INQUIRY AT SEACLIFF ASYLUM.

Evening Star, Issue 8058, 7 November 1889, Page 4

INQUIRY AT SEACLIFF ASYLUM.

An inquiry was commenced at Seacliff Asylum on Tuesday before Mr P. K. Ghapm.m (deputy-inspector) into certain charges {ireferrttd by Mr A. J. Bathgate, solicitor, against DrF. Truby King, the medical superintendent of the institution. There was, at the outset, some discussion as to the order of procedure. Mr Bathgate desired to have the evidence of some of the attendants taken in the first instance as bearing upon his ability to recollect events that occurred during the lust four weeks of his confinement in the asylum. Dr King said he did not wish to contest the point of memory. Mr Bathgate: And understanding and perfect sanity? The sanity of one viannot rest on the opinion of a single smi. Mr Chapman said thew were specific '•havges, which were contained in a letter ill dressed to him by Mr Bathgate on the 29th October. The charges against DrKing were:—(l) Incapacity in incorrectly diaguosing the form of sanity from which Mr Bathgate was suffering when he was admitted on the 6th September; (2) negligence in the performance of his duty in failing to sco that the instructions given by him to the attendants were fairly carried out; (3) negligence in failing to investigate satisfactorily a charge made by the complainant against the attendants; (4) illegal aotion in detaining the complainant as a patient for a longer period than was necessary, and thereby retarding his recovery. It did not much matter the order in which the charges were taken, and be took it that the best order would be to proceed something akin to that in any legal process—that was, that the complainant should proceed to mate out his case.

Mr Bathgate said his only objection was that he proposed to prove the first charge by -conversations with Dr King. Did Dr King deny that there was perfect sanity during the last four weeks ?

Dr King: Certainly. Mr Bathgate: Then I will call persons with whom I conversed.

Mr Chapman: You had better make your own statement first, and then there will be a solid basis to go upon ; and then you can call these witnesses. It was agreed to adopt this course. Alexander James Bathgate, the complainant, stated, on oath, that he believed he was committed to the asylum on the 6th September. He did not dispute that he wa3 rightfully committed. He ras perfectly aware what he was suffering from. Dr King: At the time you came in. Witness: Some days afterwards. Dr King: Do I understand there was a ipsriod of entire want of consciousness ? Witness: There was. When my memory began to return, I remembered previous symptoms. I attribute my illness to an injury to the back of the head, received from a violent fall from a horse in March, ISB7. At that time I was present at a review at Waihola. I did not suffer any bad effects from that fall for two or three •days afterwards, but then became conscious of being light-headed. At an encampment ■at Pareora I became worse—in April, 1887, a week after the Waihola accident—and at the camp Dr Cox, of Gore, reported me to Colonel Wales to bo suffering from delirium tnmtns. Dr Closs, of concurred in the diagnosis. I was captain and adjutant of the first battalion of Otago volunteers, and was put under arrest for lieing drunk. Goionel Wales wanted me to go home to Dunedin, but I misunderstood his crders and went to the station at Pareora. I was put under arrest fchen for disobeying orders. There is in existence a confidential report to the Defence "Mi'aiater on the subject. I told Dr Cox frefore this that I felt very bad, very nervous at.d sleepless, and asked him for bromide. He said there was none in the camp. Then Captain Valentine, Colonel Wales's aide-de-camp, came up and said he had orders to arrest me, and he put me in the brigade guard. I remained there during the two days we were in camp. When I wont to the station at Pareora, under Colonel Wales's order, I drove with Dr Closs and Captain Burwcll, of Invercargill. I saw Captain Valentine at the station. While I was under arrest Colonel Wales used to come to see me every day. So did Captain Valentine, Major Gordon, all the men in my own company (the Highlanders), ;md many officers of the Otago battalion. Dr Cox gave me as much whisky as I cared to drink while I was under arrest, but I would not have the drink. My own men also brought spirits to me. Dr King: Did they bring the spirits to you in spite of yourself ? Witness: I did not ask them for it, and I s»ave it to the guards who were in the next tent.

Mr Chapman : When you were under arrest can you give an account of yourself ? Witness: Yes; I used to carry on sports with the guard. Mr Chapman: You were quiet and orderly ? Witness: Yes.

Mr Chapman: Before you were put under arrest were you orderly in your conduct ? Witness: No, I was not; I am told so. It was enough to make anyone wild to see the way the camp was conducted. The men were disgracefully treated by their officers. What first roused my anger was that men, after travelling all night and marching three miles to the camp, fouud no breakfast. It was of the contractor that I first fell foul, and the contractor complained to Colonel Wales that I swore at him. Swearing is nothing abnormal with me. Mr Chapman: Did you fall foul of Colouol Wales himself? Witness : No; I have this much of tho aoldicr ingrained into me that I always obey a superior officor. I felt exactly the same sensations thi3 time as I did then, only in a more marked degree. I thought I had recovered from tho fall, though I never felt right. I have not felt properly right, always being alllictcd with melancholy and lethargy. Mr Chapman : Still ? Witness: Oh, not now. Dr King : Something beyond melancholy, I think, Mr Bathgate. Have you any abnormal tendencies ? Witness : I waß so melancholy that I felt I did not care whether I lived or died, although I never contemplated suicide. I have formerly made this statement to Dr King: " Had melancholy and mental apathy (since accident); would sit for hours without being able to do anything, and even contemplated suicide." Mr Chapman: If you wish to qualify that p ~ Witness: I had a constant feeling of seediness, and did not care what happened to me. I never seriously contemplated auicide. Everybody who knows me knows I am quite changed from what I was a year ago. I am the same now—since I have left the asylum—as I was before I had the accident, except that I. have intermittent pains at the back of the head, sometimes extending to the front. To show that I was anything but apathetic in the volunteer movement, I was promoted over the heads of a good many officers—twenty-four, I thinkto the post I held. After the fall at Waihola I consulted Dr Coughtrey, but it was for an injury to the spleen from the hilt of my aword in the same fall. I did not mention anything about my head. I did not feel anything until some days afterwards. My objection to my arrest at Pareora was to the manner of the arrest. In February of thia year I went to the country, and lived there for four or five months. 1 was not so well as I might have been. I was working in the bush and atockriding, Dr King: May I ask if thero was at this time any change in your religious views ? Witness: Rather. I had previously had no religiouß views in particular—l was supremely indifferent to the matter—but I joined in a pietiatic or revival movement which goeß on down there. I never went the length of addressing meetings or praying in public. The people among whom I went were great friends of mine, and they treated me very kindly. I have since spoken with contempt of their religious views, but I have not spoken disrespectfully—and never could —of my friends. Dr King : You admit, Mr Bathgate, that you havo anathematised a set of people whom you call the Bush Baptists ? Witness : I have. It is my present intention to become a Roman Catholic to escape from the religion of these people. _ I consider I was suffering from a mania, com-

monly called religious mania. My contemptuous references to the Bush Baptists were made While in a sane state. After I camo back to town I still felt religious-like, and I met a good many of thews pcoplo-1 could not get u'.r&y from them. I must have bcer>. in town about two mouths before I was Committed. I was doing no regular business. I did not pay my annual fees, but I was going to pay them in order to defend a prisoner at the last criminal sessions at Duncdin, and three prisoners at Oamaru. A man I was to defend at Oamaru was convicted. He took a wrong line of defence—l think so from the line of defence he took in the Police Court. I was really practising through Mr Wilkinson, and was earning something, being paid by my clients. Br King: With regard to your having bacomo a total abstainer, at what period did that take place ?

Witness: When I went down to the country.

Dr King: When did you resume drinking? Witness: I drauk in great moderation after I returned from the country, but took to excessive smoking. Up to the time of my committal I was religiously inclined. For three or four days before my committal Ido not remember much. I experienced the same sensations p.s &t Pareora, but in a much more merhed degree. I began practice for myself just after the Pareora incident, but I have not had many cases in Court—but I do not care for it. Before that I was for three years in my cousin's (Mr Alexander Bathgate) office. Mr Chapman : Well, this brings us up to actual committal, of which you do not remember much ?

Witness: I wa3 suffering from acute mania—there are no two ways about that. I know that from my own knowledge of insanity.

Mr Chapman -. When do you say you got out of that afcate ?

Witness: I was in the upper building for some time, but after coming down again to the main building I knew I had recovered—that is, a month before my discharge. After that I requested Dr King to tell me the reason I was kept here. He said 1 was supposed to be insane, suffering from the effects of ddirkim tremens, that wa3 said in a room off the conidor in No. 2 ward. Dr King was passing with Robertson and Power, and we went away from them, so that they could not hear. I replied to Dr King's remark to the effect that that could not be. I asked who was the deputyinspector of asylums in place of Mr Street. Dr King replied: "MrF. R. Chapman, the solicitor." I then said: "t wish him to be sent for," and Dr King's reply was that Mr Chapman knew me to be a man very likely to have delirium tremens and that he would not send for him. I then wished Dr Coughtrey, my own medical man, sent for, but'Dr King replied that he (Dr King) was the officer in charge of the place, and went away. Robertson and Power stood in the corridor afterwards cpeaking about tfrc furnishing of nottte rooms, and I stood about two feet off waiting lor another opportunity of speaking to Dr King. I had told Power previously that I wished to see DrKing particularly, and I suppose he communicated my wish to him. I sent this message because I was satisfied that I was wellweak in body, but right enough in mind. Dr King'remarked that he could not remember the exact conversation Mr Bathgate referred to, but he certainly spoke to him with regard to the subject of (kliriitm tremens. He remembered, also, Mr Bathgate speaking to him about Mr Chapman. Witness : Then why did you not send for him ? . .

Dr King: Because you were quite insane at the time. Ido not recall flatly refusing to send for Mr Chapman, but my impression is that I satisfied Mr Bathgate. Witness continued: That is the first time Dr King mentioned delirium tremens to me, and that, I think, completes the first charge —that of wrongly diagnosing my complaint. Mr Clmr-man : When did you first tell Dr King that other medical men had diagnosed delirium tremens ? Witness: The day before I went out, I think. It was the statement made at the interview described, coupled with another statement made a day or two before I was discharged to the effect that I had not sufficient self-control to bo discharged, and that the reason for my close detention in the building was that I could not be trusted to go outside as there waß an hotel near—that forms the basis of my first charge. I complain that I was put into the refractory ward among the dangerous and criminal lunatics while in a weak Btate both of mind and body. I was roughly treated by the attendants—by one in particular, Shepherd by name. Me tried to knock me down, but I was able to defend myself. I would have reported this had I known whom to report it to ; but I think I mentioned it to Power. One of the attendants was very objectionable, and was allowed to knock the patients about.

Mr Chapman: I must confine you to charges against Dr King. This particular matter you think you reported to Power ? You did not speak to Dr King about it ? Witness: I did not speak to Dr King. Mr Chapman : Your general complaint is that you were put in a refractory ward when you were not a refractory patient ? Witness : And when I was in a weak state. Mr Chapman : Yon say that you were not refractory 1 Witness: Not when I was conscious. The sleeping arrangements I should like to refer to. This will come under the second charge. After coming down to the main building, I first slept in a cell and was afterwards removed to a dormitory containing eight beds. The occupants were threo Chinamen who talked continually in their sleep, one man who ground his teeth frightfully all night, and another man who coughed like a steam engine. I had difficulty in getting sleep, until I could control all the patients myself. I made frequent complaints to the attendants about this. I made up my mind after I became sale to stay and nee what went on. I told Dr King I was well treated, but it was with the object of seeing what went on in the place that I agreed to go into the store for a month. This will explain why I made no great complaint about the sleeping arrangements. I made my complaints in a casual way to the attendants. I allege that the night watchman failed to obey instructions. I was told by the attendants that the night watchman had instructions to visit me specially, and to give me one pint of milk during the night. I was told this when I found out that ho was not obeying his instructions, and I at once communicated with Dr King. The doctor failed to find out, until I told him, that the night watchman did not visit my dormitory during the night and did not give me milk, as ordered by him, in investigating that charge, Mr Chapman : Well, that disposes of the second charge, and brings us to the third. Witness : I complained, in the presence of the night watchman, of his conduct, and charged him with neglect of duty._ ' Dr King declined to admit —at least in my hearing—any evidence againfit him, except an admission made by the night watchman in the presence of another attendant that he had not administered milk during the night previous to the investigation. Dr King declined to dismiss the night watchman on the evidence adduced, although I told him I did not consider tho man was fit to be trusted with the lives of patients who would not only omit to do his duty, but make a false report to his Buperior officer of having done it. I believe Dr King afterwards investigated that charge, but I do not know the result.

Mr Chapman : Then really the complaint comes down to his not investigating it at the time.

Witness: Not properly investigating it in not taking my word and that of Buchanan, but taking that of Coull and a lot of lunatics. He told Coull in my presence that had he had a little more evidence he would have dismissed him on the spot, but that the matter remained in an extremely unsatisfactory state for him (Coull). I afterwards signed a statement which is, I believe, to be laid before the InspectorGeneral.

Mr Chapman: Let mc ask you this—Did yon use any strong language ? Witness: I did. I used thundering strong language at this interview, and aftcrwardo apologised. I called Coull a liar three or four times. Dr King called mo to order, and I apologised. I think the occasion warranted strong language. Mr Chapman: Doea that finish your bvidence on the third head ?

Witness: Yes. During the last four weeks I was here I frequently saw Dr King, and had opportunities of conversing with | him both on general subjects and the subject of my liberation. He declined to let tne go or I would have gone. On Tuesday, the '2oth October, I think, l)r King seat for me, and asked me questions regarding my family and personal history. I described to him my accident to which I ascribe my illness, and t asked him if he had hoard of cases of injuries to the head producing their effects a long time afterwards. He said " Yes." At the conclusion of the interview he said he had arranged that I should go into the store, and I agreed to do so, simply because I wanted to learn some more of the working of the institution, as I had visited a good many asylums. On the next day— Wednesday—the trouble arose about the night watchman. lam satisfied I was sane in mind and well in body then. On that occasion he assigned want of self-control as the reason for detaining me, but I told him that self-control and responsibility for actions were two entirely different things, with the former of which he had nothing whatever to do. After some further conversation he wrote, in my presence, an application for my discharge, and forwarded it to the magistrate. He told me what I knew already—that I had been suffering from acute mania arising from impulsive insanity —that is to say, that an emotion acting on a highly organised and sensitive brain, already suffering from an injury, would have a tendency to set me off my "chump." Those were the words I used. Mr Chapman : Your charge is specificillegal detention for some weeks. Witness : I will say four weeks. From the date when I told the doctor the family and personal history he admitted that he had been wrong. He said : " Well, the fact is that you have been suffering from acute mania, arising from impulsive insanity." The end was that I got my discharge, and left on Saturday, the 24th. By Dr King : I told you that I believed my maternal grandmother died in an asylum. This only came to your knowledge after the date of illegal detention, and is consequently irrelevant, I am not aware that an aunt of mine suffered from mental derangement. I never heard anything about it. I never saw my materna l uncles, and never knew that two of them were excessively addicted to alcohol. I never knew that there were two such people, and do not know now; I believe I was pretty " fast" while a student at the University of Edinburgh. _ I did not tell you I was one of the most dissipated. I could not possibly have been one of the most dissipated and pass the examinations I did. I may have said to you that I was one of the "fastest" students at the university. I never allowed it to interfere with my work, and I passed with very high honors. When I left I promised you that I would let you know the whole of the rest of my family history, hut I had neither time nor opportunity to inquire. John A. Torrance, chaplain, deposed that he visited Seacliff onco a fortnight. Mr Bathgate : Do you remember the day you saw me in the yard ? Witness: I think it was the 22nd of September. I remember mentioning the names of some people to Mr Bathgate, and he told me to tell them to come up and see him. I never saw Mr Bathgate drunk, bnt I was led to understand that he had been drinking. It was general talk that I heard and I believed it. Dr King did not ask me to make inquiries, but I think I reported what I had heard of him.

Mr Chapman : The result is this—that you had occasion to make some inquiries. Witness : Friends spoke to me about Mr Bathgate. Mr Bathgate: No friend of mine. Witness: Friends volunteered statements to me, and the3e were statements which I accepted in good faith. I may say that when I found Mr Bathgate here I came to the conclusion that he had beei drinking, from his way of acting. Dr King : I presume you have had considerable experience in coming into contact with people suffering from the effects of alcohol.

Witness: I have seen a great many drunken people in the hospital and in the gaol. I formed the conclusion of my own accord that Mr Bathgate was suffering from the effects of alcohol.

Mr Bathgate : How often did you sec me, Mr Torrance?

Witness: Four times, 7. suppose. Dr Kiug: Was it merely a general conclusion, Mr Torrance, or was thero any specific fact that pointed to delirium tremens'! Was he conscious, do you think, of his surroundings ? Witness: Ido not recollect his saying where he was.

Dr KiDg: Was there any mention of Hell or Purgatory ? Witness: Oh, yes, by-thc-bye. He said he was in Hell.

Mr Chapman: This conversation took place about a month before his discharge ? Witness : Yes. He was much more collected than before.

Mr Bathgate : Did I answer your questions rationally ? Witness : Yes, with some roughness. Dr King : Say within a fortnight of the time when Mr Bathgate was discharged, did you consider him sane, from your knowledge of patients? Witness: I considered him improved. The last time I saw him before he was discharged, I considered him much improved, and wearing on to the time when he should be discharged. That was on the Monday before he was discharged. The conversation was about releasing a man from prison, and Mr Bathgate said "What a d d shame he is not released." John Maudonnell, head attendant ;.t Seadill' Asylum, stated that he was principally in charge of the upper building. He was close on twenty-five years in the service. He remembered Mr Bathgate's transfer from tho upper to the main building. He remembered meeting Mr Bathgate on the lawn one .Saturday afternoon, about three weeks before his diacbarge. Mr Bathgate looked at that time as witness had seen him on the day before inside. Mr Chapman : How was that ? Witness: He seemed to be about his usual health, as far as I could see. I was not surprised to see Mr Bathgate there, because a great many patients go to the Saturday recreation who, though apparently well, have relapsed. I do not remember asking Mr Bathgate what he was there for. I may have asked whether he was there for drinking. I do not remember Mr Bathgate's telling me the cause of his illness. Mr Bathgate : Did you see me frequently in the corridor or in the ward after that ? Witness: Daily, I think. Mr Bathgate : Did you detect any eign by which you could detain me as a fit subject ? Witness: There arc so many patients who appear "right," but relapse, that I would not pay any great attention. Dr King: You do not mean, Mr Macdonnell, that you had any particular responsibility with regard to Mr Bathgate ? Witness: He was under Robertson's care, and therefore I would not expect to know much about him. Dr Kiug: Do you think you could give any reasonable opinion as to the sanity of one-fourth of the patients under Mr Robertson's charge ? Witness : I would have very great doubt as to the sanity of most of them. Mr Chapman: Your are safe there.— (Laughter.) Mr Bathgate: You are too Scotch,— (Laughter.) Witness: There are a great many patients in the lower building of whom I know practically nothing, although I see them daily. I do not say Mr Bathgate was Bane at the time of the conversation—l could not form an opinion. Dr King: Will you tell us, Mr Macdonnell, how Mr Bathgate was treated by the attendants in the upper building ? Witness: So far as I am aware ho was well treated by the attendants. He got every attention and care that could be given. Mr Bathgate: I have always said so, with the exception of Shepherd. Witness would say that Mr Bathgate was treated with extra kindness. Ho heard Shepherd telling Mr Bathgate to sit down in a chair, and he heard a scufflo before. By the way the attendant was seating Mr Bathgate and speaking to him ho thought Uicrc was nothing wrong. There was nothing in the matter that called for a report. Ho was J not surprised, when he saw Mr Bathgate's ! condition, at his being put in the refractory

ward, fie was not aware of any of the patients ill-using Mr Bathgate, and he saw none. Mr Bathgate: This is the first I have heard of Mr Macdonnell having charge of the ward.

William Charles Shepherd, attendant in the upper building, was called by Di King, and stated that he had been nearly five years in service here. Dr King: Do you remember, Mr Shepherd, a circumstance occurring in the upper building in which you had to seat Mr Bathgate ? Witness : I remember it, but it was so trivial that I thought no more about it. Mr Bathgate : That is what I said. Witness said that Mr Bathgate stood in the way of a man who was sweeping the floor, and witness requested him to stand aside. He would not do it, and witness again asked him. Mr Bathgate used some bad language, and witness said " You must move." Witness then pushed him aside, and Mr Bathgate got hold of his shirt collar and tore his shirt.

Mr Bathgate: Rubbish. Witness : It's a fact, Mr Bathgate. I pushed him into a large armchair standing close by. Mr Bathgate : Tell your own story. I'll not contradict it. Keep your billet for goodness sake.

Witness: At that moment Macdonnell and Power came to the door.

Mr Bathgate: How long did it take you to get that story off by heart? Witness : That was all that occurred. Dr King protested against Mr Bathgate insulting the witnesses. Henry Power, charge attendant of the refractory ward, stated in reply to Mr Bathgate that he did not know of charges against Dr King of wrong diagnosis and illegal detention. He had not been examined previously, excepting with regard to the charge against the night watchman. He was in charge of the upper building while Mr Bathgate was there. He \vas_ there when Mr Bathgate made s complaint of being roughly treated by Shepherd, and wa'j present when the matter occurred. He reported the matter in his daily reports, stating that Mr Bathgate was violent to attendants. The witness narrated the circumstances of the scuttle between Mr Bathgate and Shepherd, and stated that Shepherd pushed Mr Bathgate pretty roughly—not in his opinion, with unnecessary roughness—into the arm-chair. He recollected Mr Bathgate saying to him that Shepherd was the only man who treated him roughly by knocking him down. This was some weeks after Mr Bathgate was removed into the lower building. On the same day Mr Bathgate upset witness.— (Laughter.) Mr Bathgate would sometimes have bread and water for breakfast, but more frequently porridge with a pint of milk ; at eleven o'clock, a pint of milk with an egg beaten up in it; at dinner time, the ordinary dinner or bread and milk ; at 4.30 another pint of milk and egg in it; at tea time, the ordinary tea or more bread and milk; and at 8.30 a pint of milk—irrespective of what the night watchman would give. Mr Bathgate : It would need to be. Dr King: What was the total amount of milk Mr Bathgate got a day ? Witness: Five or six pints. Dr King : And how many eggs? Witness: Two. Dr King: Anything else ? Witness : The ordinary diet as well. Mr Bathgate: I ate two men's rations, I know, every day I was in here. Do you remember about a month ago your coming through the yard with Mr Torrance and his mentioning some names to me ? How do you think 1 answered him then? Pretty rough ? Witness: Yes. Dr King: Did Mr Bathgate ever use bad language towards other people ? Witness : Repeatedly. I remember Mr Bathgate attributing his illness to religious mania, and I remember his telling mo that he was going to become a Roman Catholic for the purpose of evading the attentions of the people at Catlins. During the last three or four weeks that Mr Bathgate was in the asylum we talked about his leaving. He told me that Dr King had made a mistake in attributing his illness to drink, and he told me about a fall from a horse. I cannot say that 1 thought that Mr Bathgate's views were pretty rational. I thought it was a case of whisky. I judged from appearance. Mr Bathgate told me that he had always done everything he did "hard," and I counselled moderation in all things.

By Dr King: I remember your speaking to Mr Bathgate about leaving the asylum altogether. Roughly speaking, about a week or eight days before his discharge I heard Mr Bathgate express willingness to remain in the asylum under treatment. That was expressed to Dr King and myself, and to me apart from Dr King. Mr Bathgate : Did I give any reason ? Witness: You said you were very comfortable,

Mr Bathgate: Did 1 not say anything about seeing how the place was worked ? Witness: No. Mr Bathgate: Did I not say anything about going into the store ? Witness : You first said you wouldn't go, and then that you would. To Dr King : Mr Bathgate told me that he took jolly good care that his relations never knew what he wj.s going to do next. To Mr Bathgate: At that time—during the last three or four weoks—you would be sane enough to tell if a man came and wakened you at night with a pint of milk or not. You told ine a day or two before you were discharged that you had arranged witli Dr King to go into the store. To Dr King : Witness remembered hearing Mr Bathgate asking Coull, the night watchman, one morning if he gave him milk on tho previous evening. Coull answered " Yes," and Mr Bathgate called him a liar.

To Mr Bathgate : Witness knew that an order for a supply of a pint of milk had been given in the upper building, but he never suspected that the order waß not being carried out until that day, about half an hour before Mr Bathgate spoke to Coull. To Dr King : I was questioned by you in the morning about this in Mr Bathgate's presence. To Mr Chapman: Coull was present when I gave my evidence. My statement was taken in writing afterwards, and waß the same I had orally made in the morning. To Br King: I remember your lending Mr Bathgate a novel. I think it was ' The Story of an African Farm.' That was during the last month of his stay in the asylum. Mr Bathgate: Did I make any remark about the book ?

V\ itness : You said it was a curious book, and was about people like the Bush Baptists.

John Buchanan, in reply to Mr Bathgate, stated that he remembered the transfer of the patients from the upper building to the main building, about four weeks prior to Mr Bathgate's being discharged. He remembered a conversation with Mr Bathgate about some former business with which both were connected. It was only a casual reference, and so far as the conversation went Mr Bathgate showed that he had a good recollection of what had occurred some years before. Apart from the fact of Mr Bathgate's being in the asylum, his conversation conveyed the impression that he was pretty sensible of what he was talking about. Mr Bathgate spoke to witness of a religious sect in town called the Bruntonites, He did not speak respectfully of them—his language was anything but parliamentary.—(Laughter.) Witness corroborated, in its main points, the evidenco of the previous witness with respect to the conversation between the night watchman and Mr Bathgate as to the supply of milk. Witness would think that Mr Bathgate was Bane enough during tho three weeks to know whether he was awoke at night or not. John Pullar deposed that he had had conversations with Mr Bathgate about life at Catlins.

Mr Bathgate : Did your ideas and mine coincide about thoao people down there ? Witness: Ido not know about your ideas. I have my own ideas. Your conversation was pretty sensiblo and your language pretty strong. Mr Bathgate: Did you ever hear mo put down my illness to religious mania? Witness: Yes.

J/imcs Struthorß slated that he had had i good many conversations with Mr Bathgate about Glasgow and Edinburgh. Mr Bathgtitu stemtsd sensible in all hj« aaid to wit-

ness. Eta never to witness expressed prise at being kept so long in the asylum. Mr Bathgate told him he had had afallfrom a horse about two years ago, and that ho thought it had injured his head; William Kerr stated that from tMee or four days after Mr Bathgate's admission, and right through, except for one short interval, he attended Mr Bathgate. Witness could scarcely say what form of mania Mr Bathgate was suffering from. Mr Bathgate had two or three different ideas.

Mr Bathgate : Did you ever consider me a violent or refractory person ? Witness : Well, you made fierce jumps at times, but I did not think much of it I heard you speak to some others of an injury to the head received by a fall from a horse. I made it out that your idea was that you had never recovered from that injury. Within the last week or two before your discharge you were able to talk rationally about your former delußionß, James Belliss stated that on one occasion, more than three weeks ago, Mr Bathgate spoke to him of a certain man with whom witness had had a horse transaction. Mr Bathgate called the man a scoundrel, and this judgment appeared likely to be correct.

Dr King (to Mr Bathgate): You knew this man before, and you formed your judgment when you were sane ? Mr Bathgate replied that he had had a transaction himself with the man.

Witness added, in reply to a further question, that Mr Bathgate's language was very rough at times in the mess room. Dr King : That appears to be fully established.

Witness continued: Mr Bathgate attributed his illness to a fall from a horse. John Clarkson deposed that while Mr Bathgate was in the asylum he was, as a rule, with him in the yard. Mr Bathgate was pretty quiet, but he had not a nice tongue in his head. He dared say he had heard a few in his travels who could beat Mr Bathgate at rough language, but not many. With the exception of having a rough tongue, Mr Bathgate's conduct was pretty "ood during the last few weeks, but not at the first "gooff." Mr Chapman: Do you remember any circumstance at the upper building of Shepherd putting Mr Bathgate in a chair ? Witness said he heard a scuflle, and when he came out Shepherd was putting Mr Bathgate in a chair, and Mr Bathgate had hold of Shepherd's coat. So far as witness could see Shepherd did not use more strength than was necessary. Dr King : Did you ever hear Mr Bathgate tell disgusting and filthy stories ? Witness : Not disgusting stories, I did hear "smutty" stories, but nothing very bad. I have heard much worse.

Mr Bathgate : That was during the last few weeks ? Witness: Yes; after you had recovered a bit.

At 6 p.m. the inquiry was adjourned, and was resumed to-day.