The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-25 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY UPON THE

REV. MR. LEACH.

FOURTH DAY.

The proceedings in this extraordinary case wore re-
sumed yesterday by Mr. Commissioner Barlow.
Mr. Bovill, Q.C., and Mr. Coleridge, again appeared
iu support of the Commission ; and Mr. M. Chambers,
Q,C., and Mr. Garth, for the alleged lunatic.
The following additional evidence was adduced on
behalf of Mr. Leach :
Dr. G. Johnson deposed that he was one of the physi•
clans of King's College Hospital, and had had a good deal
ofexperience in cases of insanity and acute mania. He had
had three private interviews with Mr. Leach. The first
was on the Bth April, when he conversed with him upon
the subjects that were supposed to form the ground for
considering that he was insane. The result of the whole
of his conversation with Mr. Leach was that he was of
opinion that he was of sound mind, and perfectly com-
petent to manage hie own affairs, and be did not dis-
cover that he was labouring under any delusion. With
regard to the vision in the pulpit, Mr. Leach only pro-
fessed to have bad a mental vision of our Saviour, and
he said that he never intended it to be under-
stood that he had seen our Saviour, corporeally at the
time in question. With regard to the Millennium, Mr.
Leach said that he did not believe that it had arrived,
but that it was dawning, and would soon arrive. He
also said that he never considered that be was obeying
the Divine command in wearing Lis beard, although to
a certain extent he felt that it was a point of conscience.
He said that he had bought the pistols to protect his
person and his property, and he did not utter a word
that induced witness to believe that he was at all likely
to commit an act of violence either upon himself or
others; but, on the contrary, he seemed to be a remark-
ably quiet and inoffensive man. The witness then stated
that he gave him exactly the same account, with refer-
ence to the other supposed delusions, that he did to Dr.
Take; and he added, that he did not appear to enter-
tain any greater amount of animosity towards hie mo-
ther than might reasonably be supposed would be enter.
tained by a man who felt that be had been unjustly
placed under restraint.
Cross-examined—Witness could not see anything in
Mr. Leach that was different to other men. He went to
see him on the first occasion with some suspicion on his
:wind, but if he had met him casually in a drawing-room
he should not have thought there was anything extraor-
dinary about him. Mr. Leach might have told him that
he had the Divine sanction for wearing his beard, or
words to that effect. He also seemed to think that it
was more natural to wear the beard than not to do so.
Re-examined—In "Southey's History of Wesley and
the Progress of Methodism" there were several instances
of persons being converted by visions as that described
by Mr. Leach. All the impulses of Mr. Leach ap-
peared to induce him to do good, and never to do evil,
and nothing he had heard in the course of the present
inquiry in any way tended to alter his original opinion.
He considered Mr. Leach a well-informed, intelligent
man. If he had met him in an ordinary drawing-room, be
should have considered him an erraordinary man, but if
ho had met him in a drawing-room where there were
none but learned and scientific men, he should have
thought him quite at home, and neither his beard nor
anything else about him would have excited the least
suspicion in hie mind respecting his sanity,
Mr. Fuller, a general practitioner at Sc. John's-wood,
gave similar evidence to that of Dr. Johnson. He said
be had three long conversations with Mr. Leach in
January, and on the 14th and 18th of May of the present
year, and the result he arrived at was that be was per-
' fectly sane, and he was quite astonished that such a man
should be even under the surveillance of a keeper. The
most that could be said was, that Mr. Leach was an
ec-
centric man, but he did not consider that he was labour-
; ing under a single delusion. He added, that he believed
Mr. Leach to be as harmless as a lamb, and that be was
incapable of injuring any one,
Cross-examined--He put no question to Mr. Leach as
to his opinion when a man forfeited his life, but he did
say that he considered that if he were to shoot a keeper
who came to take him, he should be guilty of murder and
should be executed. n the course of the conversation be
had with Mr. Leach he said that he played at cards with
his servants as a relaxation after severe study. Witness
told him that ho still thought it was inconsistent with
his position, and he replied that no one could corns to a
correct opinion as to his feelings, and the position in
which he had been placed for many years, without any
society, and having no one about him but his servants,
and that when his mother left him he was still more
lonely. If Mr. Leach had said that he played cards with
his servants partly from his knowledge of the Scriptures
he should consider it, without explanation, inconsistent
with the idea that he was of sound mind, but with Mr.
Leach's peculiar religious opinions, he should consider it
necessary to ask him to explain what he meant.
RU-examined—ln witness's opinion, it was a cruelty
to lock up such a man as Mr. Leach. His attention was
first called to the case by Mr. Clark, Mr. Leach's boot-
maker, and it was in consequence of his humane inter-
ference that he went to see him on the first occasion.
In his opinion, Mr. Leach was a man of great piety,
sound judgment, and great learning, and it was a plea-
sure to converse with him.
Dr. Seymour, formerly one of the commissioners of
lunacy in the metropolis, deposed that he had for eight
years acted in that capacity, and he had also had a. great
deal of experience in other respects in connection with
lunatics. He was first instructed to see Mr. Leach, on
the part of his mother, through the agency of Dr. Wins-
low. The report he made was that his irregularities were
not, at the time he saw him, of such a character as
would induce any jury ti find that he was insane, He
stated that his views of religion were the tame that was
entertained by many other persons, and as to his marry-
ing his servant, although it was a very fool'eh thing and
contrary to their received notions of propriety, still it did
not at all establish his insanity, and if such a proceeding
were alowed to make out that a man was insane, all he
could say was, that ha'f Westminster-hall would be in
confinement. (A. laugh.) On the second occasion when
lie saw him he thought he was much better—his con-
versation was pleasing—he was a very humane man,
and he saw no reason whatever for placing him in con-
finement. The last time he saw Mr. Leach was in De-
cember last, and after he had made his report, the soli-
&tore for Mrs Leach did not communicate with him,
and he was not aware of the former trial having taken
place, and he had been suddenly summoned this morn-
ing to give evidence. Mr. Leach's religious opinions
were certainly peculiar, but not at all more so than
were entertained by many persons with whom he was
acquainted, and none of them were of a character that
were likely to. induce him to commit any act of violence.
He was quite aware of the nature cf the supposed de-
lusions entertained by Mr. Leach, and be touched him
upon the whole of them, and the opinion he arrived
at was, that no twelve men would find him of unsound
mind and incapable of managing his affairs.
In cross-ex smination Dr. Seymour admitted that he
had written a letter in March, 1857, in which he stated
that Dr. Leach was of unsound mind, and incapable of
managing his affairs ; but he also said that he did not
think any jury would find he was in that state. When
he saw Mr. Leach the second time, in December, ac-
cording to his opinion he was better. It was his un-
bias+ed and clear opinion in March, 1557, that ti,.
Lead' was of unsound mind, and incapable of managing
his own affairs, and that his family had acted wisely
and humanely in the c muse they had taken, Witness
considered that Mr. Leach's religious opinions were
very much modified when he saw him at ChreAinsa last.
In March be appeared to consider that the Millennium
bad arrived, or was imminent ; but he did not appear
to think this was the case in December ; and he was
much more gentle. At first he appeared to consider
that he wore his beard under the authority of the Bi-
ble ; but the second time ho said that he wore his
beard because other people wore theirs, and he did not
see why he should be looked upon as insane on that ac-
count. The witness further stated, that a singular fea-
ture in Mr. Leach's character was his extreme harm-
leafiness.

Reexamined—l-le was instructed, in the first in-
stance, that Mr. Leach bad struck his mother ; but it
turned out that there was no foundation whatever for
this statement. There were many people moving about
the world, and managing all their affairs, who, to his
knowledge, entertained quite as extraordinary opinions
on the subj3ct of religio❑ as Mr. Leach did, and he
,bould be very sorry to say those persons were insane'
on that account. Taken as a whole, he thought a►
tir,t that Mr. Leach ha'! very peculiar opinions, ant
ooupled with the knowledge of the two previous attacki
he was of opinion that Mr. Leach WAR of unsound 1
mind in March, 1857, and that he hart better remain
quietly in the asylum for a short time. After the second
visit he considered that there was no danger in his being
at large, and that he was quite competent to manage his
affairs, and if he were c natined in an asylum over whilh
%itness had control he should have no hesitation in stt•
tint; him at liberty.
By the Commissioner—lie had a very long prfes•
sional interview with Mr. Leach in March, and he tien
came to the conclusion that ho was insane, but he should
have felt a difficulty in signing a certificate I r hisre-
moval to a lunitic asylum, and he should rather have
had him placed under the charge of his friends, or in the
care of an attendant. _ _

Mr. Cotton, a tailor, who had occuionay worked
fn. Mr. Leach for 16 years, proved that he ordered that
he required, and paid him regularly, and appeared pito
cimpetent to manage his affairs. He said that he first
hard Mr. Leach was lal,en to a lunatic asylum hetrvten
Christmas and March, 1857. He wal a very kind and
h9nevolent man, and he considered that he woull not
injure any one.
Mr. Carey, another tailor, proved that he aas in the
habit of communicating with Mr. Leach up to the time
when he was taken to the lunatic asylum ; and he and
e'veryorie else in the neighbourhood we'e quite astotisht d
that such a course should have been taken respecting
'itn. He hail some clothes to make for him at the time,
And he went to Dr. Winsl.iw's asylum about three weeks
'f",r he had been there, and saw him upon the Fubject
of these clothes. He was told that he would not be al.
lowed to see Mr. L?ach a;a'n unless he brought k letter
from his mother, awl as he knew it was no use asking
for that, he never saw him again.
Mr. S Mit), a builder, at tiaminersini•,h, give similar
evidence, and he also proved that there were a great
many robberies at that place, and that a good many
gentlemen living there purchased fire-arms. Mr. Leach
was very correct in all his dealings, and he considered
that he was perfectly sane.

Mr. Clark, a boot-maker, deposed to the some effect,
and also stated that he wag so Satisfied that Mr. Leach
was incapable of committing any act of violence, that he
should have no oljection to sleep in the same room with
him if he ha
loaded pistols in his possession.
Mr. J. U. Romer, a gentleman who lived in an adjoin.