The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-20 00:00:00

MONDAY EVENING,_ MAY 20, 1850.

•METROPOLITAN INTERMENTS

BILL.

Two meetings have lately taken place on the sub •
ject of the Metropolitan Interments Bill, which have
shown something more of the animus of the opposition
to that measure than was, perhaps, intended to be re-
vealed. The first of the occasions to which we allude
was last Friday's sitting of the Common Council—
a sufficiently decent!and;dull affair when compared with
the second, which was the meeting held, on Monday
night, at the Whittington Club. At the Common
Council, the objectors contented themselves with
making foolish speeches and quietly voting against
the Government scheme; but at the Whittiogton Club
heads were broken, women were terrified and injured,
and a scene was enacted fitter for a set of savages to
have played than for the inhabitants of a civilized
metropolis—all because it had been proposed;to abolish
a foul, disgusting practice, pernicious to the health
and offensive to the feelings of our citizens. The op-
position came from two parties—from the parochial
and civic authorities, who fear the extinction of
their powers, and from certain undertakers,
who tremble for their profits. Examine it on
every side, and no other motive is discoverable.
To the first class of objectors we can say but little
—and that little will be very general. Vested rights
and local interests must, doubtless, be regarded, and
parochial authority must be maintained, if possible.
To these obvious propositions we cordially assent.
But when a question arises between the continuance
of such a practice as that of intramural interments,
and the intact preservation of local and parochial
powers, we are bound to prefer the greater good to the
less, and not to sacrifice
opposed t
theo
general well-being, must
be Legalmt
pbreigvinilveeges4 when,
with such compensation as the nature
of the case requires and allows. Intramural burials
have been proved to be highly injurious to the public
health. The putrescent gases which are evolved
from animal matter of the 52,000
ethdaetceTePipg
annually laid in metropolitan grave-
" the slightest inspection," says Dr. Lyon
piarcorpses
" showing that they are not thoroughly
ya t hi r
absorbed by the soil lying over the bodies"—are
dangerous to health at all times, and are fatal to
life when breathed in any considerable quantity.
llnstances have occurred in which frightful diseases
have been generated—in some cases, instant death has
ensued—when men have rashly or ignorantly delved
into graves before time has shrivelled •up the putrid
remains into mere dry bones. Yet these pestilential
gases are daily and hourly diffusing themselves
throughout London, from the myriads of corpses
festering in her graveyards. And not only the air,
but, also the water of the metropolis becomes thus
impregnated with offensive and deleterious matter.
What is not evolved into the atmosphere percolates
through the earth into the neighbouring wells and
springs. Nor is the evil confined to those wells
which are quite close to the churchyards. At a dis-
tance of 30 feet from St. Pancras graveyard, the
odour of the sewer was found to be "peculiarly offen-
sive, and was known to arise from the decomposition of
the bodies"—so active, wide-spreading, and penetrat-
ing are these horrible gases. Dr. Sutherland, and
other medical authorities, have expressed the most
decided opinions on the injurious effects of so many
bodies being interred in the midst of human habi-
tations. The greater virulence of the cholera in lo-
calities contiguous to graveyards, and the constant
presence of typhoid fevers and dysenteric disorders in
certain districts, where the walls of the houses are
damp and wet, oozing with the very matter of decom-
position, bear out this conclusion. In fact, none but
men endowed with the extraordinary amount of men-
tal,inertia which Mr. Lawrence possesses, would ever
dream of denying the positive proofs which have been
adduced of the extreme injuriousness of this custom.
When a Bill, therefore, is introduced to do away with
such an abomination, is it worthy of humanity to begin
wrangling about its details, and to offer to a proposed
national benefit an opposition founded on the selfish
claims of prescriptive authority ? As regards the
actual pecuniary rights of individuals and classes,
Government has offered what it could in the way of
compensation ; and the common instincts of hums
pity—the common decencies of civilization—ought
to teach men to forego any fancied interest that
they may have in [the preservation of a brutalizing
and filthy custom. Those undertakers who
,seem to
have been tbe chief perforiners in the disgraceful
scene at the Whittington Club have acted in a man-
ner alike wrong and foolish. They clamour for com-
pensation before they know that they will lose a half-
penny of; profit. We must have undertakers, whether
the gravediggers are paid by the parish or by the
Government ; and it is not very likely that any at-
tempt will be made to introduce sumptuary laws for-
bidding a man to spend as much as he likes on the
burial of his relative. We hope, indeed, to see even-
tually a better state of feeling established with re-
ference to this subject than that which now exists—
we hope to find the public gradually and voluntarily
growing out of their present belief that expense is
respectability. This is among our greatest social
curses. In every grade there is the same struggle to
maintain a costly expenditure—the same sacrifice of
utility and common sense to appearances. We would
not, however, interfere with the undertakers' bills
if people choose to pay them ; but we would
teach all classes that a ‘A decent burial" is not
one which necessarily causes the temporary—
and perhaps the permanent—pecuniary embarrass-
ment of the survivors. It is one where quiet, , so-
lemnity, and order are observed—where respect is
paid to the dead, and where all the decencies are
maintained which a healthy natural' instinct dictates
—not where there are hearse, plumes, sweeping
cloaks, useless hatbands, and a large display of hired
grief. All this may be what is called "respectability,"
but it is not the genuine expression of human reve-
rence to the remains of those we loved. When we
remember that the surviving relatives of the dead,
dwelling round the metropolitan churchyards, are
often smitten, as with a plague, by the foul emana-
tions of those charnel-houses--when we think of the
corpses that are daily dug up to make room for new
comers, and of the hacked limbs and scattered bones
that strew the ground when we reflect on the
outrages which are offered to every human
feeling and to every instinct of affection and
delicacy —we cannot but regard the op-
position to a removal of these disgusting
abominations, on the ground of sentimental re-
gard for the "feelings of relatives," as alike puerile,
mischievous, and insincere. And yet this is made
part of the " cry" against the Metropolitan Inter-
ments Bill. To the poor, this Bill, with its provi-
sions for lessening the expense of funerals, would be
invaluable. The existing cemeteries are, compara-
tively, 'of little use to them, for they cannot trans-
port
inconvenience thr e
ot
uh
ti
ab
ye r—
awn idt ht ohue
et e
amreuhcehavyincreased
for them already. Many a family is obliged to keep
its dead in the common living-room of eight or ten
people—perhaps for weeks—before it can find funds
for the. costly _ ceremony of interment. If,
then, the higher -classes would set an example
of simplicity and unostentatious decorum, they
would naturally be followed by those beneath
them, and much private misery would be
thereby prevented. Without pausing to discuss the
details of this measure, we hope. to see the great
principle of extramural burial at once adopted by
the Legislature. At present the health of the living
and the reverence due to the dead are violated in the
crowded metropolitan graveyards. Hundreds have
died from the pestilence thence disseminated through
the atmosphere—hundreds have sickened in their
houses which the rank charnel vapour has filled ; and
yet "focus of contagion" is the term deliberately ap.
plied to the proposed extramural cemetery, and we
are expected to believe that the feelings of survivors
will be outraged if their dead are laid decently in
quiet and retirement. It is inconceivable that such
an opposition to a measure, imperatively called for by
every moral and sanitary consideration can: either
enlist the sympathies of the public or influence the
deliberations of the Legislature. Morning Chronicle

Price.

Price

5334
228

210 x,

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE
OF FRIDAY.
DIVIDENDS.
At the Court, Basinghall-Street.
W. J. Eaddan, Tottenham, 'Middlesex, brewer, June
7, at eleven—Augusta Sophia Tipper, Upper Thames-
street, and Horton Mills, Buckinghamshire, wholesale
stationer, June 7, at half-past eleven—H. Southgate
and W. M. Robertson, Fleet-street, auctioneers,
,June
7, at one—J. Haly, Surrey-street, Strand, merchant,
June 10, at half-past one— W. Dicken, Brentford-end,
Isleyorth, grocer, June 10, at half past eleven—J. Ford,
Richmond, Surrey, licensed victualler, June 10, at
twelve—M. Cowles, Nine Elms, Vauxhall, and York.
road, Lambeth, livery-stable keeper, June 10, lit eleven
—J. Gilbert, St. Luke's, ironfounder, June 10, at one—.
W. Solomon, Union-street, Southwark, and High Hol-
born, tea dealer, June 6, at half-past eleven—J. S.
Story, St. Alban's, banker, June 6, at one—h. G. Ward
and J. Perry, Newgate-market, and Gilbert-street, Ox-
ford•stroet, butchers, June 6, at twelve—R. Mitchell,'
Lime-street, merchant, June 7, at eleven.—A. Brown,
Mount-street, Whitechapel, draper, Juno 7, at twelve
W. Hewes, Colchester, baker, June 7, at half-past
eleven—J. Searle and S. B. Searle, Saffron Walden,
Essex, bankers, June 6, at twelve—D. 0. Blyth, Col..
act:ter, merchant, June 7. at twelve—T. Hunt and R.
Hunt, Bread-street, and Nottingham, wholesale hosiers,
June 6, at half-past twelve—J. Montefiore and J. B.
Montefiore, Nicholas-lane, merchants, June 8, at one—
J. Harbidge, Islip, Oxfordshire, miller, June 6, at
eleven—D. James, Dartford, banker, June 6, at one—
J. Lloyd, New Oxford-street, hosier, June 6, at eleven.

y D. James, Cardigan,
victualler, June 7, at
eleven, at the Court, Bristol—T. Williams, Weaverham,
In
Cheshire, innkeeper, June 20, at eleven, at the Court,
thleic Cenesuendtr
Liverpool—W. Hardy, Manchester, drysalter, June 7, at
twelve, at the Court, Manchester—J. Edwards, Man-
chester, manufacturer, June 7, at eleven, at the Court,
Manchester—IL Wilcox, Manchester, tailor, June 11, at
twelve, at the Court, Manchester—J. Jackson, Clifford,
Herefordshire, fariner, June 13, At trirclYe, at the Courr,

PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS.
A. S. Graham, and G. S. Streader, Oldham, contrac-
tors, Bid. on Tuesday, June 4, or any subsequent Tues-
day, between eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Fraser,
Manchester.:

J. B. Scott, Denham Spring, Lancashire, calico prin-
ter, 3d. on Tuesday, 28th inst., or any subsequent
Tuesday, between eleven and one, at the office of Mr.
Fraser, Manchester.

W. Whittenbury, Manchester, cotton dealer, 3id., on
Tuesday, 28th inst., or any subsequent Tuesday, between
eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester,
H. Chapman, Manchester, and King. street, Cheapside
City, warthouseman, 10d., on Tuesday, 28th inst., or any
subsequent Tuesday, between eleven and one, at the office
of Mr. Fraser, Manchester.

F. Soane, Vauxhall-bridge-road, clerk in the Special
Commissioners' Department, Somerset-house, as. 4id.,
on Saturday, 18th inst., and three subsequent Saturdays,
at the office of Mr. Edwards, Sambrook-court, Basing-
hall-street.

J. D. Hinxman, Harley-street, Cavendish square,
wine merchant, 60., on Saturday, 18th inst., and three
subsequent Saturdays, between eleven and two, at the
office of Mr. Edwards, Sambrook-court, Basingball-
street.

W. Forster, Philpot-lane, Fenchutch-street, tea dealer,
lid., second dividend, and 2s. 1., on new proofs, on
Saturday, 18th inst., and three subsequent Saturdays,
between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Edwards,
Sambrook-court, Basinghall-street.
H. E. Tuck, New Cavendish-street, milliner, 103., on
Saturday, 18th inst., and three subsequent Saturdays, be-
tween eleven and two at the office of Mr. Edwards, Sam-
brook. court, Basinghall-street.
W. Storey, Leeds, wool merchant, 25., on Tuesday,
21st inst., or any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven
and two, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds.
E. 11,4isbeck, Dewsbury, Yorkshire, first and second
dividends of ss. 6d. and Is. on Tuesday, 21st inst., or
any subsequent Tuesday between eleven and two, at
the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds.
J. H. Gurney, Broad-street, Bloomsbury, victualler,
second dividend, ls. 31d., on Wednesday next, and three
following Wednesdays, between eleven and two, at the
office of Mr. Graham, Coleman

N. Pattenden, Oxford, woollen-draper, 4s. 10d., on
Wednesday next, and three following Wednesdays, be-
tween eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Graham,
Coleman-street.

F. Adams and J. P. Hill, Rotherhithe, engineers, 20s
on Thursday, the 16th inst., and three following Thurs-
days, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Stans-
feld, Basinghall-street.
C. Wetherilt, Down-street, Piccadilly, ironmonger,
35., on Thursday, the 16th inst., and three following
Thursdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr.
Stansfeld, Basinghall-street.

R. Stephenson and Co., Lombard-street, bankerr, final
dividend, id., on Thursday, the 16th inst., and three
following Thursdays, between eleven and two, at the
office of Mr. Stansfeld, Basinghall.street.
J. and W. Chisholm, Dorking, and Ludgate-hill,
wholesale perfumers, 2s. 6d., on Thursday, the 16th
inst., and three following Thursdays, between eleven,
and two, at the office cf Mr. Stansfeld, Basinghall-street.
H. Smith, jun., South Ockendon, Essex, farmer, 7s.
on Thursday, the 16th inst., and three following Thurs-
days, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Stans-
feld, Basingh all-street.
NOTICES OF CERTIFICATES.
At the Court, Basinghall-street.
J. Baker, Cheltenham, bootmaker, June 8, at eleven—
M. L. Pritchard and R. N. Dale, Liverpool, stock-and
share brokers, June 8, at half-past eleven.
In the Country.
S. Frith, Leeds, linendraper, June 10, at twelve, at
tha Court, Leeds—J. Crosthwaite, Liverpool, merchant,
June 14, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool—R. Robson,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, manufacturer of plaster of Paris,
June 10, at half-past one, at the Court, Newcastle 'upon-
Tyne—J. Fawcett, Kingston-upon-Hull, limber mer-
chant, June 12, at half-past twelve, at the Town-hall,
Kingston-upon-Hull —J. Johnson, Sheffield, razor
manufacturer, June 8, at ten, at the Council
Hall, Sheffield—C. Burgin, Sheffield, steel manufacturer,
June 8, at ten, at the Council Hall, Sheffield—G. Hutton,
Sheffield, grocer, June 8, at ten, at the Council Hall,
Sheffield —J. Chawner, Kenilworth, Warwickshire,
grocer, June 17, at half-past ten, at the Court, Birming-
ham—J. Finnemore, Birmingham, steel pen manufac-
turer, Jane 17, at ten, at the Court, Birmingham—J.
Bynner, Oswestry, grocer, June 17, at eleven, at the
Court, Birmingham—J. G. Geyelin, Liverpool, zinc-
worker, June 11, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool.
CERTIFICATES GRANTED.

F. Barford, Wood-street, Cheapside, stave plait dealer,
certificate of the third class—l. Jones and Mary Browne,
Knightsbridge, lead and glass merchants, certificate of
the third class—J. Adderson, West Derehatn, Norfolk,
butcher, certificate of the second class—W. H. Colyer
and F. Webster, Wood-street,. Westminster, brewers,
certificates of the second class—H. F. Hodson, Romford,
Essex, ironmonger, certificate of the third class—J.
Morgan, Coptball-court, City, stock and share broker,
certificate of the third class—J. Freeman, Cradley,
Herefordshire, horse and cattle dealer, certificate of the
second class.

Albert Savage, a servant out of place, came for-
ward to prefer another charge, and said, having seen
an advertisement in the Times on the 18th of Fe-
bruary for a clerk or messenger, he answered it; and,
being referred to Upper Wellington-street, on the
window of which was painted, in large letters,
" Wright and Co., auctioneers, appraisers, shipping
and emigrant agents," he saw the prisoner and Stan-
ley (who shortly after left the office), upon which the
prisoner told him he would be required to give a de-
posit of 51, as considerable sums of money would he
constantly passing through his hands, adding, that it
was only a branch office, the principal one being at
Hull. On the next day he called again as desired,
and being directed to step out a few minutes while
the agreements were drawing up, on his return he
found Stanley writing. He then was shown the
agreements, which he signed, and paid the required
deposit, with the understanding that his salary was to
be I/. Is. per week. On the next day he commenced
business, and although he was engaged ten days he
received only 34. from the prisoner. The nature of
his duties was to carry messages about town, and ask
questions upon frivolous matters.
Mr. HENRY—Have you inquired if the prisoner
had any agency-office at llull ? Witness—Yes, and
have been informed that such was not the case.
Prisoner—lt was my intention to have opened one
there for servants, and as a house-agent.
Thomas Topp, another servant wanting a place,
said that on the 3d of April, observing an advertise-
ment in the Morning Advertiser, he applied at 17,
Adam-street, Adelphi, the initials being "E. W.,"
and having seen the prisoner, an agreement was en-
tered into for a situation, salary 225. a week, the de-
posit being 31., after paying which, and signing the
agreement, he was sent to deliver letters at Clapham-
common, and other remote places ; and seeing how
business was carried on, he demanded his deposit,
having received only Ios. as a salary, and was told
that it would be paid on a future day. He never
could get more money, with the exception of 6d. for
something to drink. He was subsequently taken by
the prisoner to his mother, who said that the deposit-
money should certainly be paid.
The first witness being recalled, said that Stanley
had informed him they had a registry-office at Hull,
and when he pressed the prisoner for his money, he
told Mm he should first rob some other person before
he could pay him his demand.
The prisoner again said he was about to take an
office at Hull.
Mr. HENRY said the witnesses had spoken to an
existing fact which increased their confidence, and
considering that false representations had been made,
particularly with respect to Savage, the prisoner should
be remanded until Tuesday, without accepting bail
for his appearance.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Thomas Davis, a linendraper's shopmao, was
brought before Mr. Bingham, charged with having
stolen 155 pairs of gloves, two shawls, and two lace
veils, the property of Messrs. Lewis and Allenby,
silk-mercers, Regent-street.
Mr. Lewis said the prisoner was engaged as assist-
ant on the '2d of March, and discharged on the 26th
of April. Goods were constantly missed during the
time the prisoner was in his situation, and as no con-
fidence was reposed in him he was discharged. From
information received by prosecutor, he went that
morning to the shop of Mr. Attenborough, pawn-
broker, Fleet -street, and was there shown 14 dozen
pairs of gloves, two shawls, and two veils, which he
knew to he the property of the firm. The gloves had
on them the private trade mark After waiting about
half an hour in the back parlour, he went into the shop,
and the prisoner was pointed out to him in one of the
boxes. Prosecutor immediately recognised him, and
was recognised by the prisoner, who instantly ran
out of the shop, and endeavoured to escape, but was
pursued and taken into custody. The prisoner said
he was guilty, and appealed to him for mercy. The
property recovered was in value about 301., but it
only formed a portion of what had been missed.
Mr. George Attenborough, pawnbroker, 204, Fleet-
street, said, on Friday evening the prisoner came to
his shop and wished him to purchase a quantity of
gloves. He asked him if the gloves were his own
property. Ile replied, Yes. He inquired if he was
i❑ the trade. The answer was, No ; the gloves were
the property of his brother. Witness requested to
see the invoice. The prisoner went away, and re-
turned with the parcel and the invoice. Suspecting
there was something wrong about the affair, he told
the prisoner he wished to see the gloves by daylight.
The prisoner consented, and left the gloves, making
an appointment to call the next morning. Witness
saw that the name of Lewis and Allenby had been
erased from the gloves, and he sent to Regent-street
to make the firm acquainted with what had occurred.
Mr. Lewis came that morning, and remained in the
back shop. The prisoner also came into the shop, and
on seeing Mr. Lewis he said, " It's all over with me,'
and attempted to run away. When stopped, the'
prisoner said to Mr. Lewis, "I suppose if I pay for
the goods you will let me off."
Police-constable Westmoreland, C 27, said he
stopped the prisoner, and took him into custody. As
they were walking along the prisoner asked him to
change arms. Witness did so. On searching him he
found two pairs of gloves in his coat pocket, with
Messrs. Lewis and Co.'s marks on them.
The prisoner made no defence, and was fully com-
mitted.
Joseph Plant was charged with attempting to
violate a young woman under these circumstances :
Police-constable Hodge, C division, said about
twelve o'clock he was on duty in Regent-street, and
when near Little Pulteney-street, he heard a woman
exclaim in a feeble voice, " Get away, you beastly
fellow." Witness went up to the place, and saw the
prisoner was attempting to violate the woman. As
soon as the prisoner saw him he turned on one side,
and the young woman fell head foremost into the
middle of the street. Witness raised her up, and as
her appearance was not such as was usually presented
by persons in liquor, he said he should take her to
the hospital, and the prisoner must go with him.
Witness put the young woman into a cab, and took
her to the Middlesex Hospital.
The following certificate had been given :
" A female was brought here at one o'clock by Police-
constable E 157, perfectly insensible, and the symptoms
were those of poison by some narcotic drug. Under
such circumstances, I have detained the female, who still
remains partially unconscious, and have ordered the con-
stable to take the man fiund with her into custody.
" ;Middlesex Hospital. " CAFE."
A later certificate stated that the woman was now
perfectly conscious, but suffering great pain in the
abdomen, and not in a fit state to give evidence.
The defence of the prisoner was that he met the
woman in Oxford-street, with a crowd about her, she
being intoxicated. He accompanied her to Regent-
street, but he denied having attempted to take impro-
per liberties, or that he had made use of any drug or
stupifying application.
Mr. BINGHAM ordered the prisoner to be remanded
till Thursday next.