k apartments for his wife, at No. 32, in the same street.
Being a person of dissipated and peculiar habits, and being, moreover,
haunted by duns, he did not himself reside in the new lodgings, or
even visit there; but, by Mr. Bloor's kindness, was accustomed to meet
his wife occasionally in a room, which was placed at his service, in
No. 27. Still later, Mrs. Howard returned to lodge at Mr. Bloor's, and
occupied the whole upper portion of the house, while the lower half
was rented by one of her friends, named Baudenave. Mr. Howard, in the
meantime, remained in concealment in Ireland, and thither Mr. Bloor
proceeded in April or May 1864, and had an interview with him, at
which it was arranged that the Burton Street lodging-house keeper
should allow Mrs. Howard to be confined at his residence, and should
make every arrangement for her comfort. On the 16th of May, Mrs.
Howard, whose confinement was not then immediately expected, informed
the Bloors that she intended to leave London for a time, and set out
in a cab for the railway station. In a very short time she returned,
declaring that she felt extremely ill, and was immediately put to bed;
but there being few symptoms of urgency, she was allowed to remain
without medical attendance until Mr. Bloor returned from his work at
eight o'clock, when his wife despatched him for Dr. Wilkins, a medical
man whom Mrs. Howard specially requested might be summoned, although he
was not the family doctor, and lived at a considerable distance. At
half-past nine o'clock Mr. Bloor returned without the doctor; and was
told by his rejoicing spouse, that her lodger had been safely
delivered of a son under her own superintendence, and that the
services of the recognised accoucheur could be dispensed with. Proud
of the womanly skill of his wife, and glad to be spared the necessity
of another wearisome trudge through the streets, he gladly remained at
home, and Dr. Wilkins was not sent for several weeks, when he saw
and prescribed for the infant, who was suffering from some trifling
disorder. Unfortunately, this fact could not be proved, nor could the
doctor's evidence be obtained as to Mr. Bloor's visit, as he had died
before the case came on. But Mrs. Bloor, who attended Mrs. Howard during
her confinement; Miss Rosa Day, sister of Mrs. Bloor, who assisted her
in that attendance; Miss Jane Richardson, sister of Mrs. Howard; and Mr.
Baudenave, their fellow-lodger, were all alleged to have seen th