MURDEROUS ASSAULT BY A LUNATIC. DEATH OF THE VICTIM. [BY TELEGRAPH.-OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Last Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1755, 4 October 1883, Page 2

MURDEROUS ASSAULT BY A LUNATIC. DEATH OF THE VICTIM. [BY TELEGRAPH.- OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Last Night.

At a quai ter to nine o'clock this morning Dr. Young, medical superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, telephoned to Superintendent Thomson that a seiious assault had just been committed by one lunatic on another with a broom handle, resulting in the assaulted man receiv ing a fracture of the skull. Dr. Young desired that Dr. Hooper should be communicated with, and requested to visit the Asylum at once. Within ten minutes, a message was conveyed to Dr. Hooper, and before ten o'clock he was on his way to Avoudale. On arrival at the Asylum, Dr. Hooper found that the man who had been assaulted was James John Mills, formerly a fumituie dealer, carrying on business in Victoria-street, his assailant being a foreigner named Gschnell, who had been committed to the Asylum some 18 months ago, suffering from homicidal mania, ho having shortly before killed a man at Taranaki. Dr. Hooper found Mills suffering from a severe fracture of the skull, and after an examination pronounced the injuries to be fatal. Death terminated the unfortunate man's sufferings at 1.30 p.m. this afternoon. FlOlll the facts at present obtainable, it appears that Jarden, in whose charge (Tschnell had been placed, went for his breakfa-st, leaving a dangerous lunatic without a keeper. Gschnell taking advantage of the warder's absence, seized a heavy bioom and struck Mills on the head with it. No one witnessed the assault, which took place in a room occupied solely by Mills and (Tschnell, but the attendants became cognisant of the ocennence immediately afterwards, and Gschnell was seized and lodged in a cell. Dr Young despatched a messenger to the lesidenceof Mr Mill, jun., cabinetmaker, and lie arrived before his father's death. An inquest will be held to-morrow.