Darlington & Richmond Herald. — 1873-07-19 (Darlington, Durham, England)

STRANGE FREAKS .OF A LUNATIC.  At the Richmond County Police Court Henry Veal, a strong-looking youth, about twenty-two years of age, and son of Samuel Veal, who is a butcher, carrying on business at Darlington, but formerly resided at Hudswell, near Richmond, summoned a man named Jeseph Raine, for assaulting him at Whashton Green, (particulars of which appeared in our impression of last week, under the heading of "A Whashton Noseender.") During the trial the complainant gave his evidence without interruption, but, on the defendant saying a few words in self-defence, the complainant commenced giggling and laughing, and occasionally interrupted the defendant by using some very bad language. The magistrates dismissed the case, ordering Veal to pay the costs. He threw the money down on to the table, and looking "daggers" at the magistrates, he expressed his determination to fetch the defendant up again, as "they had not given him fair-play,". and left the room. On the Wednesday following this scene in the Town Hall, Veal was on a visit at the father's house at Darlington, when he commenced a disturbance with his father and brother, but he was turned out of the house. When outside he became very violent, and Smashed the panel of the door. He then picked up a large stone, and threw it through the window, hitting his sister with such violence that a doctor had to be immediately sent for. He then ran down an embankment near the house pursued by his father, whom he commenced to pelt with stones, and the father was obliged to throw stones back again to try and frighten his son, but he soon became exhausted and vias obliged to cease throwing. The lad took advantage of the bill in the contest, and made off across the country as quick as his. legs would carry him, the father following in pursuit some distance off. The lad made his way to Whashton, where he , had been staying with his grandfather. Some time after he had got into bed he heard a knocking at the door, and judging that it would be his father who had followed him, he got up and leaped out of the chamber window, and took off to Richmond, where he arrived at his uncle's hottse about two o'clock in the morning with scarcely a rag on his back. He told his uncle he had quarrelled with his parents and he had come to Richmond to "list." On the same morning Sergt. Conlon, of the 19th regiment, enlisted him, and took him to the doctors and had him examined, when it was found that he was unfit for the service. The Sergeant afterwards saw Veal's uncle, who advised that his nephew should be detained in security until his father arrived from Darlington. Conlon complied with the request, and had the recruit locked up in one of the cells of the police station. When in the prison he became very riotous. He somehow managed to have a stick concealed, and he shifted the bolts of the prison door and broke the windows, and made several attempts to escape. Mr. Sedgwick, the relieving officer, visited the cell during the day, when the prisoner gave way to some shocking language, and finally, threatened to murder Mr. Sedgwick. On the Thursday, a doctor, accompanied by a magistrate and the relieving officer, visited the cell and examined the prisoner, pronouncing him to be insane. The certificates were at once filled up, and on the following day he was, with much difficulty, conveyed to Clifton Lunatic Asylum, near York.  BOY TORN TO PIECES IN A PAPER