The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-13 00:00:00

DEXNI r. TiLNCIT.

This was an action of trespass fur breaking and
entering the plaintiff") )!welling-bobse on the id of
Jane last, in the parish of St. Matthew, itethnal-green_,
assaulting, and falsely imprisoning Isis person fur
spare of tierce days.
The defendant pleaded a jnstilication, that the
plaintiff, at the period in question. was a lunatic,
and unfit to have the management of his own affairs.
Theplain ilrs cuestas conducted by the SOLICITOR-
GiSlltaAl., Mr. beAnI.CTr, Mr. lit RNET, and Mr.
l'Astream. ; and the defendant's by Mr. DFNMAN and
Mr. Pow ELL.

The &tut rrott-BENE2AL opened the plaintiff's case
with his usual ability.
'The case proved on the part of the plaintiff was in
sulsstance this:—The plaintiff was a yuitiof gentle-
man brought up to tfie'pntresseriliiir fh-r• Law, in the
office of Alr. Thomas Nathaniel IVilliatus. a respecta-
ble solicitor, and one of the attorneys of the Lori
lla, Cittlft. who, In consideiation of the plaintiff's
faith Cut %Pr% jell and .ability, articled hint «Won't a
.4reminin, and, after the expiration of articles, ad-
mitted him to a full partnership in the Chancery and
Common Law departments of his isfire. In 31 ay,
1...‘ I 9, the pleintiff, iu eimsequenee of dose application
i:s 'nosiness, was afflicted with a nervons lever, which
ultimately terminated in lunacy. which bereft him of
sanity for 34•Vrt el weeks, during which lie was attend-
ed by a meolteal professor. named Salmon, now de-
ceased, sad taken care of by t•co keel era, servants sit
the defendant, who keeps a liceo4rll lunatic asylum at
Bethnal-green. When the plaiatiff recovered, his
partnership with 3lr. tv:o4 dissolved, and lie
went with his mother to the st.A•sitle far the benefit of
his health. His mental faculties seemed to be perfect-
ly restored, ansl he applied with great assiduity to the
winding up the accounts between himself and Isis part-
ner. Shortly after the dissolution of the partnership,
lie acquired considerable property by the (Iraqi of a
brother ; and, on the decease of his mother, at the
close of ISI9, his property was greatly augmented.
lie coimueuced house-keeping in Bethnal-green, close
to the defendant's house; but finding tkat Isis bodily
health was still infirm, in the month of Joule, in the
present year, he determined to sell his property, and
travel on the continent, flit nest of kin was a person
of his own name, a half uncle, who carried op the
business of a bricklayer, and was in needy eirettni-
stances. This person was employed to collect rents
both for the plaintiff and the defendant, who appeared
to be on intimate and friendly terms with the plaintiff,
so much so, that the latter was the receiver of his
rents when collected by Dennis, the uncle. It was
proved that the plaintiff, front his earliest infiney,
had an uncommon fondness for lire-works atoll lire
arms—that when he used to go (rain Bethnal-ones-1i to
his partner's office in London, lie used to carry load-
ed pistols about him for protection, part of his road
being considered lonely a;id dangerous at night ; and
that for aunts: went, lie frequently let off lire-works
and diseha-Red fire-arms in the garden at the hack of
his house. On the 21 of June last, the defendant sent
two keepers to the plaintiff's house for the pttepose of
securing his fire-arms, the plaintiff being then absent
from home. The antis were secured, and the keepers
waited in the house until the return of the plaintiff,
who had Shen ling the slay out. When lie re-
turned. he was immediately serum' by the I-t•perc,
who told him that they had orders to confine him to
his house, in consequence of the derangement of his
intellects. Next day he was visited by 31r.
Salmon, who was with him for about twenty mi-
nutes, and then certified to the defendant that
he was a person ht to be pat under restraint,
The plaintiff being surprised at this extra-
ordinary proceeding contrived to write two _letters,
one to his hornier partner, and the other to a young
gentleman who had served his clerkship with
Mr. Williams, desiring them to call upon him.—
They accordingly dial call, and Jir. Williams
inamesliately expressed his indignation at the defend.
ant'sarnjustifiable conduct. lie ..raitesl upon the de-
fendant to know the ranee of The proceeding, and ile-
erase by what' 14mo-sty di btid scot the krepers nut