The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-11-22 00:00:00

LUNATIC

On Monday a Court of Inquiry was hold at the
Mermaid Ilse, at Hackney, to ascertain whether
Mr. Samuel Bell, a tnerehent and ship-owner, of
Clumpside' was a {untie, or not, as directed by a
decree of the High Court of Chancery.
-- Sayers, Esq. appointed Sheriff by the Lord
Chancellor, presided. The Commissioners were
Mr. Evance. and two other Magistrates. There
were fifteen Jurymen.
The evidence adduced, to prove the insanity of
Mr. Bell. was, that, in the inonth.of Spteinber last,
several proposals for contracts were sent in to the
.Cuniusissioners of the Navy Board, to supply them
with sant-cloth and canvass ; most of the propnsiti.
sins were for two shillings and five-pence per yard ;
hut Mr. Bell sent in a proposition for two shilling+
awl twa-pence per yard. Mr. Bell called several
times at the Navy-Office, requesting to have an an-
swer to hiss proposals. On the morning of the fill)
Bepteeiber, Mr. Bell went to-the Navy-Office, and
inquired for gr. Secretary Nelson ; and not being
able to see Mr. Nelson, or obtain an answer to the
cheap proposition he hall made for the contract,
he behaved in • very disorderly manner, abusing
the clerks, and throwing books at them; his con-
duct was so violent, that Harry Adkins, belonging
to Bow-street Office, who utten:ls at the Navy l'av
Office, by desire of gr. Rose, the Treasurer of the
Navy, to ',revolt Jews from obtruding themselves
into the Office, and to hinder them from inveigling

the sailors iatoitispropersiKrteturnts with thew, 4:4lei—i

they panne to receive their money, was sent for.—
. When Adkina got to the Navy Office, he assured
Mr. Bell Secretary Nelson was not there, hut was
at his house in Sackville-street ; and he would con-
duct him is Secretary Nelson's house. After much
persuasion, Mr. Bell said he believed they were all
rogues in the office. except Adkinl, and lie would
go with him to S. cretary Nelson's house; and they
left the Navy Office together; Mr. Bell taking a
very large bundle belonging to hint ; Harry Ad-
kins having provided a coach, they got in, when
Mr. Bell took from his bundle a hoe, which con-
tained two large pistols, with which he armed him-
, self; they had nut proceeded far, when Mr. Bell,
in a violent clmsier, declared that he would not go
any further in the coach, tlett the Navy Oilier was
the only place to see Secretary Nelson, and he
wc.ild go back; he irwtantly jumped out of the
coach; Harry Adkins followed him, and, by pet--
erasion and good management, convinced bita
that Mr. Nelson was not at the Navy Office,
but that lie was at his house in Sackville-street,
and he agreed to walk with him, the coach fol-
lowing them, from a hint given to the coachman,
Isv Harry Adkins; whets they got to Bow-street
Office, Mr. Bell objected to go in, saying, that
was not Secretary Nelson's house, hot Bow-street
Office; 11. Adkins, however, prevailed on him to
.

go in, by telling him, as he hid been ill treated,
the Magistrate would see him righted ; with thin
gosorance he went into the Office, after inquiring
who the sitting lagistrate was ? On being in-
formed it was Mr. N,tsui, lie walked in with great
eisoadence that he should be a3/4isted in his &di-

culties, as hr said he knew Mr. Nar,s very well.—
Mr. Bell remained in a private room for some timr,
sorting his papers, Ste. till Mr. Nitres could go to
Lim; when the Magi.i.ritte conversed with him tor
some time. when he entertained no doubt of his

being deranged. lie seas taken to the Brown-Bear
public-house, to be under the erre of
He *cot to bed there, and H. Atlkin. sat up with
About oat. o'clock he uwoke, end toll 11.

Adkins that there was nu occasion for his sitting
ap, that he was sensible of the state he had been
in, but he was then perfectly composed, and dc-
sued him to go to bed; H. Adkins agreed to this,
provid.d lie would let him lock him in, assigning
as a reason, if he did not, some prison might come
into the room and inspect his papers. li. Adkins
went to be J, but was called up again shout three
o'clock. in consequence of the violent conduct of
Mr. Bell, when he discovered that Mr. Bell had
broken every piece of glass nut of the window
frailties; and it is supposed it was only the iron
-bars which prevented him from getting out of
the window. 11. Adkins did not think it pru-
dent to attack him, while be was iii that violent
state, by himself, and went for assistance. He
was gone hut a few onion:es ; and, on his return,
with a fin, Mr. Bell had broken down two doors
and two wainscots, and was then in the act of
breaking down a strong door with a chair; they,
after a desperate struggle, sinew:tied in securing
bun, cud, having got hirn on a lied, fastened
liandcoff. on hon. Mr. Duff, Mr. llll's solicitor,
went to the Brood Ben public house the same
morning, soil, being satisfied, from the variety
of circumstances that occurred, directed him to
be taken to ‘Varharton's madhouse, at Iloston,
which was accordingly dime. Mr. Bell remained
there till the of October, when he broke nut of
Mr. Warburtoo's house ; and, in the course of that
day, he calved at the Brown-Bear ',oldie house,
Iffjw.street. and had a pint of poster; he drank it
very quietly ; when hr had finished it, he jumped
over the table, and ran out of the house; it was
only from this act, that Mr. Hazard, the land- j
lord. suspected he was not sane. Ile went from
thence to Islington, where he behaved in such an
extraordinary incliner, that it was discovered who
he was, and the state he was in. and he sons cool-
veyrd to Mr. Duff's house, his solicitor, in Nicho-
las-lane, who seat him hack to Warloirtoo's marl-
house.—ln consequence of the afflicted state of Mr.
Bell's mind, his father came to town from Scotland.
BA, continued to get better, awl, on the 7th
of this month ha was considered so much recovered,
that his father took him oat of Warhol-ton', house.
He remained quiet fur several days, till he was walk-
ing with his father in Oxford-street, when he con-
trived to give him the slip, and went directly
to his stable, mounted his horse, and rode off full
speed ; it is supposed he went at such a rate,
• that he passed through all the turnpike gates
from Hyde Park-corner to Longford, with-
.. dm; paying, where the gatekeeper stopped him
for the toll; he told the man he had no money, but
he refused to let him pass. Mr. Bell dismounted,
and walked back towards London, till he came up
with a hackney-coach, which he hired. Mr. Bell
got out of the coach in the city. The coachman
demanded his fare; Mr. HAI told him he had no
Towner. but if he world follow him he would get it.
The cesebssaa samba& 'followed him le Mr.