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New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6829, 6 October 1883, Page 4

The inquest at the Lunatic Asylum yesterday into the circumstances of the death of James John Mills, who wa3 killed by another patient named Anthony Gschnell, an Austrian inmate, on Wednesday morning, lasted yesterday for fully sis hours, and a moat searching inveatigation was made. The evidence was entirely insufficient to show how it occurred that this homicidal maniac, who had previously been convicted of murder and sentenced to death, and who has constantly asserted his intention to repeat the crime, should have been left in the ward with Mills, or possess himself of the weapon with which the niurder was perpetrated. Neither of tho men was supposed to be in the ward at the time and how they got there is a mystery which may never be explained. Whether they secreted themselves and evaded the watchfulness of. the warder, or whether there was carelessness, are questions which may never be solved, but the authorities in the Lunacy Department will make the fullest possible iavestigaagainst Gschnell, that of wilful murder, is, of course, inoperative as he cannot be held accountable for his acts. He sat in Court between two warders yesterday quiet and callous and not evincing the slightest interest in the proceedings, although it was known that he fully understood all that was going on Indeed, it transpired in evidence that his only mania was homicidal. On other subjects he was intelligent and conversible He was a very quiet patient, and even with the warders he was courteous and plausible, invariably thanking £hem for any favour such as a pipe light, etc., but ha. was ever on the watch to carry out hig intention to shed blood. In the course of "Vl , un ? s evidence the overcrowded state or the Asylum was brought prominently forward. It is horrible that it should be so, for it renders altogether impracticable any attempt at classification, 273 patients occupying the space and accommodation intended for 167 is I frightful to contemplate. The staff is entirely inadequate, yet. it cannot be increased, because there is no place in which to put warders, many of them even now having to occupy dormitories, or beds in rooms intended for other purposes, while the chapel and dininj rooms are literally crowded with beds? It is a thorough disgrace that mora accommodation is not provided. Reference was made to the fact that in this country there was no separate asylum for criminal lunatics. The establishment of such would be a boon. It would serve to relieve the pressure on existing asylums, and also provide for greater care and greater means of classification in the management of lunatics. If action in till ~ eo , tlon is , taken, in consequence of the first murder m the Whau Asvlnm ts history," good may arise even out ofthe.fear jul tragedy which has been played within its walls.