The Sun.
London, England, 1827-02-23 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Yesterday an inquest was held at the Fleet Prison, on view of
the body of Mr. Devenisb, aged 34, late a prisoner in the above
establishment.

Mr. Jennings stated that he was an inmate of the prison, and
knew the deceased, who entered the prison 02 the 3d instant, in a
very dangerous state of health. Witness administered advice and
medicine to him. He solicited witness to write to Mr. Brown,
the Governor of the prison, to gain him admission into the sick-
room, which he did, and obtained it for him. He got worse, and
witness advised that Dr. Clutterbuck should be sent for, as the
impression on witness's mind was, that the deceased could not sur-
vive long. Dr. Clutterbuck attended him, and administered pro-
per medicines, hut the deceased died on Tuesday, between one
and three o'clock. Witness was with him all night.
The witness, in answer to questions, said, that the deceased had
not that proper attendance/that was necessary, and that he was
necessitated to sleep in a room with other persons, whom he so
annoyed through the medium of a violent cough, that he was
obliged to wander about the prison in consequence of not having
the means, for some time, to pay the prison fees.
Mrs. Devenish, wife to the deceased, stated that her husband
was apprehended and brought to the prison on the 3d February,
while labouring under severe indisposition. She applied to
Brown, the Governor, for the purpose of having a room for her
husband. Mr. Brown told her that he could not give it until he
paid his fees, when he would have a "cliunarnage" and a room in
his turn. She begged and prayed of him to let the deceased have
a room, where he could be accommodated, and offered to pay
for it. Mr. Brown said, that there was only a large room with-
out beds, and she must put her husband on the boards. She at-
tended him during the whole of his illness, in the sick-room,
until he died. She said that it was a place totally unfit for a
person labouring under her husband's complaint. He was admit-
ted
on the Monday, and on the Thursday a person applied for
five shillings and sixpence, for the hire of a bed, which she had
had from one of the turnkeys.

Mr. Charles Snitch, surgeon, of Brydges-street, Covent-garden,
stated, that on the Ist of February, he was called upon to attend
the deceased, whom he found labouring under inflammation of the
lungs. His assistant bled him, and took from him forty ounces
of blood. It was a case of severe inflammation. Witness visited
bins on the following day, at his own residence, and found him
better. On the day after he called again, when be was not at
home. He was informed that he was taken somewhere, but could
not say where. He expressed his surprise that the deceased should
have been removed while in so dangerous a state. He was request-
ed by Mrs. Devenish to visit the deceased in the prison, when
he found him in a room filled with smoke, and fourteen or fifteen
persons were in the room with him. Witness could not endure
the smoke, and requested the. deceased to walk outside into the
passage, which he did. He asked the deceased if he had no bet-
ter place to remain in ? He replied that he had not. Witness
told bins that it was highly dangerous for him to be there.

Colonel Fairman begged of the Coroner to put a question to the
witness of vital importance, not only to the interest and safety of
the inmates of the prison, but also to the community at large—Wm
the disease under which the unfortunate man laboured contagious?
or did it towar4s the close assume that appearance?
Mr. Snitch—Certainly not in the first instance, and I did not
attend him in the last progress.
Colonel Fairman—Had there been a fit place for the reception
of the deceased, with proper attention and medical aid, is it not
probable that his disease might have taken a favourable turn?
Mr. Brown stated that he was obliged frequently to call on Mr.
Box, the surgeon, and others, and pay the expense out of his own
private purse, when some of the prisoners had been attacked with
illness.

The Solicitor stated that the deceased was put into the poor
side of the prison, on his entrance, and he was ultimately brought
to the Master's side. He wanted to know why he was removed ?
Mr. Brown replied, that having received information from Mr.
Jennings that the disease under which he laboured was conta-
gious, he instantly had him removed.
Mr. Robert Henry Brown, Governor of the Fleet, told the
turnkey to accommodate the deceased as well as he could on his
entrance, and to place him in the Warden's room. Mr. Brown
accom-
modation for her husband. He positively denied saying that "he
also stated that Mrs. Devenish called upon him to solicit
should lie on the boards."

Juror—ls it customary for persons to enter the Warden's room
when they enter ?—lt is.

Do they pay any thing for it ?—Yes, one shilling, by order of
the House of Commons.

CORONER. —Mrs:Deveniell told you her husband was ill, why
did you not put him into the Infirmary?—There was no In-
firmary at the Master's side of the prison.

The Solicitor said that the accommodation at the Master's side
was purchased by those who could afford it, for the benefit of the
turnkey.
Mr. Brown said he had used the Infirmary at the Master's side
in cases of an extraordinary nature; for instance, when there was
contagion. His hands were completely bound. He had fre-
quently paid the fees for distressed persons, but Mrs. Devenish
not appearing distressed, he conceived that she was capable of
paying.
Solicitor.._.The sum for which he was arrested might have
spoken his distress.
Mr. Brown—Oh, no ! we have persons here for the same sum
(II /.), worth 2,000/., and they won't pay it. The deceased was
arrested by a perscn named Bower.
John Juddrey, the turnkey, showed the deceased to a room, on
his entrance ; there were six persons in the room where he was
shown. None of them were ill.
Juror—So the deceased was kept afterwards out of this room,
because he could not pay his fees ?—He never made application.
Juror--So you charge 2s. a night for a bed ?—Witness said he
could not do it for less ; they had other comforts.
Several other persons stated that the deceased was exceedingly
unwell when he entered the prsion.

The parties related to the deceased requested that the matter
might be thoroughly investigated ; and the Coroner, with the con-
sent of the Jury, adjourned the inquest, for the evidence of Dr.
Clutterbuck and other witnesses.

The following cheap receipt for an excellent soup
for the poor is recommended to the notice of the charitable :
Take the liquor of meat boiled the day before, with the bones of
leg and shin of beef, add to the liquor as much water as will make
it 130 quarts, and also the meat of 10 stone of leg and shin ofbeef,
and two ox h,:ads, all cut in pieces ; add two bunches of carrots,
four bunches of turnips, two ditto of leeks, half-a-peck of onions,
one Lunch of celery, lb, of pepper, and some salt. To be boiled
for six hours. Either oatmeal or barley may be put in to thicken
it, if thought necessary. This soup may be used at any gentle-
man's table. Estimated cost :-10 stone of leg and shin of beef,
I Is. Sd. ; two ox heads, 4s. ; two bunches of carrots, 6d. ; four
ditto turnips, Sd. ; two ditto leeks, 4d. ; half a peck of onions,
ad. ; celery, 6d. ; Ilb. of pepper, ls. Bd,--Total 1/.