STRANGE PRANK OF AN INSANE LAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4545, 18 November 1884, Page 2

STRANGE PRANK OF AN INSANE LAD.

(by teleorapi..—press association),

Blenheim, this day. A boy of sixteen named John Rose, tho son of most respectable parents, distinguished himself yesterday by obtaining a gun, in the name of a farmer, from a local tradesman, and sallied forth into tho country, pointing it in a threatening manner at a young man in tho street before leaving Blenheim. The boy having been in a lunatic asylum in consequence of strange exploits in Wangauui district twelve months ago, his parents gave information to tho police, who searched tho country for the lad yesterday afternoon, and took him and his gun into custody. Ho had-bought powder, blank cartridges, provisions, and several small articlos of clothing! presumably for a long expedition. .^Vhen arrested, he said he had been out to shoot a young woman who haJd deceived him, and who'is of course entirely a creature of his imagination, and that he did not liko to return ti his father's hous because poison was laid for him all about tho place, which is equally untrue. ' Since his arrest he states that this is not the first timo he imitated Ned Kelly, and that while in Wellington Asylum he tried to hang1 himsolf in sheets, but although lie hung half an hour.he failed because ho had not tied the slipknot properly. The boy was brought up at tho Police Court today,and remanded for medical examination.