ALLEGED KLEPTOMANIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8155, 12 April 1888, Page 4

ALLEGED KLEPTOMANIA.

A REMAKKABLE CASE.

At the City Police Court yesterday a woman< about 28 years of age, named Amy Maud Boc!<i was charged, on remand, before Messrs J. Elmer and H. F. Hardy, J.P's, with having obtained, on April 2, by means of false pretences, a quantity of articles from Peter Dutton, a chemist, at South Dunedin.

Mr Kettle, who appeared for the accused, said when the case was up before the court before his client pleaded guilty, aud was remanded for the purpose of examination. It was alleged Uiat she was not in a proper state of mind, and she wa3 remanded in order that some inquiries might be made about hsr. Since then she bad sent for him (Mr Kettle), and ho.had made inquiries with regard to her. It seemed to him to be a very peculiar case indeed if the statements she had made were true. He had taken some trouble to verify them, and so far as he could verify them they appeared to be true. Sha had made certain statements to him, and a woman named Mrs Lees, with whom she had been living, confirmed soinu of those statements.

Mr Hardy observed that the accused had been remanded for examination as to the state of her mind.

Mr Phillips, the probation officer: I may st&te that the surgeon of tho gaol hns seen her on three different occasions, and does not sco any reason to make anj entry concerning her.

Mr Kettle said nuyone who knew anything about kleptomania knew that no medical man could form any conclusion with regard to tho state of a person's laiud until after lengthened examination. This was a very peculiar ease, and he thought the Minister of Justice should be asked to inquire into the statements of the accused.

Mr Hardy: We pan give no countenance to kleptomania. It is only another uame for stealing.

Sergeant-major Bevin informed tho bench that the accused h.id been in gaol at Christchurch.

Mr Kettle: I would not ask the court to inquire into this case if I did not think there was something in what the girl says. Mr Hardy remarked that unfortunately tho accused had been in gaol at Christchurch.

Mr Kettle said that that would be the vary thing that they might expect to find if the girl's statements were true. He had a statement iv her own handwriting which he would read to the court if permitted to do so.

The Bench intimated that they would hear the statement if Mr Kettle wished them to do so.

Mr Kettle then read tho following state. meut:—

" The malady I suffer from now has been upou mo since childhood, and uo one but God and myself knows the fearful horror I have had to face year after year iv the knowledge that, instead of my being able to fight successfully against it (as I have prayed so often to do), it has rather overpowered me more and mere. When I was very young I remember going to a shop in the town we lived in and buying a lot of books, &s. without my father's knowledge, and giving them away. (You will see for yourself, if you look into the case, that nothing I ever got has been for myself. Thu temptation has always been : ' Give, give; never mind how you get tho things; you can pay for them by-aud-bye.') Well, when the account was scut to my father he came to me and told me never to get anything without first receiving an order from him. He told me that anything I needed I must go to him for, and I Bhould have it; but his saying that only seemed to inGrease the desire to get things without his knowing. I did so niauy times, and at last, when his patience was worn out, he took me into his room and tnld me of my mother's fate, and said he feared I showed the same symptoms. He begged me to fight and struggle against this kleptomania for all our sakes. But it was in vain—it still went on at intervals, though he tried kindness and punishments of every kind. Then ho decided to send mo away to a boarding school in Melbourne (a Mrs James', Nicholson street, Fitzroy). There for somo months I had peace, but it suddenly broke out worse than ever. However, I stayed nearly two years, and then my father having had severe losses we each had to choose our own work and take to it. I, being passionately fond of children and teaching, chose school work. I studied under Mr R. L. Clements (now head teacher at Naseby). I passed my examination, and was appointed to a school at Stradbroke, in Gippsland, Victoria, where I was for two years-, aud from there I was promoted to Maryvale East, about 97 miles from Melbourne, on the railway line from there to Sale. During those two years, strange to say, the old temptation had scarcely visited rua; and when it did tbe thought of my work, which I really loved, always had the power to check me. But just about this time tho greatest sorrow of my life came to me. I had become engaged to one whom I had known since childhood, and he was accidentally killed, being thrown from his pony. However, I went to Maryvale, and was there for some years until a school at Hazelwood, about seven aud a-half miles from ours, was made half-time with ours, and I was given charge ol the two. I accepted, and did well for some time; buc the work was too much for a female, besides having to go backwards and forwards to the schools in all weathers. One j day I had got wet through, and, instead of changing my clothes at once, I sat in them for three or four hours. This resulted in an attack of inflammation of the lungs and bronchitis, and, having a relapse, the illness lasted four and a half months, during which time I was only once out of my bed. 1 had to resign, and losing my school seemed to just throw me back altogether. ! I never got strong, and the old temptation came again. I fell so often that I determined to tell Dv George Teague, of Melbourne, all my case and seek his anvico. He did all he could, and was indeed beneficial to a certain extent; but I went to New South Wales to visit an undo there, and then the malady attacked me again. I got things in his name, and gave them to his children, my cousins. When he found out, ho was vexed. I told him how it was, and he offered then to place me in a private asylum and pay for me if I would go; but I would not. I have regretted it ever since; but I hoped against hope that I might be enabled to battle against it. I went to Melbourne again, and there I suffered fearfully through it; and had it not been that I had many influential friends, I i should have been iv the same position as I am at present. I was far from strong as regards bodily health, and the doctors ordered me away, either to Tasmania or to New Zealand. My father being here, he wired for me to come to Auckland, but my stepmother, being very young, and knowing the malady I suffered from, never liked mo, and things were made so miserable for me that I left homo and got 9 place as governess up at Otahuhu, and there the same old thing occurred. I was arrested, but the magistrates, having proof of my suffering from my mother's disease, decided thafr I was not responsible, and discharged me. On my way up the coast from Melbourne to Auckland! had stayed one night with Mr aud Mr.sHaxell, of the Empire Hotel, Lyttolton. They were old friends of ours in Victoria. When in Auckland I heard of her death and her wish that, if I had not obtained work in Auckland, I would conic as governess to her daughters, Eva and Mary. I did so, but had not boon there long before I did that which resulted in my being placed in Addington for a month. I knew theu I had no chancs of fighting against this terrible evil; it is in my blood, and the only way of my being enabled to prevent myself from being the causq, of misery and sorrow to all those connected with mo is to write and see if my uncle will do as he offered some years ago—place me in a private asylum, where I shall perhaps be treated kindly, and yet never allowed to go out alone. Mr Titchener stated in his evidence that I was living with a publican iv Lyttelton. I beg to say that it was not in tho way he would havo made it appear, but simply as governess to his two daughters. Whatever my life has been, the temptation of bad living, such as he inferred, has not been one .of mine. God knows, I have evil enough to answer for without that. Af ber leaving Addington I went to Wellington, aud was there some time before I again fell. Through tbo kindness of the Minister of Education, Mr Habens, Mr Wardell, and others—who knew that it was my mother's malady again showing itself —I was sent to the Industrial School at Oaversham, instead of gaol, and there I was till January last; and since then I havo again fallen many times in the same way. I know my sin deserves tho greatest severity. Yet, believe me, it has indeed been struggled agaiust, though in vain. If your Worships will deal with mo as leniently as possible, it is all I ask. It will be better for me aud all concerned that I should receive a sentence, and in the mfantiino I will get someone to write to my uncle and beg of him to carry out now tho offer he made some time ago, and then when my term is over I may go right away to tho asylum ho knows of. It is a private one, and the keeper is a friend of his own; therefore he thought it would be good for me, for I would have certain privileges aud be kept out of harm's way. Dr Burns says it is not madness. For proof I refer to my father iv Auckland; Mr Knight, of Wellington; and the superintendent of the Yarra Bend. If proof is required of my being once a teacher iv Victoria Nr R L. Clements will be able to furnish that. Besides, Mrs Robert Wilson, of George street, perhaps remembers me when she was over in Victoria. Some few years ago, while I was at tho Maryvalo School, near Morwell.l was boarding with her uncle, Mr John Thompson. She visited them during that time. She may possibly remember it; but it is hard to get proof here for I am comparatively a stranger in Dunedin. However, God knows best, aud lam quite content to abide by His will; and I still liopo and pray that He who only can will, in His own good way and time, free mo from this terriblo disease, which causes me such misery, and others, too, through me. Only He knows tho horror I havo lived in all these years." After reading tho above Mr Kettle said : It is a peculiar statement, aud it seems to mo to be circumstantial from beginning to end. Of course, if your Worships think there is no necessity for any inquiries into the matter I cannot say anything further; but I submit it is a case which should be inquired into. Sergeant-major Bevin: Mr Torrauce has got her uncle's addre=s. In reply to tho Bench, Mr Torranco said ho did not know anything about the accused, but he had tho namo of her uncle in Sydney, and I ( had promised to write to him with regard to tho ! statements nmilu by the accused. t Mi' Kettle handed to tho bench a letter j f written to him urivavely, wSiich he ;-ai>! showed \ < that thcro wns a curtain amount of corroburu- I 1 fci.lll nbotifc t-hn (vkim^ciVs statements. '■

After tlii' b.'in'h hritl rulirnrl for a few minutes to consider their decision, Mr Elmer said they had cum\u to tiici conclusion that a sentence would bo tho best thing for the accused. They would make it as light as

possible, and if Hr Kettle took an. interest in the matter he would have plenty of time to look up the case. The accused would be sentenced to two months' imprisonment.

Hr Kettle: Will auy steps ba taken to ask tho Minister of Justice to inquire into the matter?

Mr Elmer said if the surgeon o£ the gaol reported that the accused was insane the Minister of Justice would be communicated with.

Mr Kettle: It is not insanity that a medical man can detect by visiting a person in gaol. It is a peculiar species of insanity, which is only made evident by the commission of crime.

Mr Hardy: At the same time we cannot give any support or show any favour to kleptomania. It would never do to countenance it. If wo did a good many people would soon be found to think that they were suffering with that disease.

The accused then thanked the beuch for the Eentence which had been passed on her, anil was removed from the court.