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SPIRIT OF THE JOURNALS.WORKED TO DEATH.The verdict of the coroner’s inquest on tho body of Mary Anne Walkiey is now before the world, and it conclusively establishes the fact that the life of this poor delicate girl has been ruthlessly sacrificed. Death has freed her from worse than Egyptian bondage, and she now lies peacefully at rest in her grave. Here is a subject worthy of tho sculptor’s chisel or the poet’s pen. Let a monument be erected to her memory, and let there bo inscribed upon it those touching verses from The Lady's Dream41 And oh! those maidens young “ Who wrought in that dreary room,“With fimiros rl rnm»in tr nnd enmttnoI »With figures droopi-ng and spectrtt3 thin,44 And cheeks wiUiout a bloom 14 And the voice that cried, 4 For the pomp of pride,44 4 We haste to an early tombThe circumstances in this case are disgusting and shocking in the extreme. Not only was the wretched victim doomed to incessant toil, but she was imprisoned in a Calcutta blackhole during the hours of slumber. ^ Exhausted by day and poisoned by night, well might apoplexy strike her down. The language of the verdict is not strong enough. The words are “that the deceased died of apoplexy; but there is too^ much reason to fear that her death was greatly accelerated by working long hours in a crowded workroom, and sleeping in a close, badly ventilated bedroom.” Too much reason, indeed ! Can any sane man, with the depositions of the inquest before him, doubt the fact that this girl had been murdered ? First, as to the proof of overwork, lii the letter in The Times of the 17th inst. it is stated that she was usually condemned to labour from half-past 6 a.m. till 11 p.m., or 1GJ hours daily, and occasionally during a much longer period. On the Friday before the last* drawing-room she and her companions “ worked all night, and did not leave off until 9 o’clock on Saturday-morning.” Next as to the proof of poisoningEach sleeping apartment, or rather cell,was “ just large enough to contain two beds placed end to end,” and “there were two young women in each bed.” The horrors of amiddyoung women m each bed.” The horrors of a middlepassage in a slave ship can hardly exceed this. The fetid abominations of such a dormitory cannot be even imagined, much less adequately described. These are the conditions Wdiich engender malignaut typhus or gaol fever; and it is marvellous that an outbreak of this infectious disease should not have occurred at tho establishment of Madame Elise, 179, Ilegent-sfcrcesfc. Let the neighbours look to this, and call upon thoofficer of health of the district to dp his duty. 1The husband of Madame Elise was interrogated, and declared that “he did all he could for the comfort and health of his young people.” What does this ; man mean by thus Insulting the common sense of Englishmen? Does not he know the difference between apig-sty and a human habitation ? Has he neither eyes, to seo nor nose to smell? If young Englishwomen, not a few of whom have been reduced from affluence to pernio, are to be confined to the tender mercies of such taskmasters as this, it is high time to demand police or other supervision. We are informed* on evidence that;Madame Elise is a Court dressmaker; Happily, we have a Sovereign on the throne who sympathizes deeply with the woes of her.subjects, and who has never yet turned a deaf ear to the cry for mercy. With profound respect, permit me, Sir, to.approach Her Gracious Majesty through your columns, and earnestly implore her interference on behalf of the weak and defenceless women who labour in this and other Court milliners’ establishments, She is omnipotent to rescue the youhg and tender creatures of her own sex from the gulling tyranny at least of Court milliners. The utterance of her condemnation of the System will mould public opinion in obedieueo to her will, and the evil will assuredly be greatly mitigated, if not completely arrested. His late Hoyal Highness the Pnhce‘Consort showed the keenest interest in all that concerned’thb welfare even of the poorest classes, not merely in word, but *in actidn; and his spirit now, doubtless, rejoices more over the blessed works.of charity which he performed on eprth than oyer all his other deed**.. One of; the most torching speeohes^ heever made related to domestic servants,; and were he now with us it is certain that the tale dfi wfte which has prompted this letteras it wiir into that of her Majesty.—AM). Inthe Times. . • '■* '•••'■ •*-A DEMAND FOR CONSISTENCY.i «_ “belligerents ” by government. The insurrection began as early as last January; if has been maintained for five months now .with great spirit ; and' at the. last advices, indeed, so far from having been suppressed, it was spreading. The whole of Poland, without reference to class or district, was getting more or less involved in it; the Russian civil officers have been mostly withdrawn, and several hot in considerable battles have been fought, with, a successful result generally for the insurgenis. ,
Newspaper Details
Penny Newsman
London, Middlesex, GB
Sun, Jun 28, 1863
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 01 Jun 2023
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