The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-20 00:00:00

SELECT VESTRY.-,YESTERDAY , The usual fortnightly meeting of the Select Vestry, Was held in the Parish Offices, Brownlow-hill, at ten o th 'el oe k , yesterday. The Rev. Ree'or Campbell occupied W oodruff, chair. Th e o th er mem b ers present, were Messrs. Bairstow, Whitby, Bold, Owen, H. Jones, Paw, Denton, Satchell, !Mellor, Critchley, Lull', J. Jones, Cooke, Crellin, and Jackson. The Chairman said, before the proceedings coin• illen eed, he wi s h e d t o re f er to a commun i cation he had receiv e d f rom Mr. Thomas Urquhart. That gentleman stated that, ) acco line- to the rcport in the Courier, he (the irtr an called ' him the prime mover in the affair the Walton cemetery. Now, he did not say that Mr M r( ltlhart was t h e prime mover, but that lie was one of Prrintoters. As he was v er y anx i ous no t t o damag,e Tr Urquhart's reputation, he thought the best thing he uld do, was to read the letter he had received from l nAt Rename The Chairman then read the following letter 11. R ' Brynley House, Menai Brid ge , 15th A ug , 18.56. • rtev. Sir,—.Fr om t h e S e l ect V estry ' s proceedings, as ;n the C ourier of the sth instant, you are reported to I t' said "that with regard to the new cemetery being a Soh, perhaps I need not refer to it. But as far as my Me mory serves me, Mr. U rqu h ar t was th e pr i me mover ;" thus in-inuating that I was " the prime mover " in the Be-called cemetery job, which cost the parish above 415,00 Cf - This is incorrect—because I did not take any cart, di rec tl y or indirectly , in the instructions, th e pur base,- or the payment, nor bad•l any sympathy in such a wasteful expenditure of the parishioners' money —nor w a‘ I on the SeleCt Vestry w h en t h e purc h ase was made. Iteing re-elected on the Vestry about two months after the contract was mate, I then, for the first time, flew the purchase was made, aril from whom—the nature of the land, and the situation. I then remon... Itta ed will the sellers of the land, (the churchwardens, the overseers, and the Select Vestry,) against their jli:gagement to pay above £9,200 for an isolated, fol:achipted, inconvenient, and expensive ` piece of land the burial of the poor and the paupers of the parish. 48 they would not be induced to cancel their contract, I 1 1 . 1r ged on them, as they had made such a bad contract land parish, they ought to secure an entracce to the turnfrom Bootle-lane, and not take the circuitous or nearly two miles, and through expensive After my frequent remonstrations were in be parishioners, in general vestry, in the hope the eisont ra ct would b e a b an d one d , the land disposed of, or t i; l e Purchas e extended to Bootle-lane, resolved on ~:neralving a public ceme t ery, extens i ve enough for all the The Cemetery purposes of the inhabit an t s . tlect Vestry t oo k no not i ce o f t h e resolutions of 2b"" Renseeral vestry sent to them, an d entere d i n t h e i r °.ksi but went on contracting, and erecting expensive vralls and buildings on the Walton ground. rter the walls were built, in the hope the land would garden be used as a cemetery, being so well adaptod for greate r Purposes, the Select Vestry then converted the t ud at er pan of the ground into garden land, for the th e llBt rial and useful training of the pauper children of Kirkdale schools, and while I was on the Select jetitt no , for th e ' resolution was ever passed to pay any money 7 4 , so called Walton cemetery. geh uese facts, and reference to other proceedings of the Bp 7ral select vestries, while you sere in the chair, may th el a il r b s erve your memory, as to convince you " that Mr. eet t ;;„" ar t Wag the prime mover" to prevent " the new at t l e , r Y being a job ; " and not as represented by you the'e last vestry meeting. terefore, write to you, in the hope that you will, at I)ortendext vestry meeting, correct the statement as re 4)bedient-°," Prejudice.—l am, reverend sir, your most t ervant, THOMAS URQUHART. 4 ° the Rev. A. Camnbell, Rector of Liverpool, and Chairman of the Select Vestry. WottlitioUsE COMMITTEE, appear The proceedings of this 'committee were read. It tiled that the number admitted during the week to h e vagrant sheds were 271 males, 132 females, and 43 hospital all, 446. The number of sick cases in land tan the 13th inst. were 484, la nd 28 including 13 fever The total numbers in the house the 13th inst. Were 1,956. p e Pr• Shaw in moving the adoption of the proceedings, of L I. " to the success which had attended the adoption that, test. Gentlemen of the hoard must he aware e 4ll. I nanY years, until the mill had been erecte.l, it was 'nund •1 Ito weed the house of a certain ~ 1 8„ possi byes had People, whose fathers, grandfat . her . s, and rela y), "an made it their habitation. But since the test of „Pill had been applied an effectual cure was the a e btf,' an much so, that whereas there used to be many ‘,,a—uodied persons there, at the present moment there u 4 not absolutely one. It would be dieing an injustice h i n °ll ,his Part if he did not call the altellion of the RA -4 to tile able and efficient manner in which the ati t t e t r i nnr had conducted these operations. He had done the t at an Ylindy could do under the circumstances, and uoard was mainly indebted to him for the results whieh liad followed. Mr. ► Woodruff said it was very satisfactory to hear that the w R e nd had t a k en pl ace i n t h e ma " agement of _ eurtiZkillcuse, but h e did not t hi n k t h e governor was „ 'n all th e cre di t. It was originated long before eie",v'ernor came to the house, and he thought its effi si,:„,earrYing out Was due in a great measure, to the Pre'rle"cer,aeVrtivity of that ' committee than to that of Ls 11I r . • --enton thought it rather ungenerous that Mr__ "nruff should mak e these remarks. It was well at n a ?: an tltat the house was not previously in an e ffi cient no meansd that the committee could net classify. and had tvh for of testing , the paupers. That was the reason N o j .nrirn'r committees could not carry out their plans znilt,lrhee.house was properly - classified, and they bad the and st trstotv denied th at t h e b ath test was of no avail toidOted th a t t h e superintendent of the vagrant sheds b numbers of people wo u ld no t go t h roug h t h e a'n for a 10tt,3-* The Su eject then dropped. Ma n e Clerk read the following letter from Mr. Wight ,. .--. (th Dea r Liverpool, August 16, 1856. e ear have postponed answering your letter the ate of which does not appear) on the subje c t of b„,. aco unts of th e workhouse, in the hopes that I should able to forward one portion of them this I nv but have been prevented by circumstances outside kith ran I trust they will be completed next week. of regard to the resolution of the finance committee y o ,:,u s e 4th November, 1853, I beg to observe that the therefore then in progress , and very incomplete, and CPassed it must have been nown at the time it was r, ; e d that it could not be complied with ; however, it acc on d n ." an excuse for refusing me a payment on ain_ of my commission in the following year.—l 4,1 dear sir, yours faithfully, JOHN WIGHTNA.N. 40 the Rev. A. Campbell, &c., &c., Chairman of the Select Vestry. proceedings were confirmed. e..l:tie proceedings of the Industrial schools and finance ouontihniiittee were read and confirmed, They contained ng of importance. . MARTIN'S CEMETERY. tar he chairman s ST tated that he had written to the Secre „hThr f State to say, that he had given notice to the 4-e-Preliwardens that he would not permit funerals to be iti,n.ised in St. Martin's Cemetery after the 17th of th e 6 ,". 3 ,i, but, on the representation of the churchwardens to"t`bls would be extremely inconvenient, the parish 1 eine in th b a state of adequate preparation for convey tl,ll4 -ee bodies elsewhere, he 'had consented to extend 4: e to the 31st of August; and a ft er th e 31 st o f 0f g,usi, u nlesle s be received an order from the Secretary ail ate to close it sooner, he should discontinue ~" inR funerals to take place in St. Martin's Cemetery. I ,:e r ePly be received the following :—" Sir,—l am di er-"” bY Secretary Sir George Grey to acknowledge the j l ee ilit of your letter of the 12th, and to inform you, ; s t no time should be lost in complying with the order at) 4 C anncii to discontinue burials is St. Martin's Cerne `erY, Liverpool." That letter did not actually ord, r the cemetery to be closed sooner, and he should, therefore, !(2ntinue to permit funerals to AI rtin's Cemetery u n til the Ist of September. Alter the Stet of b August he Would'n t permit any f unera l s to e solemnised in John' s churc that cemetery. He believed, als o , th at 7 St. Yard would Th e Rev Taylor, be c l osed about the same church, h a d received not' ayl or , t h e incumbent of that ce from t h e S ecretary of State, to the e ffe c t th at he must close that churchyard, and he believed it would close about the same time. It was, ther e f ore , for the parish and the seleet vestry now to take whatever measures the thought fit upon t he subject, and to make arranrements for burying their deal in sorne other . ' l.ece With y, he should place With to Walton cemetery, h should wish them to r egard to Walton cemete r perinit him to trouble them with atew observations. Ihe Chairman then or i geionnattienda eidn; be hrsepresentUtion laid purchase of the walton Cemetery cif ore ore tile vestry bythe late Rector Ilrooks, in Isl 7, that St. Mary's Cemetery was full and inner be closed, coupled with the then prevailing conviction that intri lee.blued interineets would soon be rrohibited by the i eieiature, and that it would be adv . isab! e „ t o h e , a pre. provide a burial place at soul, a efi4°.linn.ary measure, to e ' ri '.V ll( e trom the town as that was never likely Th e se;epotet.ed upon by the increase of ,loldings. L" i nit .. 'airy enquire w matter and ere • d whether they were called upon inforeellte any proceeding in the _ that it was their , i 4 'het they were so called upen, Place e er ' 'least, provide, " t Y 'it to if necessary : a . bi : icia tt i ! P ro , _,. Ole poor. They consequen'ly did Intl d to d, leeltrigs, and, having about this time been urge for i sob le nd . Y the Health Committee, advertised publicly In ord er I t seme convenient di.tance f , om the town. ce.._el!° .proceed safely, they applied to the poor-law e lags , iirtoners to know whether they could pay for I i nfer ie etbeY purchased it, out of the poor-rate, and were 20, 1, 4 e .,,u by the commissioners, in a letter, dated August "%(1 that they could not—that it could only be paid for by a church rate laid by the vestry, under the sanction of the church building commissioners, in con formity with the church building acts. A rate was consequently laid for this purpose at the Easter vestry in 1848, at 2id in the pound, and at the same time a resolution was passed calling on the Select Vestry to apply for an act of parliament to have only a part of the new cemetery consecrated, and a part left unconsecrated. But this resolution was a nullity, for three reasons : it was a nullity, in the first place, because the land being paid for out of the church -rate under sanction of the church building commissioners, in conformity with the church building acts, was all consecrated as a matter of abs lute legal necessity, and no part of it could remain unconsecrated. The resolution was a nullity, secondly, because no previous notice had been given of it, and it could have no legal binding effect on the Select Vestry, for defect of notice; it was .a nollity, thirdly, because, though it called upon the Select Vestry to procure an act, it did not, and could not, nrovide them with the means. An act of parliament cannot be procured without the spending of a large sum of money, which the General Vestry had no power to provide, their power being limited to lay a church rare for church purposes, and which the Select Vestry also had no power to provide, their power being strictly limited by act of parliament, subj 'cting them to the revision of the auditor, and precluding the possibility of their spending any money in soliciting an act of parliament for any such purpose as the purchase of an unconsecrated cemetery out of a church-rite. The land for the Walton Cemetery having been thus deliberately purchased by a fo mal series of public proceedings rubl , cly advertised, recommended deliberately in due course by the finance committee, adopted deliberately, after considerable delay and due investigation, by the hoard, and sanctioned by a vote of general vestry, which laid a church-rate in 1818, for the purpose of paying for it, was, according to law, conveyed to the church commisssoners, accepted by them according to law, and consecrated in due course according to lbw, in the month of May, 1851 ; and, having been so consecrated, it is, by the 8 and 9 Vic. c. 70 s. 14, made part of the parish of Liverpool for burial purposes, though not within ifs bounds ; and by the same act 8 and 9 Viet., c. 70 s. 13, as also by the 59 Geo. 111., c. 134 a. 38, the freehold of the land so consecrated does, after the consecration thereof, rest in the incumbent of the parish of Liverpool, he being the person in whom the freehold of the ancient churchyards or burial-grounds of the parish were vested. It is declared by the parish surveyor to be very eligible for the purpose, as far as the soil is concerned. I have not heard that it has been objected to by the sanitary commisssoners recently sent down from the Home-office to inspect the burial places in the borough ; it is not objected to by our own local board of health ; it is in a very airy and retired situation—open to the sea breezes ; it is accessible by an excellent road for the conveyance of the bodies, and accessible to the poor who may wish to be present at the Christian burial of their friends, by cheap conveyance on the railway ; and, seeing the necessity for extra-mural interments, I do not know where a less objectionable site could have been procured. (Hear, hear.) In addition to these observations I should wish to state that the purchase of that cemetery was really no affair of mine. It was not purchased at my instigation, or by my desire. At the special meeting of the general vestry, held on the 7th January, 1848, the late Archdea con Brooks being in the chair, it was moved by Mr. Thoineley, and seconded by Mr. Johnson, that £9,357 should be borrowed to pay for the land. I really was not cognisant of it, I did not oppose the purchase of the cemetery, because I foresaw that intramural interments would be prohibited, and I did not think it would be a bad thing to purchase land a good way out of town. But I did not, I must confess, think it was necessary to pur chase it then. I did not think it was an absolute neces sity—and although I do not pretend to advocate intra mural interments, still I have not that objection to them which many individuals have. I think there is a good deal of exaggeration upon the subject, and a good deal of fancy. (Hear, bear.) I really do think so—and I have not that horror of dead bodies which some persons have. (Hear, hear.) I may mention that while Mr. Woodruff and I were in St. Martin's Cemetery recently, we saw three very hale, ruddy old men, working in the graves, and we observed to them that they looked remarkably well. The one to whom we spoke replied, " Oh dew-, sir, it is not the dead who do us any harm, it is the living" Now, I hive an addition , 1 reason for not having any very great horror of dead bodies, from a circumarance which happened to myself, and which I will relate to you. A great many years ago, I attended a funeral where the body was to he buried within the church—a very objectionable prac tice, I think, but it was to he buried within the church. When we reached the churchyard, we were met by a most offensive smell—when we got into the church, the sinell'ircame indeed insupportable, and when we en quired what the causes of it were, we found that it proceeded from the dead body of a young man who had been laid in the vault, and who had lied of typhus fever. There we all were—and I must confess I Caine to the c nclusion that we should all of us be seized with typhus f ver. an) v 'ry possibly die. But the result of it was, that not a single one of the party there, neiiher the clergymen, the clerks, nor the sextons, nor any of the party present took any harm. I am here at the present day, and I never heard of any mischief occurring to any of the parties who attended the funeral along with me. I have, therefore, come to the conclu- lion that there is not so much apprehension from dead bodies as some persons suppose. At the same time I think it is very desirable that the cemeteries belonging to great towns should be out of tow , !s in as convenient a place as they possibly can he. But, with those impres sions upon my mind, I took some pains to prevent the closing of St. Martin's churchyard two years ago. If it had not been for me St. Martin's parochial cemetery would have been closed from the Ist of August, 1854. I made a representation to the Secretary of State which causei the delay, and allowed it to be kept open until this time. It can be kept open no longer now, as the Secretary of Sate insists upon its being closed, and he has the power to order it. As I have told you before, any person who officiates there after the Ist of August is liable to a penalty for misdemeanour, in addition to a fine of .£lO. Mr. Jackson asked whether it was the fact that the Select Vestry was bound to provide burial places for the poor ? Was that the duty of the Select Vestry or of a General Vestry ? The Clerk re a d, as a reply, a letter of the poor-law board, dated the 20th of August, 1847, to the effect that the poor-law commissioners could not find any express authority given by law to the Select Vestry for any such purpose ; but, on the other hand, power was given to the inhabitants under the Church Buildings' Act to provide a cemetery. The Chairman : The general vestry did so. The Clerk continued to read from the letter, which further stated, that where there was sufficient land adjacent to the workhouse to enable such a project to be carried into effect, the guardians had sometimes guaran teed possession of the land to the church commissioners, and it had been used as a burial ground of the union. Mr. Jackson said, it would appear that the proceed. ings at the time, with regard to Walton, were somewhat irregular, but it would be fruitless to go into that question now, as they had been confirmed by the general vestry. With reference to the expected closing of St. John's .churchyard, he begged to ask, whether the incumbent of St John's, independently of the per. mission of the rector, would have an opportunity of taking the dead of his congregation, or his ecclesiastical district, to the new cemetery at Walton, interring them himself, and dividing the fees between himself and the rector of the parish, the clerks and sex►ons, as had been the custom hitherto in St. John's churchyard ? Was it the fict, that the incumbent of that church and of other churches in the town, would have no place of burial, and no right to bury their dead but by the permission of the rector for the time being ? The Chairman: I very much fear that, under present circumstances, such is the case. He would have no right to go there without the permission of the rector, but I am of opinion that something may be done to obviate the disagerable and prejudicial consequences of such a state of the law. THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY. Mr. Jackson : Would it be binding upon your suc- cessors ? The Chairman: I think something might be done which would eventually be binding. I cannot pretend to say that it would he certainly so. lam must anxious odo everything which I possibly can. In allusion to the coming special general vestry, the Chairman expressed his opinion that there was not the slightest possible reason for any differences or dissensions arising among them. (Hear, hear.) Persons complained that 271 acres should be vested in him as a freehold, but surely that was nothing very exorbitant for a parish containing from 270,000 to 280,000 souls. So far as dissenters were concerned, they were, if anything, rather in a hetter position of the two, The consecrated burial ground had been purchased out of the church rates, and an unconsecrated ground for dissenters must be purchased nut of the poor's rate. Now, a great many dissenters never paid one single sixpence ti the church rate, but all parties would have to pay towards the expense of a dissenters' burial ground, as it would have to be pur chased out of the poor's rate, to which they must all con tribute, or else go to prison. (Laughter ) After some further conversation, the proceedings were confirmed. IVondruff moved, in pursuance of notice, that ,Ipusiinattnedes Clesney, formerly a member of the vestry, be Mr. Wood;ue resig n . d. a member in tie room of Mr. Hastings, would move t uff Mr. Sh aw f ;onded the motion, which was carried. the name of an notice that, at the next meeting he y giennitihe event of a vacancy taking place, he submitted to the eman to be proposed to fill it up, b o ard at least a fortnight before the election took plasm. Befere the vestry separated, Mr Woodruff reminded the members, that the special general vestry was to open at twelve o'clock, on Tuesday next, at St. Nicholas' church. Mr. Jackson asked if the proceedings would take place, by adjournment, in the Sessions-house ? - Mr. Woodruff said, arrangements would be made for an adjournment to the Sessions-house if it were found necessary. The buiness then closed. DECREASE OF VA GRANT ADMISSIONS TO THE WORKHOUSE SHEDS By a report from the master, it appeared that the num ber of vagrants admitted to the sheds during the year ending August, 1855, was 35,067 ; while the number admitted the year just expired, was but 17.746, thus showing a decrease of vagrant admissions during the past year, to the number of 17,271. POLICE COUR,T.-YE , T.-YESTE RDAY , RDAY (BEFORE MR MANSFIELD.) THE KNIFE AGAIN! —Every day our police reports are full of details of stabbing cases, often resulting fatally. Liverpool, at present, and for some time past, seems to be a disgrace to England, in this respect. Have the authorities no power to put a stop to the frightful use of the knife that prevails ? Ye.terday morning, there were three or four cases of stabbing brought before the bench, and amongst these a man named Edward Daffy, was put forward on a charge of having stabbed a woman named Jane Maguire, in PauCstreet. Her head was ba"daged r , p and her face covered with blood. The prisonei's head w.,3 also covered with blood, which clotted his hair, and one side of the cranium was bound up with sticking plaster, and both persons seemed t i have suffered severely. It appeared from the evidence of the officer, that there was a 't great fight" in Paul street, and that the brother of the complainant and the Prisoner were engaged in a fierce conflict, when the woman's husband joined in the melee. They used knives; and on the woman coming down stairs, she was stabbed by the prisoner on the forehead. The woman on being put into the box, not only exhibited great reluctance to proceed, but said she could not tell who struck her. The police officer said they were all a faction together and did not wish to proceed against each other. Mr. Mansfield said, if people took a fancy to get stabbed, and suffered it, why, ho would not interfere. In this case he could do nothing, as there was no evidence, and he most therefore discharge the prisoner.— Anne Doyle, a native of Orange-street, was the next prisoner. She was put forward on a charge of attempting to stab her husband. Police officer 499, produced a knife, which he said she had in her hand. She was following her husband in the street, swearing she would kill him; and when he (the officer) attempted to stop her, she said she would "do for him." The prisoner's husband refused to come forward to prosecute. The prisoner was sent to jail for seven days. SOLDIERS' WIVES.—Some soldiers' wives applied to his worship for assistance to enable them to join their husbands. The applicants stated that they had addressed themselves to the parish authorities, but the only relief they could get there was by going into the workhouse; this they refused, as they said it would separate them from their children. His worship ordered Marks, one of the officers, to make out a list of the deservin; persons, and be would lay it before the mayor and the officer commanding the staff, and see what could be done for the poor women. He said he had received a letter from the Rev. Mr. Connor, in reference to some remarks, which he felt it his duty to make a few days since regarding a testimonial. He had the highest opinion of the Rev. Mr. Connor, who was incanable of doing any thing improper; but he (Ur. Mansfield) had not beard, as yet, any statement in reference to the observations which he used, that had induced him to alter the opinion he then held and expressed. He was sure that if Major Powis knew the circumstances under which the piece of plate was got up for him be would blush every time he looked at the testimonial, when he knew the persons or parties who presented it to him raised it by begging from beggars. (BEFORE MR. ALDERMAN TURNER ) AN OPEN OoNFFS3ION—ROBBERY OF ,L 26 and Robert Satetiff., said to be man and wife, the latter described as a shoemaker, residing in Rose-place, were charged with having stolen £2610s in gold, from Wm. King. The facts of the case were as follows : —The prosecutor is a chair-maker; and was on his way home, shortly after two o'clock on Tuesday morning, when he entered an eating shop kept by a Mrs. Rolands, in Cases—street, to get some supper. The prisoners were in a "snug," into which he went. He was sober, hut very sleepy, and while his supper was being got ready he sent for some ale. He fell asleep in the mean time, and when he awoke he found his money and the prisoners gone. He gave information to the police, and two officers proceeded to the prisoners' lodging, where, on searching, they got seventeen sovereigns, and on the woman's person, by the female searcher, two half-sovereigns more were found. The male prisoner, at first, told the police the money was his own, hut he afterwards denied it. The female, in reply to the bench, said, I took the money, but I only took what the police found, and I'm sorry for it now; my husband, here, knows nothing about it." One of the officers sail the woman was not the man's wife. She was a person who walked the streets at night, and the man, was in the habit of following her. The prisoners (who were well dressed) were fully committed for trial. Swm.r.s.—.Tyro young and fashionably dressed persons, whose names appeared on the sheet as Sarah Cowley and E lward Smith, both of whom spoke with strong Scotch accent, were charged by Mr. Charles C ladwick, carriage inspector at the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway, who said, shortly after six the previous evening hesaw them on the platform at Tithebarn-street station, and suspecting them, for certain reasons, he kept his eve on them, and after some time, he saw them fellow a lady. The male prisoner "covered" the woman, and he saw her put her hand into the lady's !pocket, when he seized her. Mr. Goodier appeared for the male prisoner, and contended that there was nn evidence against him. In reply to him, the com . plainant said the lady did not lose anything. The learnt., gentleman contended that his client must be discharged The prisoners, not being known to the police, were dis charged with a caution: CURIOUS CHARGE.—A gentlemanly-looking person, about 50 years .f age, whose name appeared on the sheet as William Henry Smith, said to be of the firm of Smith and Hodson, general agents, was brought up by Inspector Horn, on a charge of the following , description :—Mr. Henry appeared for the prosecution, and from his statement, it appeared that some time in April last, the prisoner caned on Mr. John Foot, a brewer, at West Derby, and told him he could procure a quantity of hops, and, after an agreement, a bill of £175 18s 3d was given to the prisoner in relation to the hops. It was not stated whether the hops were delivered ; but the allegation was that, towards the end of July the prisoner obtained two bills, one for £75. with the view of returning the original bill, hut, as he stated, he got this bill discounied, and did not apply it as designed . . Henry said he would ask for a remand for soriie days, in order to produce witnesses; but his Worship said, on the case shown there was not grounds to retain the prisoner, and he was therefore discharged. DENIAL NINE POINTS OF THE LAW.—A comical-Joking fellow, named Niurphy, was charged with having stolen three hens. A witness stated that he saw the prisoner "coaxing" some fancy fowl with bread and meat, and when he got - a lot in a cluster, he made a grab at and caught three of them, which he put inside his shirt, when the witness caught him. The prisoner denied, in the very strongest terms, that he was there at all, and vehemently protested that he did not see alien for a 'fortnight before last Christmas ! He was sent to jail for three months, being a well-known " foul" robber. (BEFORE MR. ALDERMAN TURNER AND T. BOLTON.) CHARGE OF ASSAULT.—John Boyd, an inspector at Tithebarn-street railway station, appeared to answer a com plaint made against him by Isaac Brunt for an assault, which consisted in the defendant having ejected the com plainant from the premises of the railway company. On hearing the details, the magistrates were fully convinced that the officer, who is a man of intelligence and respectability, was only doinf his duty, and that he was perfectly justified in the clurse he adopted, and therefore they dismissed the compl4int. ANOTHER ASSAULT.—A smart, intelligent girl. late a waitress in Mr. Philip Angelo's eating-house, Great Howard- street, summoned brr employer for an assault. Mr. Block defended. It, appeared that the complainant was told 10 defendant not to bring in any drink for his wife, for if she did he would turn her away. Oa the other hand, tha mistress as positively asserted sbe would dismiss her, if she refased to bring in the " liquor." She did bring in some, and this caused a quarrel ' • and she alleged that her master beat her, and gave her a black eye. He was fined ss. and costs. THE DOG NUISANCE TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES. Sir,—l am glad to see you notice this subject. It is, indeed, most intolerable to see the number of dogs that are allowed (to the danger of foot passengers) to be at large in our streets. I notice that almost every house in Barlow street, and the adjoining, Upper Baker-street, West Derby road, has a dog, and you cannot pass without being furiously attacked by one of them. Surely the police should see to this. A fine sheuli be enforced on parties allow ing their dogs to be at large, especially at the pres-nt time. —I am, &c. RETRIEVER. Liverpool, 19th August, 1856. AN ADVENTURE.—About the still and solemn hour of midnight, between Tuesday and Wednesday, when " nature seeks repose in balmy sleep," a hero of the Crimea, accom panied by his " l a ydi e love" went down to view the har bour, be, no d ou b t , describing all the while Sebastopol or Eupatoria. Tn doing this, they both sat down upon the steps of Earl Greys's Dock, Dundee; but ere they long had sat, a cry wa3 heard, a double cry, which brought the guardians of the night, and lo ! deep in the dark abyss, two figures there appeared, struggling for life, and bawling out for help'. By great exertions both were rescued from their perilous positiou.—Northern Warder. THE LIVERPOOL GAS COMPANY The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of this com pany was held at twelve o'clock yesterday, in the company's offices, Newington. The chair was occupied by Mr. G. 11. Laurence, chairman. • Among the other gentlemen present were—Messrs. C. Turner, R W. Sandbach. J. E. Morris, C. W. Read, Joseph Cooper, Dr. Branflreth, Dr. Mather, S. H. Thompson, Clare, H. Hannen, G. Riding, C. Moseley, J. Radley, &c. The statement of accounts having been submitted, Mr 'J. B. Lloyd read the fallowing REPORT, The directors submit to the proprietors their report of the affairs of the financial year ending the 30th June last, It is satisfactory to them that they are enabled to state that the business of the company has increased to some extent during the year. They fear, however, that this increase will not meet the expectations of those parties who took a san guine view of the prohahle results of the reduction of the price on the lst January, 1855. The gas rental for the year ending 30th June, 1854 £121,121 Ditto ; 855 125,024 Ditto ... 1856 121,643 The price in 185.5 was reduced from the lit January to the 30th June in that year, within the parliamentary borough, • from 4s 6d per 1,000 cubic feet to 49 ; and during the pas year the price for the entire period, within the above district has been at 4s. Ti l e profit and loss account for the year ending ing 30th June last is From which has to be deducted the amount paid for dividends for the half-year ending 31st December, 1855. Leaving towards the dividend ....£22,61.4 13 0 for the half year ending 30th June last ; but, to make up the dividend to which the proprietors are entitled, the direc tors will have to draw from the reserved fund £1,335 7s. The directors recommend that the proprietors should declare a dividend for the half-year ending 30th Tune last, at the ree of £5 per cent. on the consolidated stock of the com pany. The directors have pleasure in stating that the new works of the company at Wavertree are nearly completed, and will be available for the requirements of the company during the ensuing winter. Since the last half-yearly meeting, the directors have arranged with the Town Council the terms and conditions upon which an inspector of meters is to be appointed. The directors beg to inform the proprietors that the four following gentlemen retire by rotation from the board of directors, but are eligible for re-election, viz :—William Fosbery, Esq. ; William Robertson Sandbach, Esq.; Samuel Henry Thompson, Esq.; and Charles William Reade, Esq. ; also that James Radley, Esq., one of the auditors, retires by rota tion, but is re-eligible. G. H. LAURRYCE, Chairman. The Chairman said : Gentlemen, I beg leave to move the adoption of the report which you have just heard read, and to invite your examination of the accounts of the com pany, which have been submitted to you. It is a great relief to me, indeed, that I shall not have to occupy your attention with any lengthened remarks of my own. The accounts speak for themselves. The course of events out of doors during the past half-year has not been of that difficult character which distracted our attention when we last met. All goes on smoothly and well. There are those who may have anticipated that the results of the reduction in the price of gas would have been more apparent, and that a large consumption would have been shown ; but. I, for r m e yP su s lt l, .f may sa y that notl a one o f iliperfectly thosewhothsatisfied with t ht that, at ile the i very m fir e s t, do w gr e e s e ho e u n i t d be ab renoh a in l g e to pay o upon pon ourur 10 p reservede r cent, without fund but when I show you that, out of the reserve of £13,000, we hare only had occasion to draw £1,300 to pay the dividend. that will prove to you we have nothing to fear from the reduction of the price to 4s. The times, too, have been rather against us. The heavy income-tax, and other circumstances, have checked consumption ; bin I think— and I anply the observation t o all commodities—that they who sell good and cheap articles need never be afraid that a reduction in price will not produce an increase of consump tion. There is only one difficulty which presses on my mind—that is, the price we may have to pay for cannel ; but, if we could only guarantee the continuance of the existing contracts all would he quite right. However, I have no fears for the event. It is my duty to explain the past, and not to prophecy what may come afterwards, and I hope there is nothing either in the report or the accounts laid before you which could snake you hesitate in adopting the report, for which I now ask your acceptance. Mr. Alderman Cooper seconded the motion, which was unanimously adopted. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Sand baPh, a dividend, as recommended in the report, was declared. The retiring directors and retiring auditor were re elected, and Mr. W. D. Chidson was elected one of the auditors in the room of Mr. Mann, who resigned in conse quence of ill health. The remuneration of the directors was fixed at £5OO , which was voted. Mr. Charles Turner asked how long their contracts for cannel had to run ? Mr. King replied that some of them would expire in about four years. Those most beneficial to the company had four years to run ; others had two years to run, and they haft two others which were just expiring. One for £35,000 would esnire in June, 1859, and another for £13,000 in June, 1860. Mr. C. Turner asked what was the average price they were now paying for cannel Mr. MoQeley suggested that this was a question which they ought not to diicuss. The matter was accordingly allowed to drop. Mr. C. Turner moved that the thanks of the meeting be given to the directors for their management of the company. They had had a difficulc negotiation with the Town Council, and they had conducted it with satisfaction to the pro prietors, and he believed the public generally. He was aware that a good deal of fault wss found with them by some parties out of doors, but he felt convinced that the town in general felt well satisfied with them, and that the company was conducted with justice to the proprietors and consumers. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Moseley seconded the motion, which was unanimously adopted. The meeting then separated. EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE. On Sunday afternoon Harry Jas. Jukes, formerly clerk and commission agent in the City, was found dead in his bed, at No. Philpot street, C ommerc i a l- rooad East, and under lA' circumstances which left no doubt that he had poisoned himself. It appears that the wife of the unfortunate de ceased left town a few days since, with her only son, a little boy, to attend the funeral of her late father at Yarmouth. The deceased, who had met with many adversities, had since been in a desponding state. He came home soon after 11 o'clock on Saturday night, and went to bed. He did not appear on Sunday morning, and in the afternoon, soon after two o'clock, the servant in the house opened the door of his room and found him in bed dead, and the countenance much distorted. On a table in the room in which deceased lodged were discovered two letters written by the deceased, as follows.:—" To Mr. and Mrs. Chapman,—Should I be discovered a corpse in this house, during my dearest wife's abscence, it will be my own act—self-poisoning by acetate of morphia. Cause I have none. All I request you to do, after the fact, is to inform my darling wife in the most deli cate way von possibly can. Her address is Mrs. Martha Rebecca Jukes, No. 1, Chapel-square, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Should you have to make any preparation for my funeral, do so in the most economical manner possible.— h enry James Jukes, Sunday, 17th of August, 1856."—The second letter was as follocss : " 10A, Philpot-street, Sunday, 17th August, 1856.—T0 my beloved wife—Should I be found a corpse, it will be my own wicked action, produced by poison, held in possession some long time. I really can not account for my taking so dangerous a course, only that lam tired of my life, not my married life , but things r u n so contrary a n d un p rom i s i ng f or the future. I dread poverty. May Gad bless and favour you and my dear boy Willy is my last dying prayer. Ido not wish you to re main a widow any longer than is usual, say twelve months. For my putting an end to my own existence is an offence that I pray God may forgive me. S) my darling wife, when I am no more, forgive me the many wrongs I have done you. My watch I leave on the bedroom mantel shelf, and 14s. 6d. with two or three halfpence is all the cash I now have. All I can care for in dying is to be sure you and my dear Willy, our son, may never know my privations. You will pray for my soul; and in my last moments I de clare you to be a really good, true, fond and faithful wife. From your departed, unaccountable husband, Henry James Jukes. The remains of the poison is in my trowsera pocket. Henry James Jukes."—Mr. Stevens f iind a paper contain ing acetate of morphia in the deceased's trousers pocket. MI B B NIGFI TING ALE'S CARRIAGE. This vehicle, brought from the Crimea in the Argo steamer, has arrived at the mayor's manufactory, and excited a good deal of interest, both from its connection with the scenes incident to the late war, and the peculiarity, accordin g t o E ngl i sh notions of carri ges, of its construction ; but it was, no doubt, well adapted for the purpOse for which it was in b tended. It is very light, being composed of wood b +ttens framed on the outside, and basket work, so much the fashion now in England. In the interior it is lined with a sort of waterproof canvas. It has a fixed head on the hind part, and canopy running the full length, with cur— tains at the side to inclose the interior. The front driving seat remove s , and thus the whole f orms a sort o f its that it has been w e ll t es t e d, and pro ve d small tilted waggon, with a webbed f rame suspen d e d on the b ac k part, on which to recline. and well padded r ound the sid es . It i s fitt e d w i th patent breaks to both th e hind wheels, so as to let it go gently down the steep hills of the Turkish roads. W e h ave no d ou bt from appearance itself, n otwithstanding its present rough appearance, a good friend to hundreds of our unfortunate couptrymen, and will long continue an object of great Inter est.---Bant s (Southampton) Inckpoident! SOUTH LANCASHIRE ASSIZES.-YESTERDAY CROWN COURT. (BEFORE MIL. JUSTICE WILLIS.) Tsa ATTRMPT. TO POISON AT ASHTON-UNDEN-LYNE.-- His Lordship took his seat on the bench at eine o'clock, when the prisoner, Jane Newton, described in the calendar as a weaver, was placed at the bar on a charge of having adminis tered to her husband, Henry Newton, half an ounce of arsenic, with intent to murder him. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and Mr. Wheeler conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Sowler watched the case for the prisoner. The learned sergeant, in opening the case, said the prisoner then in the dock stood charged with one of the most heinous offences that a person could be guilty of. The indictment charged her with admi nistering arsenic, for the purpose of poisoning her husband. He mentioned this fact, that the jury might give the subject their serious attention, in order that justice might be done to all parties. The prisoner was the wife of a blacksmith, living at Ashton—under-Lyne. To him she had been married about eight years, and had borne him four children, two of whom were dead, and two alive. The jury would be told that, upon evidence that could not be cantradicted, that on the morning of Saturday, the 6th of May, the husband of the prisoner arose from his bed in perfect health. It would be proved that on that morning the prisoner had prepared a quantity of stew for breakfast, which she had put into three vessels, one for herself, one for the children, and the other for her husband. During the process of preparing the breakfast she had been seen to stir her husband's portion with a spoon, but did not do that in the other vessels. She then called her husband down, and after he had partaken of about a gill of the stew he complained to the prisoner that he was ill, and he thcn fell sick. He said he could not eat any more of it, but would divide it amongst the children, which he did. He then went into the back yard and began to vomit. After he had left the kitchen the prisoner took the stew from the children, saying that as it had not done him any good it would not do them any good, and she then threw it away. She washed out the basins in which the childrens' and the husband's stew had been. In about ten minutes her husband returned into the house, and began to vomit, and threw up a deal of matter. Iu the yard close to where the husband had vomited there were a number of fowls kept. These fowls were taken ill, and the prisoner said " They will die," and they did die. These fowls were afterwards opened and their contents were analysed, and arsenic was found in them. One of the children, after taking of a portion of the father's stew, was also taken ill and vomited, but afterwards recovered. The husband was attended by two medical men, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Kitson. Each of these gentlemen would be called into the box, and would give their opinion as to the symptoms of the prisoner's husband. On the Tuesday night the husband's brother, Charles, went to stay with him, and on entering the house, he charged the prisoner with having attempted to poison her husband. She then denied the charge, bat afterwards admitted that she had, on the Friday before, purchased some arsenic ' for the purpose of destroying fleas. It would be proved that that statement was a falsehood, because there were no fleas in the house. When the husband heard about the arsenic he was startled, because he never knew that there was any in the house, nor of there being any fleas. The brother then said to the prisoner, " Thou had better be off from here, for if thou don't, thou'lt soon be in the custody of the police." Site then put on her bonnet and shawl and went away. The husband recovered, and the vomits which had been carefully collected, were handed over to a skilful chemist, who, on analysing them, clearly discovered the presence of arsenic. It would also be proved that the prisoner had purchased arsenic on the Friday before, and if she did not give a better account of it than she had already done, he feared that the only conclusion that could be arrived at was that she had purchased it for the purpose of poisoning her husband. The reason the prisoner had alleged to the person who went with her for the arsenic was that she wanted it to destroy fleas, as her husband had been bitten so bad that he could not sleep, and that the children were so badly bitten that she did not like to see them. Here the learned sergeant animadverted on the conduct of the druggists so readily supplying persons with such large quanti ties of arsenic. With reference to the purchasing of the stew, the prisoner had told several tales, all of which would be proved to be false. On the Monday she had stated that she had bought them of a Mr. Martin, but if she had done so it would be found to be good stew. The questions the jury would have to consider was, did the prisoner purchase the arsenic? Of that there could be no doubt. Then, for what did she purchase it? She bad said it was to destroy fleas, and that she used a portion o f it t o was h the bed with. This would be proved to be false, as the bed had been examined, and not a particle of arsenic had been found in it. It was true that the prisoner had not been seen to put the arsenic into the stew, but her husband's stew had arsenic, in it. Then, he would ask, who put it there ? As it would be proved the prisoner told so many falsehoods, he had no doubt but that the jury would regard it as a material element in the case. It might be asked wltat motive could have induced the prisoner to do such an act. That was a difficult question to decide. What might be the motive with one person might not be the motive with another ; but there was this fact, that at the death of her husband the prisoner would receive £8 for his funeral expenses, and that she had made away with a portion of his clothes, and had been getting goods which she had not paid for. If the jury come to the conclusion that the prisoner was guilty, their country enjoined them to do so, but if they should have any doubt, they must yield to those doubts, and give the prisoner the benefit of them. The prisoner being eneienle, was accommodated with a seat at the bar. Throughout the protracted enquiry she appeared to treat the investigation with the greatest in difference. Remy Newton, the husband of the prisoner, said : On the morning of the 4th of May, I was quite well in health. On that morning we had some stew for breakfast. The prisoner gave it to me and the children. The prisoner called me down stairs to get my breakfast, I was not in the room when the prisoner brought the stew into the house. We all began to eat the stew at about the same time. After I had eaten a small portion of the stew, I began to feel a burning sensation at my stomach. I told her so, but she made me no answer. I then took that portion of the stew I had left and divided it with the two children. I put the basin on the table, and went into the back yard near to where the fowls are kept, and I vomited very much for about five minutes, and then I went to bed, where I remained for about half an hour. When I returned the prisoner asked me if site should go for a doctor. I told her to do so. Sho left the house, and on her return said she had been for Mr. Lee, but that he was from home. She afterwards went, as she stated for Mr. Hunt, whom she also said was from home. She afterwards left the house several times to go for Mr. Hunt, but each time she said he was from home. She afterwards went for Mr. Kitson, who came to me immediately afterwards and gave me some medicine. I vomited very much while he was present. The children was also taken ill. Between five and six o'clock on Sunday morning the prisoner asked me if I could eat anything. I told her I could eat some pottage. She made me some, and after I had eaten one or two spoons ful I began to feel the same burning sensation at my chest as I had done after eating the stew, On Tuesday my brother came and went for Mr. Kitson. In a conversation which took place between them, I heard her say that she had purchased some mercury. She had never before said that she had purchased any mercury. I had, previous to this occurrence, missed some of my clothes, which the prisoner said she had pawned for her sister, Hunt. I was very ill until the Friday. I am a member of a Foresters club, and if I had died the prisoner wonid have been entitled to £B. I never complained of having fleas. I never had any dealings with any travelling hawkers, but some have applied to me for bills. The prosecutor was cross-examined at considerable length, but his testimony remained unshaken. Thomas Mayhew, a nephew to the prisoner, spoke to being at the house on the morning in question, and seeing the prisoner bring the stew into the house, also to her stirring that up in the basin with a spoon. He also said that he saw her take the stew from the children, and throw it at the back of the fire, at the same time observing that as it bad made one poorly, it would not do for her to have all three down, and she then gave the children some -tea. Sarah Newton, the sister of the prosecutor, spoke to going to live with her brother on the 6th, and by the instruction of the police collecting all the vomits and placing them into a jar, and subsequently handing them over to the police. Charles Newton, the prisoner's brother, fully bore out the statement made by the learned sergeant as to the conversation with the prisoner, when he charged her with having poisoned his brother, and to her having acknowledged that she, on the Friday before, purchased a quarter of a pound. A great many witnesses were called, for the purpose of proving the more minute details of the case, as stated by the learned sergeant, all of which they most substantially corroborated, especially as to the prisoner having purchased the arsenic, and to her having made several statements relative thereto, all of which were corroborated. An assistant to Mr. Waterhouse spoke to selling the prisoner 416. of arsenic. She asked for meacury, and he gave her arsenic. His employer was in the shop at the time. Mr. Hunt, surgeon, was called to visit the prosecutor on the sth of May, when he found him vomiting very severely, and complained of heat its the stomach and tongue. He said he had been quite well on the Sunday morning before he had taken of any of the stew. He prescribed for him until Saturday, when he had recovered. The prosecutor had told him that the stew had a nasty taste. Inspector Brown, of the police force, deposed to receiving the vessel from the witness Sarah N ewton, costraining t h e vomits, which he h an d e d to Mr. Stones, a chemist. He also took the flock out of the beds, and delivered it to the same person. He likewise gave one of the dead fowls to the same person. Mr. H. Stone, analytical chemist, deposed to finding arsenic in time contents of the bottles, and also in the crops of the fowls, but none in the flocks. Cross-examined Arsenic is used in making lass bottles, but would undertake to show that there could be g found in time bottle. Mr. Sowler then addressed the noonne behalf of the prisoner, a duty, he said, he would not jury shrink from any more than he had done on the day before, when requested by his lordship to do the same thing Although it was one of those cases which was entered upon . with fear and trepidation, as it was one by which, by a little word, the prisoner would suffer the extreme penalty of the law; o r, by the addition of another littl e word, s h e m i ght be restored to her liberty. H e then, at considerable length, poted out the discrepenci es i n the evidence, and argued i t n hat nothingi d been add uce d that could show that the prisonerh ad any motive whatever for the commital of such a dreadful offence as that with which he stood charged. He also thought the jury would require to know what had become of the remainder o the arsenic On that point there was no evidence, 14 then, admitting that arsenic had been administered to, the man the question would he, was it so administered by accident or design. They might •inf,r that it was by accident ; and he therefore hoped that the jury would see such doubts as wou l d lead the m t o pronounce a verd i ct o f acquittal against the prisoner. His Lordship then proceeded to sum up the evi dence, by observing that the prisoner stood charged with having administered poison to her husband, for the purpose of causing his death. The law on this point was so clear that he need not refer to it, as the real question they would have to decide was, whether or not there had been poison in the stew that the husband had eaten on the morning of the Ch of May. If so, who put it in? Was it put in by the prisoner? And, if so, did she put it in by design or by accident? If they were of opinion that it had been put in designedly, then they must find a verdict of guilty; but if they entertained any substantial doubt in the matter, they would give the prisoner the benefit of that doubt, and return a verdict of not guilty. His Lord. ship then proceeded to recapitulate the evidence, and left it for the jury to arrive at a conclusion. The jury retired at twenty minutes to six o'clock, arid returned into court at five minutes to six with a verdict of not guilty. His Lordship then directed the attention of the jury to the reprehensible conduct of persons selling paisons in such large quantities, in a country where life was so valuable, without any enquiry. Thi s was a sad instance of it. He did hope that the attention of the legislature would be directed to the point, with a view to a remedy being applied. The prisoner was then ordered to be discharged. MANSLAUGHTER AT MANCHESTER.—ThoMeS Fary, a lad, stood charged with causing the death of a man named Thninas Karr, on the 234 of June last. 'the prisoner and the leceased were fighting, when the prisoner struck the deceased a blow which caused his death. The prisoner was acquitted. The court then adjourned. NISI PRIIIS COURT. (BEFORE MR. BARON BRAMWELL AND A COMMON JURY.) PIGOT v. CADMAN.—Ori the sitting of the court at nine o'clock this case was resumed. The defence was, that the account included items already charged in the bills taxed by the Master in Chancery, and that the other business to which it reterted had been done on account of Peake and not of the defendant. Mr. Attorney-general Knowles, in h's reply, strongly dwelt on the popular prejudice to attorneys' hills, and trusted that in this instance the jury would not be influenced by it. His Lordship, in summing up, obsPi ved, that so farad his experience went, a more intelligent, upright, and praise• worthy class of men than attorneys did not exist in this country. The jury, after some deliberation, found for the plaintiff on some of the items, and for the defendant on the others. ACTION POE SLANDER—GREEN V. SETTLE.—This WAS an action for slander contained in certain words spoken of the plaintiff's wife by the defendant. Mr. Monck was council for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Wilkins for the defendant. Mr. Monck, in stating the case, said that the plaintiff was a moulder in Bolton, and that his wife, up to the occurrence out of which the action arose, carried on the business of a dressmaker and milliner, and by her earnings added consider ably to the income of her husband. The defendant was the overiooker of a colliery in the neighbourhood, and in the month of March, of this year, entered the shop of Mr. Vickers, of Bolton, in which was a person of the name of Sharpies. He sat down near Sharpies, and asked him how he was getting on with Mrs. Green ? Sharpies asked him what he meant, and. then the defendant, using very coarse language, accused him of having connection with Mrs. Green: Mr. Sharpies became very indignant at the charge, and denied its truth. The defendant nevertheless maintained that it was, and offered to bet half a crown on it, observing, at the same time, that he knew that she had had connection with two other parties. This con versation was repeated outside by a person whu was in the shop during the time, and so injured Mrs. Green's character, that her business very speedily declined until she had to close her shop altogether. James Sharpies sworn and examined : Is a counterpane weaver. ' In the month of March was in the shop of Mr. Vickers While there the defendant came in. He said, " How do you get on with Mrs. Green r Witness asked what he meant, upon which the defendant said that he knew quite well, and in very coarse language accused him of cartying on a criminal intercourse with Mrs. Green, and offered to bet him half a crown on the truth of it. Witness became indignant, and said that he would not stand it, as he had already suffered from a like charge in regard it, another woman, and as Mrs. Green was kindly gettin g h im as much employment as she could. The witness was cross* examined by Mr. Sergeant Wilkins as to Sharpies and himself having quarrelled before the former spoke the slander, but he denied that such had been the case. Thomas Green, plaintiff in the action, examined : Is an iron -moulder, in the employ of Messrs. Digby, of Bolton. Has been married seven years. His wife carried on the business of a milliner and dressmaker. She used to make from £4O to 450 a•year. Since the slander her business altogether fell off. She could now get nothing to do. Ellen Green examined : lam the wife of the plaintiff. I have been married to him seven years last June. I carried on the business of a dressmaker and milliner. I used to make from 151. to 18s. a week; but since this I have not earned 2s. a-month. Mr. Monok : Is there any truth in the charge made against you in this matter ? His lordship said he doubted whether he should allow such a question to be put. If such, a practice were followed any man might bring a woman into a court of justice and subject her to the annoyance; of having to clear her character on her oath. At the same time it was hard not to allow a woman so to clear herself. Ills lordship then, after• consideration, said that he would allow the question to he put in this instance. The witness then answered on her oath that there was not the least truth in the slander. She was cross-examined by Sergeant Wilkins, as to her earnings as a dressmaker, and the particulars of the losses she suffered in consequence of the slander. She persisted in stating that she used to earn, on an average, 15s. a-week- sometimes 30s. His Lordship: I am sorry to say sempstresses in London cannot earn as much. How did you do it ? Witness : By working night and day—frequently from six o'clock in the i)ease e morningsustained hiss tal io u ni n edd t s i h l nextp morning, nodrtanhmiantagg.t damage b eing e A b : ai t en it tg s o tt s ,o t : e g o r e uel o md f on t t h ot : t. sp n le pointx expressed o ekd f thea la n w o , After some further discussion betwee n , agreed th a t th e p l a i nt i ff should b counsel e non-sui it was ted, th e defendant undertaking not t o c l a i m costs. His Lord s hi p, before the verdict was entered, b egge d the jury to understan4 that the plaintiff was not defeated i n consequenc e oft he truth of the charge against his wife, because, in point of fact, for that, there was no pretence, but because, in point of law,it wag not actionable to say of a woman that she had committed adultery, unless it could be shown that she had suffered home diate damage from it. GILL vv SPARKS AND ANOTHER —This was an action to recover £77 4s, balance of a promissory note for £lOO. Mr. Aspinall appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Simon for the defendents. The plaintiffs were the trustees of the Third Tradesmans' Loan Society, of this town, and in the month tlt February, 1a53, they lent to a-person of the name of Davis. at St. Helens, £lOO. The defendants were his securities, and as Davis, according to their allegation, failed 'co pay the money, they now sued them for the balance. It a secretary and mana ger o f the Society was a peppearedrson of th that the e flame u of Naggs, a n d t h at h was convicted of embezzling its fuhdis„ He was now brought up on the Home Secretary's order, and swore on oath that the balance claimed was due. On the other hand, Davis was produced, and swore in the most positive terms that he had paid to Naggs every farthr,g of the £lOO. At this stage of the proceedings the jury intimated that they were satisfied, and immediately returned a verdict for the defendants. IRVING v. DUCKWORTH —This was an action brought by the plaintiff, through his father, to recover compensation for injury which he sustained through the negligence and the incompetency of the defendant's servants. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, with Mr. Henderson, appeared for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Attorney -general Knowles, with Mr. Tomlinson, for the defendant. The defendant is a cake roaster and chicory manufacturer of Liverpool, and in the rer 1854, the plaintiff, who was then a boy between fourtten.and fifteen years of age, entered into his empleynient. Ills duties were defined to him, but in the month of October that year, he, as he had. frequently before done, went beyond them & and exposed himself to danger by interfering with the machinery. On the 23rd of that month, both he and the man who was in charge of the machinery were late at the manufactory, and in order to screen their negligence they put the engine its motion before first oiling the cog-wheels. In a short time A shrill noise was heard from the machinery, and the person ist charge called out that something wanted oiling. The plaintiff immediately took the oil-can, and while attempting to oil one of the cogs, the can was caught in the machinery, and hi s hand torn off. It appeared from the evidence of the boy himself, that it was no part of his duties to interfere with the machinery, His Lordship expressed an opinion that the case cuiteould d not be sustained. The plaintiff was accordingly non.. s. _ - RICHMOND v. PROWgE AND OTIMS. -- Mr. Attorney.- general Knowles, with M. Nair, app eared for the plaintiff, and Mr. James, Q.C. with Mr. The plaintiff Brett, f or t h e defendants. is the s on of a wine and spirit merchant of Liver. pool, and his parents being anxious that he should go to sea for some time, th ey accotdingly, in the month of March last year, shipped him as clerk on board the defendant's ship Mercia, which was at the time employed by the government as a transport. lie served on board of ner for sixteen months, and lie now b rought the present action to recover wage had that ti me, at the rate of £3 10s. per month. [The cas e not finished at the rising of the court at five o'clock.] CORONER'S INQUEsre.—Yesterday, the deputy Voroner held the following inquelts:—On . the body of a boy, seven years' of age, named Daniel Leonard, who died in cons quence of i n j ur i es rece i ve d o n F r iday night week List, from his cloth es h av i ng caug ht fire. Verdict accidental death...... On the b o dy o f R o bert Gordon, a child found dead in bed. It was accidentall , that was found y suffocated. Verdict accordingly.—oo the body of Ma r y - rz accordin ay to aged about thirteen years, an emigrant on her 'way to America, who was killed in Waterloo Road, en Monday about four o'clock, by an omnibus passing over her. It appeared that the deceased was crossing from the to the other side of the road, when she was knocked down, either by the pole of the vehicle or the horses, and the carriage passed over her. The horses feet also passed over her, and a witness said the two wheels went over her body, and she was killed at once. The buss was going at a regular pace, and when the alarm was given the driver at once pulled up. Several witnesses were examined, when the above facts were elicited, and all agreed that the unfortunate affair was purely accidental, and that no blame whatever was attached to the. driver of the vehicle. The jury at once found a verdict of accidental death.