The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-11-15
SHOCKING INHUMANTY--- PIC
TURE OFF, MERRY ENGLAND. ,

mony oil persons employed IN the .aodo"
yer Workhouse, proving that 10 repeat
ed instances, indeed almost coDs'on ly,
the inmates Of that establishment, who
were employed IN crushing homes 20 BE-
used as manure) have kUaved eli the
nssh that chung to III em and even suck
ed the marrow from them, when both
were in a state OF putrescence, TO APP
pease the rage of their hunger. O'ten
were they known to quarrel Tor these
bones among themselves, and ra" po'
te,oes were very frequently ea'en bJ
those employed'in gardening.
Such statements almost make oae's
blood curdle, at the terrible wrelched-
ness and starvation which in Merry
Eoslaod' can reduce human beings 10
such extremilies, and yet the facts are
established bv abundant aod conclusive
evidence. In the letter of the Times
correspondent oil sept. Is, there is .
large body Of this testimony. John
Cole, ff,y four ysars Of age, testified
that he had been an the woIbhonse, and
employed in crush ng bones. He goes
on to say:
81 worked at bone cHrshi ing 4 weeks.
The bones were Of all kinds. There
were horse bones and cattle bones ana
might have been human bones among
them without my knowing il. !
have seen the men gnaw the BITS OF
meat or hard grislIe, and eat the marrow
.ou, Of the bones. / have done so my
self. They were very dirty, belnt
tumbIed about with the rest. have
seen some Of the men cal tainted grlstle
and mari iow-When got bad bone
gave il 10 some one who was net so par
ticuIar. This lasted all the time was
there. Generally speaking, oil bones
were stale. have seen a cart come
with bones-they were fresh. saw
the men quarre' many times for the
bones. They would hide them away
from each other.-I have hidden them
till got an opportunity to pick them.
The s,uG was not fit fox men TO cal
Hunger made them do it. We had not
food enough 10 support US in proper
way We were worked very hard. On
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays We
had no bread at dinner me.-They
complained among themselves about
want of sufficient foed. We did not
let the master see US picking the bones
if we could help it, for fear he should
blow US up. He must have known II
4 have done jobbing about the garden,
and have picked up raw potatoes, 'urnips
snd carrots, and eaten Them. / ate q
part of raw cabbage and the master
.scolded me for it. have seen men,
momen and children cat raw potatoes
when they were engaged getting them
in. We rubbed the dir of on our
clothes. We eat the potatoes 10 moist
en- cur mouths and help TO fill up our
.etomachs. Hunger and thirst made Us
eat raw potatoes. remember on one
occasion being very thirsty and sucking
piece of marrow; but It was so bad
could 1oi 60 on with i'll was in the house
last winter and the winter before. The
bone picking was going on al both these
iimes.'
There is much evidence Of the came
tenor. William Trumen teslides:
'While was employed al bone crash
ing the men were in the habit of pick
ing The bones and eating the marrow oul
of them. Some Of the marrow | have
seen the men eat was red, black, pur.
pie and all manner of colors. Il smell
very badly, enough to knock me down.
II made me quite III, SO tina, could not
stomach my vIcluals when go, home,
and it made me sick when | thought of
ii. never eat any Of the bones myself
nor did eat any Of the marrow. What
they ate was not fit for dog. Very
few dogs would eat it,, believe thai
the cause Of the men eating the bad stuff
was hunger
These facts. concerning The manage
ment of the .Radover Union Work.
house, led to enquiry. Mr.. Nundy,
one of The guardians made personal
investigation and on Gscertaining the
facts, and even examining bones that
had been hid away under the ash heap
upon which dirty water and other filth
had been thrown, oquested Of the Board
that The Poor Law Commissioner should
be invited TO make 40 inquiry into the
case. They refused - some Of lhem say
ing it was matter Of TASTE, and if IL,
men enjoyed the picking Of he bones
they should. not be prohibited from IT,!
'Throuph The eyerttons uT MIR WaLeIy