The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-19 00:00:00

COMMISSION OE LUNACY,

Yesterday, at two o'cllck, the commission de lunatic° in-
quirendo addressed to Henry Lawrence, Esq., Mr. Brooks,
and Mr. Wood, was opened at the Clarendon-rooms, direct-
ing them to inquire into the state of mind of George Farrar,
formerly of Leeds and Holmfirth, dyer, but now an inmate
at Walton Lodge near this town, the private asylum under
the management of Mr. Squires. A jury of fifteen respect-
able gentlemen was impannelled by the High Sheriff.
Mr. LAWRENCE, after the usual formalities had been gone
through, told the jury the object for which they had been
summoned. Many of them he had met on similar inquiries
before, and as they were familiar with the mode of proceed-
ing, he should not detain them by explaining it.
Mr. KIDD, of Holmfirth, solicitor to the friends of the
alleged lunatic, then called the first witness, Mr. T. H.
Martin, surgeon, of Holmfirth, who said that George
Farrar, the subject of this inquiry, was brought up as a dyer,
and that he was about 36 years of age. His father carried
on business at llolmforth. but had also a concern at Leeds,
which was managed by the eldest son till his death in 1833.
After that George Farrar took the management of it, and had
a house and establishment in Leeds. Li the latter part of
1836 he married Miss Armstrong, and had issue one son.
Witness had been the medical attendant of the family for
seven years. On the 28th of January, 1838, witness went
with Mr. John H. Farrar, another brother, to Leeds, and
found George Farrar in his own house, under restraint. He had
been put under restraint by Mr. Hare, surgeon, for having
attempted his own life, and that of a person who had been
employed to watch him. Witness considered restraint to be
necessary at that time. As lie was very irritable, witness
suggested his removal from business altogether, and the same
day he was removed in a chaise to his father's residence at
Holmfirth. His father was then very ill, and witness at-
tended both professionally, daily, and frequently twice a day
from the 28th January to the 11th May. He would, during
that period, walk about the house for hours together, with no
object in view, and took no notice of any person, and if he
could meet with any written papers of any kind he would de-
stroy them, and if any of the family complained, he made no
reply. At other times he was very morose and sullen, and
he also complained of Mr. Hare having forcibly taken posses-
sion of his property, and turned him out of his own house. He
expressed apprehensions of being forced to apply to the town
for relief, and told his father and mother that if they had
anything to do with Mr. Hare, he would serve them likewise.
He manifested no desire to return to his wife and child at
Leeds. The child was born about ten days before he was
put under restraint. His wife came to Holmfirth about
three months afterwards ; he was then much excited, and
said the child was not his, because his was a very little one,
and he had only left him at Leeds a day or two before. He
had no idea of dates ; and frequently toolchis sick father by
the shoulders and said to him—" Ah, you old dog, you have
no business with physic, as you have got no money to pay for
it," and said he would let them know who was master soon.
His father was seized with apoplexy on the 6th May: witness
bled him, but be died in two hours afterwards. Geo. Farrar
was present ; he walked about tastingeverything in his way ;
he pronounced some brandy and water to be poison, and when
he left the room, he said witness had poisoned his father.
His father was interred on the 10th May : during the fune-
ral, and in the church, he was laughing and making faces.
Although he was allowed to be at liberty at his father's
house, some person was constantly watching him. After
his father's death he became much more excited than he was
before, and once turned his mother out of the room. Wit-
ness
advised his removal to an asylum, and on the 12th May
he was conveyed to Mr. Squires, at Walton Lodge. Witness
considered him not to be in a fit state to manage his own
affairs during the whole time he attended him. Witness saw
him on the 18th July, as he was on his way to the Isle of
Man, and the first words he said was, " You have something
to answer for." Witness said, " What for ?" He replied,
" You killed my father." Witness attempted to reason with
him, but could make no impression : his replies to everything
were " Yes" or " No." Witness saw him again on his re-
turn, on the 28th, when he again charged him with having
killed his father.

In reply to some questions from the jury, Mr. Martin ex-
pressed his opinion that there was a predisposition to insa-
nity ; and that before he left Leeds no more restraint was
put upon him than was absolutely necessary.
Mr. Richard Squires, surgeon, and proprietor of the Asy-
lum, Walton Lodge, was the next witness. He said he re-
ceived George Farrar into his care on the 12th of May, 1838.
Witness had been in the habit of attending parties whose
minds were affected. Hehad seen more or less of such cases
since his infancy ; but for the last eight years his attention had
been entirely directed to that branch of practice. When Mr.
Farrar was first brought he was silent and morose; and for
four months he spoke only in monosyllables. He had all
the physical appearance of a lunatic, and no person could
doubt his being a perfect madman. For nearly three months,
wherever he was put, and whether standing or sitting, there
he would remain without moving. During that period he
was inclined to suicide, but measures were taken to prevent
him. Afterwards he became better, and continued so until
June 1839. He could then talk rationally upon any subject
except family affairs. Mr. Hare, his uncle, wife, and mother
often saw him. His sister saw him once. He was always
harping upon his first confinement, and nothing less than
£lO,OOO. damages would satisfy him for it. He always main-
tained that he had a right to cut his own throat when he
pleased, and that Mr. Hareought not to have prevented him.
In August last, his wife and mother attempted to prevail
upon him to leave the Asylum, but he showed quite a con-
trary disposition. The witness then produced some of his
letters, addressed to the magistrates of Leeds and others,
written in a most incoherent style. Since August 1840 he
had been so deranged as not to know witness. He sang fre-
quently for hours together, night and day, all sorts of jumble.
He had also been so violent that he had been placed under
restraint ever since. Once he locked and fastened himself
in his room, and the door had to be broken open by force.
In October his sister saw him, much against witness's will :
he told her she was a devil. and would have killed her if
witness had not been present. His insanity was one of pre-
disposition. His family had always shewn him the greatest
kindness, and were anxious to have him home. He had never
had'a lucid interval since he bad been placed in the Asylum,
and witness considered he bad never in that time been com-
petent to manage his own affairs.
Dr. Formby, the visiting physician appointedby the justices
to inspect the asylum in the hundred of \Vest Derby, deposed
that Mr. Farrar had been quite deranged ever since he was
placed there.
Mr. FARRAR was then introduced. He was under slight
restraint, it being necessary to deal very cautiously with
him. His conduct, and his answers to the questions put to
him, left no doubt of his insanity.
Mr. LAWRENCE then went over the chief points in the
evidence ' • and the jury immediately returned a verdict that
George Farrar was of unsound mind, and had been incapable
of managing his affairs from and since the 28th of January,
1828.—The court then dissolved.

ELECTION OF SURGEON FOR THE NORTHERN
HOSPITAL.

Yesterday the election of house surgeon for the Northern
Hospital, in the room of Mr. T. W. Wainwright, deceased,
took place at the Clarendon-rooms. The excitement amongst
the friends of the respective candidates was very considerable.
and long before the hour appointed for the commencement of
the voting, as well as during its continuance, a number of
coaches, cars, and gigs drove to and from the entrance, and
the room was during the whole time, crowded with subscri-
bers to the charity anxious to pay their subscriptions, and vote
for the men of their choice. We observed no fewer than 11
gentlemen at the table receiving money and giving receipts,
and the accession to the funds of the charity must have been
as great as—at this season of suffering—it was opportune.
One gentleman quaintly remarked that it would be a good
thing for the institution if they could kill a surgeon a month.
The candidates were four in number,—namely, Mr. Stubbs,
Mr. Bainbrigge, Mr. Blower, and Mr. Arnott.
Mr. Stubbs was proposed by Mr. James Aspinall, seconded
by Harmood Banner, Esq.
Mr. Blower was proposed by Mr. Warner, seconded by
Mr. Watkinson.

.•
Mr. Arnott was proposed by Mr. Iwrie, seconded by Mr,
Tomkinson.

Mr. Bainbrigge was proposed by Mr. Arthur Thompson,
and seconded by Messrs. Reid, Irving, and Co.
Mr. Harbord had declined standing on the previous day,
as announced by him in the Courier. The v wing proceeded
at a bustling and rapid rate throughout, two ho irs only being
allowed for the contest. The receivers of the subscriptions
exerted themselves to the utmost, in picking up the " gui-
neas" and making out the receipts. The voting took place
by ballot, so that the numbers for each candidate could not
be known—though a pretty general impression soon got
abroad that Mr. Stubbs was the favourite. Precisely at
three o'clock the poll closed, and the parties present were re-
quested by the chairman of the committee, Mr. Anderson,
to vacate the room, so that the clerks might sum up the
voting papers. . . _

This.w.as complied with, and in a few minutes the state a
the poll was declared to be as follows :
For Mr. Stubbs 38.1
Mr. Bainbrigge
Mr. Blower 143
Mr. Arnott

Total number polled
The announcement of the return of Mr. Stubbs was haile,
mongst his friends by loud acclamation.

NORTH UNION RAILWAY

The half-yearly meeting of the Shareholders in this uncle

.aking took place at the" Clarendon Rooms, South

street, yesterday

The t lIAIRMAN (Theodore Rathbone, Esq.) opened the
proceedings by suggesting to the meeting, that if one meet-
ing only was held per year, it would perhaps be more conve-
nient for the shareholders, 'and Save expense. Some obser-
vations having been made on the subject, the Secretary was
called upon to read the report, from. which we make the fol-
lowing extracts :

" The directors have great pleasure in calling attention to
the steady and rapidly progressive increase of the receipts, in
all the different branches of the undertaking; the receipts
from the passenger and parcel traffic having increased over
those of the corresponding period of th former year,
£3339 2s. sd. ; those from the goods and merchandise tolls,
£6BB 9s. ; and those from tolls on coal, (a business still quite
in its infancy on the North Union Railway,) £587 10s;
making a total increase of income of £462-1 12s. 3d. this last
six months. That this increase of income will be continued,
the increasing intercourse with the rising town of Fleetwood,
and probable amount of business on the Lancaster line,
when the next season for travelling arrives, together with the
large coal trade coming on the railway, seem to render quite
certain."

" The North Union Act authorising the board of directors
to declare and make dividends amongst the proprietors out
of the clear profits of the undertaking, the directors think
they shall consult the convenience and the wishes of their
proprietors, by at once declaring a dividend of £2 10s. on
each of their 6329 £75 shares, payable on the 25th instant,
by warrants, which the secretary will forward immediately
after the general meeting on the 18th instant. This dividend
will amount to £15,822 10s. and will leave a balance of
£1390 12s. 11d., to be carried to the next half-yearly account,
out of £17,213 2s. 11d., the nett income of the last six
months, after deducting from the receipts all the different
disbursements, inclusive bath of interest and the reserved
fund of £3631.

" The directors have only further to notice the highly gra-
tifying circumstance, that, from the opening of the North
Union Railway, in November, 1838, to the present time,
(during which period 419.632 persons have travelled over it,
and a speed has been required by the post-office arrange-
ments fully equal to that of the trains of any other line in the
kingdom,) no accident of any importance has occurred to
any one passenger."
It was moved by Mr. MATHER, and seconded by Mr.
TAYLOR, that the report should be received.
A conversation then ensued respecting the amount of the
surplus fund.
Mr. GARNETT suggested that a dividend of £3 instead of
£2 10s. per share should be declared.
The CHAIRMAN said that as the dividend had been de-
clared, the suggestion could not be entertained. He (the
Chairman), and be was certain the directors also, would be
very glad to make the dividend as large as possible.
On the subject of abolishing one of the half-yearly meet-
ings, a further conversation ensued, when it appearing to be
the wish of the shareholders that the meeting should take
place,
The CHAIRMAN said that the directors would not fail to
attend to the wish expressed.
It was then suggested that the half-yearly meeting should
be held at Preston and Liverpool alternately.
Thanks having been voted to the chairman, the meeting
sepgrated.