The New York herald., 1873-04-17
ALLEGED INHUMANlTY.


Cause Of the Death OF Mary Thomas
md the Conduct of Mrs. Hurley, Mat
ron of st. Marks Place Lndging House
for Giris-Mrs. Hurley Ccnsurci.
The investigation into the cause OF the death OF
Mary Thomas, who died in Bellevue Hospital some
weeks since from what was alleged to be the inhu-
man treatment Of Mrs. Hurley, Matron Of the st.
Marks Place Lodging House for Girls was held
yesterday before Coroner Kcssler. The girl was
found on the street on the morning OF the 18th oil
March, and was prematurey confined in the sta
tion house, where she stated Mrs. Hurley had driven
her out OF her house.
Sergeant Charles Snyder testified that he was
policeman of the seventeenth precinct; remcm-
bcred having seen q woman named Mary Thomas
under peculiar circumstances; left the precinct
house ut about twelve O'Clock at night ana came
back again and found young woman lying on the
noor IN great agony; her suffering ana distre ~
were very great; Dr. McLay came soon after, and
III about thlfty minutes after the woman de-
livered Of child; she complained bitterly or the
treatment she had received at her own lodging
house. ~ 1t. Marks place, at the dead OF night by
one OF herown sex, Notwithstanding the condition
in which she was.
William Judge was sworn and deposed he was
detective ol the Police department; went to the
institution 10 get the girls things and received
them; the woman in charge said the girl had been
working, ana that she had engaged IN BROOKLYN and
that the girl attempted 60 go on the night OF the
1sth Mrs Hurley said she did not turn the girl
out: she went or her own accord.
Henry Ross testified that he was an oflcer con
nccled with the seventeenth precinct on the night
OF the 18TH OF March; saw Mary Thomas that night
OH the corner OF Sixth street ana Second avenue
she said she wanted TO go to Brooklyn,
but she was too Sick and asked to go to
the station house; sne tainted when she got to
First avenue, bur afterwards recovered sufficiently
to walk when she got TO the station nous she SAID
she had been turned out OF her lodging house be-
cause OF the condition she was in
DR.. A. W. McLay, police surgeon of the Seven
teenlh precinct, said he was called to tne Seven
N
March, she was IN the last pains oi labor, and was
shortly afterwards delivered OF a child; she was
afterwards sent TO Bellevue Hospital; think her
labor pain was accelerated by her removal from
the house In which she had lived.
To Juror-To woman In her condition to be
turned out of her house. the effect would be injuri
Gus; her removal to Bellevue Hospital; after de-
livery would not necessarily be injurious.
MIS-. II. >. Hurley sworn, ana deposed that her
residence was q 81. Marks place; am matron OF
the Women's Lodging House; Mary Thomas came
to the house on the LIST day OF March; she seemed
To be ia good health: was told Of her condition
first by lady in the house, about ten days after
she came; when heard of her condition told her
| could not keep q woman in her situation in
the house; she asked what meant, ana indg.
nantly denied that she was In the condition
married woman, and IL is all right; can get you
into place where you can get sick" asked her
it. and then told her would try and get her into
place in BrooKlyn she working in
a bookbindery and asked leave to stay until
saturday night, as she could not get
her wages sooner; went over TO
Brooklyn and made arrangements for her; she
went to Brooklyn the next day and returned In
the afternoon, telling me she was going again
the next day; was aroused from my sleep that
night by rap at my door; asked who was there.
and she said MARY Thomas" that she was going
to be sick and she was going TO Brooklyn; she said
nothing about her condition, only that she was
not know that she was In the pains oil labor;
| said to her. 'Do you think you can 20 overyi she
said "Yes;n she lelt voluntarily and was not forced
to leave; she went, and when got up to my WIN
dow she was out ofsigJt; ! went over next morn
ing to Brooklyn and iound she had not reached
there; did not know she was in Bellevue Hos
pital until read of her death in the papers; sup
pssed she was in Charity Hospitals IL was about a
quarter to one In th" morning when she left the
lodging house to go TO Brooklyn.
Mrs. 4. V. Monatt deposed that she was First
Mary Thomas on the i7th OF March, she made ap.
plicati0n Tor admission; told me she was married
a card OF admission and she said she wsuld 90 back
TO New YORK and get her clothes and return next
day; she told me she had child before: she spoke
very kindly OF Mrs. Hurley.
+. r. Weston deposed that he saw the deceased;
had conversation with her several times: on the
street station house; II was my duty as reporter
TO visit the station houses; heard o the case,
Hospital she told me she had been turned out OF
the Ysung Girls Lodging House in 81. Marks
place; she told me that on the night o. the
18th sne was taken with the pains OF labor,
and came down to the matrOn's room and
told her. the matron said she could not
stay in the house in that condition: IL was against
the rules; that she would not be taken sick for an
hour, and that she had time to 20 TO Brooklyn
Mrs. Hurley said she must go and Mrs. Thomas
said she had too nuch pride to remain alter being
told to 20; asked her Ii she had any friends, and
she only s0bbed she seemed TO be getting on
very well when saw her.
Charles 4. Whitehead dep0sed that he was one
OF the Directors OF the Childrenis Aid Society. one
OF the branches OIL which ~ the Girls Lodging
House, in ST. Marks place; know nothing Of the
circumstances Of Mrs. Thomas death the rules y
the lodging house provide that no girl over eight
should be admlttcd this is TO prevent any acci-
dents such as the one new investigating, irop Oc-
curing: there are no arrangements lor
women in confinement, but on no sccount
would we have wished her turyed OUT
In the condition she was In on the l7tPoi March,
but think tine matron did not kyow OF che
and did not turn her out; II some was very
culpable. .,,,,, 49,,
Charles +. Brace, Secretary OF the Chidren's Aid
Society, cerroborated the Testimony Vi the pre-
vious witness. - ,,
that the woman wnen she cage to Bellevue Hospi-
tai was very weak 49,.
Dr. Farringtcn de eposes that the post-morem
examination showed thst death was caused ny
exhaustion. r, , -,
been removed from her lodging house must have
had An INJURIOUS effyci uDOn ner; me eNertlon at-
tendant upon her 6alking 10 the station doubtless
weakened her apl in some measure probably su'
perinduced the disease ol which she Died.
The ury were out about half an hour and re-
turn cd with lle following verdict
We fnd tsat Mary Thomas came 10 her death by
puernerali ever. and while eNonerating the officers
81 the Children's Aid society from all blame, nnd
that MIS-. h. L. Hurley. matron OF the Girls Lodg.
Judgment in allowing Mary Thomas to leave the
honse in the middle OF the night III the condition
ste was in.
N TnLsraY