A VICTIM OF INTEMPERANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 102, 26 March 1884, Page 2

A VICTIM OF INTEMPERANCE.

. ; Painful Reyelatiops. At thb inquest on the remains of Maria O'Connor, who died at the Wellington hospital, very shocking and painful evidence vras elicited. One witness deposed to the, drunken habits of deceased. * Had got some whiskey for her as she alleged she was suffering frorm cramps m the stomach. During the day deceased wenkto the closet, and while there" she fell down. The door beiag open, witness saw the occurrence .and went to help her. ~Hev .husband then came up and said, "Drag the briyte out." (Witness afterward /varied the .expression to " Drag* her fiut '.like a dog," but on beiug cautioned by the Coroner adhered to the former version.) Witness believed" drink' and weakness werethe cause of the fall; ■■"•which" topk! place; about an 1 hour ov • s<> aftefe she; gave deceased the whisky. The whisky, bottle was *rff terward'fottnd jJrupty m the closet. For the rest of the afternoon deceased lay on- the sofa. Next: morning witness bathed 'and dressed 1 deceased find took her to^the hospital.; She was m a deplorable state from dirt, 1 and was cold all dyer. Before leaving: for the hospital witness gave' her a^fewj drops of spirit and-a dessert spoonful of j chicken broth. Deceased's "husband \ and a male ; friend of his accompanied , her to the bospital,"which wa^ reached at 11 a.m , and deceased was cftm-ied .m on V stretcher. Shff comp^ain^d^of; pains m the" back", aud while'dressing j herl <witne"ss observed bruises' on her j thigh anl^. knees,! which shovsaid had! been caused by her husband kicking, her.- By, the jury— She did . np,t..jse; O'Connor use any violence to deceased, i but was afrai'l that he intended to do : so when deceased fell m the pbxe^ «nd she begged of him np.t to hurt her. The ; doctor deposed^ to ; the diseased .aqd ' feqble condition of the unfortuuato j woin.an. Tiie bruises were,, pcobjibly | caused by .falls. The .cause, .of,, jjpail.h j wa,s exhaustion a^d,^syncope,,. TJie j bpdy ; yr&s n,o|j etnacjuil,ed. i; . Sy,ncone a W;^g | tlie result of fatty degeneration,, ofj the j heart. Another witness deposed that • deceased; was fqndjof.dripk aud .^yould ■ get it i,n any way; she ;pi)ssibly ; ,,,coul4.. She seemed to live on. ,it, as , J1 sh ( e J ,;had ■ nothing to eat to keep her alive. On i Wednesday a fow,l was cooked for her, j but she only took a couple of spoonfuls • pf/thjß; broth. She could have Jiatf. anything to eat she wanted, but would not touch, anything, . . She drank . nothing , but whisky- She helieyed deceased, took ' drink. on . the sly..- i; Her husband : was trying to ; break her off -the habit by degrees. On Monday morning .deceased j got ; up early, at^d ou ; being missed by \ her husband, who went to look for her, • she was found coming from an hotel, '■ .scarcely able co walk^ Mr O'Connor; tpqk.qyery care pf his wife.. -.Deceased \ was m a dirty condition on Friday, Uu^ | that was through, weakness,, .nqtf on a'c- 1 count of 'any neglecof" those around i her. , ; , ; _ , Without retiring! the. jfiryj^'fjou.nd^ a ; verdict of Death frqm JNaturaJ, Causey \