The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-04 00:00:00

DURHAM, Aua. 1.

•
On Saturday Mr. Baron u LLocx 'opened the Commission
of Oyer and rerminer and General Gaol' Delivery for this
County; and °Tithe same evening Mr. Justice BAYLEY.arrived
in town. On Sunday they attended Divine Service at the •
Abbey ; and this morning they went to the different' Courts: to ,
transact the business of the Assizes.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY presides in the Criminal, and Mr... •
Baron HULLDCK in the Civil Court. Out of nine cases -which
the latter Judge ' tried this day, none were of the slightest'
interest.

. ,
. MAtr..s.-4t a meeting of mail contractora'and,
others, in Manchester on the 23d ult. the following alteriottion; '
Were resolved upon t-IThe mail frOm London is to reach•ll4n,t ...-
Chester at half..past four in the afternocin.
carrying forward the bags from London for Glasgowi.is to 5'et....r4..
out from hence at five o'clock p. m. and the letters are AO
blasgow snag to admit of their being delivered
.•
the 'following evenirsg,lhat is, the, second evening after quittititp:;..., • • '
London. • The mail • from the north is to arrive at Manchestarlici.t.4,
half--past eight in the morning; and the mails for London
iBo rne
t oatng h fromanll t carryingit a t‘t wn oan ; ,the arrival.
Of the York mail being accelerated • Autficicntly adnait . of. tffe.t..:.•
tuhaerterle7a7rfnroinme
ln.o,rth, -are eacit.•;,,,,.`
aatretowconnftoemr London and abnudtßitiris-
HalifaX • and .Rochdale bags for London and the west, being
ts
alterationseatifromonth will commence.
not yet
weds':
wmbyheetcliithe emr
these-aai

COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

,r
THIRD DAY.-IVEDN ESDAY, Au G. 3.
MATTEIt OF THE REV. EDWARD FItANKP

SUPPOSED LU ATrc.)
ThepTeeedings in .this cwe were resumed this morning at

ten o'clock.
In consequence of some alleged inaccuracies as to dates in the
evidence of Roebuck, it was agreed that he- hould be receded:
He was therefore again put to the table, and examined, chiefly
by the Co-nmitetioners.—l went into the service of Frank
en the 12th of March, 1814, and did not leave him till -June,
1818. I was engaged in March, but did notgo till June; 1814
Me. Frank- wet; living in -Nee-folk, but came over about that time
t‘ Diincaster. When- I went to my. situation, I .found Mr.
Ih...ek at-Doncaster. continued there a few weeks. ' Mrs.
frank was there all the time. Mr. Frank,retumed to Shelton,
And I remained withrMrs. Frank at Campsall. After some
time, I went with Mrs-.' Frank to Shelton. 'We remained there
a few months, and- we all came back to Yorkshire. He gave
up hishouse at Shelton, and went to Campsall.house; but after
sometime he was obliged, by the Bishop I suppose, to go back
.and reside at the parsonage-house in Shelton. When , Mrs.
Frank came to London there was no person with her 'but the
['hector and Lucy, and I. It was in 1817 that Mr. Frank came
to North end, Hammersmith. Mrs. Frank and he were theft
separated. -I cannot say that Captain Mainwaring was at Shel-
ton when Mr. Frank was forcedto take the medicine—l can-
not say—l am not sure.
By Mr. BitounnAm.-:—I told this of Mr.-Frank performing
the offices of nature in his clothes at the time it happened. el
tehl it to. Mr. Bellamy before.lB22.
By the Conn T.--1. told Captain Mainwaring of Mr.'Frank
f:kving been forced to take his medicine and his food. I told
him that instruments were used for that purpose. I am sure I
--lei it to him. I saw a great difference betweeriebymaster when
first 1 came and afterwards. Latterly he would rot settle ant.
eecount. .Mr. Bellamy sometimes gave ere some money. I
kept a book of small amounts, which lewent with to Mr. Frank
rat the end of the month, and he would not settle any-account.'
The farce I speak-of having been used to make my master take
is food and medicine,-was by having him held back with a
tewel'on his breast-in his chair.. 1 held his- shoulders. He
said nothing all this time. •*The men' from Pr. Wright's re,
maineil three or four days in the house. One (f them came a
se.-ond time.
Henry Clinton, examined by Mr. WAREFIELD.—I, am a-1
student at King's College, Cambridge. " On the second week
t.? February last, a peison fibm the Eagle Inn brought a card
the Rev. Mr. Frank, and said that gentleman wished to
see me. 1 never had any acquaintance or.dorrespondence with
Mr. Frank before. I had Been him once or twice, but never
conversed with him. I went and saw Mr. Frank. The waiter-
men mentioned my name, on which 31r. Frank got up and-
:shook hands with me. After sitting a little while, he said, " I
r. Clinton, 1 had you in London, as I had several wine-
paries, at which we drank two or three dozen of wine, and
three or tour bowls of punch, I then made a speech to them,
for you roust know, Mr. Clinton; I am rather given to oratory:"
He then tdd me that three or four nights before be.elept with.
two women the same night—that he was without his shirt, but
bad. his flannel waistcoat on—that one of the -women was fat,
and the other lean, but that be did not fancy the lean one, and
turned her over andi kept the fat one the rest of the night. He
said he had asked Kean, the actor, todine with him, but that
be did not accept the invitation. He said he had seen, -or- he
would give 51. to see, Miss Foote. He said -so because the is
very near sighted. He asked -me about-some women,eand
wished to know where they lived. I said as Barnwell; and lie
said he would wish to go-out that way and look -about him a
little. I thought he was-sober at this time. It was aliout ten
o'clock at night; he was taking coffee at that time. He asked
me what I was going to do with myself the next day ? I said
I was engaged all day,- but -I 'would come to him in the even-
ing, and sit with him, if he wished. He thanked me,--but said
that. he should then be among the women and be engaged. He
was very slovenly in his dress on this occasion. flekept the
conversation chiefly to himself, and would not allow me to
itri-svrer him. • He was coherent in his conduct, but ran from
one subject to another. He seemed to be conscious of the im-
propriety of his conduct, for he spoke of the regularity of his
son's conduct. I was aware that Sir. Frank was a clergy-
man, and I thought the extreme profligacy Of his conductmust
proceed from unsoundness of mind. I remained with him two
hours.
Cross-examined by Mr. Baouteneet—l was -'ecl*ated at
Dr. Curtis's. He keeps a school. Dr. Curtis's' d47ghtee is
married to the eldest son of Mr:Frank. They were married in
October last. I am not aware that Mr. Frank was present.. I
believe young Mr. Frank was of age at -the time. I knew
young Frank at Dr. Cuitis's school.
By the Cott the conversation I had with Mr. Liana
he alluded to his son as a steady -fellow, but said that his own
fault was a too crest fondness for women. I did not go with
him to walk. It was a cold night, and 1 told him toga to bed.
Lucy Bradley—l went to live as lady's maid with Mrs.
Frank in 1814, and lived with her till August, 1817. I re-
member that Dr. Dickenson came to Campsall. Ile was
dressed in an old blown coat, gray trousers, with red cord
trimming, and 'red slippers, and wore much powder. He
often came and stayed sometimes three or four days, and some-
times a week, and sometimes a month. He came first in
1815. I accompanied my mistress from Campsall to Shelton,
in Norfolk, in October 1815. My master was residing there
at the time. -Dr. Dickenson was with my mistress in the
carriage. I was on the barouche. lily 'master said that he
did not want to see us. We remained at Shelton about three
weeks. i Here the witness described the situation of the sleep-
ing-rooms at Shelton-house, as already given by a former wit-
. ness.l My mistress slept in the room next Dr. Dickenson.
The two rooms were closed from the rest of the house by a
door at the end of the passage. Illy master slept in a room at
the other side of the house, on the same floor. The passage
Was shut in, and the door locked inside at night. My mistress
lost some of her hair, and got a false front of hair fastened to
her nightcaps. I have often found it in the morning full of
hair powder. My mistress did not wear powder. I have no-
ticed my mistress's bed in the morning. It was much tumbled,
and appeared as if two persons had slept in it. Dr. Dicken-
son's bed was if it was only lain upon on the outside. This
occurred very often. I never heard my master e*rumble at
what happened. 1 did not know that he knew it. I went with
my mistress to London in November, 11116. We put up at the
York Hotel, Bridge-street.
Mr. BnouonAer objected to the witness 'detailing what she
saw there, as she did not tell it to Mr. Frank, and only heard
the most part of it from the witness Reeheck.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL contended that this was neces-
sary, to corroborate the account given by Roebuck, and to show
that the accounts he gave each time were the same.
The COMMISSIONERS decided that the witness could not be
examined on that point.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL and Mr. WAKEFIELD strongly
ohjected to this decision, and observed, that the witness was
offered in corroboration of Roebuck; but the Cli iEF COM MIS-
sIODIER remarked, that having decided, they could hear no-
thing more on the subject.
Cross-examined by Mr. PEPYs—The-Doctor was very shab-
bily dressed when he first came. He afterwards more some of
Mr. Frank's shirts and stockings. A scarlet coat of Mr. Bacon
Frank's was altered for the Doctor, and he went hunting in it.
He did not wear Shelton. 'lllre. Dickenson came to Camp-
sill, and afterwards two of their children. -They were very
poorly dressed ; hut got better afterwards. They sometimes
dined at table with Mr.. Frank and family. Young Mr. Frank
and his brother were in the house all the sime. They were there
till 1817. They were taught at home. •
Cross-examined by Mr. Buou lane et—l swear I never said
that Mrs. Frank was a -good wife, a good mistress, and an
affectionate mother. I said she was a good mistress, but no
- more. I never said so to Mrs.•Coe, I never said to any body
that I was promised something by Bellamy if I said I saw Sirs.
Frank -and Dickenson in ,bed -together. I never said I was
promised something if would speak bad of my mistress.
By a COMMISSIONER—My master seemed fond of my mis-
tress ; but he not seem fond of him. She used to call him
a fool, to me, not to his face, and .say that she was glad when
he' left the room. _They used to sleep together at Campsall in
1815. 1 thought my master or unsound mind at times. I
thought so because he did not wish -to sleep, with my mistress.
lie used to say that he wished Mrs. Frank to stay away, as
he was going to be married to a Miss Waldron. I do not
know 'who that lady is. He used to say this when Mrs.
Frank did not come when lie sent for her. This was in 1816.
My master did not attend to any of his affairs. My mistress
managed every thing, I do not know that-my-master settled
any of his bills.
Mr. James Hales, examined by the SOLICITOR-OPINERAL.
—I was solicitor to Mr. Frank, with respect. to his property in
Norfolk. I remember Mr. Frank at SheltorritilBls aed 1816.
lie was ill. On the 24th of October, 1816, I attended him,
by his request, at a Magistrate's sitting, at • Long-Stratton,
in-NOrfolk, where he went to make. a complaint on the
. badness of his roads. He addressed the Magistrates in a
speech which he had prepared for the occasion. I can't say that
it was an irrational speech. It was a singular and strange
speech. It seemed to make a great impression on the Magis-
trates. My impression was, that he was of unsound mind at
the time. He told me afterwards that he intended to go to
Cambridge to take his doctor's degree, and afterwards apply to
be made Bishop of Norwich, and that I was to be his private
,secretary. I was certain that he was quite deluded at the
time. I had not the slighteet-douht that he was deranged.
-Ile also wished to apply to the Lord Lieutenant to be
I made a Magistrate. He told nee that he wished to be married

to a beautiful young lady who lived in the neighbourhood:
Dr. Wright was present at this conversation. It was on the
25th of October. Dr. Wright attended him afterwards. ,On
the 11th of June, 1817, I went over to Shelton, and found Mr,
Frank in a very.depressed state. I found him so bad; that'
I
invited him over to Norwich, thinking that the• society of ins,
family would dissipate the gloom he was in. •He was- very.
sullen, refused to take nourishment, said that he was a very'
wicked sinner—that he must die, and he was sure that his
sins would never be forgiven. After remaining with me
•two or three days •he returned home mach better. Dr.
Wright saw him twice, while with me. On the 20th of the
same month, he came over to..my house of his own accord ;
and on the next day he refused to eat, until he was told that
Dr. Wright was coming. He then began 'to eat. On the
next morning he did not come down to breakfast. I went up
stairs, and found' in bed lying on his bad:. His breast
was-bare,i ntil
and he had scratched it till the blood came. He
had all the-appearance of a -Maniac,- and-in my life I never
saw any man in so distressed a situation. 1 reasoned with
him,-and erideavoured to compose him. He said to me, " I
P.m a. very wicked man, and I am certain that my sins will never
he forgiven. • I had a horrid dream last night. 'I thought' I.
'died, and that• my soul was burning in hell !" I then sent for •
Dr. Wright (said witness),-who came; and I dressed Mr.''F'rank
by main force. He came down staiirs, and remained ineone
spot the whole day, from •11 o'clock in the morning, till seven
'or eight in the evening, standing all the time, e He was removed
to his own house—l had no --doubt whatever of his insanity at
the time. I- saw Mr. Frank in February last, and from his
appearance and the rapid manneebr which lie spoke, and from
the circumstance of his having called on me on a.Sunday, not
having seen me for soene years before, arid inquiring for a wine
merchant whom I had known; I conceived him to be insane. I
said there was no counting-house open- on that day. He said—
" Oh, never mind, Mr. 'Hales," and walked away. He ap-
peared to me to attract tilte notice of the people in the -streets by
his dress. Ile wore a short blue jacket, -striped -waistcoat, and
-gray trousers. He appeared to me to'he unsoundin mind, and
-not fit to be teased .in the management of his personaLaffairs.
`I saw Mr. Frank ire Norwich in February last.' He was in com-
pany with a person named MalcOhn. -I serYed,:..:v order from
the Lord Chancellor upon'hiin.
The SOLICITOR-GENT:IIkt here Observed, -that he •had
',nothinir to do with any deed signed in 1817. The parties inte-
rested In-upholding the validity of that deed would of course
take theirown course. All he was prepared to contend for was,
the fact of insanity, whether it interfered with the deed of 1817
or not.
Examined by Mr. Keleowr.---It —was' in 1816 that Mr.
Frank spoke to me about being made Bishopeaf Norwich.; and '
that I should be made, his private Secretary. It --was in that
year also that he made the singular and extraordinary speech
to the Magistrates. He-wrote that year to a Mr. Ha:Wylie, of
• the Herald's College, to get him an altar:piece for his 'church.
I ceuntermanded that order' by -Dr. Wright's direction. I
heard Mr. Frank speak of laying out 1.0001. or 8001. for- a set
of bells and an organ for his church, but this intention has
not been carried into effect since. In 1016 I advised Mrs. Frank
to be' arovided with a-deed, for the purposeof making some,
provision for the younger children, who- were inadequately or
scarcely at all provided for, in case -Mn Frank should become
more calm and recover sufficiently that he might make a set-
tlement, but 1 was afraid- he would become worse. and be in.
capable of ever doing it. I did not believe Mr. Frank capa-
ble of signing a deed in October; 11116, nor should I have of-
fered him one to sign. I did not intend to have a deed prepared
without consulting him, but to put matters in train, for other
parties were to: be consulted. "- In the November following. I
spoke to him on-this subject; finding him calm and collected, I
-explained to him' the nature of the thing, and desired him to
name Other geritlemen -as trustees. Tle did name Sir Francis
Wood as-one, but was afraid that he would not act, as he had •
refused once before. I believe that he fully-understood me,and
assented to the 'thing. He wag not in the habit of discussing
any thing. He had such-confidence in me, that he. would have
signed any thing that I proposed to him. I considered him at
all times-a man of weak mind. The property which I had pro-
posed as the -subject of the settlement was the only property
which Mr. Frank could dispose 'Of he that way. I cannot say'
whether the deed reserved to him 'the power to make a disposi-
tion among the children. •k I cannot say of my own knowledge
when it was signed. .1 believe it was the second or third month
in 1817. Mr.,Frank came ie'London in January, 1817, and
remained for .a few days at Richarda's Ceiffee-house,. near
Temple-bar. I have no recollection of his having gone to the
pla during the time I was with him. Before-the explanation
in November, I had been down into Yorkshire ; I had made
arrangements with Mr. Lee about the settlement. I did not
consult Mr. Franke 1 did nntihink fit state of mind.
I anticipated his lunacy; 1 had consulted Dr.• Wright upon the•
subject. was-on-the 31st of (Maher, 1016,-that I conversed
with Mrs. Frank. Mr. Lee had consulted Mrs. Wrightson be.
fore. Mr. Lee hall always beer. aware of the intended provision
for th• young.. okilar.._ I inserted the names of the trustees. I
received them fromMr.Bellamy in the early-part of the year l nt7.
Mr. Bellamy was one. Sir F.Wood was-not one of Mr. Bellamy's
choosing in 1817. I can't tell how it happened ; I considered the
business to rest with Mr. Bellamy more than with me. I did not
consult Sir F. Wood. Mr. Frank had proposed him. The busi.
ness was taken out of my hands. I .can't tell 'whether the
names of the trustees proposed by Mr. Bellamy were shown to
Mr. Frank. Those names were Captain Mainwaring and
himself, and those only. Mr. Frank proposed Other names
among them Colonel' Bryan Cook and Mr. Radclyffe, of the
Herald's College.. I did not apply to any one of theee-gentle-
men. MI that 1 did at that time was to acquiesce. I left the
whole matter to the management of-Mr. Bellamy. I prepared
the draught and sent it .to Mr. Bellamy : I • received it
back for engrossment either from trim or Mr. Lee : I
can't recollect the precise days. This happeried early in
1817. The deed was engrossed at my office. Neither' Mr.
Bellamy nor Captain Mainwaring were suggested for trustees
to me by Mr. Frank. I might have discussed the ea-ed with
him ; but I can't say positively yes or no. I stated before, that
one morning in November Mr. Frank was observed by me not
to eat his breakfast. I gave my servant directions to rap at the
door and say that Dr. Wright was coming. Mr. Frank began to
eat directly, clearly from the fear of Dr. Wright coming. He
was for hours in stupor, would remain standing by himself, dee
jected, sighing, moaning, and frequently said It's no use ; I
must die ; I am a sinner, a great sinner; my sins will never be
forgiven me." My supposition was that his object was to starve
himself. This was at the time lie said his sins would not be
forgiven. I had to use force to compel him to go into the garden.
He stood one day from 11 in the morning till seven or eight at
night in my library in one posture. without moving. I dared
not to leave the house. I had him forced round the garded to
refresh him. He returned to the same spot, and remained till
he went to bed.
Questioned by Mr. PRILLIMORE—I managed his prnperty
from 1810. I never thoug'at him able to manage it. He had
no idea of the value of money. Ile was, in my opinion, un-
able to make a bargain, or form any contract. He was cer-
tainly unsound in mind in Feb. last ; don't say he was un-
sound all-the time since 1810. He discovered symptoms of great
weakness. Ile became gradually better from Nov. 1816, to
Jan. 1817 He was never, in my opinion, fit to manage his
property. He was competent at times to take care of himself.
He could travel by himself' into Yorkshire, and pay his way
and move about like any other gentleman. Up to October,
1816, he performed his duties as a clergyman, and seemed par•
ticularly fond of his children. , He has not performed his
duties of clergyman since. I obtained the licence of non-resi-
dence from the Bish9p, in consequence of Dr. 'Wright's certi-
ficate as to his state of mind. My accounts were generally sent
to Mr. Bellamy. Mr. Frank has signed papers. The vouchers
were sent to Mr. Bellainy. While Mrs. Frank was living with
him, 'and conducting herself properly, I considered that her
observation was sufficient protection for him against any im.
pOsitiOn in his accounts. The last of my accounts passed by
Mr. Frank was in August,. 1816. I think Mr. Frank was'
never competent to take care of his affairs, on account of the
natural imbecility of his mind. He could not fix the rent of
the farm; nor judge of the amount of any bill. 1 should say
he was always liable to be imposed upon. In the hands of a
kind and sensible wife, he would have passed without observa-
tion ; but in the hands of designing people, he was liable to
the grossest imposition.
Question by a Juryman.—l assisted at executing a deed,
because, though Mr. Frank was in an imbecile state of intel-
lect, yet the dispositions of the deed were such as in my opi-
nion were not objectionable. His eldest son was provided for,
but, eiccept by the deed there 'was no provision for the younger
ones. •

Dr. Wright called and examined by the SoLICITOR-GENE.
RAL.-I am physician to the County Asylum, also to another
establishment in the county. I have a private house also of
my own. I was called to attend Mr. Frank in October, -1816.
I found him in good bodily health, but decidedly insane. He
had two attacks. It was the 25th of October. It was a case
of elevated spirits--of great mental excitement. His mind was
in perfect ,delusion on every subject. One thing uppermost
with him.was, the desire to marry a-lady in the neighbourhood,
of some 'rank and ,ttation. He said nothing about a divorce
from his wife. 'He- had .4 -project for applying to somebody
to make him Bishop of Norwich—he would be made a Ma-
gistrate—he would go 'to Cambridge and take a degree—he
would giie a great feast,' and the whole county should be
invited. He wore a common dress. He recovered, I be-
lieve, very quickly. Mrs. Frank came down, and was with
him three weeks. My visits were twice, on the 25th and 31st
of October. I saw Dr. Dickenson there. I did, not • see Mr.
Frank oftener, but I conversed with the family surgeon. 'I
was desired to attend him again in June, 1817. He was in a
state of great mental depression. He refused now to take
food ;he refused to remain in bed. I sent two men from my
own private house to compel him to swallow food .and medi-