Star. — London, England, 1822-08-14 00:00:00

INQUEST ON THE LATE MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY. Yesterday afterhoon a Coroner's Inquisition assem bled at the house of the lace Marquis, at North Cray. Not the slightest objection was made to the entrance of any person: indeed, publicity seemed rather to be, courted than otherwise. At three o'clock Mr. CART.. TAR, the 'crone', took his seat, and the Court having been opened with the usual Proclamation, the fol lowing Gentlemen, inhabitants of the village, were , sworn, namely : William Matters (Foreman), William Meade, John Johnson,. John Masters, John Cooke, John Storar, Henry Daun, Robert Merrifield, Harry Allen Wyborne, John Cookson, Thomas Preston, Thomas Harman, and George Stone. The CORONER addressed the Jury in nearly the. followine terms:—Upon no former occasion, in the per Ire mnoce of his duty, had his feelings be en so ex cited, if by the present unfortunate event. He was, indeed, so much affected, that they must perceive he could hardly express himself as he wished. Upon this account, he trusted they would excuse any trifling errors which be might commit in the exercise of his duty. The Gentlemen of the Jury were summoned and sworn to inquire into the causes of the death of a Nobleman, who stood perhaps as high in the public estimation as any mass in the country. That his Lordship had met his death under particular circum stances, they doubtless must have learned. But it was his duty to inform them that they must remove from their minds all impressions which should not be borne out by the evidence. The Gentlemen whom Ire addressed being neighbours of the deceased, were better able to form a just estimate of his character than he was. As a public man, it was impossible for him to weigh his character in any scales that he could hold. In private life he believed the world would admit that a more amiable man could not be found. Vlrether the important duties of the great office which he held pressed upon his mind, and conduced to the melancholy event which they had assembled to investigate, was a circumstance which in all pro bability never could be discovered. He understood that his Lordship had for some time past been so un well as to require the assistance of a medical attend ant. This Gentleman would be examined on the In quest, and would doubtless be competent to describe the disease and affliction under which his Lordship laboured. That the dreadful blow which deprived the Noble Lord of life was inflicted by his own hand, he believed the Jury, sr heir they came to hear the evidence, could not doubt. He understood it would be proved that no person in the house except his Lordship could have committed the act. When the Jury should examine the situation of the body, and hear the evidence that would be submitted to them, be was convinced that they would be perfectly una nimous in that part of their verdict which went to declare the manner in which the deceased met his death. lie felt that it was a matter of delicacy to allude to the other part of the verdict, and he would grit presa me to anticipate what it might be; but he trit,ted the result would be w hat all good men deired. It tl.e fact.; which he had heard were proved in evi d:r,ce, he tLou: ; ht no man could doubt that at the tines he comir;:t:Ld the rash act his Lordship Was la bowing un , .icr a mental delusion. If, however, it should unfc•rn:lately appear that there was not suffi 6el.t evidence to prove what were generally consi dered i:ldic:r.ions of a di s ordered mind, he trusted that the J , iry wculd pay some attention to his (the C!-:ener's) irun.ble opinion, wa , , that no man could be in his propel senses at the moment he corn rniced so rash an act as self-murder. His opinion wa in ttnls, nar.ce with every moral sentiment, and of the information which the wisest of men had given to the world. The Bible declared that a man clung to nothing so strongly as his own life. He therefore viewed it as an'axiont, and an abstract principle, that a man must necessarily be out of his mind at the moment of destroying himself. The Jury, of course, would not adoi,t his opinion upon this point, unless it were in unison with their own. He would not longer occupy the time and attention of the Jury than to express his pleasure at seeing so respectable a body of Gentlemen, and to add a hope that they would acquit themselves of their important duty to the satis faction of the Public, as well as of their own con sciences. He must apologise for saying a few words more. The body was lying up stairs, and in the room adjoining to that in which it lay, the Marchioness at present was, and from thence it had been found im possible to remove her. To picture to the imagina tion anything like the state of that Noble Lady's mind, was altogether impossible. The partition which divided the room in which the body lay from that which the Marchioness at present occupied. was so thin, that the least noise being made in the former could not fail to be heard in the latter. The forms of law, however, required that the Jury should view the body, and judge from the external marks which it might isslehit, of the causes which produced death. Ile therefoie had only to request that the Gentlemen would be as silent as possible. He Was almost afraid this the creaking of their shoes might be the means of exciting ideas which would wound the feelings of the unhappy Marchioness. He was sure, under these circumstances, the Jury would do everything in their power to prevent the least noise, and he might ob-' sei ve that it would be desirable to abstain from talk ing in the room where the body lay, because any conversation must certainly be heard through the almost, he might say, paper partition. After the Jury had satisfied themselves by viewing the body, they would return to execute the remaining part of their duty. During this address of the Coroner, the domestics of the unfortunate Marquis who were in the room, for the most part, sired tears ; indeed, the love which the servants of his Lordship, bore towards him was, we will not say surprising (for kind and honourable treatment from a Gentleman to those persons who are dependent upon him, must ever procure such a result), but highly creditable both to him and the in dividuals who composed his household. liefoie . the Jury left the room for the purpose of seeing the body, one of them suggested that his col leagues, as well as himself, should take off their shoes, in order to prevent_ as far as possible any noise that might be occasioned by them in walking. This hint Nva immediately acted upon,and the Jury left theroom. After what had fallen from the Coroner, a feeling of delicacy prevented stringers from accompanying the Jury up stairs, although no objection would hare' 1 state of. menial delusion -fox some weeks previous :to quarter of an hoer, and at the reiittest of the Coro ner drew up a special verdict. been made:m such a proceeding. In fgct, no attempt! a t concealment was manifested on the part of the ' household, but, on the contrary, a desire was shewn to afford the Public an opportunity of ascertaining the particulars of an event respecting which much interest must necessarily be excited. The following is the description of the situation of the body at the time the Jury viewed it :—The body lay on the floor on the right•side, with the face in-, dined to the carpet. There was a stream of gore that had run from the window of the apartment to the door, perhaps not less than three or four quarts of blood in all. His Lordship's right hand was dyed in blood. The body was in the precise situation it was placed on the morning of th,e melancholy occurrence. It had not been touched by any person. A cap was on the head, and a long morning gown on the body. Slippers and stockings were on the feet and legs. The countenance was very pale and ghastly ; the eyes were open.—The melancholy scene was truly appal ling, and will not be forgotten - for a long time by those who witnessed it. The Jury returned to the dining-room. The. first witness called was Anne Robinson, who being sworn, deposed as follows I wait upon the Marchioness of Londonderry : I knew the Marquis of Londonderry : his body now lies up stairs. In my opinion he has been ill during the last fortnight, but particularly so since Monday week. On Mon day morning he rang the bell; I answered it; he in quired why my Lady had not been to see him. ller Ladyship had been with him all night, and I told him so. Her Ladyship at this time was not in the room. I then went away. The bell rang again.— When I answered it he asked if Dr. Bankhead bad been to see him ? I told him that Dr. Bankhead had been with him about two hours and a half in the evening. It was about four in the morning when he asked me this question. When I told him that Dr. Bankhead had been with him, he asked what he had said to the Doctor—whether he had talked any non sense to him, or anything particular, as he had no recollection on the subject? I replied, that I was not in the room during the time that he talked with the Doctor. I then left the room. He rang again about seven o'clock. I went to him. He then asked me what I wanted there? My Lady was with him at the time. She had been with him since four o'clock, and she answered, 6 that my Lord wanted his break fast: My Lard and Lady were in bed at the time. I left the room and brought the breakfast up. He sat up in the bed and tasted part of it. He found fault with it, and said, ' it was not a breakfast fit for him.' lie said there was no butter there ; the butter, however, was on the tray, as usual, and I pointed it out to him. The manner in which he spoke struck me as being uncommon ; it was in a sharp tone, which was unusual with him. I left the room after this. The bell rang again in about half an hour; that was about half-past seven. .My Lady was in the room at this time, and I cannot tell vain rang the bell. When I entered the room he asked me whether Dr. Bankhead had come from town? I told him that Dr. Bankhead had slept in the house. He then said that he wished to see him. My Lady then got up and came to me at the door, and said something to me. I went to Dr. Bankhead, and gave him my Lord's message. I went back to my Lord, and told him that Dr. Bankhead would be with him in two minutes. When my Lord saw me speaking to my Lady, before I left the room to go to Dr. Bankhead, he said there was a conspiracy ag:iinst him. My Lady at that time desired me to tell Dr. Bankhead that he was wanted as soon as he could come. When I re turnei and tcld my Lady that Dr. 13.inkbead would come, my Lady got out of .bed and retired to her dressing-room. At this moment my Lord also got out of bed, and turned to the right into his own dressing-room.—[Several questions were here put to the witness to ascertain the precise situation of these rooms. From the answers which she r eturned, it appeared that the common sleeping-room opened into a passage, on either side of which was a dress ing-room, Lady Londonderry's on the left, his Lord ship's on the right. At the extremity of the passage was another door, behind which Dr. Bankhead was waiting].—l had just opened the door of my Lady's dressing-room, into which she had entered, when my Lord rushed past me into his own room. I opened the outside door, and told the circumstance to Dr. Bankhead, who immediately followed my Loz d into his dressing-raom. 1 cannot tell what passed there, but I heard my Lord open his window before the Doctor entered his room. Immediately when the Doctor entered the room he (the Doctor) exclaimed, Oh, my Lord !' or Oh, my Gov!' I cannot recollect which. I heard no reply to this from my Lord. I in stantly rushed into the room, and saw the Doctor with my Lord in his arms. I remained in the room till I saw the Doctor lay him with his face upon the ground. I saw the blood running from him while_ Dr. Bank head held him. I saw a knife. I heard my Lord say nothing. I was certainly much alarmed. The knife was in his right hand.—[A. penknife with an ivory handle, and upon which there was no appearance of blood, was here shewn to the witness 3.-1 believe that to be the penknife which I saw in my . Lord's hands.— After staying a feet minutes in my Lord's dressing room, I followed Dr. Bankhead to my Lady. I had previously raised an alarm, and it was now general throughout the house. To the best of my belief my Lord did not live four minutes after I saw him. I did not perceive any wound nor any blood while he was in his bed-room. No person wa's with him in the interval between his leaving his dressing-room and his death but Dr. Bankhead. His state of mind appeared to be very incorrect for the last three or four days of his life. He appeared to be very wild in everything he said or did. He wanted from me a box, which, he said, Lord Clanwilliam had given to me. His Lordship, however, had never given me any. He also asked me for his keys when he had them about hini. During the last fortnight he was accustomed to say that everybody had conspired against him. He was very severe in his manner of speaking, which I never noticed before, he being in general mild and kind. When he saw two people speaking together, he always said, There is a con spiracy laid against me: A great many circumstances induce me to believe that he was out of his mind a fortnight before his death. He scolded my Lady on Sunday afternoon, because, as he said, she had not been near him all day—she had entirely forsakenlim. Her Ladyship, hower., had been sitting with him all the morning.“—The witness, in conclusion s , ee• peated her belief that igh Lordship had . been in a his death. The second witness examined was Chaska Bank.l head, ALD. of Lower Brook-street, Grosvenor-square. —" On last Friday afternoon, at five o'clock, I re ceived a note from Lady Londonderry, desiring me to come as soon as I could to see the Marquis of Londonderry, at his house in St. James's 7 square. Her note stated that she was very anxious about his Lord ship, as she thought he was very ill and very ner vous ; that they were to leave town for 'North Cray at seven o'clock in the evening, and that she hopedi would come before that hour. I arrived in Sti James's-square at six o'clock, and found my Lord and Lady alone in the drawing-room. Upc'a feeling his pulse I conceived him to be exceedingly ill. He complained of a severe head-ache, and of a confusion of recollection. He looked pale, and was very much distressed in his manner. I told'him that I thought it was necessary that he should be cupped, and that I would stay and dine with his Lady and himself whilst the copper came. The copper soon arrived, and took seven ounces of blood from the nape of his Lordship's neck. After the operation was performed he stated that he was very much relieved, and I ad vised him to lay himself quietly down on the sofa for half an hour ; and, as he had scarcely eaten the whole day, to take a cup of tea before he got into the carriage to return to North Cray. He followed my advice, and laid himself down on the couch,where he remained very tranquil. After this he drank two cups of tea. I waited until I saw my Lady and him self get into the carriage in order to return to North Cray. Before his departure his Lordship said that, as I must be sure he was very ill, he expected that I would come ao North Cray and stay all Saturday night, and, if possible, all Sunday. I sent with him some opening medicines, which he was to take early on Saturday, in order that I might know the effect they had produced on my arrival. I know that he took these powders on Saturday. I left town for North Cray on Saturday, and arrived at seven in the evening. I understood that his Lordship had not been out of bed all day, and I immediately proceeded to his bed room. On entering his bed-room, I observed that his manner of looking at me expressed suspicion and alarm. He said it was very odd that I should come into his bed-room first, before going into the dining room below. I answered that I had dined in town, and knowing that the family mere at dinner down stairs, I had come to visit him. Upon this he made a reply which surprised me exceedingly. It was to this effect—that 1 seemed particularly grave in my manner, and that something must have happened amiss. Ile then asked me abruptly whether I had anything unpleasant to tell him? I answered, No; that I was surprised at his question, and . the manner in which it was proposed.' He then said, the truth was, that he had ivason to be suspicious in some de gree, but that he hoped that I would be the last per son who would engage in anything that would be in jurious to him.' His manner of saying this was so unusual and so disturbed, as to satisfy me that he was at the moment labouring under mental delusion. I entreated him to be very tranquil, and prescribed for him some more cooling and aperient medicines, con fineJ him to barley -water, and allowed him slops only. I remained with him during Saturday night, and till one o'clock on Sunday morning. Though his fever was not very high during any part of this I time, yet the incoherence of his speech, and the un comfortableness of his manner, continued unaltered. During Sunday I visited him frequently, and conti nued with him in the evening till half-past twelve o'clock. I advised him to be as tranquil as possible, and told him that I would endeavour to persuade my Lady to come to bed. I slept in a room very near that of his Lordship. On Monday morning, about seven . o'clock, Mrs. Robinson, my Lady London. derry s maid, came to my room door, and asked if 1 was dressed, telling me my Lord wished to see ; me by and bye.' I answered, that I was ready to cons that moment; but Mrs. Robinson said, that she did not wish me to come then, because her Ladyship had not left the bed-room. In about half an hour she returned again, and said, that his Lordship would be glad to see me immediately, as her Ladyship-was putting on her gown, in order to go into her own dressing-room. On walking from my own room to Lord Londonderry's bed-room, I observed that the door of the latter was open, and could perceive that his Lordship was nct in it. In an instant Mrs. Ro binson said to me, ' His Lordship has gone into his dressing-room.' I stepped into his dressing-room, and saw him in his dressing-gown, standing with his front towards the window, which was opposite to the door at which I entered. His face was directed towards the ceiling. Without turning his head, on the instant he heard my step he exclaimed, Bank head, let me fall upon your arm—'tis all over!' As quickly as possible I ran to him, thinking he was tainting, and going to fall. I caught him in my arms as he was falling, and perceived that he had a knife in his right hand, very firmly clinched, and all over blood. I did not see him use it: he must have used it before I came into the room. In falling he declined upon one side, and the blood burst from him like a torrent from a watering-pet. I was unable to support him, and he fell out of my arms. I think the wound must have been inflicted as soon as I put my foot on the threshold of the door, as its nature was such, that the extinction of life must have fol lowed it in the twinkling of an eye. ' I think that not less than two quarts of blood flowed from him in one minute. lam satisfied that a minute did not elapse from the momeut of my entering the room until he died, and during that time he said not a word, ex cept that which I have already mentioned. It was impossible that any human being could have inflicted the wound but himself. Having known him inti mately for the last thirty years, have no hesitation in saying that he was perfectly insane, when he com mitted this act. I had noticed a great decline in the general habit of his health for some weeks prior to his death; but I was not aware of the mental dein- sion under which he was labouring till within three or four days of his decease." The Gentlemen connected with the Public Preis, and the Noblemen and Gentlemen spectators of the melancholy inquiry, were requested by the Coroner to withdraw from the room . whilst the Jury conferred together as to the necessity of more evidence being produced, -or whether they were satisfied with the , evidence that had already beau elicited. The Jurors were Idiscussists the question FR The doors were then thrown 'open, and the ger. sons were again admitted. The Coroner said that the Jury were satisfied Oith the evidence that had been adduced, and 'returned a verdict, which he then proceeded to read, and was in substance as follows : " That on Monday, August IS, and for some time previossit, the Most Noble Robert, Marquis of Londonderry, und e r a grievous disorder did lab our and languish, and became in 'come. quence delirious and of insane mind ; and that,whilet iii that state with a knife of iron and steel, he did inflict on him se lf, on , o f ; left side of his neck, and on the carotid artery, a wound of nos inch in length, and half an inch in depth, of which he instantly died ; and, that no other person, except himself, was the c suer s.f his death." After the verdict had been returned, the Juif proceeded individually to sign the 'presentment of the Inquisition, - and strangers retired ; the Coroner 1 1 very politely sent a message to the Gentlemen con. fleeted with the Press, stating, that the business was not entirely finished. On their return to the quest-room, the Coroner proceeded to address the Jury ; he said, that in a case like the present he should not be travelling out of the line of his duty, if he offered his opinion upon the decision that had beea come to by the Jury after their investigation of this very melancholy and lamentable case. After the evidence that they had received, he felt assured they could not have come conscientiously to any other verdict than that which they had done. He trusted that no one would charge him, in the discharge of the duties of his office, with improperly giving his opinion; hut if it was any satisfaction to the .Jury or to the Public in general, he must say that the mind of the deceased was at the time he committed the act, and previously, in a deranged state. A number of witnesses could have been produced, who would have given testimony in proof of his Lo:Aship's men tal defection prior to the 9th of August; but as 11:s Lordship had been in public since that pet iod, it was thought best to take only_such evidence as referred to his Lordship's .state of mind subsequent to that period till the day of his death. The Coroner then complimented the Jury irpret the uthight and honest manner in which they Lad discharged their duty to the country, and he exln esscd himself particularly pleased with their decision. Di. Bankhead then produced a lute: from Lis pocket, which he delivered to the Coroner. The Coroner again addressed the Jury' and audi tory. He stated that the document he then held in his hand he considered to be of great importance, and which, had it been considered necessary, would have been produced to the Jury. It was a letter written by his Grace the Duke of Wellington, re specting the deceased Marquis prior to the commis sion of the fatal act, and it sheaved that such had been the unusual conduct of the deceased, that sus picion had been excited in the mind of his Grace 6a: the Marquis's intellects had been considerably af fected. The following is a copy of the lette: : Apsley House, August 9. " DCAI Sta—l called upon you with the intention st to you on the subject of the health of Lord Londonderry, to request of you that you will call on him. I told his Lire:. ship that he was unwell, and particularly requested him to for you ; but lest he should not, I sincerely hope that y, %a v contrive by some pretence to go down to his Lori,hie. I !,are no doubt he is very unwell. He appears to toe to Lev • !‘eeti exceedingly harassed, much fatigued. and over-Work,d data the late Session of Parliameht, and I have no doubt under mental delu-ion, at least this is my impresino. I 5,,; that you'll never mention to any one what. I have t.,11 sliming his Lord l / 4 hip.--1 am, &c. " WE.1.1.1 TON. " To Charles ILtikhead, M.D." &c. After the above document had been read the Jo: yr expressed their thanks to the Coroner, and stated, that the letter just read tended to shew the propriety of the decision they had come to by their verdict. The knife with which the fatal deed was perpe trated by his Lordship was larger in size than a com mon penknife. It had a white handle, and was a clasp knife, with the blade bent or hooked like a scimitar. It was viewed with great minuteness by the Coroner, the Jurors, and many persons who weie present during the above inquiry, which was atteEdedd• by many Noblemen and Gentlemen, political friends and supporters of the late Noble Marquis. It was stated that several of the Opposition were present. We are happy to hear so favourable a report la.t evening of her Ladyship's health. She was said to be much more composed, and, under all circuit:- stances, , vas as well as could be expected. Last night, after the Jury had retinue] their ver dict, the body of the Marquis was laid out on a led, ready for placing in a coffin. The preparations for the funeral, which it is said will take place as pri vately as possible, are in great forwardness. CHARGE or Rarra—Mrs. Gibson, an interesting looking young woman, keeping a toy-shop near the 3laid and Magpk, Stepto y fields, applied yesterday to Lambetb.street Office, for a w..r. rant to apprehend a Mi. Hardman and Mr. iiiienrronn, both re dents in the same neighboutkood. The Magistrate having put the necessary questions to the applicant in a delicate manner, and having received the answers warranting his jurisdiction, he granted the warrant, and Fortune, the officer, was instantly dis patched to execute it. He ,oen returned with !dlr. Shearmaa in custody, when Mrs. Gibson deposed that, on Sunday after noon, about two o'clock, the prisoner and the other accuse,: coded at her house; they sent out for a quartern of sum, of which At: drank a small portion, and they the remainder, when they de parted. She laid herself carelessly on the bed up stain, and re mained dozing about an hour, when she was suddenly alarmed by Mr. Hardman rudely laying hold of her. She screamed oot " Fire ! Murder ! Murder !" upon which she heard the pri soner, Who seemed to be adjacent, laughing extremely hearty. She struggled as well as she possibly could, but her strength was insufficient to resist the attack, and she swooned away, and am: a little time faund herself alone; upon which she ran down start-, having her clothes nearly torn of her back, her stockings by heels, and her hair dishevelled. On opening the street door, first person she saw was an old man, who stands opposite v. ith frtftt stall, of whom she inquired, " Which way they bad gone; Hardman was quite a stranger to her, and her only acquarritar:e with the prisoner was, that she bad lived near hint about a yea" ago, and dealt with him for beer, otc. Ile was placed such a parsituation during the perpetration of the outrage, that she is par chive he must have seen and heard all that past. She 51.5,s no: know how the parties gained a second ingress to the house ; the oily persons in it were herself and a female child, aged about tour years, belonging to a neighbour. the The prisoner admitted having called about the time alluded to at Mrs. Gibmes house, accompanied. *by Mr. 1 - lardman, but he did not hear her scream out, or give any alarm whatever, if silthad, he must have heard it. The prisoner found substantial ball, and was liberated. —The parties accused are each married men. Search is making to bring forward Mr. Hardman. DIED. On the 9th instant, at Highgate, in the 45d year of her ale, Mary, wile of Mr. Critehett, of Ake:agate-street. LONDON ; rrintrd and publibed by Lava& Ku; FLAW' OW+ TrOPIC-liii• MI r f ~ `; . ~, I rr I~f~ ~' I ~ I a~ ~: ~ :e . ~ 1 ~~ M ~,,