The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-17 00:00:00

QUEEN-SQUARE.

EXTRAORDINARY PAUPER CASE.—The attention
of Mr. GREGORIE, the sitting Magistrate, was for a
considerable time occupied with the case of Wil-
liam Butler, who attended with his wife and five
children, in consequence of being refused relief by
the authorities of St. Margaret's workhouse.
Mr. GREGORIE found the case to be one in
which there were so many peculiar circumstances
that he felt it his duty to enter into a minute inves-
tigation of all the particulars attending it.
It then appeared that the man Butler was formerly
a servant in the establishment of Mr. Fane, M.P.,
of Great George-street, and Leuthnor, in Oxford-
shire, where he resided for a number of years,
during which time he married a fellow-servant, by
whom he had his present family of five children,
one of which is in arms. After leaving the service
he became reduced, from want of employment, and
in December, 1832, after residing three weeks in
Marylebone, he made application to the overseers
of the parish for relief, which was granted to him-
self and impoverished family; but on inquiring into
his case, the authorities considered that he belonged
to St. Margaret's, Westminster, and the family were
consequently removed to the latter parish by the
usual order, bearing the signature of two justices
of the peace. Here they remained for some time,
until the usual inquiries were made, from which the
overseers deemed that they had no right to be bur-
dened with the party, and they gave notice of ap-
peal. The officers of Marylebone held a consulta-
tion upon the case, which terminated in their agree-
ing to take the paupers back, and cancel the magis•
trates' order upon St. Margaret's, without prejudice.
The family had not remained long in Marylebone
workhouse before they were removed to Leuthnor-
below-Hill in Oxfordshire; but it being proved that
They had no claim upon that parish, they were brought
back to Marylebone. It was then believed that
Leo: hnor•ahove-Hill wasjustly entitled to support the
family, from the circumstance of Butler having resided
there during a portion of his servitude with his
master Mr. Fane, who has an estate there. The
parochial gentlemen, however, deemed that they
had no more right to be saddled with the family than
either of the other parishes, and they appealed to the
Middlesex Quarter Sessions against the magistrates'
order of removal. This appeal was heard at Cher-
kenwell last week, and in consequence of the au-
thorities of Marylebone not having sufficient evi-
dence to prove that the parties belonged to Leuth-
nor-above-Hill, the order was quashed, and a few
days since the last named parish had the family
ifmeoarnedtochoille-
t presented
themselves
relorennv,eytehden ohoisncew
Marylebone overseers for relief, when the messenger
at the workhouse gave them ss. to get rid of them,
at the same time desiring them to procure a lodging
for the night in St. Margaret's parish'. They ac-
cordingly slept in the parish one night, and the
next morning made application to be admitted to
the workhouse. This was refused, and hence arose
the application for the interference of Mr. Gregory.
Mr. Nicholson, clerk to the overseers, attended,
and clearly stated the peculiarities of the case to the
magistrate, who immediately wrote to the overseers
of Marylebone upon the subject. One of the as-
sistant overseers answered the letter, admitting the
truth of Mr. Nicholson's statement, and also ac-
knowledged that the giving the family ss. to sleep
in another parish was an irregular mode of proceed-
, ing. Mr. Gregorie then enclosed the assistant
overseer's letter to the magistrates of Marylebone
police office, and those gentlemen sent an order to

the Marylebone authorities to relieve them. They
complied and the family are now inmates of the
workhouse from which they were originally removed.
The money expended during the eighteen months
the family was sent from parish to parish, is said to
amount to nearly 2001., and during the investigation
Mr. Gregorie remarked that the money expended in
endeavouring to gain a settlement, would have ren-
dered this unfortunate family comfortable.