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

COMMISSION OF LUNACY

Yesterday, at two o'clock, the commission de lunalico in-
quirendo addressed to Henry Lawrence, Esq., Mr. Brooks,
and Mr. Wood, was opened at the Clarendon-rooms, direct-
log 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 Holmforth. 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. In the latter part of
1836 he married Miss Armstrong, and bad 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 he 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 bad only left him at Leeds a day or two before. 'He
bad no idca. of dates ; and frequently took his sick father by
the Shotildets and said to him—" Afio you old:Jog, you-have
no business with physic, as you have got noraoney 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 he died in two hours afterwards. Geo. Farrar
was present ; he walked about tasting everything 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 soother 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, hut could make no impression ; his replies to everything
were " Yes" or " No." Witness saw bins 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. He had 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 had been placed in the..A.sylum,
and witness considered he had 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 West Derby, deposed
fliat Mr. Farrar hat-be-en-quire &Raga 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 Harwood Banner, Esq.
Mr. Blower was proposed by Mr. Warner, seconded by
Mr. Watkinson.

Mr. Arnott was proposed by Mr. Lurie, seconded by Mr
Tomkinson.

Mr. Bainbrigge was proposed by Mr. Arthur Thompson,
and seconded by Messrs. Reid, Irving, and Co.
Mr. Harbord bad declined standing on the previous day,
as announced by him in the Courier. The voting proceeded
at a bustling and rapid rate throughout, two hours 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 was complied with, and in a few minutes the state of
the poll was declared to be as follows :
For Mr. Stubbs..
Mr. Bainbrigge 149
Mr. Blower
Mr. Arnott 7

Total number polled
The announcement of the return of Mr. Stubbs was hailed
amongst his friends by loud acclamation.