The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-19 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

Yesterday, • commission de lunatic° inquirendo was
opened before Mr. Commissioner Llftrlow and • special jury,
composed of county magistrates and other irfluential gentle.
men, at the Duke of Swam lintel, Bridge-road, Hammer-
smith, rerpeciing the state of mind of Captain James Gordon,
late of the 3rd West India regiment, but now of Brandenburg
House, a private lunatic establishment, belonging to Dr.
Forbes Winslow. After a lengthened investigation, in the
course of which it was elicited that Captain Gordon was
suuject to paroxysms of irritability and various absurd
hallucinations, the jury returned • verdict, "tl at Captair.
James Gordon is now a person of unsound mind, and has
been so since the 3rd of January, 1846."

THE POLICE COURTS.

MARLBOROUGHISTREET.

IMPOSITION ox rats fit:ILEOI,WEILII,7O7;;:c.—A woman
who gave the name of Henrietta Sea:sky, but who is known
to the Mendicity Society under several other namee, and a
man who was with her, and who gave the name of Henry
John Stanley, a returned tramport, with several &lies s,
were charged with having obtained various sums -f money,
to a oonsiderable amount, from his grace the Duke of Wel-
lington, by fraudulent pretences.
The prisoners were apprehended by Konford, of the Men-
dicity Society, who had been employed to trace out the pri-
soners, in cense Teepee of informatien which the society
were in poustaston of. In the pmession of the prisoners,
when apprehended, were the halves et two dl. notes, about
' 251. in cash, and two handsome gold watches with heavy gold
guard chains attached, and a silver Geneva watch, with a
soid gold guard-chain.
Mr. Bodkin attended on behalf of the prosecution.
William Ilorsford, one of the Mendicity Society's officers,
said, in consequence of orders from the manager, Captain
Wood, he had been for the last month on the watch for the
female ptisoner, who had passed at various times under the
names of Stanley, Stone, Jones, Walton, &c. Last Satur-
day witness saw a letter sent from the residence of the
Duke of Wellington in reply to an application for money,
paned in Dover-street, to be left at the poadeffice in Ken.
ningtoa. The letter was posted and registered by the Duke
of Wellington's secretary. At about 20 minutes put five
,'clock on Saturday afternoon the woman called for the
letter and received it. Witness had seen her just before in
the company of the male primmer. As soon as she received
the letter she joined the prisoner and walked by his side for
about 200 yards. She then gave him the letter, and the
male prisoner tore it open, and threw away the envelope and
the fragments of the letter, which witness picked up and
now produced. The envelope belonged to the letter which
witness saw posted in Dover-street. The prisoners went on
to the Ship public-house in the Kennington-road, and
remained there about five minutes. They came out and got
into an omnibus, and witness followed them in the same
omnibus. The prisoners quarrelled in the omnibus, and got
nut after crossing Westminster-bridge. Witness got out too,
and with assistance took them both into custody for obtain-
ing money under false pretences from the Duke of Welling-
ton. The woman said I know nothing about it. Witness
took the prison' rs to Copt. Word, the manager, and on
searching the woman a 61. note, 10 soveseigns, and 2 gold
and 1 silver watches, with gold guards, were found.
Mr. Parry appeared professionally for the prisoners, and
submitted that there was neither thayecific charge against
them nor any thing in the evidence tojustify a remand. lie
also complained that the prisoners been taken to a pri-
vate house when first apprehended instead of being brought
before a competent tribunal.
Mr.ißodkin said the letter bad been directed by the Duke of
Wellington himself for the special object of this charge. It
would be necessasy to have the attendance of his grace to
prove the identity of the fragments. His grace had been
communicated with on the subject, and he had expressed his
readiness to come formad and prosecute.
James Kendall, valet to the Duke of Wallington, saw his
grace direct the letter, which was 'put in the Dover-atreet
post-office. Could swan that the writing on tne fragments
was the Duke of Wellington's writing.
William Simpson, postmaster, Kennington, proved that
he gave the female prisoner a registered letter. Could swear
to the duke's writing, and had no doubt the fragments were
part of the latter he gave to the female prisoner.
Mr. Bodkin said the prisoners had only been taken into
cducsetcaenegy eeinba tilstatxm dayweneigid be ht. Itread
be
not likely all
.t he
The
e-
prisoners were *seemed of (*remelting various frauds, and,
tf remanded, at the next examination material evidence
would be produced in support of the charge. The letter
now produced might be made good ground of a charge of
obtaining money under false pretenees.
Mr. Parry contended than was nothing against them at
present.
Air. Bingham asked Iloreford if he on his oath, believed
be would be in a cndition by next Thursday to bring for-
ward evidence in proof of the charge of obtaining M. from
his grace ?
ilrrsferd replied he Gould, and about 4001. more.
Mr. Bingham decided on remanding the prisoners until
Thursday next.