AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 2974, 30 August 1872, Page 4

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Police Court cases, medical enquiries, applications to Judges of the Supreme Court, motions in Parliament, and a threatened Parliamentary enquiry—all arising out of the case of King v. King, which is creating a sensation in Victoria, and suggests the necessity of an investigation into the management of lunatic asylums in that Colony. The circumstances of this case came before the world through the refusal of a husband to contribute to his wife’s support. A woman was incarcerated for four years and seven months in V arra Bend, her husband reported her dead, aud she is eventually “ recalled to life ” through the disinterested agency of a comparative stranger The sole ground for her incarceration was the idea that her husband had tried to poison her by putting strychnine in the milk (which suspicion she seems still to entertain); but Judge Molesworth has decided that such a belief, even though it be a delusion, is not sufficient warrant to detain a person in a lunatic asylum. But no sooner is it proposed to release the woman than the discovery is made that her husband is strongty opposed to a proceeding that will restore her to the world ; aud he actually resists her claims to support on the ground that—a judge of the Supreme Court notwithstanding—she is a lunatic, and ought to be remitted to her old quarters and kept at rhe public charge. That there were quarrels between the husband and wife prior to the latter’s incarceration, is beyond queston ; but it has been proved beyond doubt that at Marybarough he illtreated her ; that he was compelled, under a magistrate’s order, to support her; and that within one mouth of the expiration of the period for which the order was made, and when there was every probability of an application for its renewal, she was suddenly pounced upon, and immured in Yarra Bend. She miy then have been sane or insane ; her statements as to the strychnine may have been pure delusions, or the fallacious reasonings of a suspicious nature worked upon by unhappy circuinstances. But the enquiry now takes a different direction. Her husband, after a lapse of nearly five years, declares that he does not know who sent her to the asylum, and he denies that it was done through his instrumentality. He suddenly finds himself relieved of the burden of maintaining his wife. Two medical men certified to her insanity. They were, we presume, paid fees for so doing. She was brought before the stipendiary magistrate, Mr Pascoe, and she was sent at some one’s expense from Maryborough to Melbourne; and yet her husband declares that he does nt know by whom this was done. Dr Laidman was Mrs King’s medical attendant, but he did not certify to her insanity, and it docs not appear that he was examined by the magistrate ; but a gentleman practicing six miles off, and who ivirs King declares only saw her fora faw minutes, joined with the hospital surgeon in . iving the certificate. The depositions of the certifying doctors are exceedingly unsatisfactory ; they disclose no good grounds for the allegation that the woman was insane, and they were contradicted in one very important respect by doctor Paley, who stated that during his residenco in \ arra Bend, he had never known Mrs Kiug to be violent. Having got rid of his wife’s presence, King does not appeared to have contributed anything to her support for years. At length, in 1871, he was compelled to enter into a bond to pay seven and sixpence a week. This pittance he paid for four months, and at the date of Mrs King’s escape, he was about eight months in arrear. We next pass to the circumstances which are said to have justified King in openly declaring that his wife was dead, and within two or three months after the happy event placing himself in readiness for another marriage. It was said that he knew his wife was dead through an obituary notice appearing in the Argus, and he does not know who placed it there. Dr Paley is forced now to admit that she is to all appearance sane. The Chairman of General Sessions, and Mr Templeton, acting with him, think so too, and fhe is at large, her husband being now ordered to contribute 25s weekly towards her support. The Ag<\ from which we extract the forgoing particulars of this most extraordinary case, calls upon the Victorian Government to institute a strict enquiry into the circumstances of the woman’s confinement in the lunatic asvlum.