Extraordinary Scene in Court.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 6672, 25 August 1896, Page 3

Extraordinary Scene in Court.

At the Hackney (London) Coroner's Court, lately, Dr Wynn Weatcotfc held an inquiry with reference to the death of Adelaide Emma Marshall, aged 43 years, the wife of an engineer living at 59 Chatsworth Road, Homerton. The coroner said the inquiry was held in consequence of its being alleged by the deceased's relatives that she had been illtreated by her husband, " Frederick Marchant stated that the deceased was his sister, who had been married twice. Witness knew very little of the present husband, except that when the deceased was living in Leytonstone she was brutally ill-used by him. She had lately been very ill, but her husband refused to allow anyone to attend to her, although her friends offered to do so, and witness had received letters from the deceased's children saying that Marshall had threatened to give any of her brothers a hiding that went to the house. Sarah Marchant a sister of the deceased, stated that she had visited the deceased, who had complained of being starved to death by her husband ; and when witness and her husband brought her some food she begged of them to hide it in the bed, so that her husband could not seo it, or he would eat it himself. When the deceased's first husband died he left the deceased well to do, but Marshall had run through the money. Dr Evans, of Brooksby-walk, stated that he had been attending the deceased lately and she had been suffering from consumption. She was in a very emaciated condition, and it would have been far better if she had had a nurse. The deceased herself told witness that she did not want anyone near her. On Monday witness heard of her death, which was due to consumption. John M'Dowell, 123 J (the coroner's officer), stated that after the deceased's death hundreds of people gathered round the house, and extraordinary reports were circulated that the deceased had been stabbed to death and starved, and the greatest excitement prevailed. Charles George Marshall, the husband, said he had done all in his power for the deceased. The Coroner: But why did you not have a nurse 1 A juror : Have you ever struck the deceased ? Never.—(Loud cries of "Liar !") The Juror : I absolutely know you have, for I was once in your shop and saw you strike her. (Loud applause and clapping, which was at once suppressed.)—l look upon it as a case of combined cruelty and neglect. Another Juror : I think she would have been alive now if she had had proper treatment. The jury returned a verdict of " Death from natural causes," and added that they considered there had been gross neglect on the part of the husband.