SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 75, 2 August 1913, Page 3

SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL.

A CHARGE ' ,V fAJsHLA UO.IITEK

[Per Press .Association-.] Christchurch, August 1. The public benches at file Magis trate’s Court were crowded to-day when Joseph Marlin Ciiapinan. a warder at tlie Sunnyside Mental Hospital, was charged that on July 8, at Christchurch, he murdered Charles Thopias McMeekin. James Todd, attendant at the Sunnyside Mental Hospital, during crossexamination said that during the assault McMeekin kept saying “That’s enough; that will do.” He did not say anything official until after the inquest, because he was,a bit bewildered with Chapman saying “sit tight,” aud being second in charge at the time of the assault. He had been an ' attendant at the asylum for seven I months, and before that he had work-' ed at Lake Coleridge. Mr Donnelly: As a, navvy? ! \\ itnbss: Yes, as a common navvy. Before that, ho continued, he had! not had any experience of asylums. J’liomas John Stephens, attendant . at Sunnyside/ said that on July Bth, while walking along towards D ward’, at about 12.20 p.m., he noticed two! attendants, Todd and Chapman, ini McMeekin s room. McMeekin was then ' lying on the bed, and Todd was standing at the foot. Chapinan was stand- \ iug over McMeekin with liis foot raised over McMeekin’s abdomen. James Coakley, attendant at Sunnyside, said that on July 3 he relieved the attendant, Chapman,, for about thirty minutes. McMeekin was a bit excited at the time,-and was knocking at the door of his room. On July 0, Chapman called him into his room and showed witness the day report book. He was shown a report to the effect that McMeekin made violent attempts at Chapman and witness., Chapman told Coakley to swear to that, and witness told him it was not! true, and that the patient had not 1 made any violent attack. I Chief Detective Bishop; Have you,' seen the report book since? 1 Witness: I saw it at 8.30 on the following day. Chief Detective Bishop: Was that* report in it then? Witness: I don’t know. | Chief Detective Bishop; Was there i a page, .missing? , j n ft ■ - i Witness: I don’t know, i . i ■ Chief , Detective, tjien: handed the i report .book to the Magistrate to' show ; that the. page;-between the reportsdated July; ( 7( and, J\vly ]8 had been torn , Put. ~ r , r ;jj .; . . - ■Charles Henry Sykes, ~ f night att*onfjan,t r at f the ho sp jtaJ, • said .that on Jldy 8, qt p’clock £f J)e relieved, Chapmhnj j who told him; jtq- be) {careful, and that McMeekin had been .[ashing out, itoftgmg the pud yvppting this i 'clothes and a smoke. Both Chapman,i and the head attendant at different times told him that he was not to go. into AlcMeekjn.’s rqoiu alone, Chapman*’qaid if McMeekin got out the best tbiug to do was to let one man hold his arms whilq, th<? ; other punched ■ hint-' n#tpm%?h• ione occasion said to him that) in deal-Jng'-wi].lr yjese .old,, mmi U‘*hei:ubest.k fthihgj to do is to drive your hefel jnto :- tlieir because \ye* don’t want such, •cattle berg,” ( \ . ‘ J Dr. M estenra, who : conducted the!, post mortem examination, said, that ■there were, no external marks oh violence on the body, but .there were a few slight abrasions,,on the legs' mud arms. The _ abdomen was sound! and healthy, but at tjie commencement ■ of the aorta there were signs of dis-j ease. The right,' lung showed signs] of bemmorbage, and the left lungslight signs of hemorrhage. Similar evidence was given by Dr. Ramshottom and Dr. Gow, of the hospital staffj the statement being made that, if the body was covered with blankets when the blow was delivered, a bruise would not be likely to show 1 .” The , charge was reduced to manslaughter. Accused was committed for trial. Bail -was allowed in £3OO and two' sureties of £l5O each, or one of. £3OO. I