The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-06 00:00:00

/IL LE(JED LUNACY AND FALSE

IMPRISONMENT.

HALL T. isEMPLE.
This ease, part hes.rit on Thursday in the Ban
Court, was resurnfA yesterday in the larger Court
of the Queen's Itench,

Mr. M. Ciaeanhers, Q.C., Mr. Huddleaton, (LC.,
and Mr. Eventice appeared for the plaintiff; Mr.
Sergeae:c gigot and Mr. Gordon Allen conducted
the c-Ase for the defendant.

Cin Thursday,
Mr. M. Chambers opened the case for the plain-
tiff, stating that he should show from various cir-
cumstances that Dr. Semple, the defendant, had
not acted Limit fide under the statute, and had taken
no fair or proper means to discover whether the
plaintiff was really insane, and that neither he nor
Guy had made ft aue or proper examination of them
or made any proper inquiries from friends or neigh-
bours. Tb.e learned counsel said he should give
abundant evidence from the testimony of the plain-
tiff's "clear neighbours that he was well known to
i'e Perfectly sane and sensible, and that the least
imquiry would have satisfied the defendant that he
'was so.

On Friday,
' Mr. linddleAton called and examined the plaintiff,
who appeared a very respectable and remarkably
sensible Looking man, with a very shrewd and in-
telliger_it cast of countenance. He gave his evi-
dence very clearly and sensibly. He said he was
56 ;Fears of age, and had been brought up as an en-
!?'raver for over 20 l'ears. Afterwards he became a
dealer in china, In 1834 he was married to his
present wife, and placed her in business as a grocer,
he himself working meanwhile as a journeyman.
lie and. his wife did not live happily together.
" It '4ommenced," said the witness, " three weeks
aft,er 'we were married." They separated three
F,everal times, He had established a shop for china
and glass in Tottenham-court-road, and still carried
on his work as an engraver. He had then for
two pears been separated from his wife, and
all,owed her a maintenance. These separations
'were caused by her conduct, not his. He employed
men and had apprentices in his business, and, said
he, " I never was behindhand with an order." He
had had six children by his wife, and on one occa-
sion hce was induced to take her again; She came
to tine shop one evening and said, " What a pity it
was that they should be separated ; that she had
seen her folly, and they had children."
Mr. Sergeant Pigott objected that this could not
affect Dr. Semple.
The learned Judge said a question was raised as
to a delusion about the wife, and that made this
material.
'the plaintiff went on—He received her into his
`nouse again at her entreaty. At first her conduct
was better but in three weeks she commenced
again—reckless extravagance—taking things away
and pawning them, and getting money and keep-
ing it. She also often made a noise; sometimes
beliaving violently ; would take the clothes off his
'back, &c. Her conduct compelled him to give up
his engraving, and go to the business at the shop to
look after it. That was about six years ago; she
used to 'make disturbances frequently, come into the
shop and act so as to bring crowds round and force
him to shut up his shop.
Mr, Sergeant Pigott again objected that this
could not affect Dr. Semple, who had only known
these persons two years. How could he be affected
by these dissensions six years before ?

The learned Judge repeated that there was a
question raised as to whether these were not all
delusions on the part of the plaintiff.
The plaintiff went on with his evidence, and stated
that his wife pawned his goods, and on one occasion
he found forty duplicates under his bed.
Mr. Sergeant Pigott asked the date of this fact,
but it was not then stated.

Examination continued--He had had his wife
hound over to keep the peace more than once. He
went on to state that in 1856, when the freehold of
the house be held in Tottenham-court-road hap-
pened to be in the market, and Guy came for the
purpose, as he said, of looking at the house, he
showed him over it, and while he was doing so his
wife joined them. He perceived or suspected from
their demeanour that they knew each other.
He observed upon it to his wife, and left them, and
went downstairs to his dinner. While he was at
it Ctny came in.
The learned Judge observed he hardly saw how
what Guy said or did could be material.
Mr. Chambers said he proposed to show a con-
spiracy or combination among all the parties.
The learnpii vaiabi—Ouy s acts - evidence
against the defendant.
The plaintiff was then asked as to an old sword,
which hs said was an old dress or theatrical sword,
which had belonged to his brother (who was dead),
and hung up by his bed. It was quite blunt. He
went on to state that on one occasion at Golden-
square, two or three years ago, his-wife took some
money from his till. He followed her to see where
she went, and he saw she went to Guy's house.
Mr. Sergeant Pigott objected to this evidence as
irrelevant.
The learned Judge said the case was peculiar, and
the charge was not only that the certificate of in-
sanity was false, but that the defendant knew it.
The plaintiff went on to say that this Guy had
on the former occasion made an observation about
the sword. His wife had frequently been guilty of
disturbances. She wonld come down in the morn-
ing and say, " I am prepared for you, and shall
stop you from taking any money this morning."
She would go outside the door, and collect a:crowd,
and say to them, " You see that man there ; me and
my children have been up all night, he walking
about with a drawn sword, threatening to murder
me and my children." Every word of this was
false, and he had never been guilty of an act of
unkindness to her. Scarcely a week passed with-
out'something of this sort on her part. She often
borrowed money from the neighbours in his name.
People came to the shop continually inquiring
for her, " tallymeu" from whom she got goods,
and shopkeepers who let her have goods at so
much a week. On the 13th of June last, or
thereabouts, he saw Dr. Guy looking in at the win-
dow,—" flattening his nose against his (plaintiff's)
windows, poking his nose in, peeping in at the
shop." Ile told him to go away. With that ex-
ception Guy had never examined him, nor did he
examine him then. Between that day and the 28th
July, when Dr. Semple (the defendant) came, per-
sons had come to his (plaintiff's) shop, whom he did
not know, and had spoken to him. But doctors he
knew had called on him, persons whom he had
afterwards found to be doctors, and whom he had
not sent for. After this, on the 28th of July last,
the defendant, Dr. Semple, came, a few days before
h e(the
Plaintiff)
was taken away. That was on
the 30th of July. When he :Ailed, said the plain-
tiff, he walked into my shop and said, " Is Mrs.
Hall at home r" I said, " What do you want with
her ?" Re replied, " I wish to see her." I said,
4, I don't call her to. everybody unless I know their
business. She is
the habit of running me up
bills with tallyroet,inavn
hltdo not call her to any one
unless I know first
said, " She has a bad breastyour business is." Ho
what
and I am come to see
about it:' She had no
breast,fal and I said, t, If
she has told you so, Sir, it a
man,
I added
that " Dr. Griffiths, the medical
,has attended
her 20 years, and she sends for himil whenever she
l
is in, and I am sure if you are a gentlemati
not lend yourself to anything of the kind." you
w
Mr. Huddleston—Anything of what kind
Plaintiff—Running me np a hill. I said so. I
used the expression, " Her intention is only to run
me up
bill." I mentioned where Dr. Griffiths
lived, which is close to my house,
i"
that of Dr. Semple, who lives in Tor:
and close to
ringtoe.equare, and would have to pass the door in
going back.
After what I have stated my wife,
who appeared to have been watchiiihngen, showed
ernhperie.
self at the bottom of the shop.
walked towards her, and I walked towards tehrhemapast,
the bottom of the shop. I said to him,
state in
Sir, you are not aware of the unhappy
which I and my wife live; how she is in the
habit of running me in debt."
He
it appears you are the injured party?
‘ T
?1‘ have
n
heard something of this. My name is Dr. Semple.,