The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-16 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

Yesterday afternoon a Commission of Lunacy was held.
at Gray's Inn Coffeehouse, before Commissioners Writtli
MARSH, WINSLOW, and BLUNT, to inquire into the state °,
mind of Miss Mary Carter Livesey, late of Parson's-greeil'
Mr. BETHELL, in stating the situation of the unfortunate'
lady, observed that she was about 30 years of age, and th°
daughter of a gentleman, Edmund Livesey, who died !ea
1816, and who resided near Liverpool. She was possess
of considerable property derived under the wills of her
grandfather and grandmother ; but the property hang
been subject to litigation, had not been that benefit to De
which it ought to have been. The first period of time to
which he should call the Jury's attention was about Ser
tember, 1833, when Miss Livesey resided at Fulham. fier`
state of mind, which had been in a disordered condition,
then became worse, and she fancied that people were on'
ployed to poison her and murder her. At other times she
fancied that people were engaged to throw her into a may
house. She also fancied that a carpenter, who was em'
ployed at the house, was a nobleman in disguise, an;
she used to invite him to sit with her, and would rev
to him Shakspeare's plays. She was at that time Pe'
der arrest at a lock-up house in Red Lion-square'
and the first night she was placed in that boils°
she insisted that dead bodies had been buried under
the floor, and wished to have the floor ripped ll'
to take up the bodies, declaring that some were Englo"'
and some Scotch. The Learned Counsel then read twoer
three letters, which Miss Livesey had, written a short till'
ago, and which also showed her incoherent state of mina'
In one letter, addressed to Dr. Spurgin, she stated, "
Mary Carter Livesey will be obliged if Dr. Spurgin yr°
send her some poison, as it will terminate life speedily'
which is desired by some of the Nobility." Two othari
letters, which the Learned Gentleman also read, contain° •
a heap of incoherent nonsense.
Mrs. Leonard, of Fulham, confirmed the statement °f
Mr. Bethell as to the delusions under which Miss Liveset
laboured. She said she admired the carpenter because he
had light hair and blue eyes, and she used to show him her
papers, and read Scott's novels to him whilst he was repair
ino• the windows.
°Dr. Monro visited Miss Livesey since her confinemeo
in Red Lion-square, and was of opinion that she vras $
dangerous lunatic. .

The Commissioners and Jury then proceeded to the
lock-up house to visit Miss Livesey. The interview oceiv
pied a very short time, and the Jurv, on their return to the
coffee-house, gave a verdict finding that Miss Livesey.
of unsound mind, without lucid intervals, and that she lig
been in that state since July 31, 1833.

•
THE RAILWAY.—The number of paswngers 011
the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway for the half yetk"
30th June, amounted to 102,000, being an increase on tZte c(1,1
responding half year in 1833 of 41,000. It will thus be se`.—.
that the public do not fail to appreciate the excellent ceete;
nience for country recreation which the establishment of 0.1
railway has brought within the reach of all classes. It hag; le
fact, raised the condition of the humbler classes of society 15,
no trifling degree, for even the poor can now ride betimes 112
their carriages, and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenerf
of the country as well as the rich.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday morn'
ing four men belonging to the Depot of the 42d Regiment, at.'
present stationed here, were unfortunately drowned. All O,w
soldiers, with the exception of those on duty, had gone to
bathe ; and they had not been long in the water, when 112,
alarm was given that some of them had gone beyond their '
depth, and been swept away by the tide. On sounding elle
bugle, and drawing them up on the beach, four men were miss:
ing. Without losing a moment the Adjutant, Lieutenen'
Archibald Campbell, proceeded in a boat to search for thee;
and, after the most strenuous and unremitting exertions, vls
so fortunate as to discover first the body of a corporal, and sor
subsequently the bodies of two privates. Notwithstandier,
however, his fearless and unwearied efforts to recover the bed
of the other man, he was unsuccessful. The Adjutant, where
conduct is beyond all praise, was so exhausted by his exertioeS,
and by his stay in the water, where, it is said, he at one tie°
continued for nearly half an hour, that he had to be put in°
a hot bath ; but he had no sooner recruited his strength, the°
he renewed his search for the other body, but still withou
success. The accident is supposed to have arisen from the
circumstance that the tide was ebbing with a strong current et
the time. The names of the men were, corporal Jobe
M'Cracken, aged 27 years, a native of Galloway; private Jewel
M`Bride, a native of Ayrshire, aged 23 years ; private
,Do-
nald Macdonald. aged 20 years, a native of Breadalbane ;
private William Forbes, aged 23 years, a native of the Isle of
Isla. None of them were married. It is supposed that the
last lost his life while endeavouring to save M'Cracken.
were all considered good swimmers. The funeral took pial
on Thursday last, and the three bodies which have been follow
were buried with military honours, in the Town Churchyso,
An immense multitude assembled in Union-street, along wh
the procession passed on its way from the Barrack HospiW'
to behold this most impressive and interesting solenulity•-••
Aberdeen Herald.