EXTRAORDINARY ASSAULT CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 3001, 1 October 1872, Page 4

EXTRAORDINARY ASSAULT CASE.

At the Sydney Water Police Court, on August 30, the hearing of the case in which the Pcv. Father Caravel was charged with assaulting Dr. Pead at the death-bed of a patient, was continued, and at the same time a cross case of assault, in which lather Caravel was the plaintiff, was heard. The principal witness was the Pev. rather himself. He said he had met Mrs Richardson, the deceased, twice - once at a soiree fourteen months before, and again three weeks since.

On the latter occasion she stopped him in the street, and invited him to go and see her. He went to see her on August 15, and saw her in her bedroom. He then asked her if it was really her intention to become a Catholic, and she replied in the affirmative. She was then quite sensible. In the presence of two of her servants —one a Catholic, the other a Presbyterian-he gave her some religious instruction, and thinking that she was about to die, and that she might lose her senses, administered the sacrament. He saw her on eve y day between that and the 21st insi, except on the 17th. On the 10th he saw her in company with the Archbishop, who gave her absolution. The next day he again saw Mrs Richard sou, and told Dr Warren, her attendant, that she was very much annoyed because of so many visitors coming to see her; and asked that an order might be given to the servants to admit nobody. Dr Warren then gave instructions to admit only the doctors and clergy to her room. On the 21st he again called,. and saw three servants. There was something in their countenances that “ astonished ” him. They said, “ Don’t go U p—there is a gentleman above who has taken possession of the house,” and that they had not been allowed to enter the room. In spite of the servants’ remonstrances he went up stairs to the sick room; at the door of which he saw Dr Head standing like a soldier. He had some conversation with him, asked if there was any danger of death, as if there was he would give the sacrament of extreme unction ; was told that she was asleep, and after thinking for a moment or two what he would have to do, went away, promising to return in the afternoon. Returning in the afternoon, he saw the door of the patient’s room half open, and asked the doctor how she was. Without waiting for an answer, he went into the bedroom ; but what followed must be told in his own words?— “1 asked the patient how she was. Without waiting for an answer to the first question I asked her, ‘De you know me ? ’ ‘I think I do,’ was the answer 1 received. While asking these questions I saw the lady (Mrs Read) sitting near the bedside. Dr Read was standing at my back, about three feet distant. So long as I spoke to the patient about her health, Dr Read only said, ‘ No, no, no, doctor,’ in a menacing tone to the patient, as if he were speaking tp a snake or a serpent. Soon after, I said, ‘Will we have some prayer?’ and Dr Read, like a lion, rushed upon me, taking me by the shoulder. When 1 saw that I turned round, grasped him by the shoulders and his whiskers, and pinned him at the foot of the bed against the post of the bed, holding him by his long whiskers on the right side. At that moment the whiskers gave way. (Laughter.) I then let him go. I let go him and his whiskers, and held him by the shoulder, he holding me likewise. Both of us went out of the room ‘spinning’ or ‘waltzing.’ (Loud laughter.) Both of us whirled out of the door. (Laughter.) We spun each other out of the room. (Laughter.) Boih of us stopped outside the door. In the meantime, the servants hearing the row, came up. 1 beard the voice of the servant man saying, ‘Don’t beat the priest.’ At this time we were both standing, I began to give Dr Read an admonition and speak to him ' quietly. I was showing him how guilty he was. (Do you recollect what the words were?) ‘You know how guilty you are before God and man for interfering with my ministry, and for assaulting me in such a manner pr in such a way. ’ He said to me, ‘ You should have asked me.’ f said, ‘ Are you not a doctor V If e ‘Yes, lam.? ‘ I am also a doctor,’ said I, meaning pf th§ soul, of course. I also said, ‘Do I interfere with you when you administer your medicine ; why should you interfere with me when I give mine?’ I further said, ‘You are in the hand of the law. Still I will forgive you ; I won’t prosecute you.’ I shook ha« 4« with him twice. 1 bade him good-bye and went away, f npver laid hands on Dr. Beat) I dpn’Jb reniembpp Dp. Read saying ‘She is pot sensible’; nor do I reipembef saying she wag sensible. 1 cannot say whether I did so or not, I did say ‘Wp wilj have a little prayer,’ but after I had said so 1 didn’t hear Dr. Read say ‘ I can’t allow this.’ He was standing about three feet behind mo. He did not say she was in a dangerous state, and any excitement might be fatal. lam positive of this. He might have said that he could not allow me to have prayer, I did not hear him say that be was a doctor, and could not a'low prayers.” Other witnesses having been examined, the Bench retired to consider their decision, and during their absence there was great disorder in Court. The Bench, through their chairman (Mr 1 Oatley), said they considered the rev. Father guilty of an assault, and fined him 20s and costs; the cross case was dismissed. The Bench thought it right to assign a reason for coming to that decision. They had not the slightest doubt but that the rev, gentleman had been a witness for the truth, but they believed that, under the excitement of the occasion, lie had forgotten really what did take place. Afterwards two of the magistrates said they did not concur iu the remarks of Mr Oatley. They expected he would have expressed the feelings of some of those on the bench in regard to the invasion of the sick bed of Mrs Richardson in contravention of the orders of the medical man.