The Sun. — 1844-08-21 (London, England)

WORSHIP-STREET.  A gentleman, who stated that his name was Walker, and that he resided in St. John-street, Clerkenwell, stepped into the witness-box, and handing his card to the Magistrate, requested his advice and assistance under the following circumstances : The applicant stated that an aged and respectable friend of his, of the name of White, who had been for several years one of the brethren of the Charterhouse, and regarding whose perfect sanity there had never been the least suspicion among all who knew him intimately, had written him a communication, about a month ago, couched in the most apprehensive terms, and stating that he had been privately informed hat it was the intention of some of the superiors of that foundation to incarcerate him forthwith in a madhouse, on the supposition that he was insane, and earnestly beseeching the applicant to immediately interpose on his behalf and prevent so dreadful a calamity. Applicant immediately called upon Mr. White, with whom he had a long conversation, and the result of it was that he was never more convinced in his life of the perfect sanity of any man than he was of that of Mr. White. He therefore lost no time in seeking the assistance of two eminent medical practitioners, whom he took with him to the Charter-house, that his friend might undergo a searching examination as to the state of his mind by them; and both those gentlemen, after questioning Mr. White with extreme minuteness, were unanimously of opinion that he was thoroughly in possession of his mental faculties, and each of them unhesitatingly signed a certificate to that effect. These the applicant immediately laid before Mr. Tucker, the principal or house steward of the foundation, in the hope that their preconceived notion as to the state of Mr. White would be removed ; but in a few days after he was astounded at receiving a second letter from his friend, beseeching him to come and see him, and stating that the threatened proceeding had been put into execution, and that he was then actually in a lunatic asylum at Bethnal green. For the first week that Mr. White was confined there complainant was allowed unrestricted access to him, but on presenting himself at the establishment at the beginning of the second week, he was told by the proprietor that he had received positive directions from the Charterhouse not to permit any one on any account to see him again without an express and written order to that effect from them. He then called upon an eminent physician, who had been intimately acquainted with Mr. White for years, and upon stating. the facts to him, that gentleman expressed the greatest astonishment at them, and immediately signed a certificate, formed upon his own personal knowledge of the supposed lunatic, couched in terms stronger, if possible, than the others. Applicant had since made repeated applications at the Charterhouse, accompanied by the strongest remonstrance ae•ainst the course they had taken ; but not the slightest notice had been given to them, and he now wished to know what steps he could adopt that were most likely to be attended with a beneficial effect ? The applicant then handed to the Magistrate the three certificates lie had alluded to, accompanied by .a letter from his friend Mr. White, the latter of which bore every evidence-of perfect sanity, and was such, to all appearance, as a man in full possession of his faculties would indite.  The Magistrate, after perusing these documents attentively, told the applicant he was afraid he could render him but very little assistance under the circumstances he had stated, for the only course open to him, that he could see, wa3 an application to the Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench, requesting him to issue an habeas corpus. That was the only advice he could give him. The applicant shook his head doubtingly at this step, but thanked the Magistrate for his attention, and withdrew.  Amelia Smyler, a well-dressed young female, was charged with attempting to commit suicide on the preceding night. A policeman on duty near Lambeth-stairs had his attention arrested by seeing a young female walking along crying and wringing her hands. lie went up to her and asked her what was the matter, but she made him no reply, but quickened her pace and went towards the river. Before he had time to get up to her she plunged head foremost into the river, and he instantly jumped into a wherry alongside the bank, and with difficulty succeeded in dragging her out, and brought her ashore to the station-house. From subsequent inquiries, it was ascertained that the defendant lived with her uncle and aunt, in the neighbourhood, with the latter of whom she had a quarrel, which induced her to make the above attempt upon her life. Mr. TRAILL said that it was surprising the slight causes that often led young women to commit suicide ; that the present was a very determined attempt of the kind, and ho should, therefore, call on the defendant to  find bail not to repeat the offence, and, in default, commit her to gaol.