The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-04-05

m. LAxsox. THE AMERICAN CONVICTED 9
MURDER IN ENGLAND, REsrITEp--wHAT A

m. LANsox. THE AMERICAN CONVICTED oF
MURDER IN ENGLAND, REsrITEp--wHAT AN
OLD ACQUAINTANCE SAYS or HIN.
I,oxpoS, April 1.-The Observer to-day
avs: We are authorized 10 state that at the
request Of President Arthur, communicated
by Minister Lowell, Sir William Harcourt,
fhe Secretary OF State for the Home Depart
ment, has respited DIR. Lamson until the
18th instant, pending the arrival OF certain
evidence stated 10 be on It's way from
america. Sir William lEarcornt Is always
willing 10 afford adequate time for due ex-
animation Of circumstances alleged on re-
sponsible authority In favor OF convict
under sentence OF death. The prisoner,
however, has been distinctly warn
ed that the respite granted under
these circumstances raises no presumption
of a final reprieve or a communication OF his
capitaI sentence. II has been the practice,
when respites arc granted for the purpose
Of further inquiry into matter Of either
law or OF fact, that where the inquiry
shows no sufficient ground for Interior
ence the sentence takes its course. In the
case OF Thomas Manseli, In 1857. the pri-
.ouer was executed after respites granted
by Sir George Gray extending over SIX
months. In the case Of Michael Barrett,
who was executed for implication In The
ClcrkcnwelI explosion in 1868, the Right
Hon. Claiborne Hardy, Home Secretary,
yranted rcspites Of u f0rtnights duration
for the purpose OF further inquiry into facts
alleged In excuipatioD.
DIR. LAxsox's MENTAL DISEASE.
NEW York. April 2.-Tbe World OF to-
day prints letter written by Rev. Irving
McElroy, rector Of Christ's church, Rouse's
Point, to Mr.. Stephen b. French, commits
sioner OF police, In which he says:
"Dr. Lanson has been very dear friend
Of mine for fifteen Years past, and last sum-
mcr spent the month Of May and part OF
April and June with me here. He had
written me from England TO say that he
was coming. and when | saw him found
great change in him from what he
had been In the summer OF 1877, which
he also spent with me. He was sorely trou-
bled with his head, complaining continu-
ally OF pain and dizziness, and, except when
reused, he seemed incapable OF consecutive
thought. Two or three times, when speak
ing OF the trouble with his head, he said to
me: Il suppose this will end in insanity;
the doctors say they can do nothing for
me- Once he asked my wife iii she would
ne afraid OF him ii he should be insane
and once asked my sister-in-law III she
would come and see him when he was in
Bloomingdale.'
Zone day went with him to Montreal
and took him to one place where he could
get hypodermic syringe mended, and
then to a druggists, where he had prepa-
ration Of morphine and atrOpine put up
the proportions being so large as to cause
thc drug-clerk TO ask him II he knew what
Nc was getting. This led me to ask
Il
lie told me that he used it on HIM
,clf 10 relieve the pain in his left
lung. After we reached home | watched
him use it, and in its effects saw the condi-
ton OF body and mind which had so fire.
quently puzzled and alarmed us. Know
ing then that he kept himself constantly
under the influence of narcotics, either
aconitine and morphia or atropine and
morphia, We watched him constantly to
prevent, II possible, his getting an over.
dose, as he was terribly reckless in the use
Of the drugs, and we were afraid he would
thoughllessly put an end to his life. Once
he did get an overdose of laudanum, but
We succeeded in relieving him. tried to
make him abandon the habit, and he
often promised that he would, but for
got his promise in a very few mo-
ments. We saw that he was hardly
ever in condition to know what he did
or said, and | charged my wife not
10 permit him to administer medicine to
any Of the family for fear that he would
administer the poisons he was using HIM
self and in the same quantities he was
using for himself, for l knew that such n
dose would prove fatal. While with me
he spent considerable portion OF his time
fishing upon the lake, but most Of the time
in his own room, or upon the lounge in the
'sitting-room. He was always kindly,
courteous, and full OF goodwill, speaking
lovingly Of his wife and compassionately
Of his brotber-in-law, whom he is accused
81 killing wiliully, and always speaking OF
him rs one whose days were numbered
"When l saw in December that he was
suspected OF having murdered his brother
in-law, wrote at once to the chief OF the
Detective Bureau, London, enclosing a let
ter to the Doctor, and telling the chief OF
his visit to me. OF his morphine habit, and
offering TO procure evidence here that would
show that the Doctor was so thoroughly UNI |
der the influence OF the poison that he could !
not be considered a responsible agent. L
was with him when he graduated from
the University Of Pennsylvania; frequently
saw him while he was practicing at larry
Town; corresponded with him while he
was practicing in Lancaster. Pa. had him
with me some months before he went TO
join the Russian-hospital force in Turkey;
have corresponded with him since his
establishment in England, and had him
with me last summer, and j have always
known him TO be kindly, courteous,
open-hearted Christian gentleman, fine
linyuist, a skilful musician, and thor
ough surgeon and medical practitioner. |
I believe him incapable OF wilfully HARM |
ing any person, and especially any person
10 whom he was attached. l honestly be- |
lieye that all the aconItine he is reported to |
have purchased was bought for his own
use, and that II he administered any to his
brother-in-law he did so 10 relieve his
suferings, and gave him, carelessly, the
quantity he had been in the habit OF using
for himself. Knowing DIR. Lamsom as L
have, do not believe him capable Of wilful
crime OF any kind, and least Of all OF the
horrible murder OF loved wiie's brother,
who, in his opinion as medical man, was
very near deaths door,"
LONDON, April 3.-The Times, comment |
ing on the case OF DR.. Lamson, says there |
is no symptom OF insanity in his deliberate |
and persistent striving TO make away with |;
one whose removal meant temporary relief |
from his difficulties. II concludes by draw |
ing attention TO the fact that the plea OF in
sanity is sprung upon Sir William Har-
court after four months silence. The press
generally seems to think little Of DIR. Lam
sons chance OF escaping execution. The
Times says: "The theory set up in the
United States that he had craze on the
subject OF aconitine does not, we presume,
impose upon any man OF ordinary sense"
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