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

ing villa, proved that his house was attempted to be
robbed, and that Mr. Leach's was broken into. He saw
Mr. Leach almost every day up to the time of his being
taken away, and he al ways considered him a very sensible,
sane man, and quite competent to manage his affairs.
His mother lived with him a great portion of the time,
and she never made any complaint of the condition of
his mind, or of any necessity that existed for his being
placed under control.
Dr. Connolly, the consulting physician at Hanwell for
20 years, was then examined, and he stated that in his
opinion Mr. Leach was quite competent to manage his
affairs. He said he had had very long conversations with
t in, and he allowed him to go on talking fora long time,
and he never exhibited the least incoherence. He did not
appear to desire to conceal anything, but candidly ad-
mitted that upon two occasions he had been properly
placed under restraint.
Cross-examined—He had advised at one time that Mr.
Leach should be under surveillance, and that he should
travel, accompanied by a medical gentleman ; but his
opinion now was that any surveillance would be irksome
to him, and that it was quite unnecessary.
Re-examined--He distinctly stated on the former occa-
sion that, in his opinion, the best thing that could be done
was to release Mr. Leach from restraint.
By the jury—lf there had been any trace of insanity in
the mind of Mr. Leach, the severe test that had been ap-
plied to him of confining him. in a lunatic asylum for so
long a period was most calculated to bring it out.
The following letter, addressed by Mr. Leach to his
brother-in-law, Mr. Sidden, while in confinement at Dr.
Winelow'sv was then put in and read :
" Why, Sidden, what a man you are to act as you have
done towards me I lam really annoyed at you, and hardly
know how to write from impatience and diQgust. To
cause me to be put under restraint - taking such a
cowardly advantage of my isolated position--a marvel
lous thing indeed that you should have such power in
this free country. But for my projected marriage such a
proceeding could never have entered your head. Why it
was only on the Sunday previously that I had the long
conversation with Laura, when I waited for you till half-
past five that we might talk the matter over. What was
there in my manner or language that would indicate the
shadow of a taint of insanity. I can confidently assert,
nothing, and so would Laura. But it seems she thinks
it less disgrace to live with a woman without marriage,
or to visit houses where men arc in the habit of gratify-
ing their passions, than to contract a lawful marriage
with a person of different station from myself. I hold an
opposite opinion, and for that I am deprived of my liberty
—a most cruel and wicked step on your part, for which
you will some day have to answer, to your shame.
There is a Power above who will, sooner or later, right
the oppressed ; and on that r ghteous power I put my
implicit trust. Tuis house is not intended to hold persons
like myself, who happened togive offence to their mother
and sisters, but for those unfortunate ones who, under
delusion, think their right hand their left, or fancy them-
selves emperors or kings, &c., &c. Nobody ever thought
of imprisoning Charles Mathews when he married Ma-
dame Vestris, or Alfred Montague when he united him-
self to one of the same sort of women. And though
there is a religious motive associated with mine, if that
would indicate insanity, you might as well imprison the
whole body of Quakers, of Methodists, of S wedenbor-
gians, of Mormonites, and I know not how many
more, who act according to their consciences, and be-
lieve that they act more or less under divine influence
in their everyday proceedings. Think of the Quakers,
who believe in what they call the inward spirit; and
never speak at their public meetings unless they
are, or think they are, moved by the Holy
Spirit. Women are allowed thus to speak as well
as men. How ridiculed they are, and have been, and
persecuted, everybody knows ; but we have lived to see
the day when they, and all religious sects, are freely
tolerated. It is grievous to think that but for my tem-
per on the Friday previous, and my divulging my in-
tended marriage, which by the way, if I had chosen, I
could have contracted secretly, neither you, nor any one
else, would have cared, mere than you have ever cared,
for my religious opinions or conduct; that is to say, not
a twopenny-piece. I do hope and pray that both Win-
slow and Bartlett will be very soon convinced of my
perfect sanity, and that, as Englishmen and Christians,
they will hasten to wash their hands of this matter. If
not, and it were pOssible that you could succeed in keep-
ing me here, why then I might as well be in Rome, and
imprisoned in the inquisition, for denying the supremacy
of the Pope, or transubstantiation, save and except that
there is no rack or torture, but oa the contrary much
comf ;rt, and every one trying to do the best they can
for us. Sidden, cease, I beseech you, from this unmanly
conduct, and show yourself a man, and somewhat wor-
thy to live in such a country as this, where Sabbaths,
and clergy, and bibles compel almost every man to know
right from wrong, where responsibility is, therefore,
greeter, and retribution in cases of injury must be ter-
rible."

Mr. Garth then proceeded to sum up the case of the
alleged lunatic, and he urged that it had been most
clearly established that there was not the slightest pre-
tence for saying that he was of an unsound mind, and
that he was entitled at once to be set at liberty.
Mr. Bovill then made a most able reply upon the
whole case. He particularly commented upon the ser•
vants, who were with Mr. Leach from the period of his
mother leaving the house until he was removed to Dr.
Winbrsw's Asylum, not having been cared as witnesses
to show what his conduct really was during that period,
and he said that the only inference that could be
drawn from their absence was, that if they bad
been called they would have been compelled to
admit that be was in a state of insanity. The
learned counsel commented upon the evidence
that bad been adduced on both sides, and concluded by
expressing his opinion that there could be no reasonable
doubt of the insanity if this unfortunate gentleman, and
that the jury would have no alternative but to return a
verdict to that effect.

The Cumini,sione; addiessed a very few observations
to the jury, and at half-past seven o'clock the room was
eleired, and they proceeded to deliberate upon their
vertre;.

Li a eery fey minutes the Clint was re-opened, when
the f Taman announced that, by a majority of 19 to 4,
they were of opinion that Mr. Leach was of sound mind,
and perfectly competent to manage hie affairs.
Theca was a burst of applause when the verdict was
pronounced.

TIIE EXTENSIVE PLATE ROBBERY AT

LORI) FOLEY'S.

Harry Whetstone, Thomas De Puzay, Geo. Cherry,
Thos. Partridge, and Margaret Picket, were yesterday
again brought up before Mr. Bingham, at the Marl-
borough-Areet Police court, charged with the above rub-
bery, and Samuel Beiimin with receiving a portion of
the date, knowing it to be stolen.
T4e bo :y of the court, as on each preceding occasion,
was exce,asively crowded, and Col. Foley and several dis-
tingoished friends of Lord Foley's family occupied seats
on the bench.
Nr. Humphreys, jun., conducted the case for the pro-
secttion, and the &fence, as before, was placed in the
bards of Messrs. Edward Lewis, of Marlborough-street,
Gihain, tf Bedford-row, and Lewis and Son, of Ely-

qr. Sup: rintendent Hannant attended on the part of
po:ice.
the self-same bravado was shown by most of the pri-
scners during this examination as has been already
nitic3d, particularly by the woman Picket, and, as re-
lates to the latter, to great an extent that the magig-
tiat, was under the necessity of frequently checking her
misy cavils, finding that it incommoded the business in
land.

Mr. Humphreys opened the case by observing that al
Ile la._t remand h0p,38 were entertained that certain in-
brrnation would have reached him by to-day, which would
lave enabled hi,n to conclude the evidence for the prose-
:ution ; he f ,und, however, that he should be compelled
to ask for a further remand before the case could be com-
pleted. It would bo remembered that one of the
witnesses had deposed to a remark made by one of the
prisoners seen at the railings of Lord Foley's house, that
they had been working late there, and had been to reset
a grate, and he should now produce evidence to show
that no such work had been done.

Wia a n CJrk sworn, said:Tn.al hall-porter at Lird
house. I was away during the absence of the
family from town, from the let to the Bth April. I re-
member the night of the 9th, when Suthers, the f )otroan,
went to tie theatre. Ile left at half-past six, and did not
return till half past one. I❑ Suthere' absence there were
no workmen whatever on the premises, and no grate bad
been set or repaired. There had been workmen in the
house during the day, but they left before Suthers went
ou'. I also recollect Inspect:A. Park examining the ser-
vants after the robbery. The prisoner Whetstone said
to rue, " Ab, the robbery was teo cleverly done to bo
found out."

Crosi,oxamincd by Mr. E. Loa ii—The subject of the
robbery
had been gaLeral matter cf converswion among
the servants.

John Tonkin re-examined—On the 23th of March
there were three green baiz3 wrappers in the plate-room
rx Letly similar to the one produc3d. On the 14th of
April,
on opening the plate room, there were only two,
one b ing wis,on;:. The previous morning, when going
out, I saw Mrs. Beardmore, the charwoman, cleaning
the passage. Tide was at half-pa t seven, and there were
no male ~ervants down stairs at that time,

Dani l Jahn Steward—l live at 23, Manning-street,
Lesson-grove. I was last month in the service of Mr.
Iltker, a clothier, at 18, Chapel-. treet, Edgware-road.
Oa Friday, the 9th, Partridge paid nie for a coat and
ether articlrs 21. 53. I therwards saw De Puzey, and
he paid me 21. 53., the balance of a coat. This was on
the 10 h. Partridge bought an overt at for 11. 7s. It
was on the 10th that I first saw Partridge and De
together. I know Cherry by sight, but have net
seen him in company with the others.
Mr. Humphreys said he hal no further evidencs to
off,,r tc-day.
Mr. Lewis, son.----This is a most unfair proceeding, as
fir a, Me:lle:in is concerned. Without saying a word
about his inuecence or guilt, I mu,t comp'ain of the
great nuarber of remands he has been eiv jeeted to.
Benjamin was taken into custody in the early part
of April, since which he has been remanded no less
than six tiinte,, without any a'Mitional evidence hav-
ing ben Lrotight against him, p,.r..d bail has been al way-
refu,e.l. It is iii your discretion, sir, to refuse bail,
hut without desiring in the remotest degree to
make any reference to what has passed in this court,
I would beg to remind you cf the saying that the
discretion ef judges is the law of tyrants. My appli-
cation again is, that Beritruin should be admitted to
bail, or at once committed.
Mr. Bingham—Notwithstanding the emphatic lon.
gunge in which you have exhorted me, 1 mu•t take
upon myielf the responsibility of refusing your applica-
tion.

Mr. Lewis—l have yet another application to make.
When my clent Wag apprehended, articles of plate, his