The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-18 00:00:00

THrIMAY.

The Court met this morning at nine o'doeL-
CITTTING AND WOUNDING AT LIVERPOOL.--JOhn Verdi-
naut Grimer, a foreign sailor, was indicted for having, at
Liverpool, stabbed, cut, and wounded Lewin Sehom, with
intent to do him grievous bodily harm. The prosecutor,
whose evidence was interpreted, is a German,. by trade a shoe-
maker. The prisoner, being also a German; was tried by a
jury consisting one half of foreigners and the other half of
Englishmen. The jury found the prisoner "Guilty of unlaw-
fully wounding," and his lordship sentenced him to be im-
prisoned and kept to hard labour for twelve Months:

- ATTEMPT Te. MURDER A WOMAN AT- LIVERPOOL.—
John Brophy (22), labourer, was-indicted for having, at Liver-
pool, on the Ist of October, attempted to drown. Mary Ann
Hammond, with intent to murder her. The details of this
case, which occupied a considerable time in hearing,-showed a
savageness of inhumanity on the part of the prisoner, such as
is but rarely unfolded even in a criminal court. The case
was clearly proved, and the prisoner was sentenced to be
transported for twenty-five years.
STARVATION OP- CHILDREN IN- LIVERPOOL...--Williarn
Aspinall. (42), clerk, and Mary Aspinall (35), his wife, were
indicted upon the coroner's inquisition for having, at Liver-
pool, wilfully killed Emma Aspinall, their child:- The pri-
soner Mary Ann. Aspinall was also indicted for killing and
slaying the said Emma Aspinall. The court was-crowded
with spectators.- This case, which was a, sad one, may be
briefly narrated. The prisoners, who lived in Eldon-place,
Vauxhall-road, had a family of ten children,
viz-."seven
sons and three daughters The male prisoner- was .a clerk
in the employment of the-London and North Vi-esterst
Rail-
way Company, at a salary of £75 a-year.- His eldest• son, 17
years of age, was also in. the same company's servic%-at an
annual salary of £2O: Notwithstanding this- amount of
income; the whole family was involved in, the very extreme of
wretchedness, filth, and misery, chiefly, as it appeared; through
the intemperate habits and gross negligence of the female
prisoner. The scene which-presented itself to the eyes of the
police when they entered the miserable dwelling-was-gel-ening
to behold. On• a squalid and nearly unclothed, bed lay the
dead body of Emma, the- child for causing whose ,death the
parents were put upon their trial, andbeside is lay another at
the point of death, and which in fact died within, a few hours
afterwards. The other children were stretched, upon boards
oh the floor, with only a-thin piece of dirty ealicolor a cover-
ing ; or laid upon the uncovered bottoms of two old
chairs and a broken sofa- The dead child, ,one year and
ten months old, and that which . died soon after, were in
the last stage of emaciation. Their bones- almost literally
protruded through the skim, and , externally their bodies
presented the appearance of skeletons.. On a post
ntortern examination. their stomachs were found destitute of
any indications of food ; and the •medical gentlemen, three in
number, who examined the bodies, stated it:strongly and dis—
tinctly that the cause of death was the want of food. Evidence•
was adduced 'which showed, that the children were greatly
neglected ; and: that even the father and.the eldest son—the
sources of support for, the -whole family—were likewise sadlz
neglected in their meals-and otherwise ; but that on Sundays,
when the father was at home, he was in the habit of getting
pig's-cheek, and. snaking soup for the whole family. It was
likewise shown that the mother of this miserable family was,
in the halsit of complaining that she-did not get sufficient
money, and that she-upbraided her unhappy husband for hot
giving her more, and stated that she should have matten
chops and port wine for her own support, adding that she was
sure he got money enough to afford her these luxuries.. After
a trial which lasted fully seven haws, the jury returned a
verdict of " not guilty" as regarded the male prisoner, and
he was acquitted in the case of Um woman, they returned a
verdict of." guilty." The learnediudge said he would defer
the sentence and on the following day she was.ealled up,
and; after an impressive address from his lordship„. sentenced
to be imprisoned for two years, with hard labour, the first and
last week to be• solitary.
On Thursday evening the court adjourned, at a' quarter
past seven.