THE DEATH OF MRS. SHARPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9066, 29 May 1888, Page 6

THE DEATH OF MRS. SHARPS.

INQUIRY BY THE HOSPITAL AND 1 CHARITABLE AID BOARD. An inquiry into the alleged ill-treatment of the late Mrs. Sharpe at the Old People's Refuge, was held yesterday afternoon at the Lower Refuge, before a committee of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr. O. Mays presided, and Messrs. Udy, Crowther, Atkin, Ambury, and Cooper were present. . .y .%• Mr. Garland,, secretary , of ; the Board, read the letter from Mr. » Basley to the Board.on the subject, and which formed the basis of the inquiry.

With 'respect to the complaint that Mrs. Sharpe was in rags at the time of her death, Mr. Basley said that she had a ragged dress on, but that was not the fault of the managers of the Refuge. He had no personal interest in the matter except the interests of the public ; he had not before, to his knowledge, seen Mr. or Mrs. Walters, whilst he entertained the greatest friendship for Dr. Lindsay, whom he looked upon as a courteous gentleman. He had no evidence to give beyond that furnished in his letter to the Board. Mrs. Basley was called, and said that she first visited Mrs. Sharpe in response to a message from the latter. Witness came to the Refuge one Sunday afternoon, and found Mrs. Sharpe sitting on the verandah; but she had changed very much, and Mrs. Basley could hardly recognise her. Mrs. Sharpe told witness a pitiable tale, and asked her to get her out of the Refuge. Witness spoke to Dr. Lindsay on the subject, and the latter said ho knew all about Mrs. Sharpe's condition. Mrs. Basley said to the doctor that Mrs. Sharpe had stated to her that she had been pulled about by the servant, and Dr. Lindsay then replied that he had received complaints about the Refuge, and had been called out of his bed to stop Mr. Walters from fighting with the old men, and that he had a very violent temper. Witness was much surprised at these remarks of Dr. Lindsay. When witness first came to the Refuge on the Sunday, she asked an inmate, Mrs. Alexander, to point out where Mrs. Sharpe was, and giving her two eggs, asked her if she would beat them up and give them to- Mrs. Sharpe. Mrs. Alexander replied that she could not do so, for if she did it would be death to her. On the next occasion on which witness visited Mrs. Sharpe, a service was being held, and the latter was present, and on rising, fell. Witness did not think Mrs. Sharpe had any power over her limbs. Mrs. Basley asked Mrs. Sharj>e if she had spoken to the doctor about her troubles, but she stated in reply that when she complained they told her that she was " shamming." Mrs. Sharpe was paralysed, and could not use her hands. Witness visited her the Sunday before she died, when she had an intense pain in her right side, and she stated that the servant girl had proved very unkind to her, and that she did not like her. Whilst they were conversing, she asked Mrs. Sharpe if there was anyone in the next room, and said that she thought she heard a noise from that direction, as if somebody was listening. Mrs. Sharpe said that the room was empty, but that witness was watched every time she came into the building. On one occasion Miss Kidd brought some oranges to Mrs. Sharpe, and was told that she had better peel them and give them to her at once, as if they were left sho would not get them. Witness sent some soup to her on Tuesday, morning, and witness little girl came home, and said that she had found Mrs. Sharpe lying on the floor, with a door and window open. Mrs. Sharpe said that the servant girl had thrown her into bed one night when she got out, not knowing where she was. It was only on the night before she died that she was put on the Dedstead. The dress that Mrs. Sharpe had worn was seven years old and was ragged. Mrs. Alexander was the only one who rendered her any assistance. One day a damp flannel was brought to Mrs. Sharpe when witness asked that it should not be given to her. At Mrs. Sharpe's request, witness asked the matron not to send the servant girl to her, as she was unkind to her. Mrs. Walters looked surprised, but agreed to comply with the request. There was a large bruise on Mrs. Sharpe's leg. Mrs. Sharpe had not been addicted to drink. In answer to Mr. Atkin, witness said that Mrs. Sharpe had been a very discontented woman.

Mrs. Wayte deposed • to visiting Mrs. Sharpe one day about 11.30 a.m., when she found her sitting on the verandah. Her breath was short, and she had a pain in her side. She told witness that the Refuge people would not let her stay in bed, as they thought that she was scheming. She saw that the woman was all but dead ; she was quite cold, and very heavy. It was possible that she was sitting outside whilst her room was cleaning. The day was not a particularly cold one. In reply to questions as to her previous life, witness said that Mrs. Sharpe had told her that her husband had not been kind to her, and that it was his ill-usage which had caused her shattered nerves. Witness purchased a shawl for her whilst she was in the Refuge, and this wa3 given to her. She made no complaints to witness that she had not received articles sent her by her friends.

Miss Kidd deposed to bringing some oranges to Mrs. Sharpe at the Refuge one afternoon, a fortnight before she died, when Mrs. Alexander told witness that if she (Miss Kidd) did not give them to her at once they would be taken from her. Witness accordingly gave her one of the oranges. Mrs. Sharpe sat on the verandah, and in a short time Mr. Walters came out and took her (Mrs. Sharpe) by the arm, and, as it were, dragged her inside. He took her by the arm while her feet trailed on the floor. Witness visited Mrs. Sharpe about once a week for three months, and she had told her (witness) that the assistant had been unkind to her, and had thrown her on the bed. She also said she could not eat tho food that was prepared her—it was too coarse; whilst she complained that she was compelled to get out of bed every morning. Witness aid not think that Mrs. Sharpe was addicted to the use of drink, and she had been much surprised when she saw it alleged that she was. By Mrs. Walters: Mrs. Alexander had told witness that the matron would take the oranges from Mrs. Sharpe.

Dr. Lindsay said that on Sunday morning, the 27th instant, he had received a complaint that Mrs. Alexander, whose name had been freely mentioned in connection with this case, had herself stolen the milk provided for the other inmates.

Mr. Basley referred to the fact that Dr. Lindsay, in his reply to his (Mr. Basley's) complaint on this subject, had stated that Mrs. Sharpe, previous to her admission to the Refuge, had tried 28 different lodgings. He asked that he might call evidence with respect to this point"; but after some discussion it was agreed that the consideration of this matter should be postponed.

John McGahey and Mrs. Richards, inmates of the Refuge, also gave evidence. The former said he knew nothing of the alleged ill-treatment of Mrs. Sharpe. He was afraid that Mr. Walters would say something to him for having given evidence, for the master was an unkind man, and used vulgar language from time to time.

The Rev. Mr. Cockerton, chaplain at the Refuge, said he must confess that Mrs. Sharpe, during her stay in the Refuge, had been a very trying woman, and whenever he visited her she continually grumbled, complaining not only of the people of the institution, but also of people outside —of her husband and of her private life. She complained that the other inmates did not go near her, and he thought this only natural, as she was a very ungrateful woman. She was also very untidy, and never seemed to make any endeavour to help herself. Witness did not think that her death was caused through neglect by the officers of the institution ; he considered that she had been very well treated. There was an old woman in the Refuge whose room was near that of Mrs. Sharpe— a Mrs. Shannonand it was a real pleasure to visit her ; she never complained, though the treatment she received was almost similar to that accorded to Mrs. Sharpe. He had inquired about her bed being placed on the floor, and found that this step had been taken for her own safety, as she had fallen off the bedstead. Witness considered that she was " shamming" on many occasions—not deliberately, but because of a delusion that she was a victim to diseases from which, as a matter of fact, she was free. By Mr. Basley : Mrs. Sharpe had been a member of the Plymouth Brethren, but when witness came to the Refuge, she always sent for biro...

Miss Green, Hospital nurse, deposed to visiting Mrs. Sharpe, who had grumbled very much, and had complained that she could not eat the food. Mrs. Alexander gave evidence at great length. She did not think that Mrs. Sharpe had shammed illness. The assistant said one day to deceased, " Come, none of your shamming, or we will put you in the Asylum ;" but Mrs. Alexander, seeing that Mrs. Sharpe was norvous, reassured her, and said that she would not be sent to the Asylum. Mrs. Walters did not take the oranges which had* been left for Mrs. Sharpe. The clothing of deceased had been constantly changed, and she had not been neglected. Witness had thrown a bottle of medicine (sent by Dr. Lindsay) under the house at the request of Mrs. Sharpe, who said the liquid had a smell like that of garlic. Witness had never given drink to Sirs. Sharpe. Dr. Lindsay said ho had now nothing to say, as his answer to the present charges was contained in his letter in reply to Mr. Basley. Mrs. Walters said that Mrs. Sharpe had been well looked after whilst she was in the Refuge. When she first came there she (the mabron) thought she could do a little for herself, but she would not do anything, and wanted other women to lead her about. She objected to the language of the women in the dining-room, and her meals were taken in to her room ; but after a time, when there was no one available to perform this duty, she was told that sho would have to come into the dining-room ; and she then walked in with the aid of a stick, and continued to do so up to within three weeks of her death. Her clothing and bedding were regularly changed. \A itnoss did not receive any of the gifts from Mrs. Share's friends except two eggs from Mrs. Basley, and these she gave to Mrs. Alexander to beat. Mrs. Sharpe never complained to witness that any presents from friends had been withheld. Deceased got it into her head that she was paralysed, and took to sliding oft' the chair, when witness said to her, Really, Mrs. Sharpe, if you go on like this you will have to go to the Lunatic Asylum ; we don't know what to do with you." This was not said in the way of a threat. Witness gave deceased a dress which was almost new, but she would not wear it, saying that she was more comfortable in her own dress. She said she hurt herself through falling out of bed, and she was then placed in a bed on the floor in another room; and it was not witness's fault that the window had been left open. The clothes were changed twice a day. Mrs. Sharpe wanted to sell her ring to buy eggs, and not to purchase drink. Mrs. Alexander had frequently abused witness, and was an undesirable inmate.

Mr. Walters also made a statement. Mrs. Sharpe had not complained to him. He did not think the inmates were afraid of him.

Dr. Lindsay said that when speaking to Mrs. Basley, he had said that Mr. Walters was a quick-tempered man, but that it required somebody of considerable muscular strength and with the temper of an angel to manage some of the " cases " they had in the Refuge, and to provont them from fighting. Mr. Atkin said he had gone through the Refuges, and had chatted with the inmates, and had not heard complaints, Mr. Basley said ho had proceeded in the case with the utmost ditttdence, and had it not been for Mrs. Basley he would not have gone on in the matter. Mrs. Basley : Because, having made these statements, I thought it only right that we should furnish whatever proof we had. The Chairman thought that Mrs. Basley had only done what was right. It would have been a great pity if, feeling as she did on the subject, she had not made the matter public. The committee were much obliged to her and those who had taken so much trouble on this subject. The Board would weigh the evidence, and give their decision at an early date.