The Sun. — 1842-04-27 (London, England)

PAKINGTON—IIid Obadiah BarWick Lucas reside with you in Bond-street, Ipswieh, in the month of April, 1837 ? Yes. Do you recollect any conversation taking place during that mouth between your brother and a man named George Scho• berg?—Yes. Do you recollect that the day subsequent to that conversation :"' George Schobrrg committed suicide ?—Yes. State to the House what was the effect which the suicide of Schoberg produced on the mind of your brother. —The effect Produced upon my brother's mind was such that we were afraid to leave him alone. Were you in the habit of seeing your brother since 1837 ? --Yes. • • Has his mind recovered from the shock of that excitement ? Never. Has he been, since that time, in a state of nervous excitebent ?—Yes. Do you consider his memory was impaired?—l do. Did von see your brother on the evening peeceding his examination before the Election Committee ?-1 did. In what state of mind was he then ?—He was exceedingly excited. ••• Did you see him since his commitment to Newgate ?—Yes. In what state did you find him ?—ln the same state. The witness was then ordered to withdraw. The Surgeon of Newgate next appeared at the Bar, and, in ,replyto a question from the SPEAKER, said that he had known "Lucas since the time of his confinement in Newgate. He had teen Lucas that day. He had seen him professionally. Lucas Was out of health. He considered the man was in a gloomy state of mind. - In answer to a further question from Mr. PAKINGTON, the witness stated that he had particularly directed his attention to the state of mind of Lucas within the last day or two. The man appeared to witness to be labouring under great nervous excitement. Witness considered it quite Possible that the state of nervous excitement under •• which the man laboured. might so have affected his mind as to render it probable that he could not give c3rrect evidence with respect to a transaction in which he had taken part nine ten-months ago. The witness was then ordered to withdraw. Mr. PAKINGTON then rose and said, that he did not know whether the conclusion to which ha had come, from the - evidence just given, might be the same as that at which the House had arrived. He hoped, however, that it would not ap'•• pear to those Hon. Gentlemen with whom he had the pleasure tt.:%of acting in the Committee, that he was going to pursue a Bourse at all inconsistent with the step which they had taken in 4 -ordering the commitment of Lucas to Newgate for the false evidence which he had given ; and that it would not be supt'ss rsed'by the House that he was at all deviating from the opt,-- mon -he had expressed on a farmer occasion, that Committees e;. • were bound to resort to the powers which they possessed, when '- be expressed his opinion, that the statements which had been 4-1' made at.the Bar, raised a strong presumption that the false 'zt. answers ,whieb Lucas had given them, were, in a great degree, `e occasioned by his infirmity. The Hon. Gentleman accordingly ~..moyed, that. Obadiah Barwick Lucas be discharged from her Majesty's gaol. of Newgate. Mr. PARKER thought that the end which the House had t,'s • had in view in showing its determination to cause the authe.... eity-of the Committees to be respected, and their questions to be answered truly, had• been attained, and he supported the -Motion. • Mr.O'CONNELL doubted that the man ought to have been committed at all. . Upon reading the evidence, it seemed very - Probable that. his contradictions were occasioned by fatuity— (Hear, hear)—and that no Jury would convict him of wilful ..Perjury.--4 Hear, hear.) After what the House had heard, there scarcely could be any oppo.dtion to his discharge. Mr. DARBY else concurred in the motion for discharging the prisoner. Sir C. B. VERE read a certificate from a surgeon attending Lucas, stating that he was labouring under strong nervous excitement. After a few words from Mr. PAKINGTON, the question was put and carried.