The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEYIBER 22, 1862.

DR. GrI7IIRIE ON 711 E AMERICAN

WAR AND THE DISTRESS.

At the meeting held a few days ago in Edinburgh,
on behalf of the Lancashire distress, Dr. Guthrie,
who was one of the speakers, said in the course of
his remarks :—" I cannot enter into politics on this '
occasion any more than the other speakers, but I
may mention that I happened to see a letter from
one who is of the greatest authority connected with
America, and in that letter he said he had no hope
of seeing a settlement of the American war with
anything less than a complete wreck of the whole
republic. I was sorry, indeed, to hear of this, and
to think of the suffering which it must create in
America as well as in this country. But whether
it be or not we need not delude ourselves with the
idea that this suffering will be soon at an end.
(Hear.) We must make up our minds to have
a long-continued and sustained effort. (Cheers.)
I have my own opinion, and others may differ
from me; but I say that for myself I am will-
ing, by public tax or voluntary contribution, to
continue to the utmost of my power, by means of
the sternest self-denia', to maintain these Lanca-
shire weavers, manufacturers, and spinners, until we
raise cotton enough in our own colonies—(cheers)--
and never take another bale wet with the tears and
red with the blood of the poor slave. (Great cheer-
ing.) We should have come to such a resolution
as this. We are not without sin. (Cheers.) I say
we are not without sin against our brother. We
need not throw the blame of slavery on America,
as if it belonged to it alone. We have in Africa,
India, and Australia, doundance of soil to raise
cotton for our own necessities—for the necessities of
all Europe. We have not done as we should have
done. We have gone and bought cotton red with
the blood of our fellow-creatures while we might
have raised it ourselves in our own possessions, and

laid slavery in the dust long before now. lam
thankful, and we should be thankful, that we are
not suffering as others are, but God is rebuking us for
that sin. As was shown by Mr. M‘Laren and the
other gentlemen who have spoken, those Lancashire
people are not the guilty parties, whoever
they may be, and let the parties who are guilty pay
the penalty, as they incurred the sin. (Cheers.)
I say God is rebuking us in this matter, and I be-
lieve that months will pass when it may be said
His hand is stretched out still. May we learn a
lesson from this judgment ; may we be thankful
that we are not suffering as America is suffering;
may we prove our gratitude to God not by empty
words, but by noble deeds. (Cheers.) Whether
America, like the eagle on her star-spangled banner,
casting off slavery, shall renew her youth, is in the
future. I say, may she do so. (Cheers.) I say,
though no man on this platform has been so abused
by American writers as I have been, because I have
told the truth—no man in Edinburgh has been
more abused—nevertheless, I say in the sin-
cerity and fervency of my heart, may
she cast off that poisonous garment which
is around her, and renew her youth and
strength as it was in days of old. (Cheers.) May
she learn a lesson from the rebuke which God is
giving her—may she learn, from the lakes to the
Gulf of Mexico, from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Ocean, as sounding in her ears, the voice that
sounded in the ears of the Egyptians. Her fields
are devastated, the cry of sorrow arises from her
mighty cities and forest homesteads ; her rivers are
changed into blood, and there is hardly a house in
which there is not one dead. Plague comes after
plague, and the voice in these plagues is the voice
of old, Let my people go.'" (Cheers.)

TVILLS AND BEQUESTS.

(From the Illustrated London News.)

The will of the Hon. Mrs. Lamb, sister-in-law of
Lady Palmerston and the late Lord Melbourne, has
been proved in London. This lady had but a small
amount at her own disposal, which she has charged
with annuities, having previously settled the bulk
of her property on her nephew, Col. Spencer Clif-
ford, at his marriage;
The will of Sir Geo. Houlton, Knight, of Farley
Castle, Somerset, Ensign of her Majesty's Body
Guard, has j ust been proved in the London Court by
Lady Houlton, the relict and sole executrix, to
whom Sir George has left the whole of his property
real and personal and of every description, for her
own sole use absolutely. Sir George was formerly
Captain in the 43d Foot, and had served with dis-
tinction in the Peninsula and in America, and was
in his 71st year. The will bears date Feb. 3,1862.

The will of Win. Barker, Esq., formerly of Mark-
lane, and Manor-street, Chelsea, but ]ate of Barnes-
green, Surrey, was proved in London, on the 27th
ult., by Thos. M. Bridge, Esq., of Layton House,
Putney, the sole executor and trustee. The per-
sonalty Ix as sworn under £20,000. The will was
executed in 1860, and is of more than ordinary
length, owing to the number of bequests and the
directions given therein. The principal legatees are
his executor and his (the testator's) cousins, Alex.
Bassett, of Cardiff, surveyor, and Robt. G. Bassett,
of Southampton, solicitor. To each of these three
parties he leaves a freehold estate and a legacy of
£4,000, appointing his executor also residuary lega-
tee of his entira, property. There are legacies to his
friends, godchildren, and others varying in amount ;
many charitable bequests, and legacies to all his
domestics. To one female servant who has been in
the family many years, a legacy of £lOO and an
annuity of £52, and to another an annuity of
£2O. The testator also leaves £lOO to be added
to a sum of £5OO already invested by him for
the support of a school at Ludgershall, Bucks,
in union with the National Society for the Edu-
cation of the Children of the Farming and LA-
bouring Poor of that parish; and the interest
of £5OO to be expended in keeping in repair his
family tomb, and any remainder to be given to the
poor of Wimbledon. The following 12 charitable
institutions have legacies, viz.—The Brompton
Consumption Hospital, £2OO ; the Society for Pro-
moting Christian Knowledge, Society for the Pro-
pagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, Incorpo-
rated Society for Building and Enlarging Churches
and Chapels, National Society for the Education of
Poor Children i❑ the Principles of the Church of
England, and King's College Hospital, each £lOO ;
Chelsea, Brompton, and Belgrave Dispensaries,
£5O each ; and small bequests to the National and
Infant Schools, Chelsea.

GALLANT STRUGGLE WITH A BURGLAR.—On the
night of Sunday last, between 12 and 1 o'clock, Mr. Cob-
bold of Dedham, hearing a noise in his house, got out of
bed and went downstairs with a candle. He looked into
several of the rooms and found all safe, but on opening the
drawing-room door he saw a man, who immediately gave a
sheet, and jumped out of the window, which was open. Mr.
Cobbold, although he had nothing on but his dressing-gown
and slippers, followed the man, and after a smart chase
about the garden succeeded in catching hold of him, when
a severe struggle took place. Mr. Cobbold got the burglar
down on the ground, and while there he tried to scratch
Mr. Cobbold's face, but accidentally got his fingers into Mr.
Cobbold's mouth, whereupon Mr. Cobbold at once bit his
thumb, and then struck him a violent blow on the head.
Notwithstanding all this, the delinquent succeeded in
getting away from Mr. Cobbold, and another smart chase
and another struggle took place,
but Mr. Cobbold was un-
able to retain possession of him, and he made his escape,
but left behind him a hat and a bundle containing a number'
of the articles stolen from Mrs. Hewett's, of Horkesley. In-
formation was at once given to the county police, and con-
stables were despatched in all directions. The borough police
were also informed of the robberies by the son of Mrs. Hewitt,
and Head- constable Downs despatched Sergeant Barton and
Police-constable Wass to make every possible inquiry about
the town. In consequence of that, about six o'clock in the
evening, Mr. Nightingale, of Long Wyre-street, informed
the police-officers that he had bought a pair of trowsers
answering the description of those stolen from Mrs
Hewitt's, and also described the man of whom he purchased
them. Acting upon that information, the officers went in
pursuit, and thinking he might possibly go away by train,
searched
h 1 every publichousc on North-hill and in North-
street, and at the Albert Inn Sergeant Barton discovered
a man answering the description given sitting n the itap-
room, and at once took him into custody. He said hisname
was William Simpson, but gave no address. On being ex-
amined by the constables, it was discovered that he had
evidently been engaged in a severe struggle, and that his
thumb had been severely bitten. On Tuesday morning he
was taken before the Mayor (Mr. E: Williams, M.D.), who
ordered him to be handed over to the county police, and he
was then taken before Mr. S. Brown, at the County Magis-
trates' Clerk's office, where he was ckarged with the three
°Miles, and remanded till Saturday. Great praise is due
to Sergeant Barton and Police. constable Wass for their
Tigilarkee in the affair.—Chelmafora Chronicle.

- Y

MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSIANCE. - A
-FAMILY THRICE POISONED IN YORK.

This week a whole family in York have narrowly
escaped death by poison, and this has been attended
by the mysterious fact that on two previous oc-
casions recently they had similar narrow escapes,
though not the slightest clue has existed to enable
them to trace the hand which is the cause of the

abominable act.
It appears that at the latter end of June last, Mr.
Cooke, a well-known and celebrated astronomical
instrument maker, Sze., of Bishophill, York, with
his wife, his three sons—Frederick, Thomas, and
Alfred,—his daughter, and Mrs. Barbe, a visitor,
sat down to dinner as usual, and shortly after they
were all taken ill, being attacked with severe sick-
ness and vomiting, During dinner some parsley
sauce had been used, and it was conjectured that
" Fools' Parsley," a deadly poison, might have got
into the sauce by mistake for the proper kind. The
supposition, however, proved groundless, and the
cause of the illness of the family remained shrouded
in mystery. Mr. Reed and Mr. Proctor, surgeons,
were called in, and from the symptoms which their
patients manifested it was clear that they had been
poisoned. By the prompt administration of the
usual remedies the effects of the poison were coun-
teracted, and on the following day the family were
nearly restored to health.
After dinner on the following Thursday, however,
the scene of Tuesday was repeated, the family being
again attacked as before, as well as the cook. The
greatest alarm was felt, and the medical men were
again sent for. It being sus: ected that the salt in
the house wasmixed with some deleterious substance,
Mr. Proctor (surgeon) subjected it to analysis, and
found that about 30 per cent was arsenic. Similar
poison was discovered in some flour, but how the
admixture took place was a complete mystery. The
circumstances were reported to the police, and a
searching inquiry was made, in order, if possible, to
ascertain by what means the arsenic was mixed with
the salt and flour, and where the poison had been
obtained. There was no reason for believing that
the poison had been mixed accidentally, nor yet was
Mr. Cooke aware of any ill-feeling existing against
him on the part of any one in his establishment ; and
though the inquiry was carried on for some time,
the cause of th© mysterious circumstances could not
be ascertained.
Thus the matter rested, and had almost been for-
gotten until Wednesday last, when after dinner
the family, consisting of Mr. Cooke's daughter,
three sons, and two maid servants (Mr. and Mrs.
Cooke being at the time absent in London), were
again attacked with symptoms similar to
those displayed on the two occasions just
referred to. Alt these persons became sick, and
were subject to violent fits of vomiting, which con-
tinued with the bulk of them until after midnight,
when, from the assiduous attention of Mr. Reed,
surgeon, they gradually recovered.
The suspicious circumstance of the two previous
poisonings of course led the family to take imme-
diate measures to have the various articles in the
house, such as flour, &c., analysed, and for this pur-
pose Mr. Green, analytical chemist for Messrs. But-
terfield and Clark, of York, was called. This gen
tleman, in analysing the flour from which a portion
of the dinner of the family had been prepared, dis-
covered that it contained a large proportion of tar-
tarised antimony, and hegave it as his opinion that
this was the cause of , the symptoms which the
family had exhibited on the previous day. Since
the previous poisonings, the only alteration in the
family has been the discharge of one of the female
servants ; whilst on the present occasion both the
see wants have been subject to the same symptoms
as the rest of the family, though one of them consi-
derably more severely than the other. Not the
slightest clue at present exists as to the cause of, or
the persons who have made, the attempt upon the-
lives of the family ; but another investigation is be-
ing instituted, which it is to be hoped will solve
the mystery.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, Nov. 21.

(Before Mr. Bodkin, Assistant Judge.)

William Crane, an attendant at Colney Hatch
Lunatic Asylum, was indicted for unlawfully abus-
ing and illtreating Francis Carter, a pauper luna-
tic, confined in that asylum.
The defendant was committed by the visiting
justices of Colney Hatch Asylum, and he was pro-
secuted by Mr. Allen, the county solicitor on this
charge.
Mr. Poland prosecuted ; Mr. Sleigh appeared for
the defendant.

Samuel Rawson said—l reside at the County
Lunatic Asylum at Colney Hatch, and am one of
the head attendants there of the patients. On the
afternoon of thettlOth inst. I visited No. 5 ward
of the asylum in the course of my duty, and I saw
William Crane, one of the attendants, violently as-
saulting a patient named Carter. In my presence
he took up the patient by the arm and leg, and
threw him on the floor and knelt on him. He again
picked him up in the same way, dashed him down
again on the floor and knelt on him. I called out
to him, and he left off the attack, and I said I should
report him immediately, to which Crane replied,
" You can do as you like." William Gann was in
charge of the ward. I was standing in the ward
about two minutes before I was observed. I heard
a sound as of some one falling, which made me has-
ten to the ward. I went up to the patient, when
he said to me, "I am glad you are come; you are
my friend ; this brute, pointing to Crane, " has
just been throwing me down ;" and he put his hand
to his side. Crane was then within two feet of me,
and The patient spoke
Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—The other t
loudly he
enpoahtigehntfowasr
Crane close
to by,
_ar
at-
tendants present at the time were Watson and
GOcntonbe rCarter
last, been an inmate since
plaint was a mild form of
mania. He would throw himself about, but he was
Gann.
not known to strike a blow. Witnesa made the com-
plaint to Mr. Ford, the inspector, and Crane did
and hadhis onlyo
not deny the charge, but justified himself by saying
that the patient attacked him. He had, as a con-
scientious man, recommended Crane to the asylum.
Not one word of unpleasantness had taken place
between him and Crane in his life.
William Gann said he was an attendant at Colney
Hatch Lunatic Asylum, and on the 10th of Novem-
bet he was engaged in bringing patients into No.
5 ward, who were coming in from the airing court.
He saw Crane with the patients, and Rawson, who
was standing in a recess. Witness was going across
the gallery, and, hearing something fall, he turned
roun and asked what was the matter. He then
saw Cra,)e picking up the patient Carter. Rawson
said, " That is the second time in my presence he
has done that." He did not know how Carter got
on the ground.
Cross--examined—Carter was sometimes annoying
in the morning time, and he saw him strike a pa-
tient that morning named Young. Crane was
placed specially over Carter. It was the habit when
a patient was likely to Commit mischief, to place an
attendant specially over him. It was not usual to
place a special attendant over a patient unless there
was an apprehension of violence. Carter was quiet
at times, and at other times he annoyed other pa-
tients. When he saw Crane pick up Carter he
math no complaint of Carter's violence. Crane was
an ordinary attendant, but Rawson was the head
attendant.

Mark Watson, another attendant, said, on the
afternoon of the 10th inst. he was in ward No. 5, in
the recess. He saw a patient named Carter lying
on the floor, and he saw an attendant pick him up.
He heard a noise, but saw no violence. He saw
Mr. Rawt,oo, and he said to Crane, " This is the
second time you have done this in my presence,"
and to this he heard Crane make no reply. He saw
Crane picking up the patient Carter in a friendly
manner.

John Ford, inspector of one of the male wards of
Colney Hatch Asylum, said, on the 10th of Novem-
ber Rawson made a report to him. He went to
No. 5 ward, where he found the defendant Crane.
Rawson made an accusation against Crane of dash-
ing down a patient named Carter, and also kneeling
upon him. Crane denied that he had knelt upon
him, and sought to justify himself by saying that
Carter had attacked him.

_`
Mr. William Castle Dyne Tucker said he was an
M.D., and one of the assistant medical officers in
Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum. He knew a patient
named Carter, who was suffering from an attack of
acute mania, having been recently admitted. IL
. He thought he might safely be
i
was 19 years of age, and was then in an apartment
of that court
brought nto the court for the jury to see him.
(The patient was here brought in, and appeared to
be a young man of mild demeanour. He was under
the care of a special attendant.) On November 11
he examined Carter, and on his neck found two
scratches, recently done, and which appeared to
have been done by the finger-nail. He also found
a discolouration on the back, but that might havo
been the revolt of natural causes. He looked at his
chest, but found no bruises there. If Carter had
been thrown down and knelt on he must have found
bruises. He had seen him every day from the time
he had been in the asylum. Although he had been
maniacal and raving he never saw him use violence.
He used to indulge in shouting, laughing, singing,
swearing, and dancing.
Cross-examined—He went into the wards on his
professional duties. lie was not aware that Carter
had been placed in the padded room, as seclusions
were nor reported to him. They were only re-
ported to the medical officer.
In answu to the Assistant Judge, the witness
said he went through the wards every day, but a
man might have been in the padded room for an

hour or two between hid iisitg. They kept patients
in the padded room no longer that while the ex-
citement lasted, That excitement generally sub-
sided in an hour or two. Tuis patient was not epi-
leptic. He was irritating and annoying.
Mr. Poland put in the certificate under -which
Carter was received as a patient into the asylum,
and it was stated that he was in the habit of shout-
ing, laughing, swearing, and threatening to injure
people.
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. SLEIGIi having addressed the jury for the
defendant, they retired to consider their verdict,
and on their return delivered a verdict of not guilty.