The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-08-22 00:00:00

LUNACY INQUIRY AT WORCESTER CITY

AND COUNTY ASYLUM.

A Court was held at the Politick Lunatic Asylum. on
Saturday last, before Mr. Francis Barlow, one of the Mas-
ten in Lunacy. The object of its session was "to in-
quire whether Peter Chance, an inmate,of the assluna, be
lunatic or not. Mr. Russel Griffith.. of the Midland
Circuit (instructed by Messrs. Merlell and Pemberton,
of London), appeared on behalf of the Court of Chancery ;
Mr. Ladbuty. solicitor. of Birmingham, on behalf of Mrs.
Chance, wife of the alleged lunatic : and Yr. Stubble, of
Birmingham (instructed by Mr. T. Southall, of Worces-
ter), for Mr. Peter Chance. A jury of twenty were sum-
moned to hear the case, Mr. Win Baylis, Merchant, St.
John's, being the foreman.
Mr. Russell Griffiths, in opening the case on behalf of
the Court of Chancery, said that the subject of inquiry,
Mr. Peter Chance, late of Stourbridge, commenced life
as a working man, bat owing to his diligence and care in
the pursuit of his calling had been enabled to materially
raise his social position. Up to the year ISSB he had ap-
peared to live with his wife, but during that year some
differences rose up between them, which eventually led
to their being separated. They soon afterwards lived to-
gether again for a brief period, and then a permanent
separation appears to have taken place. Mr. Chance
seems to have oceu.iiad a respectable position in Stour-
bridge having been a member of the Board of Commia.
aionert for that town; and he had little doubt from what
he had heard that he at least in some portion of his life
been cinch respected by his neighbours and friends. All
of a sudden Mr. Chance turned his attention to die-sink-
ing ; and, from the instructions he had received, he be.
lieved that the failure of a patent which he had purchased
tended in some way to supply the cause for his being
placed in the position he nos stood before them as an
inmate of that in stitution. His ill success at dieamking
app-sea to have greatly excited him, and at the end of
last year he was compelled to abandon this accupation
It became manifest to those about him that a great
change had come to him. He became very singular and
wild, and for some portion of the time whilst resiling in
Birmingham to have been positively dirty in his habits
and person. After detailing the nature of the evidence
he was about to call, the learned council *aid that the
jury would have to enquire whether Mr. Chance was
competent to managehis own affairs. If they decided
that he was not competent to do this, a committee would
be formed for the purpose of looking after his property,
and wake arthegements of such a character that would
place him in some comfortable circomatances.
Mr. Griffith was about calling upon Mr. Chance's med.
kat attendant at Stourbridge, when Mr. Stubbin objected
Considering that according to section 6 of the Act of
1862, Mr. Chance should himself be first examined. The
Master acquiesced, and Mr. Chance was examined by the
Court, witnesses and reporters alike being ordered out of
the room whilst this proceeding took place. On re-admis-
sion, the following evidence was adduced :

Mr. Robt. Lu,her Bailey, surgeon. Stem:bridge, deposed
that he had attended Mr. Chance, who lived in Emilie
Street, Stourbridge. Of late he had materially altered in
his mind, used to talk all sorts of nonsense, and had
various delusions. He had a delusion that he had come
in for 110,000 or 1:30,0(0. At other times he stated that
he had been robbed and murdered. His conversatior
with Mr. Chance took place in his surgery, a bout the end
of last summer. Some time after that he met Mr. Chance
in Birmingham. when he said to him, "I am gding to
my solicitor, to enter an action against you f r conspiracy
it ituess considered that he was of unsound mind, aud
unable to manage his
Cross-examined by Mr. Stubbin : Ile had not made any
inquiries as to whether Mr. Chance CH competent to
manage his affairs. Did not agree with Chitty's opinion
that we were all of unsound mind except the Creator."
He should send a man to an asylum for continued delis.
stone. He used to rave a great deal when talking in his
surgery. .

Ire e.;caniined: Had known Chance fdr thirteen years,
and knew that ho had taken a great dislike to his friends
and re,ations. He (witness) cmsidered that to be a de-
11111i012.

James Sherlock, M.D., medical superinten lant of the
Powick City and County Lunatic Asylum, sant that Mr.
Peter Chance was brought to that institution on March
the 27th of the present year. Witness saw him on bin
admiesion. Be was talking v..ry much as to wrong which
had been done in bringing bun there. Ile said that bin
wig aud all his relatives had conspired against him. He
was euspicious, irritable, and excited with every person
he met, and also when any person's name was mentioned.
de said that he could only be there by bribery on the
part of his wile and other relative.. He had frequent
eon, natation. with Mr. Chance, and he show d say that
he wait of unsound mind in consequence of his irritabi.
~ty, and the frequent changes in the state of his mind.
At one tame he would be exalted, irritable, aid suspicious
and at another low, depressed, and in fear of immediate
loath. In c.siversation Mr. Chance used to vary in his
statements with regard to his property. At one time he
sould any that he was worth an great sum of money, and
st others the amount would be greatly reduced. He was
wild in his manners, loquacious, anal was opposed to a
profuse use of soap. His hands and face were usually
dirty. lie was generally prone to quarelling with people
about it, anal he had bruised some of the other patients.
lion, time his language would be agreeable, at another
blasphemous. He had offered to manufacture pipes for
sitness and his assistants. He was of unsound mind, and
unfit to manage his own affairs.
By Mr. Stubbin : Sometimes Mr. Chance's powers of
observation were remarkably cute, at others greatly the
reverse. He lied bad a tuphire, lie believed, on both
.ides, and that might cause depression. The relieving
officer told witness that Mr. Chance had raised his lanai.
Lion in life by his great indastry, and that lie had been a
uember of the Board of Commissioners for Stourbridge.
to certainly did not say that Chance was sane. Witness
sad not tolerate any such statement from a relieving
officer.

Dr. strange, Worcester, said that he was appointed by
Cie Solicitor to the Court of Chancery to examine Mr.
Chance. He did so on the 9th of June. la commencing
the convir.tion, Mr. Chance was rational, and gave him
o sketch of his precious career and his dissensions with
his wife. Be said that he was only there by means of
her misrepresentations. After alluding to these matters,
se assured witness that he had twenty tons of piltturea,
ourl that ntost of them were in Hirminguam. He said
t .at he had suffered great depredations from burglars,
tad that they were highly organised, having colonel,
lieutenant colonel, captains, sergeants, and privates. He
.8 of opinion that his mind was very unsound and that
ie., was certainly unable to manage his affairs. Witness
believed him to be suffering from chronic manta. He
.ow him again on the lot of August, and his apparance
Woo generally the same. During the conversation Chance
polled out his tin whistle, played a tune, and asked
witness for sixpence.
. .

Thomas Ro6insou, Stourbridge deposed that he was
worenticed t.., Mr. Chance, and had lived with him from
iS:t9 to 1869. His former master'c businesa halite had
ticeu very goad, and 3aitt straightforward. He separated
firm Ilia wife b. 186., and cane bark again in a short,

ime. Chance used to say that he had not paid him any
in iney, and ho (witness) had receipts to prove that he
ad done so. On one occasion he cause to;witness's house
si stsilibridge, ant after having some refreshment cursed
slid swore and threatened to break their necks. He
ieloweo witness some pipes, awl said that he could make
a polled a day out of them, In speaking of his pictures
and property generally, he said that be said that he was
worth £30,000 or £lO,OOO. At times he was very filthy
sod dirty in his habits.
Cross-examined: Chance bail charged witness with
neceiviug mosey and not accounting for it.
. •

-o
Re-examined Thrie was no truth whatever in the
agegatious as to his appropriating Chance's money. He
(oitue.m) courted an investigation of the hooky
Hannah Chance said that she was the atife of Peter
Chance, and that she was married to him in the year
1033. She had not lived with him since 1869. Just be-
fore last September she had received 4s. a week from
hi u. but nothing since that date. Witness had not had
anything from the estate since he has been there. She
hat not in say way conspired against her husband. At
times he had been very violent toward. her.

'2ross-examined : She had been suli-jec-te—d. to ill-usage.
Her husband had wished her to go and live with him
again, but had she done so she considered that she
should have been a murdered woman. In March lest she
saw Dr. Ponds in Birmingham, and asked him to see
her husband. That was the only occasion on which she
ol done anything with a view to get him confined in an
asylum.
tieorge Chance, brother otthe alleged lunatic, deposed
to seeing his brother Peter in Birmingham, and staying
with him for a night. His habits were peculiar, and he
was remarkably restless. On meeting him in the street
lie became very violent, and said that he (witness) was
attempting to deprive him of his Itierty. He had not
done so at that time.

,;.Cross.ezamined : Had not heard that Chance had been
insulted in the street by boys.
James Chance, gaid that his brother came to
see him in March, and brought a woman with him. She
was not his wife. He behaved violently, and sail that he
clul I bieak a jaw with a single blow. He showed him
some pipes and said that he could make I:20 per week
oit of them.—Cross.easmined : His brother had once
a very good position in Stonrbridge, but he had lost
respect throngs his conduct with bad women. He had
no idea as to how much mosey his broth, r had.
Daniel Bird, basket maker. Stonrbridge. brother of
Mrs. ChAace, deposed to seeing :Peter Chance, about a
fortnight before he came to the Asylum. He was very
di ty, end had false:blackbeardon. His manners wire
very strange. . _ _

ismen aa,rett, relieving officer, Stoorbridge said that
Peter Chance was at one time greatly respected and is a
good position there, being a Commissioner and a member
of the Board of Guardians. Ile used to be a modest
man, but of late was moat indelicate and offensive in his
language, especially toward his wife. On appearing be-
t 're the magistrates, Chance told them that he was a
poet, and produced some speciments. He was very vio-
lent and made varivas statements respecting Dr. Camp-
bell at the time of his examination previous to being
aertified. Chance was "a Good Tempter." and he be-
lieved a consistent nine—Mr. Barrett, before leaving tin
room sabi that he was a must unwilling witness. He had
always entertained great respect for Mr. Chance; and
was very sorry for him.
. . . .

Cross.emmined: He never said that Chance was sine,
Hugh Mackenzie, chief attendant at the asylum, had
seen Chance daily. His conduct had been v,ir,d, and at
times be got very excieted, and wanted to fight. One
night he became very violent (about the :13rd July) and
had to be removed into the refractory ward. At other
times ho wanted to make love to the nurses.

After a brit interval the following witnesses ward es•
amined on behalf of Mr. Chnoce:—

Mr. J.emph Norris, photographer, Union Passage,
Birmingham, said he had known lir. Chance between
twelve and eighteen months, Its had looked upon him
as eccentric, bat as exhibiting no tendency to inaatilty.
lie seemed to know whether, picture was valuable or
not. Some of the pictures he bad IWO valuable, others
were not.