The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-07-18 00:00:00

PRICE sgrz:v PgireP..

____
down, sad
.11W1141114-sez: term as evidence. Mr. Brewer
was thereupon culled, and being about to be sworn, de-
,
tendynts, (;unitedobjert-el thereto on the ground that his
cross-examination would extend to and spread over the
whole ease' the witness, however, undertook' to attend.
nett term, should his expenses be paid, which proposal
was assented to by plaintiffs' Counsel.
Mr. Wat.t.ace—My Lord, we have roluntarilf offerer( •
to pay one-half of this witness's etpensest an filter which
the Gentlemen at the other side seem to set no value upon.
elute BARON.—Beraose I suppose they think you will
hare to pay the whole, and a good deal more.
Air, Ol'ottlEto ,(clie of plaintiffs Counstl.)—My Lord,
I have peat confidence -
Comm It stmt.—Oh! if the defendants should not In-
deed, Mr. O'Connell, until that fAite you,l think they hive
no great chance of success. •
This observation caused a loud and general laugh In
•Slie Court, which Shortly after closed fill " the Morrow
of all Soul..''
,
.. A CLL'ltill•Ml/4 CHARM.: u WI tit BASTARDY:
The following letter respecting- the iurestigation of the
above Case at J•ltiramersmith, has beau addressed to tho
Editor of a Morning Paper: -
Sir,—Having seen a partial and ezzparte statement of the
invesdration at Hammersmith, in your paper of Wednesday
last, respecting a charge of bastardy preferred against me
by that parish, anti brought before the .two resident Motile
irides, Mr. Hanson and Mr. Scott, in which all the facts in
my favour are, entirely suspended, I beg to state, that my
Couesel. Mr. Andrews, did not enter into the defence, as it
was my wish that this charge should be heard before a higher
tribunal. I hope and trust, therefore, that the public la itl
suspend their judgment until the cause hes been fully inves-
tigated, This charge iras brought against me by the parish
of Hammersmith three years ago, and heard berme Mr.
Fielding and Mr. Marldand. at the Public Office in Queen-
' square, add then dismissed t those highly repectable Ma+
gistrates not considering the woman worthy of credit.
I • enatin, Sir, your obedient
July 17, ISr.i.

COR.ON BK.'S INQ L gST.
PoterYismaity, MILSANK.—An ioqiiisition was liel4
yesterday afternoon, fore Mr. Gem., Coroner, on the
body or Benjamin Johnson, aged :M.
Mr. Benjamin Chapman, the Governor. depose', that
according to the Prison Register. the prisoner was tried
at the Old Bailey on the 15th of last January, and
was found guilty of stealing wearing apparel, for which
lie-was sentenced to seven years transporta•ion, which
I was afterwards commuted for fire years confinement in
this Prison. The deceased entered the Penitentiary wt
the 28th of February following, at which time he was
lin apparent good heilth.
Mr, Pratt, surgeon, deposed, that the deceased was
removed to the infirmary on the 19:11 of May lale, with •
diarrhma, of which tiissase he died on the 13th instant.
During his illness be was attended by Drs. 'Liget and
Latham. Witness also attended two or three times
each day, and every thing was done that was requisit,s
for the relief of the deceased, and the cere of the disease.
Juror—Did he receive any wine daring his illness ?
Witness—Yr ; he received wine, spirits, broth, fish
Sir. in such quantities as the physician thought neCesa
sary. The deceased could not have been better treated.
jet him be of whatever-consequence he might. The wine. •
was generally Port and Sherry.
Coroner—Was be under the old regimen ; I mean the
bad one ?
Witness—Yes, from the Bth of Feb. to the lit of March:
Juror—Do you think that his so living caused his
complaint, the diarrhoea ?
Witness—No, I certainly think not.
Juror-How is it, Sir, that so many persons die of
this complaint, and the other persons- connected with
the Prison escape, for instance, von yourself?
Witness—l beg your pardon, I have had the diarrhoea..
Juror—How many prisoners are in the infirmary ?
Witness—There are, 1 believe, nearly 400.
Juror—Do rot, think that the former diet was lb&
cause of producing this disease?
Witnqp—.No, it is my opinion that it was not.
Jaime—lt Is very strange that all the prisoners who.
die in this Prison should be reduced to such horrid ski.-
' letnns. The present deceased is surely shocking to look
at r for myself, f never beheld any thing like it.
Witness—They are reduced to that state by the di-
, arrhma.

The witness. in answer to another question, stated,
that every morning he visited the different cells, and if
any prisoner complained of illness, he was itninediately
ordered to the infirmary.
It was here proposed that some of the prisoner*
should be brought before the Jury, and examined, upon.
which the Governor was called in, and asked, if any,
would be permitted to come forward ?
Governor—lt is against the rules of the act for the
regulations of this prison. If the Jury, however, wish,
the prisoner or prisoners can be brought to the visiting►
room, and examined. _

The Jury accordingly retired to the visiting room, and.
three witnesses were examined.

The first prisoner stated, that he had been three years
and upwards in the prison, during which time he had
•trily three days illness; witness was an attendant in one
of the wards of the Infirmary; was confident that the
bread now shown to blip by one of the. Jurors, was of
the same quality as that given to all the prisoners; is
was considered very good ' • each prisoner was allowed.
one pound and a half of bread, six ounces of boileti
meat, free of bone, three (planers of a pound bf pout it s.
and three quarters of a pint of milk, thiekt•Ded with.
floor, per dsy ; witness was positive that the diet, as p•i.
son diet, could not be better; he knew the deceased;
lie seemed to fret a great deal, and toll witness, Oa his
was very much given to drink, and he thought the want
of it, tszether with his fretting, reduced him very much ;
deceased did not attribute his illness to the NW; all the
prisoners could get pen, ink,sand paper, if they chose to
commntiicate with their friends; the letters were area
by the Chapl in and thivernor, before_they were sent
off. Witness had often himself written to his friends,
and never di.covered that any of his letters had mis-
carried.

A second prisoner was tl:en called and examined; he
corroborated the t.,stainent of the former witness as to •
the goodness of the present diet; he bad been himself in
the prison for upwards of three years, and was only ill
for seven days with diarrhea,, which he thought was
produced by the former diet ; witness heard from several
prisoners who had been in the Infirmary, t3at they al-
ways hail whatever they wished for daring their illness;
a prisoner, when in solitary confinement, had no bed,
hut slept on the board... neither had he any covering ;
the diet was n 116. of bread and a portion of water.
This wit holding also an oMee in the ;infirmary, it
was sugge by some of the jury, that a prisoner hold- •
ing no ee in the estildistrnient should be called in.
The 64fernor skid, that certainly they might have as
many as they pleased.
A third witn.• s was then examined, who corrokasated
the statem-at of the two preceding ones.
They all three look ••1 stoat and healthy..
The Jury then returned to the dory•room, and arter
eonsuliing for some time, returned their verdict, " Died
by tl:e Visitation of God."

~.

-•- 141

r:~.'~~ ,