The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-09 00:00:00

Cross-examined by Serjeant W
Cummings nurses were recommits'
attended him a. •urgi on.
Thom*. Ince, cousin to 7'.lr. John Ince, the sonpin-lem
nt Mrs. Cum 1111 l g, 111.,d kuosn her intimately for three*,
four years, Libra: the time her daughter was married. not
was sixteen or seventeen yeast ago. When first whams'
knew her alto was a pcnoti of lady-iike mums',
and appearance. She then appeanal to behave as
erediugly well towards her daughters and husband.
.Ihout the time Mrs. Ince was married, Mrs. Cumming
said she hail been the hest of daughters, and would be a
great law nr h.r, but she hoped it would be for her am
good. Attar the marriage ot Mrs. Hooper, there was mu
....traug. meet between her and her mother. Mrs. Ince WI
estobited great regret and sorrow at the estrangement
which had taken place between them. Had intiotantay
known Mrs. Ince 16 or 17 years, and had never known IMP
behave unkindly to her mother. Had never known mr.
Ince guilty of an unkindness to Mrs. Cumming.
Crow-euniirted by Mr. James—Was :swore that UM
and Hoop, r had taken out u commission of lunacy spirt
Mrs. Cumming. Wus not aware that they had commenced
• chancery suit against her, or charged her with perjury.
H. Hinz, Hid& • solicitor, was applied to by Mrs. Cum-
ming to us uesge hi r affairs. 1 Mr. Hawkins had been her soli-
citor previously. but she intimated that there was a want
of confidence in her towards him. Witness recommended

to h. r Messrs. Birch and Davies, of Newport, to snaring;
her Monmouth property. l'rupositions were frequently
made to her in reference to the letting of Stow-hill 11.11 M,
situated on her property. The louse was in a wretched
condition, and she appeared to have some objection to even
proposition that was made to her. Witness thought that if
she had not made such objections there would have been
so ditti.sulty in letting it. She afterwards because dissatis-
fied with the agent, and wished another to be appointed.
At her desire witirss's brother went down to Newport and
made a survey of the estate. Mrs. Cumming did nrt attend
to the reemurnendetions of his report. MM. CW31111411(
always expreered berstlf in terms of great gratitude for
what witness had done fur her. In 1844 she wished to
take • furnished house at Bayswater. Witness tried to
dissuade tier, inasmuch as her affairs were somewhat in-
volved, and she already had • house. She appeared to ae-
quiesee in that, but she afterwards took the house. Ilad
seen nothing of ber since October 1844. In December
1811, witness received a letter from her, in consequent., of
which he called upon her. She refused to see witness.
}lad paid over to her or on her account all the money wit-
ness had r,ecived, and had a claim against her fur costs.
Ilad certainly never robbed her of 3001., or of any plate.
Found that she always objected to everybody she employed.
She always spoke slightingly of her daughters and their
husbands, and particularly wished that her address should
not be given them. She seemed to consider Mr. Hooper
was inferior to her daughter, but she made ne intelligible
charge against Mr and Mrs. Ince. In 1814, witness com-
promised an action for her with Mr. Williams fur misusing
the furniture in a house she had occupied in Maida-vale.
It was • nicely furnished house-, at a rent of 2001. a year.
It was alleged that she hail had the washing done in the
drawing-room, and the ironing on the 100 table • and that
the pigeons had dirtied the furniture. She denied the
truth of these allegations, but afterwards consented
to conipri ai.e the action for 121. 2s. A much larger.
claim hod been nude. She said she would not
sleep on the bed in that house because the
landlord had weighed the feathers, but she would sleep in
her own bed. Witness was the solicitor to the commis-
sion of 1810. Captoin Cumming was alive when the pro.
eeedintes in lunacy were commenced. They were taken
with his concurrence. The commission was not actually
.

Weed natil after his death, but the order fur her confine-
Mint in York-house was signed by the captain. After the
esmatission hill sat some days, an arrangement was some
to by the counsel on both sides. Supposing that
giant bad Is en earned nut, her property would
bay been protected. On that occ.isiost Mr. James was in
aappart of the petition, and Mr. Petersdorff against it.
(lierighter.)
Cross-eaanaincd by Mr. James—Mrs. Cumming was rather
litigious, and was a good client to some persons, but not to
witness. (Laughter.) Did not know that he ever delivered
her a writti n account except on one occasion. Her rental
was about 400/. per annum. 11ud given her verbal accounts
from time to time. She now owed witness from 60/. to
1001. Knew explain Cumming slightly. Had heard that
he took tow benefit of the act, but slid not know anything
of it from his own knowledge. Did not know that Stow.
hill lieuse RSA *chi dialed in the set for the town improve.
meat to come down. Did not know whether it was usual
in furaished boasts to weigh the feathers in order to guard
against fraud. Thought what Mrs. Contusing did was a
simple piece of absurdity. Would not go so far as to say
it was u delusion. Messrs. Ince and Hooper applied to
witness about the commission early in 1840, while Man.
Cumming was eontlnill in York-house Asylum. Waste
went with Ince and Hooper and searched the house,
witness had no recollection of taking any property away.
Captain Cumming had died b.-fore then, but he was mg
then lyine dead in the house. Did not know whether
Inca or Hooper took any of the property away. Had Oleg
done so witness would nut hove seen any impropriety in IL
When witness dent knew Hooper he was a clerk in the as.
age or customs.

Re-examined by Sir F. Thtsiger —Ransacking the house
was nut by env means a proper term for the search that was
made. Nothing was dune but what wee necessary for the
security of the property.
By the Cosonsission.m—Did not recollect seeing any deeds
or trinkets. From the state the house wsa in, should not
have felt justified in leaving anything saleable about.
During the time witness was acting fur Mr.. Cumming he
would not have prepared a will for her ifabe had requested
him, unless she had been previously seen by a medical
man.

Winifred Todd had been in Mrs.Cusinsing's service a. cook.
She them lived at Gothic Queen's-road, St. John's-
wood, where she still resided. Mr,. Coasting used to borrow
money of witness. The grestest suss wise 30.. She used
to complain that she was rubbed. The house was in • very
destitute state, but Mr. Haynes told witnem, when she
mentioned it to him, that wheu Mrs. Cumming come ato
it, it was completely furnished. Mn. Cumming was in the
habit of giving order* and countermanding them. Had
known her go a whole day without giving any orders what-
ever, or taking anything except • little brandy or wine and
water. On one occasion she ord, red dinner at G o'clock in
the evening, but did not come home till 1 in the morning,
and then she ordered it up. Witness and her niece (who
also lis-ed in Mrs. ('unsmintea house) used to get their din-
ners when they could. 'I hey frequently had to wait until
9or 10 o'clock at night. Witness used to sit up with her
until she went to bed, which was sometimes not till 6 or 7
in the morning. She generally used to talk about Mr.
Harries and her money. That seemed to press heavily
upon her mind. She used to !art at and use bad language
respecting him daily. She was • person of filthy habits.
She used to behave very civilly to witness, except when
they quarrelled. (sti laugh.) Their dinners were gene-
rally cook, d in her bedroom. Sometimes she would order
a slice of salmon, and then she would fancy a chop, and
then • stewed eel, all at the same meal. She kept four cats
and • kitten in her room, which was very di'agreeabde in
consequence. She mice told witness that she was aimed
with • fit, and that whilst in that state Mrs. flays/e at-
tempted to take the ring, off her lingers ; but she said,
For God's ease, don't rub me before lam dead." Each
cat had a separate plate set for it, and meat and soup at the
same time. Napkins were also placed for them. When
they had milk they had it cut of china cups. She was at-
tended by Dr. Caldwell, who used to see her every Wed-
needay. She did not take one bottle in twenty of the me-
dicine be sent her. 'the doctor did ant know that she did
not take his medicines. Witness, at her request, once
meld thirty-tier bottle. and gave her the money. She bad
taken none of the medicine in them. Mr. Haynes did not
often call ; but Mr. Jones, a friend,: hie, was these night