The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-12 00:00:00

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.

( Received this 3fornive.

NORWICH, W EIMESDI Y, AUG. 11.—This day'
the Sessions for the County and City commenced.
Yesterday evening Mr. Justice GasELati, was
escorted bylice usual cavalcade, and opened tie.,
Commisaion at the Castle.—This morning itself
Lordships attended divine service at the Cathe-
dral, after which they proceeded to the dif-
ferent Courts, when Mr. Justice GAst.t.Es: de-
livered the charge to the Grand Jury. lie
commenced by observing that he was ex-
tremely happy to congratulate the Grand Jury
ou the light calendar which lay before him,
especially when considered the extent and
population of the .CoUnty (there being only 2:1
prisoners for the County and 13 fur the City),
and his Lordship was also glad that mine of
the prisoners were charged with crimes of atro-
city. It would be superfluous for lint to make
general observations on the nature of these du-
ties, because the experience of the Golden:4,m
of the Grand Jury superseded the necessity. tie
hoped, however, they would return their bills
as early as possible, in order that his judicial
(auctions might commence.—No trial of public
interest took place (luting the day, but there are
several cases of expected interest set down for
trial in the Nisi .Pries Court.—The new Court
below the castle wus npene(l for the first time,
and is extremely commodious and airy.
It is rumoured in Norwich that his 'Asir s'r T
and other branches of his itlustriou, Family will
visit this city next week to be present at the
Grand Festival, for which great preparations are
making.

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

HORRIBLE DELUSION.

Yesterday an Inquest' was held at the Anchor
and Hope Tavern, Islington, before 'fnostAa
Esq. Coroner, on the body of Mr. Edward Hart, aged (10 yetne,
a gentleman of property, whoreeided in the New-road, I elington .
The case excited considerable interest in consequence of au
extraordinary mental delusion under which the deceased
Laboured ; and several individuals of a sect to which the de-
ceased belonged, denominating themselves the " .Amicabler
Christians Society," attended the investigation.
%Valiant Hall being sworn, deposed, that he hail known the
deceased for several years. Ile was about GO years of age, and
was living on Isis property at Isis residence in the New-road,
lelington, in which neighbourhood he had several freehold
houses. On Sunday morning last. at about three o'clock, wit-
ness was in bed it his lodgings, next house to that in whirls the
deceased lived, when he was awoke out of hie sleep by Mrs.
lord, a female who had been nursing the deceased, who called
out that " Mr. Mit was the water butt !" Witness instantly
got out of bed, and, titter alarming another lodger (Thinuet
Hen) out of his sleep, proceeded, together with Mrs.. Lord,
into the back-yard, where they perceived the deceased's legs
protruding from the top of the water-butt, and head foremost
in it, with about 4or 5 feet of water. They released him from
his dreadful situation, but be appeared quite dead. Notwith-
standing witness sent for a surgeon, who errived, but it wail use-
less to apply remedies. The deceased was a widower, and had
no children. Witness is connected with a religious sect in the
neighbourhood, to which thedeceased was introduced a short time
ago, and durin, the period of his attendance, which was very
punctual at all their meetings, he manifested the purest devotion
and was much respected by all the members ; but latterly he be-
cause afflicted with the rheumatic gout, which caused hint to re-
main at Inane. This interfered with the perh.rmance of his reli-
gious duties, which acetned to prey upon his inindond despairhud
full possession of it. Whenever witness met hint he would ex-
press a desire for death, saying be was troubled with devils, rout
that Satan visited him every night. Wittiest' had endeavoured to
remove this miserable delusion from Isis mind by rendering hint
every consolatory advice; hut the deceased contended that it was
not the etket of imagination, and unit he had too strong Incas
that the Devil himself had visited him, which he was its the eon-
stant habit of doing every night. Witness frequently heard Itirsa
conversing with Satan during the night, as the rooms were only
separated by a partition ; avid the deceased Wail repeatedly re.
queeting him (Satan) to depart from hint.
The following is the description he gave of the awful visita-
tions of Satan :—" That when he used to go to beet his attri-
tion would be attracted by distant eounde; that shortly after
Satan %mid make his appearance at the window, through whorls
he entered the room, and advanced towards the bedside, winle
the deceased (al may be easily imagined) lay trembling with
sf:t'oairvflacl'r,laientrberveialtwhiett ttill‘'ln)iantul'iurio'attlllevittridlisutecalid,viatiitleunpe'emthhalc
it hail the edict of depriving hint it breath. After this the
deceased would ray the Lord's Prayer, and beg of the Devil so
leave km ; then, after a short time, the Devil would make a
wntill'ydiutcw•aCtittnt'lle deceasedrs.;repeating the Lord's
rush
1% rtiltinreosu,gilrt
etql the
Prayer, and requesting the Devil to leave him ; witness often
prayed by him, and read the Bible. The deceased used to
drink a considerable quantity of water, sometimes a pint and
quart at a time ; does not suspect any body threw hint into the
butt ; believes it to be his own act ; whether by accident or la-,
Lennon cannot say ; he had two cuts on Isis forehead when takers
out of the water-butt, and had on his great coat,'shirt, breed:fro,
and stockings.
Mrs. Mary Lord, and elderly widow lady, deposed that
she had been acquainted with the deceased for the last four-
teen years, during part of which period, his mind appeared
to be affected. In consequence of illness, he requested
ness to attend at his house to prepare a few necessaries,
to which she consented. lie informed her that the Dev 4
was ill the habit of calling on hint, under the 'Most fright-
ful circumstance* every night, when he was alone, hue
he stayed away when he heal any body with hint.—Wit-
ness remained with him during the whole of Saturday night
last. The deceased went to bed, and witness occasionally
laid down outside the clothes with her apparel on. At tines:
o'clock in the morning, after awaking out of a trifling 'deep,.
she missed the deceased ; nail on proceeding to the yard to lors'ie
for him, she found him in the water-butt, when she instantly
made an alarm. There being no direct evidence to prove by
what means the deceased came into the hutt, the Jury retutued
a verdict, "That the deceased was found drowned in a water...\-
b..,t, having been previously in a state or temporary derange-
ment."