THE SUICIDE OF DR. RIPLEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 234, 4 October 1888, Page 8

THE SUICIDE OF DR. RIPLEY.

Treatment of Xrisa Prisoners at

Tullamore.

The inquest on the lato Dr. Ridley, the medical officer of Tullamore Prison, who committed suicide at Eermoy on the 20th August by cutting his throat, was held at Fermoy, before Coroner Rice. Dr. George Pierce Ridley was examined, and in reply to Mr Ronan deposed that he was a cousin of the deceased. He was well acquainted wifch the deceased, whom he assisted in the discharge of hjs duties. Dr. Ridley had a very happy domestic life and had no pecuniary trouble. He was a man of a delicate, sensitive nature, and had a strong sense of duty. Up to November last he possessed a very cheerlul disposition. Witness was with deceased in December last. When the reports about Tullamore began to appear in the daily papers, his state became very depressed and nervous, and he losb his cheerlul disposition. Dr. Ridley described fche reports as utterly false, and said his private practice wa3 greatly disturbed by them.. Witness knew this to be a fact. Previous to November, Dr. Ridley was on the best of friendship and terms wifch the people. He was charitable, and on the clay of the funeral the poor of Tullamore rushed forward to touch his coffin as a mark of respect. After November there was a change in the demeanour of the people towards Dr. Ridley. They passed him in the street without, looking ab him, his patients left him, and he was sometimes groaned at when passing through the street. He was aware thafc Messrs O'Brien, Lane, and Hooper, M.P.'s, spoke in the highest terms of Dr. Ridley after their release. This raised his spirits. Dr. Ridley appeared to feel keenly the altered demeanour of the people, which he attributed to the false reports and letters appearing in a newspaper. Dr. Ridley spoke in the highest terms of Dr. Barr.

Mr Ronan begged fco correct that statement, ,<TheMacdenno_fc"saidhe expiated his fault with his life, and the Ridley family felt thafc deeply and bitterly. He would ask the jury to eiffc fche case to the u.mosb point, and say that there was no fault on Dr. Ridley's part.

Mr George Ridley, father of fche deceased, deposed that he was on term 3of the greatest confidence with the deceased. Ho was his only son, and was very dutiful. He was of a very sensitive nature, and had a strong sense'of duty. His domestic life was most happy. Up to-November last he led a most contented life. He was accustomed to read fche "Freeman's Journal," "Irish Times,"and the" Daily Express." He appeared fco be greatly fretted and annoyed about the reports in reference to the Crimes Act prisoners in Tullamore Gaol. He said fche reports were nofc true. Witness tried' to reason with him, and told him nofc to mind the reports. About fche close of November the deceased eaid to him, referring to the reports, thafc no matter how fch.y ended, fchey would be his ruin. Deceased told witness that the people would not recognise him in the street as they had been accustomed to do. His anxiety continued increasing during the whole time of Mv O'Brien's imprisonment, and when Mr O'Brien, on his release, spoke highly of him, there was a perceptible changein the cheerfulness of hisspirits. The same effect was produced on him on the release of Messrs Hooper and Lane, M.P.'s. A lebber appeared iv the "Freeman's Journal" on bhe 18bh of July, signed by Dr. _4oorhead The letter pained his son very much, and the depression returned to him. On the night before his departure from Tullamore to attend the inquest at Mitehelsfcown be appeared very much depressed. Witness started for Mitehelsfcown a few days after his son. On fche evening of the 18th July he met him ab the hotel at Fermoy. He was looking over some papers, and did no. appear to possess his ordinary intelligence. Witness saw him in his bedroom the following morning. He was speaking to him about bhe inquest, and he said, " Oh, father, don't say anything more bo me on bhe subject; I have nofc slept a wink for the last three nights." They travelled together to Mibchelstown on the morning.of the 10th. Witness remained in Mibchelstown that night. His son returned to Fermoy, and witness never saw him again alive.

The District-inspector of police gave corroborative evidence as to the effect produced on Dr. Ridley by the publication of reports. He also afcated fchafc Dr. Ridley had spoken to him of the altered demeanour of the people. On a couple of oocasions his windows were broken, and he received the following threatening lebter :-. rj-oghcda. 4th Novomber, 1887, Dr. Ridley, —isdvovon warninp. in time. Tf you injure a, hair of tfilUe O'Brien's head during his iiuprb sonment in Tullamoro Prison, the streets o{ Tullamore will be sprinkled with your b'ood before Christmas morning, if 1 walk every inoh of the road to do It. . AvlmaQmu In consequence of this lefcfce. and fche ! breaking of the glass, witness appointed j some of fche poMce bo watch Pp. Ridley for I his protection

Letters from Dr.'Barr to tlie Deceased.

JDistrict-inspector Jones was examined, and produced the bag found iv Dr. Ridley's room on the morning on which he committed suicide. The bag was sealed on bhe first day of the inquest, and placed in custody of Mr Jones. Mr Jones, on the direction of the coroner, then broke the seal, and handed the documents contained in the bag to the coroner. The coroner looked over the letters and other documents He read some of them aloud, and mentioned the contents of others. He said that several of the letteis were from fche father of the deceased, en- j couraging him, and stating fchab he had nothing to apprehend from bhe proceedings at the inquest. He read the following, letters from Dr. Ban*:— 1, St. Domingo Grove, Liverpool, July 14th, 1888. My Dear Ridley, —Make your mind easy about Mandeville prison treatment. Medical officers have quite enough trouble with those under their care, without extending their responsibility for six months after the prisoners leave. I got the " Weekly Freeman " yesterday, and got the whole account. I was at Tullamore on November 26, December 6 and 14. I find by notes that Mandeville was exceptionally treated. He had matting on his cell floor, and was allowed a mattress. I would like you to let me know his diet, the date and amount of punishment, the complaints he made, and the treatment you gave them; his hours of exercise, and his refusals to exercise. Kindest regards to you and Mrs Ridley. Yours very sincerely, James Bark.

My Dear Ridley,—Since writing you this morning, 1 have thought that if you deem my presence at the inquest advisable it would be well for you to communicate with Dublin Castle at once, because I couid not attend on a. coroner's summons until I had written to Dublin and got instructions. This might cause delay. The Coroner s Court in Ireland seems to oe conducted in a most disgraceful manner, and should be treated with contempt. I don't know whether you can be compelled to attend, but I presume you will be advised on the matter. No sensible man could imagine that an acute illness, from which I suppose Mandeville died, could any wily be due to imprisonment. Six m tnths previously, moreover, in prison he retused treatment for the trivial ailments from which he suffered. I see absurd statements in the papers about him losing three stone in weight while in prison. Whatever weigh', he lost would be to his own advantage. Please let me know his exact weight on reception and discharge. Do you know the names ol the four medical men who attended him. Kindest regards to you and Mrs Ridley.—Yours truly, James Bark.

Captain Feafcherstonhaugh, governor of Tullamore Gaol, in answer to Mr Murphy, gave corroborative evidence as to the effect producedonDr. Ridley by the reports already referred to. Dr. Ridley was bound to examine prisoners sentenced by witness to more than twenty-four hours' punishment, and he never failed to do so. Witness never tried to influence him as to the certificate he was to give in such eases. Dr. Ridley always performed his duties with the greatest kindness and attention. Ab one time Mr O'Brien refused to take the hospital food because he wa. informed thafc Mr Mandeville was on the ordinary prison fare. Dr. Ridley then had a pound of beef made into the strongest beef tea, and this he placed, unknown to Mr O'Brien, in the vegetable soup he was accustomed to gefc. The witness also gave evidence as to the depressed condition of Dr. Ridley during the progress of theinquesb on Mr Mandeville. On fche evening of fche 12th July Dr. Ridley went into his room, and said to him, ' I will be ruined; I will lose all my practice. I have lost much of it already ; now it will all go, and what will become of my poolchildren and wife ?' On the morning of the 20th they were alarmed afc Dr. Ridley's delay in coming to breakfast, and Dr. Barr and witness then went to his room, and as they received no reply on knocking, Dr. Barr burst opon the door. On entering they found Dr. Ridley lying dead on fche bed, with his throat cut.