The Northern Daily Times. — 1857-03-26 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CORONER'S COURT.  There was a rumour yesterday, in reference to the death of an American sailor, and it was stated that he had died on board ship, in consequence of ill treatment. It must, however, be gratifying to find that after a most searching investigation, there was not a shadow of foundation for such a report. The facts were these. It appeared that the name of the deceased was William Thomas, awl that he was shipped at New York (to go to Charleston) for the ship Cavalier. He went on hoard at Charleston about the 4th February. and next day complained of a violent pain in the head. He was attended to, but 'in a day or two afterwards his body broke out all in blotches, just like small pox. He was not able to do any work, and the Captain ordered every care to be taken of him, giving him his own shirts and clothes, as the poor fellow had but little of his own. The chief officer of the ship, Mr. M'Knight, paid every attention to him and gave him medicine, with the best food ; and in fact did all that could he done for him. The deceased continued very ill all the voyage, and died on Tuesday morning, after the arrival of the ship in port. These facts were fully established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. The coroner said he was glad that the present case proved an exception to many which had come beforo him, from time to time, on board American vessels. It would seem that the poor fellow had had the best of treatment, and ho was lerr.py to hear it. If the jury credited the evidence, and there was no reason whatever to doubt it, they would return a verdict of death from natural causes, by the visitation of God. The jury at once said they were quite sltisfied about it, and found a verdict accordingly. An inquest was held on the body of a child, under the following circumstmees. From the evidence of the sexton's wife, b,longing to St. Martin's church, it appeared that the body of the child was brought to the grave yard to be interred, and that a female accouchenr, who signed herself, " Mrs. Pen," had given a certificate that the child was still born, so that the burial fees in such case would he very small. The sexton's wife thinking all was not right, reported the case to Mr. Blake, and the consequence was an inquest. Surgeon Kemp, who made a post mortein examination of the body, said the child was not only not still horn, but that it was, at least, three weeks old, and that death was caused by a loathsozie disease. The coroner remarked that in future lie would not take certificates of death from such women as Mrs. Penn—[The certificate proved her to be a very ignorant arid illiterate person] --in future, and directed the sexton's wife to detain parties going with bodies to be buried with such certificates. These certificates were pro_ cured for the purpose of saving fees, but lie would not receive them in future, for he could not tell, perhaps, but that a murdered child might be brought to be interred with such a certificate. The jury quite agreed in the observations of the worthy coroner, and then found a verdict in accordance with the evidence of Surgeon Kemp.