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Asylum Report of Jonathan Martin. Bethlem Hospital 1834

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Asylum Report of Jonathan Martin. Bethlem Hospital 1834

Postby Nevis » Mon Nov 22, 2021 6:15 pm

Bethlem Hospital, 1st January 1834.

Crime. Arson and Felony in setting York Minster on fire and taking away sundry articles.
Jonathan Martin age 42 was tried at York Castle having previously been removed from this Gaol by Habeas Corpus March 31st.
Verdict. Not guilty on the grounds of insanity.

Jonathan Martin.jpg

Jonathan Martin 2.jpg


Report by John Kilby, Gaoler, New Gaol, City of York, April 13th 1829.

"Martin says he belongs to Norton in the County of Durham England, and when once out of work applied to the Justices at Stockton, who examined him and ordered him to be supported at Norton. The character of Jonathan Martin prior to his commitment was very good. He had worked with several eminent Tanners in the Counties of York, Durham, and Lincoln, and had uniformly conducted himself to their entire satisfaction. He was an excellent workman, perfectly sober, honest and industrious and a man who would not tell an untruth on any occasion, whatever apparent interest or advantage he might have derived from it. All his Masters whom I have seen, greatly respected him and he has received them and spoke of them in the highest terms of gratitude and regard. Since Jonathan Martin has been confined here his conduct has been uniformly good both before and after his trial without the slightest perceptible alteration. He is quiet and inoffensive in his general behaviour, subject to slight alternations of excitement and depression, but requiring no personal restraint. He converses with propriety on most subjects, with the exception of Religion, especially with reference to the conduct of the ministers of the Established Church. When these subjects are introduced he quickly evinces his disordered imagination and that he is labouring under delusion. there appears little derangement of the bodily function as his appetite is good and his sleep for the most part natural. It has been generally reported in York that Martin has been attempting to put an end to his existence by hanging himself, and another report that he has opened a vein without a view to his bleeding to death, and I am not sure whether those reports have not been inserted in the Public Prints. There is not the least vestige of the truth in any of them. He is perfectly well in bodily health and has been drawing figures for his amusement for some days past as he is in a prison alone and for which he seems to evince very considerable natural talent. I was informed by the Widow Orton who keeps the Asylum at Gateshead where Jonathan was confined three years that he was a great favourite with her late husband and would have persuaded him to have done almost anything. He however ultimately made his escape from this place of confinement and the mode in which he performed it he narrates without any hesitation. He also got up the chimney since he has been confined in this Gaol prior to his trial. I cannot say how Martin might be affected if he was kept alone in prison for any length of time as I understand from his brother he is very fond of liberty and would embrace any opportunity which might occur to attain that object. Jonathan Martin has been travelling through the country some time selling pamphlets descriptive of his life of which he says he has disposed of more than ten thousand copies."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Martin_(arsonist)


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