DEATH OF MRS. ALBRECHT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 80, 30 December 1918, Page 7

DEATH OF MRS. ALBRECHT

FRACTURE OF THE SPINE * BLOWS INFLICTED BY HER SON The cause of the death of Mrs. Grace 'Albrecht, 60 years of age, who died at the Wellington Hospital on Monday lust from injuries sustained on December 4, ,was investigated by tho.Coroner, Mr. W. G, Biddell, S.M., at. an inquest, held at the Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning. Inspector Marsack represented the police. In "connection with this matter, deceased's son, Thomas, stands indicted On a chargo of manslaughter, it being alleged against him that his struck his mother on December 1, at her residence, 87 Wright Street, in such a manner as to bo responsible for-her death. TliomaV Albrecht was brought before the Lower Court on Thursday last, and was roaiianded until January 3. Ho was preeent at tho inquest in custody of the police.

Tho evidence of Dr. W. Kington Pyffe, ; who conducted a post-iuortem. exainina--1 tion of the body of tho deceased, was to jihe effect that thero was a fracture on I tho right side of the fourth cerebral ver- | tebra. A pieco of the bone was broken Joff, andwas lying freo in the tissue. The cause of death wns fracture of-the spine at tho fourth vertebra, and that only could hayo been caused by direct violence. There was a bruiso over tho right temple, and a bruise over tho vertex of tho skull. ■ • . .

Dr. H. Temple Perkins said ho was called to see. the deceased on the morning of December 5. She was then in bed and in pain. There were marks'.of a blow on the right side of the head and a swelling on tho right.arm. Deceased wns in very severe pain, nnd; would not let witness move her. Witness prescribed a sedative for her. On December 7 the deceased appeared to be in greater pain, and witness ndvisod her. to go to the Hospital. , She was unwilling.to go to tho institution, bnt witness did not see her again. -.;' ' Gustave Carl Julius Albrecht, storeman, and husband of tho deceased, stated that the. latter was GO years of age, and enjoyed pretty good health. The son Thomas lived in the same hon?e in Wright Street, About 6 p.m. on December i, witness wns having tea with, his wife, when his son came in very drunk. Hβ asked a his moHier-what kind of'lunch sho had 'given him, and ehe replied, , "Cheese sandwiches." The son then made use.of obscsne expressions, ..wherenpon his mother remonstrated, and-told him to sit down and have his tea. He asked what there was for tea, and on being informed of the natnro. of/the food, corned beef and cabbage made a.- further obscene remark. At this etuge, witness's son-in-law, Walter Newell, came in, and checked the son for- using such language. The accused then pulled off his coat ami' wanted to fight Newell, who told him to eit down. Accused then went over .to his mother, who was -standing. Nt Hie table,' banged-his-fist on the table, and made u3e of further objectionable language. Deceased told him to sit down, ami accused then struck her on 'ho right arm with his fist. Witness turned to leave the room, as ho could not bear the scene any longer, and as he turned ho saw,tho son strike his ruother oh tho- side of the head.- Deceased fell .back on the sofa. Witness.picked up a piece- of wood and the son. Deceased then got-up from tho couch and sat on a chair. Wit-, ness-.then hit. hie sou ovei'lhe head with the wood. Tho next day Dr..Perkins was summoned, deceased having gone to bed immediately after the occurrence. ■ Subsequently sue .was ■ removed- to tho Hospital, whero sho died on December 23. -.. ■ , -....-

In reply to the ■ accused, witness said he may.. havo struck him four or five times over tho-head with the wood-.. Deceased may have bathed tiio wounds which were caused, ... .-. ..

Walter aVowell, a driver in the employ of the City Council, aud a son-in-law of the deceased, said he also resided' at 87 Wright Street. When he came homo to tea on tho ■ evening of December <J ho noticed that the accused was very drunk. Ho heard deceased and accused having a few words over the food.- On witness requesting-.-accujsed -to -ceaso usiug .had language ..(lie latter de.sirod to. fight him. Witness saw accused strike deceased over the side of the head, with his open hand. He did not see any other blows struck. Tho next tiling lie noticed was the previous witness striking the accused, over the head with a piece of wood. Accused's head was cut and deceased and witness attended to the wound. Witness then went outside, from where he heard the deceased call out. Ho came- back into tho kitchen, and deceased exclaimed, "I'm paralysed." Deceased was lying on. Hie floor, and witness picked her up and put her on a bed. There was blood on He iloor, but none on deceased. Dr. W. Fitzgerald, house -surgeon at tho Wellington Hospital, said the de r ceased was admitted, there oa December 13. She was then almost completely paralysed, except that she could movo her left leg slightly and liad some little power of -speech. • Sho made. no; direct statement to'tlio doctor 'who saw her first, but confirmed some, information given by her relatives! Deceased was , accorded the' ■usual treatment, but sank rapidly, and on December 18 she was completely unconscious, remaining in that condition until she died.on December 23. When she was admitted witness noticed a bruise behind deceased's right ear.* Wit-

ness thought that the blow behind tjo cur would havo caused the injury to tne vertebra.

After reviewing tho evidence, the Coroner snid tlio injuries could have been caused by a blow Dither directly applied or perhaps it could linve been done by the deceased falling on some substance which -would cause a fracture. There iras absolutely no ovidenco of nnyono having interfered with tho deceased except (he sou Thomas.-- The whole- of the evideiV" went to show that tho fracture of tho spine was due to interference ,by the son. If ho had not interfered with tho deceased uo doubt she would have been alive to-day. Whether the injury was done infcmtionnlly or unintentionally wjs, of course, another matter. It' w.v 'iot for the Coroner's Court to find on Ihe evidence-whether tho son was guilty of any criminal intention or whether lio was guilty of a criminnl act. The Court had merely to ascertain the cause of death. The finding must be that tho deceased <lied at.Wellington on December 23 from a fracture of tho fourth vertebra of tho spine, duo to blows inflicted on the deceased by Thomas Albrecht on December .■!.