membered chiefly, and his loss will be felt most widely, in the Church at large. No man's judgment (says the Standard) was held in higher esteem. At once orthodox and prudent, firm in the maintenance of what he believed to be the truth, and yet conciliatory to those who differed from him, the late chancellor will be mourned by many who, while not sympathizing with all his (to them) old-fashioned opinions, yet held in the highest regard his genuine piety, unaffected simplicity, and honesty of purpose. The late chancellor took a warm interest from the first in the revival of Convocation, as to which he has published several pamphlets, and was an active member of the Eastern Church Association. The last important question in which the deceased took part was the opposition to Dr. Temple's consecration. He was a member of Mr. Gathorne Hardy's Oxford committee, was an old-fashioned Tory as well as Churchman. Indeed, during the late Administration his name was more than once mentioned for a bishopric. DEAN RAMSAY. The Very Rev. Dean Ramsay, of the Episcopal Church in Scotland, died at his residence in Ainslie-place, Edinburgh, on December 27, in the eightieth year of his age. The Dean was the fourth son of the late Sir Alexander Ramsay, of Balmain. He received his education at Harlsley, Yorkshire, at the Grammar School, and St. John's College, Cambridge. He came to Edinburgh in 1824, and in 1830 he succeeded to the incumbency of St. John's, Edinburgh, on the death of Bishop Sandford. He was appointed dean in 1831. He was offered, but declined, in 1835 the bishopric of Fredericton; also, in 1848, the see of Glasgow, and in 1863 that of Edinburgh. He was well known as the author of "Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character," of which twenty-one editions have been published. MR. A. SMITH. The death is recorded at River Bank, Putney, on December 26, of Mr. Archibald Smith, LL.D., F.R.S., of Lincoln's Inn, barrister-at-law, and of Jordan Hill, Lanarkshire. Mr. Smith was born in 1814. After studying at Glasgow University, he went to Cambridge in 1832. In 1836 he was senior wrangler and first Smith's prizeman, and was soon after elected a Fellow of his college. The second wrangler of this year was Bishop Colenso. Mr. Smith was an unsuccessful candidate for the chair of Astronomy at Glasgow, and after declining an offer of employment at the Greenwich Observatory, he was called in 1839 to the Chancery Bar, and from that date forward he was mainly occupied with professional business. He devoted his leisure, however, to mathematical studies, and his contributions to science were of the highest practical value. Upon the recommendation of a joint committee of the Royal Society, he was employed by the Government to execute a magnetic survey of the Antarctic regions. In connexion with these inquiries he made a series of researches relative to compass deviations, which were published in 1862, under the title of the "Admiralty Manual for the Deviation of the Compass," which was republished and translated into various languages. As a recognition of his scientific labours, Mr. Smith received from the Royal Society one of its Royal medals, and from the Emperor of Russia a compass set with diamonds. Her Majesty's Government still more recently requested his acceptance of a gift of 20007., not as a reward, but as a mark of their appreciation of the value of his researches and of the influence they were exercising on the maritime interests of England and the world at large. Mr. Smith, who, besides his scientific acquirements, was an eminent Real Property lawyer, stood as the Liberal candidate for the representation of the University of Glasgow, but was not successful. In 1853 he married the daughter of Vice-Chancellor Sir James Park, who survives him. He leaves a family of six sons and two daughters. MR. J. STARTIN, F.R.C.S. Mr. James Startin, student of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, died on December 24, after a short but very severe illness. Mr. Startin was well known as a most successful dermatologist, and, if not the founder, was for many years the senior surgeon to the Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, Blackfriars. He was the author of several valuable contributions to dermatology, a speciality to which so much attention has been directed by Professor Erasmus Wilson (the founder of the Dermatological Chair at the Royal College of Surgeons), Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson, Mr. Milton, Dr. Tilbury Fox, &c. Mr. Startin, who was a member of several learned societies both at home and abroad, was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons on February 15, 1828, and a Fellow on July 6, 1852. REMARKABLE TRIALS. I. THE STOCKWELL MURDER. THE Rev. John Selby Watson was put upon his trial on the 10th of January, before Mr. Justice Byles, for the wilful murder of his wife, Anne Watson. The prisoner was described in the calendar as being 65 years of age, and by profession a "clerk in holy orders." The case appeared to create a great deal of public interest, and a number of persons were in attendance anxious to gain admission long before the usual time for the commencement of the sittings. The counsel for the Crown were the Hon. G. Denman, Q.C., Mr. Poland, and Mr. Besley. Mr. Serjeant Parry and the Hon. A. Thesiger were counsel for the prisoner. The prisoner exhibited a most careworn and dejected appearance when he was placed at the bar. He pleaded not guilty in a low tone of voice, both to the indictment and to the coroner's inquisition. The Hon. Mr. Denman opened the case in a brief and temperate address, and he narrated the circumstances under which the crime was committed. The following evidence was then adduced for the prosecution: : Mr. George Whelin, a metropolitan police constable, produced a plan of the house occupied by the prisoner and the deceased, and he described the number of rooms and their different dimensions. The house was situated at No. 28, St. Martin's-road, Stockwell, and there were three rooms on the first floor. Eleanor Mary Pyne, examined by Mr. Poland-I was in the service of the prisoner and the deceased at No. 28, St. Martin's-road. I was in their service altogether for nearly three years. My sister was also formerly in their service, but she left at Christmas, 1870, and from that time I was the only servant. No one lived in the house but my master and mistress and me. My master was formerly head master of Stockwell Grammar School, but he left that appointment about the time my sister went from his service. My master and mistress formerly occupied the same bedroom on the first floor, the front room, but they ceased to do so in the middle of last year, and my mistress used to sleep in a room behind the library. The prisoner still occupied the front bedroom, and the library was on the same floor. I attended to all the rooms except Mrs. Watson's bedroom. She attended to that room herself, and I only went into it occasionally. On Sunday, the 8th of October, my master and mistress went out rather earlier than church time, and returned after church time, but rather later than usual. They usually dined at a quarter to two o'clock, and they dined together on that day, and they had some wine after dinner and also some dessert in the library. I saw the prisoner and the deceased in the library about three o'clock, and I did not notice any thing particular in their appearance. They were generally very quiet. I went out about five o'clock on this afternoon, as was my usual custom, and I returned home about nine o'clock. I knocked at the door, and my master let me in. I had prepared the tea-things in the dining-room before I went out. The usual hour for tea was a quarter to six o'clock. When the prisoner opened the door he said that my mistress was gone out, and would probably not be home until the next day. I did not make any reply to him, but went into the dining-room, and I noticed that the tea-things had not been used, and the prisoner said, "We have not taken tea to-night." The prisoner then said he would have his supper, and I took him up some bread and cheese and retired to the kitchen. I afterwards went into the prisoner's bedroom, but did not notice anything unusual in it. The prisoner had his supper, and I saw him afterwards coming out of the library. He opened the door and directed my attention to a stain on the floor, and said, "This stain on the floor is port wine which your mistress let drop. I have told you in case you should wonder what the stain was caused by." The stain was under the carpet as you walked into the room, close to the door. The key of the library was generally in the door, but this time I noticed that it had been removed. I went to bed, and nothing more occurred, and on the next day the prisoner told me that he did not think my mistress would be home that day, and he afterwards said that he did not think she would be home for a day or two. When the prisoner called my attention to the stain of blood, he also told me not to go into the room, as my mistress had locked it. The prisoner went out on Tuesday before dinner, and before he went he said he should not be home that night, and I had better get some one to sleep in the house with me. I was unable to find any one. The prisoner did not go out as he had said he should, and about eleven o'clock at night he called to me and told me that if I found anything wrong in.the morning with him I was to send for Mr. Rugg, his doctor. I asked him if he was ill, and he replied that he might require medicine in the morning. I got up on the Wednesday morning about a quarter to seven o'clock, and at eight o'clock I knocked at his bedroom door, and he came down-stairs at about half-past eight o'clock. He went out before he had breakfast, and was absent about ten minutes. He went out again after breakfast, and returned about eleven, and I saw him go to the library. Shortly afterwards he called, and said that if I should find him ill before dinner I was to go to the doctor. Soon after this I heard groans proceeding from the prisoner's bedroom, and I went there and saw him lying in bed, undressed. I spoke to him, but he was unconscious, and did not appear to know me, and I immediately went for the doctor. I noticed three papers on the table and a small phial on the drawers, and also a glass by the side of the bed. I took up one of the papers, and read it. It is the one now produced. The paper was not sealed, and it contained a 57. note. Dr. Rugg was the medical attendant of my master, and I went and fetched him, and he proceeded to my mistress's bedroom, and shortly afterwards he went to fetch the police. While he was absent my master said that he was cold, and I put some more clothes on the bed. When the police came they went into the library, and I noticed some marks on the windows, apparently splashes of wine. I had noticed these marks first on the Tuesday when I cleaned the M windows. I did not see the body of my mistress until the following day. It was lying in the back bedroom, where she had been in the habit of sleeping. My quarter's wages would not have been due until the 8th of November, a month after my mistress died. Cross-examined-The prisoner was not conscious when I saw him on the Wednesday morning, but he recovered his consciousness shortly afterwards. I heard that some pistols had been found in a drawer in my master's dressingroom. The drawer was open, and any one who opened the drawer could have seen the pistols. The piece of paper with the Latin writing upon it was placed open on the table in the library. I saw it on the Tuesday, but had not noticed it before. The house the prisoner occupied was a large one, and one of the rooms was used as a schoolroom. At one time he had two pupils, but they left about the same time he left the Grammar School. When he lost his appointment one of the servants went away, and I was his only domestic. I was in his service not quite three years, and latterly I did all the work of the house except my mistress's bedroom. My mistress and master did not cease sleeping together until the hot weather in July. Sometimes my mistress was hasty in her temper, but the prisoner invariably acted kindly towards her, and I considered him to be a kind-hearted gentleman. I never noticed any grumbling or unkindly feeling on the part of either my master or my mistress, and they always appeared to live happily together. The prisoner did not keep any company. He was always very reserved, and was always either writing or reading, and his habits were of a studious character, and he generally seemed absorbed in his books and writing. Everything in the house was very regular and punctual. My master and mistress went to church together on this day, but they started rather earlier and returned rather later than usual. They usually went to church once every Sunday. Dr. G. P. Rugg, examined by Mr. Besley-I am a doctor of medicine, and practise at Stockwell. I have known the prisoner for some time, but I have not attended him professionally, but I went to his house to see the sister of the last witness professionally. I remember being fetched to the prisoner's house on Wednesday, the 11th of October. I found him in bed, unconscious, and breathing heavily. His eyes were turned up, and there was a cold, clammy perspiration upon him, and at first I thought he was labouring under an attack of epilepsy. He remained in an unconscious state for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. I observed three letters on the table. One was addressed "To the surgeon." It was sealed, and I opened it and read it, and then proceeded to the place where the body was said to be placed. Dr. Rugg was cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Parry. He said-I knew the prisoner a great many years as master of the Stockwell Grammar School, and he bore the character of a man of high classical attainments and a kindhearted, humane man. I had seen the prisoner about three months before at King's College, and at first he did not appear to know me, and he seemed very absent. I have no reason to doubt that he had taken poison when I saw him on the 11th of October, and that he had taken a dose that might have. produced death. He was seriously suffering from the effects of prussic acid. The usual course is to arouse the patient, if possible, and I tried the necessary means to do so. He told me he had taken a dose the previous night, but it was not sufficient, and he had purchased more that morning. The strength of prussic acid would decrease by keeping, and it was very volatile. If the prisoner had purchased prussic acid twelve months before and kept it, the strength would have very greatly deteriorated. It was after the policeman came that I told the prisoner that I knew he had taken prussic acid, and he merely threw up his arms, and exclaimed, "Ah!" or something like it. I inquired of the prisoner if there had been any insanity in his family, and he replied that his brother was quite sane, but he could not say so much for his father. When he referred to the oyster, he knew that he was charged with murder, and that the police were in the house ready to take him. He seemed to be quite oblivious of what had taken place. He said that he wished to be shaved, but the policeman would not permit it. He talked of the oyster-shell as being a great curiosity. I asked him if he had anything on his mind, and whether his means were sufficient; and he said that he had enough, but that his means were diminishing, that it was a serious thing for him to lose the Grammar School, and that he had been promised an appointment, but it had fallen to the ground, and he was afraid at his age he should not get another appointment. I consider that insanity is as much a disease as any other malady to which human nature is subject. There is a well-defined form of insanity known as melancholia, and this form of insanity is recognized by every eminent medical man. A sudden shock of any kind would be calculated to produce the disease of melancholia, and a person suffering from it would be liable to sudden and uncontrollable outbursts of passion. He might commit an act of great violence while in that condition, and according to my judgment he would not be able to distinguish whether he was doing right or wrong, or the quality of the act he was committing. Mr. Serjeant Parry (to the witness).-Having heard all the evidence in this case, and after the interviews and conversations you have had with the prisoner, what is your opinion of the state of his mind at the time he killed his wife? Mr. Justice Byles expressed some doubt whether this question could be put, as the effect of it would be to place the witness in a position to usurp the functions of the jury. The question was proposed in a modified form, but was still objected to by Mr. Denman. The learned judge expressed his opinion that the question could not be put legally. Dr. Rugg, on further cross-examination, said that he had noticed that the prisoner had exhibited very great despondency. Mr. Serjeant Parry.-Do you believe the prisoner to be sane or insane at the present moment? Witness. I believe that at this moment the prisoner is of unsound mind. Re-examined. The last time I saw the prisoner he was in Horsemongerlane Gaol, and at this time he was under the medical care of Mr. Waterworth. the surgeon of the prison. I had not spoken to the prisoner except upon the occasions I have referred to for more than a twelvemonth. In the conversations I had with him the prisoner was perfectly rational, and he appeared to · understand all that I said to him, but he appeared to be very morose. Mr. Denman.-From what particular facts do you come to the conclusion that the prisoner is insane? Witness. I do not form that opinion from any particular fact, but from all the circumstances of the case taken together, and the general demeanour and conduct of the prisoner. |