Police Ingenuity.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 221, 3 February 1874, Page 7

Police Ingenuity.

The Geelong policemen to have a happy knack of dealing with the insane. The Advertiser of Saturday says : —“An amusing incident occurred at the lunacy ward of the hospital the other Jay. A woman arrested at Newton on suspicion of lunacy, was being conducted to the police court-house by a stalwart constable, when on nearing St. Mary’s Church, she suddenly changed her intention, and sitting down on the footpath, resolutely declined going any further. Thider the circumstances, a countryman had to bo requested to step round the corner and request assistance from the police station adjoining. Sergeant Toohey, ever ready in cases of emergency, at once proceeded to the relief of his brother of the force. ‘Be off with you,’ was bis civil salutation, ‘and let the young lady take my arm.’ The constable, too glad to get rid of his charge, made a circuitous ron te to the police court, while Sergeant Toohey, locked in the arms of his newly formed friend, walked straight in the direction of the hall of justice. The insane one carried an expanded umbrella, and neither this nor the arm of her new escort could she be induced to forego. Shortly, contrary to to the decorum of Sergeant Morton, courtkeeper, the Bench had the ludicrous specpresented to it of a sergeant of police arm-in-arm with a female lunatic brandishing an umbrella, adorning the barrister’s table. The sergeant endeavoured to rise, but his attempt was'futile; the lunatic kept possession of his arm, and the embrace reminded him forcibly of a. 1 pair of handcuffs. The woman was remanded to the hospital, and, yielding himself to circumstances, the sergeant walked alongside the elevated umbrella till they reached the lunatic ward. Hero an endeavour was made to get the unfortunate woman to relinquish the umbrella, but iu vain. As a last resource,- Sergeant Toohey adopted the happy expedient of suggesting an Irish jig. This was at once accepted by his fair partner, and casting aside her umbrella and outer garments, to the astonishment of the warder, the matron, and on-looking inmates, one of the best dances that has taken place in the institution since its erection was performed. As might be anticipated, at its conclusion Sergeant Toohey had disappeared, and the prisoner he had s>> pleasantly conducted had the pleasure of finding herself in sole possession of her apartment.”