Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1883-06-30 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

METHOD IN MADNESS.  The following laughable incident actually occnrred at the lunatic asylum at Lancaster. A parish officer, from the neighbourhood of Middleton took a lunatic to the asylum, pursuant to an order signed by two magistrates. As the man was respectably connected, a gig was hired for the purpose, and he wow per goaded it was merely an excursion of pleasure on which he was going. In the cotn-se of the j3urney, however, something occurred to arouse ! t e suspicions of the lunatic with respect to his, real destination; but he said nothing on the subject, made no resistance, and seemed to en:oy his jaunt. When they arrived at Lan-.1 cast3r, it was too late in the evenina to ore aced to the asylum, and they took up their ,quarters for the night at an inn. Very early in the morning the lunatic got up and searched the pocketa of the officer, where he found the. magistrates order for his own detention, which, of coarse, let him completely into the secret. With that cunning which madmen not unfrequently display, he made the best of his way to the asylum, saw one of the keepers, and told him that he had got a mad fellow down at Lancaster whom he should bring up in the course of the day, adding, "he's a very queer fellow, and has got very odd ways. For in. stance, I should not wonder if he was to say I was the madman, and he was bringing me; but you must take ears of him, and not believe a word he says." The keeper, of course, promised compliance, and the lunatic walked back to the .inn, where he found the overseer still feat asleep. He awoke him, and they sat down to breakfast together. "You are a very lazy fellow to be lying all day," said the lunatic. "I have had a good long walk this morning." "Indeed," replied the overseer, "I would like to have a walk myself after breakfast; perhaps you will go with me." The lunatic assented, and after breakfast they set out, the overseer leading the way to the asylum, intending to deliver his charge; but it never occurred to him to examine whether his order was safe. When they got within sight of the asylum the hr natie exclaimed, " What a fine house that is l" " Yes," said the overseer, "I should like to see the inside of it." "So should I," observed the lunatic. "Well," replied the other, "I dare say they will let us look through; how-ever, I'll ask." They went to the door; the overseer rang the bell; and the keeper, whom the lunatic had previously seen, made his appearance with two or three assistants. The overseer then began to fumble in his pockets for the order, when the lunatic produced and gave it to the keeper, saying, "This is the man I spoke to you about. You will take care of him. Shave his head, and put &strait waistcoat Ott him." The men intmediately laid hands on the poor overseer, who vociferated that the other was the madman, and he the keeper; but as this only seemed to confirm the, previous story told by the lunatic, it did not at all tend to procure his liberation. le Wll9 taken away, and become so obstreperous that a strait waistcoat was speedily put on him, and his head shaved eecumlam arlent. Meanwhile the lunatic walked deliberately back to the inn, paid the reckoning, and set out on his journey homeward_ The good people in the country were, of course, not a little surprised on finding the wrong man return; they were afraid that the lunatic, in a fit of frenzy, had murdered the overseer, and they asked him, with great • trepidation, what he had done with —? "Done with him;' said the madman" Why, I left him at Lancaster Asylum, as mad as a March bare," which, indeed, was not very far from the truth, for the wits of the poor overseer were well-nigh overset by his unexpected detention, and subsequent treatment. Further enquiry was lot thwith male; it was ascertained that the man was actually in the asylum. A. magistrate's order was procured for his liberation, and he returned, home saon after..l wards with a handkerchief tied round his head in lieu of the covering which nature had. bestowed upon it. "er