LUNATICS AT LARGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15730, 3 October 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

LUNATICS AT LARGE.

MURDER AFTER RELEASE. ' Deadly risks consequent upon the release of lunatics from asylums were pointed out' by Sir" Forrest Fedton, ;. the ; recorder, in his charts" to the grand jury at the opening of the Old Bailey. -■ '"Each year sit; here," he said, "I see more clearly the extreme danger of prematurely releasing persons under confinement in "asylums. ' A number of them are charged ' here with the. most grave offences."' 7 ' -'He .mentioned that two men, charged with cinder at the present sessions have been leased from asylums. Dealing with the city shooting case, in which a man named.Smith was charged with the murder of a newsvendor in Broad Street, the recorder said the case was one illustrating the : mysterious way lunatics were dealt with in England. ' Prisoner was certified insane in 1899, and at the end of that year was discharged as cured. In October, 1912, ho was again certified insane and sent to an asylum. In December, 1913, he was allowed out- on probation under the care of his father, and in June last apeared to have had some violent outburst, The medical officer at Brixton Prison now described him as a dangerous lunatic. " It really is a dreadful thing to think," the recorder added, " that a man suffering from an affliction of this kind should be allowed at large. No doubt asylums have great demands made upon them, but certainly the greatest possible care ought to be exercised."