John Edward Crofts, Prisoner X17012 - melancholia due to an adversity to drink

John Edward Crofts of West Lydford, Somerset, had been charged with obtaining food to the value of £1.10s by means of false pretences with the intent to defraud while staying at the Dolphin Inn, Gold Street, Northampton.

He had arrived at the Dolphin Inn on Saturday 16th July at around 1 o clock where he had some dinner. He described himself as a garrison sergeant-major on furlough from Bombay, and that he had been in India for 14 years. He asked the landlord if he would look after his bag and went out in the afternoon and returned in the evening where he had supper. He said he was due to be married the next week and had come to buy a ring and a bracelet for his future wife, however the truth was that he was already married and had been for nine years. He asked for his bag back and produced his furlough papers and said he was enjoying himself so much he would like to stay a few more days. On the Monday he told the landlord he was off to withdraw his pay, took his bag and never returned.

John was known to have had good conduct in the army from 1875 to 1886. He was a good instructor in gymnastics and musketry, but he had been degraded and discharged at his own request went he was absent without leave for 8 days when he went away to see his insane wife. He explained that it was his wife being insane and his addiction to drink that was the cause of his downfall.

So, he was convicted on 24th October 1887 for obtaining food under false pretences and imprisoned to 3 months hard labour at Bedford Prison. It was while he was serving his sentence at Bedford Prison that he was found to be insane, and on 17th November 1887 John Edward Crofts was admitted to the Three Counties Asylum. He was found to be suffering from deep melancholia. On admission he was found to be in good bodily condition but would not speak. He seemed quite lost to all his surroundings. From his case notes it seems he was very quiet and seldom spoke, paid no attention to anything said to him, and moaned and cried incessantly. He did on at least one occasion become violent and he nearly committed suicide by strangling himself with his pocket handkerchief in the night.

By December he was improving but his condition was variable, being at times depressed and weeping and would not talk to anybody. His condition continued to improve and by the 16th December he was employed in the asylum bakery. He was eventually discharged cured on the 23rd January 1888.