SUDDEN DEATH OF A YOUNG GIRL AT HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2353, 9 August 1887, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH OF A YOUNG GIRL AT HAMILTON.

A vkuv inelantli.ild event occurred at about noun yesterday in the sudden death <-f a young girl named Caroline Windsor, 17 years of age, a general servant in the employ of Mr X -rthcr-.it, R.M., who was found in the water-closet in an ajH.pletic fit, from which she died within half an hour after -he was discovered by Mrs Xorthcroft. The deceas-d was of a cheerful, happy dis-is>-ition, and had always enjoyed go.el health, with the exception of occasional headaches. I tut dining the Tarawera Eruption she had an attack of hysteria, caused by her alarm on that occasion. It also apjiears that there is a tendency t«) apoplexy in her family, as her mother’s si-ter died of that malady, and her own sister, a child of twelve years, has always o, eu threatened with similar attacks. Tbs unfoitunate cirl has been in Mrs Xi.rthcrofTs service for nearly two years au ,j a half, and is highly spoken of by both Mr and Mrs Xorthcroft, who have lieeu greatly sin eked by her sudden death. She was an affectionate daughter, and had been saving her wages to purchase a sewing machine for her mother, which she had just accomplished, and was looking forward with great delight to next Sunday, when site was to visit her home and surprise her mother with her loving gift. Mr Henry Windsor, her father, is a settler living in Hamilton, for whom and his family great sympathy is felt in their sad loss. The following are the full particulars, elicited at the inquest.

Inquest. Mr Searancke, coroner, held an inquest <m the cause of the sudden death of Caroline Windsor yesterday afternoon, at the residence of Mr Xorthcrutt, K.M., in whose service the deceased had been employed. The following jury was empannelled Messrs i;. F. Sandes (foreman), J. Odium, H. Salmon, S. McLemon, A. Scott and G. Carter. Margaret Xorthcroft, wife of Mr Xortbcroft, K.M., deposed: The deceased Lad been my domestic servant for over two years. Jietween half-past ten and eleven o’clock this morning 1 was expecting her upstairs. Just then I saw a horse in the garden, and I sent the children down to tell her to turn it out. They came back to say she had gone to the clo-et. So I came down and turned the horse out myself. I returned up-tairs. About five minutes after my eldest child, a girl of six years of age. came to ray that Carrie was lying in the closet making a peculiar noise, and would not speak to them. I ran down stairs as quickly as possible, and saw her lying with her legs against the door, and her head, face downwards, pressed against the comer next to the seat I could not open the door sufficiently to get in, but I managed by degrees to move her, so that I was able to enter, and then dragged her outside. She was then breathing heavily, and frothing at the month. I called our man, who was working in the paddock, and he carried her to the house and placed her on the dining-room sofa. I then despatched him to Hamilton for the doctor and Mr Xorthcroft. Mr Wright came in to assist me, and rubbed her hands and face with salt and water whilst 1 unloitsened her clothing. She was still breathing hard, but seemed quieter, though still unconscious. The doctor arrived in about lialf-an-hoar. Mr Xorthcroft came in before him. She expired before the doctor arrived. She' was a strong, healthy girl, and had never complained of any illness except an occasional headache. 3lie once became hysterical; that was at the time of the Tar.: vera eruption, when she was greatly alarmed. She never moved or spoke from the lime I found her. She made no complaint this morning of being unwell, lint was quiet and in her usual spirits, which were always cheerful and happy. I believe she was 17 years of age last December.

Dr. Kenny gave evidence to being called to proceed to Mr Xorthcroft’s residence, where he found the deceased lying on a sofa in the dining room. Life was then extinct. 1 rom the appearance m, the body, and from the circumstances attending the death, became ty the i/.nclusion that the unfortunate girl was of a fullblooded temi»eramcnt, and that the cause of death was a sadden rush of blood, brought on by straining, and resulting in a fit of apoplexy. Henry \\ mdsor, father of the deceased, dejmsed to the girl, Caroline Windsor, being his daughter. X’ever knew her to be ill, except during the eruptions, when -he was slightly hysterical. John V. right deposed that he heard Mn Nortncroftco s>-ing, and came to the house and saw the deceased in the dining-room, and corroborated Mrs Xorthcpdt's erinence. The jury, having considered the evidence, brought in a verdict of "Death by a fit of apoplexy.”