BEATEN TO DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 7

BEATEN TO DEATH.

\tragedy AT PORIRUA;

PATIENT KILLS COMPANION.

ATTENDANT ARRIVES TOO LATE. •= Car TEI-EGRAT-H. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Monday morning. A terrible tragedy occurred at the Porirua Mental Asylum at about 11 . o'clock on Saturday, Frank Peter Renall assaulting John William Henderson and beating him to death with a chair and his-fists.

Henderson was admitted to the hospital in April, 1908. He came from Wanganui, and was 44 years of . age and married. Renall is about the same age. He was transferred from the Mount View Asylum to Porirua last year. An attendant heard a scuffle in a room where Renall, Henderson, and six others slept. On rushing in he found Renall on top of Henderson, assaulting him with both fists. The attendant pulled Renall off, and then found that Henderson was dead. Renall said that Henderson had struck him, but he boars no mark of violence. Eight were sleeping in the room because of lack of accommodation. ' An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, the jury finding that the deceased died from shock caused by injuries inflicted by Renall while in a state of mania. A rider was added to the effect that the attention of the Government should be drawn to the overcrowded state of tho institution,- thereby causing day rooms to bo used, as dormitories.