From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 26 January, 1850. Price 5d.

CORONER'S INQUEST

On Monday evening last, at seven o'clock, a jury was panelled before the Coroner for the Borough of Dover, George Thomas Thompson, Esq., at the "Marquis of Anglesey," in York Street, parish of St. Mary, to investigate the circumstances attending the death of Emma Elgar Osborne, a child nearly four years of age, who dies early in the morning of that day from injuries alleged to have arisen from exposure to extreme cold. The jury, on assembly, selected Mr. G. T. Parks as their foreman; and, being severely sworn, the Coroner observed, before viewing the body he wished to remind that various rumours relating to the cause of death had appeared in the public press, some of them implying grave charges. It was necessary for the jury to divest their mind, entirely of the reports that had been spread, and judge solely by the evidence that might be brought before them - to weigh very carefully the statements that would be made by the witnesses who would be examined - and not be actuated on one side or the other by anything that had appeared or that had been said.

The jury then proceeded to view the body, which was lying in the house of the party whose charge the child had been placed. With the exception of the frost-nipped feet, a few slight bruises on the back part of the right thigh, and some spots of apparently congealed blood on the back, the body presented no other than an ordinary appearance. The nose, from the child's being found resting on her face, was said to have been marked, but when viewed by the jury all traces of injury in the face had disappeared, and must therefore have been of a very superficial character. The room in which deceased had slept was next examined, and with the exception of a mattress lying on the floor at one end of the bed - on which mattress fancy might easily have conjectured an ill-treated child would be placed, neither the contents or arrangements of the chamber called forth any remark from the jury. The cellar, reached by descending two narrow flights of stairs from the bedroom, and passing through a back living-room was next visited. The cellar was paved with bricks, and appeared to be used as a wash-house. The water-crock from which the child is said to have satisfied its thirst, was placed near the entrance door; and the copper, against he fire-place of which deceased was found, stood in a corner on the opposite side. The fact of so young a child descending to such a place in darkness of night, unseen and unheard, seemed to excite surprise in the minds of the jury, who most intimately examined the locality preparatory to receiving evidence. On their return to the inquest-room the investigation was continued by the examining of witnesses, when the following statements were elicited:-

Elizabeth Mary Osborne, grandmother of deceased - I live at Broome, in the parish of Barham; my husband is steward of the Broom estates. I knew deceased, who would have been 4 years old on the 7th of April next. She was the illegitimate child of my daughter Sarah Ann, and since April 1849, has been under the care of, and living with, Mrs. Meadows, who is a married daughter of mine, and was allowed 4s. a week for the board and maintenance of the child, I agreeing to clothe deceased myself. previously the child was living with a Mrs. Amlin, at the Pier, in Dover; and on account of her leaving the town it was placed with Mrs. Meadows. About three months back I became dissatisfied with her having the child; I thought it was not spoken kindly to; but I had nothing to complain of besides the harsh manner of speaking to deceased. I wished to remove the child; but Mrs. Meadows wanted to keep it, saying she had never ill-used it, and would always treat it as one of her own. I then allowed the child to remain wit her. The three letters now produced and read were received by me from Mrs. Meadows, and are in her hand-writing. I always thought her to be good-tempered and very kind, and have no reason to think but what her husband is a kind man. When, in November, I thought of removing the child, I went over meadows house, accompanied by Mrs. Meadows, who showed me where the child slept, which was in a back room up stairs. I noticed a mattress lying in the room, and I said to Mrs. Meadows - "Fanny, the child, does not sleep here, dos she?" She replied, "Oh no she sleeps with my children, altogether in one bed." About five weeks ago I last saw the deceased; I know but little of her habits. The woman with whom she was placed at the Pier said, that at her first coming she was a dirty child, but improved after time. The child never complained to me. Nothing but the harsh speaking induced me to think of removing the deceased. Mrs. Meadows said she made no difference in her treatment of the children, but I thought she did. On two occasions I noticed her unkind manner of speaking to the child. The 4s. a week has been regularly paid. This witness was deeply affected during the examination, and gave her evidence with considerable feeling. The letters referred to above were of no material import - the first, written in November last, alluded to dissatisfaction expressed by the grandmother, and the mode of correction used my Mrs. Meadows, with a promise that she would not again beat deceased, nor shut her up stairs, if wished; but that the good of the child had been aimed at in what had been done. The other letters simple detailed the finding of the child in the cellar, and the results following, with some other minor matters.

R. T. Hunt, Esq., surgeon, practising in Dover - On Sunday, the 13th inst.,  saw the deceased at the request of Mrs. Meadows. I found the toes of each foot in a state of gangrene. I prescribed the usual remedies, but told Mrs. Meadows that there would be a loss of a portion of each foot, if the child survived. He deceased continued to get worse, and I attended it till this morning, when it died. Death arose from gangrene. Tetanus, or lack-jaw, supervened upon the constructional derangement consequent on the state of the feet. The gangrene state had arisen from exposure to extreme cold. I should not have applied hot water to the feet myself, as Mrs. Meadows did before calling in my professional aid; but I considered that gangrene had set in before the application of the hot water. No reaction afterwards took place. If there had been no hot water applied, I should still have expected to find the child's feet just in the same state as when first seen by me. I have upon my visits seen nothing but kindness shown towards the child by Meadows and his wife. I believe that everything prescribed by me was duly administered by them. Looking at the severity of the weather on Thursday night, the 10th inst., the place in which the child was found, and other attendant circumstances, I consider the deceased was exposed to the action of severe cold for about five hours. In the presence of Meadows and his wife I questioned the child as to how it came to go into the cellar, thinking it extraordinary for one so young to go down stairs alone in the night. The child replied that she went down to get some water. I put the same question at various times, and invariable received the sae answer. Mrs. Meadows, when calling on me, stated the deceased was found on Friday morning, the 11th inst., in the cellar, dressed in its night clothes, and in a state of partial collapse. She further said that she supposed the child had gone down in the night to get water, the crock being placed there; and that she had put it to bed on the previous night with the rest of the children. I have attended Meadows and his wife some months, calling often at the house, and have seen deceased there, whom I took to be one of their own children. I saw no difference in the treatment or clothes of the children generally, and deceased always appeared healthy and happy.

By the Foreman - The child complained of no pains; it was in a state of partial insensibility. If I had been called in earlier, the result would have been the same. Yesterday another professional gentleman called with me, and put the same questions to the child that I had put, and was answered in the same way as I had been.

By a Juror - Sloughing had not set in; it was a dry state of gangrene. I called in another professional gentleman for satisfaction to myself. I should say that the proper circulation was stopped instantly by the cold, and the contraction of the vessels soon produced mortification. Had the child been found earlier, the result might have been different; but I do not think any different result could have followed on being called in, after the finding of the child at that time it was found.

Sarah Relf, wife of Edward Relf, cabinet-maker - I reside at No. 2, Bowling-green-lane, and next door to Mr. Meadows. Previous to about three months back I frequently heard the sound of blows in Meadows' house, as from a person struck with the open hand. Such blows were followed by the sound of the deceased's voice, which I know very well, saying, "Oh dear, oh dear!" I remonstrated with Meadows and his wife with regard to it, and they said it was no business of mine. Since November I have heard nothing that would induce a belief in my mind that the child was ill-treated. I have observed in its general appearances that the child did not seem to be so well cared for as for Meadows' own children. I have never heard deceased cry as if in the cellar.

By a Juror - I was on friendly terms with Meadows and his wife previously to the child coming to their house. Their treatment of the child produced remonstrance's from me, disputes ensued, and we have not been friendly since. Three times in one day I have heard the deceased beaten. My husband and Mrs. Meadows never had any dispute other than what arose in reference to the ill-usage of the child.

Edward Relf, husband of the foregoing witness, made a statement of corroborative character, in the course of which he observed that the spirit of the deceased seemed broken, and that the child was ruled by terror.

Jane Parker, a girl ten years of age, who had been occasionally employed by Mrs. Meadows to mind her children, was next examined, but from the evident incapacity of the witness, her replies to the questions asked were very vague and unsatisfactory. Witness stated that she had not been there for the last three months; that when there, on one occasion, she saw deceased sitting up stairs alone on a box, with only a flannel around her. About an hour afterwards she cam down stairs and tapped at the back room door, asking for a little water. Witness gave her some water, and she then returned to her bed-room alone. Witness afterwards went up stairs again, where she saw deceased lying on a pillow on the floor asleep and dressed; she having dressed herself. deceased was a dirty child, and Mrs. meadows sometimes beat her for being so.

At this stage of the proceedings (quarter to 10) and there being several other witnesses to examine, the Coroner, at the desire of the jury, adjourned the enquiry till the following day, at 10 o'clock in the morning.

TUESDAY

On the re-assembling of the jury this morning, the examination was at once resumed by the calling if:-

Elizabeth Lombard, single woman, who deposed - I now reside at Charlton, but was living at the Pier with Mrs. Amlin when deceased was under her charge. Deceased was a dirty child, but Mrs. Amlin seldom corrected it, as she believed the habits arose from disease or complaint. About three months ago I went to Mrs. Meadows' house and heard the deceased crying up stairs. I asked what the child was crying for, and Mrs. Meadows said she had been a naughty girl. I called the child down, and when she came into the room she was very cold, and had only a flannel petticoat on, her arms and feet being bare; it is then between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning. On asking deceased what she cried for, she replied that she had been a naughty girl, and had been put into a tub of water. Mrs. Meadows confirmed the statement of the child, and said it was cold water. On my saying the child was very cold, Mrs. meadows said - "Yes, she is; and I shall soon see about dressing her." A fortnight afterwards I went to see the child; it was then dressed in its proper clothes. About two o'clock in the afternoon of the same day I was allowed to take deceased out for a walk; and on taking her home in the evening she cried very much, and said - "Don't take me home to my aunt, she does beat me so." Deceased was a very patient child, but unforbidden - that is to say, when told to do anything, she neglected to do it.

By a Juror - I am quite sure Mrs. Meadows said the water was cold; it was not very cold weather, but deceased was cold from being up stairs with only a flannel on.

Jane Hadlow, wife of Charles Hadlow, painter - Between two and three months ago I went with Mrs. Relf to see Mrs. Meadows. There was an altercation between them, Mrs. Relf acusing Mrs. Meadows of ill-treating the deceased, which she denied. Mrs. Relf said, "You are a brute and a beast for using the child as you do, and for allowing your children to ill-use her as they do." Mrs. Meadows still denied the truth of the accusation, and Mrs. Relf persisted that it was correct. Mrs. Meadows then asked Mrs. Relf if she had heard the child cry that morning, and was answered in the negative. "Then," said Mrs. Meadows, "you might have done had you been listening, for Mr. Meadows beat the deceased very much before he went to work." I said it was shameful on the part of Mr. Meadows, and that if his wife could not correct such a child properly it was time some one else looked after it. Mrs. Meadows said that he sister had given her leave to correct deceased, and she should do so when she thought proper; it was no business of mine. She added, that the child had dirty habits. I replied, that was very trying, but it was no unusual circumstance, and parents must put up with it, and not ill-use their children in consequence. Mrs. Relf and Mrs. Meadows were at that time bad friends on account of the treatment of the child by the latter.

Ann Vinall, upholsteress at Flashman's, deposed to attending on the child on two or three occasions since the unfortunate occurrence. She had done so at the wish of Mrs. Flashman, who was very desirous that deceased should be carefully attended to. Witness was present at the child's death, and while in attendance previously saw nothing but kindness to the child on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Meadows.

Charles Golden and a person named Shepherd, both in the employ of Mr. Flashman, stated that on he morning when the child was found in the cellar Mr. Meadows had communicated to them, as soon as he came to the shop, the particulars of what had transpired.

Richard Philpots, a fellow workman of Meadows - I overheard Mr. Meadows detailing the incidents of the case referring to the deceased. About a month since I was at his house, and also three months ago. On those occasions I observed no difference either in the treatment or dress of deceased and Mr. Meadows' children. I saw no harsh treatment; had there been any, I think I must have noticed it. The manners of deceased were as much to be expected from a child of her age.

Sarah Spires, a very intelligent girl, 14 years of age - For the last three or four months I have been in the habit of taking some children to Mrs. Meadows' school. I have been as often as two or three times a day. I used to go into the house, and take off the children's things. I have always seen deceased when I went. I never saw her badly clothed, but sometimes she had no shoes or stockings on. I have never seen ay of the little Meadows without shows or stockings, nor do I know why deceased went without them. I last saw her about a month ago. I have never seen her crying. Deceased was not in the habit of speaking to me; she did not seem to be like the other children, for she was so quiet, and did not play when the other children played, but kept to her seat on the stool.

Harriet Beer, wife of Edward Beer, cabinet-maker - Since September last I have taken tea with Mrs. Meadows, at her house, quite ten times; the last occasion as on the 26th of December. On several occasions I went about half-past three, and remained till about either or nine. On each occasion I saw deceased, who had tea with the family. She always appeared as well clothed as the other children, and I never saw her without shoes or stockings, nor did I ever notice her being harshly spoken to. He was treated equally as well as Meadows' own children. I sometimes went by invitation, and at other times dropped in by accident.

By a Juror - I never observed any marked difference in the child. Mrs. Meadows said deceased was a dirty child, but she was never dirty when I was there. She was not quite so cheerful as children generally are; there was something gloomy about her. She appeared to have sufficient food.

The husband of the last witness was called, but his statement added no new feature to the evidence already given.

Mrs. Meadows being about to be called in, the Coroner observed that, had anything in the examination already made shown a continued series of ill treatment to deceased, or any system of persecution or ill usage that might have given rise to suspicion of something wrong, he should have hesitated in calling this witness, less she might have criminated herself by his statements; but, from the evidence taken, he saw no ground for thinking that such a result would follow; if the Jury thought a caution were necessary, that could be given.

The Jury coincided with the views of the Coroner and thought no necessity existed for giving a caution.

Mrs. Meadows was then called, and deposed as follows - I am the wife of Henry Meadows, a cabinet-maker, in the employ of Mr. Flashman. In April last deceased was put under my charge. I at times corrected her - scolded her, and sometimes giving her a slap on her neck, and sometimes on her bottom; but I have never beaten her violently. I corrected her for her dirty habits, but never confined her in the cellar. Sometimes I have sent deceased up in the bedroom for half an hour, instead of beating her. I have never seen my husband beat the child, nor have I ever heard her cry as if he was beating her. I recollect the dispute between myself, Mrs. Hadlow, and Mrs. Relf. I don't remember saying they might have heard the deceased cry that morning. I might have said so. Oh yes - I recollect that was the morning he said he gave her a little spat. I have never put deceased into cold water as punishment; but have sometimes washed her, and my own children too, in cold water. Deceased was a very dirty child, but not so bad of late. She slept with three of my children in one bed. On two occasions I have remover her from the bed to a mattress on the floor. This was on account of her having wet the bed. I then covered her wit a blanket. The deceased was never without shoes and stockings in the daytime. I did not clothe her myself, but she was dressed a swell as my own children were. I have never parted with any of her clothes at any time, and she always took her meals with the family, and was never fed in the bed-room. Deceased always seemed thirsty, and would drink anything she could come near. She was not in the habit of helping herself to water, but she knew where it was kept, and she had once helped herself from the cellar, about six weeks ago, and in the day time. In November last my mother talked about removing the child from us, because she fancied deceased was not treated so well as our own children; that it seemed to her as if Mr. Meadows did not speak kindly to the child. I told my mother I had made no difference in the treatment of the children, and promised her that there should be none made. My own children were in the habit of treating deceased kindly. On Thursday night, the 10th ult., at about half-past six o'clock, I put deceased and two of my own children to bed, when I tucked the bedclothes round the four. Myself and my husband retired to rest about ten. O left my bed-room door open, and the door of the children's room, which is opposite to mine, was also open. The door of the room below was open; this door was at the bottom of the stairs, but the door at the top of the cellar, in the same room, was shut, though on the latch only. It was in this room that my husband and myself had been sitting till we went to bed, and any one going to the cellar must have passed through the room in which we were seated. I heard no noise the whole of Thursday night. The next morning (Friday) between 6 and 7 o'clock, my youngest boy called me, saying he wanted to get up. I went to him - it was then dawn - and I could see that deceased was not in bed. I searched about the room, but not finding her, I got a light and went down stairs. I entering the back room I looked about, but not seeing deceased I went to the top of the cellar stairs, and then I heard the child in the cellar, either breathing loudly or snuffling at the nose. I went down directly, and found deceased lying on the brick paving near the copper fire-place; her arms were folded against her breast, and she was resting with her head and face upon the bricks, her knees being bent and drawn under. Deceased was dressed in her chamise and night gown - the same dress in which I put her to bed. The brick paving had been washed that day, and was very cold and damp; the cellar is a cold place, for when I am engaged there I feel its effects myself. At the time I lifted deceased up she was asleep, but awoke as I carried her to the living-room. I asked her what she went in the cellar for, and she said for some water. I put her down in the back room, and told her to go up stairs to bed. She was stiff, and seemed unable to walk, upon which I wrapped her up in my cloak, and put her in a chair while I lighted the fire, and put a kettle of water on. When the water was hot I put her bodily into a bath; she was in it about 10 minutes. The tips of her toes looked purple when put into the water, but seemed better when taken out. I then dressed her and during the day she ran about with the rest of the children, apparently without effort or pain. At tea-time Mr. Meadows played a tune on the violin, when deceased danced about with the rest of the children. On undressing her at night I noticed that her toes presented about the same appearance as they did at first in the morning, and I again put them into hot water, and then carried her up and put her to bed with the other children. On Saturday morning she did not complain of her feet, and ran about during the day. In the evening I put her feet again into hot water, with mustard; they looked purple, and I asked her if they were sore, to which she replied no. She slept on Saturday night as she did on the previous night. At breakfast time on Sunday morning my husband told me to go to Mr. Hunt, as deceased feet looked more purple. I went, and Mr. Hunt came to see the child, when he said that her toes were frost-nipped. He did not say then he thought badly of the case, but when he called on Tuesday or Wednesday, he stated that he thought the child would lose a toe or two from each foot. He came to see deceased twice a day. On Wednesday I wrote to my mother. Up to the time of the altercation with Mrs. Hadlow and Mrs. Relf, which I think was in September last, Mrs. Relf and myself had been on good terms. Since the matters have not been pleasant between us. I don't remember ever taking the deceased out in the cow-lodge on any occasion so late as eight or nine o'clock in the evening. I think deceased got some water on Thursday night, as I noticed a small pot had been used; she could lift the cellar door latch, and she knew her way down.

The Jury considered that there was no necessity to examine the husband of the foregoing witness, the investigation here closed, the Coroner observing, that he had examined Mrs. Meadows at such an extreme length for the purpose of satisfying the public mind in reference to the various rumours afloat. From the evidence, no disposition to concealment had been evidenced, and from the facts being communicated by Meadows to his fellow-workmen so soon after the occurrence, there appeared no probability that the tale was a concocted one. The rumours seemed to have stopped at a certain period, about three months back; and it was most likely that the correction administered previously to that period had proved to some extent successful; at least, no cause of complaint appears to have been given subsequently, as far as any evidence that has been elicited. It was not necessary for him to recapitulate the voluminous statements made; the facts were before them, and he would leave them to consider their verdict.

The Jury then deliberated for about ten minutes, and at the expiration of that time returned the following verdict - "It is of the opinion of this jury that the deceased, Emma Elgar Osborne, died from tetanus, or lock-jaw, produced by gangrene arising from exposure to extreme cold."