The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-27 00:00:00

THIRTY-FIRST DAY.

Mr. Chambers proceeded this morning with his conclud-
ing speech in favour of the petitioners. He was happy to
think that on one branch of this inquiry there was no diffe-
rence between one side and the other—he alluded to the
" experts" in medical science with regard to this malady.
He thought there was an adage that doctors often dis-
agree, the doctors in this case who had come to give evi-
dence on one side had not been contradicted by the doctors
who had come for Mr. Windham. In substance they en-
tirely agreed. From the mouths of those who had been
called for Mr. Windham most important evidence had
been adduced to support the case of the petitioners. With
regard to the general evidence, he considered that
viewed through the medium of the scientific evidence it
was conclusive. He was quite convinced that the jury
understanding as they now did the principles which were to
govern them in their decision, must inevitably come to
the conclusion that it was their duty to guard Mr. Windham
by their verdict, in his present state of mind, from being
victimised, injured, and destroyed bypersons who were ever
ready to prey upon weakness, especially when that weak-
ness was accompanied by wealth or moderate means. The
four "experts" who had Leen called were Dr. Tuke, Dr.
Seymour, Dr. Sutherland, and Dr. Conolly. Amongst the
class of " experts" ho did not class Mr. Hancock, Mr.
Gwyn, Dr. Whedborne, and Dr. Babington, because they
had not paid exclusive attention to diseases of the mind.
With regard to Dr. Tuke, it was clear that he had
acted as an attorney in the caw, from the commence-
ment until it was confided to the respectable firm of
solicitors who were now conducting it. He had written
out his evidence three times, and yet he had made a very
serious mistake in fixing upon General Windham a charge
of delirium tremens, whereas it was to General Wind•
ham's brother that young Mr. Windham alluded to
when he made a communication to Dr. Tuk on that sub-
ject. After making such a mistake as that, Dr. Tuke might
have made 20 others of a most serious kind ; in fact he had
made one other very serious mistake when he gave evidence
with regard to the occupation of the patients in the Asylum
for Idiots at Earlswood. His evidence has been contradicted
on many of these points by Dr. Tuke's father-in-law, Dr.
Conolly, who was called at a later period of the inquiry:
Dr. Tuke had further stated that he should consider Mr.
Windham to be imbecile if he had settled the whole of his
property on his wife. The fact was, that he had given more
than the whole value of his property to his wife, and had
reduced himself to the position of a beggar. The transac-
tions with Emmanuel, and the issuing of the placard
calling upon the people of England to assist him, were, he
contended, clear symptoms of imbecility.
The learned gentleman is not expected to conclude his
address to-day.

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY).

OLD COURT.

The January sessions of the Central Criminal Court com-
menced this morning before the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and
other civic authorities.

The calander contains the names of 63 persons for trial.
The Recorder, in charging the grand jury, said he was
sorry to say that the calander contained some vary serious
indictments, one of which was that of murder. The person
indicted with the capital offence was named John Quigly.
the deceased's name being H. Beckett. The prisoner had,
according to the depositions, attempted to keep forcible
possesssion of premises occupiel by ~him as an office, and
on the officers going to eject him he defied them, and
threatened to stab any one will attempted to
break in. The door was, after some time, forced,
when the prisoner, who had a knife in his hand,
stabbed the deceased in the abdomen. The prisoner was
secured, and after some time the person upon whom the
injuries had been perpetrated, died. In the event of the
evidence bearing out the depositions, it would be their duty
to return a true bill against him. There was also a very
serious charge against a prisoner named Walter Crane, the
person injured being the brother of Crane. The learned
gentleman repeated the facts connected with this
case, which have repeatedly appeared in The Sun during
the examination of the prisoner before the police authorities
at the Clerkenwell Police Court. The other case referred to
by the Recorder was, that of a prisoner named Nutt, a
jeweller; ,but he did not think there was any occasion
to detain them from entering on the performance of their
duties.
The grand jury then retired, and soon after the trial of
the prisoners commenced.
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