The Sun.
London, England, 1822-08-14 00:00:00

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1822

exciting ideas which would wound the feelings
of the unhappy Marchioness. Ile was sure, under
these circumstances, the jury would do every
thing in their power to prevent the least noise,
and he might observe that it would be desirable
to abstain from talking in the room where the
body lay, because any conversation must certain-
ly be heard through the almost, he might say,
paper partition. After the jury had satisfied
themselves by viewing the body, they would re-
turn to execute the remaining part of their duty."
During this address of the Coroner, the domes-
tics of the unfortunate Nlarquis who were in the
room, for the,most part, shed tears; indeed, the
love which the servants of his Lordship bore
towards him was highly creditable both to him
and the individuals who composed his household.
Before the Jury left the room for the purpose of
seeing the body, one of them suggested that his
colleagues, as well as Itimserf, should take off
their shoes, in order to prevent, as far as pos-
sible, any noise that might be occasioned by
them in walking. This hint was immediately
acted upon, and the Jury left the room. The
Jury, with the Coroner, then proceeded to the.
dressing-room where the corpse of the deceased
Nobleman lay. A description of the particular
situation of the deceased must give pain to every
person of whatever political ereed,and will excite
no ordinary feelings in the breast of all. The
body lay oit the floor on the right side, with the
face inclined to the carpet. There was a stream
of , gore that. had run from the window of the
apartment to the door, perhaps not less than three
or four quarts of blood in all. His Lordship's
right hand was dyed in blood. The body was
in the precise situation it was placed on the
morning of the melancholy occurrence. It 'had
not been touched by any person. A cap was on
the head, and a long morning gown on the body.
Slilipers and stockings were on the feet and legs.
The countenance was very pale and ghastly ; the
eyes were open. The melancholy scene was
truly appalling, and will not be forgotten for a
long time by those who witnessed it. The Jury
returned to the dining-room, and their names
being again called over, they received the follow-
ing evidence :
The first witness called was ANNE ROBINSON,
who being sworn, deposed as follows :
" I wait upon the Marchioness of Londonderry : I knew
the Alarquis of Londonderry : his body now lies up stairs. In
my opinion he has been ill during the last fortnight, but parti-
cularly so sine Monday week. On Monday morning he rang
the bell ; I answered it : he inquired why my Lady had not
been to see him. Her Ladyship had been with him all night,
and I told him so. Her Ladyship at this time was not in the
room. I then went away. The bellrang again. When I an-
swered it he asked if Dr. Bankhead had been to see him ? I
told him that Dr. Bankhead had been with him about two,
hours and a half in the evening. It was about four in the
morning when he asked me this queStion. When I told him
that Dr. Bankhead had been with him, he asked what he had
said to the Doctor—whether he had talked any nonsense to him,
or any thing particular, as he had no recollection on the subject.
I replied, that I was not in the room during the time that he
talked with the doctor. I then left the room. lie rang again
about seven o'clock. I went to him. He then asked me what
I wanted there. My Lady was with him at the time. She had
been with him since 4 o'clock, and she answered, that my
Lord wanted his breakfast.' My Lord and Lady were in
bed at the time. I left the room and brought the break-
fast up. He sat up in the bed and tasted part of it. He found
fault with it, and said, ' it was not a breakfast lit for him.'
He said there was no butter there : the butte*, however, was
on the tray, as usual, and I pointed it out to him. . The man.,
ner in which he spoke struck me as being uncommon ; it was
in a sharp tone, which was unusual with him. I left the room
after this. The bell rang again in about half an hour ; that
was about half-past seven. My Lady was in the room at this
time, and I cannot tell who rang the bell. When I entered the
room he asked me whether Dr. Bankhead had come from town.
I told him that Dr. liankhcad had slept in the house.' He then
said that he wished to see him. My Lady then got up and
came to me at the door, and said something to me. I went to
Dr. Bankhead, and gave him my Lord's message. I went
back to my Lord, and told him that Dr. Bankhead would be
with him in two minutes. When my Lord saw me speaking
to my Lady, before Heft the room to go to Dr. Bankhead, he
said there was a conspiracy against him. My lady at that
time desired me to tell Dr. Bankhead that he was wanted as
soon as he could conic. 'When I returned and told my Lady
that Dr. Bankhead would come, my Lady got out of bed and
retired to her dressing-room.' At this moment my Lord also
got out of bed,
_and turned to the right into his own dressing-
room. [Several questions were here put to the witness to as-
certain the precise situation of these rooms. From the answers
which she returned, it appeared that the common sleeping-
room opened into a passage, on either side of which was a
dressing-room, Lady Londonderry's on the left, his Lord-
ship's on the right. At the extremity of the passage was
another door, behind which Dr. Bankhead was waiting;.] I
had just opened the door of my Lady's dressing-room, into
which she had entered, when my Lord rushed past me into his
own room. I opened the outside door, and told the circum-
stance to Dr. Bankhead, who immediately followed my Lord
into his dressing-room. I cannot tell. what passed there, but I
heard my Lord open his window before the Doctor entered his
room. Immediately when the Doctor entered the room he (the
Doctor) exclaimed " Oh, my Lord !" or " Oh, my God !" I
cannot recollect which. I heard no reply to this from my Lord.
I instantly rushed into the room, and 'saw the Doctor with my
Lord in his arms. I remained in the room till I saw the Doc-
tor lay him with his face upon the ground. I saw the blood
running from him while Dr. Bankilead held him. I saw a
knife. I heard my Lord say nothing. I was -Certainly much
alarmed. The knife was in his right-hand.—(A penknife with
an ivory handle, and upon which there was no appearance of
blood, was here shown to the witness.)-1 believe that to be the
penknife which 1 saw in my Lord's hands. After staying a
few minutes in my Lord's dressing-room, I followed Dr. Bank-
head to my Lady. 1 had previously raised an alarm, and it
was now general throughout the house. To the best of my be-
lief, my Lord, did not live four minutes after I saw him. I did
not perceive any wound nor any blood while he was in his bed-
room. No person was with him in the interval between his leav-
ing his dressing-room and his death but Dr. Bankhead. His state
of mind appeared to be very incorrect for the last three or four
days of his life. He appeared to be very wild in dery thing he
said or did. He wanted from me a box which he said Lord
Clanwilliam had given to me. His Lordship, however, had
never given me any. He also asked me for his keys, when he
had them aboutthim. During the last fortnight he was accus-
tomed to say that everybody had conspired against him. He
was very severe in his manner of speaking, which I never no-
ticed before, he being in general mild and kind. When he saw
two people speaking together, he always said, There is a con-
spiracy laid against me.' A great many circumstances induce
me to believe that he was out of his mind a fOrtnight before his
death. He scolded my Lady on Sunday afternoon, because,
as he said, she had not been near him all day, she had entirely
forsaken him. Her Ladyship, however, had been sitting with •
him all the morning." The witness, in conclusion, repeated
her belief that his Lordship had been in a state of mental delu-
sion for some weeks previous to his death.

The second witness examined was CHARLES
BANKHEAD, M. D., of Lower Brook-street,
Grosvenor-square.

" On last Friday afternoon, at 5 o'clock,, I received a note
from Lady Londonderry, desiring me to come as soon as I

could to see the Marquis of Londonderry, at his house in St.
James's-square. Her note stated that she was very anxious
about his Lordship, as she thought he was veey ill and very
nervous; that they were to leave tower for *North-Cray at seven
o'clock in the evening, and that she hoped I would come before
that hour. I arrived in St. James's--square at six o'clock, and
found my Lord and Lady alone in the drawing-room. Upon
feeling his pulse I conceived him to be exceedingly ill. He
complained of a severe head-ache, and of a contusion of recol-
lection. Ile looked pale, and was very much distressed in his
matinee-. I told him that I thought it was necessary that lie
should be cupped, and that I would stay and dine with his lady
and himself whilst the copper cant: The cupper soon arrived,
and took seven ounces of blood Akan the nape of his Loidship's
neck. After the operation was performed, he stated that he was
very much relieved, and I advised him to lay himself quietly
down on the sofa for half an hour; and as he had scarcely eaten
the whole day, to take a cup of tea beebre he got into tue car-
riage to return to North Cray. He followed my advice, and
laid himself down on the couch, where he remained very tran-
quil. After this he drank two cups of tea. I waited until I
saw my Lady and himself get into the carriage in order to re-
turn to North Cray. Before his departure his Lordship said
that as I must be sure he was very ill, he expected that I would
come to North Cray and stay all-Saturday night, and if possi-
ble, all Sunday. I sent with him some opening medicines,
which he was to take early on Saturday, in order that I might
know the, affect they had produced on my arrival. I know that
he took these powders on Saturday. I arrived at North Cray
about 7 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. I understood that his
Lordship had not been out of bed all day, andl immediately
proceeded to his bed-room. On entering his bed-room, I ob-
served that his manner of looking at me expressed suspicion and
alarm. He said it was very odd that I should come into his bed:
room first, before going into the dining-room below. I answered
that I had dined in town, and knowing that the faraily were at
dinner' down stairs; I had come to visit hint. Upon this he made
a reply which surprised me exceedingly. It was to this effect—
that I seemed particularly grave in my mariner, and that
something must 'have happened amiss. He then asked me
abruptly whether I had any thing unpleasant to tell him ?
I answered, 4. No ; that I was surprised at his question, and
the manner in which it was proposed.' He then said,
4 the truth was, that he had reason to be suspicious in some
degree, but that he hoped that I would be the last person who
would engage in any thing that would be injurious to him.'
His manner of saying this was so unusual and so disturbed, as
to satisfy me that he was at the moment labouring under men-
tal delusion. I entreated him to be very tranquil, and pre.:
scribed for him some more cooling and aperient Medicines,
confined him to barley water, and allowed him slops only. I re-
mained with hint during Saturday night, and till one o'clock on
Sanday morning. Though his fever was not very high dur,
ing any part of this time, yet the incoherence of his, speech
and the uncomfortableness of his manner continued un-
altered. During Sunday I visited him frequently and con-
tinued with him in the evening till half-past twelve o'clock. I
advised him to be as tranquil as possible, and told him
that 1 would endeavour to persuade my Lady to come to bed:
—I slept in a room very near to that of his Lordship. On
Monday morning, about seven o'clock, Mrs. Robinson, my
Lady Londonderry's maid, came to my room door, anti
asked if I was dressed, telling me, 4my Lord wished to
see me by and. by.' I answered, that I was ready to come that
moment ; but Mrs. Robinson said, that she did not wish me
to come then, because her Ladyship had not left the bed-room.
In about half an hour, she returned again, and said, that his '
Lordship would be glad to see me immediately, as her Lady-
ship was putting on her gown, in order to go into her own
dressing-room. On walking from my own room to Lord Lon-
donderry's bed-room, I observed that the door of the latter
was open, and could perceive that his Lordship was not in it.
an instant Mrs. Robinson said to me, His Lordship has
gone into his dressing-room.' I stepped into his dressing-
room, and saw him in lila dressing gown,. standing with his front
towards the window, which was opposite to the door at which I
entered. His face.was directed towards the ceiling. Without
turning his head, on the instant he heard my step he exclaim-
ed, " Bankhead, let me fall upon your arm —'tis all over."
A-s quickly as possible I ran to him, thinking he was faint-
ing and going to fall. I caught him in my arms as he was
falling, and perceived that he had a knife in his right hand,
very firmly clenched, and all over blood. I did not see him
use it : he must have used it before I came into the room.—
In falling he declined upon one side, and the blood burst
from him like a torrent from• a watering pot. I was unable
to support him, and he fell out of my arms. 1 think the
wound must have'been inflicted as seen as I put my foot on the'
threshold of the door, as its nature was such that the extisnction
of life must have followed it in the twinkling of an eye. I
think that not less than two quarts of blood flowed from him
in one minute. I am satisfied that a minute did not elapse from
the moment of my entering the room until he died, and during
that time he said not a word except that which I have already
mentioned. It was impossible that any human being could
have inflicted the wound but himself. Having known him in-
timately for the last 30 years, I have no hesitation in saying
that he was perfectly insane when he committed this ace
had noticed a great decline in the general habit of his health for
some weeks prior to his death, but I. was not aware of the
mental delusion under which he was labouring till within three
or four days of his decease."

The gentlemen connected with the public press,
and the noblemen and gentlemen spectators of
the melancholy inquiry, were requested by the
Coroner to withdraw from the room whilst the
Jury conferred together as to the necessity of
more evidence being produced, or whether they
were satisfied with the evidence that had already
been elicited. The Jurors were discussing the
question for a quarter of an hour, and at their re-
quest the Coroner drew up a special verdict.
The doors were then thrown open, and the per-
sons were again admitted. The CORONER. said
that the Jury were satisfied with the evidence
that had been adduced, and returned a verdict,
which he then proceeded to read, and was in
substance as follows :

" That on the 12th August, and some days previously
thereto, the Marquis of Londonderry was in a state of derange-
ment of mind, and that on the morning of the said 12th
August, at the house of the said Marquis, at North Cray, his
Lordship being in a state of insanity, did, with a certain knife
made of iron and steel, stab, cut, and inflict a certain wound of
the length of one inch, and two inches in depth, on the left side
of his throat, from which said wound, and the loss of blood
occasioned thereby, the said Marquis, on the said morning,
came to his death."

After the verdict had been returned, the Jury
proceeded individually to sign the presentment
of the inquisition, and strangers retired ; the
Coroner very politely sent a message to the Gen-
tlemen connected with the press, stating, that the
business was not entirely finished. On their re-
turn to the inquest-room the Coroner proceeded
to address the Jury ;• he said, that in a case like
the present he should not be travelling out of
the line of his duty if he offered his opinion upon
the decision that had been come to by the Jury
after their investigation of this very melancholy
and lamentable case. After the evidence that
they had received, he felt assured they could not
have come conscientiously to any other verdict
than that which they had done. lie trusted that

no one would charge him, in the discharge of
the duties of his office, with improperly giv-
ing his opinion ; but, if it was any satisfac-
tion to the Jury or to the public in general, he
must say that the mind of the deceased was at the

time he committed the act, ar►d previously, in a
deranged state. A number of witnesses could

have been produced, who would have given testi-
mony in proof of his Lordship's mental defection
prior to the 9th of August ; but as his Lordship