The morning news., 1892-02-20
WAS CHOKED TO DEATH.
. CaILD DIES IN TERRIBLE AGONY
IN a DARK ROOM.

IN A DARK ROOM.
Tied Up by Its Mother-The Daughter
of sn Irish Lord Accused OF Brutal
crime and Despite All Efforts to
Keep It Quiet IS Held for Trial.
From the Philadelphia Times
BvLFAsT, Feb. IA dispatch from Cole
rsip in County Londonderry, forty-seven
miles from here. saye that Mrs. Anna Mar
geret Montagu, daughter OF Lord Robert
yontaCu, was committed for trial this
morning on the charge of causing the death
n her daughter. Mary Helen Montagu, a
child only years of age.
Only the bare details Of the affair are
known at present, as the greatest efforts
have been made to keep the matter secret
and to shield, as far as possible. the i'm
nortant family involved, but the crime is
of such shocking nature that the servants,
reighbors and others insisted that Justice
should be done.
From the accounts of the affair that have
cached here, it seems that the poor child
has been badly used by its governess, in ad-
ditiou TO being the object Of the hatred of
its mother In fact. the harsh treatment
Of pOV6GQ6bS btoLuSu lO nave leQ TO
rho tragedy. The latter, il seems, for
some childish escapade upon the part of her
charge. locked the little girl up in dark
room as a punishment, and then informed
tbe mother, Mrs. Montagu, OF the child's
offense and of the punishment she had meted
out to her for it.
TIED UP IN DARK ROOM.
The mother appears to have become 80
snraped at her little daughters conduct that
she resolved to punish her still more se-
verely. and going to the dark room in which
tbe child had been confined by the govern
ess. Mrs Montagu tied her baby daughters
arms behind her back with some stout
string. which cut deeply into the child's ten
der limbs, and then, not satisfied with this
severe treatment, she connected the end of
this string about the child's arms to a ring
in the WALL half stringing her up and half
fastening her to the wall, in order, appar-
emily. 10 prevent her from moving about
while she was under punishment
The child cried piteously to be released,
promising amid heartrending sobs never to
offend again, but the mothers heart was
s,eeed against her baby's prayers for
mercy and she went away and locked the
door behind her, leaving poor little Mary
alone in the dark room, and strung to the
wall in position that must have caused
her infinite pain.
After the mother left the child in the posi-
tlon mentioned, the poor chllds cries grew
fainter and then ceased entirely. Those
who noticed that the child mad ceased cry
ing came to the conclusion that she had be-
come reconciled to her imprisonment in the
dark room, and that she had concluded
that the less noise she made the sooner she
would be placed at liberty. In any case
three hours passed before anybody thought
Of going to the dark room in which the little
girl was confined, in order to see if she
wanted anything, or if she was safe.
CHoKED TO DEATH.
At the expiration of that time the door
of the dark room was visited, and when
several knocks at the door failed to obtain
reply from the child, the door was opened
and little Mary was seen huddled up under
the ring in the wall, her pretty curls cover
ing her face, which was hanging down
ward, the body being upheld by the cruel
string fastened around her arm and secured
to the ring referred to. When the bright
curls were brushed away from the child's
forehead it was seen that her face was hor-
ribly discolored and distorted, and a further
examination showed that poor little Mary
was dead. having been choked to death.
The house was soon alarmed and medical
attendance was sent for, but all efforts to
bring the child bsclx to life proved fruitless.
snair. but the physician. servants and
neighbors who heard of the affair were
furlOusly indignant against the cruel mother
and insisted that justice should be done.
The result was that the police were in-
formed of the tragic death of little Mary.
and soon after warrant fer the arrest of
Mrs Montagu was issued. When taken into
custody Mrs. Montagu sobbed bitterly and
sgGin and again asserted that she had no in
tpptIOO Of taking the ChildiS life. that oh
was utterly broken hearted at what had oc-
Cured and that her sole object in fastening
the child to the wall was to prevent her
from kicking at the door of the room i'll
which she had been confined and 80 disturb
ing everybody in the house.
THE MOTHER HELD FOR TRIAL.
Mrs. Montagu's explanations. however,
did not satisfy the police, nor did they sat-
lsfy the police magistrate before whom her
preliminary examination was conducted to-
Gay, for, as already stated, in spite of the
Efforts of her influential friends and rela-
tons, ard in spite of the pleas OF able coun-
sci, she was formally committed for trial
aud Is likely to have an unpleasant time of
1t when brought face to face with q hard
headed box of jnrymen who will not allow
sentiment to deter them from avenging the
Death OF poor little Mary MontaRu.
IL Is not generally believed that Mrs.
Montagu had any intention of taking her
cchlld's life, but the opinion prevails that
the child was accidentally choked TO death
through being strung up to the wall, in the
manner already described by the cruel
mother. 1t is said that other serious in
S.ances OF cruelty upon the part of Mrs.
1ontagu to her child will he disclosed at
tne trial, which promises to be one of the
most interesting and exciting which have
occurreI up in this part of the country for