A STRANGE WOMAN.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 293, 20 May 1875, Page 3

A STRANGE WOMAN.

Dr Hardwicke held an inquest the other day on the body of Mary Tennant, a widow, aged llfty-two, who expired at her residence, Park road, Regent’s park, u nder the following circumstances :—Ernest; Herbeit stated that he was led to believe he was twelve years of age, and was the son of Captain Herbert, who visited him every three or four months at the residence of deceased, with whom he had lived ten years, she having been recommended to take charge of him by Archbishop Manning. He believed she received £9O a year for his board and education. He left his last school in September, and had lived with deceased. She was a strange woman. She lay in bed nearly all day and sat up in the night, during which she always drank brandy. At one time she kept two servants, but she sent them away with her furniture. Then they lived in one room, with a dog, a cat, a cock, a hen, and four rabbits. The dog killed one rabbit, the others died, and were buried under the floor of the room. A little while ago she, sent her boxes away and said she was going into a convent. On the night of her death he slept on some rags on the floor. He woke and saw she looked strange about the eyes ; he spoke to her and asked if he could do anything for her. She told him to go to sleep, and if he did not she would strike him with. a hammer. He went to sleep, and awoke some time after. She was quite still, and he went to her. She appeared to him to be dead. He then lit a fire, put on the kettle, and made some hot, whisky and water, and tried to make her swallow it. Having wrapped her up, he ran into the street for a policeman, who returned to the house with him, after which he was taken to the workhouse. Sergeant Tomkins, 14 D, said he was called to the house and found deceased lying on a sofa. The room was in a foul condition, articles of food, ashes, &c, strewn over it, also a quantity of empty bottles. A board was pulled up, and underneath the flooring he found several dead rabbits and a bird, besides the kettle and saucepan. The only articles of furniture in the room were a table and the sofa on which deceased lay. Dr H. H. Rugg said he was called by last witness and found deceesed dead and cold. In all his experience he never saw a room in such a horrible condition. The jury returned a verdict of “ Death from natural causes accelerated by intemperance.”