The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-11 00:00:00

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

fiIJAMEMITAT to :the London Gazelle contains.alprocla-
mationpefilrmg a meeting. of Parliament for Thursday, the
31st of ganvary, " for tbe despatch of divers urgent. And im-
portant affairs." The pror3gation is from &is .day.,,to.voilich
the Parliamentstood,propagaed.

Pans Erratum —On Friday evening, Mr. Robert .cook
one of the readers of the Liverpool Scripture Readers' Society,
and attached to lit. Alines ,district, was presented ,with
" Pearson on the Creeds," the Works of Josephus, and the
Life of Legh Riehmond; together, with a purse containing 18
sovereigns, by a number .of ,his feiends, as a substantial mark
of their respect and syAupathy aftero, recent affliction.
COUNTY COURT.—Yeaterday, in .an application for a new
trial, the Judge condemned, in strong terms, the conduet of
an attorney who had, he said, for the first time in his (the
,lodge's) experience or knowledge, taken upon himself to in-
.struct the judge, and had referred to some authorities for the
view of the law which lie (the attorney) took. Such a course
was, in the highest degree, improper. The law, his Honour
said, propounded by the attorney, was as bad as the mode was
irregular. He trusted he never should have a similar appli-
cation.

CHANDELIERS.—Those who, in purchasing, wish to avail
themselves of the choice of a large and elegibat stock of
chandeliers, for gas or oil, would do well to visit the establish-
ment of Mr. F. L. Hausburg, in Chureh-street, so well and so
favourably known for the great extent and tasteful beauty of
his collection. It embraces a choice variety in every style of
artistic finish and design, and as the proprietor is desirous of
curtailing some of the branches of his business, he offers
metal and glass chandeliers, hall and vestibule lamps, brackets,
gas-pillars, and stair lamps of the most recherche patterns,
and the most unquestionable excellence of workmanship, at
prices unprecedentedly low, and offers an opportunity such as
may never occnr again for purchasing such articles. As a
mere exhibition, Mr. Hausburg's collection is well deserving
of a visit from connoisseurs in art.
LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.—The fifth or-
dinary meeting of the above society was held last evening, at
the Royal Institution, Colquitt-street ; Dr. Ihne in the chair.
Dr. Thomson referred to the investigations of the Liverpool
Compass Committee ; and the arrangements made for the
scientific voyage of the Rev. Dr. Scoresby, on board the
Royal Charter, to Australia. The paper for the evening was
read by Robert M'Andrew, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., President of
the Society. The Rev. H. Higgins passed a warm eulogium
on the paper, for which he thought the society would feel
deeply obliged to the author. Several questions relative to the
paper were then put to Mr, Ill'Andrew, after which the meet-
ing separated.

Tit monthly meeting of the Wavertree Local Board of
Health was held last night, in the Board Room. The Rev.
W. Badnall was in the chair, and the commissioners present
were Messrs. Rishton, Chaffer, Gore, Bradburn, and Hill.
The minutes of the last meeting having been read, the
chairman read a letter, signed by a number of inhabitants,
complaining of the want of a gas lamp at the end of Waterloo.
street, which would afford great convenience to persons going
to church and also to the schools.

The CHAIRMAN read a letter from Mr. George Whitley,
Clayton-square, offering, on the part of Mr. John Shaw
Leigh, £l5O to the Board, on the condition of their making a
sewer which would drain his land, and also from the agent of
the Marquis of Salisbury, offering £250 towards the same
object.
The proceedings of the Works Committee, which comprised
a recommendation for the payment of £lOO to Mr. Humphrey
on account of his contract for sewerage, were read and con-
firmed, as were also the proceedings of the Finance Commitee.
With reference to the proposal for an additional lamp in
Waterloo-street, Mr. GoRE objected to it, on the ground that
a lamp over the church door, to be lighted when wanted,
would be quite sufficient for the purpose, and involve a very
trifling expense compared with a public lamp. The appli-
cation was therefore refused.

An application was made from Mr. Tiddall, stating that six
houses had been built in Ash Grove, of which two were
tenanted, and requesting that a lamp might be erected. This
was agreed to.

A discussion took place relative to a complaint made of the
surface water from Mr. Brancker's field, and it was resolved
that the surveyor should have instructions to have the water
courses open as before ; but, as it was possible that Mr.
Brancker might refuse his consent, the Law-clerk was in-
structed to take the necessary steps to compel Mr. Brancker
to comply with the Highway Act.
With reference to the application from the agent of the
Marquis of Salisbury, Mr. CaarPnnobjected to the reception
of £250 for the construction of a sewer through the centre
of his lordship's land ; but if the money were offered towards
the construction of a sewer according to the original plan, it
might be entertained The offer of Mr. J. S. Leigh was open
to a similar objection, though perhaps not so strong a one.
Mr. RISEITON spoke strongly against the propositions, and
,accused Mr. Bradburn of being a partisan of the Marquis of
-Salisbury, who wanted his property drained at the expense of
the township.

Mr. Buis.DBL7S.I4 'denied that he was favourable to any
plans prejudicial to the interests of the township, or that he
was disposed to favour the Marquis of Salisbury. He was as
honest as any member of the Board, and thought that the
Marquis of Salisbury, who could afford it better than him,
should pay his 'fair share. He went into some details with
reference to the plans for drainage, referring to the maps,
and said that 'far from agreeing to the proposal made on
behalf of the Marquis of Salisbury and Mr. John Shaw
Leigh, he Strongly objected to them.
It was finally agreed to refer the subjectio the Works'
Committee, Vith a request that Mr. Newlands, the Liverpool
Engineer, "would give his attendance in order that a decision
might become to as to the plan of sewerage to be carried out.
After some remarks on the load state of the road near
Wavertree bridge and the dirty, state of some,of the lamps,
the•metting broke up.

-AILEGED POI, Oir:Ng 'OP A WIFE

BY HE IitISBAI47.I):

..CAFf Tuesday last, an inquest was- openedbefore the Borough
"Coroner, on the body of Ana Merchant, wife of Frederick Mer-
-Chant, oil and colony dealer, 82, Scotland-road, who died the
previous day. She had been in a delicate state of health for
`some time, but, just previous to her death, when she bad been
lead by her medical man that there -was no hope for her, she
-leclared that her husband had pa-something in a cup of pon*,
which he had given her Green, a neighbour ; Hannah
Merchant, a daughter of the deceased ; and Mr. Jos. Ingham,
surgeon, having .glen evidence, the inquest was adjourned,
that the contents ,of 'the -stomach might undergo chemical
analysis.
Yesterday- the inquest was resumed before the coroner.
The first witness-balled was Mr.lngham, surgeon, who stated
that he hal attended-the deceased previous to her death; and
that she informodhiny on twoeeeasions,—once when he had
told her there was no • chance of her recovery—that the be-
lieved her ;death was occasioned by her husband's administer-
ing poison to iber. Dr. 'Brett, the analytical chemist, and
lecturer at 'the Royal- Infirmary, in this town, deposed that he
had ferward'ed to him WO ntrthenware vessels, one containing
the stamaeb and liver of the deceased, the other what ap-
pearedto,he'the contents. He had examined the stomach,
and faandveiidence of 'iikent inflammation and'intense can-
gestiem -cif -the blood.vessels, and some two or'three ulcers,
which .hebelieved to be of long standing. Two were in pro-
cess •of ;healing. -The 'witness could not -say whether
those •tileers were set' up from natural causes or by irritants.
The 'considered those ulcers of long standing ; two of them
were in -process •of healing. It was not impossible that a per-
von nittt have ulcers,'yet the ulcers become cured. Whether
I produced' by, naturatcauses or a metallic irritant,eit was quite
clearihit they could mot be recent. Brett then-proceeded
to give the result of 14. is analysis. He would -commence with
the ,eontents of the stomach, which were represented by a
colouredlaid, containing a good deal Of "-coagulated
=meas. He fouatharsenie in quantity, of whielibe submitted
to -the court a proof. (The result was exhibited to the court
1n a •bottle.) He *ben analysed the stomach itself, the tissues
-of-the-stomach, ty•several tests, and obtained similar results,
-preing that the-mmenic had been absorbed that organ.
'(The proof wassagnin produced.) He then analysed the liver,
With the same 'results. He then, this moaning, analysed a
ipollion•of the paper brought to him by SamaseliPovey, detec-
tive officer. There he obtained arsenic in its •metallic state,
,Which•he had converted into white arseniceas- shown in what
;Ire txhibited -in- court.
The Coroner Can you form any opinion'as the death
of the deceasetV—l believe that she died 'poison from
.arsenic.
the Coroners:- And which had been demonateated to have
been taken in large quantities ?—I should say so.
To Mr. Dodd: -The absorption of poison' 4y the stomach, is
Avery. rapid. ". Lam of opinion that four or fiveilitenrs would be
1: sufficient.

Mr: Dodd: \Wohld the quantity found. in the contents of
',her stomach, Lalone be sufficient to produce ,Zdeath ?—The
I),aison • found :does not produce death; it. is I-the quantity
• absorbed. I laasre no doubt there was suffieienttoproduce death.
SamnelPow, of the Liverpool detective force,,gave evidence
t. ss to taking apaper to Dr. Brett. Mrs.. Dickenson detailed
' to 'the Court that 'the deceased had run over•to her with a cup,
in which she Ithe witness) found a sediment eof amhite colour.
She put her. finger to it, some remained on heriimger, which
i -she wiped.on:re, , piece of paper. That. paper,was afterwards
taken to Dr. Brett. Ann Merchant, the daughter .of the de-
-ceased, was in chlled on to give evidence. She did not re-
rnember,what :he had said preciously. About:a. firtnight ago
, 'her mother w.as taken ill, and was attended by Br. Ingham.
She got ,hetter at that time. On the Saturday before her
• :another's 'death they' bad for sapper, she mid" slier mother,
bread and cheese ; .her father had pea soup. While he was
-eating his pea-soup, the and her mother .were .sitting with
lim. They.were qtdte friendly .and happy togntlaer. Her
...

mother had, ta diink with be bread. and -,Cheese, some
Torten She put the porter in a saucepan, :and put
-sugar in it. She also pat some nutmeg in At. After
• she had' boiled it, she put-it in:a cup. Gave Witness some,

_
*then drank the rest. Afterwards poured some more into the
•:cup. Then. placed the saucepan on the hob,.to keepilt warm.
•fihe then went out ; while she was out her father took a
wspoon off the-table, and stirred amp, then placed. it further
•on the hob. :I•llfter a while she,easne back, took tae cup,
,and drank. soma of the porter.; then gave witness some.
,''Gave witness half a cupful. Her father, was then ipresent.
:She said when cbt drank it, " I wonder what. is • this .at the
',bottom of the•otxp ;it tastes very queer" When She first
poured it into thic cup, she took the-ova from the tale. My
mother got. the 'porter on the Saturday, and • not .QE the
Ftimday. . When - she (witness) said rtlre shopboy got the
porter she made,a mistake • also naade,,a mistake aboutthe
saucepan. She 'made altogether three mistakes in :the
evidence she had.given previously. When. her mother first
drank from the -.saucepan she made trio ...remark •abeet Sits
',bathing a queer ta*.

Cross-eiarnined b Mr. Dodd.—Was Four 'father smoking
his }ripe by the :fireside ?—lt was .a :.short pipe, and
Toy ;another drank a part of the .pint of , porter
on the Saturday , &ght. She tare ~witness .some (Inf.
thaLaceasion. Pat . satmeg and sugar ',in fault also. Ily !
mother put what was left from the jug intaa bottle. -She
drank &sit of it on the Saturday night. Before she went to
Mrs. IDickenson's on tie Sunday night my.inother emptied
the .porter,into the saucepan, and then set itan- the fire- She
. got the,-eup from the cupboard in the same .room. She got it
herself. 1. did not .uotioccwhether she ww- ed , the .cup. She I
got it .ant of the kitchen herself, and did not wipe it. • She I
grated die,wuttneg into the cup, and, when the porter was hot
enough, poured it into thecilp. There was a teaspoon in the
cup, and :slue had reached it out herself. -She did not
pour all at Juice. • She took ,the spoon and .stirred iit up.
I drank -first out of the _same cup. Then •my :mether
tasted. When I was here 'before, I said I had about two
tablespoonfuls. Then my mather went out to ;Dielien-
son's. She .ponred the remainder into the saucepan, and•then
went away. I was with my father while she was away.; .there
was no one else. 3ly mother .ales away half an hour,. And
during that time may, father. was.swking his pipe. When,my
mother had stirredup ?the porter,uhe took the spoon outrso
that the saucer ,fittet the saucepan. While my mother was;
away, my father look •the spoon, .stirred the porter, and -put
the saucer over it again. The gasmaaa-light. My fatherdid '
not put anything intoAhe.cup. When,my mother came back,
she drank some, and theuhanded it tome. She held it tow
mouth. I drank half A:cupful, and,did mot feel poorly after
it. She took the eupftrova sly.mouth andcirank the remainder.
By Coroner : Did not go with my mother to Mrs. Dicken-
eon's.
By a Juror : The door 4spend with a latch. _

By the Coroner : West watt my mother the first time she
,went to Mrs. Dickenson's, at ten.o'clock.
By Mr. Dodd: My mother went three Ames to Mrs.
Dickenson's.

Hy the Coroner : After you had yozr supper, uld saw your
mot/aor put that porter into the saucepan, did you goaut ?—No.
Mrs. Dickenson, and a person natued Elizabeth Davies, gave
evidence, after which the prisoner was asked if he had any.
thing to.say. He said he had been married 18 years,.and had
acted most kindly to his wife, and she to him. With respect
to what had been found in her stomach, he km w nothing
about it.

Mr. Dodd then addressed the jury for Mr. Merchant, saying
there was no ground whatever for suspecting him, as he had
always lived on the best terms with his wife, and being a man
getting in years could have no possible motive for wishing to
get rid of her. Besides, it had been proved he dearly loved
his child; and was it to be supposed that he would stand by
and see his wife giving a poisoned cup to his child ?
The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a ver-
dict, "That the deceased came to her death in consequence
of taking metallic poison, but how administered there was no
evidence to show."

LOYAL INSTITUTION SCHOOL, LIVERPOOL.— On December
6th, W. J. Rees, 8.A., of St. John's College, Cambridge, and
late of the above school, who obtained not long ago a double
first-class and the chancellor's gold medal, was elected to the
Crope University Scholarship at Cambridge.
STEALING BEEP.—Susan Hare, a miserable-looking woman,
with a child in her arms, was yesterday charged, at the
Police-court, with stealing a piece of beef from a stall in St.
James's Market. The prosecutor said that he missed the
beef, ran after the woman, and found it in her possession.
The prisoner had been before the court previously. The
magistrate said, to give the prisoner a chance of mending her
course of life, he would only sentence her to seven days'
prisonment.

SOUTH LANCASIIIRE WINTER

ASSIZES.

YESTERDAY.
(Before Mr. Justice Wightman.)

The Court met this morning at ten o'clock.
James Heyne pleaded guilty to a charge of perjury.
Owen Caffrey pleaded guilty to a charge of perjury.
William Kay pleaded guilty to two charges of theft.
RETURN PROM TRANSPORTATION.—Patrick WEnnally,was
arraigned on a charge of being at large, without lawful cause,
before the term for which he had been transported had ex-.
pired. On being called to plead, the prisoner applied to have
his trial postponed till next assizes, on the ground that the
circumstances under which he had left the place (Portland) to
which he had been banished justified his leaving as a means
to save his life. Working in the quarries there, as he said,
being, as his Lordship well knew, an exceedingly dangerous
occupation.—His Lordship : I cannot postpone your trial on
your simple statement but if you will make an affidavit,
which you will be instructed how to do, stating that you wish
your trial to be postponed on the ground that you wish to
prove something which you think will exonerate you from the
crime with which you are charged, and which you are not
prepared to do at present, I think that would be a reasonable
application, and if no oblection be offered by the prosecution,
I shall grant it. No opposition was offered, and the prisoner
having pleaded not guilty, was ordered to prepare his affidavit.

THE CASE OF THE ASPINALLS, FOR STARVING THEIR

CHILDREN.

At an early hour of the day, Mr. BRETT, who appeared for
the prosecution in this case, on the prisoners being arraigned,
remarked that when the Grand Jury ignored the bills for
murder against the two prisoners, and returned one of man-
slaughter against the woman, they were not probably aware
of the law and its distinction between the two crimes.
His LORDSHIP.—Yes, they were ; I directed their attention
to the difference, and they showed they understood it by
withdrawing the charge against the man altogether, and
finding a bill for manslaughter against the woman.
Mr.I3RETT.—We think it desirable that both the prisoners
should be tried for the crime of manslaughter, under the
coroner's 'inquisition.
His LORDSHIP.—The inquisition is for murder, and if pro-
ceeded on at all, it must be on that charge.
The male prisoner, on being asked the usual question of
guilty or not guilty, answered, not guilty. His wife had
given the same answer previously. They were ordered to
stand down, along with the other prisoners.