The Queen's Marriage page 2

A bullet-mould, powder-flask, and other articles were found at Oxford's lodgings, also rules and regulations of a supposed secret society. The defence set up was a plea of insanity, and Mr. Taylor, his counsel, referring to the statement that Oxford belonged to such a society, said it had been clearly proved that no such society was in existence. He was quite sure that if there were, it would be dragged to light by the police. All the papers produced had been written by the prisoner himself, and were the creations of his own foolish fancy. He asked the jury if they considered that if, with all the boundless wealth and influence of the Government to procure evidence and information, they failed to produce evidence of a treasonable nature, had he not a right to say that no such evidence could be obtained, and that the prisoner at the bar was labouring under a mental delusion? He went in the most public manner to commit the outrage, taking no precautions for his escape, not even standing inside of the railing. He avowed the deed, stood firm, and surrendered himself up at once to await the consequences. Could any sane man have so acted?

Witnesses for the defence deposed that madness was hereditary in the family. His grandfather had been raging mad; his father had often threatened to commit suicide, and on one occasion threw a bundle of bank notes into the fire, and watched them till they were consumed. The prisoner's mother stated that her husband was a gold-chaser by trade, and could earn twenty guineas a week. He bought a horse on one occasion, and used to lead it about the parlour. He hit his wife with a quart pot on the head, and when she was in distress for money, he used to laugh. On one occasion he sold off all the furniture of his house, and went to Dublin to spend the money. The prisoner, her son, was always subject to fits of crying and of passion. He was fond of handling fire-arms. On several occasions he presented a pistol at his mother, and on one occasion he struck her a blow across the face.

Dr. John Conolly, physician to the Hanwell Lunatic Asylum, who had 800 patients under his care, deposed that he had conversed with the prisoner, and considered him of unsound mind. Dr. Chowne, physician to the Charing Cross Hospital, and Surgeon Clarke, gave similar testimony. The Solicitor-General, in reply, dissected the evidence for the prisoner's insanity, contrasting it with the facts which indicated a clear intellect and remarkable self-possession.

The Chief Justice Denman then charged the jury. He cautioned them against the dangerous doctrine that the commission of a great crime without an apparent motive was in itself a proof of insanity. With regard to the motive, a love of notoriety had been suggested; but might not this absurd sort of love of notoriety have been as well gratified by firing pistols unloaded as loaded?

The jury, having been absent from the court about three quarters of an hour, returned the following special verdict: - " We find the prisoner, Edward Oxford, guilty of discharging the contents of two pistols, but whether or not they were loaded with ball has not been satisfactorily proved to us, he being of unsound mind at the time." An argument followed between counsel as to whether this verdict amounted to an absolute acquittal, or an acquittal on the ground of insanity. Lord Denman said that the jury were in a mistake. It was necessary that they should form an opinion as to whether the pistols were loaded with bullets or not; but it appeared they had not applied their minds to that point, and therefore it would be necessary that they should again retire, and say aye or no. Did the prisoner fire a pistol loaded with ball at the Queen? After considerable discussion upon the point, the jury again retired to consider their verdict. During their absence the question was again argued, and it appeared to be the opinion of the judges that the jury were bound to return a verdict of "guilty" or "not guilty" upon the evidence brought before them. After an absence of an hour they returned into court, finding the prisoner " guilty, he being at the same time insane." The sentence was that he should be imprisoned during Her Majesty's pleasure, according to the Act, 40 George III., providing for cases where crimes were committed by insane persons.