A PAUPER'S DEATH.

NZ Truth, Issue 183, 19 December 1908, Page 5

A PAUPER'S DEATH.

HOW OLD BARNETT DIED. The Dunedin Rabbi Interests Himself, No Neglect on Anybody's Part* It is not pleasant to have a man come *°" nd *o your Place and lie down and die, (That is, o{ course, unless you owe aim some money, or don't agree with him on the land or licensing questions.) Deceased doesn't relish the performance, and it Is liable to cause trouble all round. This has been the casein regard to poor old Nathan Barnett, an ox-inmate of the Benevolent Institution, aged 66. Barnett was found dead m the police station at an early hour a lew days ago. jne old man had left the Institution during tha day to visit the Hospital, and the manager of the Home had rung up the police to say Barnett was missing and asking them to take him off the streets if seen, until he could be sent lor.. If he was found after J.l p.m, he could be fetched m the morning. At about 11 p.m. Constable Mullen found the man wandering | about the streets and took him to the Station. There Btarnett was put m a disused store-room, given a stretcher and blankets and made as comfortable as could be m the circumstances. About 2.30 a.m. old Barnett ran along to the watchhouse and told a weira yarn about how he was being murdered. He was known, to be a bit wrong m Ms head, and the police conducted him back and tucked him up m bunk again. At 3.30 he was seen again m pedand found to he all right. Hauao hour later, however, on visiting him, •Sergeant Forster and Constable Cameron found the ' OLD MAN LYING STIFF A,ND DEAD, At the inquest the medical evidence showed that Barnett had been under treatment for several months for valvular disease of the heart and dropsy, . and his death might have been expected at any moment. ,He was slightly imbecile. A verdict was returned accordingly. At the meeting of the Benevolent Trus-r ,tees held subsequently the matter was gone into, the Rev. A. T. Chodowski having a complaiat to make against the action* of the manager of the Home. The Rabbi waited on the Trustees and stated that when taken to- the station Barnett was seen to be m a low condition and apparently ill, and the manager of the Home was informed by telephone about 11 p.m. The manager, said the Rabbi, promised to send for Barnett m the morning. Before morning Barnett was dead, and he (the Rabbi) considered the mana* ger had not shown a proper attention to his duty m leaving the old man m the station. The manager must have known, m view of Barnett's complaint, how dangerous it was to leave him m the police cells all night.' Mr Mcc, manager of the Home, was present, and stated that the facts had not been correctly stated by the Rabbi. Barnetft was' missed about 7 o'clock the previous night, and four of the staff's smartest men were at once sent m search ol him. They were not able to find him, and he (Mcc) rang up the police. About 10.30 p.m. he again telephoned the police ana wartola' THERE WAS NO TRACE OF BARJNJffIT; He discussed the matter with the police and it was agreed that if Barnett were found later it was best that he should be kept at the station, as it would be difficult to move him afcout after 11 o'clock. He had done all he could to find the man, ' 'and did not know Barnett was at the station till the police' rang up and said he was dea<ji. Mr Chodowski declared that he was positive the police tolu him they rang up Mr Mcc after Barnett was found— about 11 o'clock. If that were so, and Mr Mcc had taken no action -until the next morning; t he had not carried put his duty. - Mr Galloway' suggested -tha^t now the Rabbi had gone so far m the matter he should lay a formal' complaint against the l manager, and the Trustees could ask Mi Mcc for a report. In the meantime the police might -be interviewed and the whole affair thoroughly sifted. Mr Chodowski ar greed to this. . ■ ■ . We don't know what the ultimate result of the inquiry will be, but m Che meantime we desire to clear, up a few points' m the. interests of Justice. In the first place, Mr Chodowski is wrong m stating that the police telephoned to Manager Mcc after Barnett . had beea found,, at about 11 p.m.' They did not do so, becajuse it had been: agreeo that if ' Barnett were found as lobe as that it would be tetter for him* to :be kept until morning. Further, Barnett was not kept "m the police cells." He was placed, as a matter of fact, m a store-room usually . kept for, stolen; property, and his bed and .blankets were as warm and comfortable as he 'could have . got at the Benevolent Home. Now,. as is well known, "Truth." doesn't hesitate— and never will —tO -'■ v ■ .■■■: ,; 'I, •■ -■■ CRITICISE AND EXPOSE THJS ' POLICE or anybody, else when 1 occasion honestly , demands that course. Nor is this paper's sentiment towards the poor, old, wornout wrecks of humanity . .the same as that expressed m; the lines, . ' "Rattle his T)dnes over the stones, { -. 4 lie's only a jjaupec whom nahodf , : : , owns." ";..■ But "Truth" always- tries to be just and impartial.' and in'' this i instance it does not seem that either the i-. .police- or Manager Mcc were really to blame.. A man of 88, suffering .from heart disease, is liable to die at any moment, although apparently m no worse, health than usual. And tha police did all they could; to make poor old Barnett as comfortable as though he T^ere at the -Home, although there was nothing m big appearance- to suggest that there was anything wrong, ° apart from his usual feebleness. Manager Mcc,. too, appears to have done all, he could to lind the old chap. Thinking 'that Barnett was m his usual condition he considered that it would be better not to have him shifts ed from the station' Hate at night if found—t hat a warm bed and blankets would do him -more/gooa than to be drag* ged out into the cold and carted to th« Home. At the same time the Rev. Ms Chbdowski is not to be blamed for his action! He deserves credit, m fact, ton thus interesting himself m the affairs ol this forlorn' old man who, he thpugbt, Had not" received fair' treatment, investigations of this kind must do more good than harm when conducted honestly.