The Sun.
London, England, 1832-12-05 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

Yesterday an investigation took place at the
Gray's Inn Coffee-house, tinder a writ de Lunatic()
Inquirendo, to try the soundness of mind of Mr.
Charles Wright, the well•known wine-merchant of
the Opera-colonnade. The Commissioners were
Messrs. Phillimore, Whitmarsh, and Winslow.
Dr. Thomas Turner visited the supposed lunatic
when confined in a private asylum at Holloway,
but he could not recollect at what period. From
the demeanour and conversation of Mr. Wright on that
occasion he was satisfied that he was of unsound in-
tellect. Among other delusions he fancied that he
had got Madame Vestris's legs instead of his own.
Witness again saw him on Saturday last, when he
appeared in the same state, and said that he was the
son of the late Duke of York; that all the money in
the Bank of England belonged to him; and that he
was the proprietor of the Opera-house and Drury-
lane theatre. Witness asked him what reason he had

for thinking that he was the son of the Duke of York ;
to which he replied that the Duke had been with
his mother, whose name was Priscilla Maria Guelphs,
at Mr. Take's, at Homerton. He added, " You
snow Guelphs is the name of the Royal Family ;"
and, in the course of an incoherent conversation, he
aMked witness to give him a shilling. Witness saw
Mr. Wright on the preceding day at Mr. Finch's
asylum, at Kensington ; and on attempting to bring
him back to the subject of his being the son of the
Doke of York, he began talking in an incoherent
manner of " Tom " Welsh" taking him away in his
cab. In the opinion of the witness he was of un-
sound mind.

Dr. James Johnson, of Suffolk-place, Pall-mall
East, had known Mr. Wright four or five years, and
had visited him professionally during that period.
The first deviation from soundness of mind wits in
April, 1830, when he appeared in a state of high
mental excitement, which displayed itself by talking
of Drury-lane theatre, and of his own affairs, in an
irrational manner. Witness believed that Mr.

Wright had been a competitor for the lesseeship of
Drury-lane, and held at that period the situation of
box book-keeper in the theatre. Witness appre-
hended that he might commit suicide, and informed
Mrs. Wright of her husband's condition, recom-
mending that he should be confined forthwith in an
asylum, as there appeared no prospect of his conva-
lescence. This was accordingly done in May, 1830,
when witness signed his certificate. [A letter was
here handed to Dr. Johnson, who recognised it as
the hand-writing of the supposed lunatic.] He had
visited Mr. Wright at intervals since he had been
a patient of Mr. Finch, at Kensington, and he was
perfectly satisfied that he was labouring under an
aberration of intellect. Sometimes he was taciturn,
and on other occasions extremely loquacious. He
saw him on the 22d of November, when he de-
clared that he had two fathers and two mothers,
and that his last fuller was the Duke of York.
The CIIIEF COMMISSIONER, on the suggestion of
the July, here directed that the unhappy object of
their deliberation should be introduced into the
apartment, in order to be examined. _ _

Mr. Wright was accordingly brought into the
room. He bowed respectfully to all around, and
was conducted to the Commissioners, who proceeded
to put several questions to him, Mr. Phillimore pre-
mising that they were assembled to inquire into his
state of mind. The unfortunate man's replies soon
satisfied all present that his case was one of decided
insanity. He said he had been brought from the
asylum of Mr. Finch, at Kensington ; and went on
to say that he expected to have become the lessee
of Drury-lane theatre. He held a lease of 2l years
of his premises in the Opera-colonnade, and lived in
the house belonging to the manager of the King's
theatre.

Mr. PIIILLIMORE inquired what ground he had
For supposing he was the son of the Duke of York ?

In reply he told a long and incoherent story of
having been in attendance at the Duke of York's
funeral as a Gentleman Pensioner, and of his being
required to follow the remains of his Royal High-
ness, as chief mourner. To illustrate his narrative,
he invited a gentleman to precede him round the
table at which the Jury were seated—he following
in the attitude of a mourner.

Mr. PRILLIMORE again asked the supposed luna-
tic why he imagined he was the Duke of York's
offspring. To which he answered, after a pause,
" You know, Sir, it is a wise child that knows his
own father ;" and, after another pause, he declared
that he was perfectly sane, but made no complaint
of suffering any restraint.
Mr. PnthumonE next questioned him as to the
delusion under which he was said to labour respect-
ing Madame Vestris's legs. Mr. Wright, exhibit-
ing much wildness of manner, said it was a dream,
but dreams are sometimes realised. " It happened,"
he said, " that he was conversing with Mr. Price on
the subject of stars,' and that he suggested en-
gaging Madame Vestris, as she had acted Proserpine
at the King's theatre, and was the best singer of
the day." He knew Madame Vestris, and he sup.
posed he must have said so, speaking of her per-
forming in breeches or trousers. He drove to Ma-
dame Vestris's apartments in May-fair, and when he
reached the theatre with her legs ---. Here he
wandered from the subject, and expressed a hope
that. the Jury would establish who he was.
He was then' requested to withdraw, the CHIEF
COMMISSIONER undertaking that his case should
receive their serious consideration. He expressed

some reluctancc to leave the room until the persu
sions of Mr. Finch induced hum to obey.
The Jury expressed themselves satisfied with tl
evidence of Drs. Johnson and Turner, and recorde
the following verdict :—" Charles Wright has bee
of unsound mind, and incapable of the managemet
of his own affairs, since the 14th of May, MO."