A DRUNKEN FREAK.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 257, 31 October 1888, Page 4

A DRUNKEN FREAK.

ANOTHER "ROUGH ON RATS"

STORY.

A young man named Peter Birley, 25 years of age, who resides with his wife and three children in Seafield View Road caused considerable commotion in that neighbourhood yesterday. According to a statement made to a Star reporter by Mrs Birley, it appears that her husband is employed in connection with a stable and horses, aud that the stable is infested with rats. Birley kept a quantity of the notab.e preparation, " Rough on Rats," f_r the benefit of hungry rodents, and yesterday afternoon he came home shortly after 3 o'clock, bringing his rat poison with him. He was evidently the worse for drink, but gave no indication that he intended to commit any rash act. Having called for bread and butter he was told where it was and got these articles. He then sat down to the table and cut a piece of bread and horrified his wife by dipping it into the box containing " rough on rats." Mrs Birley did not stop to ask questions, but made a grab for the box, and took it away. She does not now remember whether she saw her husband eafc the poisoned bread or not. After this little incident, Birley went and lay down on his bed and appeared to be in pain. His wife tried to induce him to take a mixture of salt and mustard as an emetic, but Birley declined. Mrs Birley then informed Peter's mother, who lives across the way, of what had occurred, an.i they sent word to Hospital. The porter there was informed that Birley had taken "Rough on Rats," and as a bottle containing an emetic is always kept handy, he at once possessed himself of it and proceeded to Birley s house. Birley appeared to be doing badly for some cause or another, and the emetic was administered. It produced no perceptible effect, however, and the porter, having procured a stretcher, had the nufortunate fellow removed to the Hospital. Birlejr was attended by Dr. Lindsay and Dr. Bell, who administered a powerful emetic which had the desired effect. No signs of poison or symptons of poisoning, however, could be discovered, and the stomach appeared to contain nothing but beer. Birley was evidently very drunk, and after undergoing this treatment he was pub to bed. He slept soundly all night, and woke this morning very little the worse for his experience. Birley expresses the utmost astonishment at the •: Rough on Rats " story, which he says is "all humbug." He does not recollect! anything that happened yesterday, and the whole affair seems to have been the outcome, of a drunken spree.