Report of the proceedings under a brieve of idiotry, Peter Duncan against David Yoolow, tried at Coupar-Angus, 28-30 Jan., 1837 : with an appendix of relative documents, and an introduction / by Ludovic Colquhoun.

  • Duncan, Peter, active 1837.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the proceedings under a brieve of idiotry, Peter Duncan against David Yoolow, tried at Coupar-Angus, 28-30 Jan., 1837 : with an appendix of relative documents, and an introduction / by Ludovic Colquhoun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Lamar Soutter Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

    174/190 (page 8)
    Answers for Peter Duncan, residing in Conpar-Angus, to the Petition presented in name of Mr. David Yoolow, re- siding at Mill of Peattie. 29th December, 1836. The respondent says, presented in name of Mr. David Yoolow, because he knows that Mr. David Yoolow did not, and could not give instructions to present this petition; for the best of all possible reasons —-it is altogether beyond his comprehension. But the writers of the petition are ingenuous enough to admit that it is the agents that are the petitioners, though the name of Mr. David Yoolow is used. They say, as the ground-work of their application, that his agents have sought in vain to discover any delusions, or other evidences of insanity, and are unable to discover what circumstances the pursuer is to attempt to prove before the Jury. Such is the ground of this application ; and none know better than the agents alluded to, that, upon its own merits, it is the most ridiculous and absurd application that ever was presented to a Judge. They know it will and must be refused: they know that your Lordship cannot but refuse it. What, then, do they present it for, or what object do they expect to gain from it ? The answer is simple—Delay. It is delay they want; and of this your Lordship is no doubt convinced, from the motion which was this day made in Court. The respondent will, in a few words, satisfy your Lordship, that it is of the utmost importance for the ends of justice, that the request made in this petition shall be refused. Legally, he will never pretend to ques- tion or doubt that it must be refused. Mr. David Yoolow is a person of weak intellect : his mind is what it was when he was nine years of age. He never had any brothers, but he had two sisters, one of whom died in August last. This sister was un- married ; and she contrived to get her father, who was wealthy, to leave all his wealth to her, cutting off the other sister, who was married, with a mere pittance. Miss Yoolow went on accumulating money,—she re- tained the custody and keeping of David Yoolow,—and when she died, having conceived a most unnatural dislike to her sister and her family, she executed, on deathbed, a deed, leaving the custody of her weak brother to a pampered menial, and the management of the farms, and custody of the wealth, to strangers. This menial, and these strangers, are the parties at present in the charge of the farms and of the person of David Yoolow. Indeed, the menial has every thing at his disposal,