A STRANGE WOMAN.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2025, 1 July 1875, Page 2

A STRANGE WOMAN.

Dr Hardwick held an inquest tide other day on the body of Mary Tennant.ia widow aged 52, who; expired- at her residence, Park roadi Regent's Park, under the following circumstances: —Ed-' ward Herbert stated that he was led .to believe he was 12 years. of age; and"was the *oh of Captain Herbert, who visited him every, three or four months at the' residence of deceased, with whom he had lived ten yeais, she having been recommended to take charge of him by Arch- ■ Bishop Manning. H« believed she received £90 a year for his board and education. He left his last scbpol. in September, and had since lived with the deceased. Sho wa» a strange woman. She lay in bed nearly all day. and sat up in , the night, during which she always drank brandy. At one tim» sho kept two servants, but she sent .them away with her furniture. They then 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 und*r 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 ragi on the floor. Ha woke and saw th»t «he looked strange about the eyes; he •poke to her, and asked if he could do anything for her. She told him to go to sleep, and if lie did not she would strike him.with a hammer. ,He went to sleep, and woke some time after. She was quilo still, and he went to her. Shft appeared to him to be dead. Ho then lit a fire, put on the kettle* and made some hot whiskj and wator, and tried to make her swallow it. Having wrapped her up, ho ran into the slveet for a policeman, who returned into 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 orer 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. There was scarcely, any furniture in the rooni.— European Mail. ' .