AN ASYLUM CASE

West Coast Times, Issue 10533, 17 July 1897, Page 4

AN ASYLUM CASE

[Per United Press Association.] Wellington, July 16. A lunatic named William Golding was brought before Judge Edwards to-day on application for his release, en the ground the state of his mind does not require detention. Mr Travers said the proceedings were taken upon affidavit of two gentlemen who had seen the patient. It was not suggested there was anything improper in his detention, but it was thought an enquiry was desirable. Golding was examined in a room of the Court by Drs James and Anson. In answer to the Judge, Dr Hassell, Superintendent of the Asylum, said he considered. Golding a dangerous lunatic. Golding in evidence said in 1895 he received money from Home, and was drinking hard for five months. He was in a pitiable state, and felt it a relief when arrested. Within a month he was as well as ever. Then the superintendent said he should be released. The reason he was not releassd was he saw a patient (Hutchison) have medicine forced down his throat. As he died next night he accused the warders of murdering the man. He had ever since been kept in the refractory ward. He accused the attendants of brutally ill-treating him and enfclred into details. Dr Anson said it was hard to tell the man's real condition from the short examination, but he did not think he would feel justified, from what he had seen and heard, of recommending his detention. It was then decided to take Dr HasselPs evidence first, and to give the medical witnesses an opportunity of hearing it. In the Supreme Court, Hassell, superintendent of the asylum, deposed that Golding was a dangerous man and subject to homicidal mania. From time to time he developed acute exacerbations, when he became morbidly excited, and even actually' homicidal. The patient was impulsive and erratic, and had to be stopped from going out with walking parties. Witness said he made no accusations against the man, but his duty re- ■ quired him to give evidence. He tad •examined Golding, and found bruises which might have resulted from his being excited and unmanageable. There was nothing to indicate a struggle as described by a patient. As to the latter's statement with regard to the death of the patient Hutchison, Dr Hassell said when Hutchison was brought to the institution he was in a state of very great melancholy, and had to be fed by force in order to prevent starvation. His condition became so serious that he had to telegraph to the patient's mother, who came to town and remained in Wellington until Hutchison died. He had no grounds for Golding's statement that the man had been killed. Golding had mentioned another case of a man having died under alcohol, and Dr Hasaell added that Golding was continually harping on the two cases mentioned. Witness had formed the opinion that the patient's ideas were those of an insane man. I Prs Anaon and James we, re.cajteo.by ,

counsel for Golding, and declared after j hearing Dr Hassell's evidence ,it would i not be proper to release Golding, and < His Honor therefore declined to make 1 any order. • 1