The envelope and its inclosures (addressed to "Bernard
Winterfield, Esqre.") are in my possession. The Christian name
sufficiently identifies the inscription with the Winterfield whom I
know.
The circumstances under which the discovery was made were related to me
by the proprietor of the asylum.
When the boy was brought to the house, two French ladies (his mother and
sister) accompanied him and mentioned what had been their own domestic
experience of the case. They described the wandering propensities which
took the lad away from home, and the odd concealment of his waistcoat,
on the last occasion when he had returned from one of his vagrant
outbreaks.
On his first night at the asylum, he became excited by finding himself
in a strange place. It was necessary to give him a composing draught. On
going to bed, he was purposely not prevented from hiding his waistcoat
under the pillow, as usual.
When the sedative had produced its effect, the attendant easily
possessed himself of the hidden garment. It was the plain duty of the
master of the house to make sure that nothing likely to be turned to
evil uses was concealed by a patient.
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