5

H.—7a.

RICHARD THORNTON. !

Thornton said he made no remarks to Stevens when he came up to the room, or explained to him that the patient had rushed to get out of his room. He said he was coming down the stairs, he heard the patient knocking, and went to see what he wanted. Thornton said twice that he had had no sleep through the night owing to the noise the patient was making. The doctor said, " Did you see Stevens?" and Thornton said, " Yes, I saw him out of the room." The doctor asked, " What did you tell him?" Thornton said, " Nothing; I went about my work." Witness (continuing): lam generally a day attendant. I sleep in the room exactly over . He was very noisy most of the night, if not all the night, making an unusual noise. When I went down to F Ward in the morning to look for the mops, &c, he was knocking at his door, and asking for God's sake to be let out. I opened the door and asked what he was making all the row about all night. He said it was through me and the likes of me that he was kicking up the row. When I opened the door he recognised me; made some silly remark; called me " Banjo." I told him he had kept me awake all night, and asked him what was the matter. He said he had been ill-used; that I had been in the room during the night jumping on him; said I tried to burst his guts in. He then came towards the door with the intention of getting out ; said he wanted to go to the women's place, where he would be safe. I put myself in the way of him, pushed him back —not hard--closed the door and locked it, and went about my duty. 1 thought no more of the matter until I was charged with being in the room and ill-using the patient. (To Dr. Levinge): I did not tell you about the mops and buckets because you rushed me so much that I did not think of it. I suppose it was curiosity made me go to the patient's room — very likely 1 said so; I was curious to see what the trouble was. The patient did not make a violent attempt to get out of the room ; I kept him back with one hand and closed the door with the other. I had no time to report to Sykes, or the Head Attendant, or anybody else. The Head Attendant said nothing about the matter till dinner-time. Mr. Newport (to Dr. Levinge): From the position of the patient, he might have been pushed there, or he might have fallen across the bed on the floor. Dr. Levinge: My contention is that this question of mops and buckets is an afterthought. Witness (to Mr. Beetham) : I deny using bad language in speaking of the patient. Henry Porter, Attendant, examined. Witness (to Mr. Thornton): I remember being on duty on Sunday morning, the 7th August, in C Ward. I remember the patient — running up the stairs and hammering at the door. You opened the door and he rushed through. He said he wanted to get across to the ladies. He did not appear hurt. This was about 11 o'clock in the morning. There was some trouble in getting him back; he struggled a bit and did his best to remain where he was. I have not had anything to do with him since. (To Dr. Levinge): This was about 11 o'clock. William Thompson examined. Witness (to Mr. Thornton): I took in 's breakfast on the morning of the 7th August the morning you got into trouble. The Head Attendant came shortly after. The patient accused me of striking him. He said I was the man who knocked him about. I think I heard the Head Attendant say, "No, that man would not do it." There were no signs of any hurt about the patient. He was going on the same way as he had been going on on any other morning. He did not ask for brandy; Ido not think I have ever heard him do so. James Chapman examined. Witness (to Mr. Thornton): I remember the evening of the day you got into trouble about . I put to bed that night. He made an attack on me with the chamber. He was very violent; used the chamber on me a couple of times. I reported the matter to the Head Attendant, 1 reported to Mr. Newport that I had had trouble with , that he had violently resisted me on going to bed, and that I took the chamber and put it outside his door, as he had made such a mess in the room. (To Dr. Levinge): I refer to the evening of Sunday, the 7th August,

A. Sir,-- 7th August, 1904. I beg to report for your information that on going my rounds to take the check off the doors at 5.40 a.m., on going through F Ward after the Night Attendant Sykes had visited the patients for the first time, I visited patient and found him comfortably in bed. There was a little urine at the foot of his bed on the floor. On my returning through F Ward the second time I saw 's room-door open. Attendant Thornton came out of the room, closed and locked the door. Attendant Stevens coming from D Ward into F Ward met Thornton. He said " I came in to sleep last night. 1 had no sleep all night through that b ." Thornton ran to get a teacup from Attendant Sykes, who was on his way to ring the bell. He did not notice I was near him at once. I opened 's room-door in the presence of Attendant Stevens, and found in a state of collapse lying across the centre of his bed, and urine over the greater part of the floor. - said, " One of your men has just been in my room and kicked the guts out of me. I am finished. For God's sake give me a drop of brandy." I examined him. He was not able at the time to hold up his arms. Attendant Thornton takes duty in D Ward and sleeps in C Ward. He had nothing to do with F Ward whatever. I am, &c, Edwd. Newport, Medical Superintendent, Head Attendant.