I.—IB.

T. H. JOHNSTON.]

29

1 told him it was no good his putting any questions to me. He asked why. I said, " For the simple reason that you are here for the express purpose of sending me to Avondale." He said, " Rot, Johnston." I said, " What would you two doctors be here for and Ibe detained at the Police Court and be kept without dinner if there was not something of that description in it? " I said, "For that reason I decline to answer any questions whatsoever." He said, "We are friends, Johnston." This took place a little before that, when we first entered the room. He said, "We have met before. We are friends, you know." I said, "Yes. I have passed you once or twice in the street, when you have only nodded." I said, " I saw you in the hospital : that is where we spoke." He said that was so. After I had turned my back and went to the window and told him the interview was at an end he said, " One question, Johnston, and one only. Will you do me a favour and answer it? " I said, " 1 will not promise. Tell me the question and I will see." He said, " When you were in the hospital tell me the day it was that you gave me a message to deliver." 120. What you did then was this : you gave him a complete account of all that occurred on the day referred to?—-Yes. 121. And described minutely everything that had happened?— Yes. 122. And he agreed that your account was a correct one? —Yes, he said, " Quite correct." 123. You believed that he was attempting to test your memory of events? —Yes; I told him so at that time. 124. Then you persisted in your refusal to answer further questions? —Yes. 125. Then you were left for some time?— No. Dr. Galligan went out. I went to follow him. Constable Kelly was still in the passage. When I got about half-way down Constable Kelly said, " Wait a minute." I said, " Cannot I go? " He said, "No "; and we returned to the same room that I had come out of, and we sat in the same position. I asked Constable Kelly why I could not go, and he said, "We want you a little longer." I said, "Why?" He was mute for a second. So I told him that I considered the two doctors were there for the express purpose of committing me to Avondale. He said, " Nonsense." I said, "Itisof no use telling a lie. I thoroughly understand your position." He said, " Let us hope for the best. The two doctors will meet and we will await their report, and as soon as we get it you can go." 126. Later on you were called into another room? —I was called from there later on. While I was there Sergeant Wohlmann and a carpenter had a barney over a book-case, about putting the moulding round. Later on I was taken into the front office again, and Sergeant Wohlmann and the two doctors came in. 1 was taken from the front building to the rear building, and shortly after Sergeant Wohlmann and Drs. Craig and Galligan went into the other room, and as they went in they pulled the door after them, but the door did not quite close, and I heard something to this effect: "We will send him there. He cannot possibly stand any more after what he has gone through. The shock will fix it." The door then was closed by one of them. It was only a few minutes and I was called in, and then they told me they would send me to a sanatorium for a month's complete rest and quietness; instead of my taking the money myself and going for a holiday at my expense they would give me a holiday at the Government expense, and they would look after my wife and children while I was away for the month. Needless to say I would not believe it. 127. You refused to believe it?— Yes, and I should also say that I had a good cry. I saw the game was " goosed." To be in that position was worse than standing at the graveside and burying all your family. That is how I felt. 128. You felt that it meant ruin for the whole family?— Yes. 129. What happened after the doctors left?— After the doctors went Sergeant Wohlmann was busy writing. I asked him if I could go. He said "No." I said, "What about sending for the wife and children? " I had asked Constable Kelly before this to send for the wife so as to block the little game, and I had also asked the other constable and the sergeant, but no. I asked the sergeant again. 1 waited for a little while, and had a bit of a cry first. I might have been a quarter of an hour crying. At any rate. I pulled myself together again and reviewed my position. Sergeant Wohlmann was writing the whole time, and I asked him if he would get me something to eat. 130. After the doctors left Sergeant Wohlmann did some writing?— Yes. 131. And then he left you alone?—He only left me alone for a few seconds to go into the other room. 132. You picked up off the table something he had been writing on? Yes. While he went out and spoke to a constable to tell him to get me something to eat I stepped up to the table and picked up the application form for my committal, and turned over the leaf on the first side. There is a blank space to be filled in. That was filled in. I read what was there, and had just finished when Sergeant Wohlmann came back. 133. Can you tell the Committee from memory what was on that? —Yes. I will not say now that it exactly followed the way I am saying it to you, but this is what was on it: Epileptic; easily given to tears; talks about being hypnotized; and has already attempted his wife's life. 134. At that point the sergeant returned?— Yes, and I asked him what he wanted to trump up such lies for. I said, "If you have anything against me give me a trial." I told him he was sending me to the Avondale Asylum, and he asked what right had I to read it. 135. Is that the form of the document you saw [produced]?— Yes. [Reception-order produced to witness.] 136. Would you say this is* what you read. " Emotional, excitable, gives readily to tears, melancholy, talks of being hypnotized by his stepfather, admits attempting his wife's life with a revolver about last Easter, proposed giving up employment to-day and wandering away"? No, that was not on it—the last part was not on it.