Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-02-26
weLL.Feo pAvpgRs.
inmate Of an English workhouse Dies
from Overcuting.

Immune OF an EO8Iten WOfkuOuoe ID1eS
from Overcating.
Every free-born Englishman comes
into the world with the inalienable
right to seat nt the table and a bed
IN the pnlatial English workhouse. 1t
has been my good fortune during a
journalistic career now close on five
and twenty years 70 visit and describe
for various publications over one hun.
dred British cities ond towns. In near.
~ every case attention has been called
to the handsome buildings set apart
for the paupers. or. In colloQulal Eng
lish, 'the 'ousc." Back In the good old
days Of Queen Elizabeth the principle
was made a law that no English man
or woman should starve. and that, II
unable to secure q living for them.
selves, the poor and the INDECENT and
the incapable must be cared for by
the state. SO firmly has the idea taken
possession Of the English mind that
the poorer class. the old, and even those
in the prime Of life. talk with com.
plaisance Of ending their days In 1.-THE
'ouse." They look upon It very much
rs our old people might regard going
to home for invalids or the old. and.
indeed. in many Of the English work.
houses they are cared for rs well rs In
such institutions as our old ladies'
homes, etc. The other week. when in
BldefOryl. I was taken to the work
house, situated on beautiful hill over
looking the broad river and famous
bridge. For the moment could hardly
believe my eyes. 1t looked FOR NIL the
world like Japanese palace. It was
built much as they build In Japan.
with plaster between the massive wood.
en- beams, pointed gable roof. Old.fash-
iored easement windows, vines spread.
Ing their beautiful green tendrils In
all directions, and in front large vari.
ETY. Of dark shrubs and Just such stunt.
ed shrubs as one sees in Japan-odd
shaped and picturesque. And here the
poor Of Bldeford eat, drink and are
merry.
Quite a number Of cases Of death
from overlooking In the Bldeford work.
house occurred during my stay In Eng.
land, and the Hackney coroner held
inQuests Oh no less than three cases
within short time. Oliver Twist Is
evidently back number nowadays.
for Mt the cOrOner's inquiry into the
death Of the latest victim OF parOcliinl
Kindness. a man 20 years Of age. who
had lived In the Bethnal Green work.
house and acted as assistant librarian.
the following dialogue ensued between
tie coroner and an inmate Of the work.
house:
Merry pauper--1hursday afternoon
while we were having tea saw the de.
ceased, he was cutting some bread an,l
butter, suddenly fall backward or the
bench on which he wns sitting.
The cOrOner-YOu don't think the OK.
ertlOn Of cutting bread and butter killed
himY
Merry paupcr--No. not likely. He had
cut up a lot before that.
The coroner-They give you plenty to
eet. then?
Merry pauper-Ayc. they do that.
The doctor who was called In to sec
the deceased testified that death was
due to syncOre. produced by IN over.
loaded stomach.
The coroner-Onc may say that he
was killed by klndnessY
The dOctOr-It may or may not In
kindness to overload mans stomach,
The coroncr-Well. It shows he did
not 70 short Of food.
The d0ctor-ShOrt! by no means
Why, they have nothing 10 do bu. eat
drink aud sleep.
The Jury returned verdict that lie
ceased died from snycope. the result
Of nm overloaded stomach, and that
such death was due TO natural causes.
And az the jury gaze the decision a
deep sepulchral voice In the back oil
the courtroom remarked:
"What a glorious DEATH"
The owner OF the voice was n tall
gaunt, hungry looking Individual. who
had evidently mentally decided tina,
"tie 'Ouse" was not n bad place to cnd
ones days.-New York Mail ami Tx
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