The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-15 00:00:00

STABBING AT BURNLEY.

William Rooney (23), committed by J. Heetis, Esq.
on the 27th August, 1860, and described as being able
neither to read nor write, was placed at the bar on the
indictment of having, at Burnley, on the 26th August
in the present year, feloniously stabbed, cut, and
wounded William Rawson, with intent to kill and
murder him. Mr. Kay prosecuted. The prisoner was
defended by Mr. Russel. From the evidence, which
was very voluminous, it *eared that on the night of
the 26th of August the prosecutor, accompanied by a
number of friends, was proceeding homewards from a
meeting, at which they had been attending. When
near the "Dog and Duck" public-house they came up
with the prisoner and a large body of Irishmen, who
were quarrelling. In consequence of some foul play on
the part of the prisoner the prosecutor interfered, and
received a severe stab in the abdominal regions with a
clasp knife from the prisoner.
Mr. Russell, on behalf of the prisoner, addressed the
jury, and contended that the wound might have been
inflicted on the prosecutor by some other person in the
crowd.

The jury retired, and after a considerable time spent
in deliberation came into court and asked his lordship a
question' as to the wording of one of the counts cf the
indictment.

his lordship explained the difficulty, after which the
try retired agaiiri, and did 'not return at the rising of
ie court at half-past six o'clock.

SECOND COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice BLACKBURN.)
MANSLAUGHTER IN LIVERPOOL.

George Simpson (27), was charged with having at
Liverpool, on the 14th of October, feloniously killed and
slain one William Evans. There was a second count,
charging the minor offence of manslaughter. Mr.
Temple prosecuted, and Mr. Russell defended the
prisoner. The facts of the case are es.tremely simple.
The deceased Mr. Evans was the keeper of a spirit
vaults, in Copperas-hill ; and one day, early in October,
the prisoner entered the place, accompanied by his wife
and brother. Some other people were also there. The
prisoner, who was drunk, fell asleep on a form, when a
quarrel and fight commenced amongst the other parties,
from the landlord having refused to supply them with
more drink. The prisoner's wife shook, awakened him,
and told him that his brother. was being killed. On
this the prisoner gOt up, and l.nocking down a man
named Barry, was ordered out of the house. On this
he made a rush at the deceased behind the bar, and
running against a brass stove, snatched off it a kettle,
with which he hit the deceased, who was wounded by
the blow, and seriously scalded about the head. The
deceased, who was a man of intemperate habits, had a
diseased liver, and the surgeon who attended him testi-
fied that he died from exhaustion induced by delirium
tremens, occasioned by the scald. The case for the
prosecution having bees concluded, Mr. Russell called
as a, witness to character, Mr. Rime, music seller, &e.,
of Church-street, who stated that the prisoner had been
in his employment, and be had always found him strictly
honest, peaceable, and well-conducted. The jury, after
a short consultation, returned a verdict of guilty of
manslaughter ; and the prisoner was sentenced to nine
months' imprisonment with hard labour.
UTTERING COUNTERFEIT MONEY.
James M'Mahan alias John• Martin (34), was Charged
with having, at Liverpool, uttered a counterfeit half-
crown at Mr. Godfrey's spirit vaults in Tithebarn-
street, well knowing the same 'to be counterfeit, he
having been convicted of a like offence a few months
previously. There was evidence also of a third offence.
The prisoner handed in a long written defence, the
gist of which was that he had got the half-a-crown in
change out of half-a-sovereign, when he was drunk.
He pleaded that he was a hard-working man, the
father of a small family, and hoped that he should have
a fair trial. The jury immediately returned a verdict
of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to ten years'
penal servitude.
ANOTHER MANSLAUGHTER IN LIVERPOOL.
Thomas Fox (29), who resided in 3; Court, Lower
Thurlow-street, was charged with having, at Liverpool,
on the 6th of September, felonioasly killed and slain one
Elizabeth Mathers. Mr. Temple prosecuted, and the
prisoner was defended by Mr. Scott., The deceased,
Elizabeth Mathers, was a widow, thirty-five year of age
and the prisoner, on the 31st of August, went to see a
woman who lived with her, and who was ill from a
stroke of paralysis. The deceased came to the door,
when the prisoner said, " I want to see Julia Roberts.'
Deceased said he could not see her, when he kicked her
in the belly. He also put his two hands to her shoulders,
when the deceased fell into the yard, and struck her
head upon. the pavement. .The deceased became uncon-
scious, never spoke for fifteen days afterwards, and died
about the 6th of September, from concussion of the
brain. The strong points, for the defence consisted in
the fact that the deceased was addicted to drinking, 'and
that the push which caused her to fall was not of a
violent character. The jury found a verdict of guilty,
and the prisoner was sentenced to two months' impri_
sonment with hard labour.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT OLDHAM.
Michael Melia (22), was indicted for having at Old-
ham, on the 15th of September, feloniously assaulted
one Isaac Hall, and stolen from him 2s. 6d. and two
punches. Mr. Cottingham prosecuted. The prosecutor
and a friend named Rushton, were in a public house at "
Oldham, called the Apollo, on the 14th of September ;
and after being there some time, the prisoner and
another man came in. They remained there some time
longer, and then the prosecutor and his friend left the
house to go home. It appeared that they were followed
by the prisoner and another map, who, watching their
opportunity, when the prosecutor and his friend had
come to a dark and solitary part of the town, suddenly
rushed upon them from behind, knocked the prosecutor
down with a blow from some blunt instrument, attacked
his friend who ran away, and while the prosecutor lay
upon the street in a state of insensibility, they rifled his
pockets of, all the money that he bad about him. He
was pinked up some time afterwards, bleeding and
wounded, by two watchmen, who passed that way.
The prisoner, whose identity was positively sworn to,
was-arrested the next day. The jury,retnrued a verdict
of guilty; and a previous conviction at Bolton for
felony having been proved aeainst the prisoner, his
lordship sentenced him to penal'servitude for life.