The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-15 00:00:00

CROYDON..

_ Mr. Serle, the relieving-officer of the Merton dis-
trict of the Croydon Union, attended before Mr. E.
R. Adams, Chairman, and Messrs. Sutherland, Lucas,
and A. K. Barclay, for the purpose of obtaining an
order for the admission of a man named Warman into
the County Lunatic Asylum, as a pauper lunatic,
under the ptovisions of the Act of Parliament.

The application involved matter of some public in-
terest, and it may be as well to state, that the Magis-
trates sitting in petty session have the power, upon
the application of the parish officers, accompanied by
a certificate that the party referred to is insane, at
once to sign an order for his removal to a lunatic asy-
lum. The Magistrates of this session, however, have
resolved never to sign such an order unless the alleged
lunatic is brought before them, in order that they may
have an opportunity of judging for themselves whe-
ther he is really insane or not.
Mr. Serle, having handed in the usual certificate,
said that he had to apply for an order for the admis-
sion of the person referred to in it to the County Lu-
natic Asylum.
Mr. ADAMS inquired under what circumstances the
application was made ?
Mr. Serle said that the man appeared to be de-
cidedly insane, and at times he was very violent. The
case had been brought to the notice of the rector of
Wallington, who had called the attention of the parish
authorities to it, and they considered that as the
friends of the man were not in a condition to provide
for him, the better course would be to have him re-
moved to the Lunatic Asylum.
Mr. ADAMS inquired whether the lunatic had ever
been chargeable to the hamlet of Wallington where '
he resided ? Mr. Serle replied that he had not.
The CHAIRMAN expressed his opinion that as this was
the case the Magistrates had no power to grant an
order for the admission of the party to the County
Asylum as a lunatic pauper. The Act of Parliament
only referred to pauper lunatics belonging to the
county, and none other were entitled to be admitted.
Mr. Serle said that the friends of the lunatic were
unable to provide for him, and he must eventually be-
come chargeable. The parish officers, therefore,
thought that the Bench would, under the circum-
stances, waive the formality of being actually charge-
ble, and sign an order for his admission to the Asylum.
The MAGISTRATES said they had, no right to sign an
order for the admission of any person but a pauper
lunatic, and this man could not be said to be a pauper.
Some questions were then asked respecting the
alleged lunatic, and it appeared that he had only been
ill three weeks. He was questioned, but his answers

were perfectly rational. On his being asked whethq
he felt any pain, he pointed to his head, and said he
felt pain there.
Mr. Wallis, the medical officer of. the district, from
whence the man was brought, expressed his opinion
that he was decidedly insane , Sand it was not safe for
him to be at large.
Mr. Lucas said that he could not come to the opi •
nion that the Bench would be justified in sending this
man to the Asylum. He did not think there was suf-
ficient evidence to warrant them in coming to the con-
clusion that he was insane, and he thought they ought
to be very cautious before they consigned a manim toin a
place which might have the effect of making h
sane if he really was not so.
MT. SUTIIERLA.ND said he thought it would be
much better for the man to be sent to the Croydon
workhouse, which' would make him chargeable, andt
.
thereby bring him within the pro Visions of the Act o
Parliament, and at the same time gave the Magistrate 3
an opportunity of obtaining further evidence as to the
state of his mind before they consigned
Lunatic Asylum.
The other Magistrates concurred in this view of the
case, and directions were given that the supposed lu-
natic should be taken to the workhouse, and that the
application re3pecting him should be renewed on a AI"
ture day.
him to the