A SHOCKING CASE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1177, 17 October 1882, Page 2

A SHOCKING CASE.

The “ Otaijo Daily Tinies ” narrates some very deplorable circumstances attending the death of Mrs Mary Parker, who died in the Dunedin Hospital early on Sunday morning. She was admitted to the institution on Thursday, and was then in a condition that precluded all hope of recovery. Her husband appears to have been up to the z iine of his recent death, connected with a well-known firm— Messrs. Goldsborough and Co.—in ! [Melbourne, being, it is understood, re- ; lated to one of the partners Busi- ! uess projects brought him and his wife to Dunedin, where, he, however, died a short time back. After his death, his widow, who was known’to be in comfortable circumstances, wa> understood to be making arrangements to return to Melbourne. Instead of carrying this plan into effect, however, she appears to have given way to drinking, and to have, moreover, fal len ill. The neighbors knew little or noth:ng of her, save that she was never seen outside the house, and that i her little girl was constantly employed j in going backwards and forwards to i the nearest hotel for beer. Things ; continued in this way up to the latter end of last week, when the discovery was made that the unfortunate woman had for three week < past been lying bedridden, without any food to speak of, and absolutely unattended to. Her , state when thus found was altogether too horrible for description. Dr Martin was called in, ami the woman’s immediate removal to the hospital was ordered. The house at the time was unfit to cuter. A horrible stench pervaded tho interior, and the deceased’s condition, emaciated from tho effects of illness and drink, covered with sores and dirt, was pitiable in the extreme. A rope had Wen attached to the foot of the bed, and this seemed the only convenience with which she was supplied On questioning the little girl several other facts came out, among them that the mother had the night previously leant from the bed, and gathered her scantv wardrobe into a heap on the floor and had set fire | to the things. The child had extin- i guiahed the flames with some water, ‘ but had not dared to mention to any- ' one the circumstance. Dr Roberts, * the house surgeon, found her to be i suffering from pneumonia, and she died on Sunday morning, and since the mothers's death arrangements ' have been made tc send the child over ; to Melbourne.