ESCAPE FROM MENTAL HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 42, 13 November 1941, Page 5

ESCAPE FROM MENTAL HOSPITAL

Charge Of Assisting

MAN AND WOMAN BEFORE

COURT

Dominion Special Service.

AUCKLAND. November 12.

On a charge of knowingly assisting a woman patient to escape from the Kingseat Mental Hospital on June 15, Frank John Peers, labourer, aged 33, and Emma Joan McDiarmid appeared before Mr. Levien, S.M.. in the Magistrates’ Court. Peers was also charged that, in Wellington on June 22, he had carnal knowledge of a female detained under the provisions of the Mental Defectives Act. Mr. Aekins appeared for Peers, who bad been brought up from Wellington In custody, and Mr. J. J. Sullivan for the woman accused, who appeared on summons. Detective-Sergeant Nalder prosecuted. Dr. T. W. J. Childs, medical superintendent of Kingseat Mental Hospital, said that no one had authority to remove the patient concerned from the hospital. He had examined her that morning and hd considered that she was not rational or able to testify in the proceedings. ( Evidence was given by Ronald Keith Wells, manager of the Rental Car Company, that on June 14 a man named Francis Ray Peers hired a car from June 14 to 16.

Nola Mae Pfeifer, nurse at Kingseat, said that on June 14 a woman came to the institution and stated that she was a niece of the patient in Question. The patient and the woman did not appear to know each other. On the .following day the patient was at the institution, Witness remembered hearing the sound of a motor-car and, on glancing out of the window, she noticed a small car driven by a man. In the back were two women, one of whom appeared to be the woman who had spoken to her on the previous day. A young woman who stated that Peers liad visited her when she was an inmate of the 'Wellington Borstal institution, said that accused took her from a mental institution in Christchurch, and they went to Wellington, where they lived together. Last June they came to Auckland, and one Saturday Peers drove her and McDiarmid to a mental institution, where they saw a young woman patient. The next day Peers, McDiarmid and witness motored to the institution, saw the same patient and took her away. Peers and witness returned to 'Wellington with the patient. 'Witness alleged that she witnessed improper relationship between Peers and the young woman.

Detective Hogan, Wellington, said that when interviewed on August 26, Peers denied that he was implicated in the escape of the woman from the mental hospital. When informed that the woman had returned to a 'Wellington institution, Peers admitted he was the driver of the car which took her away. "Witness saw Peers on November 4 and, when told that there was a warrant for his arrest for assisting the woman to escape, he said: “I have nothing to say.” When informed of tho other charge lie said: "I am saying nothing.” Mr. Aekins said that Peers pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him, and elected to be tried by the Supreme Court.