The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-20 00:00:00

THE SUICIDE IN THE MERSEY.

THE INQUEST.

Mr. Churton, the coroner for the district, held an
inquest yesterday at the New Ferry Hotel on the body
of Elizabeth Hannah Neild, wife of Mr. Henry Neild,
cotton-spinner, of Ashton-under-Lyne, and daughter of
Mr. John Gibson, a retired gentleman, living at Egre-
mont. _

James Smith, warehouseman, residing at Birken-
head, deposed that whilst fishing iu a boat near New
Ferry, about four o'clock on Sunday afternoon, he
received information from a young man that the body
of a woman lay near Bromborougla Pool. He im-
mediately took his boat to the spot, and conveyed the
body to the New Ferry Hotel, and, by the direction of
the landlord, placed it in the stable. There were found
on her person a gold watch and chain, a brooch con-
taining the portrait of her husband, a five pound note,
one sovereign, a shilling, and a penny. There were on
her finger two rings. The body appeared fresh, with
the exception of the face, which was greatly disfigured.
The witness gave it as his opinion that the body had
not been in the water many days.

George Pearce, boatman, living at New Ferry, saw
the deceased lady between two and three o'clock on
Thursday last. She was then walking hurriedly along
the river side, in the direction of Bromborough Pool.
She appeared rather excited, and she turned her head
round three times to see whether any persons were
following. "Witness feared that there might be some-
thing wrong, and continued looking after her until she
disappeared in a turning in the rocks, at a distance of
about 400 yards from New Ferry Hotel.
In answer to a question by the Coroner, the first wit-
ness replied that the deceased's watch stopped at about
a quarter to three o'clock.
Mr. J. H. S. Gibson, sou of Mr. John Gibson, of
Port-view, and brother of the deceased, said that she
was thirty-two years of age. She had been on a visit
to his father for a month or five weeks. He left the
house on Thursday morning, leaving the deceased at
home, and returned about eight o'clock in the evening,
when he heard that his sister was missing, and that his
father and sister were gone in search of her. A tele-
gram was despatched to the husband, who arrived next
morning. Information was also given to the police
h aut .._olll,lea Iu 1-•.—„Donl. and in New Brighton; and
every means were used to recover ner. wrivil
over from Ashton-under-Lyne, she was in tolerably
good bodily health ; but she appeared rather depressed
in spirits. Her mind had been affected for about eighteen
months. She had never attempted suicide, but she had
now and then wished she was drowned, without, how-
ever, assigning any cause for doing so. She was under
constant supervision, and had been under medical
treatment.

In answer to a juryman, the father stated that the
cause of her indisposition was absence of mind and
mental aberration. He further explained that on
Thursday morning the deceased and her sister went to
Liverpool to buy some gloves and other things, but the
deceased was missed.
Mr. Nield, the husband, who appeared very depressed,
affirmed that he was aware of the mental indisposition
of his wife ; and he had heard her expressing a wish,
now and again, that she were dead. He- had obtained
all the medical skill in his power, and had allowed her
to visit Cheshire, thinking the change of air might act
beneficially.
Mr. Superintendent M'Dermot, on the part of the
Cheshire police, stated that no information had been
given to them of the deceased's absence from her friends.
The Coroner summed up the evidence briefly, and
explained that it was competent for the jury to return
an open verdict of found drowned, or that of suicide
whilst labouring under temporary insanity.
After a few minutes' consultation the jury brought in
a verdict of " Suicide whilst labouring under temporary

insanity."
[From motives of delicacy we abstained from pub-
lishing the particulars of this melancholy affair until
the inquest had taken place. The account given of it
by one of our contemporaries was inaccurate in several
respects.]

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.-YESTERDAY.

(Before Mr. HOUGHTON.)
THE KNIFE.
Bridget M'Glaw, a resident of Smithfield, was charged by
Elizabeth Brophy, a resident of the same place, for having
stabbed her. The prisoner and her husband had a quarrel,
and the proseentrix interfered, when the prisoner stabbed her
with a knife. She.was sent for trial.

A WILD MAN.
Thomas Harrison, a powerful-looking labourer, was brought
up by Officer 216, charged for having assaulted him. The
complainant said at seven o'clock on Monday evening he
heard a great noise in Mann-street, Park, and on going to
ascertain what it was, he saw a crowd, in the centre of which
was the prisoner in a perfect state of nudity, shouting and
jumping about in the wildest manner. He advised him to
go home, when he knocked him down. The prisoner said he
did not remember what happened. He was fined 10s.
A POLITICAL ARGUMENT AND ITS RESULTS.
Mr. Robert Greer, described as a chemist in Brownlow-hill,
and formerly a police-officer, was charged by Offices Bainbridge,
558, for being drunk and disorderly. Mr. Cobb appeared to
dispute the charge on part of the defendant. The officer s id,
at twenty minutes to eight, on rriday evening last, the
defendant was drunk and disorderly in Clown-street. He was
put into the street by the landlord of a public-house at Vie
corner of Oxford and Crown-streets, and pulled off his coat
and hat, and wanted to get into the public-house again, but
the landlord (Mr. Owens) would not let him. I wanted him to
go away quietly, but he would Lot, and used very bad lan-
guage, and swore he would be revenged on Mr. Owens, I was
obliged at last to take him into custody, and charge him for
being drunk and disorderly. Cross-examined by Mr. Cobb :
The public-house is at the corner of Crown and Oxford-streets,
and I was told there was a political dispute in it, but I did not
see or hear it myself. I saw the landlord turn Mr. Greer out
of the house. Mr. Cobb : Why have you not got Mr. Owens
here, hen'? Officer : He is here, sir. Mr. Cobb : What was
Mr. Greer doing in the street? He was creating a disturbance
in the street, and was drunk, and a number of gentlemen wanted
me to take him away. Mr. Cobb : Did he say anything ? Yes ;
he said if he could not fight in the house he would light in
the street, and was the most disorderly man I have met with.
Mr. Cobb : Did he molest any one in the street ? No, he did
not ; but he shouted that he would have his revenge. He did
not tell me his name or where he lived at that time ; but when
near bridewell he did, and he was then quiet, and eould talk
and walk pretty fair. Officer 623 said : I received Mr. Greer
at the station, and he was drunk. Mr. Cobb : How drunk ?
Not beastly drunk, but he was intoxicated. He was violent
afterwards, kicking at the door for water. Sent for bail for
him., but did not take it at the time, as he Was not fit to go out,
being too drunk. Inspector Tomilson said : I was at the
bridewell when Mr. Greer was brought there, and I consider
he was decidedly drunk. Mr. Owens, the owner of the public-
house, said the defendant and two other persons entered his
house and called for some gin and ale. A gentleman who
frequents the house came in, and they had some political
argument or other, but I did not hear exactly what it was ;
but Mr. Greer's voice brought sue into the place where they
were, and then lie flung a glass of ale into the gentleman's
face, and broke the glass ; and I say the officer did nothing
more than his duty in taking Mr. Green into custody.
'lle was half drunk, at least, when he came in. Mr. Cobb :
Then why did you serve him with drink ? tie was sitting
down when I served him, and I did not notice him at the time.
I went to turn him out, when he created the disturbance, and
he said he would blacken my eye and nay wife's eye also. I
,did turn him into the street, and then he stripped off to fight
me. A gentlemen who said he saw the whole of the affair
commenced by saying, the man was a complete lunatic (laugh-
ter) and jumped about roaring like a madman—(here-the wit-
ness attempted to imitate the capers of the defendant and
caused much laughter). Mr. Cobb : Now, was he drunk or
sober? Witness : I dont know what to make of him, he was a
perfect lunatic and roaring madman. (Laughter). Mr. Cobb
then made a long address contending that Mr. Greer was not
drunk and that the policeman had no right to take him into
custody. He argued that it all arose out of a political argu-
ment and words ran high, Mr. Greer was excited, but not
drunk. Mr. Houghton : I never heard a clearer case in my
life, and I think a great deal of time has been wasted with it.
I fine him ss. and costs for being drunk.
APPLICATION FOR PROTECTION TO A WIFE.
Mr. Bluck applied to the bench for an order of protection,
under the Act of Parliament, on behalf of Mrs. Pozzi, of
Islington, from her husband. He stated that Pozzi was a
carver and gilder, in Islington, but some six months ago he
deserted her, having sold off all his property. leaving her quite
destitute. She had sought him several times since, and on one
one or two occasions she saw him in the street, and on her
approaching him, he ran away. He thought this was a clear
case of desertion, and that the applicant was entitled to an
order of protection, in order to secure he in any business that
she might enter into to support herself.r The applicant was
then called, and having corroborated the statement, the
magistrate made an order accordingly.
(Before Messrs—HOUGHTON and HuTCIIISoN.)
CHARGE OF MUTINY.
Captain James Turner, of the barque Linda, charged a black
man named John Williams, who was the cook of the ship,
under the 243rd section of the Merchant Shipping Act, for
continual and wilful disobedience, assaults, and for obtaining
goods under false pretences from the steward. From the
statement of Mr. Cobb, who appeared for the complainant, it
appeared that the prisoner shipped in January, as cook for a
voyage to the Brazils, and on the 6th of March, at Rio, when
raising the anchor, the prisoner refused to do duty, and used
very bad and abusive language. A number of entries from
ashowingt thhea ta
atahaeul
tprisoner obtainedlatter,an d gboorands-
tfahriosemhelo
dtghaewknsatseiwfr
eaeara
tdd
am
and said copies of the
to prove the entries, which he did,
he captain ; and the captain was exined
entries were given to the prisoner. Mr. 131uck cross-examined
the captain at some length, and contended that the case was
not proved, and the magistrates being of that opinion, dis-
charged the prisoner.
(Before Messrs. LAWRENCE and Bonn.)
DON'T " SOUND THE LOUD TRUMPET."
Henry Johnston, a newsvender, was summoned by a
whichpolice
officer, under the sth and 6th Vic., chap,. 149,
enacts that "every person, except the guards and footmen of
er Majesty's Post-office, in the discharge of their duty, who
shall blow any horn, or use any other noisy instrument, fOr
the purpose of calling persons together, or of announcing any
show entertainment, or for the purpose of hawking, selling,
distributing or collecting any article whatever, or of obtaining
money or alms, shall be liable to a penalty, not exceeding
405." On Monday morning the defendant was blowing his
horn in Falkner-street, in order to sell his newspaper's, and
for this he was summoned. Mr. Quick, the chief superin-
tendent of police, said the police never interfered in such a
case, except when complaints of annoyance were made by the
inhabitants, and in this case an invalid had made complaints
of the annoyance he got from the blowing of the horn. The
magistrates had no alternative but to fine the defendant, which
they did in a sum of 2s 6d and costs. (Now would it not be a
Proper thing for the police to interfere with the universally
comopplainedof German bands that annoy thousands daily in the
streets ? The police will not allow local bands to play iu the
ssturreeeltys ,a wp
ohoilrat
newsth et
ogyi,vbe l
o fullminlibertynition
tah
eg rmeoa
rt
nn nu s,anee,
announc-
ingan his papers, is not the one thousand part of the nuisance as
compared with the bands alluded to).
VIOLENT ASSAULT ON A POLICEMAN.
James Cassidy, Michael Canavan, Mary Benson, and Essy
fiagshsin dyg
il
were charged by police-officer William Garvey, 504,
with having assaulted him. The prisoners were drunk and
Saltney-street, and the policeman interfered, when
they all fell on him and assaulted him in a serious manner,
splitting open his nose with a candlestick. The prisoners said
it was the police that assaulted them; but however it was, the
officers got the worst of it. The prisoners were fined---the
women S-2 each; Canavan, who was not so bad as the others,
L 5* end costs; and the other prisoner £2.