Note 99 — OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND PLEAS IN BAR OF EXECUTION.

Lord Ferrers committed the murder of his steward Johnson after drinking porter to excess. See State Trials. John Dey of Dereham, in Norfolk, after a paroxysm of drunkenness rose in the middle of the night, and cut the throats of his father and mother, ravished the servant maid in her sleep, and afterwards murdered her! A somewhat analogous case was presented to us in the history of Nicholson, who murdered Mr. and Mrs. Bonar at Chiselhurst. These men were, however, condemned and executed.