The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-04 00:00:00

National Choral Society.

The members of this now celebrated society, un-
der the direction of Mr. G. W. Martin, last night
performed the magnificent oratorio "The Messiah,"
at Exeter Hall, with the grandest effect. The
soloists were Miss Louisa eyne,;Miss Lucy Frank-
lein, Mr. Leigh Wilson, and Mr. Thomas. The
new tenor, Mr. Wilson, was in remarkably
fine voice ; he sang with the greatest spirit and
expression, and fully maintained the high position
he has so suddenly taken in his profession. Miss
Louisa Pyne sang with all her wonted brilliancy,
and Miss Lucy Franklein, the contralto, created the
most favourable impression on the very critical
audience that invariably assembles in Exeter 111.
Mr. Martin was loudly cheered during the evening,
and he may fairly congratulate himself on the suc-
cess of his well-trained band and chorus, which is
now quite equal to any society formed for the per-
formance of sacred music. The next oratorio is
fixed for the 17th, when " Elijah" will be performed.
We hear that " Acis and Galatea" is in active pre-
paration.

FRENCH WlNES.—Their low price in France is at
present compulsory in consequence of the several
abundant years which have followed each other, and the
Customs' duties of these wines into England cannot fail to
be quickly reduced to one penny the bottle, as Mr. W. Ray
Smee has written for, as following him the congress of tke
wine-growers of France have petitioned for, and as is re-
quired by the interest of the two nations. Immediately
the English can drink good ordinary French wine, pure
and unmixed, at 10d. the bottle, transit and duty included,
the usage of these wines will become popular.—L'lnter-
national.

SEIZURE OF ARMS IN DUBLIN.—A box containing
a number of rifles, cutlasses, and a flag of a peculiar de-
scription, which arrived from Liverpool per the steam
ship Windsor, on Sunday night, was on Monday taken
possession of by one of the Custom-house officers at the
company's store, North Wall, who had it taken to the
Queen's stores, Custom-house, where it is at present re-
tained. The authorities, under the circumstances, have
thought proper to keep the name of the person to whom
the box had been consigned privatef-Dub/in Evening Mail.

DEATH FROM STARVATION.—Yesterday an inquest
was held by Mr. Richards, deputy-coroner for East
Middlesex, at the Rose Tavern, West-street, Bethnal-green,
relative to the death from want of Julia Susannah Bellinger,
a married woman, 49 years of age. The deceased was the
wife of George Bellinger, a weaver, who deserted her seven
years ago and lived with another woman. She latterly
lived with her mother, a person possessed of some property,
and it was while in her house at No. 7, Havelock-place,
Bethnal-green, that she was found starving. Mr. R. Mel-
doa ,aa
carrying on business inGreen-street, Beth-
nal-green, n',gsaaoidthat three weeks ago an old lady came into
n
his surgery and said, " A woman is dying of consumption
at 7, Havelock-place. If you are passing, call in; for your
opinion about her is wanted." As witness did not conduct his
business in that manner, ho did not call, but on Christmas-
eve he was sent for in the usual way. He .went to the
house and found the deceased evidently dying of starva-
tion. Her emaciation was extreme ; she was in fact a mere
skeleton. She was keptalive by means of stimulants until
Boxing-day. Her mother, Mrs. Clempson, said to witness,
" Medicine is of no use to her : don't give her any," to
which he replied that it was a duty to do whatever was
possible for her. The post mortem examination showed that
there was no food in the stomach or intestines, and that
death had resulted from exhaustion from sheer want.
Julia Bellinger, 46, Sebright-street, Bethnal-green, the wife
of a weaver, said that she was the daughter of the deceased.
The deceased was the wife of George Bellinger, a weaver,
and was the mother of 12 children, none of whom did
anything for her. She was separated from her husband,
through jealousy of a young woman. Seven years ago he
left her, and he never allowed her anyeoney since. He
went to live with a woman at 2, Hare-court, Brick-lane, not
the woman of whom the deceased was jealous. Her eldest
son was very well off, but he did nothing for her ; but her
son Eugene allowed her Bs. a weak for his board. She lived
with witness until three years ago, when she went to reside
with her mother, who was very well off, having £lOO a year
and the interest on £5OO to live upon. The deceased was
given a dinner every week, on Sunday, by her mother, and
sometimes a little bit of meat on a week day. She was often
starving in her mother's house. She often said to witness that
she was starving, but that she would rather die than go
into the workhouse. She loved her husband too well to sue
him. On one occasion witness took her a little meat and a
sausage roll to eat, but her mother, Mrs. Clempson, took it
from witness and gave it to Eugene. Witness asked Mrs.
Clempson to light a fire, as deceased was shivering with
cold, but she replied, " This is my house, and I will do what
I like in it. No person shall interfere with me in my own
house." But she never struck the deceased. She was kind
enough when the pocket was not touched. She grumbled at
the waste when witness gave the deceased a little wine.
Mrs. Clempson was then called. She said that she resided
at Havelock-place, Bethnal-green, and that she was the
widow of William Clempson, a tea merchant. He died,
leaving her very poor, and she had to go to law to get back
her estates and landed property which were settled on her.
When she recovered her property there were a great many
drawbacks upon it—insurance and law expenses. The
coroner remarked that it was nevertheless apparent
that the witness was in receipt of a very comfortable
income. Witness said that last year she went down to
Ramsgate, leaving the deceased in charge of her house.
Being away 10 weeks she left the deceased 10s. 'Witness
did everything she could for the deceased. A juror said
that she had left her daughter just 2d. a day to live upon
while she was enjoying herself at the sea side, and that
she ought to have left the deceased a little food. The wit-
ness, with great indignation, said that that was her busi-
ness, and that she should not be insulted. She had
not called in a doctor because the deceased's disease was
a chronic one, and doctors were very expensive. The
deceased could not eat food. She could have taken beer
or wine, but witness did not think it right to give
her such drinks. On ono occasion latterly she was sixty
hours insensible, but witness did not call in a medical man,
for doctors' bills were no joke. A juror said that the wit
ness had starved her daughter to death. Mr. Burrows, the
coroner's officer, said that the husband of the deceased was
in receipt of £1 a week. He acknowledged that he had
deserted his wife. The Deputy-Coroner said that the in-
quiry was a most painful one. It was clear that the un-
fortunate deceased had lost her life through want of food,
and he should adjourn the Court in order to ascertain
whether any person was criminally responsible in the case.
The proceedings were adjourned accordingly.
THE MURDER OF A POLICEMAN.—Mary Kane
was last night cDmmitted by the Willenhall magistrates for
murdering the policeman Hooper, making three men and a'
woman.