ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT OF A SERVANT AT DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5044, 24 May 1877, Page 2

ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT OF A SERVANT AT DUNEDIN.

Within the past week occasional telegrams from Dunedin have reported the progress of an inquest on a female named Mclntyre, who died while in service at a Mr. G. F. Reid’s. The following selections from the evidence will give an insight into the case: — Daniel Mclntyre, contractor: The deceased, Margaret Mclntyre, was my daughter. She was 17 years of age. I had not seen her for three months from the 16th of February, when she entered Mrs. Reid's service, until within an hour of her death. This was on Wednesday night last at about 11 o’clock. Deceased was moaning and unconscious when I saw her. She was lying upon a mattress upon the floor of a bedroom. There did not appear to be sufficient warmth in the clothes to give heat. She was covered with bed clothes and had on a nightdress, which I supposed was supplied by her mother. There was no bedstead in the room. She was cold, and there were any amount of marks about her. There were two open cuts and a bruise on her forehead. The cuts were about an inch in length. They were not scratches. There was a cut with blood on it on the upper part of her nose. Her arms were all scratched and torn to pieces like a dog’s, and her legs presented a similar appearance. These did not appear to have been recently done. They appeared to have been caused a day or two before, as they were dried and bruised. Most of the hair was taken out of her head. I was present when we got the wages—.£3—from Mrs. Reid, who offered me £2 more. Mrs. Reid said she would give me £SOO if I agreed not to bring the matter to light. This was yesterday morning. She said. “ What will my father at Home say, and what will my poor children do 1” I said, “I would not take New Zealand; I will bring it to justice. Money is no object to me,” She offered to pay the expenses of everything connected with tile matter. Mrs. Reid afterwards said, “ I would rather give £2000” not to have the matter brought to light. I was not in a fit state to speak to her. Ann Mclntyre said: The deceased, Margaret Mclntyre, was my daughter. She left my house on the 16th February last to enter Mrs. Reid’s service. I had never seen her since she loft my house till the day of her death. She died at midnight on Wednesday, the 16th inst. I got a letter from Mrs. Reid on that day, asking me to come and see her in a great hurry, as it was very important. It was black round the edges, like a funeral letter. It was about 10 o’clock in the morning when I got the letter. I hurried to Mrs. Reid’s, and found my daughter lying like a beast. She was lying on a mattress, without sheet or blanket under her, on the floor. There were some cold hard things over her. Over her there was a blue blanket and something patched together (a patch-worked quilt), and a red blanket. I noticed that she was all bruised and scratched. Her face had marks, as if she had received knocks from some weapon or another. I could not tell how she had got the bruises. Her legs are all scratched down to the very toes. H er hack is all blue, and all marked. Mrs. Reid said that my daughter had been tumbling about the floor during the night. Her chest was all discolored. She was as thin ami spare as anv skeleton could be. I did not go to see her at Mrs. Reid’s, because I thought she was well. I was ready to fall through the earth when I saw my daughter lying like a beast—worse than a beast. I would not keep a beast Iviug in the same position. Mrs. Reid t-,.re my hat and shawl off me, and said, ” Don't speak to me in that way,” when I complained of the state of my daughter. I asked Mrs. Reid to keep peace and quietness, so that my daughter could die in peace. Mrs. Reid said that the marks and bruises on my daughter had been caused by her tumbling herself about. Mis. Reid said that shehad shifted my daughter from the servants’ room, and laid her down in the room with the mattress, whore I found her, Martha Mary Harris Gill Reid : I are a widow living in Manor-place;. TliaiUrnased had been my servant for the last thjfeo months. She was very delicate and melaie.holy. She never seemed to join in laughter v-r to take an interest in anything. She was bony and stooping, and she looked much older than her stated age. She was very slow, hut I hail not much work for hex', and it did not signify with me. At the time she came she appeared to be in her usual good health. About four o’clock on Wednesday morning I was awoke by a violent noise of moaning and tmnbli; g about. I went into Maggie's room and found her tumhiug about in all directions. She was bleeding. I was afraid to leave her with cr without the light. She merely said “ Oh,” and “ Oh my.” I was with her in this state

for about an hour, and saw her knock herself about in all parts of the room. I tried to struggle with her to get her into the bed again. She was rolling and trying to stand up. She seemed to be delirious and wild, X shall never forget it. She was too strong for me. She would neither stay in bed nor stand up. The children were in their beds. My eldest daughter, Edith, is eleven years of age. She was sleeping with me, hut she heard the noise. I locked her in, as I would not her to see such a sight. At la*t I got Maggie to lie on her stomach on the mattress. I then gave her half a largo tumbler of brandy. I put no water in it. She swallowed the brandy and slept. When I found her sleeping, I went to my own room. I was too frightened to get into bed. She awoke about six o clock, and I then asked how she was. She said she was much better, but she spoke softly* ail d there was a vacancy in her eyes. I gave her some gruel, pouring two or three spoonfuls into her mouth. I left her for a short time —a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes—and when I returned I found the room in a most distressing state. 1 wish to sav something about the £SOO. I did not get to'bed till three o’clock on Thursday morning. I was very much frightened about the inquest, as I bad never been before a lot of gentlemen, and I was very nervous. I therefore endeavored to have a private investigation of the case before a few gentlemen. Mr. Mclntyre said to me, “ You wicked woman, you have murdered my daughter; you are a murderess, and I am going to Mr. Stout to get you transported.” I was heartbroken, as I had done all I could. I said I would give £SOO rather than there should be an inquest, meaning that I would prefer a full private investigation—indeed, that I would rather give £2OOO than that it should have happened in my house —that it was such au tmplew mt thing, as I had been la trouble before, and X have no husband or father to assist me. The windows of the playroom were intentionally taken out in order to provide ventilation, the place being very close. Mrs. ‘Mclntyre asked for something extra on account of Maggie staying with me for over the two months. I said, “ Oh, certainly, ’ and I offered her the £2. While Mrs. Mclntyre was in the act of taking it, Mr. Mclntyre said, “ Oh, don’t take it, missus ; we have plenty of money.” Ur. Bachelor deposed : I believe the girl died immediately from congestion of the lungs; but X believe that that was brought about by exposure in a cold room while suffering from inflammation of the mucous coat of the bowels in a state of starvation- I consider she was in a state of starvation. The statements regarding the diarrhcea might explain the emptiness of the bowels, but not the want of fat. The inquest was then adjourned.