16 MONTHS IN DARK

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8702, 8 April 1914, Page 8

16 MONTHS IN DARK

CHILD PRISONERS OF HOLLOWAY “MEDIAEVAL BARBARITY” AND ITS RESULT. LONDON, February 120. The moving story of three children, ranging in age from fifteen years to seven, who lived for sixteen months in a dark room at St. George’s road, Holloway, never going out, was told at Clerkemvell Police Court yesterday, wbon Sarah Savage, their mother, was sent to prison for six months for her orue.l neglect. Tho woman has four children, the eldest of whom, aged seventeen, went out to work. "When she took the room in October. 1912, she told the landlady it was for herself and this daughter. The other three children were smuggled in, and their presence in the house was not known until they were discovered by an inspector of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, on February 10th of this year. SUFFERING IN DARKNESS. When Inspector Richings went to the house he found the door of the room locked. ‘After repeated knocking, the door was opened by a girl of thirteen. The room was in darkness, a heavy curtain being drawn across the window, and there was no fire. A bed occupied , nearly all the floor space. Tho girl who opened the door was scantily clad and verminous, and was bordering on idiocy. Apparently she was well fed. No one else was visible when the inspector entered the room, but when a light was brought he saw the bed move. , Search revealed a child of eleven, in much worse, condition than the girl underneath. Further search brought to light tho third child, aged seven, also in hiding. This child was covered with sores, and was frightened—almost mentally afflicted.) NEVER HEARD TO LAUGH. Tho children were at once taken to tho infirmary. There it was ascertained that the eldest had not ■ been to school for four years; the younger child had not been at all. They had never been heard to laugh or play, or make any noise at all. “I’m a poor widow, and I’ve don© my best. They won’t have them at school without boots and with sores.” That was the mother’s explanation to the inspector. The police described her as a sober woman who earned about ten shillings a week. A doctor gave evidence that it would take years for the children to get over the effects of their treatment —if ever they came up to normal standard at all —and the magistrate, in sentencing the woman, said she bad kept the children as nobody would keep a dog. The case reminded him of the days of mediaeval barbarity.