SAD OCCURRENCE AT THE ASYLUM.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 940, 29 June 1877, Page 3

SAD OCCURRENCE AT THE ASYLUM.

The Inquest. The inquest was held at the Asylum at 4 p.m. yesterday, before T. W. Hall, Esq., a coroner for the district, and a jury of whom Mr John Wright was foreman, touching the death of one of the warders, Mr White. The jury, having been duly impannelled, proceeded to view the body. On returning, the following evidence was taken:—

Edward William Seager—l am keeper of the Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum. I produce the warrant of commitment of Mark Price under the hand of John Hall, a Resident Magistrate, dated September 27th, 1858. Mark Price was the man who stabbed the deceased, Frederick White. Mr Inspector Buckley asked if it was necessary to have the man Mark Price before the jury. Dr. Coward —Certainly not. He is not responsible for his actions, being a lunatic. He would not understand what was going on.

A Juryman —I should like to see him at any rate, to see if he is really insane or not. Witness —Price was committed to the gaol at Lyttelton under the wan-ant produced. He is still 'in my custody here in Sunnyside Asyl im. He is entirely out of his senses and insane. At a quarter-past one yesterday afternoon I was informed by attendant Whitley that Mark Price had stabbed Ered White in the stomach. I instantly ran to the kitchen, and saw Price standing at the door, and gave instructions to have him removed into the D ward, which was done. The D ward is for refractory patients. On entering the kitchen I found White standing on the right hand side of the table. He showed me a wound on the left side of the abdomen, just beneath the rib. I requested Mr G-ordon, who was then in the kitchen, to assist White to the cook's bed. In the meantime I had some cloths dipped in lukewarm water, and applied them to the wound. I also gave instructions to my son to go for Dr. Coward on horseback, which he did. I then sent for deceased's wife. Before the doctor came the deceased vomited a great deal of blood, and complained very much of choking. He said he knew he should die, and died about twenty minutes after receiving the stab. He never expressed any ill-will or ill-feeling towards Price.

Bv the Jury —Price was very quiet, and had been in the same state for some twelve years. He is still insane, and was insane yesterday as he had been for the last twelve years. He was insane when he "committed the act. There was not the slightest illfeeling, so far as I know, between the deceased and Price. 1 do not know any man more respected or liked by the patients than the deceased. He was kind and gentle with them to a degree. Price lias an idea that the whole of the buildings belong to him, and is constantly asking for the keys of the place, as he considers lie ought to have them. I should have thought it more likely that Price would have stabbed me than White. Price had been at large for twelve years, and not a thing that he did led me to believe that he would do such a tiling. He was engaged in washing spoons, and walked right into the kitchen. It has been the custom to allow Price to take a walk beyond the grounds. This has been the case for'many years. I did not consider it unsafe to allow a'man like this to go, say as far

as Christchurch alone. He was accustomed, and had been for years, to play with my children, and had never exhibited anything like a vicious tendency. He was kind to children, and indeed to every one about the place. I allow convalescent cases to go out on the road. I do not think it a dangerous thing. I never heard of them molesting any one.

A Juryman—l consider it a very dangerous practice. Mr Seager—l have never received a complaint, nor do I think it is dangerous. Of course those I allow to do so are trustworthy cases that I know are fit to be trusted at large alone. If I had received any complaints or heard of the patients molesting anyone, I should have immediately prohibited the patients going out. By the Coroner —To the best of my recollection, I arrested Price myself in 1858. He was a quiet man ; but at the time he was arrested he had been drinking heavily. Prior to his coming to the Asylum, he was in the gaol at Lyttelton as a lunatic. A Juryman—Did you ever hear while the man was in gaol that he attempted to stab the gaoler ? Mr Seager —I believe I heard something of this at the time. I believe he attempted to stab the gaoler. The Juryman —The reason I asked the question was that I have heard to-day that this Avas the case. I think he should never be allowed at large again. Mr Seager—He will not be allowed out of the yard again at all. A Juryman —Will you be kind enough to tell us how you heard that he attempted to stab the gaoler. Mr Seager —I was living in Christchurch at the time. It was about sixteen years ago, some three or four years before Price came under my charge. A Juryman —There is one more question which I want to ask you. Have you heard that Price was a bushranger, or had served a sentence of penal servitude ? Mr Seager—l cannot say. A Juryman —Was Price armed with a knife, or was it on a sudden impulse ? Mr Seager —It was on a sudden impulse. The Coroner —Is it customary to allow the patients in the kitchen P Mr Seager —No, except under special circumstances. I only allow patients whom I consider safe to go in ; what we term outside men. I may mention that I considered Price so safe that he was accustomed to visit me in my private residence, and have sat beside him whilst he has been using a knife and fork. I should not have done this had I not thought he was perfectly safe and harmless. Not only so, but every day he lias been in the habit of visiting the attendants' cottages, and playing with their children. On the same morning that ho committed the act he had visited attendant Eaxworthy's cottage, and was playing with the children. I considered him not a dangerous lunatic. By the Jury—l have never had any complaint from any quarter about him. Some of the patients walk outside and visit the cottages of the neighbours. A Juryman —I should like to see the patient. If the lunatic is so that he can be trusted to go through the streets of Christchurch, surely he can be brought in here. Dr Coward—l think it may excite the man if he is brought in here. He is not responsible for his actions.

A Juryman —I think 'tliafc so great a change as this could hardly take place in a short time, so as to render him unfit to come here.

The man was then brought in. In answer to a question from the Coroner, he said —I came from Lyttelton a great number of years ago. I was a turnkey in Lyttelton Gaol. I wanted to get to my wife. I wanted to get the keys to get my liberty. This was the reason I did what I did. The man was then removed. Inspector Buckley—Had the man any lucid intervals since he has been with you ? Mr Seagcr —He has never had strict lucid intervals; he would answer questions intelligibly and rationally. He is more excited now than I have seen hiin for a long time. He is in an excited state. Mr Inspector Buckley—Do you think he was ever in a state to know right from wrong ? Mr Seager—l have seen him when the children have been quarrelling check tliem, and I have seen him when two patients were quarrelling go between them. He also has assisted imbecile patients. He is laboring under the one delusion that the place belongs to liim. I can only judge from the actions I have seen whether he can distinguish right from wrong. He has been in the habit of assisting the attendants with the patients. Mr Inspector Buckley—Can you say what ! was his disposition yesterday ? J Mr Seager—l cannot say, as I did not see | him in the morning, being unwell. j Mr Seager —I have been frequently with ! Price when he has been using tools of all des- \ criptions, and when he has been shaving himself, and never saw any signs of a jdisposition . to do harm. ' William Whitley —I am an attendant at . the Sunnyside Asylum in the D ward ; that is j the refractory ward. I went in the kitchen j yesterday to dinner at 1 p.m. Dinner was not \ ready at the time, and I stood by the fire ■. when Mr White came in. The cook was | cutting some meat, and putting it on a plate. I Mr White asked me if that was my dinner. ! I told him "No." It was twelve minutes past one when Mark Price came into the kitchen. Mr White was then sitting in a chair at the righthand side of the door opposite the table. It is about eight feet from the end of the table to the wall where Mr White was sitting. Price walked between the table and Mr White. I saw nothing in his manner to give me the slightest hint that he was going to do anything. He did not appear excited at the time at all. He had a piece of tobacco and a pipe in his hand. He then asked Mr White if he had got his keys. "Have you," he said, " got my keys." Mr White saidjlaughingly, " No, I haven't got them, the other man lias got them, and 1 will give them to you when he comes back." Price said " All right." I was standing then about two feet from Price and Mr White. Price turned round and picked up a knife off the table. I thought lie was going to cut his tobacco with if, which I have seen him do before. I then saw him make a thrust at Mr White with the knife. I sprang forward and caught Price by the shoulder. His hand then left the knife, and there was nothing but the hilt of it to be seen, the blade being buried in Mr White's body. I produce the knife —[knife produced, a common carving knife, with an Sin. blade.] Price then sprang round and seized the knife again, making the remark that we all had keys. I seized his hands as he drew the knife from Mr White's body, and ran to Mr Seager's residence. I told Mr Seager that Price had stabbed Fred White

lin the stomach. Mr Seager gave me orders to lock Price up, which I did. "When I -went to him Price was standing between the kitchen and the passage. He was filling hi? pipe as though nothing had happened. 1 took hold of him by the wrists and the shoulders, and told him he must come with me into the ward. He said he would not go, but would follow me if I went first. I took him into the ward and locked him up. I then went back to the kitchen, when the horse was saddled and a messenger despatched for the doctor. I saw Mr White, who was lying on the cook's bed. He asked to be moved on to his side. He said he was choking, and vomited a deal of blood. I told him I tried to save the blow. He said —" I know you did, but I did not think he meant it." I remained with him till he died at a quarter to two o'clock. I saw Price about an hour afterwards in the cell. I asked him if he knew that he had killed the man. He said—- " Yes, I know I have." By the Jury —The knife was lying on the table. Price did not rush past me. Nothing had been said to Price to excite him. He appeared as usual, as calm as I am now. There was not the slightest appearance of anger in his face. Mr White was dead when the doctor came.

By the Coroner —I have been in the Asylum fifteen months. I have not been accustomed to Lunatic Asylums before. A Juryman—lt it customary to let lunatics have knives ?

Witness —Not every one ; but Mark Price is a man that I sit down to tea with every night, and he has a knife and fork like myself.

A Juryman—Have you ever seen any illfeeling between Price and deceased. Witness —Not the slightest. They always appeared to be on the best of terms. He was the last man I should have thought would have done such a thing. A Juryman —When you asked Price if he knew he had killed a man, and he made the remark you have said, did he appear rational at all ?

Witness—He appeared quite calm and collected. He made the same remark this morning when asked the same question. Inspector Buckley—Did Price make any remark before stabbing the deceased ?

Witness —Not a word. Inspector Buckley—Has Price any lucid intervals ?

Witness —At times he is rational and answers questions sensibly. He was a little rational yesterday about half-past twelve. He spoke sensibly, but seemed to be a little bit cross. He said his dinner was not good enough. Mr Inspector Buckley—Had the deceased anything to do with Price ? Did he attend on his ward ?

Witness —No, he was in my ward. That is D ward, for refractory patients. He was considered to bo a refractory patient. He slept witli fifteen other patients. I have never seen him attempt to use a weapon on a patient, or anyone.

Mr Seager (through the coroner) —Why do you call Price a refractory patient ? Witness —Simply because he takes his meals and works in D ward. There is no means of classification.

The Coroner —AVe shall not be able to get through the case to-night, and I shall adjourn until two o'clock to-morrow. I wish particularly to adjourn this case, in order to take advice, as it is one entirely without precedent. A Juryman —I have four miles to go to my home to-night, and it will be very hard on me, a working man, to come back here again. The Coroner —We will adjourn the inquest until 2 p.m. to-morrow. The jury were then bound over to attend, and the proceedings terminated.