A PORIRUA TRAGEDY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 46, 9 October 1911, Page 5

A PORIRUA TRAGEDY.

ONE PATIENT KILLS ANOTHER

(Per Press Association.)

Wellington, October 8. A horrible tragedy occurred at Porirua Mental Asylum 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 tho hospital in 1908. He came from Wanganui. Ho was 44 years of ago, and married.

Renall as about the same ago. He was transferred from Mount View Asylum to Porirua last year. An attendant heard a scuffle in the room where Renall, Henderson, and six others slept. On rushing in lie 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 Henderson had struck him, but he bears no mark of violence. Eight were sleeping in the room, because of lack of accommodation.

An inquest was held this afternoon, the jury finding that deceased died from'shock, caused by injuries indicted by Renall while in a state of mania. A rider was added that the attention of tho Government should be drawn to the overcrowded state of the institution, thereby causing day rooms to bo used as dormitories.