A SEACLIFF ASYLUM CASE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4363, 9 March 1893, Page 3

A SEACLIFF ASYLUM CASE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association), Dunedin, March 8, At he Supreme Court today, Arthur James Watts, an ex-warder, was charged with ill-treating a patient at Seacliff Asylum. Dr. King, superintendent, whose evidence was almost entirely informal, was cross-examined at much length, a portion of his evideuce relating tho the charge already enquired into. The case to .a great extent depended on tbo credibility of tbe patients called as witnesses, and the medical superintendent gave evidence of a professional character on this point. He thought the statements ol lunatics as trustworthy bb those of sane persons, not being so much influenced by the formation of ideas as sane people. Epileptic patients, at intervals between tbo attacks, were perfectly sane, and might have good memoiies. Napoleon, Julius tear and Mahomet wero epileptics. No evidence was called for the defence, the explanation put forward by counsol being that when accused put his hands on tho patient to remove him after being threatened by him the patient attempted io throw Watts, who tried to save himself, when both fell, and the patient received injury, Counsel commented on the alacrity of the Doctor in laying the charge and arousing accused out of sleep at 2 a.m. to servo him with a summons. Justice Denniston commented strongly on tho attompt in cross-examination to show malice on tbe part of Dr. King. The jury after half a hour's retirement returned a verdict of not guilty, and accused was discharged.