A MOTHER’S “MEDIEVAL BARBARITY.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1239, 30 April 1914, Page 4

A MOTHER’S “MEDIEVAL BARBARITY.”

SHOCKING TREATMENT OF THREE DAUGHTERS. What was described as a case of “almost medieval barbarity” was heard at Clerkenwell (London) police court on February 19th. A woman was summoned for having kept three of her daughters in a darkened room for nearly a year and a half. When discovered they were terrified at the sight of strangers, and showed every sign of idiocy. The woman—not illnamed—was Sarah Savage (48), who was charged with neglecting her three children, all girls, aged respectively 7, xx and 15 years. Mr Ricketts, prosecuting on behalf of the National Society for the Protection of Children, said it was almost impossible to conceive that such a set of circumstances could have arisen and not have been discovered before. The defendant was a widow, and had apparently four children. The eldest was a girl of seventeen, who ' went out to work in the ordinary way, but the existence of the other three children was not even known to anyone inside the house. In fact, it was not till the Seciety’s inspector called at the house that it was suspected that she had more ,

than one child living in the house with her. The womau came to the house and took a single room as far back as October, 1912, the landlady believing that her family consisted merely of the 17-year-old girl. By some means defendant smuggled iu the other three children, and from the time she went into occupation till the day the inspector called it was never suspected that there were more than the defendant aud her eldest girl in the room. The discovery was made by the Society’s inspector, who had called at the house in response to an anonymous postcard. The room in question was on the third floor, a back room, about i2 by 9 feet. The inspector found the room locked, but after knocking for some time the door was opened by* the eldest of the three children, aged nearly 16. The room was stinking, and in absolute darkness, a heavy curtain covering the window. There was no fire in the grate, and the furniture consisted mainly of a bed, which occupied a considerable part of the floor. The inspector spoke to the girl as well as he could, but found her bordering almost on idiocy. She was extremely pale, very nervous, and wild-looking. She had no boots and stockings on, and was, in fact, most inadequately clothed. She was in a filthy state, although she did not seem to be suffering Irom want of food. The inspector called to the other occupants of the house, who brought a light. While the inspector was talking to the girl he noticed the bed move, aud on closer examination discovered another child—a girl of xi —lying face downwards at the foot of the bed ; in fact, he believed that she was underneath the bed. This child was iu an even worse condition; she was unable to understand any of the questions he put to her, and the neighbours and the inspector had to coax her to come out. Thereupon a closer examination was deemed neces sary, and one of the neighbours, who was kneeling down and looking under the bed., cried out; “Good God ! Here’s another. I shall faint.” It was then that the youngest child (7) was found, with sores, and she also appeared to be mentally affected. The children were subsequently removed to Islington Workhouse. “The defendant,” added Mr Ricketts, “is a sober woman, and worked as a charwoman, earning ! perhaps ros a week. The only possible explanation of her conduct

is that she must be extremely selfish. She kept these poor children hidden iu this room, atrald, no doubt, to disclose their presence because she knew the authorities would see that they were sent to school. They were never heard to cry or laugh, or sing or play, or make the slightest noise of any kind. They bad never been seen outside of this filthy, stinking room, and it is doubtful whether the window was ever opened at all. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the children photographed. They had to be braced up for the ordeal, and were very nervous, and had apparently never been photographed before.” Inspector Ritchings described the discovery of the three children iu the locked and darkened room. He was, he said, nearly half an hour in the room before he discovered the second child. All the time she had kept perfectly motionless. The two young people never appeared to have had any education at all; they were unable either to read or write. Dr Hugh Lonsdale Hands, of Caledonian Road, described the condition the children were iu when discovered. They were ill-clad, dirty and covered with sores. They were all weakminded. They had a frightened, staring look in their eyes, and were only able to speak in a squeaking, shrill-like voice. “They had the appearance to me of being idiots,” added Dr Hands, who said he was quite couviuced that they were perfectly normal some years ago. They were already showing signs of improvement, but he feared it would be some years before they got over the effect of their ueglect. “I don’t think they will ever come up to an absolutely normal standard,” declared Dr Hands. They have been at least a year and a half in the condition iu which they were discovered.” The Magistrate (to the defendant) ; You have kept these children locked up for sixteen mouths; can you give me any reason ? The woman replied that she had had a very hard time of it. Sores broke out on the children, and she would not have them at school in that condition. Her husbaud, who died three; years ago, used to drink heavily. “I only had q}4d to keep myself aud the children for three days, once,” she said. The Magistrate : It is really a most extraordinary case —more like some story of medieval barbarity. You appear to be a womau of ordinary intelligence, and yet you kept these three wretched children as nobody would keep a dog—kept them iu this miserable, stinking room; ue.ver allowed to go out; uever allowed to see anyone, until their minds are almost goue. You must go to prison for six months, with hard labour. The woman broke down on hearing the sentence, aud bad to be assisted from the Court.