The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-09 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY HOUSES.

The greatest excitement continues to prevail in the
neighbourhood of West-street, Smithfield, and the ap-
plications to Mr. Wakelmg, the Vestry-clerk of St.
James's, Clerkenwell, are becoming more numerous
daily for admission to view the two strangely con-
structed houses at the northern end of New Farrmg-
don-street. Up to the last Middlesex Sessions the
houses were inhabited by persons of dishonest and aban-
doned habits, but by the active measures of Mr. :Wake-
ling and the Commissioners appointed to carry out
the intended improvements in this neighbourhood, pos-
session was obtained of the property, on compensating
the freeholders.

Since then some strange discoveries have been made.
the publication of which has alike excited the atten-
tion of royalty and parties moving in the higher walks
of literature. On Saturday, at three o'clock, Lord
Lonsdale, accompanied by two friends, arrived
from his residence, No. 15, Carlton-terrace, and
inspected the houses, one of which, No. 3, is stated
to have been the residence of the notorious
Jonathan Wild. His Lordship and friends were shown
over the premises by one of the men in possession, and
they expressed their astonishment that such a place could
have so long existed in the heart of the ny tropolis. On
the previous day his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge and a distinguished party inspected the various
places of concealment and contrivances for carrying on
an extensive system of plunder, and appeared to take a
deep interest in everything that was pointed out to them.
The rooms on that occasion were lighted up by means of
illumination lamps, to facilitate the view of the royal
party.
A brief description of the premises may not be un-
interesting. The houses, Nos. 2 and 3, communicate with
each other, and are at the west side of the Fleet-
ditch. The latter house was kept as a chandler's
shop, by way of lu'ling suspicion, and immediately
behind the counter were the trap-doors, one of which
was used as a means of escape, and the other o; end into
secret drawers or depository for stolen articles. Passing
down the larger trap, the pursued could elude the
vigilance of the police, by getting through a window
and crossing the Fleet-ditch over a plank, which was
kept at hand, and afterwards drawn into the opposite
house. The pursued might then pass into Black
Boy-alley, and thereby get into Cow-cross, and the
numerous courts and alleys in that neighbourhood.
Immediately under the basement there is a capacious
dark cellar, evidently. constructed for the purposes of con-
cealment; and here it is where a skull and some human
bones were found, and given over to the police. The
top of a butcher's steel has also been discovered, which
has studded in silver letters the following upon it—
Benjamin Turtell, July 19, 1787." At the wes-
tern extremity of the cellars, and near to where
Williams, the convicted sweep, was concealed, is a
parting wall, which, on being searched, left no doubt
that there is another secret chamber beyond this portion
of the premises, but owing to some legal difficul-
ties, this part of the houses has not hitherto been
explored. The cell of Williams is a wretched excavation
in the rough earth, and, as one of the Sheriffs who visited
the place remarked, was sufficient to induce him to give
himself up, and prefer the horrors of transportation.
Upon the first floor of the building are several hiding-
places ingeniously contrived. In one room a sharp an2le
is formed at the corner, sufficiently large to conceal a per-
son, which is effectually done by replacing the screen cor-
responding with the other part of the wall. Numerous
traps are made in the various floorings, and leave a
direct communication with the cellar on the back of the
Fleet-ditch, and a spout running the entire length of the
house is so constructed that stolen property could be re-
moved with the greatest dispatch, and the offenders escape
over the roofs of the houses, which are connected by
means of a drawbridge. A private still had been fixed
in the basement story, and there is no doubt that some
curious discoveries will be made on a closer examination
of these remarkable premises. Many of the visitors do
not hesitate to deprecate the imperfect system of police,
which, with its detective officers and all appliances, suf-
fered such an abomination so long to exist.
Several artists, for some days past, have been en-
gaged in taking sketches of the premises. A disgrace-
ful system of extortion was being carried on by certain
parties in possession of the houses, until it reached the
ear of Mr. Wakeling, who promptly suppressed it. The
Commissioners are desirous of making it publicly known
that no parties have been sanctioned to receive gratuities.

EVIL OF OVER-FEEDING CHILDREN.-011 Tuesday
Mr. Wakley, M.P., concluded an adjourned inquest at
the Elephant and Castle, King's-road. Saint Pancras, on
the body of a female infant, a fortnight old, the off-
spring of Harriet Cobby, a single woman. The child
died in the workhouse on Wednesday morning last.
having been admitted with the mother on the Thurs-
day previous. On admission the child was in a
filthy and emaciated condition, and there was prima
facie evidence that it had been maltreated by its parent.
Hence a searching inquiry on the part of the Co-
r,ner. The result, however, was that the mother had
not bei4tved ill twards her effspring, but that from po-
verty and consequent debility, she was not able to at-
tend to it prop,Tly. Mr Cooper, the workhouse surgeon,
said deceased died of inanition, the cause of which he
could not ascerL,in. The ,chil,t had not been stinted
in foNI, a::d he knew that sa.eakly children were often
killed 1,7 ovt-r-fecalinf4. To,) much food given to small,
ehillren produced starvation in a medical sense.
hitnett. had a child which, at a month old, only
v..eigh,-i Vb. 50z.. and he hail :;aved it, by allowing it
very little fGorl; ilideed, so little, that, in the opinion of
tulers, it amowit.ed to starvation. The Coroner
,11.i41 he (lir! .2:rfatnd of complaint against, the
za~,th,r 0;e, do:•ea...ed Povorty was her mis-
fartune, to.d want of tro.wy produced exhanstton of
mind, and ins a; of maternal functions, as ivant of
food produced exhaustion of the body, ending in a
general prostration of the system and mental decrepi-
tude. It was a curious fact that the body of deceased, a full
grown child, end a ti:rtnight old, weighed only 31b.
whilst the body of a stil born cltil l that lay lie-4
in the wurkhou-e weighed 7ilbs. Verdict—'• Lied from
exhaustion produced by natural causes."