§ SIR PATRICK O'BRIENsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Poor Law Board, Whether his attention has been called to a report of an inquest held on a pauper inmate of Bethnal Green Workhouse, named William Rosomon, aged seventy-six years, and who, while labouring under asthma, was stated to have been 1453 employed by Mr. Baddeley, the official superintendent of labour in the workhouse, at very severe labour, the verdict of the jury being—
That the old man's death was occasioned by exposure to the weather, and that Mr. Baddeley was extremely censurable for having set the old man to work in the manner described;Whether it is true that Mr. Baddeley, having resigned, the Bethnal Green Board gave him a "suitable testimonial;" and to inquire, in the event of such report being found accurate, the Poor Law Board will express its censure on the state of administration appearing by the report to exist in Bethnal Green Workhouse, and will caution the Guardians to be more careful in future as regards the mode of treatment pursued towards aged and infirm paupers?
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHreplied that the attention of the Poor Law Board had been called to this case, the circumstances of which were pretty much in accordance with the statement of the hon. Gentleman. Immediately on receiving information on the subject the Poor Law Board sent their Inspector to the Workhouse at Bethnal Green, and the Inspector reported that Mr. Baddeley had resigned his situation and that his resignation had been accepted by the Guardians, but nothing was said in the Inspector's Report about the presentation of a "suitable testimonial" to Mr. Baddeley. A coroner's inquest had been held on the poor man Rosomon, and the Poor Law Board had written to the coroner for a copy of the depositions. On the receipt of them the Board would form their opinion on the whole case, and would not hesitate to express that opinion.