The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-03 00:00:00

CORONERS' DEPUTIES.

Lord R. GROSVENOR rose to present a petition from
the members of the English Homoeopathic Association
and others, complaining of the conduct of the deputy
coroner for Middlesex, in the case of an inquest upon the
body of a man named Richard David Pearce. The cir-
cumstances on which the petition was founded were so
notorious at the time, and were so much commented on,
thatsit would be unnecessary fur him to enter into a
statement of them on the present occasion. Lie would
merely state the complaint and the remedy asked for.
The Hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Walcley) had
appointed a deputy as coroner for Middlesex in the case
of the inquest in question, which, from misdirection of
the jury by the deputy coroner, resulted in a verdict of
manslaughter against another man, named Pearce, the
brother of the deceased, who was accordingly committed
to the felons' ward in Newgate on the charge, where he
remained seven days.
Mr. WAKLEY interposed—the Noble Lord had been
so good as to show him the petition, and the Noble Lord
was stating what was not stated in the petition.
Lord R. GROSVENOR would then state, in the words
of the petition, that Mr. Pearce was committed to New-
gate, and when the case was brought before Mr. Justice
Mal, he said, spaaking of Mr. Pearce, " This man
seems to have acted as well as he could. How any per-
son could be found to say that this person is guilty of
manslaughter I cannot possibly imagine." The remedy
requested by the petitioners was that the House:would
pass a law in order to prevent coroners of counties
appointing their own deputies. The petitioners con-
cluded by stating it as their opinion that the deputy
coroners should be elected in the same manner as the
coroner.
An Hoer. MEMBER moved the petition should be read.
The petition was read accordinglyamidst great
laughter.
Mr. WAKLEY subsequently addressed the House,
and said he considered the petition of a trumpery cha-
racter. He was surprised that the Noble Lord should
have presented it, seeing that the Noble Lord was
himself the President of the Homeepathic Society. The
affair alluded to had taken place last October; why, then,
if there was any illegality in the course pursued by the
deputy coroner had not an application been made to the
courts to quash the promedings? There was, how-
ever, no illegality in the case; and the object of he pe-
titioners, therefore, was not to deal with it, but to ad-
vertise their quackery. He hoped the House would set
it face against that system of advertising, because
he balieved that a more audacious set of quacks never
existed. The society consisted of tINO classes—noodles
and knaves. The noodles, however, formed the great
majority; a,ad when the knaves contrived to
catch sun° amiable Lord, and make him their pre-
sident, then they advertised it all over the world, and
victimised the nowiles. In this case the parties had
the audacity to cox° before the House and attack
a public officer in the discharge of his duty. They had,
no doubt, a natural oiread of a coroner—(Laughter)—
and therefore they sough:, to deter him from perfurming
his duty. In reference to the charge contained in the
petition, he (Mr. Wirakley) had sent the constable to the
coroner's jury; and be held his hand the statement of
twelve of the jurymen that :he deputy coroner had in-
vestieated the case in the most patient, able, end exem-
plary manner; that he had repel.' teNy told them that he
.
did not think the evidence agains.l; I he accused person
suffic';.ent; and that when he was in.cormed by them in
their own room that ten were fur a verdict of man-
slaughter and two against it, he expra ssed it at his opi-
nion that this verdict was not sustained by the wituesser.
The lion. Member then called the atteltti\ ,n of the Home