Star.
London, England, 1829-11-25 00:00:00

HADFIELD, THE LUNATIC.

James Hadfield (not Hatfield) confined in New Bethlem
Hospital, under an es post facto operation of Stat. 39 and 40 Geo.
111. c. 94, for firing a pistol at his late Majesty, was not, as has
been asserted, frequently visited by his Royal Highness the late
Duke of York, who saw him but once since his trial in June, 1800
—namely, on the 10th of March, 1817, a few months after his re-
moval to New Bethiem Hospital; nor did his Royal Highness
then, or at any previous or subsequent time, present him, as had
been stated, with any tea, sugar, tobacco, or with any sum of
money, however mull. As to " promises of endeavouring to re-
gain him his liberty"--if any such were made by the Royal Duke,
it was a mere empty sound, for his Royal Highness lived eight or
nine years afterwards without matting any effort of the kind. His
Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, however, who is a Governor
of Bethlem Hospital, pays generally once a year a visit to that In-
stitution, on which occasion he never fails to distribute a quantity
of tobacco and snuff amongst its inmates; and always remembers
Hadfield with a donation of a superior quality. Whilst Had-
field was detained in his Majesty's gaol of Newpte, Govern-
ment allowed about .ElOO a-year for his support, out of which the
keeper of that prison, after providing him with clothing, fuel, and
candles, allowed him about 22a. per week • and, in consideration
of the length of his imprisonment, indulged him with more privi-
leges than the generality of prisoners. However, Newgate-street,
with all its restrictions, has been often sighed after by this unhappy
captive, as he would there enjoy the intercourse of his friends, and
of other rational beings, whilst, in his present abode, the total ex-
ollpsion of his relatives, except once a week, for the space of two
hours', and separated by a double row of iron bars, and an inter-
val of 15 or 410 feet intervening, amounts to almost solitary impri-
sonment and non-intercourse with the whole human race. such as
could hardly have been contemplated by the boasted humanity of
the laws of England.

Awpre of the great interest that has been, and is, at.
'tached to the remarkable document known by the name of " The
Stuart Papers," Width were brought front Rome after the death
of Cardinal York, the last of the family, and, placed in the hands
Of commissioners appointed by His Majesty, we are glad to find
that they are no longer likely to remain in the obscurity of
St. James's Palace, where they were deposited. The King, we
are inforined, has now transferred these papers to Sir Walter
Scott, for examination and publication : and we have reason to
know., that his son-in-law, Mr. Lockart, is already engaged in this
important duty, and actively employed In arranging the mass,
which cert-ainly could not be in better hands.—Literary Gazette.
A regiment of nearly 1,400 geese are making a rapid
march. The General not being a very communicative chap, we
could not exactly ascertain where they were bound for. They
quartered•Oear St: Ives ea Thursday last, and we presume their
next quarters will be near Cambridge, where they will remain for
a month, previous to their final march to the metropolis, where a
terrible conflict is likely to ensue about Christmas. The enemy is
well disciplimed..and we fear very, few will escape their hungry
stomachs.—ihostiisgdors Mercury.
Suixdaymight last, a party of abOut twenty men, armed
wAth sticks, entered, the house of an industrious individual, named
Mason. at New SprOwston, near this city, and, under pretence that
- he (Mason) was working at an under-price, they cut his work from
the loom, sod carried it away.; they also took away a pair of trou-
ser& nearly new, together with some loaves of bread and other ar-
tieles.—Norle/e.Gasette. •
•
Yesterday morning the body of a young man named
Dpmings, well known in the parish of Bertnondsey, and along the
water side, was picked up in the river, near Crisp's Ways, Ber-
mondsey Wall. 'His body, when picked up, was found lying
under the stern of a schooner, and from marks about the head and
face, it was the opinion of those who examined the deceased that
be had ieceived.the injuries previous to his having been drowned.
Xnative of Manilli,who had embarked as cook on board
an, English whaler, has just given a rare example of the most item
chins ferocity :—The English Captain, during the passage from New
'Zealand to the Sechelles islands, where he was going, had several
limeicemplained of UK, negligence that his cook, whom he had
engaged at Manilla, showed in whetting the knife for cutting the
beef,* dinner., One day, tired of repeatng the reproach he had
'already so often "made, without being obeyed, be was led by passion
to-gtve iblovr on the par to tbelasCaptain,, after having re-
. veived this correctiondromised the p dwelling on the lan
.words of his phrase, that that stem evening his knife should be
• , well whetted.. On the instant he was seen to seat himself
on the grindstone ;' and be ground the table-knife in a way
to satisfy the captain, who went to bed better pleased with
his cook than he was some hours before. But scarcely was
he asleep in his birth, near .which the' officers were sleeping
also, when . they cdok was seen to go down into the ward-
rtiom, as he often did, and come up some time afterwards with the
knife in his hand, ati'd throwing himself on the men on watch, cut
Wei throats of five of-them before they,could pursue him, or deliver
themselves from his unforeseen attack..
.The officer on watch went
down, howeveri into the ward-room, taking with him a charged
musket, to get rid octhis'madthan. He found the Captain, the
second, and one of the Lieutenints. with their throats cut, in their
berths. He tore himself from this scene of hot ran, and pursued
the furious cook, who took reftige on the bowsprit. The officer
went up to him to fire at Inn? more surely from the end of the
deck, but at the h'!nmeni.be was drawing the trigger of his musket,
the mOrderel threw himself into the sea. 'lle juliy.l;oat waa im-
nsediataiy lowered into the water, and by the light of the moon.
'the assassin, itso:pviam to i Areat distance, was pursilei • he at-
tempied to make laiseicape‘but in.vain. The tailors already put
• out their !ninth to Wu biro ; be then, threw awly 'the knife Ukiah
embarrassed hilt. 'lie seised the soles of his feet with his two
hatids, anstdhappearell by Aching himself roll in this posture to the
bettOm of the wives, theteby eluding the rage of the sailors, des-
perate because Out could nut rever.ge on him the death of their
Captain and thefitionrades. The 'Whaler has seacbed the Sechelles,
commanded by the last of the officers ~hoard, who has become
Captain by the death t.f all his suiperi..rs.— /kris Palter.