The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-15 00:00:00

poison with the food for the purpose of procuring the
death of his grandfather, being at that time in a sound
state of mind, it would be their duty to find him guilty.
The Learned Gentleman, after some objection on the
part of Mr. Ballantine, who appeared for the prisoner,
read two letters, addressed from Newgate by the prisoner
to his mother, in which ho confessed his guilt, and gave
a description of extraordinary dreams or visions which
ho had after hearing exhortations from the Ordinary of
Newgate, Mr. Davis. (These letters have already ap-
peared in The Sun.) The Learned Gentleman then pro-
ceeded to call various witnesses to prove his case, but
their evidence has been so recently given in The Sun, in
the reports of the proceedings before the Coroner, and
before the Magistrate, that it is unnecessary to repeat it.
Mrs. Mary Louisa Allnut, the mother of the prisoner'
in the course of her cross-examination, said that the
father of the prisoner died about two years and a halt
ago. He had been in the habit drinking, and was
subjact to epileptic fits. When he died he was (we un-
derstood) in a state of insanity. At the time of the
birth of the boy at the bar, the mind of the 'witness was
much affected, and had long been so, from family
troubles. The prisoner, when a year and a half old, had
a full upon a ploughshare, and when he was first brought
in he was thought to -be dead. The accident was
followed by brain fever. The cut was above the top of
the nose. In December, 1844, he had an obstinate attack
of ringworm, and, since that, manifestations of scrofula.
He was a boy with whom she had had a great deal of
trouble, and frequently had to remonstrate with him for
misconduct. That made no impression on him, and he
would say that he did mot feel that he was doing wrong.
lie had been much worse since he had a fall upon the
ice in January last. Since that time he complained very
much of headaches, and seemed to suffer greatly from
them. When she spoke to him about the wrong things
he did, he used to say that some one seemed to talk to him
in his head, and to say "do it, do it; you will not be
found out."

To the COURT—Tie never said that, until witness
remonstrated with him about a watch. That was since
her lather's death. Before that she had observed him
to suffer much from headache. He was always very
different from all. her other children in morals and
in his health. lie had been subject to walking in his
sleep.

Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN then called Dr. Letheby, and
asked whether he considered walking in the Bleep a
symptom of disordered brain.
Dr. Letheby said it might be, or only of a disordered
stomach. In answer to further questions from .the
Learned Judge, the witness said that scrofula would
affect the brain, and that it was possible such a wound
as the prisoner received in his infancy might produce
iniarips that would result in disorganization of the
brain. Noises in the head arose from a disordered
state of the brain. So also might calling out in the
sleep.

Xfter a long discussion upon the subject of the letters
which had been put in, as written in Newgate by the
prisoner, and addressed to his mother,
The Rev. Mr. Davis, the ordinary, was called by Mr.
BALLANTINE, and said that he had in his exhortation of
the prisoner told him to confess to God, and had never
said a word (as was stated in the letter) about confessing
to his mother, or to any other person. Had never said
a word about God striking him dead; all that was mere
invention. The prisoner was a very clever boy; but, in
prison, ho told a great variety of falsehoods on a variety
of subjects.
The letters were then put in, and the case for the pro-
secution was closed.

BOW-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)
Mr. Peter Dimont, who described himself as a gen-
tleman, following no profession or business, was brought
up on a warrant charging him with having " written,
sent, and delivered, or caused to be written, sent, and
delivered," a letter, challenging Mr. Phineas Gold-
smith, a West India merchant, to fight a duel.
Mr. Dimont, it appeared, had been in the habit of
calling at Mr. Goldsmith's house to visit a Mr. Phillips.
On the occasion of one of these visits, ho said some-
thing to Mr. Phillips concerning complainant, which
induced the latter, on hearing of it, to order him to
lea►e the house. The next day (the 7th inst.) defen-
dant sent a letter to complainant, saying that his con-
duct was ungentlemanly, and demanding either an
apology or " satisfaction," but giving the alternative of
a" thorough thrashing," and posting as a coward.
Mr. Clipper, an attorney, who appeared for the de-
fendant, was about to set up a defence to the effect, that
defendant had received great provocation from Mr.
Goldsmith.

llF.xnr said no provocation would justify any one
in writing such a letter as this.

Mr. Clipper said it was written in a moment of anger,
but his client had now no intention either of pressing
Mr. Goldsmith to fight, or of putting his threats of
" thrashing" and " posting" into execution.
Mr. HENRY r aid he must find bail ; and, after some
discussion, ordered him to enter into his own recogni-
zances for 5001., and find one surety in the same amount,
to keep the peace for twelve months.
The defendant found bail, and was liberated.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
Mr. JoRN NEELD and another Hon. Member took the
oaths and their seats.