The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-09 00:00:00

ESCAPE PROM A LUNATIC ASYLUM AND
SUICIDE OP THE LUNATIC.

Mr. H. Raffles Wa'thew, deputy coroner for
East Middlesex, held an inquest yesterday at the Grove-hall
Asylum, Bow, respecting the death of Mr. Benjamin Ward,
aged 40, a lunatic gentleman, who, having made his
from that asylum and been recaptured, committed .:1:1`K
According to the evidence of John Hill, au attendant,
deceased had been an inmate of the gentlemen's ward for
some time. He spoke quite rationally. On Thursday evening
last he made his escape from the drawing-room by squeezing
himself through anarrowventdatingaperture in the window.
He dropped down into the garden, and then went over the
lofty wall which surrounded the building. He got clear off,
though be was at once mimed and an alarm relied. Next
morning he was observed by a barber who was employed in
the asylum passing along the Mile-end-road, and the barber, 1
knowing him, spoke to him, apparently dimes:martins
him a good deal, and then entered into conversation with
him, and brought him back to the asylum. He was given
in charge to witness, who amused him the best way he
could, and for that purpose took him into the garden. He
there said that after be had escaped over the wall ho deter-
mined to throw his pursuers out of their reckoning by walk-
ing to Woodford, which was about seven miles in the
oppositedirection to London, and thus avoid the road they I
would be almost sure to suppose he bad taken. When be
got to Woodford he took lodgings, where he spent the
sight. The next morning, however, be considered that if
be could get into London be should be more likely to escape
notice, and he accordingly set out early to enter it unobserved.
and he should have succeeded perfectly only for the DOD.
dent of Gilbert, the barber, spying him from his shop as he I
was passing one morning. He said that he had set his heart
on accomplishing his escape. Shortly after this waver-
ration witnem turned his hack for a moment, sod directly
afterwards missed the deceased. Supposing be had again
tried to escape, witness had the ground. searched, but with-
out avaiL Upon the house being searched, however, he
was found hanging to the congas of his bedstead by a new
rope which be must have bought while in Woodford. The
body was warm, but life was quite extinct, arid all remedies
proved without avid.
Dr. Aloozo Stocker, medical superintendent of the asylum,
said that deceased had been led to make his escape by a
vision which told him that has wife was dead.
The Coroner remarked that it ought to be rendered im-
possible fur any lunatic to commit suicide in an asylum.
Dr. Stocker said that if precautions of en extreme kind
were earned out the place would partake of such a prison-
like aspect that the curative treatment of the palisade
would become impossible. There were 100 or 20 patients
in the establishment who had been admitted as suicidal, but
the cheerful, urrestmioing system had such an influence OD
them that the present was only the mood instauce of sui-
cide that had been accomplished.
The jury returned • verdict of "Suicide while of un-
sound mind."

THE Priraorzum Que&now.—The inhabitants of
Birkenhead and Claughton are moving actively by petition
to prevent petroleum works beim established near the
Great Float at Birkenhead, sad a public meeting on the
subject is to be held in a few days. An application has
been made to the count► magistrates to store and manufac-
ture petroleum at Bootle village, now Liverpool, and the
whole question has been fully discussed pro and con. Wore
the beach. The manufacture sad storage of petroleum were
objected to by the assistaat overseer and inspector of
nuisances, who appeared in the interest of the inhabitants,
on the ground of the objectionable smell and dangerous
nature of the oil ; but on the other band, it was contended
for the manufacturers that the petroleum in its crude state
would only be upon the premise* for about four hours
every day, and that if it was stored in barrels deposited in
tanks or pita slightly below the level of the ground there
could be no real danger. The majority of the magistrates
were in favour of granting the application, though they re-
quired a week's delay.
BEDFORDSHIRE PLOUGHING IAtRITING.—Lett Fri
day the ploughmen of Mews. Hansom mid Howard met
at Leighton, and after eleven contest the twenty guinea
prise, offered by the tows of Leighton, wee won by Mom.
Ransome—their ploughman (Antietam() having dons better
work than the oelebrated Panay.
Gentlemen who require good and fashionable
dawn can depend on the WIN materials sad West stale (el
which specimen garments are kept tor inspection or sale) at
Hamilton and Klinplon'a Mind, opposite
. .