Report to the Honourable Commissioners of sewers of the City of London, on certain imperfect mortality returns, relating to the verdicts of coroners' juries. / by Hy. Letheby.

  • Letheby, H. (Henry), 1816-1876.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the Honourable Commissioners of sewers of the City of London, on certain imperfect mortality returns, relating to the verdicts of coroners' juries. / by Hy. Letheby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    11/16 page 11
    say ; for already it has occupied the attention of those who have control over them, and has been publicly discussed. The Magistrates, at Quarter Sessions, who are the custodians of the public purse, are disposed to think that the office of Coroner might be abolished, and the duties of it thrown into the hands of the police; but I am con- fident that this would be a very hazadous proceed- ing ; for although every respect is due to the in- tegrity of the gentlemen who occupy the bench, yet it must be remembered that it is not in human nature to oppose itself to its ^own interests; and knowing the manner. in which the stipendiary Magistrates are elected, it would be the height of imprudence to transfer to their hands a power, the exercise of which would often run counter to theu- interests. It has been truly said, that the Police Magistrate has no will of his own, when his opinions differ from those of the government; and as an instance of this, your Coroner, Mr. Payne, has stated the following:— When Sir Robert Baker was Chief Magistrate of Bow Street, he had orders from the government not to allow the funeral of Queen Caroline to pass in a certain direction; but knowing that if he obeyed these orders, bloodshed and loss of life would certainly result, he did allow the funeral to pass ; and for this act of disobedience he was instantly dismissed. Now supposing that a less merciful man than Sir Robert Baker had
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3