The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-06 00:00:00

I _win', SHORT-HAND WRITER a PRINCIPAL )RTER to the Liverpool Standar , respectfully -_____ _ _ofessional Gentlemen and Parties ' terested, that purposes to supply accurate VERBATI ' REPORTS of Trials in the Nisi Prius Court at the en ing Assizes, on pectabilil Letters liarly moderate. es permitted to Gentlemen of the highest re- cl. to the STAND T) OFFICE, Will receive THE PRESIDENT, t no intelligence of th 1, which is now looked for with anxicty, not unmingled in some quar- ters t th apprehensiot, She left New York on the llth ultimo (with twenty-five passengers, and some goods on freight, and has, therefore, been out 25 days. Three sailing ships, all of which left the same port after her departure, and the last of which sailed on the 19th, have since arrived. If she has gone southward to the Azores, as we conjectured. in our last paper, she might do, for xn additional supply of coals, she is scarcely yet due, as she might be detained a considerable time at Fayal, or elsewhere, and would require probably a week at least to make her way thence to the Irish channel. It may be here re marked, that although happily hitherto no breakage of any moment has taken place in the machinery of our Ocean-going steamers, such a casualty, with all the care with which engines may be built and worked, will assuredly take place sooner or later ; and though the giving way of some part that could not be re placed but in harbour, would not endanger the ship, it would certainly greatly retard her. Accidents also occur to the steering gear, even in the best con structed vessels, which, in the case of the President, a very heavy ship, would perhaps cause even greater delay. But such casualties we consider are, as regards her, mere possibilities rather than probabilities,—and so far are we ourselves from desponding, that we hope to he enabled to welcome her safe arrival in our next publication, if not in our second edition of this day. GOOD FRIDAY Oa Friday next, being Good Friday, the Standard will be on sale at the Publishers' Ojice until ten o'clock, after which period it may be obtained at Arnold's, South John-street ; Wilmer and Smith, Church 4ylwcird and Gaskell, Lord-street ; Pugh, llarybone, and at the usual places. STAMPED SUPPLEMENT WITH THE STANDARD, In consequence of the pressure of assize and other intel- 'e have made arrangements for presenting readers of the Standard with a stamped supple- 'nt, gratis, on Tuesday next Ebt Etherpoot &tanbarb. TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 6, 1841 The burgesses of St. Anne's ward have now an op portunity of doing the state some service, and we con fidently expect that they will avail themselves of it. Mr. James Parker is the Conservative candidate, and we are happy to learn that he is a gentleman worthy of ; ,neir warmest support. We hope there will be no apathy on an occasion of this kind. Never was there a time when it was more incumbent on those who va- lue the Christian institutions of our country to exert themselves. Soon, unless the mad and mischievous career of legislative liberalism be put a stop to, our government and laws will be completely unchristian ised, and nothing will be left of that glorious constitu tion which has made Britain the first of modern na tions, but the memory of its departed excellence. The House of Commons has now decreed that Jews are fit persons to have a share in the administration of our local governments. Next they will be admitted into Parliament ; and who then can be said to be dis qualified for making our laws, and deciding upon what is most conducive to our good It will then be no reproach to any man to avow himself a Socialist. We shall have Socialist senators as a matter of course, and doubtless our church and religion will be well taken care of under such a regime. It is said, what signifies admitting Jews into Parlia ment, when Papists and others who sympathise as lit tle with our church feelings are there already ? Well, we cannot tell the precise amount of its importance or insignificance ; the last bundle that breaks the horse's back, may be but a small one—not more, perhaps, than a pound weight ; but if the poor, sinking animal is to be relieved at all, this is plain, that it is not by putting more weights upon him that the work is to be done. Papists have been admitted into parliament, and a very great encouragement, certainly, our expe rience on this hand gives us to go onward in the same march. The deed is one which we look upon as al ready repented of, and to be amended. But what shall prevent us despairing of our country, unless we find every man who has her interests at heart willing to work in his own sphere, as if her fate depended upon his own individual exertions ? This is the feel ing which we should expect that every man who has a sense of true patriotism would cherish, and act upon whenever, and wherever he had the opportunity. It is a strange anomaly that Liverpool should be re presented in parliament by two Conservatives, but that the burgesses should be represented in their town council by a majority of Radicals ! It is no less un fortunate than strange; for thus the weight of public authority, and the sanction of official dignity are given to that radicalism which every Conservative cordially and justly detests, and a power is thrown into the scale of the adversary which it requires the utmost straining of Conservatives at all times to overcome. Now we say it is a matter of prime importance to alter this. To the inhabitants of Liverpool, we know of none greater, and at this moment we would beg the burgesses of St. Ann's ward to assure themselves that they can perform no greater service to the town than by returning Mr. Parker, a staunch Conservative, to fill the existing vacancy. His only opponent comes forward on the Radical side; and to those whom we address, that, we expect, will furnish obstacle sufficient to deprive him of their support; though if others were looked for, we believe they might be found. Mr. Chalmer is a surgeon— and although we would not object to a candidate merely because he was a surgeon, if in all other re spects he were duly qualified—yet, if we were quite at sea, and in search of a candidate to represent a district exclusively mercantile, assuredly a surgeon would not receive our preference for such a purpose. We should have no objection to see Mr. Chalmer returned to that medical congress, which a bill now before parliament would constitute by free election of the professionals for the purpose of regulating all medical affairs ; in such a senate he perhaps might cut a respectable figure ; but we see no necessity for filling our mercan- tile town council with members of the lancet corps. Mr. Chalmer comes forward on the Radical Again, interest; but how long, we should be glad to know, has he been attached to that side ? Truly, the Radi cals must be hard run for men when they can find none to put up but deserters from the Tory camp, and one especially a convert of so late a date as we under stand their present candidate is; but this is their affair, and let them settle it among themselves. All we request of the Conservatives is, to vote for Mr. Parker—a man who is not given to change—a man whom they all know well; and one who, we believe, will not disappoint their expectations as a representative of Conservatve men, and a supporter of Conservative principles in the Council. According to Mr. Alderman Evans, the desire to make any change in the constitution of the Dock Trust can only proceed from envy, hatred, and all unchari tableness. Those who entertain it are, " a few persons who hope to gratify personal or political enmity, or to prevent improvements that have been sought for in vain for the last forty years." But we take leave, on our part, and, we think, we may safely say, on that of a few others, to repel this not very charitable accusa tion of the eloquent alderman. The question with us is s i m ply, who are the fittest persons to have the pre ponderating influence in the nomination of the trustees, and whether, under existing circumstances, it is desir able that the Town Council should have it ? Mr. Evans is a corporator, and, with a suitable esprit de corps, says, of course, that there is nothing like lea ther—no men equal to corporators for such work. We, on the other hand, perceive none of that peculiar fit less of things in the arrangement that h e does, and cittlsive that as rate-payers are the body mos t nearl y -11 . 44 -0 1 .'t"y interested in the good management of the estate, so ought they to be the body most largely re- presented in the committee. The payment of rates, says Mr. Evans, furnishes ao title to a share in the appointment of the commit- no more than the payment of duties on tea and sugar by grocers gives them a right to the management of the customs." Now will Mr tell him, that, though a liberal, it is plain, from this that he is but ill-acquainted with the principles of li berty. We have always understood that taxation with out representation is tyranny; and we call to mind an observation which has been frequently made, that the now United States of America would probably be a British colony at this hour, but for an unfortunate at tempt to establish the contrary of this principle. Evans 001 If payment of rates furnishes no title to a share of management, or right of election, then the actual rate payers at this moment have no right, in point of prin ciple, to send in trustees to the committee, and enjoy that privilege only through the sufferance of the Town Council, or the extraordinary bounty of the legislature. We beg the rate-payers to note this doctrine of Mr. Alderman Evans, a distinguished member of the mu nicipal body. He declares that no extent of contribu tion on their part gives them the slightest right or title to have a vote with regard to the management of the Dock Estate, and, moreover, that a body elected for other purposes—who may or may not consist of rate payers—who possibly might not have a single rate payer among them—and who are not necessarily elected by rate-payers—has as good a right to choose the com mittee as they have, if not a much better. The ad vancement of such a proposition does, to our mind, indicate unsoundness in the basis of all the alderman's reasoning. In his engrossing zeal for the aggrandise- ment of the Council, discretion abandons him, and he grasps at any and every paradox that seems to favour the ruling passion. He argues, that as " this town is purely mercantile, the Council, while its duties are important, will always consist essentially of mercantile men, who will, of ne cessity, select their delegates to the Dock Committee, with a view to their fitness for that duty." It may be ted that this town is " purely mercantile," and yet 11 not follow that the Council is the body most fit to superintend the docks and warehouses of the port ; becanse, strong as the " counting-house sway" may be, it is by no means omnipotent in municipal elec tions ; nor are councillors chosen altogether with re gard to their mercantile weight or talents, but fully as much on the ground of their political principles and other qualifications not exclusively mercantile in their character. And this is a sufficient answer to the argu ment that members of the Council must necessarily be better qualified to act as dock and warehouse trustees than men directly selected for the purpose by those who use those docks, and have the greatest possible interest in their proper management. But rate-pavers, says Mr. Evans, are "a transitory, varying body, without organization or periodical meet ings." Perhaps so ; but how in this respect do they differ from burgesses who elect the Council ? The members of the one body are just as " transitory and varying" as those of the other. When one set goes off, another comes in their place. Even town-coun cillors, lamentable as is the truth, are a "transitory, varying body ;" and—sic transit gloria mundi—all things upon earth are varying and transitory. We do not see the force of this argument ; for how ever the rate-payers may fluctuate, individually, still the interest of rate-payers continues, and must ever continue, while there are docks to be maintained and rate-payers to maintain them. As to organization, what do they want of it ? and as to periodical meet ings, there is nothing more easy than to have them when the necessity for them arrives. But the short of the matter is this : Alderman Evans has conceived in his mind's eye a magnificent scheme of Town Council grandeur, and the question is, will the rate-payers of the docks and the burgesses of the municipality lay aside their sober, calculating, count ing-house common-sense to assist the aldermen in the realisation of his pleasant day-dream ? His worship is, in our judgment, decidedly poetical, and sees such visions of corporate grandeur as none but one inspired, or one "of imagination all compact"—(a rare instance of mental developement in the aldermanic body, by the by)—could possibly behold. In this respect he labours under a slight infirmity, and supposes that all the world is in a conspiracy to thwart his views, and degrade, in stead of aiding him to exalt, his darling body. But— " Oh, that Heaven the gift wad gi'e us, To see oursel's as ithers see us" — the fault lies nearer home than he has any idea of. He may yet make the discovery that Radicalism is a thing that carries no weight with it, no respect, and no con fidence. LOCAL NEWS, BIRKENHEAD GAS AND WATER WORKS BILL.—Mr. Brotherton, on Thursday evening, postponed the third reading of this bill until the 27th April, and Mr. Sheil took the opportunity of stating that it was the intention of the de partment to which he belonged to require that in future the profits of all gas and water companies should be limited to 10 per cent., and that the profits above that sum should be applied to the diminution of rates. This, we believe, is all the opponents of the measure seek to obtain. DEATH OF A CHILD, IN A TIMBER YARD.—An inquest was held yesterday, before Mr. Curry, on view of the body of John Webster, a child of eight years old. It appeared that on Saturday afternoon last, about three o'clock, the deceased and two other little boys were playing in a timber yard, in Upper Mann-street. The balks were placed four high. The balk that was at the top was placed crossways on the others, and one end of it was resting on the ground, and the other end was a good height from the ground. The deceased went and sat upon the high end of the balk, and so soon as he had done so, the balk, with his weight, went down, and turned round, and the other end slipped off the balk underneath, and it fell, and the deceased along with it, and the balk rolled over his head. He was able to speak, and was taken home directly to his parents' house, in Upper Mann-street. A surgeon was immediately procured, but on undressing him he was found to be dead. The ribs on the left side were crushed in. The timber yard is railed round, but there are seve ral holes through which children are in the habit of going through to play. The jury returned a verdict of " Acciden tal death." It will be remembered by some of our readers that an in quest was held in Warrington in January last, on the body of an infant whose death appeared to have been produced by laudanum administered in mistake for Godfrey's Cordial, when the jury found a verdict of manslaughter against Mr. William Barton, a most respectable chemist and druggist, who subsequently gave hail to answer the charge at the as sizes. We believe that several of the oldest and most re spectable medical practitioners in Warrington volunteered to go to Liverpool and give evidence in Mr. Barton's behalf if it had been necessary, but the grand jury came to the conclu sion that the circumstances of the case afforded no ground for placing Mr. Barton in the painful and annoying position of standing upon his trial for manslaughter, and accordingly ignored the bill. BURGLARY. —WiIIiam Wigham was placed at the bar of the police-court, on Saturday last, charged with having broken into a public-house kept by James Wilson, in Dawson-street. Mr. Wilson's servant locked up the house at two o'clock on Saturday morning, and arose again at twenty minutes-before seven, when she found the bar door and a door leading into the ale cellar open. She informed her mistress, who, on going down stairs, missed a decanter of brandy and a bottle of rum from a shelf. Information was given to police-officer Tuck, who went to a cellar in Williamson-street, where he found the prisoner and the decanter, with a little brandy in it, and a bottle of rum. A man, named Dougherty, entered the cellar, upon which Wigham exclaimed, " Don't take Dougherty : I did it myself.' , The prisoner had nothing to say in his defence, and was committed for trial: MYSTERIOUS CASE OF POISONING.—On Sunday week James Scott, an Irishman, who had come over to Eng land to purchase " fents" in the Manchester market, was found dead in his bed, at Callaghan's lodging-house, in the Angel Yard, Warrington, and from no money being found in his clothes, and a large sum in Irish notes, sovereigns, and silver, being discovered in the bed in which he and Peter O'Meeley, his comrade, slept, it was suspected that he had not came fairly by his death. O'Meeley and a woman named Toole, who had accompanied them from Liverpool, were consequently taken into custody, and kept in Bridewell, to await the result of the coroner's inquest, which was held be fore John Heyes, Esq., county coroner, at the Higher Angel Inn, at ten o'clock on Wednesday morning. After the evi dence was taken, the jury returned a verdict to the effect, that the deceased had been found dead in bed, that his death was occasioned by having corrosive poison administered to him, but whether administered by himself or any other per son or persons there was no evidence to show. - • • • DEATH IN THE BRlDEWELL.—Yesterday an inquisition was taken before Mr. Curry, on view of the body of Robert Welsh. It appeared that the deceased, who was 21 years of age, was on Sunday morning, about a quarter past one o'clock, found by the police lying on the ground in Lime Kiln-lane, in a state of intoxication and insensibility. He was conveyed to the Rose-hill station. He came round a little after he had been there a short time. A little before five o'clock he was taken with the other prisoners in the van to the main Bridewell. He walked to the van and appeared to be as well as the other prisoners. He was locked up for being drunk and for safety. He was in drink at the time, but quite sensible. He was removed into a cell with the other prisoners, and did not appear to be ill, nor did he complain of anything being the matter with him. He was attended by one of the turnkeys and another officer. A little before ten o'clock he was seen lying at full length on the form, ap parently asleep. An endeavour was made to rouse him, and as he appeared to be very weak, he was placed on a mattrass and covered with blankets, and bottles of hot water were placed at his feet. As he was then thought to be ill a sur geon was sent for, who remained with him three hours and then went away. He afterwards appeared to be getting worse, and the surgeon was sent for a second time, but be fore he arrived the deceased was dead. Mr. Archibald Arnott, surgeon, said that he was called to the deceased in the Bridewell, as stated, and found him in a state of insen sibility. He used such means as he considered proper to re vive him, and partially aroused him. He had since made a post mortem examination, and was of opinion that he died of apoplexy, brou g ht on b y excess i ve d r i n king. Th e j ury re turned a verdict accordingly. The deceased was apprentice to Mr. Port er , painter, &C., Mersey-street, by whom his father is employed. SOUTH LANCASHIRE SPRING ASSIZES CROWN COURT.—FRIDAY. MURDER NEAR WIGAN. Robert Anderton, 45, was indicted upon the coroner's in quisition for the wilful murder of John Colton, at Standish with-Langtree, near Wigan. Mr. Starkie and Mr. Ramshay conducted the prosecution : the prisoner was undefended, but the learned Judge request ed Mr. Murphy to undertake his defence, and the learned counsel promptly consented. in • Mr. STARKIE, opening the case, said the evidence he should have to produce in support of the indictment would necessarily he of a circumstantial nature. He should, how ever, trace the course which the deceased, John Colton, took upon the 25th of July last. On that day the deceased, who lived at Haigh, a place about three miles from Wigan, and was an underlooker at the coal-mines of Lord Balcarres, set off from Haigh in order to go to Bolton. He had in his possession a watch and some money. On his return from Bolton, instead of going by the direct road to Haigh, which was about eight mile's, he returned through Wigan. He was at Wigan between six and seven o'clock that night, and purchased a handkerchief at a shop kept by a per son named M`Martin. After that he was seen by Mrs. France, his sister-in-law, and they two agreed to go home together. About twelve o'clock, however, the de ceased set out alone, mid before Mrs. France. Between ! twelve and one o'clock he passed through the turnpike-gate upon the road to Ilaigh, which was about two miles from Wigan. Mrs. Roberts, the wife of the toll-gate keeper, would inform the jury that at that time the deceased was the worse for liquor, that she told him he had three-halfpence to pay, but he took out a five shilling piece which he mistook for a penny, that she said to him, " There is another half penny to pay," whereupon he took out a shilling, that she gave him the change, and, of course, returned the crown piece. At that time, it appeared, a person in a dark dress passed through the stile on the causeway attached to the turnpike-gate. About 200 yards beyond the bar, and near the spot where the deceased met with his wound, a person named Smith lived. Mrs. Smith heard the report of a pistol, and presently afterwards she heard a horse gallop past towards the Boar's Head. About five o'clock in the morning a person named Reed saw the deceased lying upon the ground, and gave information at the Boar's Head, but no notice was taken of the circumstance. At half -past six three persons named Finch, Ward, and Bes wick saw him, took him to the public-house, and thence he was conveyed home. It was found that he had received a pistol shot wound under the left ear, and had been robbed of all the property which he had had upon his person. The deceased lingered till the Wednesday following when he expired.—The learned counsel then detailed a great variety of circumstances, tending to show the connection of the prisoner with the watch of the deceased, the handker chief bought from Mr. AP - Martin ; also, a variety of ex pressions used by him on several occasions, and some facts concerning his having been seen in the lane near the spot where the alleged murder was perpetrated. Margaret Colton, the daughter of the deceased, an inte resting girl of about nine years old, was the first witness called. She proved that on the morning that her father left home to go to Bolton he had a watch upon his person. There were three keys, (but only one would fit it,) a brass chain and seal, with a plum-coloured glass or stone attached thereto. He had also some gold with him, which witness saw. He was brought home about nine o'clock the next morning. John M`Martin said he was a draper in Wigan. Between six and seven o'clock on the evening of the 25th July, the deceased came to his shop and purceased a silk handkerchief. Witness had only another handkerchief of the same pattern among his stock, and this he subsequently sold to a police officer. In cross-examination, the witness said that there were many other handkerchiefs of the same pattern as that which he had sold to the deceased. Abraham Syddal, a pattern-maker, said he lived near Wigan. Between twelve and one o'clock on the night of the 25th July, witness was in Wigan-lane, and saw the deceased on horseback, and another man following him, who was dressed in a dark coat. Cross-examined.—Witness could not clearly see the fea tures of the man in the dark coat who was following the de ceased. _ _ Ann Roberts, the wife of the toll-gate keeper referred to, said she did not know the deceased. She got up between twelve and one o'clock on the night in question to open the gate for a man on horseback who was going towards Standish. The witness then described the circumstances of the mistake which the deceased had made relative to the deceased giving her the crown piece. Whilst the man on horseback stood there, a man in a dark-coloured dress went through the small gate on the other side, in the same direction as the man who had paid the toll. After she had got into the house, and not more than five minutes from the man on horseback leaving, witness heard the report of a pistol. The Boar's Head is a little further on, nearer Standish than the toll-gate. Cross-examined.—lt would take perhaps five minutes for the men to have got from the tollgate to the Boar's Head. Mrs. Smith said she lived a little further nearer Standish than the Boar's Head. About five minutes before 1 o'clock, witness being in bed, heard the report of a pistol, which seemed to come from about the Boar's Head. In a few mi nutes after witness heard the noise of a horse galloping to wards Standish. Next morning, between six and seven, witness saw some men carrying deceased into the Boar's Head. He was wounded; and witness, on looking at the spot from which he had been taken up, saw a great quantity of blood. William Berry said he was a weaver, and lived at Worley, near Wigan. About a quarter to one o'clock, on the morn ing of the 25th July, witness, William Woods, and Thomas Yates were going along Wigan-lane. They went through the tollgate. After going through the gate about 68 yards they met a man going towards Wigan, who had a dark co loured coat on. Witness said to him, " Good morning. Sir," and he made witness a reply in the same words. The man then said to him, " There is a man lying in the road, on one side the Boar's Head, and his horse on the other. Wil liam Woods said, " We will awake him," but witness said they should not, for if the man they met had picked his pocket. they (witness and his friends) would be suspected. This was not said in the hearing of the man. The man was a " slow talking man." Witness saw the prisoner in the Town-ball, Wigan, a few days after his apprehension. Wit ness had not seen the man either before or since, but he had no doubt the prisoner was the man he had met on the road. When he met Will he had a stick in his hand, and a " bundle" under his arm. Witness was present at his examination at the Town-hall ; upon that examination the prisoner asked him if the coat he then wore was the coat he had on when he met him ? Witness replied. " No, it is not." Cross-examined.—The man whom witness met was walk ing at a leisurely pace towards Wigan. Witness and his friends did not hear the report of a shot. They passed the place where the man lay, but did not observe him. They did not look. They walked on the footpath. Were not pre sent when the man was afterwards found. Witness examined the pool of blood afterwards, and they had walked nine or ten yards from that spot. One of witness's companions was a weaver, and the other an engineer. They were going a fishing at Blackburn Locks at the time. They were not going poaching, but they had no permission to fish. The night was not very dark. The man merely walked past, and spoke casually. It was 20 minutes after 12 o'clock when witness and his companions started, and it would be about a quarter to one when they met the man. Re-examined.—Witness and his companions did go to the locks to fish, and they arrived there about three o'clock. It was two miles from the place they started from to the place where they met the man. William Woods said he was a brickmaker and weaver, and was with the last witness upon the night referred to. The man they met was dressed in a dark-coloured coat, which was mended off at the " laps." This was not a shape com monly worn. The prisoner seems about the same height as the man they met. Wm. Berry said " good night," and the man answered him in the same words. The man then said, " there is a man lying at the other side of the Boar's Head, and if I were you would get him up ; and his horse is stand ing about five yards from him." Witness and his com panions did not go to him as they were afraid if he had been robbed they should be suspected. The prisoner was the man they met that night. Witness was sure of it. Witness heard him speak at the Town-hall afterwards, and was sure that his voice was the same as that of the man they met. He was a slow spoken man. Cross-examined.—Witness is not a poacher. They walked on the footpath when they met the man. Witness had twice fished in the locks before. Re-examined.—Fishing at the locks is not prohibited. By the JUDGE.—Went to the fishing-place so early be cause it was such a great distance. They caught about 31 lbs. of " dace, " some of which they sold. Ellen France, sister-in-law of the deceased, said she parted from the deceased at the Queen's Head public-house, in Wigan, between 12 and 1 o'clock, on the 25th. They agreed to go home together, and were to meet at the Golden Cross. Witness and her husband arrived there about a quarter before twelve at night, and found the deceased was gone. It rained, and witness turned back, but started again at a quarter before one, with two men named Mason and Atherton. Would have to go the same road as the deceased. Was on foot and when they came to Mr. Powell's, where the footpath crosses the road, saw some men coining in the mid dle of the road. When she had got about a dozen yards from where they crossed, which is half a mile from the Golden Cross, witness heard a man running as hard as he could to wards Wigan. When he came within about three yards of witness he stopped of a sudden as if he had been shot. He leaned his head upon the wall. Witness went up to him, put her hand upon him, and said, " Mester don't fall asleep here, or you 'll be robbed or beaten." He put up his head and put it down again in the same posture. This place is half a mile or more from the toll-gate. Mason shouted to witness not to stop with the man. Witness went about fifty yards further when she heard a man coming at a great speed and with a heavy foot in a direction meeting her. He made a sudden stop before he came up, and turned himself into a corner of the wall about two yards from witness. He turned with his face from witness. Witness passed him, and he still kept his face from her. He had a dark blue or black coat on and dark trousers. Was not sure this man was the prisoner, but on the examination before the magistrates he said to her, "if she had met him, it was near the Inde pendent Chapel, as he was no further on the road that night." The prisoner favoured (resembled) the man whose dress she bad described. Witness went on, and about forty yards over the Red Rock Bridge, which is a mile or more further from Wigan than the Boar's Head, she saw a horse. It was that which Mr. Colton was on. Witness did not know the first man she met. Cross-examined.—Witness thought she had seen the first man in Mr. Gaskell's office. He ran very fast. He was a low stiff man. Told a gentleman she believed this was the man. Believed his name was Haigh. Had never seen him since. The second man was examined before the justices about a fortnight or ten days after she had met him. The second man had nothing in his hands that witness could see. It was three miles from Wigan where she saw the horse. Did not pass the place where the deceased was found, as she went a nearer way to the Red Rock Bridge. The horse was standing at a dead side, near a quarry. Joseph Reed. —Is a labourer, at Wrightington. Was going to Wigan from Standish, about five o'clock on the Sunday morning. Saw a man lying in the road, about mid way between the Boar's Head and the tollbar. There was some hay trailed out of a field, and he was lying upon it. He was in a poor condition, and said, " Where am I ?" Witness went to the Boar's Head, and having told them, went on his way to Wigan. Witness did not know him. There was some blood on his ear, and on the road. Cross-examined.--The hay appeared as if it had been thrown over the hedge from the field, and then placed under the man. Henry Finch said he was a rope-maker, at Wigan. He was on the turnpike, between the Boar's Head and the toll gate, with Woods and Bennett, about half-past six on the morning of the 26th, and s aw a man l y i ng upon some hay in he road. Witness knew him. It was John Colton. He was resting upon his elbows and upon his knees. He ap peared to be in a very bad state. Witness and the other men took him to the Boar's Head ' • examined his pocket s a t the Boar's Head, and found some bread, but neither money nor watch, nor silk handkerchief ; nothing indeed but the bread. There was a great quantity of blood about four feet, near the place where they found Colton. By the JUDGE. — The man was lying nearer the hedge, and the blood more in the middle. Examination resumed.—The pockets, in which the de ceased said his money was in—which was in the waistcoat— was turned inside out. Cross-examined.—The phrase used by the deceased was, " They have taken it." By Mr. STARKIE.—He said he had about £2 in his left waistcoat pocket, and they had taken it. This was all he said. Mr. George Daglish said he was a surgeon at Wigan, and was called in to attend the deceased about.eleven; o'clock on the Sunday morning l at his own house, He had a triangup lar wound at the stem of the left ear. Witness probed it, and felt a hard substance. Extracted a piece of lead, which weighed 32 grains, and which had been in contact with the external substance. At that time complained of a great pain in his head. Witness attended him several times, and on the Wednesday night_ afterwards he died. After death witness opened the head, and found a large piece of lead, which had passed through the opening of the outer ear into the internal ear. It was contained in the bone of the internal ear, which it had destroyed. There was a considerable effusion of blood between the bone and the dura mater, and also in the membranes of the brain. On the substance of the brain there were clots of blood. The piece of lead weighed 95 grains, and a portion, perhaps five grains, were left in the substance of the bone, which witness could not extract. — [The witness here produced the two pieces of lead, and they were inspected by the court and the jury.]—lf a ball were fired from a pistol, it would be likely to assume the shape of these pieces. In witness's opinion the cause of death - was the gun or pistol shot in the ear. By the JUDGE.—Witness ' s opinion was that the two pieces of lead had formed one ball only, but being softish and di vided when it came in contact with the bone. Thomas Welsh said he was a butcher, and lived iu Standish gate, Wigan. Saw the prisoner in custody at the Town-hall. Witness did not on that occasion tell him it would be better for him if he would tell him where his (witness) horse was. The prisoner then told him he was standing on that night with his back to the Independent Chapel at twelve o'clock, nearly opposite witness's shop. Colton came to witness's shop at ten minutes past twelve that night. He was then on a pony. Witness had his watch in his hand at the time. He went towards Standish. He said something to witness, but witness did not understand him, as he appeared to have had some little drink. Cross-examined.—There would be many people going the way that Colton was on ,Saturday night.s He was sober enough to ride William Heath, police-officer, at Wigan.—The prisoner was apprehended about the twelfth of August. Witness saw him in custody in a room in the town-hall, Wigan, on the 22d. Witness and prisoner were alone together. He began to talk himself. He had talked with witness before. Witness never held out any inducement for him to tell. Whittle was not present on the 22d. John Whittle was here called at the request of Mr. Muw- PUY. He said that the prisoner was apprehended, but not on the present charge, on the 12th August. When he was in custody, witness had conversations with him on several occasions, and had never held out to him the slightest in ducement to confess anything, nor had any one else. Wit ness went with another officer to a cellar in Akroyd-street, Manchester, in which he found two boxes and one trunk. Met with Jane Roberts in Salford. Did not see her in the cellar. The boxes and trunk were searched in the Man chester Town-hall. They were locked, and witness got the keys from Jane Roberts. In one box witness found a hand kerchief. Witness shewed the prisoner this box in Wigan, and he said it was his. Cross-examined.—A person named Elijah Row was appre hended on suspicion of this murder and committed to Kirk dale, where he died. Another man named Haigh, was also apprehended. This man was now in Wigan. Re-examined.—The prisoner was not apprehended on this charge. Row was taken on suspicion, as he was supposed to be in connection with the prisoner in this charge, but he was condemned for another offence. Witness found the handker chief produced in the box. He bought one like it at Mr. M`Master's, but cut it up and sent it as samples to different police offices, except one piece. Mr. M`Master was then recalled, and he identified the handkerchief found in the box and the sample as being of the same pattern as that which he had sold to the deceased. Cross-examined.--The price he sold the handkerchief for was ss. 6d. The buying price from the manufacturer was about 2s. 10d. The handkerchief produced did not appear to have been used or worn. Mr. Whittle recalled.—Row and Haigh, who had been spoken of, were considerably less men in stature than the prisoner. They were both acquainted with the prisoner. William Heath recalled.—On the 22d August had some conversation with the prisoner in the inner room of the Town-hall. He said he had pledged a watch in Bolton, which he had received from Elijah 11( itu Witness took down what he said at the time. He said, the night after they say Colton was murdered, and the same night that Elijah Row gave we the watch, which was Sunday night, about a quarter past twelve o'clock. I went the same afternoon to Billinge, about two o'clock. I had been in a stable in Poolstop-lane since between one and two o'clock the same morning. I was in the 'Mitigate, at the bottom of Chapel-lane, about one or a quarter past one the same morning. About two the same afternoon 1 went to Billinge for the purpose of stealing a horse, which was in a stable by the roadside. The stable was built of wood, and there was a large pond of water on the opposite side. I believe the place is called Higher Billinge. I brought the horse to Smithy Brook. A little past Smithy Brook I turned on a tram-road, which leads to Hawkby Hall and the Leigh canal. I left the horse near the canal bridge, and went to Poolstop, where I had appointed to meet Elijah Row. I met him on the canal bank, before I got to Poolstop. It would be about half-past twelve o'clook on Sunday night. [The prisoner here burst into tears, and was provided with a seat.] Row said, " Has thou brought it ?" I asked him if he would go to look at it : he said, " No, I will go home again." He gave me a handkerchief wrapped in a piece of paper. I asked him what it was, and he said it was a hand- kerchief, and I must make something of it ; and if any one asked me where I had got it, I must tell them I had bought it from a hawker. He then gave me a watch—an old watch, and said, " Thou must fasten that somewhere, and make what thou can of it." I said it was good for nothing, and not worth carriage. He then said. " When shall thou be here again ?" I said, " I don't know ; I think of going home; but if I come this way this week again, I will either come or send for thee, and if not thou will know where to find me." Row said he was very poorly. I then went for the horse, and we parted. I took it to Bolton. I got there about 8 in the morning. I took it to a public-house on Bol ton Moor. I went then to a man named Whittle, on Bolton Moor, but he was in bed poorly. I did not see him that day. I went to him the day after, and told him I brought the horse which I had mentioned to him. I had it with me. He looked at it, and asked what 1 would take for it, and I said £B, but he said he would not give it. An old woman, who I believe is his wife, said it was worth 1. Whittle said he would not give such money, but he would give me £2 10s., which I took. I pawned the watch in the Market-place, Bolton, for 7s, the Tuesday after Row gave it to me." He then said to me, was it you Who tbcik my trowsers, and said they were bloody. I said yes. • He said if it was blood it must have got on when Wm. Williams was killed on the Manchester and Birmingham Railway,near Rusholme toll-bar, about 100 yards from a bridge between Manchester and Stockport, six or seven weeks ago ; but Peter Ashworth, the inspector, will be able to say. When Williams was killed I was about 30 yards from him, and assisted to get him up. William Bradbury, a ganger, saw me assist to get him up. I believe that was the time I got the blood upon my trousers. There were many navigators round Williams when he was killed, or imme diately afterwards. The day after, I sold the horse and pawned the watch. I sent for Elijah Row. He came to me in Scholes. We had a walk together, when he said said to me, " Hast thou heard about Jacky Colton being shot ?" I asked him, " What Jacky Colton ?" and he said, " Of Haigh, collier and under-looker." I said " No." I asked him whether he had been shot by some of the colliers, who had a spite against him. Row said " No ; he was well liked among the colliers." I asked Row if they had robbed him, and he said yes, they had taken a sovereign or two, some odd money and a watch; and some thing he said about a crown piece. I said, it is not the watch thou has given me, is it ? He said no ; his was worth nine guineas. Row said when Colton was shot he stunk very ill, and he believed he had the bad disorder. I asked Row if Colton was married, and he said yes ; but he did not live with his wife. On the 28th August witness was present when Whittle had some more conversation with the prisoner. Whittle asked him in what name he had pledged the watch. He said in the 'fame of Robert Crook, as his mother's name had been Crook. I had got 7s. upon it. Witness took his trowsers from him on the 17th of August, and observed some spots of blood upon them. There were not many spots. Witness got the watch from Mr. Duckworth, assistant to Mrs. Bradshaw, pawn broker, Bolton. Cross-examined.—Row and Haigh were both men of bad character. Row was a shortish man. There was another road to Wigan from the place where the murder was sup posed to have been committed, besides the highway in which the men were met. It was a shorter road across the fields. Re-examined.—There was no way to Wigan from the place where the body was found. You must get over hedge and ditch if you would go to Wigan from that place ; it would be a mile round, and you would have to go through the turn pike-gate. John Duckworth, assistant to Mrs. Bradshaw, pawnbroker, of Bolton, proved that th e wa t c h pro d uce d was pledged at the shop f his mistress on the 28th of July, in the name of Robert Crook, for 7s. Margaret Colton wa s th en reca ll e d , an d s h e pr oved that the watch, key, chain, and seal were the same which her fa ther had taken with him when he left home to go to Bolton. William Needham said he was a servant to the deceased, and proved that he saw him with the watch at half-past one in the afternoon, just before he set off for Bolton. He had it in his hand. Cross-examined.—Witness was sure the deceased set off at two o'clock. Mr. MURPHY said the little girl had stated her father had set off at nine in the morning. The JUDGE said she had been led in that question, but she might be recalled. The girl was then recalled ; she said she did not know what time her father set off, but he had had his dinner first. Robert Torbock said he knew the watch produced, and that be had let the deceased have it on trial about a fortnight before his death. Witness had the watch from his cousin, James Woods. The pendant turned round. James Torbock, son of the preceding witness, also iden tified the watch produced as one which his father had given him to repair. It had a pendant. Whilst witness was wearing it, he gave it to Mr. Green to repair, and he put a new glass and a new hand to it. Witness had no doubt it was the same watch. The JUDGE said this evidenee *as entirely beside the case, as Robert Torbock did not shew that be had lent the same watch to his son which he had given to the deceased. Robert Torbock was then recalled, and he said he had so lent the watch to his son. In cross-examination, James Tarbock said he could not have identified the watch unless he had opened and examined it, or been led by the questions put to him. Wm. Green, watchmaker, of Wigan, said the watch was brought to him to repair by James Torbock three months before Mr. Colton was murdered. The watch produced was the same watch. The JUDGE intimated that it was unnecessary to pursue further the examination with the identity of the watch. Jane Roberts was then called. She said she had lived with the prisoner as his wife, but was not married to him. She refused to be sworn, on the ground that she knew nothing whatever. The Learned JUDGE, with great patience, explained to her the consequences of her proceeding, and told her that she need not answer any questions which would criminate herself. The Crier said she had been sworn upon the bill before the Grand Jury. The witness said she knew nothing. The JUDGE said she must be sworn, even if sh e k new nothing. He directed the Crier to administer the oath. The witness still refusing, The JUDGE.—Let her be taken into custody for this con tempt, in refusing to be s worn.—She was then committed. Mary Brown said, she lived with Adam Brown, in a cellar in Akroyd-street, Manchester. Tho woman who had refused to be sworn lived with the prisoner, in the next cellar, under the name of Jane Anderton. Witness remembered the Wed nesday on which the prisoner was apprehended. He came in in the morning, and, having changed his clothes, went out again, The same day, and Thursday, which was the next day, Jane Roberts, or Anderton, came into witness's cellar. She came in twice on the Thursday. Witness was out once on the Thursday, and she could have got in in witness's ab sence. On Friday morning, about nine o'clock, witness found a bag in her house. It was in one of the drawers. Witness and some of the neighbours examined the bag. There was in it a pistol stock, a bullet mould, and a little box with some powder in it. Witness did not then know who had put the bag there. Jane Roberts was called in. Did not know to whom the pistol belonged. Had never • seen it in the cellar before. Witness had seen a dark-blue coat hanging for three days in Anderton's cellar, three weeks before the prisoner was apprehended. It was an old-fashioned coat, rounded off in the " laps." The colour of it was dark blue. The next time witness saw • it at her father's, who lives in Ashton-road. It was on the Monday after the prisoner's apprehension. Her father's name was John Blakeley. Mary Blakeley, mother of the last witness, said that Jane Roberts had given her a coat. Witness was in her daughter's cellar at the time, and Jane Roberts came in and gave her the coat. It was an old-fashioned farmer's coat, with the laps rounded. This was before the prisoner was taken up, but she did not know the day of the week. She was a stranger to witness. She gave her the coat on some day near the middle of the week. Witness took it to her husband the same day shegotii:hee;neout of the smithy, and she let him look at it John Blakeley, husband of the last witness, confirmed her testimony as to her bringing the coat, and added that he gave it to Bernard Corner, a tailor, to be altered, two or three days afterwards. _ _ By the JUDGE—Had not heard of Mr. Colton's murder till a week after he had got the coat. . Bernard Corner, the tailor alluded to, said be received a coat from the last witness, on Wednesday, the 26th August. He was to make it into a double-breasted dress coat. When he received it, it was rounded off at the skirts : he took off that round, and made it into a dress coat. Lipsett, an officer, came to his house, and witness gave it to him. The coat now produced is the coat be so altered. • David Lipsett, a police-officer, proved that he received the coat now produced from the last witness. John Johnson said he was a farmer at Pendleton. On the 20th July the coat now produced was taken from his house, but it wis not in the same form now as it was then. It was an old-fashioned coat rounded off at the laps. By the JUDGE.—Witness's house was broken into and the coat stolen. Mary Dilworth said she lived in Manchester, about a mile and a half from the prisoner's cellar. On the morning of Sunday, the 16th of August, Jane Roberts came to witness's house, and again about eleven o'clock at night. She then gave witness some money wrapped in a paper. It consisted of a sovereign and some silver. The constables apprehended her in witness's house the same night. Edmund Harris said he lived with his mother in a room adjoining that occupied by the last witness. As witness was going to his work at half-past six o'clock on Monday morn ing, the I7th of August, witness found in the passage a num ber of pawntickets in a " uzzard," which was a sort of pocket-book. He found it about a yard from the door. There • were 19 pawntickets. Witness gave them to his mother. Mrs. Harris, mother of the last:witness, sapl her son gave her the " uzzard. She gave the pawntickets, which it contained, to Lipsett. David Lipsett recalled.—Received the pawntickets from the last witness, but had only retained one of them, as the others were wanted. Duckworth, the pawnbroker, here identified the ticket to be the one which he gave when the watch was pledged. Charles Jackson said, in August last he was an inspector in the Manchester police. On the 16th August he went to the prisoner's house, and found a key and seal in a tea-cup. He gave them to Lipsett. Lipsett, on being recalled, said that the key he received would fit the watch, but the other two on the chain, would not. Margaret Colton recalled. She identified: thejkeys as having been worn by her late father. Mr. John Whittle, the constable of Wigan, was again called. He said that on Saturday, the 15th of August, the prisoner made some statements in the Town-hall, Wigan. He had been committed on another charge the day before. Witness had asked him the day before whether he knew anything of the murder of John Colton. The follow ing morning he said to witness, " I was in Wigan that night, and Elijah Row and me had arranged to steal some mutton from a butcher's shop opposite the Dickenson' s Arms. We did not steal it, and what Haigh or Elijah did afterwards I cannot tell." The prisoner then deposed as to an intention on the part of Elijah Row, to shoot Mr. Part, to steal Mr. Whittle's horse, and that he (the prisoner) was to have shot a man named Fletcher, who was in the habit of going every Saturday with money from Wigan to pay the colliers, and rob him of his money, which was supposed to be at least £lOOO, and he and Row were to go to America with it. Frederick Taylor, clerk to Mr. Gaskell, clerk to the ma gistrates. Witness produced the statements of the prisoner taken before the magistrates. This document having been put in, it was read by the Clerk of the Court. It was of great length, but generally had little relation to the subject of the indictment. It re peated the account the prisoner had already given of stealing the horse, of receiving the watch and handkerchief from Row, and the account which he said Row had given to him of the murder of Colton. Jane Roberts was here ordered by the learned Judge to be brought from the dock, and again placed in the witness box. This having been done, The Crier said she still refused to be sworn. The Jong.—Take the book and be sworn instantly. The woman again refused. The JUDGE.—I give you warning, that if you do not take the book and be sworn, you will be punished severely for contempt of Court. Mr. MURPHY.—Do take the book, woman : you will do more injury to your husband by not taking it. The prisoner, addressing the woman, told her she had no reason to be afraid of taking the oath. The JUDGE.—Take the book directly. You are bound to be sworn whether you know anything of the matter or not; and if anything which will implicate you in guilt be asked, you are not bound to answer. But you must be sworn first. Having waited for some time without the hope of obtain ing an answer, The JUDGE asked when she was committed to prison. The CLERK of the CROWN replied, she was apprehended on the 17th August, and committed on the Ist of September. The prisoner here requested permission to speak to the woman. The JUDGE immediately assented. The prisoner then told her there was nothing in taking the oath which was likely to do her harm. It would make no difference to her, and he hoped she would speak the truth. All the blame lay upon him and other persons, and he hoped she would answer. The woman taking no notice, The JUDGE said—l will not waste any more time about this. Do you refuse to answer ? The witness paid no regard to these words. The JUDGE—WiII you tell me whether you .will be sworn or not ? Witness—l will not be sworn. The JUDGE—Give her the book. [At this point the prisoner burst into a flood of tears, and seemed scarcely able to restrain his emotions.] The witness persisting in her refusal— The JUDGE.—WeII, Jane, as you refuse to be sworn, the court has your refusal recorded, and you are, committed to prison for six calendar ,months. The witness was then removed. Mr. STARKIE.—That is the case, my lord. Mr. MURPHY then addressed the jury, and commenced by entreating the jury to dismiss from their minds any un favourable impression against"the prisoner which they might have conceived from the unfortunate exhibition which had just taken place. He thought the conduct of the woman was referable to the anxious feelings of human nature, arising from the terrible situation of the man with whom she had coha bited, rather than to an apprehension of the effect of any evi dence she could adduce against him. His learned friend had opened the case as one of circumstantial evidence. In other words, there was nothing tangible to implicate the pri soner in the transaction ; and consequently the jury were to infer, from a series of circumstances, whether important or minute, made into a continuous narrative, which should be strong enough to account for his having been the hand which perpetrated the offence, although no human eye could have seen him except that of the murdered man. The learned counsel then offered some observations upon the nature of circumstantial evidence, his argument being, that although the prisoner bore a bad character, he was not t o be considered as a murderer, for the principle acted upon in courts of jus tice was not one of surmise. The learned gentleman was proceeding to detail a rather singular instance of the convic tion of an innocent man upon circumstantial evidence, when The JUDGE said a message had just been conveyed to him from which he understood that Jane Roberts was now willing to be examined. Mr. STARKIE said he was in his lordship's hands, but ano ther difficulty would arise, if, after having been sworn, the woman should refuse to answer the questions. The witness was then introduced into the witness box. The JUDGE addressing her, asked her whether she was now willing to be sworn ? Witness.—What I swore before was false. The JUDGE.—Are you willing now to be sworn and ex amined ? Witness.—Yes, my lord. What I swore before was false. The JUDGE repeated the question. The witnessjgave no answer. The JUDGE.—WeII, Jane, do tell me what you mean to do. Do you choose to be examined or not? You should not have sent this message to me unless you do. If you have altered your mind say so. The witness still keeping silence. • The JUDGE.—WeII, Jane, tell us whether you mean to be sworn or not? The witness again maintained silence. The JUDGE.—Offer her the book, and if she does not take it let her go back to prison. The witness took the book and was sworn. She was then examined by Mr. STARKIE. She said that what she had sworn before the magistrates was false. She lives in the same cellar with the prisoner. The JUDGE, at this point, cautioned the prisoner against implicating herself. Examination resumed.—Had seen no pistol in the pri soner's house. Had not sworn so before the magistrates. She had not seen any bullet or bullet-mould there ; and had never said anything of the sort before the magistrates. Does not know how long she had lived with the prisoner. Did not know how old.she was. Mr. STARKIE asked her whether she was above ten years old. The witness again refused to answer the questions. The JUDGE told her she was still liable to be sent to pri son, and she should be unless she answered. Mr. STARKIE asked her whether she had taken a bag containing a pistol to May Browne's ? The witness refused to answer. The Junce again endeavoured to prevail upon her to an swer, but as she obstinately refused, he ordered her to be conveyed back to the prison to undergo her term of impti , sonment for six months. His lordship further intimated to the woman she would not have the same opportunity again. Mr. MURPHY then resumed his address on behalf of the prisoner, and commented most ably on all the circumstances in the case. The learned JUDGE commenced his summing up at ten minutes to four o'clock. At a quarter to Seven o'clock, the Jury found a verdict of NOT GUILTY. The prisoner is detained to take his trial upon other char ges of a serious nature. NISI PRIUS COURT.—FRIDAY. (Before Mr. Baron ROLFE and a Special Jury.) The first case taken this morning was the following : DAVIDSON, REGISTER OFFICER, V. STANLEY, BART. . This action was specially fixed for this morning. On the part of the plaintiff there appeared Messrs. Cress well, Alexander, Cowling, and Brandt; for the defendant Sir J. Campbell, attorney-general, who came down on a spe cial retainer, the Attorney-general for the county palatine, and Mr. Watson. The following gentlemen were sworn as a special jury : ALEXANDER SHAND, merchant, Liverpool. Thomas Birkett, merchant, Walton. Robert Aked, merchant, Everton. John Rimmer, merchant, Toxteth-park. Richard Jones, merchant, West Derby. Wareham Jemmett Brown, merchant, Wavertree. Daniel Bell, merchant, Wavertree. Robert Lowe, banker, the Larches Lea. Joseph Maunder, merchant, Much Woolton. George Stubbs, merchant, Moseley-hall, Wavertree. Lawrence Rostron. merchant, Salford. ii;;;;l3l`Nichol, merchant, Liverpool. Mr. COWLING opened the pleadings, and Mr. CRESSWELL stated the case to the jury. This was an action brought by the Commercial Bank of England, in the name of their pub lic officer, Alexander Davidson, to recover the value of seve ral bills of exchange, amounting to between £7OOO and £BOOO. This was an important case, involving a great ques tion ; for the whole of the bills were drawn and endorsed by a person named Richard Blundell, who was the steward and agent of Sir Thomas Stanley, of Hooton-hall, in Cheshire; and the question would be, whether he had or had not the authority to draw, endorse, and to pled ge suc h bill s o f ex change. Blundell came into the service of Sir Thus. Stanley in the year 1829, as under steward, and in 1831, on the death of the head steward, he succeeded him. Sir Thomas Stanley was then engaged largely in farming, and his steward, Blun dell, bought and sold cattle for him, for which he paid and received money, sometimes in cash and sometimes in bills. He was also in the habit of receiving the rents of the defen dant, which were occasionally paid in bills, and those bills were endorsed and paid away by Blundell to tradesmen and others. It was clear from the evidence, as he should lay it before the jury. that Blundell was acting by the authority, and with the full knowledge of the defendant (Sir Thomas Stanley). The learned counsel then proceeded to state the nature of the evidence he should lay before the jury, and concluded by observing that, after proving that the defendant must have been acquainted with the fact of Blundell being in the habit of drawing, accepting, and paying these bills, he ,ould confidently look"for a verdict in favour of his client The following Witnesses were then called : Thomas Warburton said, he was in the service of Sir Thomas Stanley for twenty-five years. Witness was in the habit of buying and selling stock. Mr. Ashurst was formerly i steward to Sir Thomas Stanley, and on his,death, about ten years ago, he was succeeded by Mr. Blundell. Witness was in the habit of receiving money from Blundell, and paid him money when he sold stock. Blundell had the management of the cash. Witness was in the habit of giving to Blundell both cash and bills, for the cattle he sold. He also was paid, occasionally, money by Mr. Blundell, by means of cheques, on the Chester Branch of the Commercial Bank of England ; 'and, on one occasion, received a cheque on that bank for be tween £4OO and £5OO. This cheque, together with a letter from Blundell to the manager of the bank, were put in. In his cross-examination, by the Attorney-General, the witness admitted being the acceptor of three bills, part of those for which the action was brought, and that he put his name on the stamps before any thing was written on them. Witness was shepherd to Sir Thomas Stanley, and that was known to the Commercial Bank, at Chester. Sir Thomas Stanley is a large land-owner, both in Cheshire and Flintshire. Some of the customers were in the habit of paying in cash and bills, both in Ashurst's and Blundell's time ; but in Ashurst's time, Cash was always given to witness, to purchase cattle with. Blundell had two offices, one at Hooton-hall, and another at his own house. William Rigby, a butcher, residing in Liverpool, stated, that he was in the habit of purchasing cattle from the last witness, and generally paid in bills. Thomas Weaver, a farmer, in Cheshire.—ls tenant to Sir Thomas Stanley. On two or three occasions witness paid in of his rent in bills. These were drawn on his cheese- Letor, who lives in Southwark. Three of these were put in, dated in November, 1835, for £350 ; in May, 1838, for £282 2s. 7d. ; and the third in No vember, 1838, for £385 19s. id. Joseph Jones, contractor for the Stourton Railway, proved, that about five years ago he commenced the railway, and finished it about three years ago. He was paid the first sum by a cheque on the Royal Bank of Liverpool. Afterwards he was always paid by bills drawn per procuration of Sir Thomas Stanley, by Blundell. Eighteen of these bills were handed to witness, and were .fterZvards put in and read. They were signed It. Blundell, ler pro'SirThoipas Stanley, and payable at Messrs. Robarts, Curtis, and Co.'s, London.—lncross-examination the wit ness said, he did not give notice of they way in which Blun dell paid him to Sir Thomas Stanley, until after Blundell was in goal on a charge of embezzlement. Witness under stood he had been transported. Mr. John Tomlinson, a builder, in Liverpool, proved, that in 1837, he was employed by Sir Thomas Stanley, to look at a slip at Eastham, and also at some other works. He fur nished some plans and specifications, for which he was paid the sum of £39 ss. by a bill drawn by Blundell. Two or three other witnesses were called, who gave similar testimony. A number of tradesmen were next called, to prove that for some time previous to Blundell leaving Sir Thomas Stanley they were paid their bills by cheques drawn by Blundell on the Chester Branch of the Commercial Bank of England, and, on one occasion. Sir Thomas was present in the steward's office, when a cheque was given for a bill due from Sir Thos. Stanley, on the bank before mentioned. Mr. George Bridges Granville, of the firm of Williams, Granville, and Co., who are the private bankers of Sir Thos. Stanley, at Chester, was called, and he proved, that Sir Thos. Stanley kept au account with the bank. There was a pass book kept. This was produced, and it was proved from them that a variety of money was paid into the bank to the credit of Sir Thomas Stanley in bills and cash, some of which bills were endorsed by Blundell, per pro. Sir Thomas Stanley. From the cross-examination of this witness it was elicited i that Sr Thomas had always a good account with the bank, and always signed his cheques himself, with one exception, and that was in April, 1839, when a cheque was brought to the bank drawn by Sir Thomas Stanley, but not signed by him, he having forgotten to do so. This cheque was signed by Blundell in the bank, and cashed. The manager of the Royal Bank of Liverpool was next called, and he deposed to having had transactions with Sir Thomas Stanley. In 1836, a letter was received by the bank, authorising the payment of £450 to Blundell, on account of Sir Thomas Stanley ; and, in 1838, two bills for £5,000 and £lO,OOO were paid into the bank, endorsed by Blundell. Subsequently, Sir Thomas Stanley ordered the bank to pay to his credit in Drummond's and Co., London, the sum of £6,000. The bills of exchange baying been put in, the plaintiff's case closed. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL addressed the jury for the de fendant at considerable length, contending that there was not one tittle of evidence to show that Sir Thomas Stanley ever authorised Blundell to use his, name, or that he was aware of his having done so. He contended that the inference to be drawn from the evidence was rather the contrary ; for Blun dell had received, on one occasion, a special authority, which was totally unnecessary if he had a general authority. The learned gentleman went minutely over the whole of the evi dence, and concluded by observing, that he should sit down with the most perfect confidence, that the jury would return a verdict in his favour, which would have the effect of causing such banks to act more cautiously for the future, in stead of winking at the fraud, and lending a helping hand to such characters. The learned JUDGE summed up in favour of the defend ant, for whom the jury immediately found a verdict. CROWN COURT.—SATURDAY. Mr. Justice Maule took his seat at nine o'clock, THE LAUREL-STREET GANG. Henry Stevenson, aged 47, John Frances, 30, Henry Mitchell, 22, and Louisa Mitchell,23, (wife,) were placed at the bar. The male prisoners were charged, on 10 indict ments, with feloniously stealing, .at Liverpool, a variety of valuable property, consisting of plate and jewellery of almost every description, watches, fine articles of wearing apparel, pieces of muslin, needle-work, coin, &c. &c., the property of five individuals. The female prisoner stood charged with having been accessory to several of the felonies, and with having received several of the articles, knowing them to have .been. stolen. Amongst the numerous articles stolen from dwelling-houses were the following : From David Thom :—Twenty silver spoons, a gold watch, four gold lockets, two gold seals, and four gold rings. From James Robinson :—Twenty-four silver spoons, one silver fish-slice, three silver knives, three silver forks, one silversnuff-box, one gold watch, &c. From Robert Bell :—Five silver cruet-pots, one silver tea pot, thirteen gold rings, and a gold watch. From Thomas Nicholson :—Fivegold rings, ten sovereigns, two necklaces, and five tea-spoons. Burglariously, from John Forsyth :—One riding-habit, five shawls, five scarfs, one hundred yard's of muslin, one hundred yards of silk, twelve pairs of shoes, twenty pieces of silver coin, &c. The burglary at Mr. Forsyth's was first proceeded with. Mr. ARMSTRONG addressed the jury in support of the prosecution. Mary Cornish, cook to Mrs. Forsayth, and another ser vant said, that on the night of the 2d November they went to bed at eleven o'clock, and they described the condition of the rooms on going down stairs next morning at six o'clock, when they called up Mrs. Forsyth. Mrs. Forsyth sworn.—l was called up and went into the back-parlour. I had been sitting there reading till twelve o'clock the night before. Ido not recollect whether I shut the door. I left two candles on the table. One of them I found burned down to the socket, the other was as I left it. I saw the China trunk broken open, and missed a quantity of muslin, children's gloves, silk dresses, shoes, &c. It is a wry large trunk, about two feet high. There was an iron box in it containing some rupees. A chisel or some other instrument had apparently been used to cut it, and it was forced open. About eleven o'clock I saw Stevenson and the other policeman. When I was called up, it was just a slight streak of day. The bell I have frequently heard, and I un derstand it rings at six o'clock. Mr. Parke brought me, on Friday, the 6th November, several of the articles missed from the trunk, children's dresses, edging, " insertion," muslin, &c. I afterwards was shown a box f articles out of the chest by Mr. Dowling. Mary Park, wife of Park.—l live at No. 5, Lawson street, corner of Laurel-street, next door to the house of the prisoner Mitchell. On the morning of the robbery, the ser vants came and told me. Mrs. Forsyth's is four doors off. The female prisoner, Mitchell, came, on the sth of Novem ber, with several articles, including a piece of " insertion." She came for ale, as usual. I took them to Mrs. Forsyth's on the 6th. Same day I went with the policeman to Mit chell's house, and pointed out the female prisoner as the woman. I also saw the male prisoner, Mitchell, whom I had seen go into the house before, as also the other men. I went out of the house immediately, and instantly heard awful screams of murder. . _ JV John Stevenson, police-officer, said—l was called in on the morning, and found the back-window opened (apparently as described.) I went to Mrs. Parke's, and she showed me some worked muslin, &c. I went with the officer, 512, and Mrs. Parke. I told the officer to keep watch at the back. I knocked at the door three times before I was admitted. The female prisoner let me in. She denied all knowledge of the muslin, &c. shown to her. I saw the prisoner Mitchell, who said I had got to the wrong place. Mrs. Parke went away, and I sent Kirkham to bring her back. When she came back, she said the female was the woman who gave them to her. We said, " That is enough for us." Kirkham found Steven son in the kitchen below. We afterwards found the prisoner Frances, who was attempting to escape behind. I saw the prisoner Stevenson with a hammer, and warned Kirkham to take care of himself. He struck Kirkham on the head, and he fell instantly. I tried to draw my staff, but had no time to prevent him. When near the parlour door, Mitchell drew a stick loaded with lead, and struck me with it. (The instru ment was procluced—a murderous weapon.) It was of twisted whalebone or cane, with a long knob. I received se veral blows. The other prisoners were there. I suffer yet from the blows, and will, I fear, all my life. I bled pro fusely. Stevenson struck Kirkham. When I got better I endeavoured to go after them. I fell when I got out from faintness. At the corner of the street I found the female prisoner, and took her into custody. Cross-examined.—We did not use our staffs. We were so suddenly struck that we could not. Ido not know whether Mitchell is a shoemaker. I believe some shoemaker's tools were found in the house. John Kirkham, police-officer.—l accompanied Stevenson to the house on the Gth November. The other officer was stationed at the back door. Stevenson asked the female pri soner if she knew the muslin, and she said she did not. I afterwards saw Mrs. Parke at the door, and she identified the female as the person who gave it to her. I saw the prisoner afterwards in the back parlour. I was hit with the hammer by Stevenson, the prisoner, and the hammer stuck in my skull. I was struck three or four times on the head, and once on my arm. I struggled with him, but he got away. I was covered with blood, and stupified for a time. I after.. wards saw Frances in the street, and knew him to be one of them, and he was apprehended. Henry Tomlinson, police-officer.—l was stationed at the back of the house, in a lane, and looked through the keyhole. Stevenson, the prisoner, came to the door and looked alarmed, and desirous to escape. He listened, and rushed in and out still holding the door. I afterwards saw the prisoner scale the wall. and he and Mitchell came into the lane. Stevenson had the hammer in his hand. Stevenson ran and went under a cart, and with the assistance of a young loan, a butcher, I took him. He had the hammer in his band, which I took. lie afterwards kicked and was very violent, and I struck him with the hammer to make him quiet. (The hammer produced, a shoemaker's, was still marked with blood.] Stephen Kitchen, a butcher, assisted the last witness to apprehend Stevenson, who had a hammer in his hand. It was all over blood. There was blood on the blade. James Moore, a labourer, heard of the robbery. Went to the back door of an empty house, in Laurel-street, about three o'clock on the same day. I also found the necessary door closed, but afterwards open, and the back-door half open. There was another man with me, and we searched eue ry where, but found nothin g . Soon afterwards the man shonted to him, and, on going up, he lifted up a horse-mid den lid, and found the prisone r Mitchell under it. They se cured him, and gave him to the police. lie had no hat, handkerchief, coat, or shoes (as described by the police officers.) _ _ Lawrence Moore said, he also had heard of the robbery, and found the prisoner Mitchell in the litter. When he took hold of him, he said, " For God's sake let me go, I am quite fatigued every night this week." The Bridewell-keeper spoke to receiving Mitchell. His clothes were marked with blood. A witness deposed to seeing Mitchell get ever the wall. Francis Eggington, a joiner, said,—On the 6th November I was working at the Deaf and Dumb School. A door opens into Laurel-street. About three o'clock I saw the prisoner Frances, walking quickly, followed by police-officer Kirkham, slowly. Kirkham appeared in a dreadful state, and cried " Stop him !" Frances ran, and I followed him. Another person came towards Frances, and, seeing he must fall into the hands of one of us, he made a stop, and we se cured him. We took him to the corner of Russell-street, and gave him to Watson, police-officer No. 165. Watson, police-officer, who took charge of Frances, said he afterwards searched the house where Mitchell and the others lived, in.company with another officer. They found, in the back parlour and front parlour, lucifer-matches, skele ton keys, two leaded life-preservers, &c. There were marks of blood about. Also, shoemakers' tools, and a vice fixed on the arm of a chair, apparently recently in use, as there were steel-filings about. There were also other skeleton keys. Up stairs there was a bedstead, and no other furni ture ; also, a large box, with things claimed by Mrs. For syth. In the'closet he found three glass jars, sealed up with wax. They were pickle jars, filled with jewellery. He took them to the window. They were filled with pins, brooches, and rings. He also found a quantity of table-spoons, coffee pot, candlestick, &c., all silver ; three tin cases, filled with jewellery ; a case containing jewellery, another with a gold chain, and another with a gold watch. They also found a box containing wearing, apparel, and a drawer containinw foreign coin. In the back room there were a quantity keys spread about, arranged in sizes, and occupying abon two-thirds of the room. In the same room he found the' " Jack in the box." Witness described the use of this in strument, which has a powerful screw, and is for the purpose of forcing open locks. On the second floor up stairs, he found a large coat which attracted his attention. The coat was exhibited, and was of black velvet, with a large inside pocket lined with leather, and going quite round the back from front to front, like a large bag, but in which a child of three years of age might, apparently, have lain at full length. Another police-officer found some books, &c. Mr. Dowling, commissioner of police, said he heard of the robbery and went to the house : the two officers were there. He saw the pickle jars in bottles. They had the appearance ogle bottles. Frances said, before the magistrates, that all found in the front room of the attic were his: In that room the coat shown was found, also six old volumes of " The Ladies' Monthly Museum." (All the property was produced in court.) A large chest was shown filled with clothing, &c., which Mrs. Forsyth identified as hers. About £2OO was taken. She also identified the rupees to the best of her belief. There ere amongst them some silver Turkish and Venetian coins. Some gold and silver coins were also in the box, but these were not found. A police inspectdi produced some edging and muslin given to him by police-officer Stevenson. James Ainsworth ' )olice-officer searched the lodgings of the prisoner Stevenson, on the 9th November, in Hepworth street. He was not known as Stevenson there. He found a trunk with a brass plate with the name of " Stafford" on it, by which name he passed there. He (witness) before knew him as " Evans." Amongst other things found was the Ist and 2d vols. of " The Ladies' Monthly Museum ;" also some knife and fork handles. There were knives and forks found in Lionel •street, without handles, and the handles fitted them. He also found a gentleman's dressing-case. The keys found in Lionel-street were all here. There are 311 keys of various sizes, he might say, from a prison down to a tea-caddie. They were produced, and excited much astonishment. The largest looked like a chnrch-door key. There were 87 keys blank or uncut, 57 skeleton keys, large, 87 small do. ; a small hand-vice, two dark lanterns, a large vice (fixed to a chair) ; a number of punches ; eleven saws, of different kinds and sizes. for cutting wood and metal ; a plate for taking patterns of keys, a quantity of pick-locks, 37 files of various sizes ; a breast plate and drill, 3 crucibles, containing keys and pieces of metal as if used, screw plates, &c., 2 small crow-bars, or " jemmies." The knives and forks, with their corresponding hafts, were also shown by the witness. Spencer Williams, a tailor, of No. 5, Hepworth-street, said, that in March, 1840, the elder prisoner (Stevenson) came and lodged at his house. He knew him by the name of " Stafford," and called him so. Witness had seen Ste venson and Frances walking together. Samuel Lloyd, police-officer, went to Stevenson's lodgings with the last witness. He found three books in the cellar kitchen. Spencer Williams said, that the books were the prisoner's. He saw him bring them into the house. Ditchfield, who lives in Great Howard-street, said the prisoners Mitchell and Stevenson took a house, twelve months ago, opposite to him, and they both had a key to the door. William Burrow, who also lived in the same street, said, that Mitchell lived next door to him. He had observed him and Stevenson and a third person going in and out. Mit chell left the house about three weeks before the prisoners were apprehended. Another inhabitant of Great Howard-street also spoke to having seen Mitchell and Stevenson frequenting the house, and here ended the evidence for the prosecution. Mr. WILKINS spoke at considerable length, and in a very ingenious manner, for the defence. He contended that there was no direct proof that the house was entered by any of the prisoners, or indeed that, being entered, the act took place between nine at night and six in the morning, which was required to constitute the crime of burglary. He could not conceal that Mitchell was the occupant of the house, and that the articles were th ere f oun d. H e was , th ere f ore , bound to say, that for him he would offer no defence. But he con sidered the evidence was not sufficient to justify a verdict of guilty against the other two prisoners, whose resistance and assault of the officers might be attributed to their horror of being dragged to prison and exposed as parties to the offence charged, of which, whatever might have been their offences previously, they might feel that they were innocent. The learned JUDGE summed up in a clear and conspicuous manner, and the jury, after a short consultation, found all the prisoners Guilty of the burglary. The Learned JUDGE then sentenced the prisoners Steven son and Mitchell to transportation for life, and Frances for fifteen years. The prisoner Stevenson having expressed himself dissa tisfied with the sentence, the JUDGE ordered them to be placed again at the bar, and to be tried for the assaults on the two officers with " intent to murder them." The police-officers then gave evidence similar to that brought forward under the preceding charge. Mr. Brandreth, surgeon of the Infirmary, s a id that Kirk ham, when brought in, was in a very feeble state, as if he had been fainting, and a restorative was administered to him. There were streaks of blood running from his head, and his hair, round the larger wound, which was afterwards cut away, was saturated with blood. There were four wounds, which might have been inflicted by the hammer produced. The principal wound was a contused one, and his life was in danger up to the period of his leaving the establishment. It was even yet doubtful, whether his faculties would ever be so vigorous as before. There was no fracture of the skull. The patient had fever, in consequence of the local injuries. The learned JUDGE summed up with great care, and the jury in about two minutes found Stevenson and Mitchell Guilty of wounding the officers with intent to do them some serious bodily harm, and acquitted Frances in this indict ment. His LORDSHIP, after some feeling remarks, repeated the former sentence in precisely the same terms. The prisoners were then put down. Louisa Mitchell was then put up, when it appeared there were four indictments on which she had been arraigned, three in conjunction with the other prisoners, and one in which she alone had been arraigned. No evidence was offered against her on either of these in dictments, and, the jury formally found her Not Guilty on each, and she was discharged. STEALING MOLASSES. James Parr, 26, Thomas ilrown. 23, Levi Miller, 33, and John Holborn, 37, were indicted for having stolen four pun cheons of molasses, the property of William Swan Dixon. Miller and Holborn were charged with feloniously receiving the property, well knowing it to have been stolen. The case was so recently before the Police-court, that it were superfluous to supply the evidence adduced. Suffice it to say, this was one of those mercantile robberies from the docks, for the commission of which the quantity of goods necessarily lying about at all times affords peculiar facilities to peculators. The casks were taken in a float, or low hung cart, by Parr and Brown, from the Manchester Basin, and carted to a warehouse belonging to Holborn, who, with Mil ler, received them, and obliterated the marks. The prison ers, with the exception of Holborn, who was very respectably dressed, were apparently working men. Parr and Brown had before been convicted and imprisoned for stealing sugar. Holborn's warehouse was a receptacle for such ill-gotten property. They were all found guilty, though two of them were defended by Mr. Murphy, and two by Mr. Wilkins, who indulged in some amusing sparring on the occasion. The JUDGE, in passing sentence, dwelt in a forcible and judicious manner on the frequency of such robberies, and on the higher offence of men such as Holborn keeping ware houses for the reception of, and partaking more largely in, the iniquitous booty. He sentenced Parr and Brown to six months' imprisonment each, Miller to eight months' and hard labour, and Holborn as the major offender and inducer of the others, to twelve mouths' imprisonment. CHARGE OF CHILD MURDER. Mary Jones, 26, was charged, on the coroner's warrant, with the murder of her child, at Liverpool. It appeared that the prisoner, a good-looking young woman, had merely con cealed the child in a box in her room, and afterwards had buried it publicly. As this was not considered an offence strictly within the statute, no evidence was given against the prisoner, and she was acquitted and discharged. The court adjourned at twenty minutes to six. NISI PRIUS COURT.-SATURDAY. COLLISION AT SEA WALKER AND OTHERS V. FLETCHER This was a special jury case. The declaration stated that the plaintiffs were the owners of the ship Hunter, and the defendant the owner of the ship Robert; and the allegation was, that, owing to the negligent and improper management of the defendant's vessel, the ship of plaintiff's was sunk and lost, to the grievous loss of the plaintiffs. To this the de fendant pleaded not guilty. Mr. Cresswell and Mr. Watson appeared for the plaintiffs : Mr. Alexander, Mr. Dundas, and Mr. Martin for the de fendant. Mr. CRESSWELL said, the action was brou g ht, as the jury had been informed, to recover compensation for the loss of a vessel called the Hunter, which belonged to the plaintiffs, and which was run down by a vessel belonging to the defend ant. The Hunter was a small schooner, of seventy-eight tons register, and the defendant's vessel, which was called the Robert, was of the burthen of one hundred and thirty tons register measurement. The Hunter had been in Lon don, and she left there for Sunderland some time in January. She was detained in Yarmouth Roads, from which she sailed on the 22d January. It was then blowing very fresh from the S.S.W., in consequence of which it was usual for the masters of small vessels, particularly of this description, and rather light, when they passed Cromar, not to make a northerly course from Flamborough Head, but to steer for Spurm Light, which would make their course N.N.W., or rather more to the westward. The Hunter was steering this course at six o'clock on the evening of the 22d January, and she was brought as near as the wind could be. It was a very dark night. The Hunter had a crew of four men--the master, the mate, and two hands —which was sufficient for a vessel of that size. It was the m a t e ' s watc h, an d h e h a d with him a man named Cousins, the master being below, but he was to come on deck to take the watch with the other band at six o'clock. .Cousins we n t b e l ow to see w h at o ' c l oc k it was a little before six, and he went on deck again : he had been there for about five minutes when the vessel of the de fendant ran aboard. The night, as he had said before, was exceedingly dark ; the weather had been squally ; and, from the n orthward, there was a thick black cloud, which made it impossible to see anything ; but it was light to the southward , and vessels could he seen for sonic distance. He understood from the mate, who was at the helm, that they were not able to di sc ern the defendant's ve sse l till s h e was athwart their hawse. They had, therefore, no time to do anything; and a collision took place, so violent as to occasion the almost immediate loss of both vessels. I3oth of them went to the bottom. The crew of the Hunter got into their boat as quickly as possible , and having contrived to bring with them a light, they were picked up by a ship called the Halifax, which happened to be near. The jury would learn from the master of the Halifax , and from one of the crew, that the night was exactly of th e , description he had ment i one d , t h at to t h e nort h not hi ng conk , be seen, but that to the southward there might. The master of the Halifax was steering the same course from Cromer to the Spurin Lights, which brought him near to the Hunter , and hb could not discover a light more than two hundred yards. The captain of the Halifax had just got the men ou t of the Hunter's boat when the crew of the Robert came up, and they got on board in like manner. When they were on