The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-02 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.-YESTERDA'f,

(Before Mr. RAFFLES.)
A BRUTE PUNISHED'.
' A bulldog-headed fellow, named James Donohoe,
was Charged' by a decent-looking female, named
Margaret Burns, for having committed a gross
assault on her. A gerttlenlan' stated that about seven
o'clock the previous evening, he' was passing at the
corner of Fairhurst-street, Cheapside, when! he saw the
fetnale passing (she is very near her confinement). The
prisoner came round the corner, and• on seeing het, he
deliberately struck her a violent blow on the side of the
head, and knocked her sprawling on the street. The
witness sent a boy for an officer, and seized the prisoner,
whom': /he held until the policeman came up. Mrs.
Burns was examined, and stated that the prisoner struck
her a violent blot on the head, and knocked her down;
she was much hurt. Mr'. Raffles—Do you know him ?
No sir, I never saw him before. Did you speak tohim, or
he to you ? Not a word sir; I was merely passing
when he struck me. The prisoner in answer to' 'the '
charge said he was running round the corner, and
knocked against the woman, and she fell. The 'gentle=
man was recalled, and in reply to Mr. Raffles said it
was not an accident, but a deliberate blow ; he could
not be mistaken in that, as he saw it too plainly. Mr.
RaffieS—l am much obliged to you for your conduct—
you, acted very properly. (T'o tlre prisoner) It is quite
outrageous that such ruffians as you should go about
the streets committing such offences. Tour having
knocked that woman down, might have probed' fatal to
her, in her present position. It was a -out; brutal
assauiti and I fine you -£5, or three months' imprison-
t m
Meg' _
,ASSAULT IN sTANDISH-STREET
Edward, Maiytiand Julia Darns, were brought up on
remand, chargers yin having committed a violent
assault on Margaret Natighton, in Standish-street, on
Monday night last. The detail's- cf this case were pub_
lished in the Times of Wednesday Mr. Cobb now
appeared for the, prisoners, and called witnesses, who
exonerated the prisoners Edward and Mary Burns, who
were discharged. A witness for the prosecution proted
that she saw the prisoner, Julia Burns, strike the injured
woman, and on this evidence the prisoner was remanded.
The injured womaa is still in a serious state.
(Before Messrs, SHELL and HOUGHTON.)
TAB Tian AND THE TOOTH!
Sophia Saul summoned Sarah Redman for having
assaulted her.' It appeared that the parties live in
Calvin-street, and the complainant dispenses "tripe and
Co* heels" to fill empty stomachs, and en Thursday she
was weighing out some of the dainties to' her customers,
when the atfendant rushed in, called her " violent
names," slashed the tripe about in all directions, gave
her a "souse" in the' :south and knocked out one of her
teeth. The complainatil was cross-examined by Mr.
Bluck for the defendant as follows. Had you any co
heel along with the tripe that day No. Might not a
bone have got into the tripe and broken your tooth ?.
• The witness got quite indignant at the insinuation.
Here the defendant cried out, " that tooth /ra's knocked
out ages ago The complainant repudiated this asser-
tion by telling the bench that she was the mother of
thirteen Children. The 'magistrates did not appear to
appreciate the value of this piece of information, and
told her to stick to the charge of assault. A witness
was called who 'corroborated the story of complainant.
A witness was called for the defence, and she gave the
best evidence in the world, Tor the best reason, because
she did not Me the transaction at all ; and the defend-
ant alleged that she could bring at least one hundred
witnesses, who would swear that they did not see her
touch the complainant. Here their worships again
declined to hear such an interesting group as was
threatened on them, and fined the fair (a very handsome
young woman) defendant ss. and costs, which they stated
was a small penalty. •
CHARGE OF INDECENT ASSAULT'.

William Porter, a butcher, carrying on business in
Northumberland-street, was summoned by a young
woman named Jane Jones for an offence of the above
description. Mr. Bluck appeared for the complainant,
and Mr. Cobb for the defence. From the opening
statement of Mr. Bluck and the evidence of the tom-
's plainant (a young Welsh girl) it appeared that on the
23rd October, about mid-day, the defendant went to the
house of Mr. Roberts, broker, Northumberland-street,
where complainant lives, about some business, and find-
' ing the master and mistress out he endeavoured to take
improper liberties with her, Mr. Cobb cross-examined
the complainanLat same length, but she held to her
original story. A little girl who was in the house,
but who was sent out of a message, stated that
on her return she heard complainant call her, and
fon going she saw .the defendant pulling complainant
on to the stairs. A Mrs. Ackerley corroborated part
of the complainant's statement. Some other wit-
nesses were called, after which Mr. Cobb addressed
the bench for the defendant, saying such a charge was
easily made, but very hard to rebut, as generally there
was no evidence procurable for a defence. He contended
that it was improbable the defendant would act as
described under such circumstances, but be admitted
that there was a bit of flirtation between the parties,
which was very improper on the part of the defendant,
who was a married man. He maintained that only a
common assault had been committed, and that a small
fine would suffice for the indiscretion of the defendant.
He called a female named Cozens, who stated that she
heard complainant say. the defendant never laid hands
on her, and only said he was in love with her. Ellen
Bowman and John Williams were examined as to a
question of time, and then the magistrates, after con-
sulting with Mr. Wybergh, fined the defendant £lO, or
to be imprisoned for three months with hard labour.

EXTRA ORDINARY PROCEEDINGS BY
CATHOLICS AT SHEFFIELD.

At an inquest, held at the Sheffield Workhouse, on
Wednesday afternoon, before Mr. H. P. Badger, deputy
coroner, on the body of a female child, nine days old,
supposed to have died from violence, some curious reve-
lations were made as to the. Catholic priest and com-
munity in the matter. The child was the daughter of
an Irish girl, named Mary Sheardon, who only attained
the age of 15 years in June last, the father being Dominic
Larvin, an Irish labourer, who had lived in a state of
concubinage with the girl's mother for several years,
and to whom the mother had herself borne two children.
It appeared that on Sunday, Larvin, and the Sheardon's
mother and daughter, were excommunicated and cursed
from.the altar of St. Vincent's Church, for their shocking
immorality. About twelve o'clock on Sunday night,
one of the Roman Catholic priests went to the house
where the parties lived, in Reaeroft, and after
baptising' the infant, broke a crucifix over the
grandmother and mother, and beat the fornier with
some violence on the side of the head. He also cursed
the house, calling upon all the faithful to do the same.
This proceeding let loose the indignation of the Irish
inhabiting the locality, and a violent commotion ensued.
Notwithstanding the efforts of a large body of the
police to maintain order, the house was assailed with
such showers of stones that the beds and bedroom floors
were covered with those missiles, The disturbance was
renewed on Monday evening with increased violence.
Thii priests, who have great influence • with the low
Irish population, were appealed to, but refused to inter-
fere for the protection of such wicked persons, and the
mother and infant had to be secretly removed to the
workhouse for safety. It was rumoured that the child
had died from injuries received during the disturbance ,•
but this proved to be incorrect, its death being attributed
to natural causes. Great damage, however, was done to
the house, all the windows and doors of which were
broken toirrieePs, and the inmates themselves had the
narrowest possible escape from the most serious injuries.