The Sun. — 1850-05-20 (London, England)

THE LATE SIR JOHN BARROW, BART.—The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the monument to the memory of this esteemed gentleman took place on the Hill of Road, near ITlverston, on Wednesday last. The ceremony was numerously attended, the trowel for the purpose being in thee hands of the eldest son of the deceased, Sir George Burrow. The humble thatched cottage at Dragley, the birthplace of the deceased, was tastefully decorated, and his alma muter, Town Bank School, was festooned with flowers, and flags were flying from the belfry.  Peter Pearson, lately residing at Juniper-green, in the county of Edinburgh, was placed at the bar, chatged with murdering George Wilson, surgeon, and Jean Ritchie or Wilson, at Juniper-green, on the • night of the 17th or morning of the 18th March last. . The prisoner, who is a stout-built robust man, apparently between forty and fifty years of age, was placed manacled at the bar, and was carefully guarded by three police-officers. lie wore a morose and sullen aspect, and, with his head sunk forward on his breast, he manifested not the slightest interest in the proceedings, and appeared utterly unconscious of what was going on. Mr. Dees, Mr. Montgomery Bell, and Mr. Maitland appeared for the Crown ; and Mr. Robert Robertson and Mr. G. R. Ogilvie for Pearson. On the prisoner being placed at the bar, Mr. Robertson, on his behalf, pleaded insanity in bar of trial. He stated that he had known the prisoner—who had been a tenant of his—for upwards of ten years, and so far as his judgment entitled him to form an opinion, the prisoner had been an insane person, ever since he knew him. In the year 1838 he took up the religious notion, founded upon an us passage of Scripture, ethrraotnehoe omutgehrptrettaotioanbaonfdoan his father's house He accordingly. left his father end his family, and never agtp returned to the house. After -leaving his honM4 . 1838, he all,Piloted himself till 1843, when he came to him (Mr. Robert,son), as his in ary of 'calling upoa himimmetodiparteotleacil tdhloimrd,agaforietahtesepmu repioms ea g encroachments upon his property, but finding them untenable, he (Mr. Robertson) bad declined to do anything in the matter. On that occasion he became perfectly furious, and he was in consequence sent to the Asylum at Morningside. He remained in that institution for two years and eight months, and was liberated on a medical certificate, in the autumn of 1846. Since that period Pearson had never supported himself, and had never been able to settle at any business or trade. He was originally a mason, but he had been entirely supported by his family. In March last the events recorded in the indictment took place; and he trusted to be able to prove that on the 18th of March he was perfectly insane, and that he was still in that condition. Professor Miller was then called in, and stated that he (Professor Miller) had no doubt that he was at that moment a dangerous madman. Dr. Spittal thought him a dangerous madman. Lord Moncrieff said he supposed that the Court could come to no other conclusion than that the prisoner at the bar was not a fit person to go to trial on the charge against him. Lords Cockburn and Ivory concurred. The deliverance of the Court was then read, to the effect that as the prisoner at the bar was not a proper object for trial, the diet be deserted pro loco et ten:pore ; and that he be conveyed to the prison of Edinburgh, and taken thence to the general prison at Perth, to be there detained subject to the future orders of the Court. The prisoner was then removed from the bar.— Edinburgh Advertiser.  A very alarming and destructive fire broke out shortly before daybreak on Saturday morning in the