The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-18
TIE PITIABLE TALE
orr AIOTHER's HEARrLEss CRUELTY
Brutal Treatment of Poor Child-The Lit
tie One Choked to Death-The Murder
ess IA Lady ofa Noble House.

BELFAST. Feb. IA dispatch from Gels
raine, in County Londonderry, forty-seyen
miles rom here says that Mrs. Montague,
daughter Of Lord Robert Montague. was COM
mitted tor trial this morning on the charge Of
causing the death of her daughter Nary
Helen Montague, child only three years Of
age.
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 important family IN
yolved. but the crime is Of such shocking
nature that the servants. nelghDors an
others insisted that justice should be done,
and there seems u be a prospect that nay
of the III lnta.ue iamly may meet deatn "l
the hangmans hands.
HEAErLEss MOTHER.
From the accounts of the affair that have
reached here it seems that the poor child had
been badly used by its goyerness. IN ADDITION
70 being the object of the hatred OF its mo'her.
In fact the harsh action of the gOyerness seems
70 have led up ~ the tragedy The latter, u
seems. for some childish escapaQe upon tne
part of her charge, locked the little girl up Ia
a dark room as a punishment and then IN
formed the mother. Mrs. Montague, OF the
child Ofiense and Of the punishment she hau
to have become 50 enraged at the little
daughters conduct that she resolved 70 pun
ish her still more severely. and, gong u tue
dark room in which the child had been con-
bned by the gOyerness, Mrs. Montague tieu
her baby daughters hands behind her back
with some stout string. which cut deeply INTO
the childs lender limbs. and then, not salts
fed with this severe treatment, she connected
the end of this string about the chlus arms
o. ring in the wall, half stunging her up
and half fastening her 10 the wall 10 order.
apparently. TO prevent her from moving
about the while she was under punishment
pmIFUL sons.
The child cried piteously to be released,
promising amid hearlrending sobs never 20
offend again but the mothers heart was
steeled against her babys prayers for mercy,
and she went away and locked the door be-
hind her leaving poor little Mary alone IN the
dark room and strung TO the wall IN position
which must have caused her infinite pain.
After the mother LETT the child 10 the posi-
tiOn mentioned the poor chllds cries grew
fainter and then ceased entirely. Those VINO
noticed that the child had ceased crying came
to the conclusion that she had become recon
ciled 20 her Imprisonment in the dark room
and that she had concluded that the less
noise she made the sooner she would Oe placed
at liberty.
in any case three hours passed before any
body thought of going 10 the dark room IN
which the little girl was confined in order to
see If she wanted anything.
HEARTRENDING SIGHT.
At the expiration of that time the door OF
tine dark TO m was visited. and when several
knocks at the door failed 10 obtain areply rom
the child the door was opened and little Mary
was seen huddled up under the ring Ia me
wall. her pretty curls covering her iace'
which was hanging downward. the body be-
ing upheld by the cruel string fastened around
her arms end secured TO the ring referred to.
When the bright cUrls were brushed away
from the childs forehead IL was seen that her
face was horribly discolOred and distorted.
and "A urther examination showed that poor
little Mary was dead, having been checked 20
death
The house was soon alarmed, and medical
attendance was sent for but all efforts %
bring the child back % life proved truitiess.
The mother and gOyerness were III despair
but the physician. servants and nelghoors
who heardof the affair were furiously indig-
nant at the cruel mother and insisted that
Justice should be done.
THE FIESD ARRESTED.
The result was that the police we're in
formed of the tragic death of little Mary. and
soon after a warrant for the arrest or Mrs.
Montague was issued. When taken into
cnstodv Mrs. Montague s0bbed bitterly and
again and again asserted that she had no IN
tentiOn of taking the child me- tnaJ hhe was
utterly heart broken at what had occurred
and that her sole object in fastening the child
10 the wall was 10 prevent her from kicking
M the door of the room IN which she had
been confined and 50 disturbing everybody IN
the house. 90,
Mrs. Montague's explanations. however. did
not satisfy the police. nor did they satisfy the
police magistrate before whom her preliminary
examination was conducted to-day, for as
already stated in spite of the efforts OF her
influential friends and relations and in spite
of the pleas of able counsel. she was formally
committed for trial. and IS likely 70 have an
unpeasant time Of it when brought face to
fsce with hard-headed box OF Jury
men. who will not allow sentiment 70 de-
fer them from ayenging the death Of poor
little Mary Montague. 10 Is not generally be-
lieved that Mrs. Montague had any intention
Of taking her child's lite, but the opinion pre-
walls that the.child was accidentally choked 70
death through being strung up 70 the wall IN
the manner already described by the crue.
mother.
Ii is said that other instances Of cruelty
upon the part of Mrs. Montague 70 her child
will be disclosed at the trial which promises
10 be one of the most interesting and exciting
which have occurred for many years