ONLY A PAUPER.

NZ Truth, Issue 352, 23 March 1912, Page 7

ONLY A PAUPER.

.HQw'joHN McCarthy was dumped dcJwn • l (; rr -.- .... ■■■, .. , -•— >.--.-. - - ' •■ - •.. ' Everything Done . m a Hurry". Visiting Justice and Deputy-Coroner— The Crime of Being Poor.

Time and again it has been hinted, suggested, and' even openly asserted that non-paying patients at- public hospitals do not receive the same cave and attention that are meted out to patients of a more fortunate class, and that should a non-paying patient die, and through misfortune have to be buried under the A'ile epithet of "pauper," his 'miserable corpse receives as miich- consideration as that of A STRAY, MANGY DOG found dead. m. the street. This journal,, beyond quoting the old maxim, "Where there's smoke, there's fire," is not going to_ cast any aspersions UjPon an institution which 'it is not prepared to verify, but desires,, to give particu- . ■lars of. a case/at the Wellington Hos- ' ypital Only * this week,' • from -which ' ; 'Truth!s"rv readers: Qan form their own opinion.'. One day last week the police picked up a social derelict of many convic- ■ tioris/' one John McCarthy, a fruit ; hawkgr, m. a helpless • state ■of drunk- ' enness. y. When brought before the; magistrate, his condition was pitiable; ■m the extreme;, trembling like an as- : ■- pen leaf, he "pathetically grasped' hold • Qf.the.dock tp.'sa,y& himself : from. .falJ-y -ing;-- As - m-all-such cases, he was -re- - rrtanded f or. ;c*nip£ti\|<?>; ; . &.nd H^a:s^|6Sg-etf Irt* Mr^S'canloii'jr castle ' on •The- Terrace.. 7 On Thu,r:^a:frT^^ Terrace GaoJslwiiSs visited by Mt TE^ix^ tiRP./ .^Visiting Justice 11 ' to th^ Wellington Prisons;;, and that> gentle-^ man had his attention; drawn ftq^ 3£cr •■. -Qart-hy," then-confined -in-a padded cell. )Ts'e pryohfer's condition 'was very bad Tindee/1,.->"u'fc" Mr . Spanlbn. (the-gaoler) And^^.^&ilnier-'were unremitting m *ihe&: >attdhtioh, 'and another prisoner .^iad_been.-deputed to. act. as, a nurse to TlvlGC.^thy.Tand^ was feeding him from, time to time with milk. Mr Arnold expressed 'himself satisfied i'tliat no "-&&$&■: could be done for the unfortunate creatiire-- > thaiv^wasMseing*'' dtfrtey!'Despite this unremitting care and attentipn>vht^6ver,T Popr; : M^Qarjlhy yb^£ame worse and Worse, ' and oh Friday morning, being In a critical condition, he was removed to the' hospital, where, at 2.Z0 p.rk. "the same day,' he died. ' As m all' such casespan inquest was held, -and, it' was. arranged to take place. -at tlie^, hospital a t : noon _nsxt da,y . f Saturday.) '.': The deputy-coroner ... (Mr W.. ;C G. Riddell, S;M.) presided without a. .juij-y,.. a.l.thou^-h it, is undeirtsood that inc.^lL such ..cases .it is customary— -if h notl i^^lly inecessafy-T-^to hav,e a jury., .'jMatlhesqn repre-. isented. "the. police, .and.. MrJ^d^in Af-f nqld,-. J.P., _> : as present," '■ . " '."pr.: Hardw/cke Smith,- medial .S'i/j permten'dent b'lthe hospital, .gave eyi-y derice relative yto the' admission arid' subsequent, death,. from delirium tremens ,'of the. patient. • ; , Mr Arnold then rose and stated that he..at.tend.cd m yy... • _•_■.'■..' .T THE INTERESTS OF THE PRISONER, f and asked if he might ask Dr. Hard-' wicke Smith a question. The deputy coroner acquiesced. Mr Arnold then questioned the doctor about the cause of a number of bruises which were found all over the deceased's body, and the doctor .said they must have been caused by deceased yCalling about. Dr Gilmer then gave evidence relative 1 to his treatment of the man when ; m the gaol, and, at the conclusion" cf. his evidence, Mr Arnold again rose and asked if he might -"ask Dr. Gilmer a question. The deputy coroner: What goOd can it do? What question do you want to ask? ■■•■.■_■ Mr Arnold: The man was a stranger m our country; and I want to find out all" particulars about him: . ' ■■■'■'' Tile deputy coroner: Very well; ask your question. , • - ; -:. Mir Arnold (to Dr. Gilmer): Was'; the man's, head 'bruised? '.'"'"" Dr. Gilmer: No. - ' , Mr Scanlon, Gaoler at the Terrace Gadl, then gave formal ; evidence, "out was- not questioned.b y Mr Arnold. When Mr Scanlon had resumed his seat, Mr Arnold rose and said he wouid like to make a statement. • The deputy coroner: What are you going tp say? -~ . \ i y .;-. ; AA.\i _*? ?i- i O : Mr : Xrhold "(amazed): What' am i' going to say? I have acted as assistant coroner m this town for seven years, and I luiow somewhat about the rules of an inquest; and, as the Government of my country has appointed me "Visiting Justice of the TPrisoas, it is my duty to look into these cases! The deputy coroner: How long will it take? Tt might take half a day! • • Mr Arnold: What matters if it is half an hour or half -a- day, so long as we get the truth? But,";-. IF'yQU DON'T WANT TO HEAR ;.: ■ .... ■■:••.,,- •.. : ME, /.'..•., ■, , Ill.: sit down. „ . ■The deputy coroner: Oh! well, /ou: can -make a statement.... '''_■' Mr Arnold was then sworn, . and,, having defined his position as "Visiting Justice to the Wellington Prisons, detailed his visit to the Terrace Gaol on the. Thursday * and the condition m which he found McCarthy, putting m a word of praise for Gaoler Scanlon and Dr: „Gilmer. The evidence having been concluded, the deputy coroner returned a verdict of . death from delirium tremens. Furthermore, "Truth" wishes to mention that ih addition to the gaoler giving evidence of McCarthy's treatment, Mr Scanlon, who possesses the reputation of being, m fact, is, a humane man, but whose duty is bound by. -the iron rules of discipline, entered a protest against the prevalent practice of sending to the gaol for treatment men who are m the D.T.'s. As the gaoler pertinently pointed out, the prison is not a hospital, and there are not the facilities m gaol for dealing with men so afflicted as are to be found m the hospital. Moreover, if it did not transpire at the inquest', "Truth" has reason to believe that when.. [McCarthy, then a raving lunatic, arrived at the Terrace Gaol, rhe padded cell, the only place available lor the reception of D.T. patients, was occupied by another unfortunate, but as his condition was not so serious as that of McCarthy he was removed. What 'Mr Scanlon objected to is not a new matter. It has cropped up before, and the objection raised by ;he hospital authorities is that they have no suitable accommodation for D.T. patients. Mr -Scanlon objected

because he considered a gaol was no place for the patient, and also that the poor unfortunates disturb the prisoners. The hospital authorities, last Saturday, "Truth" understands, also .objected to receiving and treating such patients because others would be disturbed. Such an objection is a feeble one, and "Truth" feels inclined to .isk. if common humanity does not demand that a. portion of the Wellington Hospital should not be set apart for the treatment of the poor devils, .'.'' who, through their own acts of folly, reduce themselves to a state of delirium and violent madness. However, reverting to McCarthy's treatment,, generally, it appears that the poor fellow had a' number- ■ _-f friends who .wished to pay him their last respects. A small' band' pf thorn,' none too flush' of this "world's goods; decided to spend' some of their substance iri following the body to its last resting-place ih God's acre,'- and with this end m view, one of their number" was deputed tog o to tlie hospital and ascertain the -hour at which the cortege would depart. It is' needless to, mention names, but this particular friend went to the hospital and saw JvTr Fpx, the - head steward, and told him their wishes. Mr Fox said that the funerab would take place oh T Tuesady I .' On; Monday evening 'ithe friend .' rang up; the -^hospital, and, according 7 tb hisaccpunt. ;t6; T'tTruth," was informed . thktT the -funeral was" being carried^' out byMr Robert Wilson, undertaker;'of'Ade-laide-road; . and". would leave mt . 9^ o'clock, -next; morning. ■- .• The' friends/ therefore,, arranged accordingly, "•■ en^.' gaged . fhfee cabs, and purchased*, wreaths. Imagine their surprise next morning to - find that _ the ; body had been ' ; . ; REMOVED FROM • THE HOSPITATJ 1 the night before to, Mr Wilson's private mortuary, and had 'been conveyed, to / the Karori. cemetery half-ah-houi" earlier that mornirtg. They, promptly rang up the cemetery and"' asked that the burial be delayed till their arrival,, and then betook themselves to the spot' with all speed. It was of ho aVail, however, as Mr WHson was': met on the road, the. burial being all over, as .he was returning. The friends "consider that they were treated discourteously, and that McCarthy, being a. "pauper,'' '.' was treated in -a, callous fashion.' • On inquiry at Mr Wilson's', establishment, it was, ascertained that Mr

(Foiind-on the Wellington. Wharf. )f'.f Observe, his pose, that look, of .scorn... Denoting he is manor born; Furniss his name, but they call him.. The lively, jpcose Sunny. Jim. v