£2000 DAMAGES FOR SERVANT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17739, 28 March 1932, Page 9

£2OOO DAMAGES FOR SERVANT

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE REGRET EXPRESSED BY MISTRESS LONDON, Fob. 4. A set ticmciit 1 ; i the adieu brought- by Miss Sarah L, Turner, a domestic servant, against her former mistress, Miss Emma Torr Smith, of Oak Lawn, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, was announced in the King's Bench Division. The Daily Telegraph understands that the “very substantial sum in damages” which Miss Sarah Turner is to receive, amounts to £2OOO with costs. This sum is stated lo include the amount due to her as wages. The agreed sum for costs is believed to be £SOO. Counsel for the defence stated that his client wished publicly to express her regret for the unwise treatment of the plaintiff, so ill-considered at 'the time.

Immediately after the settlement of the case was announced, Miss Turner left the court and returned to the house, also at Beulah Hill, where she is at present employed as a housemaid Miss Turner claimed damages for false imprisonment!. It was alleged that during the period of 13 years she was in Miss Smith’s employ she was at night linked in a lumber room without, light or fire. The threat was made, she asserted, that it she ran away she, would be sent to an asylum. Miss Turner alleged that she was falsely imprisoned )>v Miss Smith from July 17. 1916, wlnm she attained her twcuty-first birthday, until November 1, 1929. ”

Miss Smith, who was of independent means, resided at Upper .Forward anil Villa road, SI. Leonarils-on-Sea. “Oak Lawn,” continued counsel, “is a, large double-fronted bouse of four storeys standing in its own grounds of about one acre. Miss Smith, it is said, was interested in religious works, certain missions and Sunday schools.

“The young woman,” said her counsel. “was confined first to an attic at the front of the house at Upper Norwood, and afterwards in a lumber-room.

“In the lumber-room were paraffin oil stoves, dressmakers’ dummies, three lolls of carpel, old china and a water-can, and her mistress, this good, kind Christian woman, gave the girl a broken iron bedstead. On the bedstead was a plank and a palliasse filled with rags, and on that Miss Turner bad to sleep as best she could for a dozen years or more. “She was in solitary confinement, with (he door bifiied upon her. The window was screwed lip, and across it were lacked several thicknesses of muslin to lire vent Miss Turner looking out.

“Once a day she was permitted to go out, hut never without an attendant. Always at night the duor of the room was kept locked.

•'ln (lie depth df winter she was never allowed to have a lire or a lie-lit. _ In Ihe cold and darkness she sat knitting, k ll i(titin, kifitt.ing. The only chance she had ol getting any liy’ht in the room was when a maid in an adjoining house, going (n lied, iurgut to draw tile blind, and a jjli'iim of light came into the lumber-room.

‘'She had to wear old east-off clothes and men's army hoots, and as she walked about she must have looked a veritable scarecrow. She was not allowed to speak to anyone, and was kept without money and adeipiate or proper food. She had no medical attention, and was made to write and sin'll letters purportin'.; to condemn herseit.” Lord Ilewart asked if any lawful order was made lor “the detention of Miss Turner. ’’ Mr. I'lddy : She was not at any time certified, and 1 am going to rail the greatest specialist in the world to say she is not and has never hern mental. Mr. kiddy then referred to what he described as “punishment” which .Miss Turner received. Miss Crowtiior, he said, would make her stand against the wall while she struck her in the face, and by way of variation Miss Crowthrr would throw water over her. The girl had to lie down on the floor with her nose and mouth dost 1 to a gap to get enough fresh air to breathe. If Miss Turner had been paid £1 a week as wages she would have earned since 1916 about £7OO. She had a Post Oflice Savings Hank account, but the amount Miss Smith paid into that account during those years was £1 19s,