The Sun.
London, England, 1817-10-24 00:00:00

SHOCKING DEATH'of a POOL LITTLE SWEEP BOY.

Last night, at eight o'clock, an Inquisition was
held at the house of Mr. Alford, the sign of the
Lord Somers Arms, cornerof ,Qrenville-street and
Union-street; 'Somers Town, before THOMAS
'STIRLIYP, Esq. one of the Coroners fOr the-
.connfy of Middlesex, on view of the body of Ro-
bert Dowland, a poor little orphan sweep, aged
eleven years, apprentice to —=—• Hall, chimney-
sweeper, of.
St.yancras, whose death was caused
front suffocation in a chimney, as appears front

the tOilowing evidence :
Mrs Ann Bishop, sworn, said, she.is wife of
Alexanderßishop, a I.),Aker, and.lives at No. 10,
Union-street, SCniters Town. Site frequently saw
the deceased, he being in the habit of buying
rolls at her shop ; he was . a siVe-e.p. On last
Wednesday moriiii,g the. decdased and two other
little sweeps, accompanied by their master, carne
to her house for the purpose of sweeping the
chimnies; the deceased's master ordered hint to
go•up", and sweep a chimney, Which was over a
new oven that hadbeen lately built the deceasedwent up accordingly; lie went up to the top, as
she heard hiM beat Ills scraper against the chim-
ney.-poi, which is a usual thing with sweeps:; lie
catne down again without receivingmuch injury,
except a slight burn or graze on his left arm she
supposed it proceeded front the bricks being hot,
or tha, something in the chienney scratched liint ;
he cried, and said that sormithing burned his arm,
and panted him very much. lie was then sent
up the Hui of the old oven, but Witness was not
present ; he remained abu'c an hour in the flue
after he went tip, though he was only a quarter
of an hour in the new Hue. tVitness not .seeinu,
the deceased come down, she asked his master if
be thought there was any fear. ; lie answered no,
-there was no danger, he Was only taking a nap.
The fire .had been out tour hours bet Ore the de-
Cetti'ed cathe to sweep. it, ' Whenfthe deceased was
in the chimney crying, his Master .IsieW th. part
of it he was in, as' be poilne,t out the place to
them. Another boy was *then put up after the
deceased, whom he found in the slant of the
chim . ney, where there was a deal of soot, 'She
was not present, but her journeyman baker.—
;the flue lo toe shop was then opened,. and the
deceased taken out, thickly covered with soot,
so that they had much difficulty in taking it
off with their hands; the deceased was then
carried out into the air,, and a surgeoti was
sent. for; who came and robbed him, with some
'sort of spirits, but„what kind she did not know,
but the deceased never spike or moved atter.—

.%Viien tl►e'dect sed,fitst Came down the 'hone' of

~ •
I the new oven, his Master ,tisld him lie ought to
have a good tht,ihing for stopping there go long.
lie was yeri;inuen exhausted,' and complained
greatlylaines of her own gave bins some water to
drink, Arlit iiitess',:hearing his master speak -so
cross tt)7l4lo7;ls!e,'s'iritl,fse.u-sesl hint very nattily,
on which -the matter replied he knew better how
to deal •Wlien the'deceased was going
-up toe 'ltt'se '•'of'-the ot!en,' his master sa,brlie
would quicker if'be was near him.
One sweep oleo/pied previi,usly togo up but cold
66t, too- small or him. The tine
buid not been' sWelit f 'a cOnsinetable time ;. she
dreaded drtnge'r to the boy, and told his master to
deter sendiog "Linn up
,to another day, as the
.hatches were drawn so very Jate ; hismaster'sisked
her when the fit'e [tad been put out, she
,tohl him
about four o'clock, he said the flue would not be
too hot,. Nirhen the boy was crying in the chim-
ney, he said a nail stuck him ; she tapped at the
wall and told him to, come-down, and she would
give him , some. beer ; there were some potatoes
baking, in the over}, at
.the time the deceased was'
up-the 110ei she- went for her husband to the
Lord Somers Arms,., and he,came and' agreed' with
her that the boy was dying,' front his cries of dis-
tress being so verrlow ; he was only four feet
from the mouth of the oven; the master said he
would go for another boy, but there was no dan-
ger, as -he:was only stopped by a nail. IVittsess's.,
husband seized the poker, and broke in the wall,
avid took, the boy out. The master was present,l
, the whole time, and told Mr. Bishop that he was'
too hasty. In the morning deceased's master asked
witnets whets the oven would be ready to sweep
She told hiM she hatch would be drawn about six'
o'clock, but the fire was out at four ; the master
said it would not 'be too hot. They came to'sWeep
it about eight o'clouk -the oven would bake a
joint of treat after the fire was out ; site heard Ili&
boy cry ti,considerable time before he was taken
.out ,;
_the. pry,:proceeded from one' part ; she was ►
in,t4.e„shop, and was much distressed at the boy's
,cries,„bot thought-no harin as the master did not
-go to assist him ;: another of the boys.' hallooed
up the„Atte of -the chimney, in the next hOuse,
Bobby, come down, had, time lady will,give'you
soMe.beer.'_ Deceased made no answer., When
her _husband took the boy out of the chimneY, be
said he wished it was his master that was there
•she was of opinion his life might have been saved ,
if there was timely

Thos. Smith deposed, he lives at No. I, Bridge-
water-street, St, Pancras. When the accident
,happened, he was sent for : he built the old flue,
but not the 11C%T. The heat was so great that
when he put his hand -on time deceased his flesh
gave way, and the skin came off; he was literally
baked. It was with the greatest diftioculty Ire
could get 111141 out ()Lame flue. He saw the mas-
ter there ; he did not scent uneasy; he might have
taken.him out himself. There 'was a great deal
of inattention to be attributed to him, either
through Want of humanity or through ignorance.
He did not see the master attempt to assist tose-
lease the:body..

In answer to a question put, by a Juryman, be
said that the flue could not be cleansed by the ap-
plication of gun-powder.
• .
Jane Cater, of No. 2', Sidney-street, wife of
John .Cater, wine-cooper, deposed, that otrTuq-
ddy evening, about nine o'clock, she went fora
.104 to, the baker's ; the deceased was then on the
_top of, the chimney ; Mrs. Bishop said, " Thank.
God when .s-he heard him at the top ; she
thoug.ht the chimney was on tire ; she inquircd
of 1*Y.,..:441151); ..who 7said, No, he wag sweeping'

'lcune. iws..4s..appeareu as
it sue 1110UgIn SL W.

dangerous ; the deceased came down, and she bear(
him cryin the flue; thought 'then there Wias much
danger., Mrs. B. called down to the master, and
told•him she thought thei.e., :was danger,- He said
No, he.was doing very well, and called lip to the
boy to
,know what Was the matter ; he said the
soot was coming down upon him. • The master
desired hint to go up the chimney.alittle.way, and
shake it off of him, to Conie down quickly,, not to
mind sweeping, and not to be alarmed ; the de7
ceased kept crYing.' ~The .witness received her
change, and left the shop, but returned some time
after,..and asked was the boy out ; Mrs. Bishop
called down the stairs to know if he was, and she
ryas answered that 'he was corning over the oven.
Daniel Mend, servant to Mr. Bishop, deposed,
that they took the fire out of the old oven about
half past three o'clock. The sweeps came abOut
a quarter before eight o'clock ; the master-sweep
said the flues were•tiot too hot, be had sent boys
up hotter:onei ; the boy went up the .new flue
first ; when lie came dawn he Was very hot ;. some
water was given hint ; he seemed faint,.and per-
spirekl•very much ; he said the oven was very hot,
and that he burned. or grazed his arm against
one of the tiles ; he seemed willing to go up the
second fine the master told him to make what
haste be could. The.master told him, when he
came down the first flue, that he-deserved a good
-beating for staying up so long. No person at-
tempted to go up the old flue before the deceased
did; heard him about nine o'clock say he was
hung bra nail ; he sobbed. very much ; the mas-
ter said there was no danger.. The witness went
to bed, and left the deceased up the chimney.
The ,master sent another boy up after him,
who reached the feet of the deceased. '1 he
master desired him to pull him down ; the boy
replied that lie would not come down, when the
master said, " Then -d—n him let him stop." He
was about 25 minutes up the chimney before
the witness Went to bed. In about a quarter
of an hour Mrs. Bishop called him up; they Were
then taking down. the flue in the slid') to get the
boy out. It was very warm where the body. lay.
There was one bushel and a half of soot about the
boy. tle was not quite dead. discrt n his
breath on alooking-glass, which was held berme
his mouth. The body was so hot, it smoked. -In
answer to a question from a Juryman, he said,
.that when the' other boy touched the.deceased's ,
toes he was crying.
ltichard,l3arry, a sweep, aged 13, servant to
John Hall, the (Mister sweep, deposed, that on
yuesdaY last he went to Mr. Bishop's with the
deceased, who vent up the' new flue and came
down, again ; the skiti was off his elbow; he did
not sky how lie had done it ; he said he would go
up the second chitnneywith pleasure; be-went up
the chimney after.;the deceased ; he tonehed his
toes, but the deceasedimlled them away, and
said, he could not come down. Told his master
what he said ; eid not bear hiS master say any
think ; he sent him for another boy. His master
beh Aired very well to them. • The deceased was an
apprentice. Tid not hear his master say, " Let
hint stop there and be d--d." , The flue was too
narrom for the witness to go tip.ific master,
' never 'behaved ill to the deceased.

In answer w a question by a Juryman he said,.
lie had been up -an oven flue se verml times, but
there were always two boys, one to.ciear away the
soot. Coming down a chimney the, soot :goes
down before him, which (ight to., be cleared
The .witness swept a chimney that day in
• St. Pancras Church, the flue of Which n°•as not so
wide as that where the deCeased lost his life,

Alexander Bishop, of No. 10, Union-street,
Clar.endon-lquare., Somers Town, barker, saki, 4hat
on Tuesday last he had the flues of hig ovens swept.
Thilast fire was put out about -four o'clock.. He
was not at home when the sweeps came; he was
called frotn the Lord Somers Ariiis about 10 o'clock ;
did not-know there was a sweep in the house, as
he told them in the morning he would not haVe•.
the flues swept .'Saturday, as they would
be more cool ; but' Hall told his wife that he
desired him to come at eight o'clock.
Mrs. Bishop, and the landlord of the -pulac'-
honse were in the shop'when be went, in. They
told him a boy was in the fine,; he asked the Mas-
ter how long ; he said an hour; wifness said,
" My good God ! why don't you break down the
flue, and ran down to the bakehouse?'.' -Got
poker ; Hall followed him, and said he was too
hasty ; witness put his head up the chimney and

could , hear the boy breathing hard; took_ the
poket' tin stairs, and began to break open: the
flue ; in 11 moment he had room to .pu(
hand and cleared away the soot from his
head ; held it up, but seemed not have life in
it ; went down stairs and broke the flue
below, and got at. his feet ; when the master
,saw that, he said, " Let me get at him, and I will
get him down, as he is only sulky, and is taking- a
nap." Mr. Smith theft came arid made a 'greater
aperture above, and he and witness lifted bim out;
there was something running from -his' month,
which he wiped away; thought when he. first got
hold of his forehead that there, was life in,him.
The waster did not express any sorrow until he
Was told what the consequences might be. He
never .attempted to assist in cutting down the flue.
The witness believed he told Hall, if be (I.ld. not get,.
out of the way he would throw him into the oven.
Whether Hall acted from ignorance or inhuma—
nity he did ant know. The medical men said ,he
died from sullocation.

The. CORONER then asted the Jury if they
wished for any further evidence ? and they an-
swered in the negative.

The Jury then went and viewed the body. It
appeared very much swelled.
The CORONER, on theiryeturn, observed it was
melancholy that a fellow-creature should bee.e-

privet! of his life in the way the deceased was.—
There certainly was great inattention on the, part
of the master—and if the Jury thought it was wii-
ful Neglect, they would bring, in their verdict
against him for murder. But if they thought it
eras inattention, caused by ignorance, they might
return it manslaughter; and if.they thought there
was no inattention, they would return a Verdict
that the deceased (lied by suffocation.
The Jury, after a few minutes consideration, re—
turned their Verdict—Died' by ,Sufocation, through
the Culpable Neglect of gall, the Master.

The Forentaii of the Jury requested thitt the,

coroner
would cerafy to the parish officers that
it was the opinion of the Jury that they ought to
prosecute Hall, the Master.

The Coroner observed, that their request should
be at tended to

This Inquest occupied from eight o'clock last
night till two o'clock this morning.

SCOTCH BANKRUPTS-.

SEQUESTRATIONS.

•7• EXAMINATIONS, DIVIDENDS,: &c.
• Ewen Macwaster, drover or cattle-dealer, Traigh of Moror,
to be' examined' in -the ordinary Court-house, Fort William,
27th October and 11th November, at 12. . ,
William Middleton,
.merchant, G 'avow, to be- examined
.in the Sheriff-Clerk's _Office there, 2Uth October and lath
November, at 11. ,
Jawes.llrgie, merchant and ship-owner, Johnshaven, to
be examined in the Court-room, Stonehaven,-, 28th October
and I tth November, at .12.
,
Creditors of Robert Gunn and Son, dyers, Brownfield
Glasgow, meet in the office of Peter Stewart, writer, Glasgow
alst October, at 12.
Creditors of John Rutherford, junior, merchant tailor,
KelsO, Meet in Lauder's Inn the're, 6th NOvernlyer, at IR.
Creditors of William Scott, merchant, Falkirk, meet in the:
office of Win. Stdrie, writer there, 3d November, at 2. • ,
Creditors of the Merchant Banking CoMpany of Stirling,
meet in the R yal Exclithige Coffee-house, Edinburgh, 12th
November, at 2..
Creditors of Janes 'White and Co. merchants, Glasgow,,
meet in the office of Macpherson and Maelachlan; writers.
there, 6th November, at:l2.
Creditors of John Craig, jun. shoemaker, Glasgow, meet'
'in the office of Duncan Kennedy, accountant there, 4th No-
at I.

- -
Creditors of James Walker7 „late merchant, -Cupar-Fife '
now'resiaing in Stenton, meet In the Tofitine Tayerno Cupary
.„.,
15th November.
__ __

,Creditors •of William., tii%irart•; Eilinburgli and Glasgow'
Cartier, and-dealer in salt, at Cockenzie, meet
i'he Royal Exchange Coiree-house, 4dinburgli, sth Novem-
ber, at 2. '

•
Creditors, of Aberdein, Machattie and Co. merchants;.
Aberdeen, will receire ajlividend from the Trustees, 18th
November. - -

Creditors of James Brown, merchant, Alyth, will receive
a dividend frOm John Duncan, jun. manufacturer there, 30th
November.
states of the affairs of William Riddell, glue-manufacturer,.
Glas,,"ow .lie with the Trustee till 20th November—No divi-
dend.

•
States of the affairs of Andrew Oliver,. writer and builder
at Watehall, near Annan, lie with the TritsteeNo dividend.
Thomas Watson, partner of homas•Watson and Co. latter
merchants and agent;, Glasgow, has applied for a discharge.

The following commnncation has been' made
public by Mr. J. B. Gmt.., Royal Lecturer to the
College of France, and Keeper of the Monuments
in Library. :
Abbe Chimnpi, Professor of Pisa, and
M. de I-huse at Palermo, unwilling to subscribe
to •,;11 the assertions which the moderns . have.
made concerning antiquities, *have.bOth, at dif-
ferent perkds, emPloyed themselves in inquiring
if there ever existed af;ity of Olympia, and hotli
have declaied that, upon this point, the ancients
have been .very badly interpreted. To which of
the two does-the honour of the discovery belong?
To neither. • It-has been proved in 'the Report of
the Institute, July 2, 1813, page 42. A MemOir
is there announced, in which I endeavoured to
prove, that there never had been a -city of Olymr
via—that the city which had been so described by
Geo:!rophers, -sci well represented by learned en-
gravers, never had existence ;. and that, conse-
quently; the Chronologers and Grammarians wouldl
do well, the former to desist from citing the epo-
ehas•of the foundation' and destruction of a, city
which never had existence, and the ether to avoid,
a wrong interpretation, five or six hundred times
'repeated. I read this memoir in' 1812, and it wa-s -
attested by the Report of the Institute,. 2d July,
181, p. 42. I have, then, .taken nothing 'from
M. de Hause nor:the Abbe Chiampi. -The advan-
tage of priority is mine; and I have felt it incum- '
bent upon me:to make this remark, because it ha's.
escaped the F.ditor of the Join-it'd des &leans, for
August, 1.817,.when he wits giving some account
of-the'opinion di M. Ilause on the' pretended city
of Olympia."

,i:C21431.9t,f PLE4s,—,,Sitlings before the Right
VICABY, GIBBS, Lo_ rd Chief Justice, in
tr`na•cifter Micha.elmas Term, 1817 :

IN TERM.

MIDDLESEX.

LONDON.

,E 1 May . 4 ' : "Nor.' 7. 'Saturday - Nov. S.
Thursday 1.... 13 Friday ,. , l4,
'Thursday .. so. Friday ... .... 21.
AFTER 'TERM. • . •
Saturday .. Nov. 29. 1 Monday Dec. 1..

• ANOTHER POOR CH/LO BuabrED.--Yesterday
mot ning,,John, the:soii-of Mr. Chitten, of Click-
him-street, Saint George's in the East; as left
by his mother in the ,kitchen playing with some
()Ibis brothers and sisters a little older than him-
self,' while mhe went up stairs to Malte.the bed.—
The 10'4 screams of the-children brought the mo-
ther down stairs, where she youngest
child envelOped 'in flames. With great difficulty
...s.be:extinguished the fine ; but the child was so
dreadfully scorched about the breast and abdolnen;
that the most distant 111)16 'are,..not entertained of
his' recovery.