The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-01 00:00:00

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child often. The prisoner kept acarpet and blanket sliopin Elm -
friars'-roari, where he we. constantly attending.
Snow, the °Meer. proved, that between three: and four o'cloctk i 1
the morning of the lath of November; in the prisoner's prestinc .
the wa:ahman told witness that the prisoner had murdered hie chile.
Witness asked hint how he had done it. lie made no enawer.
Witness told him •he must takeltitu up. Wnnera matched him.
and found a penknife in hi. pocket. The prisoner said. " Why
you don't think •I alb gating to make away with myself." Wit-
ness replied, that he did not know what a man would not do, if he
had done what they had charged hint with. Before he went to the
cage, lie desired witdr`a to send for Mr. Sibree, who lives in Black..
friars.`-mad, for by his derision he would abide, because he nttendea
the family. When hilirst saw the prisoner lie hail sonic white
froth at the corner of his mouth, as if he had been drinking, or in
a violent passion or fosining,at the mouth. ll'hen he took a but-
ton out of his ppocket,tet, he said to witness, " You don't think I am
going to awallow'the button ?"
Mr. Walters, the keeper of the,genl, proved that the prisoner had
been in his custody is week. ; generally saw hint twice • day.
Has observe .that the primmer disliked conversing witio any body
his opinion a s.that the prosper is perfectly sane.
Cross-exam itted.—Hts condnit has not at all varied. le of opinion
that the !when er is now of sant Mina.
This wan the case for the crown.
'tire prisoner said he would leave his case to the conli:ct of hlt
Counsel.
Dr. E. ins, a phyleien. proved !hot on the 14'h of Mardi Fe
•vistted th e utianner profes.ionally, and'again sewhiet on the thir
-or fourth day neat wards. Ilia disorder was such the, he drupe -.
it "auk' t erminatejri insanity. There. as mat enough to instil r
him in me ing he hail fever. lento a derangement of the !semen,.
system, lint attended by fere,: lie conk! nol say th'at his balms
wait then positively deranged; but he anticipated that indertitri
would be the termination if the disease. i When the animus ays.
teat la much deranged, it :a very litcrly tc produce insanity.
• Cross-examined—lt is very pomade that au insane person miges
neat. when• ander the control of A prishn, alum any symptoms o.
niaducm.. The consciousness of coutrot will ptoduec a state of ap...
parent ralinneas. . • • ..
Mr. Sane!, a surgeon. o: Blackfriarernael, was ire the habit of
attending the prinmeg for the lam taro nears. For the last ten
months. witness's impression was, that the prisoner wee always in a
state of partial lunacy. Ills sonduct has been nonaturrl. SM.. , , •
times he was in It state or fatuity ; at others, ht a State if gregees!, v...
dr
agitation. Sometimes he would ring the witness up at et I,m.s or
the morning, in a state of great agitation.: 011 one ',erasion he was
obliged to r 'ohne him on &safe fee three hours, and rend ainaleorne
in a coach. Tlik was at the latter end of last August. Saw him tlats
week psecediueg this irawanceirm ; lit eras then ll' • state of areas
Anita:Mu, in consequence of misfintunes in trade. He spoke of Mt
miafortimes repeatedly. In his judipient, he.ie of ut sound mina.
and at interval incapable of controiliag his actions. He win a man
of a highly culnyated inind..and no doubt his distresses produced
derangement. He could not bear fluctuations. He possessed great
sensibility, and felt acutely.
Mr. Bobert :tinniest, assistant to last witness, nt the period
spoken of by that gentleman, said i.e always considered the psi.
loner to be insane. Saw him a week before this transaction, and
was decidedly of opinion thacdon was then insane.
Dr. Price, of East Smithfield, attended Mrs. D. when she we%
confined with the deceased. For two ono ohs he was M the hou.e
every day. and -saw the prisoner coastantly. During that time
another child of the prisoner's was ill ofan inflamatinn nu the lungs
and the prisoner, in waiting...on thie child, never Oak off his
clothes fur eight dans: %Fitness never saw a more affertion....
father in his life- lie had four other children: wham be treated
with thegmatto tenderness, lie was a highly sensible man.
Dr. forivtli atte-led the prisoner in October last profes-
sionally, and pronounced him to be insane Ole first moment be:
saw him. '
Mc. Giro. a surgeon, of the trnmmercial.road, had attended
die prisoner for two years, anti during that time considered tons
Maine. . .
Mr. John Thompson, a trunksneker, of Long-ace. depose.:.
that since treptember last the prisoner heal been decidedly insane.
Ills.misfortunes in trade had affected his mind.
Mr. Draee, a publican, of the Waterloo-road, gave evidence to
the same effect. 4ll
r. Crompton proved that he vas the prisoner them oe four
Ones a week, dimmer else last three months. His language went
very incoherent repeatoegy, and on one occasion he said he must be
off, as he said he was going Melina with the King.
Mrs. Carpenter had lived as servant with the prisoner, and lef:
about three weeks before this transaction. Once she amain him ;n
the act of attempting to cut lila throat with his noon 'Wit:
tiers used to abut the shutters in day.li-'•• - --- ._ • ..
Mr. Justice Bnattond.:4 ehliaggitlieJtrry, that a delver case of
insanity had never been mode out; if they were of that opinion.
they would say so by !their verdict.
The Jury immediately acquitted the prisoner, on the ground th: t
he was insane at the time of the transaction in queation.
The prisoner throughout the trial was in &must desponding state.
and was accommodated with a chair.
George fire/zany was indicted for feloniously killing and slaying
John Gregory. hiS father, by stabbing him with aknile, on the 2d
:flay, at St. Mei?, Newington. The Coroner's Jury had returned
••Accidental Drath."
Mr. 11'n n 53113 Ca and Mr. MANI:3Ln COOdaCtal the prosecut;J-.
at the itiSanre of the perish.
Mr. lin opening conducted the defence.
'I lie following witnesses were called :
John Gregory, brother of the prisoner, turned fifteen years. d__
posed, that his father resided at No. 5, Great Dover4treet. On
the 2d May last lila father was at home in the itfcenlng. They
breakfasted ibont nine o'clock. The prisoner
.did not breakfast
with them. At that time the prisoner was from hafbe. The bread
had been put away in a cupboard in the mate room. The !C.&
things remained on the table. The prisoner relate home just as
they had done breakfast, and began eit'ing his. The deceased had
just been clesnibg shoes, and was standing nenethe window. Wit-
ness's brother William asked his tither fot a bit more bread wet
butter. The deceased said, " I'll be el-. 4 if you shall ;if y.,,,,
don't know when you have had enongli, I must know for you.-
The prisoner then said to William, " lanyint mine a bit ?" to
which he said " Yes." The primmer then took t knife off tte
table, and went to the cupboard. The deceased used generally to
cut with the knife. The knife had been sharpened that morning br
the deceased, on the step of the back door. It was a common cue
knife. The deceased lead jiht gone Into the shop, and was re-
turning into the room when the prisoner was getting near the cup-
board. 7'he prisoner was reach's', the loaf to crt smne bread, when
deceased came in. apparently in a great natation. He ran towards the
emboard, put his hand agaidit the door to keep it shot, and with
' the other hit the primmer several blows across the back and
' knocked him down, The prisoner went down sideways. Ile got
up and went :o the other end ef the room, and hallooed out •• the
rascal has stabbed me " The prisoner hearing this laid the knife
on the table, and went towards his father to assist him, and seemed
.as if he could not Believe h. The deceased immediately 'turned
round and took the broom, and was going to strike him with the
handle, but some clothes lines hanging with some ciothea Imo%
them, caught the broom; the lines poke, and the clothes fell. At
the same moment the deceased and the table fell. A deaf sister was
in the room at the seine time. His father rot up imnifeliattAr.
went into the ahnp, and SRI upon a box. Witness's mether had
been op stairs all this time. As soon is she heard what haul
happened, she bade one of them run fie a surgeon. The prisoner
George ma immeirately to the hospital. and ore his return brought
word that the people at the hospital did not send on surgeons, but
that the deceased must go there. Winless rssa for a emelt, anal l".e
father was taken there.

. $ ;
1

Mr. Justice licasoron interposed, and said this evidence
accourard for the finding of the C'eraer's Jury, who had retursed
a verdict of accidental' death.
Cross.examinctl—The prisoner was the eldest son, and was a
great favourite of the deceased. Ile was at a place, but used tv
sleep at home, and breakfast at home on &today morning.
Mr. Mark Marks, of 27. King's-court, Suffolk-street. in the
Horot-Jh.—On the 2d Moy he went to the hnine of the deceased,
about ten in the morning. and saw him sitting en a box in the
shop. Found the deceased wounded on the left side. jest by a
truer which he wore. The wound was shone two inches in depth.
Accompanied the deceased to Guy's Hospital. lie fainted on the
way. After seeing him placed in a bed, he returned to the
bowie of the deceased. The prisoner was then ptnting oats pair
of boots. He said to him, George, how could you be guilty
lof so rash a trims on yoite &that IP He said I d'on't know ; t
' went to the cupboard to cut a slice of bread for my brother Wit- r
liam, and my father shaved me &way, and said I dhould not rut
him any. and from the plate where my father shored me, I went towards hint and masa a blow at him, forgetting that 1 hail the at
knife in me hand. Witness told kiln that he had spoken to a
gentleman at the hospital, and ailed hint his advice about hiv
father, whether he thought the wound serious? and that be had
said he certainly did ; and that lie had asked tile gentleman she_then lie thought the hither would die. and that he had said a great
deal depended upon uhcther the father was quiet ; that if the father •as kept quiet, and tad not fret, it would be much in his 61/0,11.:
that fretting might cause an inflornina:ion t and then advised ahe
prisoner to get out of his 610 v-es way until he better, because
his father did not will to sec him, and fit enrageda at him.
. The prisoner paid he did not know what to do ; brit wimeas ad.
rated him to wait till his mother came home, and rebook with bet.
Witness again saw the deceased between seven and efght, at the
hospital. ‘Vitrices asked him how he was, lie answered, that he
had been very bad all the anernoon, and bona out a crying, anti
said he was Magid he should die. Ilia wife, who was present, said-
"lt was all your own fault." The deceased replied, " You don't
know any thing ;bout it."
('rose examintsl-IVitneas is in custody in the 3larshalses, for
debt. ides always given the same account of what the prisoner
acid. Can't say whether he ever told any body before that the boy-
had said that he hail struck at his father. Thinks he said so be-
fore Mr. Allen, the Magistrate, but can't centaur: to swear it.
He-etamined—Sweset that the prisoner said, " I made a blow
at my father, sot looting that I had the knife in my hand."

At this stage of the eh*,
Mr. Justice Brawn:cm interposed, and expressed his opinion
that there was no case so convict of manslaughter; and sup.
posing the prisoner to he convictei, he should only fine hint one
shilling.
Mr. lianorttrcx pressed for a getters' acquittal, on account of
the sigma whirl' a conviction might cast upon the boy's cha-
racter through lite.
The Counsel for the prosecution yielded to the suggestion of tb
Learned Judge ; ani the Jury. eldet the Judgr's directions, in.
mediately found the prisoner Nat ; and he was diecbsrged.

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