold
water, and bathed his face and temples in the hope
of reviving him ; but life was extinct, and witness
ordered the removal of the body to the workhouse, as
it was not identified. In witness's opinion, deceased
did not die of apoplexy or in a fit, but of disease of
the heart. The pupils were dilated. There was no
unusual smell from the breath. Hence witness con-
cluded the deceased died a natural death, and not
from poison. There were no marks of violence on
his person. His watch, rings, and other property
were found undisturbed on his person. An autopsy
was not performed by witness, because deceased's
family were opposed to it.
CORONER—I should have ordered a post mortem ex-
amination were not his family decidedly opposed to it,
and were I not convinced the deceased's death resulted
from natural causes.
A juror (to Dr. Richmond)—Did you not try to
bleed deceased ?
Dr. Richmond—Certainly not. If I had done so I
would be charged with his death, for his body was
emaciated, and he had no blood to spare. Besides, he
was dead when I arrived,
Police-constable 111 E was called by the first wit-
ness, and found on deceased a watch, two gold seals, a
ring, 1/. 2s. 6d. in money, a letter addressed to Lord
John Russell, M.P., which led to the identification of
the body.
The CORONER summed up very carefully and feel-
ingly, and
"NTahtuerajluDry;atwhi. t”hDo ue to
ehaesseidt at
hasi o nl
e,
fred eatuu rono
ly daughter
to
lament his death.
As Lord Chief Baron Pollock retired from the
court, the coroner and jury rose, which mark of
respect the Learned Judge most graciously acknow-
ledged.