The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-02 00:00:00

RESULTS OF THE CLERKENWELL
OUTRAGE.

By this diabolical act six persons were killed out.
right, six more died from its effects, according to the
coroner's inquests, five, in addition, owe their deaths
indirectly to this means, one young woman is in a mad-
house, forty mothers were prematurely confined, and
twenty of their babes died from the effects of the
explosion on the women; others of the children are
dwarfed and unhealthy. One mother is now a raving
maniac; 120 persons were wounded; fifty went into
St. Bartholomew's, Gray's-inn-lane, and king's Col-
lege Hospitals ; fifteen are permanently injured, with
loss of eye.., legs, arms, &c. ; besides EVAN/ worth of
damage to person and property.

THE EXTRAORDINARY ACTION
AGAINST A "SPIRITUALIST."
The remarkalde case, " Lyon r. Home," has occupied
the Court of Chancery for several days ; and the
following are extracts from the proceedings :
Mrs. Lyon was again cross-examined by Mr. Matthews. She
said she remembered that before she executed the mortgage
deed for £24,000, by winch she made Mr. Home the owner of
that amount, the deed was read over to her. While that watt
being done her arm was certainly not round Mr. Home's
nee,, but she' remembered that 011 e of his anus Was round
111. r wai4 ; the other arm was over her head, and he kept
smoothing down her hair. She write a letter to Mr. Home
saying that his people appeared to her and then vanished,
but that must have been a delusion. In one of herletters to
Mr. Home sho probably subscribed herself os " Your Mt other."
Mr. Home told her that he could ntd sleep because she had
not written " Your affectionate mother," and she then altered
the a.m.& to "Yours affectionately' At one time she was
in the habit of addressing Mr. Home as "Ber darling son,"
but alto gradually left off addressing hint in that style, so she
also gradually left off calling herself his !mother, and wrote
instead " Yours affectionately." She ref used to speak,
except on household matters, to Eliza Climber, the servant
of Mrs. Pepper, at whose house she Mrs. Lyon resided,
because site treemently called Mr. Home an impostor. Site
attended spiritual t'anees in a house in Westbourne-place
and elsewhere during Mr. Home's absence. At one of these
tastes there was 1141 communication ; nothing but tilts and
raps. At another the spirits walked attest the floor. They
Were told to make a louder noise, and they stumped heavily
about the floor. Mr. Home was constantly in had health
during all the time she knew him. lie wrote to her at one
time. saying that the spirits told him that he would get
strong in ten days. In a letter that she wrote to him,
saying that a brighter day was awaiting hint in the
other world, site wrote the words, "Over the water,
over the sea to Charlie." She meant nothing by these words.
It was merely nonsense. She let him have the key of Mrs.
Pepper's house, but in June. 1567, she requested him to re-
turn it, not at all because she was afraid that he would take
her life, lett because Mrs. Pepper wanted it for the lodgers
In the house. One of the things that first opened her eyes to
the delusion that had been practised upon her by Mr. Home,
was Ids denial that there had been any manifestations at
eranees at which she had been present, though there were
manifestations. He said "We had to get control over your
mind to make you think there were manifestations." She
then said the aim t was a liar, and he said the spirits were
not to be relied upon. It was true that before her eves were
opened she wrote in a memorandum book that her life would
not be safe if she went abroad with Mr. Home ; that she
would then soon he a free spirit, and that the spirit that had
rapped out communications for her at Mr. Holm's was not
the spirit of her husband, "but Dan. !lumen lying spirit."
She never thought that that memorandum would be produced
in court. In one other memorandum books Mr. Home wrote
these words " You are far happier as Jane Lyon, my wife,
than if you were Duchess of Northumberland." She
certainly did not dictate those words to him in
the presence of Elias Fuller. Certainly she never
told Eliza Climber to sit down while she opened and
read the letters of her darling, meaning Mr. Home. Since
the institution of this suit elle had made several loans—
one amounting to £4OO to Mr. Gibson, a friend of Mr. Home.
Mr. Gibson represented himself to be in great difficulties.
She had written to Eleanor Kingdom, stating that she might
come to the trial if she would come without her mother.
What was the use of her bringing her mother? She had
also written to Mrs. Curtis, requesting her to let her daughter
come to the trial; but Mrs. Curtis refused to let her. She
wished these persons to come to court because her solicitor
might wish them to make affidavits, but about what she
could not tell. Site had read a good deal. She had read Dr.
Colenso's works, anti perhaps admired them.—Mr. Matthews ;
You swore on the lath of July last that Mr. Wilkinson, at a
a-
ante at your house, received instructions from your bus..
band's spirit about the deed you executed in favour of Mr.
Home. Is that true 7—Mrs. Lyon There were no instruc-
tions, but there were raps and allusions to the deed—Me.
Matthews then referred to Mr. Wilkinson's affidavit, in which
he dinmsed that the only phenomena which he ever saw at
the isistice were sonic movements mid tappings. Na Instruc-
tions were given relating to the deett—Mrs. Lyon said she
wished to say nothing against Mr. Wilkinson. He %visa a
respectable man; but was under the same influence that she
had !teen subjected to. She hoped that his cyes would be
opened to that delusion.
Sir. Kay. who appeared for Mr. Wilk:mon. who has been
made a defendant in this suit, said that after what Mrs.
Lyon bad just said he did not propose to cross-examine her
on behalf of Mr. Wilkinson.
Mrs. James Fellowes, the widow of a netibew of the late Mr.
Lyon, was next cross-examined by Mr. Matthews. She said
she had heard of all that took place between Mrs. Lyon and
Mr. Home. She heard Mrs. Lynn call Mr. Home her Daniel.
Mrs. Elizabeth Key, at whose house Mrs. Lyon resided,
was cross-exa 11l i l :ed. She told the notther of Eleanor K
don that if Eleanor would give evidence in this suit, her
expenses would be paid. She was an-ate that Mrs. Lyon had
written to Eleanor to induce her to attend this trial with-
out her mother. She did not always listen at Mrs. Lyon's
door when Mr. Home was in Mrs. Lyon's apartment. She
listened to discover whether Mr. Home was there, became
she thought Ile would unduly influence her. She did not
know whether violence might not take place while he w.
there. She did not know whether Mn. Lyou's manner to
Mr. Home was affectionate or sot.
, Mrs. Thomaa Fellowes said she cautioned Mrs. Lyon
against seeing Mr. Home. She did so because she believed
that he would contrive to get all her money from her. She
remembered that en one occasion Mt Home told Mrs. Lyon
that a groan she hoard proceeded from a spirit that was
hoarse. ;Laughter.',
Mrs Pepper said she di.: not, in the presence of her ser-
vants, say she would toll tho old eat that Mr. Houle wanted
to rob bs;
Mr. Drury then addressed the court in support of the
plaintiff's canes. He submitted that there was a strong prO-
sumption in favour of the plaintiff's statement. The plain-
tiff's case was this—that the defendant himself had brought
about that Influence on the plaintiff, which had this Wonder-
ful result, that the defendant in a few days could call him-
self the adopted son of the plaintiff, and fogad himself the
owner of £OO,OOO, which she had given to him. Mr. Lyon
had not been long dea-1 at tho time the plaintiff Mat
saw the defendant, and It WWI net wonderful that at her ail.
earned miad nlif Nary °yen to I .meaious or the
on gilts Otigilus. Ike WasUati act the so.