The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-18 00:00:00

ARREST OF A LUNATIC FOR WRITING
A LETTER TO THE QUEEN.

Late on Tuesday night • professional gentleman who
has been for some time past lodging in Hereford, and
who is engaged, we understand, am architect to several
large buildings now erecting in the county of Hereford,
was apprehended at his lodgings in Broad-street, on •
warrant signed by a city magistrate, and issued by direc-
tion of Sir Richard Mayne, chief of the metropolitan
polioe.
In consequence of information communicated to Super-
intendent 'Davies as to the probability of the accused
having fire-arms; it was thought necessary to execute
the warrant with some address; and consequently the
superintendent, accompanied bySergeant Griffiths, went
shortly before midnight to the lodgings of Mr.—, in
Broad-street, and apprehended him in bed.
The form of the warrant, we understand, is that the
party named in it is • lunatic at large, and incapable of
taking care of himself and directing tus affairs; but the
instructions from London upon which it was issued state
that the prisoner has written to her Majesty • letter of
such a character that Col. Phipps thought it necessary
at once to hand it over to Sir Richard Mayne, and
directed steps to be immediately taken to secure the
safe custody of the writer.
When apprehended, we believe, he expressed great
indignation at being seized by the police officers so un-
ceremoniously, and demanded to be allowed to sleep in
his own lodgings until the morning. This, howeverl
did not accord with the "instructions" of the cautious
officers, and the prisoner was civilly but emphatically
required to dress himself and accompany them to the
lock-up.
When told the nature of the charge upon which he
was apprehended viz., that he was • dangerous lunatic
—the superintendent of police reading him the warrant
upon which he was acting, Mr. exclaimed, "Oh, a
lunatic, indeed ! This is • pretty business ! Was it one
of your puppy Hereford magistrates that issued the
wet:rant against me?"

When told that the instructions had been sent from
London, in consequence of his having written a letter to
the Queen, he said—" Wrote it? of course I wrote
it; and she ought to have answered it; it would have
been better if the Queen had answered it in a respectful
manner."

He subsequently asked one of the officers why these
proceedings had been delayed till now? The letter he
said, well written a fortnight ago. Of course the police
could give him no information on this point, but lie ad-
mitted that he was in London on Saturday.
Beyond giving utterance to an occasional expletive,
lumping the police and the magistrates of Hereford as a
"poppy lot," and declaring that he did not care where
their instructions came from, "if they came from
h—ll," Mr. said nothing further respecting the
charge against him, except that he was ready to answer
for writing the letter to Her Majesty " before the Queen
or any one else."
. . . . . . .

We understand that the hereditary mansion of the
hon. baronet who represents the county, now under-
going extension, and the monastic edifice in course of
erection within a mile or or two of this city, are both
under the professional charge of the unfortunate gentle-
man who has thus brought himself within the power of
the law.

All the personal effects of the prisoner at his lodgings
have been taken possession of by the police.
The following is a copy of the letter upon which the
proceedings are taken : . . .

"Hereford, 27th April, 1858.
"To her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great
Britain, Ireland, and their colonies.
'Your Majesties bumble and loyal subject eheweth that
through the mercy and grace of Almighty God he has, during
a period of 38 years, been an obedient and useful subject of this
realm, and moreover, for more than 20 years now pest he has
been an humble servant of the Most High God, and a partaker
of His grace, manifested in His only begotten Bon. Your
Majesty's security also shewith that the All-Wise and gracious
God has in an especial manner manifested Himself to hint (the
writer)! and in such a marked and continuous way as leaves
him no alternative but to apply to your Majesty to render up
to him your Majesty's office as head of the Church. And in
doing so It is from a solemn conviction of duty. Your Majesty
will please to remember that this application is registered in
Heaven, and will have to be accounted for at the judgment.
seat of our Lord. I shall be happy to produce to your Majesty
my credentials as Christ's Vioegerent on earth, and challenge
the creation to produce any other claim except my own to the
office. In preferring my claim, your Majesty will please to
observe that it is from no sordid motive, but on the contrary,
merely for the glory of God, the welfare of your Majesty's
people, and the stability of your throne. Wishing your
Majesty every happiness, both domeetic and public—l am, by
the Grace of God, in your Majesty's service,
"AUSTIN Mseoa."
The accused is a native of Bristol. He is contractor
for the buildings now erecting at Belmont.