[Aiko]

Ah but the author was from England
You'll have to understand that being poor in the Victorian Era of England was not fun at all, actually I think that the original book is meant very serious.... but in a way that make people laugh
So yeah... something like what Sweeney Todd did could have happened... I mean we all know of Jack The Ripper, people were very desperate... and they did put rat and cats in their pies...
Ah sorry I went all nerdy, I've studied the Victorian Era quite a lot...