The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-01 00:00:00

MASTER OF A UNION WORKHOUSE.

(From the Weekly Dispatch of yesterday.)_
About a month ago a poor man, named William Hearnden,
a vendor of writing paper, called at the office of the Dispatch,
in an agony of mind that cannot be described without har-
rowing up the feelings of our readers, and related that his
little daughter Emma, an inmate of the Blean union poor-
house at Herne, had, by order of the governor, been locked
up in the dead-house of the establishment, as a punishment
for wetting her bed. This statement was corroborated by a
letter the poor fellow held in his hand from another daughter
(Elizabeth), who had visited Emma in the union, and learned
from her the ill treatment she had experienced. The editor
of the Dispatch at once communicated with the Poor-law
Commissioners, at Somerset House, through the medium of
Edwin Chadwick, Esq. In his letter the matter was briefly
stated, and the Commissioners, greatly to their credit, at once
directed the Board of Guardians to prosecute an investigation
into the business, and acquaint them with the result. The
Board accordingly instituted an inquiry—what-an inquiry !
and came to the conclusion that Emma Hearnden had never
been within the walls of the dead-house by day or night, and
that the guardians were perfectly satisfied that such were the
facts i Of course such a conclusion as this sagacious Board
arrived at was sufficient to throw discredit upon
our statement ; but, after the lapse of a few days,
having in the meantime made further inquiry, we again
thought proper to hint to the Poor-law Commissioners, that
not only was our statement corroborated by some observa-
tions made by the editor of the Kent Herald, but that that
spirited individual had stated that " too great severity was
used in punishing the boys and girls in the house by
flogging." Never, until this moment, could we discover the
utility of a triumvirate sitting at Somerset-house. We now,
however, see how necessary it is that there should be a con-
trolling power, if it be only for the purpose of correcting the
errors and inhumanity of guardians. We can perceive, that
if this triumvirate would act with greater liberality towards
the poor, the Poor-law Act, instead of a curse, might prove
a blessing to persons in poverty. Had there been no con-
trolling power, the conduct of the master of the Blean union
would have appeared as pure as unsunned snow. But the
Commissioners were dissatisfied with the guardians' report.
They placed no faith in its correctness, and accordingly they
appointed an investigation to take place before Mr. Hall ;
and a more searching inquiry, we believe, was never insti-
tuted. Our reporter was present (luring the whole of the
proceedings, and by that gentleman we have been placed in
possession of a full and faithful report of the investigation ;
but the following outline will be found sufficient to establish
the truth of our statement, and confirm the guilty, the crimi-
nal, and atrocious conduct of the master.

The inquiry took place in the board-room of the union-
house at Herne-common, on Monday, and the meeting was
declared by the Commissioner, at the request of several of the
guardians, to be an open one, in consequence of which the
room throughout the day was crowded by persons from
Herne, Herne-bay, and surrounding places.
Mr. Walker, solicitor, of Canterbury, attended to watch the
proceedings on the party of the accused. and Mr. T. T. De
Lasaux, Coroner for East Kent, kindly stepped forward on
behalf of the poor friendless child. The following guardians
of the respective parishes were present :—Mr. Rammell,
(Chairman); Mr. G. Goddard, Vice-Chairman ; Mr. Ryder ;
Mr. W. F. Hilton ; Mr. Isaac Sladden ; Mr. Wootton, Chislet ;
Mr. Wootton, Westbere ; Mr. Knight ; Mr. W. Denise ; Mr.
Bedwell ; Mr. F. Neame : Mr. Wacher ; and Mr. G. Austen.
Mr. HALL briefly opened the business, after which Emma
Hearuden was called in and examined. She stated that she
was between nine and ten years of age, and that up to. Fri-
day last, at which time Mr. De Lasaux took her away, she
had been an inmate of the workhouse, and had lived there
nearly two years, during which period she had often been
shut up in a room called the dead-house, by order of the
master, who would often, when he came up to read prayers
to the children, ask if she had " wet her bed ;" and if the
other girls said yes, he used to say, " then she shall go down
to the dead-room." Sometimes she was taken there, and
sometimes she went on being told to go, as she dared not re-
fuse. On one occasion, about a year ago, she was taken there
by the "young mistress" (the daughter of the master), at
which time the body of Mrs. Ingleton, who had died the day
before, was in the room ; the body was covered over with
a sheet, but the face was not ; it was lying on a board, and
some straw under the head, and two carpenter's stools
(trestles) supported it from the ground. She cried very
much and begged to be let out ; she was placed in the dead-
house shortly after breakfast, and was released just before
dinner time; and on the following day, in the afternoon, she
was again placed there, and the body was still lying there.
On this occasion she was not let out till it was " darkish ;"
the women and children were about going to bed. Sometimes
she was locked in and sometimes not. One or more times she
slept there, when there was a bed carried in for her, and on
these occasions she was locked in, but when she was not, she
did not dare to come out, and if she cried, her young mistress
would bring a cane and beat her on the back. Witaess be-
lieved that she had told one of the gentlemen present (meaning
the guardians), but could not identify which; but not when
she was examined by them a short time ago, as she was afraid
to do so, as if she had she would have been punished, not by
the guardians—they had layer punished her, or ordered her

• -
to be punrsiaed, but she was, afraid of the master. who aa
often slapped her with his hands for the offence alluded to, and
he said if she said anything about him when she went out he
would give it her when she came home again.
_ Mr. Goddard (one of the guardians) said, at the time the
inquiry took place he was the visiting guardian for the week.
He went round the yard with the child. She did not say that
she had been locked up in the dead-heuse. She showed him
a dormitory in which she had been placed by her Self, and .
which statement was also reported to the board.
Mrs. Hosorn, now residing at Herne Bay, was, in March,
1843, an inmate, with five children, of the workhouse. Re-
members Mrs. Ingleton dying on a Sunday, and she helped to
lay out the dead body, and assisted in taking it to the dead-
house. It was put in a shell, and some straw laid under the
head, a sheet was thrwn over the body, but not over the
face. On the following morning, Emma Hearnden was
locked in the room by Sarah Bailey, the master's daughter.
The child cried very much, and witness, with another woman,
went to the window and endeavoured to console her. She
was clasping her hands together and begged to be released.
The room in question was known by the inmates as the
" dead-house.'

Mrs. Browning, also an inmate at the time, was next
sworn. She gave the same facts in evidence as the above,
but said that the body was not in a shell, but only on the lid
of one.

Mr. Walker asked her if she had any conversation with the
child after she came out of the room, to which the witness
somewhat sharply replied, " No, I dared hardly to speak to
my own children."
Sarah Overt', also in the workhouse at the same time, cor-
roborated the last two witnesses. She also assisted in re-
moving the body of Mrs. Ingleton; she went twice to the
window to pacify the child, and persuade her not to cry so.
She also deposed to a bed being carried down to the room for
the child to sleep on, but she was, on that occasion, let out at
bed time. Believed that this was after Mrs. Ingleton was
buried

On the second day, the Court was opened at eleven o'clock,
and was again soon filled by an anxious auditory. Previous
to the examination of the witnesses,
Mr. AUSTIN said that the rate-payers of the ville of the
Archbishop's Palace had come to the resolution of engaging
Mr. De Lasaux, professionally, to watch the case in heir
name on behalf of the child.
Mr. DE LASAUX then called a woman named Sarah Chees-
man, aged 77 years, but her evidence went merely to prove
the testimony which was admitted by the master on the
former investigation before the Board of Guardians—namely,
that the child had been shut up one night in a down-stair
room away from the othe children.
This closed the case foF the child.
Mary Walker, on behalf of the master, was first called in,
and on being sworn said—She was between 15 and 16 years
old, and had been an inmate of the workhouse for eight
years. She knew Emma Hearnden, and loved her, and Emma
loved her in return. The Hearndens had been there from the
24 of December, 1842. Emma was never punished. Never
kept on bread and water. Never locked up. Never pu-
nished in any other way. Emma was in the habit of wetting
her bed, but never punished for it. Had been reprimanded,
as the other girls had complained to the mistress about it,
and she had been threatened to be sent down to the straw-
room to sleep, but she never was sent down. The threat was
only said to frighten her. The straw-room is one of the
lower rooms away from the other sleeping rooms. It had
been formerly the dead-room, but not for the last twelve
months. The dead-room is now two doors from it. Mrs.
Ingleton died on the 12th of March. No girl could be shut
up without witness knowing it. Emma Hearnden was once
shut up, it was in April, but does not remember what day of
the month it was, for wetting her bed. The school mistress
shut her up (Miss Sarah Bailey acts as upper school mistress)
only about one hour. 'Thinks it was on a Tuesday about two
months after Mrs. Ingleton's death. She knew it by her
sister and other girls talking about it. It might be on a
Friday. Mrs. White was told to let her out, but Emma's sis-
ter did. Witness then told a tale about the child having been
shut up all day by her sister Betsy, and that none of the girls
in the room knew where Emma was. That she herself could
not get any sleep, and that in the morning she got up at five
o'clock and found the child in the straw-room. There was no
bed and the door was not locked, but Emma said she was afraid
to come out all night, for fear Betsy would beat her. The
schoolmistress went round of a night to see if all were in bed,
and on missing Emma, Betsy said she was gone to the water-
closet. Never told this tale to any one till this (Tuesday)
morning, then told it to a lawyer, Mr. Walker. Knew of
Emma being called in and examined once in the board-room.
Believes it was about being locked up. Does not remember
more than that time. On being told by the Commissioner
to look at Mr. De Lasaux, she exclaimed, " Oh, yes, I forgot,
he and another gentleman came about a fortnight
ago; the matron was present." Witness then commenced a
long tale as to what took place, when the Commissioner said,
"Though you remember all this, you forgot it till I told von
Mr. De Lasaux was at your elbow." Witness then said that
Emma did not tell Mr. D. much ; thought she was afraid.
Commissioner—" Now, on your oath, what did the child say
in reply ?" Witness*" That she was afraid of Mr. De
Lasaux. She then corroborated the witnesses, Holborn,
Browning, and Overy, as to the young mistress having known
that the body was in the dead-room. From questions, sug-
gested by Mr. De Lasaux, she admitted that the matron had
said, had she known what he had come about, she would not
have let him in.

Sarah Walker, nearly 14 years of age, stated she had been
an inmate eight years.. Knew Emma Hearnden, and that
her sister Betsey had shut her up all one night, and that was
all the time she was shut up. Commissioner—" Was she not
shut up by the schoolmaster?" Only once, from eight to
nine o'clock in the morning. She was told by Sarah Bronger
that Betsy had shut her sister up. Sarah Bronger went down
and spoke to Emma about half-past eight at night, when she
was in the straw-room, where Emma stopped all night.
Sarah White was in the workhouse from October, 1842, to
May, 1843, with her husband and family. She was under
schoolmistress. Had Emma Heamden under her care.
Never remembers master inquiring about her habit of wetting
the bed. Has heard Miss Bailey say she should be put into
the dead-room, and she was once put there in the month of
April, and was kept there only one hour. Does not know of
her having been shut up there about the time Mrs. Ingleton
died. This witness made observations calculated entirely to
destroy her credibility.
The Rev. W. Temple stated, that from hearing the reports
in the papers, lie, on the 25th of FebrutLry, after service,
asked both the boys and girls collectively and separately. if
any of them had been shut up in the night by order of the
itovemor. an th Nn ' HP nnmed en instance when
some boys were to have been brought before the Board for
misconduct towards the schoolmaster, when the governor
pleaded for them, on account that he had hinvelf given them
a good caning.
Mr. HALL then asked if they intended to produce any
further evidence? _ _ _

Mr. Walker said, " No ;" it had been intended to have ex-
amined Sarah Bailey, " the young mistress" so often named,
but l►e should decline doing so.
Mr. HALL remarked, that Mr. Walker had been well act-
vised.

At the request of Mr. De Lasaux, Elizabeth Hearnden was
again called in, but Mr. Hall said it was quite unnecessary to
re-examine her as to the statement of her having shut her
sister up, but she was again questioned, and positively denied
it ; and further, as to some statements made by Mrs. White
and the girl Mary Walker.
Mr. HALL then thanked the guardians for their attend-
ance, and remarked that he felt much pleasure in saving
that the very full audience, during the investigation,.had
conducted themselves with great propriety, and it was an en-
couragement to him to persevere in his views of giving every
possible publicity to such proceedings. He added, that the
affair would be laid before the Commissioners.

This is the evidence to support our statement ; and the
public may glean from it that, but for the exposures of the
press—when that engine is fearlessly employed, and ar-
rayed on the side of truth—what gross inhumanity would
prevail in our public establishments, and how much poverty
would be exposed to the brute nature of man in authority.
Here we have the case of a poor child, whose parent, to our
knowledge, has seen better days, thrown into a dead house,
as a punishment, because the little creature wetted the bed
on which she slept ! Never was anything half so inhuman—
so monstrously brutal—as the conduct of the master has
proved. If ever man possessed a demon heart the Governor
of the Blean Union is that person; his conduct to Emma
Hearden must be execrated by persons of all colours and
creeds ; and nothing short of expulsion from his situation
will satisfy an outraged public. Mrs. Holborn's evidence as
to the fact of finding the child in the dead-house, with the
corpse of Mrs. Ingleton, affords a dreadful proof of the shock-
ing treatment to the juvenile paupers. Mrs. Holborn said
"little Emma was locked in the dead-house by Sarah
Bailey, the master's daughter; when she saw the poor
thing, she was clasping her hands and begging to be re-
leased!" The witness Browning corroborated Mrs. Hot-
born's statement; but she did not speak to the little prisoner,
seeing " that she hardly dared to do so to her own
children!" What a very hell upon earth must a union be,
where motherly women and children, if they look awry, are
liable to be punished! We now come to the evidence for
the defence ; and, in the first place, a girl named Mary
Walker is called. She declares that Emma was never locked
up or punished for wetting her bed; and then admits that
she was locked up, and says, moreover, that Emma Hearn-
den's sister released her. Another witness, one Sarah White,
told so many lies for Miss Bailey and her father, as to de-
stroy her credibility. In fact, the evidence for the defence
was a weak invention, and went far to support the charge.
We have no wish to trhunph over a man whose guilt has
now been proved beyond the possibility of doubt; but we
must take credit to ourselves for having brought the matter
to an issue most satisfactory to the ends of justice, but most
damnatory to the reputation of the master and his amiable
daughter. These exposures are calculated to do immense
good. They tend to curb the vicious, and rein in those
whose natures, if they were left alone. would outrage and
disgrace humanity.
Our reporter has especially noticed the conduct of Mr. De
Lasaux, G. Austen, Esq., and Mr. Sharp, of the Castle Inn,
who have been indefatigable in their endeavours to promote
the ends of justice. Indeed, such has been the excitement
at Canterbury, Herne Bay, and their neighbourhoods, that
persons of all shades of politics, warmly pressed forward in
behalf of the little girl who, it has now been proved, was so
brutally treated at the instance of the master and his dauglr
ter Betsy.

DEATH OF SIR CHARLES FORSTER GORING BART.
—We have to announce the demise of this respectabaronet,
who expired at his seat, near Lewes, Sussex, on Tuesday
last. Sir Charles was born in 1768, and married, in 1799..
Miss Dent, daughter of Mr. H. Dent, of Norfolk. He is
succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Mr. Harry Dent
Goring, who represented Shoreham in Parliament, from 1832
to the late general election, when his brother, the present.
Member, came forward in his place.
FUNERAL OF LORD WM. HILL.—The interment
of the mortal remains of the above highly-respected young
nobleman, whose melancholy death has cast a deep gloom
over the gallant regiment to which he belonged, took place
on Wednesday last, at St. Mary Tower, Ipswich, when he
was buried with military honours. The manifestation of ea-
teem and regret to the memory of the deceased, not only by
the officers and privates of the Scots Greys, but also by the
inhabitants of Ipswich and the local gentry and yeomanry.,
was beyond all expectation. At the general desire of the re-,
giment, conveyed to the Marquis of Downshire through'
Lieut.-Colonel Clarke, commanding the regiment, the funeral'
accordingly took place at Ipswich instead of Easthampstead.:
Berks. It is probably not within the recollection of the old-,
est inhabitant of Ipswich that a military funeral on so im.-
pbsing a scale ever occurred in that populous town, as the;
whole of the regiment were called upon to share in the mourn-
ful ceremony. The Marquis of Downshire, Marquis of Salis-1
bury, Earl of Hillsborough, Lord Sandys, Lord Edwin Hill,:
Viscount Holmesdale, Hon. R. H. Clive, M.P., Colonel Clive,.,
Hon. Captain N. Hood, Sir W. Middleton, Bait, &c., bait
previously arrived from the metropolis to attend the funeral.
The inhabitants, without a single exception, closed their
shops, so that business was entirely suspended till after tlit
funeral was over.
TOM Tullius AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE.—GS• 7
neral Tom Thumb has made his appearance at the Stock Ex—
change, and was universally allowed to be the smallest,
American stock ever known there ; Pennsylvanian dividends;
of course, excepted.—Punch.
A few days ago, a, large eagle was seen soaring
aloof about the Cheviots, near the hills of Hartaide and Inv,.
ram ; the visit of so rare a bird may, perhaps, be attributed
to the severity of the snow storm in the Highlands of &Oa
land.—Scotch Paper, z

13, Great Marlborough-street.
MR. LEVER'S NEW WORK,
ILLUSTRATEN BY CREIKSHANK.
"ARTHUR O'LEARY ; HIS WANDERINGS AND PONDER-
INGS IN MANY LANDS," Edited by his Friend, HARRY
LORREQUER, and Illustrated by GEORGE CRUIKSHANK, in
3 vols., post Bvo.
IS NOW READY AT ALL THE BOOKSELLERS
and Libraries throughout the Kingdom.
•
Henry
Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

THEATRE ROYAL, DEURY.LANt..
•
Immense Attraction for Easter.
It is respectfully announce!, that the Administration cf the
Academie Roya'e, Paris, having consented to a prolongation of the
conge of M. Duprez, this eminent Artiste wilt sing "three Nights in
the Easter Week.
MONDAY EVENING, APR'', 8,
Will be performed the Opera of GUILLAUME TELL. Arno'd,
Duprez;M. Gessler, Mr. G. Horncastle; ‘Nilliam 'fell, Mr.
Strevon ; Lutern, Mttllc. Albertazzi; Matilda, Miss Romer;
M(rtha,l.slisa Letts
To conclude with the revivgd Melodrama of THE TALE OF
MYSTERY. Count 3onamo, Mr. Selby; Count Romaldi, Mr
Cooper; Michelli. Mr. Harley; Selina, Mrs Stifling.
Dress Boxes 75., Second Prieo 3.5. lid. ; Upper Circics of Boxes 5c..
,wend Price 35.; Pit 3s , Secon,l Price Qa; M dclle Gallery
S.cond Price Is.; Upper Gallery Is., Second Price (id.
'l'll EATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET:
M. BENJAMIN W EnsTEx. LESSEE.

On EASTER MONDAY, A PRI L S, a variety of Entertainments,
in which Madame Vestris, Mrs. Glover, Miss P. Norton, Miss Julia
Bennett, Mrs. Nishett, Mrs. Humby, Mrs. W. Clifford, Mrs E. liar-
nold, Mr. C. Mathews, Mr. Buckstene, Mr. Stuart, Mr. II Holt,
Mr. Strickland, Mr. Howe, and Mr. J Bland will perform.
A new, or:; final, and local extravaganza, by the Author of " The
Fair One with the Golden Locks," a id the Began t and unsurpassed
Performances of Professor Risley and his Son, Le Petit Meictire.
• The Box-otlice will be open on Saturday, April 6.
Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Boxes, ss. ; Pit, ns. ; Gallery, tin.; UppTr
Gallery, Is. Half-price ; Pit, `2s.; Gallery, Is. ; Upper
Gallery, RI. Doors openeJ at Halt past Six, and the Verformances
e,mmenee at Seven.
Tickets and Places to be had of Mr I. T. Archer, at the Box-
ofEce, from 'l'm till Five.

THEATRE ROYAL, LYCEUM, LA LE ENGLISH OPERA-
HOUSE.
Under the Management of Mrs. KEELEY.
The Pubic is respectfully informed that this Theatre WILL OPEN
on EASTER MONDAY, April S with an Ad tress by Mrs. Keeley.
After which, will be produced a New Comedietta, in 'two :cts,
entitled HASTY CONCLUSIONS. I rincipal Characters by Messrs.
Diddear. F. Mathews, F. Vining, Emery, and Miss Fairbrother, and
Mrs. Keeley.
To he foll,weil by a New Drama, in One Act, called THE POST
OF HONOUR. Characters by Mesrs. Keeley, Turner, Kinloch,
J. Cotter, Stanton, Yarnold, Miss Woolgar (from the theatre Royal,
Adelphi, her first appearance at this Theatre), and Miss Grove.
Td conclude with an entirely new Grand Burlesque Fairy Extra-
vaganza, called OPEN SESAME; or, The Forty Thieves. ('ha
racters by Mi s Woolgar, Miss E. Chaplin, Mrs. Woollidge, Miss
Turner, Miss Grove, Airs. Wigan, Miss James, Miss Fairbrother,
and >lrs. Keeley, Messrs. F. Mathews, Turner, Younge, Wigan,
Yarnold, and Chaplin.
PRICES OF ADMISSION.—First Price—"oxen, ; Upper
Boxes, 3s. ; Pit, 2s. • Gallery, 6tl Second Price—Balcony Boxes, 2s. ;
Upper Boxes, Is F.d. ; Pit, Is. Private Boxes on the Balcony .1 ier
(holding eight person ), Two Guineas Private Boxes on the second
Tier (ha ding eight pet,or.s), One Guinea and a-Half. Private
Boxes on the ['it fier (holding six persons), One Guinea. Free Ad-
mission Tickets (for the first forty nights), One Guinea. Nightly
Transferrable Free Tickets (for tip, first forty nighta`, Three Guineas
Doors open at Half.past `ix. Performances begins 't Seven o'('lork.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPID ftIEATRE Or' ARfS,
EASTER. MONDAY. APRIL 8.

Tne RE-OPENING of ROYAL AMPHI-
THEATRE of ARTS (under the management and sole proprietor-
ship of Mr. BATTY), with its Treble Rotation of Equestrian
and Dramatic Spectacles, and u 'equalled Scenes of the Circle, and
Bitty's- Matchless Stud of beautiful Horses, Fairy Ponies, &c
Mr. Batty, in announcing the Re-opening of Astley's for the se-
cond season of his management, tees respectfully to :equaint the
Nobility, Gentry, and public that, encouraged by the flattering.
success during the past year, and finding the Theatre not suffi-
ciently commodious for its numerous patrons, he entered into an
extensive arrangement %vat) Messrs. Haward and Nixon, the emi-
nent builders of Lambeth, for the re-cons.ructing on a magnificent
and• novel principle, the whole of the interior of the Theatre,
which has been rebuilt, dress boxes enlarge A, upper boxes wi!iened.
and,pit and galleries extensively improved Fourteen glass lustres
are added, aid a Grecian dome ceiling, with entirely new sp'ervid
classic decorations, and gorgeous apppiintments, which, with the
tirst-rate tal. nt to he offered, he presumes cannot fail of obtaining
that support so liberally bestowed on his endeavours during the
last season. The grand Easter national Spectacle will combine all the
splendid historical effects of the Noncan Conquest of England.
produced by Mr: W. D. Broadfoot. The Cirque Glympique will in.
traduce unequalled equestrian talent, and the dou le company com-
prise talent of the highest older.
The door will open nightly at six o'clock, and the performances
commence at a- ven. Box-office will beopened on Saturday, April 6,
and continue so daily from ten till four. The private boxes have
been reconstructed and decorated with care and splendour.
Acting and stage.manager, Mr. W. D. Broadfoot.

niori WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE TIES DAY.
Morning ... 9 minutes after 0 I Evening ...3I minutes after 0.

41‘ ,74tit )PIT
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