An inquiry into the state of mind of W. F. Windham, Esq., of Fellbrig Hall, Norfolk : before Samuel Warren ... and a special jury, upon the petition of General Windham ... the uncle of the alleged lunatic, and other members of the family, at Her Majesty's Court of Exchequer, Westminster, commencing December 16, 1861.

William Frederick Windham

Date:: [1862]

Credit: An inquiry into the state of mind of W. F. Windham, Esq., of Fellbrig Hall, Norfolk : before Samuel Warren ... and a special jury, upon the petition of General Windham ... the uncle of the alleged lunatic, and other members of the family, at Her Majesty's Court of Exchequer, Westminster, commencing December 16, 1861. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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the steps they have takou to save their youthful relative. 1 am astouiahed that Mr!^ Coleridge, for tho purpose of attacking persons of position and influence, si’oakl have enunciated doctrines more extraordinary than any that evei icli li oni the lips of a profligate desirous of confounding vice with virtue and nmkmg wickedness appear to bo innocence and goodness, and should have exposed to the affri-diteci gaze of tue public a circle which is generally banished from the recollec- tion'of those who move in decent society, or which, when it is remembered at a , is thought of with lamentation and distress. Mr. Coleridge, in fact, has spoken o the aristocracy as if they were the most despicable race in England; am as ii tae pyramid of society rested upon its apex instead of its base. I myself have been attacked in unsparing and virulent language. A great equity lawyer has aceusea me of conducting this inquiry as if it were a case of petty larceny; but i can Dear such twits as these, because I stand here as an independent man, owing notlung to favour, and because, although I have been engaged in petty larceny cases, in mus firius cases, and in running-down cases, I have never been driven in pure despera- tion to make an unwarrantable attack upon those opposed to me. Tho learned gentleman had not concluded when the inquiry was adjourned. THIRTY-SECOND DAY.—Tuesday, January 28. The adjourned inquiry into the state of mind of Mr. VY. E. 'Windham, of Eellbrigg hall, Norfolk, was resumed to-day in the Westminster Sessions-house, before Mr. Warren, Q.C., one of the Masters in Lunacy, and a special Jury. Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., Mr. Field, and Mr. Hume Williams, appeared for the petitioners; Mr. Charles Russell for Lady Sophia Elizabeth Giubilei, the mother of the alleged lunatic ; Sir Hugh Cairns, Q.C., Mr. Karslake, Q.C., and Mr. Milward, for Mr. William Frederick Windham ; and Mr. Coleridge, Q.C., for Mrs. AVindham. Since the speeches began the proceedings have been unusually dull, but the thirty-second day of the inquiry was marked by an incident which, in the absence of more interesting matter, may be worthy of note. Mr. Chambers had not pro- ceeded far when he suddenly stopped and complained that Dr. Gwin, one of the witnesses for Mr. Windham, was staring him in the face and grinning from ear to ear. Such conduct, he said, was neither fair nor pcjlite, and he requesjied that Dr. Gwin, who was sitting opposite to him, should be asked to remove to another part of the court. The Master complied with the request of the learned counsel, which was backed by the foreman of the jury, and Dr. Gwin, who was now grave enough, whatever he might have been before, changed his seat. Unfortunately, however, in the hurry of the moment, he placed himself immediately below Mr. Chambers, who again asked him to go somewhere else. The Master interposed a second time, and eventually Dr. Gwin found a resting place in a dark corner out of sight, where he remained for the rest of the day. Mr. Chambers, resuming his speechfor the petitioners, commenced by directing the attention of the jury to the general evidence against Mr. Windham, reserving for after consideration the residence in Duke-street, the marriage with Miss Willoughby, and the timber contract. He said;—I vindicate the character and professional attainments of Drs. Nichol and Dalrymple, of Norwich, which have been unjustly and virulently at- tacked, and I maintain that the testimony of those gentlemen proves Mr. Windham to be a congenital imbecile, able to protect himself from physical injury, but utterly in- competent to the management of affairs. What gives peculiar force and value to their evidence is that they have known the Windham family for many years, and have enjoyed opportunities of observing the alleged lunatic from his birth u]iwards. One of them, indeed—Dr. Nichol—had examined him at the request of his lather in early childhood, and had even then formed and expressed the opinion that, if not an absolute idiot, he was a person of unsound mind and would never be capable of managing himself or his affairs. Evidence to the same effect has been given by Dr Johnstone of Norwich, Dr. Buck, of Cromer, and Dr. Illingworth of London, all gentlemen of considerable experience and eminence in their profession, and witnesses whose candour and truthfulness cannot for a moment be questioned. To assail such men with scorn and ridicule may be very clever, but it is an unmistakeable symptom of a desperate and hopeless case, and can have no effect upon tho jury. An attempt has likewise been made to cast discredit upon the tutors who have given evidence in support of the petition. Surely, however, it will not be protended for an instant th.at gentlemen of position and attainments, all of them clergymen of the Church, have deliberately come forward and peijured themselves for the purpose of 3

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