A SHOCKING STATE OF AFFAIRS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9643, 19 January 1903, Page 3

A SHOCKING STATE OF AFFAIRS.

A remarkable inquest has occupied the attention of the Magistrate at West Oxford during the last two days (says a Cliristchurch paper of Tuesday las-t). It was held touching the death of Mrs Elizabeth Cumin, wife, of the licensee of the Commercial Hotel. The evidence of T. Cumin, licensee of the hotel, best indicates the nature of the case. Cumin, who was the first witness, deposed that the deceased (his wife) was fond of drink for 17 years, and was m the habit of drinking to excess occasionally. In the last five weeks she had been drinking incessantly, and used to take it upstairs with her. Witness had had to call m Dr Volckman, who said that if she took 41113* more di'ink, it would be fatal. Witness got some castor oil for her, and gave it m coffee. When he went to the .vtoiv.room for the oil deceased was sober, and when he returned she was stupidly drunk. He did not wish to allow her liquor, and instructed everyone about to keep her from the bar. Deceased was weak on Saturday, and got up at 4 p.m. and entered the bar. but witness turned her out, and she went into the kitchen stupidly drunk. He left her there after trying to get her upstairs. He left her on the floor, and she asked to have a- spell. Two hours after he returned to the. kitchen and found her still lying on the floor on her side. At 8.45 p.m. he tried to get her to bed, and left her. At 9.45 the servant went m and found her dead. Witness was playing billiards at the time, but was summoned at once. On Saturday he had missed liquor from the bar. Witness did not drink to excess. W. Cumin, 14 years of age, said his mother had been drinking heavily since December 23. Witness had to attend to the bar, and was sometime* m charge all day. He tried to stop his mother from coming m, but she used to help herself. On Saturday evening he saw her drink a large tumblerful of whisky, and did not see her again until she was dead. Nellie Cumin, 13 years of age, said her mother had been drinking heavily for two weeks and got drunk, and did licit do much housework. On Saturday deceased was m bed part of the day. '"She came downstairs about 6 p.m., and seemed all right. About 7 o'clock she was very drunk, and sitting m the kitchen. Witness saw her -father lay her down on the floor after he found that she was too heavy to take upstairs. She was on the bare floor without any pillow or anvthinc Witness left the kitchen at 8 p.m.. and deceased was lying on the floor then behind the door, but he saw no more of her. Witness had been kept m charge of the bar for a day at a time when her father would be away m town. Dr R. Volckman said he was called on January 5, and found deceased on the verge of delirium tremens. Ordered her to be sent a sleeping draught, and told her husband to keep a watch on her and Rive her nourishing food. Deceased di»d from failure of the heart from alcoholic poisoning. Leaving deceased m a state of helpless drunkenness without attention was alone liable to cause death. The verdict was that deceased died from alcoholic poisoning, and the jury added a rider that the husband of the deceased showed great negligence m leaving his wife lying on the floor m the state of health she was m (Hopelemlr drunk), and not using sufficient precautions to prevent her obtaining drink. Ihe Coroner, addressing Mr Cumin referred m scathing terms to the inhumanity of a man playing billiards while his wife was dying, and reminded him that it would seem an impossible thing for the Licensing- Committee to continue his license. Notice would also have to be taken of the girl umlev 13 rears be,ine allowed to attend to the bar." He Quite endorsed the verdict of the jury