The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-23

hanney anu III fnllips, III tno ohcilu 3 once.
On Mon Jay evening" at FIVE O'Clock, the above commits
soners appointed by the Supreme Court to inquire into
the lunacy of Mr. George Doughty gentleman possessed
of considerable property the town of Flushing
Queens county with Sherihs jury numbering twenty
four gentlecen proceeded to investigate this The
lunatic who is at present confined in the Boomingdale
Lunatic As lum not In attendance his medical ad
vers being Of opinion that he in too critical state
to be brought up. The jury having been sworn, Mr.
John Latting who appeared in support of the petition
saii-The leading features of this case are that Mr.
Doughty who is respectable farmer, residing At Flush
ing Long Island and who is of very nervous tenn
permanent am informed during the prevalence Of the
spiritual rappers here, became acquainted with one or
of them, and SO Influenced by them as to un
seat his mind and become incapable Of managing his
affairs The full particulars of this matter will be stated
to you by the Witnesses so that it will be
for me to go into them here.
Mr. John Williams having been sworn, deposed as fol
lows:-I reside in the city of Brooklyn; know George
Doughty; have been acquainted with him since my
childhood; l related TO his family he married my
sister, within the last year discovered indications of his
being out of his mind at that time he became interested
in the subject Of what is called spirit rappngs' he
took considerable interest in the investigation OF the mat
ter he called it, and in doing became acquainted
with medium who protested to have spsitual commune
cations; among other spirits with whom she COMMUNE
Gated was that of Mr.. Doughty's brother this ap
peaIed TO interest him much, and disorganzed his
mind to such extent that he not alone insane
those matters but upon others also; the nrst Tune
knew he had pirual communications with his brother
about six months ago. he became very much inter
ested and excited this brother had been dead say about
ten years; he told me that within the last three months
past he had had spiritual communication coming from
his brother, through this medium, directing him
Doughty TO advance the medium sum OF 5,OOo
Judge vanderpoel-That suppose made pretty large
hole in his property?
II witness-Yes it cid; and at another time tho me-
dunn had directed hin to purchase some patent by
communication from the spirit, of his brother.
QWas it patent in which she or her friends had any
interest in selingY A-Yes it was patent that per
son had whom the medium connected with; the
spirit through her. directed Doughty to pay another sum
of money for that patent which he did, amounting 70
tive that it from this particular medium although
II ink he said so, which stated that he to be Post
to ro and he
postmasers for different cities throughout the Union
Judge Vanderpoelmd he tell you who was to be post
ma ter here9 A.-Yes, cir.
Jutge yanderpoel-Wel, do not care about knowing
The witness-Ihe postmaster here to be colored
whom he had brought up (renewed laughter);
Doughty is between 80 and 60 years Of age.
this vicinity found it convenient elsewhere? A.
The last heard Of her was by teegraphc despatch
about week since, and then she upon steamboat
going from Pttsburg to Saint Louis
BY Juror-Her name is Mrs French.
Examination coItinued-He mortgaged his property to
pay the S. OC0 know he got mortgage about the time
he paid the medium in fast he told .1e he had mort.
gagged his property, and paid her So 900; he assigned
nit to discount but deposited them collateral
ry, and then raised the money think the amount de-
posted about $40 000 know that he had bonds and
mortgages TO about that amount and know that they
are gone.
Mr.. Iattng-Has he told you about any other commu-
nicationss
AYes and he has had many in writing, not indepen.
dent of this medium.
Judge vanderpoel-Did be express any fixed plan
purpose which the parting with his money to lead tor
Did lie any immediate Interior purpose9
AIN the first place, he said he adopted this medium
rhf hrr ErapA ie ahnnf rfy EVnn f1rfv
and married do not know whether she IL lady or not
augher Doughty has three children living and one
He told that he had given Mrs French papers OF adop
ton and made over his property to her, and then he
raid he had taken back these papers and given her
in lieu Of them, directed by the spirit Of his brother
BENJAMIN, through her.
Judge vanderpeel Has he sought any other media
communications after this woman gone2
Ayes, that seemed to be his object; his mind was
DIV cling upon the subject oil the time he said that he
was going bring about order Of things and that
The subject OF spiritual communications was one worthy
Of nves alton. he neglected his farming matters and
everything ese connected WITH his business to attend to
this; he had communications from his decea ed
daughter through this Mrs. French his daughter has
dead three six months she twenty old
when she died. they communications respecting her
state of happiness and matters of that kind generally
Judge vanderpoel Communications respecting her
happiness in the spirit lard
Ayes sir; and in fact he had communications upon
all subjects concerning his farming matters he relied
he said upon these communications and would not take
advice from any one else: Wien he got the advice of
angelic brother he called him. he would act upon 1t;
he told me this and undertook to advise him, aud told
him he was being led astay. Mrs. French left the city
which about four weeks ago. and suppose, is
deavong to keep out of the the patent that he got
TO write 10 Pittsburg and inquire to the existence
Of such patent and find that there such one but
it supposed to be good for nothing the person who
sold the patent TO Doughty travelling with the me-
diums and stopping with her at the Irving House;
the patient stopping now in the Bloomingdae Lunatc
Asylum he has peessed to have received written COM
mun from his gpdb
communications have seen the handwriting of his
brother, but never to my knowledge saw him write
they were written by the hand OF Mrs. French Doughty
saw Mrs. French write these communications he said
that his brother had used Mrs Fonchs hand in writing
the handwriting Of his brother his mind has been queer
for number Of years back he got very much excited
upon the subject IF aboitionkm for instance and he
stated TO that all the slaves in the United States
10 be liberated within the next four years his sister and
father insane his sister died in the Bloomngdae
Lunatic Asylum have collected rents for him he has
farm Flushing and other lands there worth $12 00o
perhaps more he has house and lot at the corner OF
Anthony and Elm streets bid in for SO 6oo leased for
$50 per year. worth SIS 50 0OO In BROOKLYN he has
three houses in Court street. worth S. GOO each rent for
$500 EACH another house Baltic street. wo2h $500
amount Of about $4,000; 81 900 in bank stock; his
farming stock about 81 600; suppose about 5000
in notes say s. Coo this independent. Of any money he
raised for the medium; understand he assigned the
bonds and mortgages to raise the 00o and mortgaged
two houses in Court street. Brooklyn to raise the 600
Mortgages of 5000 the woodland two other mortgages
for 81 200 and the other So 000 the homestead
farm mortgages the Brooklyn houses for 81 800
he owes another little balance of about S4Oo the mort
gage on the Court srteet property was given about six
months ago 10 raise the money to to Mrs French The
bonds and mortgages to raise the $500 were assigned
about month ago. since he parted with this money his
mind has been upset he has wife living her name l,
Harriet aged about As years he has three children
living-Mary Elizabeth, about 10; Georgana about Ia
Benjamin, about years and child of deceased daugh
ter Margaret Anne name Nicholas George Hallock she
left husband Nicholas Hallock.
DR. David Brown sworn:-I am physician Of the Luna
tic Asylum at Hoomingdale the alleged lunatic Is in the
institution at present. has been there since the 18th Feb
ruary; his mind is very much distressed points,
deemed It imrrudent 10 bring him here for thought it
would have bad effect upon him. he Is easily excited
he ia a very man; have doubt to his being
lunatic he believes in having received spiritual
urcaons from his deceased brother, and is very much
sgatd IL the truth and reality Of them questoned
be believes that Mrs. French IL honest woman and
that the who her associate an honest
Doughty sad he believed that the written unic
tons In the handwriting Of his deceased brother
Judge Vanderpoel-Did he explain to you how 1t was
that the handwriting Of the decea sed brother could
lie initiated here below