The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-23 00:00:00

CORPORATE ECONOMY.

TD THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY TIMES.
SIR,—T_
Porcupine informs us that the improve-
ments in West Derby-road have cost the ratepayers of
tht
Evertona over £7,000. I think it more than probable
he has understated the amount. Be that as it may,
the holders of the public purse have been sparing
enough in other parts of Everton.
Hive in Boundary-lane—the high road from Rich-
mond-terrace, Breckfield-road, Breck-road, and the
iircurnjacent streets to West Derby and the " new
knacker's yard." This unfortunate street was last year
the
subject of a protracted contest between the parish
officers of West Derby .and those of Everton, during
which the collectors on either side did their best to
compel the householders to pay the rates assessed by
both, and.with easy nonchalance referred their incensed
victims to the Queen's Bench far redress.
About Christmas last the boundary question was
settled, and Boundary-lane was ceded to Everton. with
as little regard. to the feelings and wishes of the inhabi-
tants as it it had been a portion of Savoy or Nice, rent
from Piedmont and annexed to France.
At once our rates were increased some 30 per cent.,
and the street was broken up for the construction of the
main sewer, which is to drain the north and east dis-
tricts. For three or four months we were lying behind
enormous earthworks, and every now and then startled
by an explosion which shook the jerry-built "terraces"
to their foundations, and occasionally shattered a pane
or two of *glass. This • was interesting while it lasted,
as it gave us some idea of Balaklava mud and the
Sebastopol bombardment—life in. the trenches in short—
but when it was completed we revelled in the idea of
what a nice street we should have ! Miserable delusion !
During our subjection to the West Derby. Admini-
stration, relays of paupers from the neighbouring work-
house, armed with scraper and broom, used from time
to time to pass up our street, and make a clean sweep of all
dirt and nuisances. But since, though months have
now elapsed since the sewer was filled in, the, street has
not been decently levelled, nor has it been in any way
cleansed; the mud lies nearly ankle deep, and in some
places you have to avail yourself of the promi-
nent boulders to get over a crossing with any-
thing like freedom from the filth of a quaginire.. A.
stranger paSsing up the lane will at once know where
the boundary line is, by observing that as soon as he
gets into the borough he gets into the mud—the West
Derby folks have cleansed their end of the street long
ago. •
Is it better than sheer robbery to levy heavy taxes on
a struggling middle-class people, and, instead of doing.
what is needful for their health, comfort, and con-
venience, squander the money in pretended improve-
ments for the gratification of gentle Men who drive in
and out of town every day ?
We pay paving Rates, but the street in which we
live is paved with coal cinders, which spoil our carpets,-
blacken our floors, and make our children as dirty as
scavengers.'
We pay Lighting Bates, but though the street is 440

yards and a considerable thoroughfare, there is not a
lamp in it from end to end.
We pay for water for rxtingftishiny fires,• but there is
not a fire plug in the street.
Now, I am sure this evidence of corporate economy
will be exceedingly gratifying to Mr. J. R. Jeffery and
the ether gentlemen who talk so much about the
" approaches" to the town, but if Mr. D. Crosthwaite
will exert himself to get us some street lamps and fire
plug's and side pavement before the winter sets in, I
can promise him' one hearty vote at least, on the Ist
proximo, front' ROVNDARY LANE.
P.S.—lf, t difor, you have any taste for coursing,
I would recommend lon to' Walk up to Boundary-lane
on a Sunday, and witness the rabbit-killing carried on
there by gangs of the unwashed, With their ugly "curs,"
from the back slums. You need not apprehend' any
interference by the police. I have seen only one police-
man in the street for weeks—l believe I may say months.

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT. SATURDAY.

(Before M. RAFFLES.)
DANGEROUS ASSAULT.
Police offiber Elliebaw, 105, brought up a powerful
looking man; natried George Lunt, on a charge of having
committed a datigefout assault oil a man named Henry
Smith, who is at present in the Morthern Hospital, not
able to leave it. Fro'm tht evidence of the wife of Smith
it appeared that the parties live in a court off Back
Portiand-street, and an evening of two since the prisoner
and his wife. fell out, and he commenced to beat her.
The husband of the witness interfered to prevent him
kickinc, her, and then the prisoner got a long poker and
beat Smith on the head, inflicting serious wounds on
him. The officer produced a ntbdical certificate as to th e
state of the injured man, and the prisoner was remanded.
CHARGE OF ASSAULT AND ATTESIPTED ROBBERY
IN THE STREET.

Peter Lockering and John Cunningham, pork
butchers, were charged with having assaulted a'-e at-
tempted to rob Samuel Williams, a quarter-master in
the royal navy. Mr. Black appeared for the prosecution,
and opened the case In an elaborate speech, declaring it
was one of the most audacious and gross cases of assault
and highway robbery he had known, and called on his
worship to visit the prisoners with the most condign
ptmishnaent that the law allowed. Police officer 780
said about half-past twelve the previous night he was
iii FaircrofiliLlane, when he heard cries of "police," and
on going forward,- he found the prisoners down with the
prosecutor ; one of them ran away, and he followed and
caught him. The prosecutor, a quarter-master in the
navy, said he was going home, and went into a public
house where be observed the prisoners, and when he
went out they followed and demanded money from him,
but he refused to give them any; one of them then
knocked him down, and the other kicked him when
down. To Mr. Raffles he said, they wanted sixpence
from me, but T refused to give it, and then they attacked
me. Itfr. Railles—Did they attempt to rob you when
you were down ? I don't know what they might have
done but a cabman came up and assisted me. A cabman
said he saw the prisoners following the complainant,
and heard one of theret say, "I want a sixpence," and
he said he would not give it, and then one of them
knocked him down, and then witness interfered and
called the police. In answer to the charger the prisoners
told some story about their being engaged in a pork
butcher's shop, where the prosecutor (they said) pur-
-1 chased some pig's feet, and then that he was rolling
about drunk with some unfortunate girl. The bridewell
'keeper who took the charge, said the prosecutorshad
some' drink, but the prisoners were drunk. Mr. Raffles
said he did not think the prisoners intended to commit
a robbery; they were drunk, and likely they wanted the
sixpence to get more: He thought, however, the assault
was a gross one, and he fined the prisoners a each,
or two months' imprisonment.
A MANCHESTER "CONVEYANCER,"
John M'Gowan, a young Manchester thief, was
brought up by Detective-officer Scott and an officer from
Manchester, charged with having stolen a silver snuff-
box from Mr. Reynolds, a gentleman living in Seel-
street. On the dayol the procession, the prosecutor
was in a cart in Lime-street, when he lost his " dust
holder," and in the evening the officers arrested the
prisoner and got the box in his pocket. The prisoner
said he saw the box lying quite nice in the cart, and as
no one claimed it, he thought it better to keep it until
some one came and claimed it.—The prisoner was sent
for trial at the sessions.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BY A GIRL.
A girl named Pierpoint, about fifteen years of age,
was charged with having attempted to drown herself.
The girl threw herself into the canal on Friday, and
when got out she said she did so to escape her father,
who was in the habit of beating her. The father was
sent for, and he denied having beaten the girl. She
had, he said, got into bad company with girls, and
about three weeks ago he chastised her for staying out
all night. She was a good girl until she picked up with
other girls. He alleged that she was a little silly in her
mind. Surgeon Sheppard said he had briefly examined
the girl as to her sanity, but the interview was so short
he could not pronounce on her sanity. She might be a
little silly. She was remanded for the present.
(Before Messrs. BRANCKER and. J. 11. TURNER.)

''A HEDGE LAWYER," AND A COUSIN OF QUEEN

ELIZABETH'S.

Mark Lythgoe, who said he was a shopkeeper, in
J3rownlow-hill, but who was described by Mr. Cobb as
"a hedge lawyer," summoned William Henry Tudor,
who was designated as a cousin (very far removed) of
Queen Elizabeth's (! !) for having assaulted him. The
complainant said he was leaving the County Court, a
few days ago, when the defendant came up to him, spat
in his face, and then assaulted him. Mr. Cobb cross-
examined the witness, and caused some laughter. A
witness was called to corroborate the statement. Mr.
Cobb called a witness who- swore the exact opposite of
what was stated on the other side, and the case was dis-
missej.

YESTERDAY.
„
MRS. FOSTER'S BLACK EYE !
Mrs. Anne Foster, the keeper of a sailor's boarding-
house in Paradise-street, charged a sailor, a young man
named John Thomas, alias Richard Mason, for haring
blackened her eye and bitten her finger. Mr. Cobb was
for the complainant, and Mr. Parker for the prisoner.
The complainant said she went into a public house kept
by a Mrs. Jones, in Paradise-street, to apply some leeches
to Mrs. Jones who was ill, when the prisoner came in
and-asked could he go lodge at her house. She replied
not, as he owed her money and was not an honest man.
Some words then took place and a scuffle followed, in
which she received the black eye, and the also caught
her finger in his mouth and bit it severely. A witness
was called to prove the case, but instead of doing so,
proved the opposite, and said the moment the prisoner
came into the house, Mrs. Foster attacked him with a
jug and flung water on him, and commenced scratching
him in the face ; and whatever injury she received was
brought on by herself. Another witness • fully corrobo-
rated this statement, andplr. Raffles said—l think Mrs.
Foster has brought this all on herself, and I therefore
diseharbn the prisoner.
VIOLENT ASSAULT ON A FEMALE.
A man named James Dunne was charged by Mary
M'Mahon with having assaulted her. She appeared to
have suffered much. She stated that in the morning
the* prisoner came into complainant's house in Maguire-
street, and wanted to fight her brother, when she went
between them and he hit her a violent blow on the
head with a hammer, inflicting a dangerous wound. In
the course of the inquiry it transpired that the com-
plainant is blind ; but the case was proved by three or
four persons, who said they saw the prisoner strike her.
Some witnesses for the defence stated that the prisoner's
wife had wounded the girl, and not the prisoner. It
was stated that the girl was very seriously injured, and
the prisoner was remanded until Wednesday, when the
1., ctor who attended her was orddred to be present.
MASTER EARLE'S JAUNTING CAR. _ _

A good-looking young man, named James Earle,
doscriboa as rue son or a gemleutatt reblUtlig at nvo.
Cottage, Marown, Isle of Man, was charged for having
stolen a horse and gig, value £45, the property of Mr.
Thomas Lloyd, of Newington. Mr. Cobb appeared for
the prosecution, and Mr. Bluck for the prisoner. The
prisoner was custody of detective officer Eaton, and had
been remanded three times, with the view of having the
case settled by the prisoner's father; but the latter
refused to pay the amount. It appeared that on the
13th September, the prisoner went to Mr. Lloyd's, and
hired a horse and trap to go to Huyton, and to return
that evening. He was not seen after until the 24th,
when he had sold the horse, trap, and harness, to a
person named Crabtree, in Nash Grove, for £9, saying
it was his father's property. These facts were proved
by several witnesses, and Mr. Crabtree proved havinc,
purchased the articles for £9. Mr. Bluck censured the
conduct of the latter person. Mr. Joseph Asberry, the
eminent auctioneer at Lloyd's, proved that at a sale the
horse, trap, Szc., wonld bring at least £3O. Mr. Bluck
again dwelt on the conduct of Mr. Crabtree, and con-
tended that he was worse than the prisoner. He
admitted that the prisoner had taken the things in a fit
of drunkenness. The prisoner was sent for trial at the
sessions.

DRUNK IN CHURCH !
Anne Dobson was brought .up by police officer 99, on
a charge of being drunk in 'St. John's Church. It
appeared that on Sunday evening the prisoner went into
the gallery of St. John's Church, and being in a state
of intoxication, she created a disturbance amongst the
congregation until she was removed in custody. She
was fined ss. and costs.
ASSAULT ON THE POLICE.
A sailor belonging to the Majestic, who gave the
name of MadDirmit, was charged by officer Howe, 434,
with having assaulted him. The prisoner was drunk and
using very bad language in Chapel-street, when the
officer went to put him away, and advised him to desist,
when the prisoner refused to go and made a furious
attack on him, and injured him severely. The prisoner
was fined £5, or two months' imprisonment.
(Before Messrs. ROBERTSON GL ADSTONE and BRAN CKEn.)

DAMAGE TO A SHIP.
Mr. Simpson appeared on behalf of Capt. Threeweek,
of the Albanian, who claimed £3 for damage done to his
vessel, by the Danube, Capt. M'Cauley, in one of the
docks. The complainant's vessel was coming into one
of the docks when the accident took place, which was
alleged to have taken place in consequence of the fault
of defendant. Some witnesses were examined on either
side, when the magistrates made au order for the
amount claimed.

THE WATER COMMITTEE,'—., ,:ial weekly meeting
of this committee was held yesterday. Mr. Hodson
presided ; the other gentlemen present were Messrs.
Vernon, Beloe, Estill, Farnworth, Crellin, Woodruff,
'Rae, and Wagstaff. In answer to a question put by
Mr. Balm, as to whether there was a possibility of a
similar accident occurring by the bursting of a pipe on
the Rixington Line of Water Works as had occurred in
Glasgow. The engineer replied that he thought not,
but after some conversation, it was decided that the
engineer should make enquiries into the accident at
Glasgow, and that he should report as to the possibility
of such a circumstance occurring upon the Rivington
line. The Water Engineer reported :—I have to report
for the information of the committee that all the filter
beds have been cleaned during the last week, and are
reported in good condition. The floods which have
been heavy since my last report, have passed away with-
. out injury to the works. A few slight cuttings caused
by the high winds are, in coarse of being shingled over.
All _the _reservoirs have been overflowing .by the bye-
washes and the tunnels ; all are now full. . The average
rain-fall for the week ending the 20thinst. was 3.12 inches.
The 'heavy rains have somewhat retarded the sinking of
the trial pits-20 men are employed on this worr when
weather will permit. On the pipe line all remains in
good condition. The quantity of water received fi oin
Rivington during the week ending Oct. 20, was 79,482,971
gallons ; pumped from the ' wells, 22,309,487 gallons ;
total quantity, 101,792,453 gallons; proportion of
Rivington to well water as 79 to 22.—There was no
business of importance transacted,
•