FREAKS OF A LUNATIC.

Evening Star, Issue 3423, 10 February 1874, Page 3

FREAKS OF A LUNATIC.

The Lake Boloke correspondent of the ‘Ararat Advertiser.’ writing on January 21, says The inhabitants ef this township were thrown into a state of excitement last Saturday night by the freaks of a person who had been but recently let out of the Lunatic Asylum in Ararat. He had been noticed during the day walking about within a radius of three-quarters of a mile of the township in a very eccentric manner, but he spoke so rationally that nobody thought his mind so much deranged as it turned out to be. Towards evening, he engaged with Mr .j 66 S>° threshing on his fann, and after having some refreshment he retired to rest, at about 9 o’clock, m the barn, where several more men were sleeping. It appears that one of the men knew who he was, as he had been working near him at the Reefs, Pleasant Creek. At about 10 o clock, he got up and said he could not sleep in that place, and requested the man he knew to strike a light. No sooner was the request granted, than he lipped up his trousers and shirt, and made his escape through the door before any one was able to stop him, and was soon out of sight. After frightening some women and children at houses he visited in a perfectly nude state, he ultimately induced to accompany Mr Duncan down to the hotel, where he was put to bed, and the door locked upon him. He did not long remain quiet here, for he got up quietly, and jumped out of the window, this time with a rug round him. His next move was to effect an entrance into Mr Louisson’s by the back door, which was unlocked at the time 5 and without being heard he stole along the passage that leads from the kitchen to the parlor. A young lady, who was a visitor in the house, at this moment requiring a candle to retire for the night, was going along the passage for it, when she was startled by knocking against him. Thinking it was one of the servants in the house she expressed her fear, but was very considerably more frightened when the intruder leaned forward, and said in. a half-whisper that he wanted a suit of clothes. It was but the work of an instant to call Mr Louisson, who was shutting up the store, and he quickly bundled the man out of doors, where he began shouting. The noise attracted the attention of several people over at the hotel, who, on seeing what was up, immediately gave chase; but the fugitive was not to be caught so easily, as lie made off, and cleared several fences like a deer and once more got clear, of his pursuers He next turned up at the school-house at half-past 11, and quietly opened the

gate of the shed where there was a buggy, but in removing it a tin dish fell down, which alarmed Mr Yuille, and on going out two or three minutes afterwards, he was astonished to see that his trap had disappeared. He quickly went to look for it, and found the fugitive comfortably sitting in it in the middle of the road, and ordering some carriers who were taking their horses to water, to drive him to Pleasant Creek. Mrs Yuille hurried for assistance, which quickly arrived, and the unfortunate man was once more secured, and lodged in the hotel, with two men to watch him till the constable arrived from Wickcliffe. I hear that he is once more in the asylum, although he gave some trouble on the road up, and tried to effect his escape two or three times, but Constable Halligan had taken precautions to prevent him.