TERRIBLE DEATH FROM STARVATION AND NEGLECT.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3997, 14 June 1870, Page 4

TERRIBLE DEATH FROM STARVATION AND NEGLECT.

An inquiry was held on Tuesday by Mr. Humphreys, at the Adam and Eve Tavern, Homerton, respecting the death of Susan Eice, aged 56. It appeared from the evidence that for some time past the deceased occupied a small room at 2, Upper Prospectplace, Homerton. All that she had to support herself with was Is. 6d. a week, 41b. of bread, and a little tea and sugar, which the Hackney Workhouse authorities allowed her every Tuesday. Charlotte Cheney, landlady of the deceased, stated that the latter often said to her that all she wanted was food. On Saturday she was very 111, and the parish doctor was sent for. By his order she was put into a cab, but, while she was being driven through the old Hackney churchyard, she gave a groan, fell back, and died. Her body was then, driven on to the workhouse. Ho relieving officer ever visited her while she was in receipt of parish relief. Dr. Jarvis deposed that when he was sailed to see. the woman he found her in a shocking condition. Pigstyea were batter kept than her room, was, and that made him order her immediate removal to the workhouse. A post-mortem examination proved that her stomach was empty, and that the immediate cause of death was a diseased heart. The foreman said — "Our 'Verdict is that the deceased died from sheer neglect and starvation, and- that her death from disease of the heart from natural causes woul&.not have occurred if she" had been visited by the- relieving officer, and removed before she -was in a dying state to the workhouse ; and we are of opinion that the relieving officers ought to visit the destitute Eoor when they are in receipt of out-door reef, and if it had been carried out in .this cage life would have been saved."