The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-06 00:00:00

A SINGULAR CASE.

An inquest was held, on Tuesday. at Stratford,
before Mr. Lewis, coroner for South Essex, touching
the death of Sarah Hope, who resided in a house
known for many years as the "Mysterious Closed
House," of Maryland Point. The house for many
years has been a mystery to the neighbourhood.
The shutters have not been taken down for twenty-
one years, but were conspieuoua for their grimy
blackness. They were shop shutters, and the last
time they were known to come down was when they
were blown down at the Erith explosion. The strange
part of the mystery has been, that the neighbours have
known for years a woman almost a skeleton was in the
house, and almost in a state of nudity. as sometimes
she would open the door a little way and ask children
passing by to fetch her hi any little thing she wanted.
When found dying last week she had nothing but
several old rags wrapped round the middle of her body;
her hair was long and matted, awl her toe and finger
nails measured two and three-quarter inches long.
The Coroner and jury viewed the body last Thurs-
flay ; the proceedings were then formally opened, but
the coroner and jury concurring that it was the most
horrible tight they had ever seen, the inquiry was ad-
journed till Tuesday.
John Hope said the deceased was his sister, was a
sinsle woman, and lived in the same house with him,
at 19, Maryland Point. The house was his own pro-
perty, and he was employed at the Great Eastern
tilway Works. She had no income of her own,
anti he kept her. Ile left home on Monday, .
Mareh eft, at a quarter past one, as usual, to go to
his work. She was then sitting in a chair. 'Before
he left he asked her if she was going to have any
dinner, and she replied, "Presently." He had his
dinner, cold boiled pork and parsnips, and then went
back to his work. On returning at a quarter-past
eight at night he found her lying on the floor groaning,
in the room that he left her in, next to the shop. She
was then not sensible' and he sent for Dr. Hamilton,
whose assistant soon after came to see her. She died
about half an hour after the doctor came to see her.
She was a hearty eater, also had the same as he had, and
was perfectly sane.
By the Coroner : He did not know that she was
only a mere hag of hones. She washed herself about
five weeks ago. It was her own fault that she had
nothing on her body hut two or three old rags. She
had plenty if clothes if she had chosen to wear them.
He could not account for the bruises on her leg, The
last time he saw her eat anything was on Sunday
night. He was sure she was perfectly sane. She
would not do anything unless just sweep the house.
He used to scrub it himself four times a year—
Christmas, Easter, Whitsuntide, and Michaelmas.
James Hope, another brother of the deceased, who
resided at Leytonst.tine, said he had often tried to get
his liter to better her condition, but she would not.
He was satisfied she had plenty to eat and drink, and
Om had plenty ttf clothes by her if she had chosen to
put them on. He did not have any doctor to her, be-
Caine he would rather have the devil in his house than
45)tor.

Mr. Pooley said he was assistant to Dr. Hamilton,
awl was called in on Nlonday night, the 26th ult. She
was lying groaning on the floor, with a few dirty rags
tied round her. He fetched an aperient, but she died
immediately she was carried upstairs. She was in a
tilthy condition; all her skin was embedded in dirt;
her body was in a most emaciated state, with the
bones almost protruding. Her bedroom was in a
dreadful cauldron. There was a Indatee4 in it, upen

which was a feather-bed and one blanket, but no sheets
or counterpane. The house altogether had a most
.Ih-etched and frightful appearanse.
Dr. Hamilton said he had e4iscb Maan a post-mortem
examinaticu. All L'aa organs of the deceased were
hea,thy. There was a bruise on her thigh, and there
had been a bruise on the head. There was not a par-
ticle of food in the stomach, the whole of the omentum
was absorbed, and she could not have had anythingto
eat for twenty four horn-s. She died cf sh'.-er exhaus-
tion and actual stareation. 1.1 sue had had proper Loud
and iuturishtieU, she must have had some fat idler
beely, out she had not the slightest particle. He never
sana worse case.

Mrs. Harvey, wife of a greengrocer, and neighbour,
said she had known the deceased for ten years, and the
state she was in. She nousidered the vine perfectly
sane, but soe neeer said anything to any one, because
she hal tnotigti to do to mind her own business, and
thought other people ought to mind theirs.
Mrs. Hart, also a neighbour, said she had known
her for a long time, and when she had seen her on dif-
ferent occasions had asked her why she remained in
that state, but she always replied, You mind your
own bind ness !''

lie Coroner said it was most extraordinary that a
woman should be allowed to remain for so many years
in that state in a front house in such a populous
thoroughfare. It could scarcely be credited that a
woman would, if she were sane, voluntarily starve
herself and live in that condition. If she were insane
the brothers had no right to have kept her. If not,
the question was whether or not the food and clothing
were kept from her.
The brothers were recalled, and subjected to a cross-
examination by the coroner and the jury; but the only
explanation offered was that she appeared to get low-
spirited after her mother's death, which took place in
Augu,t, 1851. The deceased was 61 years old.
The jury ultimately returned a verdict that the de-
ceasedslied frotu starvation, according to the medical
testimmy, and that she was of sound mind ; that the
said starvation was occasioned by a deficiency of
nourishment; but that it was her own fault that she
did not seek it.