Joseph Rhodda, who is subject to epileptic fits, yesterday fell into the fire in the cottage he occupies on the hill, and was lather badly burned. A fellow inmate of the cottage (one owned by the Benevolent Society) rescued him from the fire. Rhodda's hand was badly burned, and his face was also burned and bruised. He was removed to the Hospital for treatment. -North Otago Times, 9/6/1900.
MAGISTRATE'S COURT
This Day
Joseph Rhodda, charged with assaulting Joseph Gatfield at the Old Men's Home on August 3rd, pleaded guilty. It was stated in the information that both men were in the Old Men's Home and quarrelled over some trifling matter on the date in question, accused hitting Gatfield several times in the the face. His Worship said he had no wish to deal harshly with accused, who was a victim to an unfortunate ailment, but he must understand that such behaviour would not be allowed. Accused promised to reform, and was convicted and discharged. A prohibition order was made against Rhodda, to apply to the Oamaru district for twelve months. -Oamaru Mail, 7/8/1903.
The following year, Joseph was committed to Seacliff mental asylum.
Deaths.
RHODDA. — On the 18th inst., at Humber street, Joseph, the dearly beloved husband of Caroline Rhodda aged 51 years. Deeply regretted. The funeral will leave the residence on Tuesday, 21st inst., at 3 p.m., for the Oamaru Cemetery. Friends are invited to kindly attend.
John Moore, Undertaker, Thames street. -Oamaru Mail, 20/5/1907.
The stigma around mental illness which prevailed at the time is evident here. Caroline would have received her husband's body from Seacliff and John Moore would likely have prepared it, moved it to Humber St and placed the notice in the newspaper. As will be seen, Joseph did not die in Humber St, Oamaru.
MENTAL HOSPITAL PATIENT KILLED.
TRAGEDY IN A BOILER-HOUSE.
[BY TELEGEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, 22nd May. A tragedy took place at Seacliff Mental Hospital today. Joseph Rhodda, a miner, who had been a patient since 1904, was in the boiler-house working there with Ah Kee, a Chinese, and another patient named Roberts. Provost, an attendant, who was close at hand outside the boiler-house, suddenly heard a noise, and Roberts rushed out and informed him that Ah Kee had knocked down Rhodda with an axe while the latter was in the act of striking him (the Chinaman) with a shovel. When the attendant got inside the boiler-house he found An Kee with an axe in his hand, and deceased lying on the floor. Ah Kee was apparently about to strike him again, when Provost took the axe from him. Roberts was the only man who witnessed the affair, and he was unable to give any evidence at the inquest, his mind having since been a blank. Dr. King operated on Rhodda, and removed a piece of skull, which had been forced into the brain. For a time the patient improved, but gradually grew duller and died. Dr. King's evidence showed that deceased frequently broke out in fits of temper, and from what had been stated he was of opinion that the story told by Roberts was correct. The jury returned a verdict that death was due to fracture of the skull caused by a blow from an axe. -Ashburton Guardian, 23/5/1907.
The "NZ Truth" provides here its usual invaluable description of the event - with, of course, its ingrained racism and the current terms for people with mental disabilities.
SECRECY AT SEACLIFF.
Dr. Truby King, who is in charge of the Seacliff Asylum, and consequently sees a good deal of the rotten side of life, takes an interest in such mild occupations as infant feeding, baby-bringing, and other delicate arts. The worthy doctor is therefore often absent from the scene of his labors doing philanthropic work in the city. Knowing this, are we permitted to wonder whether he was in the neighborhood of Seacliff oh Saturday, the 18th inst, about the first hour. It seems that on the date above mentioned, and at the time aforesaid one of the loonies — to wit, a Chinaman named Ah Kee — took it into his stupid skull to put an end to another sufferer — a white man. In his hand he took an axe, which he casually dropped on the place where the unsound mind of the other chap was situated. What ho; she vibrates! The only person who saw the act committed was another looney who, the report states, was unable to describe the occurrence because his mind had been a blank ever since. Very convenient. Dr. King operated on the man, who died. Well, the point is this: This tragedy is said to have taken place on the Saturday, but the first the Dunedin public were allowed to hear of the killing was the following Wednesday evening, after the inquest had been held and the books closed. Then it was that the terrible event was made known for the first time. Even then the information was only given to the press by the police, who really were not directly interested in the case. The newspapers, it appears, were not notified of the inquest, for all that the public were given to read was a short par compiled from the depositions (of whom nobody knows) taken at the inquest. Naughty people think things and want to know how it was the news was not announced sooner. They suggest, that it would not have done for the public or the press to have attended that inquest, for a scared attendant might have let slip an incriminating remark. They suggest too, that the only spectator (he of the blank mind) might have been shut up because he could tell too much how the thing had happened, and how carefully the attendants were keeping guard. They suggest, too, that it might have been some time after the sensation occurred that the operation was performed on the poor man's skull. They suggest, again, that in future irregularities may happen more often than it would be wise to relate. They suggest, too, that in future the news of happenings such as this in Government institutions ought not to be suppressed by the officials, but should be laid promptly under the notice of the public. -NZ Truth, 1/6/1907.
The cemetery records for the Oamaru Old Cemetery show that Joseph is buried there with two infant children. He and Caroline had eleven children in all.
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