Extraordinary Scene at a Funeral

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 76, 6 December 1884, Page 3

Extraordinary Scene at a Funeral

An advertisement appearnd in the Sydney papers on the llth October, asking the members of the New South Wales branch of the Secularists' Association to attend the funera! ot Mrs Ellen Bell. Mr Thomas Walker, the well-known Secularist lecturer, was announced to deliver an oration at the gave. Just as the funeral party had met at the house, Sergeant Keating and a police constable put in an appearance and arrested William Bell, the husband of the deceas d, on a charge of causing the death or his wife: Upon the arrival of the police the following parley took place between the officer and the accused : — Sergeant Keating, laying his hands on the shoulder of Relh^ snid . 1 arrest you on a charge of having caused the death of your wifei Ellen Beilf. in^Gampbellstreet, off Glebe Point Road.^jfl^the 10th instant. — The accused replied" t I have assisted my wife in tour or five confinements. T advocate Bradlaugh'srriuciples and the Malthusian ide ts. I want to see that theory carried into practice Means were used, but I decline to say who used them. — Sorgeant Keating : We}l I. must arrest .you.— Accused : Well," jou can if you like, but f stick to my principles. I do not. believ" in. over population. Mr Br-idlau-_.li is- quite right. — Sergeant Ke;i*in«., Why did you not call in a medical man f-7-.Accu_.ed, — hat fas nothing to do with you.— Sergeant Keating, What mi-ans were used ?- A-cu-seci, I decline to answer. — Bell was then charged with having cans- d the death of his wife. The matter has been reported to the coroner and an inquest ssiil be held at the South Sydney morgue. _^ ______ _