The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1834.

the Dennises, celebrate that day in a proper manner ; and
Thursday was the anniversary of that saint.
The CORONER then pressed Mr. Dennis further to admit
the Jury, and pointed out the folly of his conduct.
Mr. Dennis combatted all the arguments of the Coroner
with a good deal of tact, quotinc, several law authorities.
The CORONER at length asked' Mr. Dennis if Monday
would be a more convenient day for the admission of the
Jury ? Mr. Dennis said the body was then in a very de-
composed state, and it would be worse on Monday. He
argued in a very plausible manner the impropriety of inter-
fering with him in his domestic affairs, and said there was no
necessity for the jury entering his cottage.
The CORONER—I have no doubt the child has died a
natural death, but you have given rise to all the suspicion
which exists by your own conduct ; and even at this moment
you are increasing the suspicion.
Mr. Dennis still persisted in his- refusal to allow any one
but the Coroner to enter ; he was well armed, and would
guard the corpse of his child with his life, and resist the en-
trance of the Jury.
The CORONER finding it was useless to parley any further
with Mr. Dennis, was about to leave the place with the in-
tention of consultinc, the inspector of Police, who had just
returned from Worship-street, and who stated that the ma-
gistrates declined all interference, when a young man, who
said he was a school-fellow of Mr. Dennis's, and had great
influence over him, came up, and after a short conversation
with his eccentric friend, he obtained the required permis-
sion for the Coroner and Jury to enter the house, just as the
police and parochial authorities were about to make prepa-
rations to force an eatry at four different points.
On entering the house the Coroner and Jury proceeded
up stairs to a large room, in one corner of which the de-
ceased lay on a mattress in a little crib. Its jaws were
bound up, and it laid in a bent position, and presented the
most dreadful spectacle of emaciation ever witnessed. It
was warming with vermin. Mr. Teash, a. medical gentle-
man, examined the body, but could find no marks of vio-
lence whatever on it. In the same room were two other
beds close to each other, where the father and his other
children slept. On a table were a quantity of bullets of
various sizes, and a loaded musket stood by the bed side,.
and several daggers and pistols were lying about. The
apartments presented a great want of domestic care, and
although there were several articles of luxurious furniture,
they were very dirty, and exhibited a dreadful state of neglect.
The Jury having retired to a lower room, the investiga-
tion was proceeded with ; Mr. Dennis objecting to either
himself or his daughter going out of the house, but said he
had no objection to her examination being proceeded with
there.

Angelina Dennis, a very intelligent girl, aged 10 years,
having been sworn, stated that her brother (the deceased)
had been very poorly for some months past, and had been
to West-green for the benefit of his health, but had returned
home about three months back. He complained of a pain
in his side, and had been wasting away for some time. He
had plenty of what he wished for to eat and drink ; he could
not, however, eat much lately ; he ate a little bread and
butter, but could eat nothing else. He had some broth one
day, but could not take it. This was about a week before
he died. No one came to see him, and they had no one to
help them. She had one brother and one sister alive ; the
boy was three and the girl four years of age. No one but
herself attended to them. She made the beds sometimes,
and sometimes her father helped her. Her father was
always kind to her, and they all had enough to eat and
drink ;. bnt she did not go to school, or learn to read and
write.

(The father here informed the Jury that the girl had
very weak eyes, and had undergone an operation for them
at the Opthalmic Institution.)
The girl said that was so ; and in answer to further ques-
tions, said she could read a little. She was not present
when her brother died, having gone to get him calve-feet
jelly, by her father's desire. No medical gentleman at-
tended her brother.
(The father remarked that Dr. Price, of St. Mary-axe,
had been consulted some months ago, and it was by his
advice the child had been sent to nurse at West-green.)
The Jury questioned the girl at great length as to whe-
ther she and her sister and brother bad sufficient food, and
were treated kindly by the father. Her answers generally
were satisfactory. She said her father never beat her, but
when she was naughty he was angry with her. They some-
times had meat and sometimes sausages for dinner. No
servant ever attended to them.
The CORONER asked Mr. Dennis how he meant to dis-
pose of the body of the deceased ? In answer to which be
carelessly observed that he should bury it in a plain manner.
The CORONER then observed it was time the child was
put in a coffin, as it was going rapidly into a state of de-
composition.
Mr. Dennis--Then I prefer keeping the body. I know
it is not usual, but I should like to have it soldered down
in a leaden coffin, and placed by my bedside.
The Churchwarden of the parish, who was present, asked
Mr. Dennis if he would allow the children to be taken to

the workhouse, promising that the greatest care should be
taken of them, and pointed out, in very forcible language,
the destitute condition of the children without female as-
sistance.

Mr. Dennis, with great apparent indignation—l will never
allow a Dennis to enter a workhouse.

Mr. Day, a gentleman residing in the neighbourhood, in-
quired of Mr. Dennis if he had not written letters to two
young ladies for the purpose of engaging their affections ?
One of those ladies was only 14 years of age and the other
but 15. Surely if he thought of engaging in matrimony he
had some money by him.

Mr. Dennis—l was not aware the ladies were so young.
I am a widower, and have certainly written letters to them
and have great thoughts of matrimony. I have some money
certainly, or I could not keep my family.
Several gentlemen of the Jury then endeavoured to im-
press on his mind the necessity of having a female to look
after the children and keep them clean.
A Juror asked Mr. Dennis why he put the children out
on the parapet of the tower ; to which he said that it was
perfectly safe, but he wished to habituate them to look
from great heights, that their eyes should not be dazzled.
The beadle here informed the Coroner that there was a
brace of pistols and a musket, loaded with powder and ball,
on the floor of the room.

The CORONER asked Mr. Dennis why he kept such
deadly weapons about the house ? It was highly dangerous
to place fire-arms within the reach of children.—Mr. Dennis
said he kept them for the safety of his house and person,
and there was no danger of his children touching them.
The CORONER-137A you carry them about in your
hand as you walk through the streets ; what do you say
to that?—Mr. Dennis—As a gentleman of England I have
a right to carry arms.
The CORONER.—Knights and 'Squires may carry armo-
rial bearings ; but it is not allowed to carry arms.
While this conversation was going on the arms were re-
moved, in compliance with an order from the Coroner.
When they were all taken away the Coroner informed Mr.
Dennis that his fire-arms, with a cutlass, had been removed
into the custody of the police, who would take care of them
and restore them at a proper time.
Mr. Dennis, on hearing this, expressed great indignation,
and reproached the Coroner and the Jury for what he
termed their dishonourable proceedings, in being accesso-
ries to a robbery in taking away his fire-arms.

The CORONER entreated hiin to be composed, and pro-
mised him they should be restored.

Mr. Dennis.—l want them to defend my house and my
family. I want no other protection whatever. If I had
known you intended to take my arms I would have had
them in my hand, and defended myself with them.
The Jury then returned to the Dolphin. Tavern, where
the arms, two muskets, and a brace of pistols, were exa-
mined, and found to be loaded with ball and primed, ready
for use.

Mr. Bedford, the inspector, was not sure that he had
acted legally in seizine, the arms ; but he had acted in ac-
cordance with the wishes of the Coroner and Jury.
The CORONER thought that they had acted in a very
judicious manner. It was clear that Mr. Dennis was not
in his right mind, and the safety of his children, as well as
the public safety, was best ensured by placing such weapons,
loaded for an obvious purpose, in safe custody. He should,
however, advise the inspector to take the arms on Monday
morning to the Magistrates of the district. It would also
be right for the parish officers to attend before the Magis-
trates with the Inspector, as the interest and safety of the
children required immediate interference.

The Jury appeared to be unanimous in their opinion
that Mr. Dennis was insane, and the churchwardens and
overseers who were present, expressed their determination
to do everything in their power to secure proper attention
to the children.

The CORONER said the children appeared to require im-
mediate assistance, and he was afraid they were very dirty
and much neglected.

A juryman saw vermin on the dead body.
Mr. Teash, the surgeon, said that the child had died of
consumption, but. a medical gentleman ought certainly to
have been called in to prescribe to the deceased.
After a long discussion among the Jury, as to the pro-
priety of passing a vote of censure on the father of the
child, which was over-ruled by the CORONER, who said the
case had better be left in the hands of the parochial autho-
rities, a verdict of " Natural death" was returned.
It was determined that the parish officers should wait
upon the Magistrates, and state to them the whole case,
and act as they might advise.

GOOD ADVICE.—Be reserved, says William
Penn, but not sour ; grave, but not formal ; bold, but not
rash ; humble, but not servile ; patient, but not insensible ;
constant, but not obstinate ; cheerful, but not light ; rather
be sweet tempered than familiar ; familiar rather than inti-
mate ; and intimate with very few, and upon good grounds.

.~.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.
The churchwardens of the parish of All Hallows Stain-
ing, a small parish, the principal housekeepers of which are
mercantile men of the first respectability, were summoned
to the justice-room upon the representation of a chimney-
sweep named Spicer that the parochial authorities had re-
fused to assist him in his exertions to support a wife and
five children.

The complainant had seven children, and since the birth
of his third child he had been obliged to seek aid from the
parish, which aid the new Poor Law Bill, which was most
cruelly acted upon by the parish-officers, had prohibited.
He had, without any question of his claim, been paid ss.
a week by the parish until the bill began to operate, and
now he was denied altogether.
Alderman KELLY, who sat for the Lord Mayor, asked
the complainant why he was not able to do without parish
relief ? The complainant said that his trade had fallen to
pieces in consequence of the new Sweepers' Act. His
chance business had been destroyed by a clause in that act
prohibiting those in the trade from crying in the streets to
let people know what they were, and the consequence was
the great sweepers monopolised the work.
The Churchwardens said the parish had refused to assist
Spicer on the ground that he was able-bodied and capable
of supporting his family and himself. The parish officers
found upon examination that the funds had in a great many
instances been most grossly misapplied, and that the rates
had been doubled, although the population was stationary.
Those who were really in, necessity never had and never
should have occasion to apply a second time for aid , but it
was a bounty to idleness to give out-door relief to persons
like the complainant, whose circumstances it was well known
were not such as might justify an appeal of the kind. It
had likewise been ascertained that another family had been
also undeservedly assisted by the parish, and he had, upon
paying that family their last week's allowance intimated that
no further aid should be granted, a piece of information
which, so far from being received with surprise and resent-
ment, seemed to have been expected. In fact, that family
were only astonished that the parochial relief had been so
long granted. The present complainant, however, upon
beingtold that in future he must depend upon his own
exertions seemed resolved to do everything to accomplish
his object of remaining for ever a pensioner, and his wife,
who always applied for the allowance as a claim, said to
him, the churchwarden, upon being refused the money. " I
hope the devil will visit you in hell and give you another
poke for this."—(Laughter.)
Alderman KELLY—Are you sure that they do not re-
quire parish aid ? Five children is a large family, and be
says his trade is ruined by the Climbing Sweepers' Act.
The Churchwarden—They do not want for any thing,
and if they should at any time be in such a condition as to
require our assistance, there is no probability of its being
withheld. When this woman calls she does not ask for
relief, but she demands her money. I state this to show
the feeling which the long privilege of receiving parochial
bounty generates.
Alderman KELLY—I must dismiss the case. The
churchwarden says you are able to support your family well,
and I have no power under the Act of Parliament.
The complainant (to the Churchwarden)—You are a
regular villain, and have no bowels for the poor.
Mrs. Spicer—lt is quite impossible that we can put
bread into the mouths of our five children without the
allowance, and I shall take every one of. them to your
house, for I can't let them perish.
The complainant and his wife then retired.
A man of respectable appearance, named Maurice Con-
nor, applied to be passed to Ireland under the following
circumstances :—He was, he said, a surveyor, and had been
employed in a country part of Ireland to take an inventory
of property which had been ordered to be sold to pay
tithes, at the time of the violent resistance to the payment
of that obnoxious impost. The offence he thus committed
exasperated the people against him so desperately that he
was obliged to fly to this country with his wife and four
children, for he was convinced that if certain parties had
laid hands upon -him and his family, nothing could have
saved their lives. The situation he held was a lucrative
one, and now that the feeling towards him was softened
down, he could easily earn in Dublin a subsistence for him-
self and family ; he at the same time assured Alderman
Kelly that nothing but the most poignant distress could
have led him to .make this application.
Alderman KELLY immediately wrote to the parish offi-
cers of Aldgate to let the unfortunate gentleman have a
pass to his country.