The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-28 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST ON MR. DODD.

On Wednesday morning, at eleven o'clock, an In-
quest was held at Giltspur-street Compter, befote
Thomas Shelton, Esq., the Coroner, and a respect-
able Jury, on view of the body of Mr. George
Dodd, aged 45, the late eminent engineer and
draughtsman.
The Jury being empanelled and sworn, viewed
the body of the deceased, which lay in a shell in the
infirmary of the prison, after which the following
evidence was taken :

John Visitt, a beadle and street-keeper, Tower-
hill, on Monday week last, found the deceased lyi9g
about the streets in the ward of Billingsgate, in the
utmost possible destitution. On witness inquiring
of him his name, and where he came from, the de-
ceased, with wildness in his looks, said that he was
a convicted felon : that the day before he had ol)-
tained leave of absence from Mr. Wontner, the Go-
vernor of Newgate; that he was to be tried the
next day, and requested witness to take him to one
of his Majesty's gaols. Witness thought it advisable
to take him before the Lord Mayor. His Lordship,
as also Alderman Key, and Mr. Hobler, recognizO
him, and expressed the utmost commiseration at
the dreadful state he appeared in, and inquired of
what service they could be to him. The deceased,
in the most incoherent manner, said, that he wanted
to see Lord Lauderdale, and the Master-General bf
the Ordnance, as he had business of the utmost im-
portance to communicate to them. His Lordship
endeavoured to call to his recollection many circum-
stances that had occurred when the unfortunate
man was in affluent circumstances; but his answers
indicated that his intellects were entirely gone. His
Lordship desired witness to convey the deceased
here in a coach, with a message, that every thing
should be done for him, and to be brought
before him again on the following Monday. On the
deceased leaving the office, he accused witness of
robbing him of 1161., and that he had enticed him to
a brothel for the purpose of murdering him. Wit-
ness found on his person several letters, some of
which were addressed to him from persons connected
with Portsmouth Dock-yard, and others from
Messrs. Joliffe and Banks, steam-packet proprietors :
their contents were refusing to send the deceased
any more money till it was ascertained whether the
plans which the deceased had forwarded to them had
succeeded.

An assistant to Mr. Box, the surgeon of the
prison, stated that the deceased was brought to the
prison on Monday week last by the last witness ; he
was very emaciated, and evidently labouring under
insanity. Blisters were applied, and every thing.
proper done, but the deceased l►ngered t►ll last
Tuesday, when he died. During his illness, the de-
ceased had broth, arrow-root, wipe, and every other
comfort.

In the course of the inquiry, it came out from Mr.
Teague and others, that the unfortunate deceased
was once in flourishing circumstances, that he, in
conjunction with his father, some years buck, under-
took the vast undertaking of forming a tunnel across
the Thames, near Gravesend, which ultimately
failed ; that the deceased received 3,0001. frOm Mr.
Rennie, for the plan of Waterloo-bridge, and 2,0001.
for Vauxhall-bridge; he also planned many other
great works in various parts of England : the failure
of many of which turned the deceased's brain, and
ultimately ended in the misery described.
A few days before the death of the unhappy man,
one of his daughters called at the prison, and from
whom it appeared the deceased had deserted his
home for the last six months • that in consequence
of many failures he met with, he took to drinking,
and would wander about the streets for weeks
together.
The Jury returned a verdict of—" Died by the
Visitation of God."

The deceased has left a widow and children.

THE MARKETS.

SOUTHALL MARKET.—Sept. 26.

This day's supply was by no means great, but the mar-
ket having been rather thinly attended by buyers, each
kind of meat sold tardily, at the following prices per stone
of 81b. to sink the offals:— _ _

--- -
Beef 3s. &J. to 4s. Bd. I Veal 4s. 2d. to M. 4d.
Mutton 3 4 4 I Pork 4 6 5 8
Lamb . 4s. Od. to 4s. 8d
The foregoing quotations are, the best Lamb 4d. per stone
beneath those of this day se'nnight. In prices of other things
no alteration. Considerable numbers of Beasts, Sheep, and
Lambs, were driven away unsold.