The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-02 00:00:00

LATE CASE OF DESTITUTION IN
MARYLEBONE.

Yesterday, at a very numerously attended meeting
uf the Directors and Guardians of the Poor of St.
Marylebone, held in the Board-room of the work-
house, New-road, Mr. F. Bushill in the chair, the
proceedings before Mr. Wakley, the coroner, in the
late inquest on the body of John Hall, the details of
which have been already placed before the public in
the columns of The Sun, were brought under the
notice of the board.

Mr. POTTER said this was a matter of very consi-
derable importance to the board, inasmuch as the
statements which were made before the coroner and
jury, and which also appeared in the public news-
papers, imputed that the poor creature, Hall, had died
from their neglect. That gross and culpable neglect
had been exhibited there could be no doubt ; for if
ever there was a case which required relief—ample
and immediate relief at first sight—it was the case of
this poor man Hall, and his family. What were the
facts ? These poor creatures, Hall, his wife, and four
children, were in a starving state, living in the
kitchen of an empty house, No. 6, Stratford-place, in
which they had been placed by an agent. On the
application being made for relief; Faulkner, one of
the out- door poor inspectors, visited the case, and as
the poor woman was from home he left a slip of
paper, telling her to call on him. On attending at
the workhouse half-a-crown was given her, and she
was told that if she applied at the workhouse again,
she and her family must be passed to their parish.
This had such an effect on the poor creature, that she
did not apply again ; and her husband, uho was
dreadfully ill, although he did not die from absolute
starvation, still died in the most lamentable state of
destitution. In his (Mr. Potter's) opinion, these poor
creatures had been very much neglected by those
persons whom the board amply paid to look to the
cases of the out-door poor.
Mr. RATUBONE differed entirely from the observa-
tions of Mr. Potter, and said he rose in vindication
of the conduct of the officers of that board. They
had acted strictly in accordance with the provisions
of the law of settlement, and with the instructions of
the board. The family had been in London- nine
weeks, but their place of settlement was Sawtrey, in
Huntingdonshire. It was true the poor man was ill,
but when the application was made to Sparkes for
relief, he gave them half-a-crown, and finding they
did not belong to the parish, he told the wife, as was
his duty, if they applied again they must be passed
to their own parish.
Mr. ANDERSON confessed that he was present at
the adjourned inquiry, and that he felt ashamed of
what he heard as one of the guardians of Marylebone.
The officers were to blame, and had not exercised, to
say the least of it, proper discrimination.
After some further discussion,

Mr. POTTER gave notice that he should at the
next meeting move that the assistant overseer and
inspector of the out-door poor be brought before the
board to explain their conduct in the case relating to
the death of John Hall, and that in the event of such
explanation not being satisfactory, they be visited
with the marked displeasure of the board.
The board then broke up.