Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1893-07-22 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

BRIGHOUSE GENTLEMAN'S STATE OF MIND. INQUIRY AT YORK.  An inquiry was held at York on Tuesday, before Mr. F, W. Meolean, Q.C., M.P., one of Her Majesty's Commissioners in Lunacy, ant a jury, as to the alleged lunacy of John Rieha,d Satoliff a, an inmate of Lawrence House, York, and formerly residin; in Church•street, Brighouse. Tue inquiry was bald un ler an order male by Lord Justice Kay on the petition of Hannah Sut-tliffe, the sister, and Fredk. Sutcliffe, the brother of the alleged lunatic. 11r. Kershew (instructed by Messrs. Lancaster Sc Wright, Bra Hord) nppeared tor the petitioners and Me. U. Mellor (instructed by Messrs, Storey & ijo., Halifax) represented Mr. tiutcliff, the subj +et of the inq iiry. —Mr. Kerehaw, in addressing the jury on beo Alf of the petitioners, Rail that for the last two years or more Mr. Sutcliffe, who was a bachelor, had been a patient in Lawrence House, a private asylum kept by Dr Swanson in York. His Lather committed suicide, and in January, 1891, symptoms of unsoundness of mini began to manifest themselves in Mr. Sutcliffi. He became restless, unable to sleee, and liable to lits of excitement. His sis'er, one of the petitioners, suggested that he should go to Matlack, and he agreed. and went to Prospect House, a hydropathio ' establishment at that place. Whilst there he cou. ducted himself in such a violent !manner that the manager asked Miss sutoliffe to remove him, and she took rooms for him at Larch Tree Cottage, ten. anted by Mrs. Mary Stallard. Mr. Sutcliffe became very excited on leaving Prospect House, an I ran away to the hills and moors. S iarch was made for him, and at last he was found lying by the stile of a wall. Persuasion proved of no avail, and be had to be carried borne, swearing, foaming at the mouth, an I vary violen,. lie was place iin one of the rooms of the house with two attendants, and while there bit the hearthrug and dragged it abut with his teeth. One of his pockets was full of salt, and he put this into his mouth by handfuls. He refused to accepts cup of cocoa, saying that it had been drugged, and he suspected everybody with whom he came in contact of improper motives. On the following morning he struck Mrs. Stallard, and threatened to murder her and his sister. Dr. Swanson was then communicated with, and Mr. Sutcliffe was removed to Lawrence House, since which time the symptoms of insanity ha 1 continued, ant he still entertained astounding Fall impossible delusions with regard to those aroun i him. The jury were called together to decide as to his mental condition and as to whether he was capable of managing himself and his affairs, and he asked them to say that it was the kindest thing that he should be taken oars of until his un• happy malady should be brought to an end.—George Davis, man Igor of the Hydropathic Establishment, Prospect Place, Matlock Bath; Arthur Farnsworth, Bentley Bridge, Matlock, nurserym in; Dr. Swanson; Dr, Baker, York; Dr. North, York; Dr. Major, Wakefield Asylum; and other witnesses having been called on behalf of the petitioners, Mr. liellor pr °ceded to lay before the Court evidence on behalf of the respondent. Dr. Priestley Leech, Halifax ; Mr, Arthur Drury, 141.8., Halifax ; and Ur. J. Ho Igson, Brighouse, were of opinion that Sutliff ViJd not incapable of managing his own aff Hrs.—Corroborative evjAnce was given by Mary Ann Lee, house. keeper for Mr. Sutcliffe before his removal to Vie asylum, and Geo. Barker, silk sinner.— The Court then had the respondent before them in private, after which the Master addresaed the jury, Who almost Immo ilately found that the respondent was of imeoun I min lent incapable of mauaging himself or his affairs. The jury, num'oering twentY•thate, were uuaiiimous in tueir verdict.