The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-01-13 00:00:00

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF TWO

GIRLS AT GLOSSOP.

The mysterious death of two young women at
Glossop on Saturday night has formed the chief topic
of conversation in that town.—We extract the follow-
ing particulars from an account given in the Sheffield
Independent of Tuesday
The Littlemoor Independent Chapel, of which the
Rev. George Sadler is the pastor, stands just off
Victoria-street, at Glossop, and adjoining this place of
worship is the minister's residence. The family is a
large one, consisting of Mr. Sadler, his wife his mother,
and five children, together with two others he has
recently adopted.
In the house on Saturday night, in addition to the
members of the family, were the two servants—
Caroline Smith, aged 20, who ;e father lives at Atter-
cliffe-common ; and Hannah Bailey, aged 17, whose
parents live at Shifnal, in Shropshire. The former
entered Mr. Sadler's service about three years ago,
aed the latter at the beginning of November last year.
One looked after the kitchen and the cooking, and the
other had care of the children. Both girls seemed
thoroughly comfortable and contented, and showed
not the slightest sign of anxiety or trouble; so it may
be imagined how startled were the household on
Sunday morning when it was discovered that the two
servants, who had retired to rest apparently in health,
were lying side by side dead in bed.
The Rev. George Sadler states that both " Carrie "
and the younger servant appeared quite well on
Saturday. Owing to his mother's illness, and the
domestic claims upon his wife, the eldest servant had
pretty general control of the kitchen, and was scarcely
ever interfered with. She was a girl in whom they
placed great confidence, and this she had never abused.
In fact both girls did their work satisfactorily and
agreed with one another. What they had for supper
on Saturday evening he does not know, but there
is no trace of poison in the house; and so far as
has been ascertained at present, they had nothing
except ordinary food. It was always " Carrie's'
duty to wait upon the rev, gentleman' and when he
got home at half-past nine o'clock on Saturday night
she broueht his clipper as usual Shortly before eleven
o'clock both girls came to bid his wife and himself
"good night." They were questioned as to whether
the lights, fires, and doors were all right, and they
said "Yes." Then he said to "Carrie," "I want
to be at Sunday school to-morrow morning at nine.
Let me have breakfast at eight prompt" She re-
plied, "All right, sir; good night ; " and both girls
then went to bed. That was the last he saw of them
alive. They occupied an attic as a sleeping chamber,
and slept together in one bed. The room, he said, had
been meaeured since their decease, and had been found
to contain a sufficient number of cubic feet to render
it a healthy bedroom. Owing to his mother's illness
an adult nurse was in attendance upon her, and the
nurse sat up the whole, or nearly the whole, of the
night. She heard nothing strange—no cry or sound
of any kind; hut at half .east six on Sunday morn-
ing, at his mother's request, she went to the attic
to arouse the servants. Not caring to enter the
chamber, she opened the door a little and called
to the girls but got no reply. She stayed at least
a quarter of an hour calling to them and knocking
at the door; then beceming alarmed at their
silence, she went to Mr. Sadler's mother, and said she
was afraid there was something amiss. The nurse
now proceeded to Mrs. Sadler's bedroom, and the
minister's wife, on hearing that the woman had been
unable to arouse the servants, went at once into the
attic. At first she thought the girls were only in a deep
sleep, but on touching them she was terrified to find
that their bodies were cold. Her husband was asleep
at the time, but, going hurriedly to his chamber, she
awoke him, and was in such a state of excitement 014
he had great difficulty in calming her fears. She said
eeie had tried in vain to awaken the girls, and pre-
veiled upon him to go to their bedroom at once. On
looking at them he thought they had been seized with
fits. Both girls lay with their faces upwards, and the
youngest one, Hannah Bailey, had her right arm
thrown out. There was a little vomit on the pillow
near her mouth, but no contortion of features in either
girl, the facie and body of Hannah Bailey, however,
being slightly discoloured. Not only himself, but his
wife and nurse endeavoured to arouse them, but their
efforts were uravailing. He immediately sent his
nephew for Dr. Mackenzie, and the medical man soon
arrived. As itooll as he entered the chamber he 8 lid,
"They are dead." But Mr. Sadler could not believe
it, and remarked, " You must bring them round ; they
are in a fit," The doctor aeain strove to arouse them,
but without seccess, for they had both entered upon
their last sleep."
Dr. Mackenzie then acquainted the police with the
occurrence, and after conferring with Superintendent
W. H Hodgson, chief constable of the borough force,
the latter summoned Dr. Rhodes, and the three
gentlemen went to Mr. Sadler's house. It was then
ascertained beyond all doubt that both girls were life-
less.
Early in the day Superintendent Hodgson drove to
Buxton to see Dr. Bennett, the coroner, but, failing
to do so, had an interview with Mr. R. G. Meggeson,
the deputy coroner, who ordered a post•mortem exami-
nation. This was made on Monday morning in Mr.
Sadler's drawing-room by Dr. Mackenzie, Dr. Rhodes,
and Mr. John Rhodes, and it was decided to send the
stomachs of the unfortunate girls to Manchester for
analysis. Both girls were of a most cheerful disposi-
tion, and attended not only the chapel but the Sunday
school. Carrie took a prominent part in a dialogue
styled The Twelve Graces," at Christmas, and
appeared as one of the Graces herself, reciting
a hymn which, as it turns out, had a sad
significance, for it contained an allusion to
speedy death. Her parents went from Attercliffe to
Glossop on Monday, and were thoroughly overcome
on seeing their daughter's remains. They state that
she had been in service since she was very young, and
had always borne an excellent character; indeed,
Mr. Sadler said she was much liked in his own family,
and that they considered her a most valuable servant.
The other girl, too, was greatly appreciated, and she
refuse I to take another situation a short time back
"because she was so comfortable."
It has been found that the flue of the chimney which
heats the chapel runs along one corner of the attic in
which the deceased were sleepin.g. Saturday night
was densely fogey, and it is conjectured, with good
show of reason, that the fumes from the coke could not
get away tnrough the heavy state of the atmosphere,
and that they filled the chamber and suffocated the
sleeping girls. _

An inquest was held on the bodies on Tuesday. In
the course of the proceedings it transpired that the
chapel joined the house, and on Tuesday morning,
when layers of paper were stripped from the wall of
the attic in which the girls slept, it was discovered
that a quantity of sulphurous gas from the coke used
for heating the chapel had passed into the bedroom,
and Dr. Rhodes expressed an opinion that the girls
had died from asphyxia. The inquiry was adjourned.