TROUBLESOME TERRY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 143, 16 December 1908, Page 2

TROUBLESOME TERRY.

WILD YELLING AND SCREAMING. BITTER COMPLAINTS. *BT TKIiEGEAPH. — I"KESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCIIURCH, 15th December. It would surprise most people, and more especially those who regard Lionel Terry as a suffering hero, it" they knew to what lengths he goes to give annoyance and trouble, to those whose duty ib is to keep guard over him. Yesterday evening, Mr. Cleary, governor of the gaol, informed a reporter that Terry still continues to disturb tho nightly lest of the prisoners and warders in the gaol as well as the neighbourhood outside by his wild yelling and screaming, and also by violent hammering on his cell door. On Sunday night he commenced! the din at 8 o'clock, jus,t as people- were coming out of church, and he continued yelling and shouting at frequent intervals until 2 o'clock on Monday morning. The warders and the prisoners are complaining bitterly of their sleep being disturbed every night, bub Mr. Cleary sbates that he can do nothing to prevent his charge from continuing his disgraceful behaviour. Terry boasts to him that he will continue- to give as much trouble as possible with the idea that the authorities will eventually release him. Hie idea for creating the nightly disturbance is to attract public attention to his case, and he is certainly not turning the sympathy of Lytbelton people by his extraordinary conduct. Sines his two attempts' to set fir© to tho hospital building, Terry has been confined in the "solitary cell" division of the gaol. By some mysterious means he recently set fire to the mattress in his cell. The warder in charge saw smoke issuing from the cell, but found that Terry had plugged the keyhole of the door. After some- trouble he effected an entrance. The ccl 1 was full of smoke, and Terry was lying on the floor, but whether he was overcome by the fumes, or was only shamming, tho warder did not stop to find out. A bucket of cold water dashed over Terry quickly revived Hm. Terry claims that he is a gentleman, but according to the gaol authorities his methods disprove that suggestion. He addresses disgusting and grossly insulting expressions to the warders, who are "heartily sick" of him. "1 was never so sick of a man in my life," said Mr. Cleary, who has done everything possible for Terry, and has been only snubbed by him for his trouble, as is the case of the warders. The doctor from Sunnysid© Mental Hospital makes a special daily visit to the gaol for the purpose of feeding Terry, who, for several weeks, has steadfastly refused to eat any food. Tho prisoner very strenuously resists the process of "tube feeding," and four warders have to hold Mm down during the operation. Terry clenches- his jaws firmly, and they have literally to be forced open by means of a- gag worked with, a screw after the manner of a screw-jack — a somewhat mediaeval process. The doctor then inserts tho tube down which eggs, milk, and other food are poured. Recently Mr. Laurenson, M.P., wrote to the Minister for Justice with reference to the complaints made owing to tho nocturnal disturbances created by the prisoner. The Hon. J. M'Gowan, in his reply, stated that as Terry *is und-er the control of the Minister in charge of. Mental Hospitals, Mr. Laurenson's letter had been forwarded to the^ Hon. Mr. Fowlds for consideration. The prison authorities had, however, already brought the matter under the notice of the Superintendent of Mental Hospitals, who states that as feoon as the necessary building is completed at Sunnyside, Terry will be removed from ' Lyttelton.