The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-15 00:00:00

A TALE OF WOE.

The following is one of the most melancholy cases
which has come under our notice.

On Wednesday last an inquest was held at Lower
Bullingham, near this city, before N. Lanwarne, Esq.,
one of the Coroners for this county, on view of the
body of John Lavender, who died on Sunday night
last, in a barn belonging to Mr. Pugh, farmer, when
the following evidence was adduced :
Thomas Lavender, brother of the deceased, dressed
almost in rags, and apparently in a wretched state of
destitution, deposed—l and my brother came from
Liverpool. We are farmers by trade. He is married,
and has a wife and family in Liverpool. We came
here in search of employment. Messrs, Grazebrook
and Wragge, solicitors, High-street, Stourbridge,
know something of his affairs, and, on reference, will
give information. It is about a fortnight since
we first came into this county. We have been
sleeping in Mr. Pugh's barn, but could get no
work. The deceased has suffered much from
pain in his chest and head. He was poorly on Mon-
day last, and complained of pain in his chest. He
would not go to the workhouse. On Saturday he
was taken worse, and last night he died. He was in-
sensible yesterday, and I got him some warm cider.
I did not know that I could get assistance from the
parish in which he was ill. His wife and family are
entitled to a good property on his death. I shall re-
turn to them. My brother is about 34 years of age.
J. Morris, Esq., surgeon, deposed—l think it likely
that his death was occasioned by the combined effects of
external cold and internal starvation. It is quite evi-
dent, from the immense quantity of vermin, together
with the general attenuation of his body, that he suf-
fered great hardship and privation, and the whole of
these circuilastances are, in my opinion, quite sufficient
to account for his death.

Verdict—" Died by the visitation of God."
The following is a melancholy narration of the un-
fortunate life of this ill-fated man

The deceased married about ten years ago, and was
then in possession of an estate at Wolverley, in the
county of Worcester, producing a rental of nearly 500/.
per annum, which was then settled upon himself for
life, and afterwards upon his children, subject to an
annuity of 1001. per annum to his wife. His life in-
terest became mortgaged to a banker at Evesham, by
way of annuity ; and, subsequently, the estate for lite,
subject to the mortgage and annuity, was sold. W ith
the produce of this the deceased paid some debts, very
much increased by legal proceedings, and with the re-
mainder he went to live in Wales. He next went
to the Isle ofMan, with the view of taking a farm and
supporting his wife and family; but misfortune at-
tended him—he did not succeed, and returned
to England without a penny in his pocket.
Being now reduced to destitution, rather than
see his beloved wife and family starve and removed
to the workhouse, he abandoned them, and went
wandering through the country in search of employ-
ment; he, at length, arrived at Bullingham, within
half a mile of this city, and on Sunday evening last
fell a sacrifice to poverty, dying in a barn of a broken
heart, and a want of sustenance. His life was insured
for a large sum of money to his mortgagees.
What little property the deceased's brother, the
above Thomas Lavender, was entitled to under his
father's will, was held by his deceased brother, and he
has no interest whatever in his estate, nor has he a
sixpence in the world. He was a fond and faithful
brother to the deceased, and shared all his vicissitudes,
and although a situation was procured him he would
not leave his brother alone in his trouble. Since his
brother's decease he has been supplied with a suit of
clothes and other necessaries.

His widow, and children were in the greatest dis-
tress, suffering the severest privations since their
return to England, and it was only on Saturday last
that the widow was advanced a small sum of money to
buy a few articles of furniture to enable her to open
a small day school to endeavour to support herself;
and Messrs. Grazebrook and Wragge had kindly been
endeavouring to get her a small subscription amongst
former friends, for the same purpose.
This is, indeed, a tale of woe ; but amidst all their
distresses, we are assured that their misery has not
been brought upon them by any crime or vicious con-
duct, but by a thoughtless extravagance in the first
instance, which they were never able to get over.
The deceased was, on Thursday last, interred in
Sutton churchyard, near this city ; but, we under-
stand, it is the wish of the widow to have the corpse
removed to Wolverley.—lfereford Times.

LASGOW.—The magnificent works which for
three or four months past have been going on at that
part of the Monkland Canal which unites the Forth
and Clyde with the Monkland, are on the eve of com-
pletion. They have totally changed the appearance of
that quarter, which will not easity be recognised by
those who have not seen it for some time. From
Port Dundas, eastward to St. Rollox bridge, there has
been constructed on either side a substantial wall and
breastwork, where the largest vessels that enter the
canal may load or disembark. On the south side this
wall is almost continuous along the whole length of
the line, affording excellent harbourage at almost
every point : the north line has more frequent inter-
ruptions, that side requiring fewer facilities for the
landing of vessels ; but wherever a break occurs, the
vacant space is occupied with a firm and enduring em-
bankment of earth. The canal has been greatly widened,
and spacious docks for float timber, &c., have been con-
structed along the line. The whole works do the
utmost credit to the enterprise of the canal proprietors
and the skill of the engineer. The brief period they-
have occupied is not more surprising than is, we un-
derstand, the economy with which they have been
effected. The works were so far advanced at the
close of the week, that it was thought probable
the water would be let into the canal last night.
We observe that the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway
Company have commenced their preparations for
laying down a continuation of; their line- westward
from the present terminus to' the neighbourhood of
P9rt Dundas, running nearly collaterallY, with.the
canal.----Scottish Guardian. ;

FATAL AcciDENT.--.-While a number d workmen
in the employment of Mr. Croaker, the builder,
were pulling down some old houses in Jacob-street,
Dockhead, on Saturday evening, a stack of chim-
neys against which they were forcing a beam of wood
about fifteen feet long, broke through the middle, and
the weight falling upon the beam forced it back upon
the workmen, bruising all, and striking one, William
Cox, aged thirty, upon the head and back with
great violence, laying his skull open, and breaking
his spine. The unfortunate man was immediately
conveyed to Guy's Hospital, where, after lingering
some time, he expired. Mr. Payne, the City Coroner,
held an inquest upon the body yesterday evening, and
after a full investigation, the Jury returned a verdict
of " Accidental Death."

WHOLESALE INFANTICIDE.—The adjourned inquiry
into the mysterious and horrible cases of wholesale
child murder at Ruardean, in the Forest of Dean,
the particulars of which we published last week, was
resumed on Wednesday last, before Mr. John Cooke,
Coroner, and in the presence of several of the Magis-
trates of the district. The evidence adduced was
similar to that to which we adverted laSt week, and
no new fact of a material nature transpired. The
Jury expressed an opinion that if further time were
allowed, additional evidence might probably be ob-
tained, and the inquest was consequently ad-
journed till Wednesday next, the 16th instant,
In the meantime, Thomas Yapp continues in custody,
and a policeman also remains in the house where the
tragedy was committed, in order, to take charge of the
woman (Francis Bennett) who continues in the same
state of ill-health which we reported last week.—
Gloucester Journal.

BELL ROCK LIGHT HOUSE.—During the late
heavy gales which have done so much damage to
shipping, particularly between the 19th and the 23d
ult., the sea sprays appear, by the monthly returns
from the Bell Rock Lighthouse, to have risen upon
the building to the height of from 60 to 90 feet every
tide. While this heavy sea ran, one of those great
detached masses of stone familiar to the lightkeepers
by the name of " Travellers," was forced across the
rugged surface of the rock, about 100 yards to the
' lighthouse, where it 'destroyed part of the cast-iron
landing-wharf. This stone measured about 7 feet in
length, 3f feet in breadth, 2} feet in thickness, and
must have weighed about 4 tons. To prevent mischief
by the movement of these great stones, the light-
keepers are provided with quarry tools, with which
they broke it up and arrested its progress, but it was
no easy task from the run of the sea. The heaviest
seas which visit the Bell Rock are from the North-
east, but the present gale was chiefly from the North-
west; and it is not a little remarkable that the Frith
of Forth was but little affected during this storm above
the Island of May,
MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE AT SANDBACH.-011
Thursday night, about a quarter past eight o'clock,
Mr. J. E. Williams, solicitor, was seen running as
bard as he could in a direction towards Mr. Percival's
pool. In a short time after a person was heard in
the water of the pool. Assistance was rendered, and
in five minutes the body of the deceased was taken
out, quite cold. His, hat was found on the grass
close to a lath fence, through which he had broken his
way to the pool. The Coroner's Jury returned a ver-
dict of " Found drowned.

On Sunday last, Mr Geary, an Englishman, who
has lived a long time at Laille in the Ille-et-Vilaine,
farming his own lands, lost his life in the following
affray :—One of his gates having been taken away by
M. Hamon, a neighbouring farmer, Mr. Geary re-
torted by removing another from the land of the de-
predator. Hamon's son demanded its restoration, and,
on being refused, seized a hedge-stake, and at one
blow laid Mr. Geary dead on the ground. One of his
servants, who endeavoured to enterpose between the
disputants, was also struck at the same time. Young
Hamon is in custody.— Gab:6,7mi.
ST. PETERSBURGII, OCT. 31.—0 n Tuesday last
(the 25th) Lady Stuart de Rothsay had the honour
to be received by her Imperial Highness the Grand
Duchess ilelens,—Journaide St, Pete•sburgh.