SANE OR INSANE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4560, 8 June 1889, Page 3

SANE OR INSANE.

Sotno timo oi>o a man named Stephen SpaUlin<; was tried at tlie Supreme Court at Auckland on a charge of setting fire to come dairy factory buildings at Kernucrn, but na there was every reasou to belicvo that ho was insuoe, he was acquitted mid sent to the Avondalo Asylum. Ho appoara to havo recovered his reason enon after, nnd last session a petitioa wiib proientcd to llm FJou?o for on inquiry into his case. He escaped from the Asylum m Sepfer.iber last, and h'l9 recently been caught nnd replaced m the Asylum. Tho other day Spalding wrote to an Auckland paper : — " I escaped from tho Avond.ile Asylum on tho 16lh of last September* and have been staving ever since with a gentloman m Hntkc's Bay. The reason L escaped was tbia — I petitioned the Government for an inquiry, and wua recommended by Iho Public Petitions Committee to be medically examined by two doctors, independent of the Superintendent of tho Avondalo Asylum ; but the examination nevertook place, and I could not get jii9ti<-o done me, no I determined to escape nnd procure tho necessary certificates myself, of , which the fnlla«ing are espies." The certificates referred to nro from two 1 medical gentlemen, one of them being no , o'her than Dr Hacon, ei-medical superintendent of the Sunnysido Asylum, Christ- > church. Pr Hacon writes, under dalo April 3, to tho Colonial Secretary, " In my 1 opi'ion Stephen Spnlding ia not danger- . ou.«, and does not require further restorative or curative treatmont, and may bo discharged withont danger to himeelf or others. I nm ratiafied of hia eanity, and recommend (hat hn lib bo granted a proper official dischargo." 1 Thoother medical gcntlcmnn, "r Anderson, formerly Assistant Kcsidrnt Medical Superintent, Leicester and Ruttand Counties Anyluin, writing under date April -ttli siij-3 : — 1 "I have this day scon and carefully examiner! . Stephen Spaldinß, of To Papapa, Onehur.gn, and am quito satisfied as to his sanity. It is my opinion that there is no necessity for further medical treatment or restraint, and he may bo discharged with safety to the community and himself, T would recommend 1 tlmt he be granted the usual certificate of discharge," As the authorities after recap luring him do not appear to have taken nuy potico of the certificates, wo may infer that . they think Spalding is likely to bo a forger as woll ns an incendiary.