FATAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN A MADMAN AND HIS KEEPER.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 21, 25 May 1867, Page 3

FATAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN A MADMAN AND HIS KEEPER.

A more horrible death than that of the illfated Thomas Baker at Tintagel in England it is not possible to conceive. Smith was a poor man whose late employment had been to cart sand from the sea-side to the various farms in the neighbourhood. For some little time past he had shown signs of slight mental derangement; and recently, amongst the more alarming symptoms, he was continually harping on the subject of self-destruction. Several of his most humane neighbours undertook to ait up at night with him alternately, and on the Friday the duty fell upon the unfortunate man Baker. It appears that, in the course of the night, in order to humour one of the lunatic’s whims, he accompanied the latter for a walk along the turn.pike-road, which is cut through the rock. At a certain point this road is open to the sea; on arriving here the madman suddenly fell upon his keeper, and dragged him down towards the water. A fearful struggle ensued : Thomas Baker battled with his antagonist as one only can who fights for life itself; but the frenzy of madness lent such tremendous power to the unatic that the unhappy Baker strove honelessly in his clutches. Fora minute or two Baker fought almost as madly as his opponent and doubtless suffered the most acute mental agony. But his fears were short-lived. His puny struggles availed him not, In the space of two minutes the wretched man lie had so humanely served dragged him to death. Baker was forced down into the waiter, desperately contesting every step in vain ; and his mad assassin fell upon him. By a moat curious chance there were two eye-witnesses of the appalling tragedy—two women, wdio could only watch the battle from a distance in helpless terror. They, saw the deathstrnggle renewed in the water, and plainly distinguished poor Baker making feeble, yet frantic efforts for his own salvation; but the lunatic held him down with an overpowring force until a heavy roller carried them both away,