AN ECCENTRIC INDIVIDUAL.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 1, 21 May 1879, Page 3

AN ECCENTRIC INDIVIDUAL.

STBANGE BEHAVIOUR. . ; Conßldebable excitement was occasioned in Feilding on Thursday last owing to the extraordinary proceedings of a man named Richard Luby, who had arrived m town the previous evening. The con- , iteruation became more general when it

was known that Luby had only been recently discharged from the Nel-ott Lunatic Asylum. On lii J arrival by the niglit Inin from Foxt'rn he made his wiy to Mr T. V. Brown’s FeiMi'tg Hotel, and there asked for lea and a bed tvnicli were supplied him. On lliat nigh; lie sli.-tred a r°om witli one of the hoarders at the hotel, who towurds midnight became C‘>n siderab’y ala-mad by T.uby jttmpii g <»ut < f hod and sit- tting hi t. (tin* boarder) the wonderful inecliani-m ( a brei-eh Ipadi g carbine, ill ns * a i"g the working "I the gun by loading it with bill c irtridge. The'situation was not p'ensant for tlie boarder/hut lie very gr‘iei"u ly aeifnow--1 edged t at it wa» a superior weapon. hii.l with tlii* Luby again retired. On the. next morning he b-fi ilie h tel. »s lie slated, for the purpose of having a day « pig-«hd"tine, but in the course of li if* nii-h nr return'd, impressed with the idea lliat pigs in iiie di t-ie' were very scarp as lie had ii"l been able In I ave a shot. Dining the da}' lie amused himself loading his gun. and in doing so pointing it in a Mispicbu-* manner at the vital parts o c those who were near him,; He also explained! in a graphic manner ihe mode of hanging people, and was very anxii us to experiment on the barman of tire hoteb Mr Brown, seeing that Luby was not a fit pers >n to have charge of so dangerous a weapon, had it 'aken from him and locked up. Towards evening Luby began to gel rather noisy, and as many of' the bonders stat-d their intention of not stopping at the hotel that night unless he was removed, it was thought adrisah'e to give hjm into Custody as a su«p c‘ed lunatic. On' (lie arrival of Constable P ice Luby was informed that he w,as wanted,’’ and u pop seeing the cnn.*tab!p lie opened ou,v in « yolh y <>f blasphemous oaths, staling that he was a pri acliei* and had been lockedup for six, montlis because he had. preached ihe truth, and, that he was a messenger from Heaven. Ha was taken to the lock-up, and on being searched it. was found that he had twenty rounds of ball cartridge in bis pockets. Luby was Well eared Price, and on Friday morning w-ns taken ro Bu'ls and brought before Mr Ward, who after taking the evidence of three gentl - men from Feilding. remanded him to Mar on f-T the purpose of tilling medical testimony as to his sanity. On Saturday Luby w«s. again brought before Mr Ward and diseha-ged.

Luby -is a fine* respectable looking young fellow, and is well coi ncetod at Home. He ow-.s over 600 acres of land in the Kiwitea Block, and it is thought he was on his way thither to make ar rangements for disposing of it. Much sympathy was ixpn sscd for the unfortunate yoong fellow, and it was generally deplored tliat he had not friends in the colony to look after him. as it is considered that if proper care were taken of him he need not be deprived of bis liberty by being placed in a Lunatic Asyiuiu. - -