The Express.
London, England, 1848-10-20 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

RATING OF THE DOCK AND CORPORATE ESTATSS.
A public meeting of the ratepayers of To:tab-perk was held
at the public-office, Perk-place' on Tuesday evening, for the
purpose of receiving the report of the committee appointed
at the vestry meeting, held on the 16th say of May last, to
communicate with the Liverpool Equitable Rating Com-
mittee, with the view to the obtainment of powers for the
rating of the Dock and Corporate Estates, and for the far-
ther purpose of determining on the propjet, of adopting
measures fee the furtherance of theme objects. The chair
' wee taken by H. 0. Harboard, Esq., shortly after seven
o'clock, at Which time the large room was densely filled.
After some discussion, it was agreed that a voluntary rate of
twopence in the pound be laid on the respective assessments
of the township, with the view of defraying that portion et
the parliamentary
toothex to be incurred in getting toe
docks rated, which falls the share of Toateth.park.
YORKSHIRE.
REPRESENTATION OF WEST YORILSRIRP.. -- The
question as to who is to be the liberal candidate for the seat
vacated by the elevation of Lord Morpeth to the peerage,
bee not yet been determined ; but it bas been resolved by
several of the district committees of electors that the person
who receives their suffrages most be favourable to the prin-
ciple of free trade, to economical reform, to a gradual and
safe extension of the suffrage. and must be opposed to any
further endowment of religion by the state, the atter point
being considered the most vital of the whole. At a mating
of the leading members of the Liberal West Riding Regis-
tration Association, held at Normanton Station, on Tuesday,
Lord Milton presiding, these points were recognised as the
leading features which were to govern the coming election ;
it was resolved unanimously to support the Hon. Charles
Wentworth Fitawilliam a son of Earl Fitswilliam, as a fit
e person to represent the Riding, if he would give a satisfse-
, tory montane. with regard to the topics referred to.

EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT OP A PROSECUTOR:.
A good-looking young woman, name d Mary Ann Little,
rather faabionably attired, surrendered to take her trial at
the Chelmsford Quarter Sessions, on an indictment charging
her with having stolen forty sovereigns, the property of her
employer, Mr. Robert Manley, a wealthy builder, carrying
on business at Brentwood. Mr. &dwell prosecuted, itnd
Mr. Ryland, the city pleader, appeared to conduct the defence
of the prisoner. On the evening of Aug. 3, Mr. Manley
requiring some auger for his tea sent his daughter with a
key to unlock an iron safe in which it was kept, and in
which he had also deposited a bag containing 40 sovereigns.
The prisoner accompanied the daughter, and contrived td
get the key_from her, under the plea of locking the door of
the safe. The key was returned to the daughter, who con-
cluded that the sate door had been properly fastened. Ow
the following morning the prisoner suddenly absented hes-
self, and, as was subsequently ascertained, she had proceeded
to London by the earliest train. The door of the safe wee
found open, sad the bag containing the 40 sovereigns was
gone. The prosecutor did not communicate the fact to the
police that day. On the following morning he put Mr.
Coulson, the superintendent of police, on the alert atter the
young lady. She was discovered walking along White-
chapel-road, and 51. in gold was fours I upon her. She was
then brought back to Brentwood, and on her way she ad-
mitted taking the 40 sovereigas, but, with the ex-
ception of the five sovereigns round in her possession, oho
had accidentally lost the money down the water-closet of
her master's residence. She was committed for trial, bet
was admitted to bail, and the most singular part of the
story is that the prosecutor took her back to his dwelling.
They were as friendly together as ever, and she acted as his
domestic up to the evening previous to her departure to take
her trial ; indeed it is said that the prosecutor drove her over
in his gig, and both parties seemed to labour under the is-
premien that the trial would not take place. She surrendered
in due course of time to the governor of the Chelmsford
gaol, and was not a little amazed on hearing that counsel
had been instructed to prosecute her.—On the prisoner being
arraigned and the case opened, Mr. Ryland suggested to
the accused the propriety of her withdrawing her previous
plea and plading guilty to the offence imputed to her. There
were mine remarkable circumstances connected withthe ease,
and he thought the interests of both parties, as also of the
public would be best answered by the course which he sug-
gested being adopted.—The prisoner accordingly pleaded
gull Mr. Bodwell said he was aware that some very
• fasts were attached to the case, and as the prisoner
acknowledged being guilty, he was instructed, on behalf
of the prosecutor, to strongly recommend her to the mere,
of the court.—The Chairman evidently had been informed
of the whole facts, and ordered the prisoner to be broht
up on the following morning to receive judgment—The
grounds of her defence, as stated by her solicitor, would
have been that the son of the prosecutor had had an im-
proper intimacy with her after he had promised her mar-
riage, and that there was some reason to believe that the
money had been placed in the safe in the hope that she
would take it, abscond, and jnot return.

BRIOIITON.—THE IgTEAM-PACKET SEASON was
brought to a close on Monday, when the Menai returned
from Dieppe with only a very few passengers. The com-
pany have kept the packets running this summer at a great
lom solely owing to the Mate of the eontiaent, for oar visitor
do not care to leave our " happy land," to risk their lives cm
a Pa distracted with ineormetions or revolutions.

KENT.

MURDZI AltD MUTILATIOX.—On Wednesday after-
noon a murder was, it is supposed, committed near Broke
Tars, Halstead, Kent, on the body of • female, about from
36 to 40 years of age who
_gained her livelihoed,,
it is thought, by hop-picking. The body was diseoverei
by • labourer about four o'clock on the morning of
Thanday. The supposed murder took place on the high-
road from Funhoroagh to Seven Oaks. The body had
been thrown over a hedge of three or four feet high into a
dry ditch of a field belonging to the proprietor of the farm
above stated. From the appearance of the body it was quite
evident that a murder had been perpetrated. The wounds
I appeared to have been inflicted by heavy kicks from boots or
shoes upon the left and right temples ; and also by severe
stamping on the throat of the unfortunate victim. A bundle
was found close by the body, containing a man's
shirt and tobacco-box, without the slichtest mark on either.
Violent screams were heard about 10 o'clock p.m. on the
I previous night, but whether front the unfortnnete victim it
cannot accurately be sip:ermined. The Inquest will take
oho, this day, when every additional information will be
forwarded as soon as known. The worthy magistrate, Mr.
Atkins, and the police, are mat active in their exertions to
a:ncidaie the mystery of this horrible affeir.