The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-13 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

On Saturday a commission de lunatico inquirendo
was opened at the King's Arms Tavern, Kensington,
before Mr. Commissioner Winslow, to inquire into
the state of mind of Miss Caroline erris, a maiden
lady, aged fifty-six, residing in Kensington-crescent.
Mr. lore, solicitor, of Lincoln's Inn•fields ap-
peared on behalf of the petitioner, Mr. William Shaw,
a relative, and the inquiry was not opposed.
It appeared from the evidence of Miss Harris's do-
mestic attendants and the medical gentleman, that
the unfortunate lady had for many years past eXhi-
bited symptoms of weakness of mind. She had re-
sided, up to the early part of the present year, with
her brother, Mr. Henry Harris, and her imbecility
had gradually increased. Upon the death of her
brother her fortune was considerably enhanced, and,
as she had not the power to distinguish the relative
value of gold and silver money, it was deemed neces-
sary to institute the present proceedings. Her time
was principally occupied in playing with cards in a
childish manner ; and at intervals, when the malady
was first remarked, she was exceedingly violent. Dr.
Arnett, of Bedford-square, and Mr. Dewsnapp, of
Hammersmith, having given their opinion that the
unfortunate lady was so far of unsound mind as to be
incapable of governing herself or her affairs, Miss
Harris was introduced to the jury, and upon being
questioned she said that her brother had been dead
ten minutes. She was shown several pieces of money,
but she appeared incapable of giving any answer as
to their value ; and, in short, her intellectual facul-
ties seemed to be totally prostrate.
The jury, without hesitation, returned a verdict,
dating the unsoundness of Miss Harris's mind from
the Ist of August, 1837.

SUPPOSED MURDER AT BIRMINGIIAM.—BIRMING-
HAM, SUNDAY.—Three persons (a man and two boys)
are now in the custody of the police of this town,
charged with being concerned in, or having a know-
ledge of, the murder of a man named Brown, in a hut at
the Crescent, on Friday night last. It appears that the
deceased, who had been out all the day at Tamworth,
thatching, asked permission of a number of boatmen
(the prisoners being of the party) to rest himself in
their hut, situated on the banks of the canal. This
favour was granted to him, when one of the boatmen
proceeded to quarrel with the deceased ; the fellow
seized Brown's stick, and beat him so violently about
the head and neck that he lay insensible upon, the floor,
when his brutal assailant lifted him upon a bench, mad
he was found to be dead. The whole of the party who
were participators in or witnesses of the murder, then
made their escape. The deceased was supposed to be
possessed of a watch and some money, but nothing was
found upon his person. In the course of yesterday the
police apprehended the parties now is custody, but the
prineipal offender, whom they state struck the blow's by
which the deceased was killed, has for the present suc-
ceeded in eluding the vigilance of the officers in pursuit.
The men in confinement refuse to give any information
as to the watch and money.
HORRIBLE CHARGE OF INTURDFR.—DOWLAIS,
FRIDAY MORNING.—A very painful sensation has been
created in this neighbourhood by the circulation of a
report that a young woman had destroyed the life of her
illegitimate child under very revolting circumstances.
From the evidence taken by Mr. W. Davis, the coroner
for the district, it appeared that the deceased, who was
two years old, was the illegitimate offspring of Mar.-
garet Davies, belonging to Pater, in Pembrokeshire.
On Tuesday last the mother of the child went to
lodge at a person's house of the name of Morgan.
The child at that time appeared to enjoy most excellent
health, and was running and playing about the
house. At ten o'clock that morning the deceased
partook of some coffee for breakfast, and during the
temporary absence of Mrs. Morgan the deceased
was taken out by its mother. After being out
about twenty minutes, the mother returned with the
child in her arms, and said he had gone to sleep. The
deceased was put to bed; and shortly afterwards, on the
owner of the house entering the room, she fund that the
child was dead—froth had issued-from the nose, and
there were all appearances of the child having had its
head held under water, and by that means been suffo-
cated, independent of which, the upper portion of the
child's dress, with the exception of the sleeve of the
frock, wis saturated with water. The mother was im-
mediately taken into custody by Superintendent Wren,
and from the fact of the prisoner being the satire party
who some short time back suffered imprisonment for
leavi ig the deceased in the streets, it is the opinion that
she destroyed the life of the child by holding its head
under water. The inquest, which was begun on Tues-
day, has been adjourned, to have the body opened, and
the prisoner has been locked up in prison.
OMNIBUS AUCIDENT.—YesInday afternoon an
omnibus with twelve inside and nine outside passengers
was upset in the Tottenham-eourt-road, the hind axle.
tree having broken. One gentleman had his leg frac-
tured, and another his shoulder dislocated, both of whom
were conveyed to Middlesex Hospital. The driver and
the rest of the outside passengers were more or less
ibnrjouEkrLeenid.igla ci N
The inside passengers fortunately escaped
without any further injury than a few cuts from the
ABEL, FETTER-LANE.—OH Saturday Mr.
G. A. Walker, surgeon, had an interview with the City
Solicitor, respecting the, condition of the vaults under
Elim Chapel, and the brutal. treatment to which the dead
buried in them are subjected. Mr. Walker stated to
Mr. Pontifex all that he had witnessed in'these vaults,
which he described as being the most appalling Golgotha'
that could be imagined, where the bodies of the dead
were most ignominiously and brutally treated. He
ultimately signed a certificate to the effect that the con-
dition of that burying-place; was highly injurious to
health and morality, and extremely offensive to decency.
Mr. Pontifex assured Mr. Walker that the City autho-
rities were resolved to institute an immediate and most
searching inquiry into the subject, and would, it' the
nuisance was proved, and nut instantly abated, indict
called upon the City Solicitor g.
padurSienverthale d°athyerldercsounn!
the proprietors of the cha
mstairtke.ments, which they said were
cfiorrnmpedietbellyr.
uWndaelkretrh'es
nt Mondayl e
,ex..f
lately
tme
nollsr
invei
ons r,walotutrsckt Tsar lan
altt
ocsit:lraßEa destructivev(A)nT,hl
evfirmree::b broke out
e°atn i
under the superintendence of
portion o
erected by the company,
de
the splendid and unequalled range of factories,
Mr. Guppy, at an immense cost, was completely
therein. The portion destroyed we learn to
8,
SlrOyed, as well as the magnificent machinery
smithy, shop, the fitting-up shop, and pattern-makers'
shop. As the roof had fallen in, it is impossible at pre-
sent to estimate Mee loss sustained. It is contained
to and those beautiful workshops, stated to be among the
esti-
mated at from 4;0001. to-,7,0001.' It is really lamentable
finest and the largeSt in .the world, rendered useless at
the moment they were abOui to be first used. Every
assistance was rendered, by the workmen to extinguish
-the fire, and great praise is due to the managers of the
engines for their prompt attention.—Cambrian.
We regret to learn that Mr. Alderman Thompson, ,
ALP., is lying in a bad state of health at his shut,' Un' derley 11411, Westmoreland,