The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-09 00:00:00

REVOLTING INHUMANI7Y TO A

FEMALE.

Late on Thursday evening Mr. Brent, deputy
coroner for West Middlesex, held a painful and
lengthened inquiry, at the Elephant and Castle,
King's-road, Camden town, as to the death of Mary
Anne Dudley, aged 38, whose death took place at
21, Little Clarendon-street, Somers Town, under
circumstances of the most revolting and horrible
character.

The body lay in the dead-house of St. Pancras
workhouse, where it had been removed immediately
after the death of the deceased on account of its
dreadful state of corruption. On being viewed by
the jury the most sickening sight presented itself.
Not a feature of the face was discernible, from
ulcerated sores which extended from the crown of
the head to the soles of the feet, the flesh being
completely eaten off portions of the legs, exhibiting
the bare bones. The finger-nails were two inches
long, and the hands being doubled over, the nails
were apparently growing into the wrists. The
jury on returning to the inquest room appeared
deeply affected with the horrible sight they had.
just witnessed.

Thomas Steadman, who gave his evidence in a
dogged and reluctant manner, said deceased was not
his wife, but he had cohabited with her as
such, and had known her for 20 years. He had two
children by her, one a girl, between 16 and 17, and
another between 8 and 9 years She had had sore
legs, and been bedridden for some years. She
had had no medical advice for the last three years,
she was so very sensitive. All she had was some
black salve to put to her sores, which, he believed,
her daughter used to get for her at an herb shop in
Somers Town. He supplied her with all the food
he considered necessary when she wanted it ; some-
times bread and butter, and sometimes steak. She
would never eat the steak, but sucked the gravy
out of it. She hardly ever seemed to want any
food. She could have it when she liked.

The Foreman—But did not you feel it your duty
towards a woman who had been living with you so
many years: as your wife, and by whom you had
had children, to see that she had medical advice
and food, and was properly attended to ?
Witness—Why, she was so sensitive she would
not have a doctor, and her daughter attended to
her. She objected to be removed to the parish in-
firmary. I don't see it was my bounden duty to
look after her. She was not my wife.
Emily Crace, the landlady of the house, said she
had no idea the deceasei was so bad till within a
week of her death. She used to go up and sit and
talk with her, The only remark she ever heard
deceased make about her legs was that they
smarted. She appeared to her to be constantly
eating, till her appetite fell off about a week
before her death. She considered the man Stead-
man had always been a good man to her.
Mary Ann Dudley, daughter of deceased, and
who also gave her evidence in a flippant and un-
concerned manner, said the deceased had been
bedridden for a long time. She said she would
not have a doctor, and they did not give her any
iThen h
edeceased n ated
got
overygradually little
li p
deceased's face. She (witness) attended to her
mother. Did not consider it her duty to send for
medicine.
sicbinegan
Mr.
was
one Hazel,m a s
ss uorfguelecnst f;
medical advice. Did not know that people must
Crawley-street,
bothr a w l
leeyirg-
as. t
were
erjertee,
She used to get her black salve.o
called in to see th
to the
Oakley-square. said he was
_
deceased in Little Clarendon-street,
horror-struckto see a human.
found the body crouched up on a
morning. He
:part y covered, and when he
be insane who refused to
l take aireeedi,cionne oruefsodwoaday.is
such a state. Externally; from the face.
being in
to the feet
each in one great sore, and the bones of the knees
with
and joints were all exposed. The same
the
arms. The right hand in particular had grown
together, and the nails, two inches in length,
lapped over and dug into the wrist, which
looked miserable
a t hi
full of ulcers. Had made a post mortem ex •
tion. The stomach and intestines Were amina-
empty, and all the organs were much enlarged. perfectly
By the Coroner—l have no doubt
that this
woman's death was caused by exhaustion and.
neglect. She might have • survived a long time,
and her ulcers might have
been cured with care.
and attention. Had
no doubt that the death van
t
accelerated by want of foodand
db,eovrnlasy
neglect.
The Coroner said suchevidence,
if Steadman. had
been the woman's husband,
would have rendered
him guilty of
manslaughter.
The Foreman—Then,
although you. consider.
Steadman 11
mora y guilty, you think he is ncat
legally so ?
Mr. Brent—That is my opinion.
The Foreman and several of the jurors said, they
differed. They considered that living with this
woman for 20 years, as Steadman had done„ he was
bound to protect her as much as if he had 'married
her,

opinion o f any brute in the creation
A Juror said he could not have formed. F,O base an.
believedit could allow its mate to be 'subjected to
such neglect as it appeared it had been the lot Q(
poor creature to suffer.
After considerable discussion the jury considerhd
their verdict, and unanimously pronounced one of
" Manslaughter against Thomas Steadman,"flio
s as to have
was forthwith committed on the coroner's war rant
,and conveyed to Newgate.