Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

16 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

THE PEMBROKE SCANDAL.

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Dyfynnu
Rhannu

THE PEMBROKE SCANDAL. Inquiry Concluded. The Porter and the Pauper THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOUSE. Mr. H. R. Wdli.ims. inspector, proceeded with the adjourned Local Government Board In- auiry into the charges against the Master of the Pembroke \\crkhouse, and the administration f!' the I generally, on Friday. M". R. D. Cilbert30:i again, appeared for the Ma-ster 'Mr. C. Flutter), :ind Mr. Walter Jarne.. for Xurse V.'ngg. There was again a large at- tendance of members of the Board of Guard- Ü1TIS. TME MATRON'S EVIDENCE. The nrst v/'tne's called was the matron, Mrs. Marv Elizabeth Flutter, \vho said that she had held the pu:tion for 29 years. It was her prac- tice to visit the wards of the Infirmary daily, except v. hhii she was ill. She used to see that everything \va;; right and enquire if anythinj was required. Durn5 Llrse Wragg's tenure of office she asked her every morning if she wanted and she invariably replied that everything was satisfactory. With regard to the Eru' incident she knew little of her o\vn knowledge. She hid warned the urse several times not to have him on the womens' side. and said ;f it cccurred again she should have to report it. Mr. What made you do that? Did you know he had been on the womans' side?—I had seen him, and I had heard that he had been on the womens' side. Were' you aware he was constantly in the Nurses' room ?—I heard it through an inmate, but did not attach much importance to it. I had no personal knowledge. Proceeding, the witness said that in the first week in October a report was made to her by Mary PhUlips. She made tne report while standing in the corridcr. She said, "You ought tI to have come half an hour earher, and you would have seen Bruce taking lunch with the nurses in their room." This was on October 2nd. She 'also said t. -iit Bruce had been in the nurses' room on the previous evening until af- ter 12 o'clock, and she thought she ought to repcrt. On October 3rd Mary Phillips made an- other report lo The effect that Bruce had again been in the nurses' room the previous evening. She said sha could hear them talking and laughing, and THE LIGHT WAS OUT. Continuing, witness said that the Master usu- ally carved in the Infirmary until Sept. 10th, when the Nurs< said that she should like to carve the meat. Previous to that she had corn. plained about the cutting up of the bread. The Nurse said that she had been before the Board and was going to cut the bread up in future, ? and would like to carve the meat as well. Witness said she would speak to the Master about it. but she felt certain he would have no objection, as it often interfered with his other duties. After that she spoke to the Master who quite agreed and said he was very pleased. At that time Nurse Wragg made no complaint against the Master, except stating that the Master opened the door when she was dressing n. patient in the ward.. Witness said that if the Master opened the door she was sure he would apologise. Witness denied that on the day Nurse Wragg left she called Miss Adams away. The Rev. B. C. Evans called Nurse Adams down, took her to witness' apartments and asked her to look after her until Nurse Wiagg had gone. This witness did. The Rev. B. C. Evans did not give any reason for his request. The Guardians had expressed a wish to the effect that the new nurse should beept away from Nurse Wragg. Mr. James said that no complaint was made against the Matron on this score. Mr. Gilbertson said that Nurse Wragg had complained that Nurse. Adams was taken away from her. and she was not abl& to give her in- formation as to the patients. Further questioned, witness said that last year the Board, in consideration of her long service RAISED HER SALARY. bv £10, and the Master's by £20 last year. Mr. James: Did you ever, when visiting the Infirmary, complain that things were not right? —Yes, repeatedly. Can you tell me whsn?—! can't say exactly. I spoke to her repeatedly about going out I without leave. Proceeding, she said that she told the Nurse that an old woman named Elizabeth Davies, who could not feed herself, had not had her bed touched from Monday until Wednesday dinner-time. The Nurse said that she left the matter to the ward-woman, Kate McCarthy. She also complained that tv.-o ol the inmates, Jane Davies and Mirs?ret FIetcher, had bed- sores, and she got the Master to write, reporting the matter to the doctor. Jane Davies also had an abscess which had not been properly dressed. On October 4th the doctor came, but w.as unwell, but the doctor afterwards came to her. She was sure that Jane Davies had a bedsoto as well as an abscess. She could not say whether the doctor had examined her or not, and did not know that the doctor had said there was no bed-sore. Fletcher's case wa.s also reported to the doctor, and she supposed he saw her. At first the Nurse used to say everything was satisfactory, but after the date en which the Master made a report to the Board the Nurse v?ould not accompany witness round the ward. or reply when spoken to. When com- plained of as to the condition of some cf the ;'ien, the Narse replied tnat she was NOT A NURSE FOR THE MEN, r.niy the females. She could state the first date on which she complained of bed-sores. Witness did not inspect the Infirmary more fre- ouently after she discovered the bed-sores. Wit- ness did not give evidence on these matters on October 12th or October 29th. She had re- verted the matters to the Master and also to certain members of the House Committee. She could rot let the peer men die in there like that. Mr. James: I am suggesting that you did, Mrs. Flutter, and did not complain, In reply to the Inspector she said that she J did no: visit the Infirmary more frequently, but examined patients more closely when she. was there. Cross-examined by Mr. James, she said that there v;ere two bed-sores when Nurse Wragg left, and Nurse Adams found another the second day she was there. Nurse Adams was for a time looking after 40 patients. The bed- sore she discovered was an old bed-sore. The patient. Elizabeth Davies, had complained to Nurse Wragg; so she said. Mr. James said that he believed it was an absolute impossibility to prevent bedsores in some cases, but witness said they never had then), in the Infirmary before Nurse Wragg's time. Margaret Fletcher's back would never have g< t into the condit-on it was if it had been }roperiy attended t.). Witness did not consider this wc.i.n got proper attention even after the matter had been reposed to the do.'tor. P-'ccec.j'n.s:. witness said she had had corn-! p¡:1nt: h-om the nursery that the babies were woke up by the noise in the Nurse's room. Nurse, Lt'wis made the complaint about Bruce h. ing in the Nurse's room prior to October 2nd. V/iin-ST. mentioned the matter to the NnMe. A woman named Elizabeth Smith told v'itness .t:U':l man had been in the nurse's room and she supposed it was Bruce. When witness snoke to the Nurse, she replied, "The </d nursery attendant is as bad as the women." Witness had not told the Nurse that it was tlio nn.t.'ry attendant who had made the com- pluin. She could not say whether Bruce used to \YJr:Z Ln the nerse's room before Nurae Wragg c had not seen him, but could not m- She visited just as frequently. Mr. f.:Tl'S asked v.'hat witness said when. she WARNED THE NURSE I E":ce. and she replied that she told the Nni-e the man was not of gf.'od character. The I\ .?-e said that he was a splendid man,j so:,n s.fl r shf came. Witness said that as a h'- might be good, but his character I w.i3 pr", Th.s conversation occurred before wit- ness hd occasion to warn the Nurse, and she I the Nurse not to have the man on the female side before she was aware that Bruce frequented the nurse's room. The Nurse had .] three 111' i. ur women who could have looked after her fires. She had ne> knowledge that ¡ Bruce hii done the work before Nurse Wragg came. Mr. lime? asked if the matron had any child resoling in the house, and she replied I that she had not. She had one son in Pem- broke, who was ill lodgings in the town. He slept in the Master's quarters an occasional Satur- day-night. Mr. Gilbertson said that it was very hard if a son not do that. The Inspector: Mr. James has put the ques- tion. We can put our own value of it. Mr. James: I put it to you he sleeps there most of the time?—He doesn't. Further questioned, she had no knowledge of a Mrs. Sutton coming to the house on Satur- day nights and staying until a late hour. Wit- ness drew an allowance for meat money, and Mr. Flutter drew his rations. Witness had, not eaten meat for 28 years. Mr. James: The Workhouse meat was not good enough after one year? Mr. Gilt 2rtsca: I think that was very un- called for. Witness said that she did noT: eaL meat by orders of her medical man. THE TELEPHONE INCIDENT. Re-examined by Mr./Gilbertsrm, she said there was no necessity t01 a male assistant in the nurse's room at all. She'remembered the nurse ringing her up on the telephone on October 17th about 10 p.m. She asked witness to let the Master know that Tom Gwyther was dis- turbing the wards. Witness replied that the Master had just gone out, and she would com- municate with him when he came up if the man continued to disturb the ward. She asked the nurse to telephone again if the man con- tinued. She denied that she repHed that the Master and porter were both at the lodge when the man was admitted. The Master had been with her just before the telephone message was received, and he came back t)o his apartments between ten and eleven. Witness told him she had received the nurse's message, but also said that as the nurse had not telephoned again, he had better not go up, as it would disturb the ward. It was quite untrue that any conversation about the matter took place on the following day, and the nurse said that they might all have been killed. The Master had not been into the town on the evening the nurse telephoned to witness's knowledge. Florence Richards, formerly Nurse Skone, assistant nurse at the Infirmary, said that she left the Infirmary on the same day as Nurse Wragg. She had been engaged at the Infirmary seven weeks before Nurse Wragg came. She and Nurse Wragg shared the same sitting-room. She knew Bruce. who used to do work in the nurse's room. He used to do the work when Nurse Parrish was there. The man would be there until from 9 to 9.15 in the evening; le used to brush the grate and look after the fire. The latest time he had even been in th nurse's room was 9.30 p.m. The :u m n-.d never been in the room except doing work. She had never on any occasion seen Bruce wi:a his arm round Nurse Wragg's neck or BEHAVING FAMILIARLY. with her in any way whatever. She had been in the habit of going to bed about eleven o'clock or later. Bruce had never been in the room as late as that. She absolutely denied that he had ever been there after half-past nine. Witness and Nurse Wragg each took charge of a ward. She knew Elizabeth Davies, who was in Nurse Wragg's ward, but witness had assisted lifting her in and out of bed. Wit- ness did not see any bed-sores, though Nurse Wragg powdered her in witness's presence. Mr. Gilbert son: What were you before you came to the Workhouse ?-Kitchen maid in Tenby with Capt. Brooks. You have been married twice ?—Yes. Where did you come from when you came here?—Mr. Roch, the outfitter. She said that she left owing to her father and mother giving notice. You left without notice?—I asked if I could go. Have you had an hospital training of any kind before you came here?—No. Further cross-examined, she said that she had no qualifications or experience as a nurse. She would not know the difference between a bed-sore and another wound on a patient. Mr. Gilbertson: On the strength of your want of knowledge you tell us that when you left the patients were in a good condition?—Yes. Further cross-examined, she said that she did not examine Elizabeth Davies. When Nurse Wragg powdered her this woman com- plained that she was sore. She used boraeic. powder and lead. Witness did not see any sore on the woman's back. She knew that the nurse's room could be seen into from the nursery. She could give no reason why there should be any feeling against Nurse Wragg by Nurse Lewis or Elizabeth O'Connell. She could suggest no reason why these women should come before the inquiry and DELIBERATELY COMMIT PERJURY. She had never had any complaint to make against the Master, whom she had always found to be very courteous and respectful. She used to go out ox Tuesday or Wednesday nights, and she'and Nurse Wragg went out on Sunday morning or afternoon alternately. She knew nothing of what occurred in the nurse's room when she was away. She had never upon returning found Bruce in the room. Daisy Beck used to attend on them, and used to lay the table for them. Slie had never seen Daisy Beck put cups for three, and if she said she had she was not saying what was right. Re-examined by Mr. James, she said that she and the nurse used to buy their meat in the town. She h?d never eaten meat cut from the Workhouse meat. The nur?e would cut some off for Daisy Beck. BRUCE'g VERSION. Robert Bruce was called, and before giving his evidence was cautioned by the Inspector and also by Mr. James. He said that he w.is now working in the Dockyard. 'He was in the Infirmary as a patient from January 22nd to October 5th, leaving the Workhouse on Octo- ber ICth. He was suffering from a sore leg. He act(i(I ;s \8.rcl3mJ.n In the Infirmary, and superintended the cleaning of the wards. He also used to clean the corridors on both sides, and once a week he cleaned both female wards. He commenced cleaning the female ?vard be. fo?c Nurse Wragg came He also use<l to clean the nurses' sitting room twice or three times a week. The latest time he had ever been in the room was from 9 to 9.30, and then he would be there making up the hre. He used to make up the fire three or four times a day. He never went into the room except to do work or if the nuise called him to answer questions. He was sure he had never been in the nurse's room later than 9.50, and denied that he had ben there at 12 or 1 o'clock. He used to go 10 bed between 9.30 and 10 p.m. He denied that. he had ever put his arm round Nurse Wragg's neck. He left the Workhouse on October 10th, and after that he never saw the nurse again until the day the Inquiry opened. He denied that he had ever met Miss Wragg on October llth near Whitehall, and he had never gone up the lane near Mr. Morris's with the nurse. When in the house he had never attended a funeral, and Mr. Morris could not have seen him attending funerals. Able-bodied men usually attended the funerals. The Master used to tske tobacco round on Saturday; and he remembered him taking it round on Satur- day. October 3rd. between 8.30 and 9 p.m. He was just preparing for bed then. He remem- bered one evening hearing the Master ask a m'm named Gwyther what time lie went to bed, and Gwyther replied about nine." The Ma?tt;r &fr:ed another man named Alien the sarm question, and received a similar reply. The Master then said. "But HE GETS UP AGAIN," AHen replied, No, I know he don't." He had n', reason given him when lL was sent down from the Infirmary to the Workhouse, but he was told he could attend the Infirmary every morning to have his leg dressed. Hi3 leg was not cured then. In reply to Mr. Gilbertson, he said that he did' not consider that he was very ill when he wj.s sent down from the Innr.rary. He ap- plied to go out on the following Thursday. He received son'.e clothes then, and went out on October 10th. He wore these clothes f, a week afterwards. He could not say why Mary Phillips should have reported that he had been in the nurses' room late at night. It must be an invent-on on her part. Mr. GilbHt:son: I put it to you it is true?— It is not. It is also untrue you were there the second night in the dark?—Yes. I put it t) you you were in the dark there v.ith the nt:r;je until after twelve o'clock?— i was not. Further examined, he said that he was appointed to do certain duties by Nurse Aird. All the work he used to do in the nurse's room could have been done by a woman atten- dant. He had read the papers, and in them the evidence of William Morris, who was wrong. He was not near Whitehall on the morning of October llth. He was in Pembroke Dock walking about the street at that time. He was wearing dark cord trousers and heavy boots as described by .Morris on that day. It was a very curious coincidence that Morri:; should have described what he was wearing. He could not suggest who it was who went up the lane with Nurse Wragg. Miss Morris must hai--e been equally mistaken. He denied that when the Master made enquiries of Gwyther with respect to him, the latter said that he frequently got up again after retiring. He did not know that Gwyther had given evidence at the- inquiry on October 29th, that he had been seen to return to the Inhrmary as late as 11.45 and 12 o'clock. I Re-examined by Mr. James, he said that he thought Mr. Morris must have mistaken him for another 1n:n. A VOLUNTEER. Dur.ng the morning a messaga was brought in that a Mrs. Dun'y had coim. and wished to give evidence. The Inspector acceeded to her request, and she was sworn. She said that her name was Janet Duffy. She came to say that during the twelve years she had been there as nurse everything she required in the Infirmary she had if she asked for it. She had left four years ago. She was eleven years in the new Infirmary. Mr. and Mrs. Flutter ahvays treated her most kindly and courteously. Nurse Wragg was then recalled, and said that she had heard all the evidence agaimst her. The suggestion that Bruce had been in her room at twelve and one o'clock was a lie. She 'was never warned of Bruce's character, and his conduct was never such that a warning would be necessary. It was altogether a lie that Bruce had his arm round her neck. Nurse Lewis had asked her to go to tea with her once, but she said that she did not approve of her company. It was probable that Nurse Lewis bore her ill-feeling. She again denied meeting Bruce on Sunday, October llth, and again said that she went to Pembroke Dock, and on the way met no one she knew. She had never been up the lane in her life. With regard to the charges of bad nursing she had'. never received any complaint from the Matron except with regard to Elizabeth Davies' bed not being made. The Matron said ''She know what she is." This woman was always com- plaining. and the doctor even walked past, and wodd take no notice of it. The reason Martha Williams' abscess was not attended to was because witness was engaged in a maternity case. With regard to the suggestion that some of the heads of the

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