The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-18 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Yesterday morning the officers and men of the
battalion of Royal Marine Light Infantry, now at
headquarters, Chatham, were assembled at a full
parade in the barrack-square for the purpose of
witnessing the ceremony of decorating two non-
commissioned officers and a private of the corps,
each with a silver medal, which had been awarded
them, with a money gratuity, by order of the
Lords of the Admiralty for long and meritorious
service. The battalion having been formed in the
usual order, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel
T. C. C. Moore, the letter directing the distribution
of the medals was read to the troops by the Adju-'
tart, after which Colour-Sergeant William Hopper,
Corporal Daniel Norman, and private "Witham
11rheeler were called to the front and addressed by
Colonel E. Rea,, the second commandant of the divi-
sion, -who expressed the gratification he experienced
in having to present such a mark of their Lord-
ships' approbation to the three men before hint,
who he trusted would long live to wear their
_well•deserved decorations. Colonel Rea then
handed each of the recipients his medal,' which
was fastened to his breast in the presence of the
entire battalion. Colour-Sergeant Hopper receives
a gratuity of £ls ; he has been 23 years in the ser-
vice. Corporal Norman has 21 years' service,, and
S presented with a gratuity of £lO. Private
Wheeler has served 23 years in the corps of ma-
rines ; lie was awarded a gratuity of £5. During
the whole time they have been in the service each
man has borne a most exemplary character,

CORONERS .INQUEST. -4 l',lA UPER' 3

COFFIN.

Yesterday, kr. Carter, coroner for East Surrey,
held an inquiry at Christchurch Workhouse, rela-
tive to the death of Eliza Ellen liassett, aged 24, a
pauper inmate of that house.
It appeared from the evidence of the •witnesse
connected with the workhouse that the deceased
who was very imbecile and infirm, was found deg d
on the floor by the side of her bed ou Friday morn
ing last.
Mr. Bianchi, the medical officer, deposed that he
had examined the body, and was of opinion that
the deceased had died in a fit.
A sister of the deceased here stated that she in-
formed her before her death that the nurse of the
ward had been exceedingly unkind to her, and had
put her for several hours in a strait-jacket, as
well as otherwise ill treating her.
Mr. Bianchi said he did not believe that the
deceased was placed under restraint, as such a
course was never adopted without informing him

of it.
Matilda Livett deposed that she was the deceased's
sister. She was conveyed to the workhouse from
the hospital, having attempted to commit suicide
by jumping out of a window, by which she frac-
tured both her legs and one of her arms. Witness
was decidedly of opinion that the deceased had not
been in any way ill treated, but, on thhaendscontoliatii.yu;
dh that she should
received the utmost
parochial in
She
neesruasttete
parochial audio
be allowed to follow her sister's body to the grave.
The Coroner said he wished to know if a plate
with the name on it was placed upont he coffin when
a pauper was buried.
The Master of the Workhouse, in answer to the
coroner, said that they generally used cards, on
which the name of the deceased personl was
. written.
He had no objection to the friends
were compelled
a plate
on the coffin ;
bury in the
refused to
was any • but when they_ weie, to
metropolitan church) aids, the minister.
allow the body to be interred if there
ornament about the coffin unless they
were paid extra fees.
The Coroner said, the coffins should be distin-
guished in some way, as persons, for aught they
knew, might follow the body of a stranger to the
grave instead of their friend or relative.
The jury having concurred in the remarks of the
coroner, returned a verdict of " Natural death," at
the same time expressing an opinion that deceased
had been properly treated in the workhouse.