The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-29 00:00:00

COKONEIiS' INQUESTS.

mEt,INCHOLY DEATH IN A WA Te1f,1101.153j3.
bodyintAimoCf,
4l:frke°l.l:ll)l:Pl:mirs,icnlet I,loaqfgettli,ll:ativboa%tiletal7lshiynatesiesterst,ol
fiwgitthilloet wiria:sriticbsilt: tin
of Esc.
Nary-le-Strand, about seven o'clock in the morning. The tt./
fortunate old gentleman had formerly moved in a very r•spe4t..l
ablesphere of life, but had oflat4 become so extremely iithitcted.
to drinking, that it was frequently found necessary to take'hint
to the watchAtouse. The Can excitatl.the deepest interest in
the parish. Mr. T. ti TOGS was the t:oniner on the occasion,
and the -.tiny having assembled at the Spotted Dog in Strand.
lane, took a view of the hotly, ithich still lay in the same place.'
The following evidence was then adduced:—

Samuel Hunt, watchman, deposed us follows :—I am ti
watchman of St. Mary4e-Strand. About eleven o'clock last
night, I found the deceased in the Strand, close by the corner
of New Church-court. Hr. was s itt in o down against Air.
Knight's door, or rather window. I told him to get up, but he,
would not,'and some people put him into the coffee.shop next
door, anti nave him some coffee. Some time after, I was again
called to bring the detteaacdfl.ont the house, who refused to leave
ioani. Ile had then aome coffee anti a I itifin before tiim.
Ile was very much in and I had often seen him in the
same sotto. When 1 took the deceased inta custody, he did
pot complain of illness. On his way to the watch-house he
sat down, and refused to walk any farther. Ile was at length •
carried in by the assistance of the petrol :tire{ a watchman, to die
%vetch-house in front of the church, and he was charged with
being drunk, and as a vagrant. The deceased. was then placed
in the lock-up room, in Strand-lane, for the night. A great
coat was given hint to ITI:Ake a pillow. The deceased said,
Pot very cemfortabl, t this (the watt will do very well." At
this time the prispner was left alone. -lie wore a suit of black,
but nu great coat on. place was very, cold indeed.
[A gentleman beie exclaimed,"• The place is not fit to keep
lat horse or dog in."!
Henry Wells, of No. 6, Newcastle-court, sworn--I ant a
tailor by trade, and was taken to the watch-house about a quar-
ter after 12 o'cloek,'and locked up. The deceased was lying'
along the floor, with the coat under his head. The floor Was
boarded, The deceused groaned very much. I had no means
or alarming any person in the house. I could not 1,..t0 to sleep
in consequence of his gro,ins.• No one cone until four o'clock.
The deceased groaned when I was put in. 1 did not know
what was the matter with him. I gave an alarm to two men
about half-past 7 o'clock.

.- - -
Alr..lltvent, a gentleman connected with Pr. Stanton, /me
saitL that he bad been called up about two o'clock to bleed a
female in the watch house, and if be had been infortned of
the state or the man, itt nil probability his life would have been.
saved. • ,

‘‘ ells again examined—About seven o'clock I spoke to a
baker, who gave an alarm to Mr. kirks, the watch-house-
keeper, who came down, and felt the deceased, who was quite
cold. De said the num was dead, and then brat ;ht the street
keeper, who came in half an hour, and a doctor was sent for ;
I was then placed in an adjoining room,
John Strickland, of No. an, Strand, proprietor of the
coffeehouse •in queition, depned to the deceased being brought
into his house, and his taking refreshment.
The constable of the night denied that the deceased groaned.
Wells had taken the coat from the deceased, %Web was again
placed under his head at four o'clock. Had wittiess had the
least idea of the state of the poor man, every assistance would
have been aff'orded, as was done in the cast' of the female at
two o'cloCk. There was no part of the cloak on the deccami
at four o'clock, until it had been taken from the witness
Wells.

The watchmen on the beat solemnly declare& that they re-
gularly went round, and heard no groans. The witness (11
never called to them for assistance. About five o'clock, a
grumbiing noise was heard as if a person was getting up, and
beat Mg °lithe saw dust. The noise was not like that of a per,
son in pain:
Dr. George Frederick Coßyer, of Norfolk-street, had known
the deceased for the last live years. His habits bud been those
of a drunkartL lie was by profession 'a solicitor and one of
the most eminent in the county of Brecon, I am positive the
cause of' his death was apoplexy, to which continued inebriation
had predisposed him, occasioned from cold.
The Coroner and several jurors eNpressed a hope, that
when the Case came before the public, the situation of the
watch-house would ha amended, It was also observed, that
complaints had frequently been made or the state of the place~
which us open to the keen air from the river, and without
windows.

The officers were directed to inform the parochial autherideS
of the sense entertained of the.state of the plats..
The Jury consulted for a few minutes, and then tOtind a vet::
That the deceased died in a fit of apoplexy, occasioned
by cold brought on by continual inebriation. '