Star.
London, England, 1830-12-27 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

On Saturday last an inquest was taken at Summer-town,
near this city, before Mr. Cecil, coroner, on view of the
body of Mary Johnson, who was found dead the preceding
morning in a cart-house belonging to Mr. Bates, of Sum-
mer-town.

Joseph Bates, of Summer-town, nurseryman, deposed as
follows :—On Thursday last, about 12 o'clock at noon, I
went to my cart-house, and heard a rustling in the straw. I
said " Who's there ?" Upon which Mary Johnson rose up
in the straw, and discovered herself to me, naked. I asked
her how she came in that state, and she replied she had been
compelled to sell her shift. I asked her if she did not feel it
excessively cold, sleeping in such a place, and she said she
did not, for my lad gave her two trusses of straw. I then
asked her if she did not intend to get up, and go on her road.
She replied, " My feet are so sore, and my poor bones ache
so, that I am glad to rest them, while the little girl is gone to
get bread." About 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I was stand-
ing near the cart-house, and the daughter was talking to
Mary Johnson. I inquired whether she was about to leave,
and the daughter said, " If you will let my mother sleep here
to-night, we will be off the first thing in the morning." I
consented, and came away. About 9 or 10 o'clock, I was
passing the cart-house, and heard the mother and daughter
talking. Mary Johnson told me, the first time I saw her,
that she had the rheumatics very bad : she never mentioned
that she had applied for parochial relief.
James Morris, servant to Mr. Bates, deposed—On Friday
morning last, about seven o'clock, I went into my master's
cart-house, and found Mary Johnson lying dead under the
straw, with her arm across her daughter's body.
Mary Johnson, daughter of the deceased—l am twelve
years of age. I and my mother left London about six
months ago. My mother, when she was, well, went out
washing for her living. She was badly when we left
London, having pains all round her sides, and used to com-
plain of it. We came into Oxford about three weeks ago,
and stayed a week. We then went to Abingdon and other
places. We came through Oxford on Wednesday last to
Mr. Bates'.. My mother asked Mrs. B. to let us sleep in
the cart-house, and she gave us permission ; this was about
four in the afternoon. Mr. Bates's lad gave us straw to
lie upon. On Thursday night my mother was very cold,
but I did not know she was dead ; she was lying on her left
side, with her knees up, and her right arm over me. On
Friday morning I told one of Mr. Bates's men that my mother
was dead, and he came and found sbe was dead. About a
fortnight ago my mother applied at the Butter Bench at
Oxford for relief; she was given two peony loaves, and an
order to go to the apothecary to the medical dispensary. I
went with my mother to the medical dispensary, and deli-1
vered the order to a young gentleman there ; he asked my
mother what was the matter with her, and she said she had
pains all round her sides; he did not examine her but gave
her six powders, and told her she was not to travel for a cou-
ple of days. My mother took three powders each day. On
the same day she had the powders we went to Mr. Dicke-
son, and he wrote to Mr. Lakey, the Governor of the
United Parishes at Oxford, and he gave us Is. 6d. The
next day Mr. Dickeson gave my mother a bottle of medi-
cine, and we afterwards had Is. 6d. more relief from the
overseers of St. Thomas's parish, Oxford. My mother had a
pair of stays, a gown and flannel petticoat, but no shift. I had
when my mother died, a frock, a stuff petticoat and shift,
and an old pair of shoes, but no stockings. When we left
London, my mother received from the Overseers at White-
chapel, London, 21. to take her home. She told the board
she was going to Worcester. Before we left London we
bought some needles and pins to sell, and left London with
about 11. 15s. Sometimes we bad a trifle given us on the
road, and 1 sold some needles and pins, but we had but one
penny left when we came into Mr. Bates's house. My mo-
ther said the powders she had from Mr. Symonds's young
man, and the medicine she received from Mr. Dickeson,
did her good ; hut that she took too much at last of Mr.
Dickeson's ; it was a bottle of mixture. Mr. Dickeson
was never called upon to attend my mother. For the last
three months my mother, at times, has had nothing to eat,
and very often only bread, which she could not eat : she
has said to me, " I can't eat a piece of dry bread. I must
have something else to it." Sometimes we had a little tea,
but not often. My mother frequently said she wanted broth
or meat. On Tuesday morning last she had a halfpenny
worth of milk and a piece of bread, at Abingdon ; and I had
a piece of bread, but no milk ; in the evening we had a
pennyworth of bread between us. My mother complained
almost every day of not having right sort of food : she told
the governor at Oxford that she was very ill, but not that
she was in want of food. On Thursday lut I begged two

pence of two gentlemen on the road near Bates's; I went to
two bakers, to get some bread, but they would not sell me
less than 4ed. worth. My mother had nothing to eat from
Wednesday last until Thursday night, between 10 and 11
o'clock, when a man came and gave her some bread and
dripping.
Mr. Dickeson, surgeon and apothecary of Oxford, &-
posed—About a fortnight since Mary Johnson, the de-
ceased, came to my house with an order from the governor
to examine her ; I did so; I did not then prescribe for her,
but sent her to the governor for pecuniary relief. She came
the following day, and I found she was in a very declining
state of health; I gave her some medicines, and she went
away ; she came to me again on Wednesday last, when she
said she was considerably better, but weak ; I gave her then
one powder only. I have this day opened the body of the
deceased ; I find that the liver was very much diseased ; and
I am of opinion that she died a natural death, and that it
was greatiy accelerated by the want of proper food and
necessaries.

Mr. John James Ireland, of Heading-ton, surgeon •end
apothecary, deposed,—l attended and assisted Mr. Dickeson
in the opening of the body of the deceased, and I am cons.
dent that the deceased had a very extensively diseased liver,
and I believe her death was occasioned by it. I am of opinion
that her death was accelerated by the want of proper fund
and attention.

The Jury returned a verdict, " Died by the visitation of
God; but that her death was accelerated by the want cf
proper food and necessaries.—Oxford Journal.