The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-05-28 00:00:00

DISPOSAL OF THE REFORM BILL.

The Times anticipates that its announcement respect-
ing the abandonment of the Reform 13:ill for this session,
will he represented a,s much too hasty a conclusion.
There are many persons who require occular demonstra-
tion of such things, and will never believe that the bill
is gone until it has finally disappeared from the House
of Commons. Nevertheless, the Times predicts that
the bill will pass away from us into virtual extinction,
without even the empty compliment of a funeral oration;
and is willing to appeal to the Parliamentary history of
the two coming months to bear it out in its assertions,

COMFORT IN ATIVERSITY.-At the Inverness Circuit
Court, the two wives in the bigamy case of Macmillan
were waiting in the witness-room—the one from Cold-
stream, a respectable and somewhat elderly-looking
woman—the other from Ross-shire, a younger person.
On its being reported in the witness-room that Mactnil.
lan had pleaded guilty, his Ross-shire spouse burst into
tears ; when the feeling Borderess, stepping forward and
drawing the weeping one's attention by a gentle tap on
the shoulder, said, "I'm saying, 'oman, are ye Donald's
wife ?" She was answered dolefully, " I believe I am."
goo many bairns hae ye tae him, my good 'ooman ?"
"I have had two, and one of them is dead." " Hoot,
awe, puir body ! I'm xery sorry for ye ; see ; there's e
sixpence tae ye, and I wish ye luck (;)' bin} f9V &in lit
kick ye as aft as he has done w,e, I fear We'll be tired
enough o' dtsconsolate wife adroitly closed
Lea liana on the profered coin, seeming to accept it. as
no small solatium in the circumstances,

HORRIBLE AND REVOLTING OFFENCE
BY A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST.

WORSHIP-STREET POLICE COURT.

John Spencer, a tall, respectable-looking man, grey-
haired, and about 60 years of age, and proprietor of an

educational establishment at Hackney, was brought up
in the custody of Inspector Webster, of the N division,
charged with infamous conduct to more than one of his
pupils.

Mr. Heritage appeared for the defence. The prisoner
was really prosecuted by a gentleman named Roberts, a
neighbour of the prisoner, and father of one of the
pupils, but the case first taken against the prisoner was
that of

Leon Morisco, a well-dressed and rather handsome
boy of 13, who gave his evidence in a very direct and
intelligent manner, and who said,--My father is dead,
and my mother resides at Brussels. I was sent to Eng-
land in January two years ago, and was put to school
with Mr. Philpotts, at Hackney, where at that time I
was a day scholar. The defendant succeeded Mr. Phil-
potts in the school, at which there are now about thirty
pupils, but there were more then. About seven weeks
ago I went to Brussels, and returned about four weeks
since. A lady who also lodged in the house told me
that the defendant was a Roman Catholic priest.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—ls that so, prisoner ; are you a
Catholic priest ?
Prisoner—No, air, I am not.
Sergeant Maveety—lt has been ascertained, sir, that
his right name is John Benedict Spencer, that he
a Roman Catholic priest, and that he has preached a;-
Liverpool.
Prisoner—lt is totally false, and I have never been
out of the house.

Witness—Mr. Philpotts left at Midsummer last, and
after this gentleman came he treated me in a very vulgar
manner. On my return from Brussels I went to live
there.

Mr. D'Eyncourt —Did anything occur before yon went
to Brussels ?

Witness—Yes, about four or live months ago.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—Be very particular in describing his

conduct.

[The witness here detailed, in an apparently truthful
manner, and in language which a boy of his age would
naturally make use of, conduct on the part of the prisoner
which. if true. established conclusivPlp an Affpnce of so
horrible and infamous a character that it cannot be more
nearly described.]
Mr. D'Eyncourt—How came this to happen—that
you allowed him to commit such conduct ?

Witness—He opened the door of a parlour, which was
used as a bedroom, and told me to come in there and be
whipped, but I did not know what for. About four or
five weeks afterwards, upon a Sunday, though I cannot
recollect which Sunday, he did the same thing. I com-
plained to him of it, and he promised it should not occur
again.

Mr. D'Eyncourt--Why did you not complain ?
Witness—Why, sometimes the door was locked.

Mr. D'Eyncourt—Then, how often has this occurred ?

Witness—A good many time 3 : Three or four times
before I went to Brussels, which was on the 23rd of
March.

Mr. D'Eyneourt—Did you say anything about this
while at Brussels ?

Witness—No, sir•.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—But you knew that such conduct
was wrong ?
Witness—Yes, sir, but I was not quite aware of what
he meant when he told me to come and be whipped, and
when I threatened to tell my mother of him he pro-
mised that it should not occur again.
Mr. D'EyncOurt—Was he kind to you?
Witness—Yes, sir, very kind at first; sometimes he
was cross, but he was kind to me directly afterwards.
Mr. D'Eyneourt—Did other boys board at the school ?
Witness—No, sir, only me.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—And where did you sleep ?
Witness—ln the same room as he did. -
Mr. D'Eyncourt—ls he a married man ?
Witness—No, air.

Mr. D'Eyncourt—How long did you sleep thew. ?
Witness—About ten days qltogetheT. One Sunday
morning he called me to his bedside to take a rag off one
of his hands which was bad, and he then took hold of
me and repeated his conduct.

Mr. D'Eyncourt—How did all this become known ?
Witness—There are three lodgers in the house, and I
told it to one of them, named Ashford, who told me to
go to a magistrate, and I therefore canu? hgc,

Mr. D'Eyncourt—How yoA know that this was a
police-court
IW:hese—Why, I know a lady in Providence-row,
close by, and I have seen that this was a court as I
passed it to go to her house. Another of the lodgers,
named Hurst, also advised me to come here and com-
plain privately.

Mr. D'Eyncourt--Syho, mis this boy when he first
came here ?

Bendall (the gaoler)—l did, sir ; and then Mr. Mans-
field had an interview with him.

Cross-examined by Mr. Heritage—How came you, an
intelligent boy, as you evidently are, to let 0,4 go on,
and not complain ?

Witness—One of the boys, named Hoskins; knew
abc.ut it after the first time, and I was ashamed to speak
of it afterwards. (The witness then stated another fact,
which apparently seemed to imply an assent on his part,
and on being asked if the prisoner had not complained
of his stealing money from him, he acknowledged that
he had done so, about seven or eight months ago.)
Mr. D'Eyncourt—And had you stolen his money ?
Witness----res; sometimes I took 4d., sometimes 6d.,
for a week or two, but I don't think I took more than
3s. altogether. I never did take 6s. from his purse at
one time. He said he would forgive me if I paid him
back, and I did so a halfpenny at a tine, till I had paid
about half of it, and he then, forgave me the rest. He
also charged me with stealing 4s. 6d., but I did not;
and he. then charged me stealing his sugar, which was
true, and said I was not to do so again. He told me he
would adopt me himself, correct my faults, take care of
me, and get me a place. He bears the name of a very
kindhearted man in the neighbourhoc.cl. I was always
ashamed and afraid to tell of his conduct to me. This
is not a false charge got up against him because he said
he would punish me. After I returned from Brussels
Mr. Spencer threatened to send me back there, on account
of my tikinc his money, but I don't think he meant it,
a: hr 1,-,ue,"ne.l and was kind to me afterwards. I think
?armed the same conduct with other boys that
lias to me. I did not wish to go back to Brussels, as I
should only be a weight upon my mother there. When
my father was alive he was an exportex from there of
foreign goods, and was in partnership with a gentleman
named Indermauer, who paid for my schooling for some
time at f4.st, and then Mr. Spencer said he would adopt
me. The last time he so acted to me was on the Sunday
before I came here on the Wednesday. He once told
me to pack up my things and leave the house ; but on
seeing me with a letter in my hand, with his promise to
adopt me, he called me back and went into another
room. The lady upstairs warned the defendant that I
was coming to the magistrates, and he called me a" lazy
hulk," and gave me neither breakfast nor dinner, and I
came here without. I know a lad named Roberts ; he
lives next door to the school. I told him how ill I was,
and he said it arose, no doubt, from the prisoner's con-
duct to me. (The witness then detailed the. particulars
of the assault on the Sunday, a,nd which were of the
same revolting description.)

Mr. D'Eyncourt—Who adopts this prosecution ?
Inspee►or Webster—A gentleman named Roberts, sir,
whose son is alleged to have been similarly treated.
Mr. D'Eyncourt (to Mr. Roberts, who was in attend-
ance)—Has this lad said anything to you abort this
matter ?

Mr. Roberts—c, not a word, sir ; and I thought
it much better that, the matter should be left entirely
open.

Mr. D'Eyneourt —Quite proper. Has he been living
in your house?

Mr. Roberta—Yes, since ate. (Acts of the matter
became known.

Mr. D'Eyncoutt—Well, he will be sent now to the
union during the remand, as I cannot go into the other

ease to-day. How was the prisoner taken ?
Williams, of the N division—l apprehended the
prisoner at eleven o'clock this morning in High-street,
Camden-town. On catching sight of him, I said, "You
are Mr. Spencer, I believe ?" He said, "No, lam
not," but I told him I knew that he was, that I was a
police-constable, and that he rut,,st go with me to the
station, as I wanted hint upon this charge. He asked
me to go round the corner of a street with him, and he
would speak with me there, but I refused. We then
walked some distance together, when he said, "I will
give you a sovereign if you will let me go." I said,
"No ;" and he then said, "I will give you two," but I
refused, and said I would not if he even offered me fifty.
On reaching St. Pancras-road he suddenly asked to look
at the warrant issued for his apprehension. I did not
hold the warrant myself, end so told him, on which be
refused to go any further, and on a struggle ensuring
between us he bit one of my fingers. A gentleman,
however, tendered me his assistance, and with his help
I was enabled to lodge the prisoner in the statical.
Inspector Webster—He has
giver), u.s a great deal of
trouble, sir, as he absconded when he found that the lad
had come to complain at this court.
Mr. Heritage—l hope your worship will allow my
client to be admitted to bail. He is a highly respecta-
ble person.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—The,officer's eviden,ce very much
affects the question of bail, which I am disposed to
refuse, unless you can find two responsible sureties in
£5OO each, which is next, I suppose, to Kefilsing bail
altogether.
Mr. Heritage aekhowledged that it was so; and the
prisoners who had displayed a respectful firmness
throughout, and bowed to the magistrate on hearing his
1 decision, was taken away in the van,.

It is said that a brother of a nobleman well known on
the turf has been expelled from a London club for
stealing candles. The noble delinquent is, we bell,vE
in the receipt of £20,000 a year,

LITERATURE.

The CORNHILL MAGAZINE for June. London : Smith.
Elder, and Co.

No 6 of this popular periodical will be published to-
morrow (Tuesday), the 29th instant. There will appear
an article entitled "London the Stronghold of England,"
in which we are reminded of the fact that the defence
of our great Metropolis has been entirely overlooked,by
the commissioners appointed to examine and report
upon the state of our defences. Louis Napoleon, a firm
believer in destiny, has said, ,illuding to London, "what
a pity it is that I am fated to destroy that great city."
Of course every one is entitled to their own opinion ;
and we believe, if ever an invasion of England be
attempted, the point to be aimed at by the invader will
assuredly be the capture of London. This article is
worthy of our serious attention, for, depend upon it, the
safety of London can only be secured by the proper
application of the science of fortification and entrusted
(after some little apprenticeship) to our noble volunteers.
The great success of the Ornhill ..kragazitae has
induced many of our literati to forward their contribu-
tions for insertion, the average number of which, as
stated by Mr. Thackeray, has exceeded, for the last two
months, 100 per week.
In No. 4 of the Roundabout Papers the editor
announces the fact of its enormous circulation in a most

grandiloquent style :—" I fancy the Imperator standing
on the steps of the temple (erected by Titus) on the
Mons Frumentarins, and addressing the citizens :
Quirites!' he says, in our campaign of six months,
..re have been engaged six times, and in each action
have taken near upon a heincfred thousand
Go to! What are other magazines compared to our
magazine ? (Sound, trumpeter !) What banner is there
like that of Cornhill ? You philosopher yonder ? (he
shrinks under his mantle.) Do you know what it is to
have a hundred and ten thousand readers ? A hundred
thousand readers ? a hundred thousand bityers !' (Cries
of No !—Pooh ! Yes, upon my honour! Oh, come !
and murmurs of applause and derision.)—' I say more
than a hundred thousand purchasers—and I believe as
much as a million readers ! (Immense sensation.) To
these have we said an unkind word ? We have
enemies; have we hit them an unkind blow? Have
we sought to pursue party aims, to forward private
jobs, to advance selfish schemes ? The only persons
to ,Anom wittinvly Vv have givuu !Kau ore some
who have volunteered for our corps—and of these
volunteers we have had go:rsands.—(Nfurmurs and
grumbles.) What commander, citizens, could place
all these men—could make officers of all these men ?
(cries of No—no ! and laughter)--could say ' I accept
this recruit, though he is too short for our standard,
because he is poor and has a mother at home who wants
bread ? could enrol this other, who is too weak to bear
arms, because he save, " Look, sir, I shall be stronger
anon." The leader of such an army as ours must select
his men, not because they are good and virtuous, but
because they are strong and capable. To these our
ranks are ever open, awl in addition to the warriors—
who surround me—(the generals look proudly conscious)

—I tell you, citizens, that I am in treaty with other
and most tremendous champions, who will march
by the side of our veterans to the achievement of fresh
victories. Now, blow trumpets! Bang, ye gongs ! and
drummers, drub the thundering skins ! Generals and
chiefs, we go to sacrifice to the gods.' Crowned with
flowers, the captains enter the temple, the other maga-
zines walking modestly behind them. The people huzza;
and, in some instances, kneel and kiss the fringes of the
robes of the warriors. The philosopher puts up his
Abutters, and retires into his shop, deeply moved. In
ancient times, Pliny (apud Smith) relates it was the
custom of the imperator to paint his whole body a
bright red ;' and also, on ascending the hill, to have
come of the hostile chiefs led aside to tho adjoining
prison, and put to death. 'We propose to dispense with
both these ceremonies."

In this number the ktory of "Lovell the Widower" is
concluded; and, as most stories generally do, ends with
a marriage.

The tale of "Framley Parsonage," as it progresses,
becomes most interesting. The description of Mrs.
Proudie's Conversatione is excellent :—" Her plan
was to set the people by the ears talking, if they would,
or to induce them to show themselves there inert if no
more could be got from them. To accommodate with
chairs and seas as many as the furniture of her noble
suite of rooms would allow, especially with the two
chairs and padded bench against the wall in the back
closet—the small inner drawing-room, as she would
call it to the clergymen's wives from Barsetshire—
and to let the ethers stand about upright, or
'group theinselfes,' as she described it. Then four
times doing the two hours' period of her conversazione
tea and cake was to be handed round on salvers. It is
astonishing how far a very little cake will go in this
way, particularly if administered tolerably early after
dinner. The men can't eat it, and the women, having
no plates and no table, are obliged to abstain. Mrs.
Jones knows th 4 &he cannot hold a piece of crumbly
cake in her hand till it be consumed without doing
serious injury to her best dress. "When Mrs. Proudie,
with her weekly books before her, looked into the
financial upshot of her conversazione, her con-
science told her she had done the right thing." "Was
it not a lie "—t}-.5 illustration accompanying this
cleverly written story—is a very interesting one, and
represents Lucy Robart% after she has informed Lord
Lufton of the impossibility of her reciprocating his affec-
tion, and is thus described by the author—" And when
he was well gone absolutely out of sight from the win-
dow, Lucy walked steadily up to her room, locked the
door and threw herself on the bed. Why, oh, why, had
she told such a falsehood; could anything justify her in
a lie. 'Wai it not a lie,' knowing as she did that she
loved him with all her loving heart:'

There is also an article entitled " An Austrian Em-
ploye," in which the detestable and secret policy of
that empire is described to perfection. " The axiom is
D;ricie et Lnp6ra ;' and forms the secret of Austrian
policy. Government appoints no Austrian subject to
any post or office in his native place. He would have
friends and relations there, with whom he would be
tender in the matter of extortion ; and Austria wants
money, not friends. If an Italian were suffered to
administer in Lombardy, where would the ducats and
the spies come from ? He would naturally seek to gain the
love and confidence of his compatriots ; but the govern-
ment who have standing armies, and above 500,000 em-
ployes to pay, would rather have the ducats than the love,
it wants spies, not confidence. Therefore must the Hun-
garian Radetzky suck the golden fluid from the veins of
Lombardy, no matter what blood or teats may be shed .
the Bohemian Windischgratz must rule in Hungary ; a
garrison of Slavonians must hold the fortress of Silesia ;
a soldier must judge civilians, a council of lords pro-
mote the interests of glelseians ; and a celibatariau priest
decide on causes matrimonial."

The selection of the other articles reflects great credit
upon the editor ; and we trust that this popular maga-
zine may continue to be a lucrative speculation to the
enterprising and eminent publishers, Messrs. Smith,
Elder, and Co.

THE Gins& BIRTHDAY Boox : A Collection of Tales,
&e., especially designed for Girls, with numerous
illustrations. London : Holliston & Wright. 1860.
It is of the utmost importance to present the young
with works such as this, written in a style which cannot
fail to attract their attention and secure their interest
in their perusal, while at the same time they teach,
illustrate, and bring home to the readers important
truths, sound principles, and practical directions for
their guidance through life. The essays and narratives
contained in The Girl's Birthday Book form a collection
well adapted to that end. The stories are neither too
long nor too short, and the subjects are sure to prove
highly acceptable to the class of young people to whom
it is dedicated by its title page. The little volume is
elegantly got up, and is plentifully adorned with suitable
illustrations of the tales. Altogether it is one of the
best girl's birthday books we have seen.

FARMERS ! PLANT BEFORE THE FULL MOON.—
Upon the
growth of plants the moon exercises a remark-
able influence. The chemical action of light is necessary
to their principal work, the absorption of carbon from
the carbonic acid gas of the atmosphere. This work all
plants carry on during the day, and in the night they
sleep, except when the moon shines. She wakes them
and sets them at work. So the farmers who plant only
just before the full moon are right, and the scoffers who
call them superstitious are themselves the foolish ones.
For, if sown before or near new moon, the young plant
gets above ground just at the full, when the tender
thing needs sleep. But if sown just before the full,
they come up, about new moon, pass their babyhood
under the soothing influences of dark nights, and when
the full moon cornea are sturdy urchins, able to work
night and day.

PURCIIA.SERS OF IRON BEDSTEADS.

HIGGS & JONES inTite an inspection of
their extensive and well-selected