Glasgow Courier. — 1845-05-22 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14. The leading of evidence for the pursuers was resumed. John Adamson, who had been coachman to Mr. Win. Waddel, mentioned several acts of eccentricity similar to those related by the witnesses on the preceding day. Dr. Chapman, proprietor of an establishment for the treatment of lunatics, near Edinburgh, was then called. Wm. Waddel came to the home on 13th March, 1836. Alexander hi‘Donald had been sent by him to Mr. Waddel's house, as keeper, before that. When first brought into the house be was highly delirious, and subject to various delusions. 14e fancied that females were concealed between the bed and the mattress, and that what he called " spunkies" were enclosed in the will. Witness had conversed with him for hours, during which no one could tell that anything was the matter with him: unless he (witness) "brought him out," and touched the key, no one could have told anything was the matter witheim. For many months after he came to the house he was very generous, offering witness £lOO at one time and 2.800 at another. Witness read extracts from his diary relative to the prisoner, whom he said he had claased as "incurable," being obliged by statute to class patients curable or incurable—a most absurd thing; for they could not tell. He classed him as incurable, from his age, and knowing that disease was In bin family. Mr. David Chalmers—Was first called in to see the late Mr. Waddel on the morning of the last day of February, 1838. He did not remain long on this occasion. Be formed the idea that Mr. Waddel was affected with a kind of hypochondria, as he had fancies about bin health. Saw him again in the forenoon of the same day, in consultation with Dr. Hunter and Dr. Davidson. The opinion he formed on this occasion was, that it was a phreni. tic complaint, with fever. The symptoms increased rapidly. He was subject to various hallucinations. The witness read his notes of the case on and subsequently to the 9th March, which mentioned various delusions by which the deceased was affected, such u his fancying there was sonic instrument of destruction concealed about his bed. He made an attempt at suicide by suspending himself by a handkerchief to the iron rod of the bed. Andw. Stone, W.B.—Was agent for the late Mr. Win. Waddel; I was first employed by him in 1833. Was employed by him in 1834 I to execute a trust disposition, which witness prepared, and it was executed on 27th Jan.,1834. About the end of Oct., 1435, senses I as I can recollect, Mr. Waddel applied to me about the settlement of • particular part of his property—the estate of Sydserff. He called at my house, and began by saying, I wouid reeollect that I had prepared a trust deed for him, which I said I did. He said I would recollect that he had made a destination of his estate of Bydserff to his nephew in liferent, and the heirs of his body in fee. He said his nephew was sow deed, and had died unmarried, and he now wished to alter the destination of the estate. He then stated that be either had or was about to make • provision in favour of his brother's family, which would render them indepeedent after his death. He told me that he meant to settle that estate on Lord President Hope, and he stated as his reason torso dolog, that his Lordship had befriended him at a time when he had no friends whatever, and when he stood in much need of them. Be added, that it was by his Lordship's interest that he was placed in • situation in the King's Printing House, and owing to that be had made all the money he had. No more passed at that time. About the end of November I saw him again ; he came to me and repeated what he had said before as to the destination of his property, adding that he wished MO to frame the deed, sons to give a liferent over Bydserff to the Lord fresident'e unmarried daughters, so long sa they should remain unmarried, and the survivors of them. About the end of Deoember or beginning of January, I saw him a third time, when he (*me and gave me inatruotions to prepare the deed. I prepared the deed and took it to his house in George Square, end read it to him, when he expressed himself quite satisfied. I afterwards extended it according to his instructions. lie did not state to me that he had executed any other instrument or deed in referenoo to the trust deed of 1834. I received no communication from the Lord President on the subject of that deed. 1 had no conversation with bin Lordship on the subject at any time, so far as I can recollect. During the preparetion of that deed I had no conversation on the subject with any one, exeeptiog with Mr. the LC/ID-