GIPSY PAT SMITH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5152, 15 July 1927, Page 1

GIPSY PAT SMITH.

INMATE OF SANATORIUM.

“Gipsy” Pat Smith, evangelist, is in Wadsworth Sanatorium at Norwalk, recovering from an overdose of medicine he had. been taking. A good d'.al of mystery surrounds the case, and this has given rise to a lot of gossip.

Mr Smith was taken to the sanatorium on June 3 by Chief of Police Harry Smith, Sergeant Terry Lapibert, and Constable Frank Schofield, of Darien, at the request of Dr. H .K. W. Kellogg, of Norwalk, who had been attending him. The police said he had taken an. overdose of. a dlrug. ’ Dr Kellogg and members of the family refused to discuss the case.

Mr Smith himself was reached at the sanatorium the following night, and -he made this statements — “This is a very unfortunate affair, and people are taking a wrong view of it}. I took an overdose of medicine, but I am all right now, and will be able to go home in a day or two. I was a bit despondent,, but there was' nothjing wrong with my act. You see I bnoke down during a campaign in Camxlen, near Philadelphia, and was in the hospital for seven weeks. Then when I went to my home in Darien I was/taken with pneumonia. My phy-. sician prescribed a medicine for me, and I took a big dose of the wrong medicine.

“I’ve come out of it all right, and feel as strong as a horse now. My illness is the result of wounds’ received during the World- War. It seems that germs remained in my system and brought me down ; bint I’H soon be able to resume my evangel*'stical work.”

Mr Smith was born fin a gipsy’s tent in Glasgow, Scotland, in 18S>'3He embraced Christianity and bCcame an evangelist. He .served British Army during the war and was wounded several times, jHe came out with the rank of major. Since the war he has continued evangelistical work. He recently bu.ilt an attractive home in the Tokei ieke section of Darien, and lives there with his wife and young child. He is rated as wealthy.