§ MR. REDMOND (Fermanagh, N.)asked the Secretary of State for the 1277 Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the following facts in regard to the treatment of a man in Colney Hatch Asylum:—
John Stickley, an old man of 68, was removed to the asylum last Saturday from Hammersmith Police Court. He was then in a feeble condition and perfectly quiet. On Monday his friends were informed that he was seriously ill, and on Tuesday he was dead. At the time of his death he had a broken jaw and had lost a tooth, and the jury find that his death was accelerated by these injuries;whether there is any evidence to prove whether the injuries were caused after the man entered the asylum; and, whether the Government will order an inquiry into the whole matter?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTIIEWS) (Birmingham, E.)The facts are stated with substantial accuracy in the hon. Member's Question. The jury found that Stickley's injuries were received after he entered the asylum. The Lunacy Commissioners inform me that the Committee of Visitors of the Colney Hatch Asylum have intimated to them their intention to hold a searching inquiry into all the circumstances attending the death of this patient. The inquiry is to begin on Friday, and the Commissioners have requested to be at once informed of the result.