The New York herald., 1879-09-26
FOUND DEAD IN BED.
SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. MARY PARRISH, THE
FORT LEE TEMPERANCE CRUSADER.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. MARY PARRISH, THE
FORT LEE TEMPERANCE CRUSADER.
The mysterious absence of Mrs. Mary Parrish. of
Fort Lee, from the Of her customary activity,
led to an investigation of her premises yesterday
and the discovery of the fact that she dead.
Justice Fitzgerald who. in the absencs of coroner,
assumes the functions of that officer in cases Of
emergency. visited the place with Constable Mannix
and. with his assistance forced open window
Mrs. Parrsh's house was originally barn.
and is still barn like IN its SIM
pcity, a rough board partition dividing The
large apartment into two comfortless rooms.
Upon entering the irst thing which attracted at
tenton was Mrs. Parrish's little white dog. lying
quietly under dilapidated table. 1t was SO weak
from want of food as to be unable to stand. The
animal was subsequently taken from the room aud
by order of Justice Fitzgerald shot by the officer.
The door leading into the sleeping room next
opened, when horrible sight was presented to tho
vew The room was i'll general disorder and there
stretched upon the bed. with no covering save u
and an old black sack, lay all that left
OF Mary Parrish She lay on her right side. her
right hand under her head, her left thrown outside
the bed and both knees drawn well up. Judging
from her her death must have been
attended with great suffering After satisi yng him
self beyond doubt that she was dead the Coroner
ordered Constable Mannix to impanel jury, to
meet at the hotel of Martin Neiser al two clock
Tne jury met at the time and place appointed, aud
having had the customary oath read to them re-
pared to the OF death. DIR. p. Latour, who
examination in the presence Of the jury. The body
was in terrible state of decomposition. the neck,
the Ovcrseer of the Poor, was summoned and took
formal possession Of the woman's effects, but not
finding sufhcent to detray the expenses OF burial
the Justice took charge of the body
INQUEST.
After viewing tho reInains the jury adjourned to
Neiscrs Hotel for further investigation. The first
witness called DIR. !. p. Latour, who gave his
opinion to the jury ~ follows:-"After careful
examination Of the body l found no marks
of vioeucc. iudpnu he In pf
general decomposition death must have occurred
about five or six days ago; externally the abdom.
Inflammation; such being the case IL is my opinion
that death must have resulted from exhaustion OF
seen the deceased week ago last Tuesdays
Mrs. Parrish then complained OF having
been troubled with cramps the night previous,
and asked permission to send witness child
to the store for mustard which request gfanted
the next morning witness sent her little grl over
with some chicken broth; the child reported that
Mrs. Parrish in bed and suffering; this was
the last witness heard OF her till she informed
of her death. Hugh Brosnanan, u grocer with
whom the deceased in the habit of dealing ties.
thed that she came into his store about six days
ago, and complained OF . pain in her chest and
cramps after purchasing pound OF sugar she
started in the direction of her home Sarah Lyons
testified that she lived near Mrs. Parrish, and saw
who lives the old Parrish place, said that he had
hor the day, and not seeing her had
concluded something was wrong. With others he
looked through the window yesterday and discov.
cred the body in the position described.
After mature deliberation the jury rendered yer.
diet OF death from peritoneal Inflammation or ex.
haustion OF the heart.
1he deceased was about sixty years of age and had
lived at Fort Lee some eight years. She was ma
tive Of Ohio. During tho last Ave years of her resi-
dence at Fort Lee she had won notoriety by her
single handed battle against the hotel and saloon
keepers. Hers well known figure In the
court room ut Hackensack, where she never failed
to put in al appearance the beginning of every
term of court. Notwithstanding the number OF
enemies she had made nothing but sympathy is
pressed Tor her sad end. The remains WILL be in
tered In tho Edgewatcr Cemetery to-day.