The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-08-18 00:00:00

'irs cross-eratainatims Mr. TOPOI

Wittiest, bald lie did lint Luny/ it 'lettere, Dr.
Diserr)liouse wits employed prolennionally by Mr.
loom im 1814. IYiliietol sieve!' PAW Ur. Ralllll4
Ni loon's. lost Ilan more than o'itr "fees' 1)r.
Fife ilirte. 117 r. Ilekspu won ill from November.
1812, till the curly part of lel3. IVitliety is quite
critical lie Was nit in 1813. and apparently quite
well. Mien lint reniesid.er string him drag Inn 1.,g
leui in that year, or stew Irene. IViturss bud

•
very little intercourse with Mr. Dickson, except
profcsm..nsily.
Robert Lyon hail been twice filioptuan to Mr.
Retool' -;-The blot tinif he enterer, his *riche
in March 1814. To ail appeailitice he V/11%
;infect health; he coniiiitiril so during tliki year,
110 'lid not betray suy symptom of disurder by his
*elk.

.Cross err:mini-el by Mr. n RRO N.
Mr. Dickson w..s sober and lerw.erste iu by
way of living. Witile•m ABl viarrrd hos service in
1A(17, apa e„„iinued with hirn till 0 nibee 11412,
Dr. Fife oteasion:illy attended hint thiriii!• 'hat
time ;he was very ill in the N;Wrill!lrf 1812.
J. T. Brockett, SL.l!cutsor, 11.1,1 the
deceased since !PlO. Thee i'tv of Anti-
quaries in this town, of wht,h ve•t: and fir.
Dickson were both members. It nos instituted
in the April of 1813, and witness saw the drers...4l
every month at the monthly meeting-. 11e saw Inns
very Frequently during 1813 and as far
as appesranees went, lie was the most fine
looking nom lie ever tiw. He dill not seem to be
labouring under any complaint.
On cross-examination by Mr. tOPrING.
sold he had not seen Mr. Di, loon during the year
1812, but thinks he raw him in Twit 1813. He
saw Mr. 9rckson very friviehtly, but uevrr dined
with him. .

Mr. Toertnn addressed the Jury roe, the de.:
fence. flit Learued Friend had token the most
extraordinary way to prove the health of Mr. Dick
son he consist have conceived.. They had produced
two attornies oho had seen him on bmines.,und oc,
casionelly at meetings. But why was riot the sur-
geon who a:tee/fed him Prothiced ? Why had they
not called Mr. Fife !'. lie would like to hear the
music of his voice. Dr. Duerr) house was dead—
they could not cull him, but Dr. Fife was yet
living, and De. Fife had attended him in his
The declaration stated that the de-
ceased had not laboured under any ailment tit.
infirmity tending to shorten life. One witness
I,„ilsr„e .0 for us to imbice us to Itelieve Mr.
Dickson should Ilse to the ose of Melliuselem.
This witness had out seen him during the year
11912, when he had a severe illness. The shops
titan left km in the October of 1812. he could
not prove his health. A third witness sae bins
nn n soft.. so ill as to be inespacitated tei.ittenrl
his btisintss. These were proofs of health, strength,
and flue nopenarrince !—hits Le-tinned Friend stud its
his enthusiasm, that the Nlettibers of the Dove As.-
suriance would he well content to take the 351.
year. If, after incurring the risk of perying
~00ni. they should have tine gennerosity to re-
fuse the tribute of 331. he tillould think There
fit candidetes for the Lunatic Asylum. Whiff?
I .surance Societies in diffeient pools of the king-
dom had been frequently enoug. d in suits at
law, this. lie believed, was the first time tine
Dope Assurance appeared in a Court of Jus-
tice; and it Was now imperious necessity witch
drove them to it ; it was to resist a eletitand they
considered fraudulent and unjust. in the declara-
tion, Dr..Dwerryliouse expressed eon opinion that
Mr. Dickson's was nut tio‘ttraltie life—hat ~fr.,
Dwerryhouse had not seen patient fur several
mouths before. The det•hr:;toon airproirit to be
false—it represented the accessed Hs liming en-
joyed perfect health, when It would be proved lie
had such an attack of palsy that his voice war
affected. the muscles of his face were distorted;
and he was oNigeel to dreg his leg after him.
This was no rheumatism—these were not the
effects of rheumatism. This was a Severe pa-
ralytic affection, which had a rowel fed ten-
dency to shorten existence. Ile se, II reineniel,r-
ed the words of one of the most raiment
e•ians this country could boast of. • Dr. Badly.
speaking of a disease, said, 6 applying myself no
your profession (the bat), it is like st crininial alio
has received sentence of death, he may have a
respite." He may recover, hut when his constitu-
tion has received such a *heck, its life is seriously
shattered.—This declaration assunned the appear-
ance of fraud for other reasons. this seine Mr.
0. A. Dickson had writhed to ;mother insurance,
hut happily for the Birmingham Insurance, some
of its members were acquainted with the party.
knew his. habits and mode of life, and the policy
was not effected. All these circumstances had been
purposely kept from the Hope Assurance, or they
would not have granted the insurance, and, there-
fore, on this plea lie sought a verdict.
Doctor Fife stated, that lie was gilled to attend
Mr. Dickson. in the November of 1812, when lie
was seized with a severe paralytic affection. Ott
this occasion he complained Intiell of pain in the
head ; his speech was in some degree affected ; his
i countenance was distorted ; and there was a loss of
power its one leg, which was visible in his walk, us lie
dr‘ng,ted it after him. Ile continued its this state
some time; his recovery was slow and progressive.
I Witness thinks he was coolinied two or three months
I to the house. When in the house lie was •00retimes
in danger of fulling on acconitt of the weakiiess iu
his leg. IVitness has no doubt that this illuesi
1, would have a tendency to shorten life.
I Cross-examined by Mr. SCARLETT.
Witness said, fevers, complaints Pi the bowels,
severe cold, or the nmputetion of a limb, would
I all have it tendency to shorten life. Dickson's
i complaint am pirinlytie, not rheumatism. Witness
seldom saw Dickson but professionally. After this
i •
attack, he hada stout healthy nopearaince, and went
I about his bnsinesa as usual. The deceased died it
cholera poor/nes. The difference Isetorris parlay-
! tic and rheinitattorti is, that by the Intairr a person
bel Its o
latter hr
instanceswlat. power
1 ooi
people quite lcc•nveiiug
front palsy.
by
DicksonaGi Nislaryen"hi: of
dt thesene jr
ie4 Janos.
I • ?
.
7-A. No, Sir. he said it was rheuMatism ; but I
told Fun it was not.

Q. Did y. u tell him it was palsy ?—A. I CIALIIIQt
remember that 1 did.

D►. Ramsay corroborated the statements of the
14st witness, •s far as retain to the ettseic being
paralytic.
Crow-erentitred by Mr. Serjearst Himtocg.

Many other attacks, as well a+ the one its
tints, have w tvoilency to shorten I:fr. Witioss hsti
known istqances of people recovering Irina palbr;
but thcr are coii•irii-reil rare.
31r. booksrller to Newiradir„ avol Agpsit
to the HitlniubhJr liiturauce Ciiiiijo.bily. de.