Cruelty

CORONERS INQUEST. - CRUELTY. - An inquest was held on Elizabeth Cooper, aged 75; an inmate of Cripplegate workhouse, who had been afflicted for the last few days with a bowel complaint. On Monday evening she retired to bed about nine o’clock; about three hours afterwards, she cried out to the nurse, “Sarah Hunt, for God’s sake come to my assistance, I am very sick and dying." The nurse told her to puke away, and paid no attention to her cries. At length, after an hour had elapsed, another pauper got up and procured a light, and prevailed upon the nurse to come to the assistance of the deceased.

As soon as the deceased saw the nurse, she exclaimed - “Oh, you wretch, I told you you should never tie my jaws up, but I was mistaken, I have had something out of the cup which will be my death.” The nurse said she should tie up her jaws, and shortly after the deceased became insensible.

No doctor was called in; and the nurse, after remaining with the deceased about half an hour, again retired to her bed. About eight on the following morning, Mrs. Cross, the mistress of the workhouse, paid a visit to the deceased, who remained in much the same state, but still no medical man was called in. She continued in this state of stupor until four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, when the nurse came up to the bed on which the deceased was lying, and while she continued breathing, pinched her nose in the most violent manner. She then deliberately took a piece of rag and tied up her jaws, then tying her legs together, she left her for a short time, when, finding that she was not dead, she took up the sheet, and thrust it violently against her face with her hand, and when witness remonstrated with her against such cruelty, she told her to go to the devil, and not meddle with her affairs.

The nurse of the sick ward came to visit the deceased, and finding that the wretched woman was still living, untied her jaws and legs; some wine was then procured from Mrs. Cross, and administered to the deceased, who lived about half an hour afterwards, and then expired, without having been seen by a medical man.

The Jury returned a verdict, that the deceased died by the visitation of God, and requested the coroner to censure the conduct of Mrs. Cross in not calling in medical aid, and also to reprimand the nurse Hunt for her cruelty towards the deceased.