DEATH OF A BRAVE WOMAN.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 695, 15 December 1902, Page 3

DEATH OF A BRAVE WOMAN.

(Special to Times.) 11 Napier, Saturday. ® A good doal of interest has been created hero by the circumstances connected with I the doath of Mrs Hatton, who was about £ to proceed to Gisborne. I Tho Napier Telograph states, in a lead- ( iug articlo Tho need for holding such I an enquiry will servo as auother illustra- I tion of the ironies of life. Tho poor J woman whoso ond was marked by such J untoward circumstances was in her ] younger days ono of tho heroines of tho ] Mutiny. Being in India with her bus- ] band, a soldior, when tho fighting was in progress she proved herself a voritabo ang”l of tho battlefield and of tho camp hospital. To succor wounded mon she braved tho dangers of the firing lino, and tbo moro subtlo dangers of tho camp hospital woro risked daily' tyhilo fighting was not in progress in order that she might minister to men stricken down with cholera or othor diseases. Tho most repulsivo oases of diseaso or wounds found in Mrs Catton a tender and indefatigable nurse, who toiled almost night and day in her capacity of ministoring angel to sick and wounded soldiers. Tho following letter appears in tho Telegraph Sir,—l should like to comment briefly upon the enquiry into the condition of my wifo when sho died. As part of his evidence Dr Leahy said ho had understood Mrs Catton had beeu bedridden for years. I do not know why he should say that. My wife went into the hospital oir August ‘2nd. On tho preceding day sho walked : down town with mo to draw her r.y.fw i pension. My wifo had always been ; and never iu'bcd, except at night to sleep, j till her last illness. a Dr Leahy said in his evidence thei-ht, | prevented me for three weeks from taking my wife from tho hospital, and also tirft he had no power to prevent me taking her out. That docs not seem consistent to Charles Catton. I will say what I know about it. I was, being fond of my wifo, desirous to see her well enough to h at home, but on only two occasions did f and Dr Leahy have any talk on thf subject. Tho first time was on Septembe Ist. I asked him if the wife’s case wfc hopeless, and he said he thought it wti not, and that but for her having a son foot ho could allow her to go home. Th second occasion was early in Novembci when ho told mo sho could not recover That is all that took place between D. Leahy and me. I allirm most solemn! that I uovor demanded to have my wii out of tho hospital. What is tho fact / that I desirod her out when she was wd enough to como out without danger t her life. On tho Wednesday before my wifo w'j taken home I stated to the nurse I sawf the hospital that I had relatives at Gv borne wbo would gladly look alter

wifo if she were strengthened up a hit to travel. She told uie she would ask the doctor what ho thought of that, and left me, as sho said, to speak to the doctor. When she returned she said die had spoken to Dr Leahy, and that he said I could take Mrs Catton out. I consequently made arrangements to take her out on the following Friday. Tho preparations I was making to arrange for her a suitablo bed wero not completed by the Friday, and a kind neighbor, Mrs Skews, telephoned to the hospital to let them know I was not ready. I was ready on Saturday, but as it was a very windy day I did not think Mrs Catton should be removed. So I asked Mrs Skews to telephone and ask tho hospital authorities if tho day wero a lit one. They replied that the day was all right, and that Mrs Catton had been mado ready for removal. Then I engaged Mr Skews to go up with his cub, taking mo with him to assist to bring my wifo down. She had not been made ready, as stated by telephone, and the eub had to wait while sho was prepared for removal. Mr Skews thought my wife was too near dcatli to he shifted, and declined to let her go in his cab (fearing she might die on tho way down) unless ussured that she could ho safely moved. Dr Leahy was not there, hut the nurse said that my wife was fit to go out, and on that assuranco Mr Skews consented to bring her to my house. I writo this not in any bad spirit, but as a duty to others who may requiro treatment in public institutions. I am, etc., Charles Catton.