The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-22 00:00:00

'LAW TIVTELLiGENCE.-(THIS DAY.)

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

(Sittings at Nisi Pr!us, at Westminster, before Mr. Justice
Hill and a Special Jury.)
RUCK V. STILWELL AND ANOTHER.

This part-heard trial was resumed this morning. This
is an action of damages against the defendant, a sur-
geon, for giving a false certificate of lunacy against the
plaintiff, contrary to the act of Parliament, by which he
was confined for a period of ten months in a lunatic asylum.
The plaintiff was under examination and cross-examination
the whole of yesterday, and detailed the circumstances
under which he was confined, when the court adjourned.
Mr. Ruck's examination was continued by Mr. Cham-
bers, Q.C. He had two children by his cousin, Miss
Jones, which his wife did not know of. Does not recollect
saying before the Lunacy Commissioners that he did not
receive any information about them, and supposed they
were murdered. Mrs. Ruck, about a fortnight since, told
him they were alive. He has not provided for them, but
she has. They are his children. He heard from his
cousin, Miss Jones, about three months ago, but he paid no
attention to the letter. He was desired to see no person but
herself. He was always on his guard as to what
he said to Drs. Stilwell and Sommerville. Mr. Wain-
right cautioned me, but he did not, and his wife did not,
caution him not to talk about his suspicions, but he was on
his guard against doctors and strangers, and is on his guard
now. Mr. Wainright, on his return, told him his suspicions
were not well founded. His unhappiness after marriage
arose from having these children. He said they were never
very affectionate, but lived distant from one another. He
treated his friends affectionately. -My wife and I condoned
the offenat of inconstancy., I have been obliged to mort-
gage. Diy property to a considerable amount. I have broke
the mines, but had not worked them. He acted in this
under the best advice.
Cross-examined by Mr. Petersdorf, Q.C.—There was no
truth in the statement that there was hereditary insanity in

his family. The writing on the book was done after he was
libetated ;- it was in his portmanteau. Miss Jones was his
Ifeetnbusin, and Mrs. Matthews, his wife's mother, sent
iitem,
plaqr to hvevat his house. He never saw Miss Jones'
c ';. laiiiid-:only her word for it. Her father was a
, rapikii in tlieutitiolii. he had a quarrel with her. Mr: Wain-
wriAlPiolh 41414 thie,his suspicions were all delusions.
ciOlteill)i..PAtilwitllroll say other person did anything to
fent'aie; his delusiorik'fr At' first Dr. Stilwell talked about
them, befit‘ used no reasons or arguments to remove them.
He made no inquiries about them of witness. Nothing
whatever was done by doctors or other persons to remove
his delusions. He does not know any thing particular
having been done to continue his impressions except talk-
ing about them. He never experienced previously the
noises in his head until he went to Wales in October. He
expected to be relieved under medical treatment or stimu-
lants, He thought by condonatien that it would be the
interest of hind and his wife to forgive each other, and not
to separate. Ho told her this on the Tuesday, when he
was much better in his health.. He was asked yesterday
about money. All the profits of his estate were kept by
his agent, exeeptnecessary supplies. His farm stock sold
for aboUt £2;000. He gave no authority'for it, and did not
,receive 'the money: 'The house. is now let, and was let
when he was in the agylum. When Mr. Wainwright called
he said I had better see my solicitor about it. Mrs. Ruck
talked about living separate ; we occupied two separate
houses about two years. He did not wish to ,prevent her
going to bent to.resicle.
George Renville—Was an attendant 41,1857 at Dr. Stil-
well's asylum, and my orders were not to allow Mr. Ruck
to poit .any ietters, and never to lose sight of him. He
took a-drive with 1)r. Kibble the second day after he came.
His manner was regular. I was four months in attendance
upon him, and went to church and walked_with him. He
conducted *himself with judgment there. I accompanied
him a-shopping In the villages. He laid out his money
very frugally, My 'orders from Dr. Stilwell were to let him
spend his money, and this lasted about a month. He gave
him no medicine. He slept in the same room with him.
Dr. Stilwell asked if I could tell his friends if there was
anything the _matter with him, and I told him I saw
nothing the matter with him, and repeated it to him. Dr.
Stilwell said to say nothing about his health till about a
month, and then he woulds see , him discharged. Drs.
Conolly and Jones attended there once a week, and Dr.
Wellery superintended it. No others examined the rooms
and patients. •He was at Moorecroft House every day, and
i went over the groundwandestablishment with Dr. Wellery
and Dr. Stilwell and examined th4affe,nts.
Closs-examined by Mr. Chambers? le saw Dr. Conolly
enter•the house and go down the-passage into the rooms,
and shake hands with the patientelnd ask how they were.
The..ground ,vxtends to iseveral,lundred acres. Saw him
speak to. Mr. T=uck. He. Woultr say that Dr. Conolly
spoke to Mr. Ruck seven or eight tin=es. He was at a ball
there. Witnessleft.sof his own accord about a month after
Christmas,, after-being fours -months- there„ Ho had a
„quarrel with- Dr: Weller,. who was 'drunk one evening, and
builfragged Me. Dr. Stilwell told me to . let Mr. Ruck
spend his no:Moyne fast as posSible, but I was not asked,
and- cannot. say that I did not say a word about it
before Ake Master in Lunacy. Mr. Ruck talked
to him about his" delusions and suspicions about
his Avife,. and ,I told 'him .they were all mistakes or
deluSions. •Ho did not report to Dr. Stilwell
his conversations and was not to talk with him about his
delusions. Dr. Barnet and Dr. Stilwell asked me whether
he talked about Dr. Barnet and his wife. I told him Mr.
Ruck said they were too intimate with his wife, and that
he suspected Dr. Barnet with being too familiar with his
wife. We did not always talk aboutlsuch rubbish. I told
Dr. Stilwell that he was suspicious about being too fami-
liar with his wife, and he endeavoured to persuade him that
that was a delusion. He spoke to him about a gentleman
in the coach, but he did not tell him that was one of his
delusion's. Ho • said nothing more, but a gen-
tleman got into a coach and nodded to her,
and was too familiar with her, and endeavoured
to persuade him that it was a mistake. Ido not recol-
lect any other delusions. After I saw Mrs. Ruck, I told
him she was a very ladylike person, and he must have been
mistaken in his suspicions about her. I might have said,
" All these here matters that you have been enquiring into
are quite old to me." I might have said so to him, and also
to the Master in Lunacy. Ho went out for a drive for
three or four hours. Other patients went to church with
other attendants. Dr. Stilwell said, in his office, that he
saw nothing the matter with him several times.
[The case was proceeding when we wont to press.]

SHERTFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Kerr.)
COLEY Y. MILLS.-REFUSAL TO COMMIT-CAUTION TO
MONEY LENDERS.
This was a judgment summons to recover 9s. 6d. balance
of a sum of £5.

His Honour—ls this a loan society ?
Plaintiff—No. It is my own.

His Honour—How much of this £5 reached the bor-
rower ?

Plaintiff—l think 6 per cent. To the best of my belief
the borrower received about £4 14s.

Defendant's wife—He only had £4 7s. Ed. My husband
was security for the borrower, and excepting 165., we have
paid this debt down to the present balance.
His Honour (to plaintiff)—Do you expect me to commit
this man to prison for 9s. 6d. ?
Plaintiff—No. I want my money.
His Honour—Well, get it. I shall not commit. Sum-
mons dismissed.

A second case, by the same plaintiff, was similarly ter-
minated.

TILE TALLY SYSTEM-THE JUDGE'S EXPERIENCE--•

BISHOP AND NEWSTEAD V. ROSE.

This was a summons to recover the sum of 21s. 10d., the
balance of an account for clothes.
Defendant's wife appeared, and said that the balance was
only 19s. 2d. Sho then produced her book, and his Honour
read various rules, and made comments upon them, adding
—This is a tally-shop.

Plaintiff—No, it is not. We never supply women.
His Honour—Now, I'll just tell you my experience of
the tally system. People who buy at these shops get Bs.
worth of goods for 205., and the tallyshop keepers insure
themselves against loss by these charges. I may also add
that the balance is always larger when the defendant does
not appear. When he does attend, there is always an
error. Mrs. Rose, you should not buy of these shops ; but
you must pay this claim at 2s. per week.