Chapter Twenty-one

• Author: Richard D. Schneider
• Pages: 255-266

 

Cae Tny-oe

   his trial, Daniel M’Naughten – “this wretched crim-

inal,” as e Times described him – was removed from Newgate Pris-

on. He received the information that he was to be taken to Bethlehem

Hospital “with evident satisfaction, and walked with a quick rm step

to the outer prison gate where a hackney cabriolet was waiting for

him.” e governor of the prison, a Mr. Cope, accompanied the pris-

oner and upon arriving at the hospital handed him over to the cus-

tody of the hospital governor, who conveyed him to the section of the

building reserved for “criminal lunatics” where an apartment had been

prepared for him, a cell previously occupied “by several of the more

notorious criminals of late years,” but a commodious space nonetheless

on the ground oor of the hospital.

Following his committal,e Times gave its readers a glimpse of

M’Naughten’s rst few days at Bethlehem:

He was constantly watched by two turnkeys who were relieved every

 hours, and with these individuals the wretched man at all times

entered into conversation with considerable alacrity. He frequently

made inquiries as to the political movements which were going on,

and manifested great anxiety when in the performance of their duty

the ocers attempted to evade answering his questions. His excite-

ment when conversing on this subject appears to have impressed all

those who were brought into contact with him, with a belief that his

mind was aected.

His conversation is generally stated to have been extremely inter-

esting, frequently turning on mechanical subjects; but it is a curious

circumstance, that on one occasion only did he allude to the fearful

crime committed by himself, and then only in the most unconcerned