A LUNATIC AT URGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 18 September 1888, Page 5

A LUNATIC AT URGE.

THE REMUERA INCENDIARY

ESCAPES.

■if'mannamed Stephen Spaulding escaped from the Avondale Lunatic A.sylum yester. day morning. It will be remembered that this man Bred the buildings of the Remuera Dairy, somewhere about three years ago, •when hewas committed to the Asylum from the Supreme Court, he being evidently insane. Since then he had twice petitioned the House of Representatives, alleging that ho was quite sane, and asking that he might be examined. The man had frequently said that he would go whenever ho chose, and when it sdited him. He has kept a diary of all that has taken place in the Asylum.. The windows of the dormitory in which Spaiildihg and others were confined looks into the front of the building, and not into the yard/: so that he was a free man when he was outside tho window. The windows aro fastened in the ordinary way, but 'there is a catch to prevent their onening wide enough to let a man out. Apparently Spaulding unscrewed this, opened the window, and then fastening th.em together made a rope by whioh he dropped down to the ground. The escape was made between two and three o'clock yesterday morning. It will be remembered that Spaulding gave himself up and confessed to the crime for which he was arrested. He had been in great trouble in i consequenao of having lost a favourite j daughter by death.