§ COLONEL BRISEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the proceedings that took place upon the day appointed for the funeral of the late Rev. Charles Lessingham Smith, of Little Canfield, Essex; and, whether the coroner was justified in stopping the funeral at the last moment upon the allegation by a Dr. Richards that the deceased (who was of unsound mind) had said that he was being poisoned by his nephew?
MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, his attention had been called to the subject-matter of the hon. and gallant Gentleman's Question, and he had caused inquiry to be made. The coroner had informed him, that the deceased gentleman being a certified lunatic, he had not decided upon holding an inquest until he had consulted several gentlemen of experience, and arrived at the conclusion that he could not refrain from inquiry without laying himself open to a charge of neglect of duty.