MENTAL PATIENTS, HOLIDAY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 9

MENTAL PATIENTS , HOLIDAY.

INMATES OF AN INSTITUTION SEE

THE CUP

A STRANGE STORY

(By Cable.—Press Association —Copyright.) (Received November 20th. 9.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE. November 20.

The amazing adventures by a party of lunatics on Cup Day were related at

an enquiry into a charge against Carter, an attendant at Mount Park Asylum. Carter was charged with assaulting another- attendant and using bad language. The attendant was charged with being under the influence of liquor and assaulting Carter. Tho enquiry was held by the InspectorGeneral of the Insane. Both charges were, denied.

Evidence showed that ten patients known as liberty men, who work about the farm, and are harmless, wero al lowed to go to the Cup as a treat for good behaviour. Two attendants and Carter were placed in charge of tho party, which went to the races in a vehicle belonging to tho asylum. Lunch was taken in a hamper, including one bottle of light alo for each man, and a shilling was given to each man to pay for admission to the flat, where the patients wero allowed to wander freely among the dense crowd, tho understanding being that they would assemble beside the vehicle after the races. The party visited two hotels on the homeward journey, during which a quarrel arose between Carter and an attendant, through a. patient talcing a bottle of beer from Darter's pocket. The patients became alarmed. Order, however, was restored, and the party returned safely.

This was not a now experiment, as parties have gone to the Cup in previous years. None of this party was lost, but it is stated one from a Kew Asylum party disappeared and was not found.