The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-25 00:00:00

DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY BY TWO
WOMEN.

art, bn Saturday, Mary
P'. dred at the bar without
,ell known to the pollee,
__, ...OA the following daring
loury, in tonjunction with another female named
.1' who on Thursday last was charged with the
same offencel
On which Rho was remanded till Thursday
next:—lt appeared from the evidence of Mrs. Jane Tipping,
the proseeutrix, a married woman, who resided at No.
3, North-street, Manchester-Fgeare, that on WEdnes.
day night, after having gone to see her mother,
she was returning home, when, in passing Craw-
furd-place, Crawfurd-street, Marylebone, where there
femaalmesan. andwhnitlee she was on the n collected, she was
knocked down edvoewr 'la i by
pave-
ment the female, Buckley, held her by the arms, and at
the same time the prisoner placed her knee on her st eh oma ,
so that she was unable to rise, and she lost her bonnet. Mr.
Lang : Who took your bonnet ? Complainant : I am not
able to say, your worship. T
J. sirug rde Ito get and when
, ( up ,
I succeeded, I seized hold of . the man who koocked ma
down, ard
. as I hid hold of him, I called out, "Police!:"" Murder !" I received assistance. I was taken to 4
house in the neighbourhood in a state of insensibility, and
my face was covered with mud. Police-constable guuse-,
D 85, an active officer of the division, said, that on Wed-
nesday night, upon receiving information of the rob..
boy, and a description of the prisoner, he went to the,
house where the prisoner Buckley lodged. He found
her under the bed she ,had been laying in. On Friday,
night, be saw the prisoner Wiggings, in CI leen-street i she
observed him, and ran away. lie pursued and stopped
her. He asked her why she ran away. She replied, " For
nothing." He then,told her the charge against her, when
she stated that Poll Buckley had split against ber, as she
knew that she (the prisoner) took the bonnet. If the pri-
soner was remanded, he would bring a witness forward who
would prove that she (the prisoner) stole the bonnet. The
prisoner declined to make any defence, when she was
remanded to Thursday next, on which day further evidence
will be produced against her and Buckley, by which time
there is no doubt that the man by whom she was knocked
down will be taken into custody.

)11e Pollee-

a bonnet o

~ and why►

THE SCIENCE OF ROBBERY,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE

THE

N'OltTl-lERN

I MANCHESTER COURT OF BANKRUPTCY

----
LIVEB POOL.
While science has exercised her influence over agri- BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD.—SATURDAY. RE W. AND T. GARSTANG.—Tbe adjourned certificate
culture, manufactures, and commerce, as well as over ADVICE TO THE Police.—Amongst the many disrepu- meeting of these bankrupts, who were coal dealers at
almost all the arts of domestic life, it seems that her table characters brought before the magistrate, charged Wigan, took place on Friday, before Mr. Commissioner
aid has not been unsought in the depredations of the with being " drunk and disorderly," or " booked for Skirrow Mr. A. D. Foulkes, solicitor, appeared on behalf
burglar, and the more refined machinations of the skil- safety," some of whom bad been twenty times in custody of the principal creditor, and Mr. Owens, instructed by Mr.
ful thief. It is, however, only occasionally that the on similar charges, was one Julia Blackwood, a young Myers, appeared for the bankrupts. Thomas Garstang,
world is. permitted to gain an insight into the secret lady most fashionably attired. The police constable who one of the bankrupts, was examined with respect to a bill
machinery of gigantic frauds, by some accidental occur- had her in charge, said : About two o'clock this morn- of exchange for £lOO, dated Nov. 17, 1855, which bore the
rence which destroys the most deeply-planned schemes ing, I found the prisoner in Prescot-street. She wa- acceptance of James Grice, coal merchant, Liverpool. He
at the moment when the perpetrators are anticipating very drunk, and used obscene language. The females said the direction to James Grice was in his handwriting,
their successful accomplishment. Most of our readers being asked what she had to say, said : I know I was and the signature of the drawer was in his father's hand-
are, dembtlesse acquainted with the facts of the gold drunk, but what of that ? If the police looked as much writing, as well as on the endorsement on the back. The
robbery effected upon the South Eastern Railway Coca- after the thieves, as they do of us poor unfortunate girls, I body of the bill was in his handwring, but he did not know
pany in May, 1855, amounting to the large sum of should not be here, but I might have had a good situation. the acceptor, James Grice. His father never told him who
£15,000 The mystery hanging over this event was of Mr. Mansfield : Is she known here ? Mr. Parkinson : James Grice was. Clarkson Garstang said he took the
no ordinary character ; and although the transaction She has only been here 45 times. The defendant held bill referred to to Mr. Collier, of Salford, to raise money
was left for a time undiscovered, it was evident that,a it was only for drink, and what of that ? Mr. Mansfield upon it. His father gave him that bill among others to
robbery of such magnitude could not possibly be accom- ordered her to be imprisoned for one month, and directed raise money upon. He could not say whether be had raised
plished without the aid of a very deep-laid conspiracy that a record should be made of the conviction, that she £BO upon this bill by itself. Ho did not know the ricceptor,
amongst the officials in charge of the property in the might be more severely dealt with on a future occasion. James Grice, and he had stated to Mr. Fletcher, jen., that
hands of the Railway Company. It is on this account MORE STABBING.—Two Spanish sailors, named John his father had told him that the bill was received from Mr.
that we direct attention to the confession of a man Smith and Emanuel Murray, were charged with inflict- Rogerson, of Cooper street, Manchester, and was most
named Edward Agar, who appeared before the Lord ing several wounds on an American sailor named likely accepted by one of his errand boys. He never stated
Mayor, on Thursday last, as a witness for the Crown in Archibald McCambridge. It appeared that, on the to Mr. Collier, when lie got the money upon the bill, that
this remarkable case. The parties now charged with previous night, the complainant was in company with a Grice was a respectable coal dealer in Liverpool,
having stolen the bullion, amounting to £15,000, from female, and on passing through Canning-place they saw and that his fat'-.er supplied him with coal.—
the South Eastern Railway Company are, William Pierce the two defendants,who jostled against them. Some angry Thames Rogerson, agent, of Cooper street, was next
called and shown the bill, and asked whether he sent it
and James Burgess, with whom were associated a man words ensued, and all the parties' proceeded towards the
to William Garstang the elder or Thos. Garstang. He
named Tester, who was formerly a clerk employed in the sailors' Horne, when Smith attacked the complainant,
said he had never seen the bill before, and he did not know
service of the South Eastern Railway Company, but is and, in the struggle, Murray handed a knife to Smith,
the signature of the acceptor, James Griee. He was not
not at present in this country. Agar having been who inflicted several severe wounds on the complainant's
aware that he had ever had a boy named James ()rice in his
chosen as a witness on the part of the Crown, on face and head. The surgeon stated that McCambridge
employ, although he had sometimes had boys called James,
Thursday last made his confession, which, if true, unfolds would be disfigured for life, upon which the two
an had one at present who had been with him six weeks.
a most ingenious and systematic system of robbery ever defendants were committed for trial.
perpetrated. Agar is at present a convict in confine- IssruneszT 11.9138ERY.-Michael WK. iye, a youth Wm. Bartlett, clerk to Mr. Atkinson, solicitor, of Liverpool,
ment at the Portland Works, whither he was sent in about 14 years of age, was charged with stealing a puree stated that by the instructions of his employer he had
October, 1855. for forgery, under i.' sentence of tran- from Miss Ellen Claypole. It appeared that the lady was made dilizent enquiry, and could find no such person as
sportation for life. Agar was well acquainted with the that morning passing through Bold-street, when the James Griee, coal dealer, of Liverpool. Mr. Ovens then
prisoners Pierce and Burgess, now under examination. prisoner went up to her and snatched the purse out of asked for an adjournment of the case, as he said his clients
Agar, it appears, had been several times to America, her hand, and then ran away Agentleman who saw were satisfied that the acceptance w,s signed by a boy in
Mr. Rogerson's employ, and if time were given he might be
and on his last return from that country, met Pierce the robbery followed him, and in agn off street caught
"by accident somewhere at the West End." This inter-able to prove that. The learned commissioner then adjourned
him just as" he had thrown the purse away. He was
view led to several others ; and it seems that Pierce was the ease until the 4th December, but expressed a hope that
thensentenced to six months' imprisonment.
no father adjournment would be required.
anxious to press the matter upon Agar's consideration. BEFORE MR. T. D. ANDERSON.—MONDAY.
He thought he could " get an impression of the keys of
A CRIMEAN HERO I—Thomas Grady, a Crimean hero, of
the iron safe.° Agar at first refused to have "anything RE-APPEARANCE OF MR. SPURGEON AT THE
more to co with it ;" but his scruples were ultimately slight make, and not more than 22 years of age, charged John
overcome, and an arrangement was made "to meet a Higgins, a desperate ruffian, and Mary Anne Byrne, with having SURREY GARDENS.
committed a violent assault on him, and with having robbed him
person to get an impression of the keys, Pierce knowing
of a Crimean medal. The facts were these :—The " hero"
the man." The whole project was to assume a quaternion
form. "It was to be divided into four." The plot was
arrived here, for the first time, on Saturday night; ho had
'
to be n
.aid at Folkstoforwe, heretwo, in rivat
thee
na apartments were Adams, two Crimean medals—one the usual one, the other with clasps,
l taken , by the witnessnforwtwo,
and for his " distinguished bravery in the field"—that is, for
having killed, or supposed to have killed, a certain number of
and where Pierce and Agar resided for a fortnight or
Russians. Being, as he said, a " teetotal" stranger in Liver-
three weeks. The plan adopted was to walk to the
station when the gold train arrived, to get a sight of the pool, he knew not where to go. He met the woman
iron chest in which the bullion was carried, which was in the street ; and, seeing her a decent, respectable.
sometimes opened, and sometimes not. The policeman body, lie asked her where he could get a decent,
of the town appears to have known the parties, there• respectable, lodging like. Is it a lodging you want, says she?
fore Pierce left Folkstone, and Agar remained a week That's the very thing Ido want, says I. Oh, then, come
behind. At the end of the week he met Pierce at a along with me gra maehre, says she, as you're a bould soger
public house in London, when he told Agar the police boy, and maybe I wont 'commodate yen to aT, says she.
meant to arrest him. There were two keys to the iron They went to a house in Peter street, and when he entered it,
safe, and Pierce thought he could get one to take an he did'nt like the looks of it, so in order to get out of it he
impression from. One of the keys was lost, and the gave her a shilling to go out for some ale, thinking, when she
chest was sent to London to get another key. It was went out, to get out without any more noise about it. Just as
at this point in the affair that Pierce knew Tester, who she went out, the man rushed in with a poker in his hand,
would have possession of both, Tester being a ticket- crying out, you soldier, I'll murder you, as I hate all
clerk in the service of the company. Pierce was desirous soldiers, at the same time giving him several blows on the
that Tester should take the impression, but Agar pre- head (the head was bandaged up, • and the poor fellow seemed
;erred taking it himself, and for this purpose be met to have suffered much), which cut him terribly, and nearly
Pierce and Tester at a beershop at the corner of Tooley- stunned him. He struggled with his assailant, and both came
street, kept by one Willis. Here Agar took three or four down together, when the prisoner called to the woman for a
impressions in wax, of one key, and returned the keys to knife, swearing be would stick him (complainant) like a pork
Tester; Agar giving the chambermaid sixpence to go up pig' The woman begged of him not to do so, as they would
stairs to a bedroom to enable him to perform the be hung ; the woman at the same time kicking him furiously
operation. in the ribs. They then stole the medal from him, but he
It was at Sterne's in Tooley-street, and at the Green-
stuck to them like a leech until the police came to his
Man, near the station, that Agar met Burgess. The assistance. The prisoners were remanded.
next point was to consider how the impression could be CHARGE AGXINST A SAILOR OF THE JAMES BAINES.--•
Smith, the sailor, remanded from Saturday on a charge of
obtained of the other key. Agar, therefore, arranged to
go to the Pavilion, Hotel, at Folkstone, in the name of having refused to perform his duty on board the James
Archer, where he received a package of gold to the Baines, was brought up. Mr. Goodman (firm of Rirshaw
value of about £2OO. Another journey to London and Goodman, attornies) appeared for the prosecution, and
was then performed, and again to Dover and Folkstone, Mr. Bluck defended the prisoner. The charges of felony and
where the second key was obtaind and an impression desertion brought against the prisoner on Saturday, and
taken in wax. All was now rife, and the keys were made reported in our paper of yesterday, were ahan loned, and the
in blank and cut down to the impressions ; but strange only charge proceeded on was under the 243 section of the
to say, that after getting into Burgess's van seven or Merchant Shipping Act, for neglecting to perform his duty.
eight times, the keys would not open the safe. At last Captain M'Doanell, in reply to Mr. Goodman, said on the
the witness succeeded in making the keys to fit ; the 15th October the prisoner was aloft, when he let a wooden
next point was to consider how the robbery could be mallet fall on the poop, where passengers were walking at the
effected ; and it will be found that the genius of the time. He ordered him to go and scrape the fore-royals as a
party was not yet exhausted. punishment ; the order was given by the second officer,
The Marquis of Granby, at New Cross, was the place but the prisoner refused to go, and
of rendezvous to consider the next step to be taken, and put in irons, and confined to the
ands ho was then
oth, but the
it was here agreed to give " weight for weight." The irons were taken off on the 19th. On the 4th November, lie
gold to be abstracted from the company's van was to be again refused to do his duty. In reply to Mr. Block, the
supplied by an equal weight of shot, a plan proposed by captain said, if the prisoner had not done anything to forfeit
Pierce, who purchased it at the shot factory, near the his wages, there might be about £9 due to him ; had a full
Hungerford Suspension Bridge, while Agar remained complement of men on hoard the ship. Thinks about 95.
outside. The 'shot was then carried to Agar's house, at The ship is 2,217 tons, and the number of men were sufficient
Shepherd's Bush. where he was living with a person for her. The prisoner was confined in the wheel-hon=e all
named Fanny Kay as his wife, and by whom he had a the time he was in irons, and whilst he was imprisoned on
child two year's old. It is important to notice this board the ship. Mr. Bluck: Haul he room to lie down ? I
incident in the affair, as leading to the discovery of the believe not. Mr. Muck : I believe it was only about three
plan and execution of the robbery.
feet square. I don't exactly know. Mr, Bluck ;He was
kept there from the 15th to the 30th October? Yes. Mr.
The shot carried to Agar's house seems to have excited
Black : Were the irons on him all the time? No ; only
the curiosity of Fanny Kay, but on enquiry she only
from the 15th to the 19th. Mr. Buck: And ho was only
. received " evasive answers." Leather courier bags were
allowed to go in the open air for two hours out of the twenty-
, then made to contain the shot, which was conveyed to
four' is that so ? Yes. Mr. Bluck : And when the door
Crown Terrace, for the convenience of taking it to the
was closed, he had no air nor light, only what cause in through
railway. The next step was to convey the bags of
six small holes in the top ? I believe so. Mr. Anderson
shot to the London Bridge station, where Agar met
This has nothing to do with the present case. Mr.
Tester for the first time; but the experiment failed, as
Bluck submitted that it certainly had, in as much
there was no bullion going to be sent that night :. yet
here we find the patient zeal of Agar and Pierce as it showed that the offence was already more than punished,
and therefore it would go far in the proof that the man bad
strikingly exhibited. The same experiment was repeated
already been more than sufficiently punished. He said, so
every night for more than a fortnight, by the way of St.
badly did several of the passengers think the man treated, that
Thomas'sstreet. The signal between Agar and Burgess
was for the latter to "raise his cap and wipe his face," they made up £lO for him. The Captain said he did not
know anything about that. The second mate of the ship was
if be were unable to speak to the other, to let him
examined and corroborated generally the statement of the
]snow the gold was there. The lucky night having at
last captain. In reply to Mr. Bluck, the witness said he was of
arrived, two first class tickets were taken for Dover,
opinion that he went to the prisoner almost daily whilst he was
one of which was given to Pierce, while Agar, watch-
ing the movements of Mr. Weatherhead, the station in prison on board, to ascertain if he would return to has duty.
Mr. Block : Was there not one time you did not go near him
master, got into the guard's van, when the door was
for at least two days? Yes, that was the second time he was
safely closed upon him by Burgess the guard, who told
him £12,000 of bullion was in the chest. Thus safely in prison ; I did not go near him the first time at all. Mr.
lodged, Agar commenced his operations by unlocking Bluck, in an argumentative speech, addressed the bench, and
• the circa with one of the keys he had made, and taking contended that the man had been more than punished, and
thence the boxes in which the gold was secured, filling trusted that his Worship would take this into consideration.
them with the shot which had been previously procured The prisoner was sentenced to seven days imprisonment, and
for that purpose. At Redhill, Pierce left his first-class one month's pay to be stopped from his wages.
carriage and got into the van, where the operation of House BREARlNG.—Lawrence Clary, a plasterer, was
brought up on a charge with being concerned in a burglary and
taking the gold from the boxes and depositing the shot
robbery in the house of Mr. Thomas Clegg, Every-street, on
Ras jointly performed, and Burgess also got into the
yan ; but a portion of the treasure was left at Redhill Saturday night. Mr. Clegg and his lady were absent on Sa-
turday evening, and .on their return about 11 o'clock, they
for Bnrgess to give to Tester, who ass to be there to
found the house had been broken into, and a quantity of pro-
receive at. The operations were then continued, and
each box was robbed of its valuable contents and care- perty abstracted. A trunk which contained about £8 worth
duly sealed of Mrs. Clegg's clothes, and other articles was taken away
fully filled with the same weight of shot,
with an impression bought for the purpose. altogether. About half-past eleven a policeman met the
After having seen the safe put on the platform at prisoner in the street with two pair of Mr. Clegg's boots, and
Folkstone, Agar and Pierce proceeded to Dover as first- some stockings belonging to Mrs. Clegg, tied up in a bundle,
class passengers, Pierce being disguised in a false wig, and as he could not tell where he got these articles, the officer
black whiskers, and a broad - brimmed hat. After arrested him. Mr. Clegg identified his boots, and the prisoner
supper, Agar and Pierce started for London, by the mail was remanded, as a clue has been obtained to the recovery of
train, as return passengers from Ostend, having pre-
viously obtained two tickets from a man named Groom.
On their arrival in town, the heroes of the tale proceeded
to convey their stolen treasure to the house of Pierce, he
having first disposed of part of the gold coins at a shop
at the oorner of St. Mary Axe and the rest at a shop in
the Haymarket.

Here terminatei one of the most ingenious and remark-
able examples of robbery upon record, clearly proving
that the metropolis is infested with a set of men who are
actively engaged in a system of plunder which is con-
ducted with as much skill and perseverance as the
ordinary pursuits of business, and in so secret a manner
as to elude the detection of all around,
As the prisoner who has made the abova confession
has yet to be further subjected to public examination,
we shall reserve our remarks on the evidence,—Bankers'
Circular.

the rest

BEFORE MR. J. AIBIN

The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon made another appearance on
Sunday, in the Music Halt of the Surrey Gardens. The
awful catastrophe, and the great loss of life which attended
his ministrati •ns a few Sundays since, instead of deterring
persons from attending, seemed to have raised the curiosity
of the public to a still greater pitch, and many thousands
more than on the former occasion were present, in fact, some
twelve or fourteen thousand persons of both sexes, who had
arrived there before the time announced for divine service to
commence, were forced to remain a considerable distance
from the grand entrance in Penton place, Newington. The
Pushing and squeezing in order to get nearer the gates were
for two or three hours truly terrific. It should be stated,
that in order to provide as much as possible against the
recurrence of a similar scene as that which took place in the
same hall on the previous occasion, the seat-holders were
admitted prior to the public, but many privileged persons
had also been accommodated with tickets of admission.
Some hundreds of these were equally unfortunate in being
able to get into the building, or even into the gardens as
those who had not procured the right of entry, it being
almost impossible for any one, more especially females to
stand the pressure of such an immense crowd. At eleven
o'clock the hall was considered to be as full as it ought
to be for the convenience of those within, and a large
printed placard was hoisted at the main entrance, which
stated that " The Hall is quite full." This appeared t?
have given great dissatisfaction to all outside, who pushed
forward most vigorously for the purpose of forcing an
entrance ; but, fortunately, there was a powerful muster of
the P division of police present, under Mr. Superintendent
Lund and Sergeant Copnin, who kept the gates from being
forced, otherwise some thousand more persons would have
got within the gardens ; and, if such had been the case, it
is impossible to tell what confusion, and probably acci-
dent, would have arisen. The reverend gentleman entered
the temporary pulpit at the usual time for the service to

commence, wilen, after prayer and singing a hymn, he
expounded that portion of the G)spel referring to the
crucifixim ; after singing another hymn, the reverend
gtntleman said that, becore he commenced the sermon,
he should lik3 his friends to know that 10,000 reports
had been raised by 10,000 persons that they wanted to erect
a tabernacle capable of holding 15,000 persons. Now he
strotigly denied that; what was proposed was, to erect a
place capable of holding 5,000. At the present time, their
own church was no Dirge enough, and it grieved him to see

so many persons that were forced to be turned away from
he want of room. They had, therefore, for the present
. hired that hall for morning worship, so that the
poor, as well as the rich, might heir the Word of God
preached. They did not intend to send the collecting boxes
round that morning, hut there was a great expense in hiring
the hall, and the collectors, as the congregation went out,
would bold the boxes at the door. Those who were
unable to give anything were not expected, but those
who could perhaps would give on their own account,
and for those who were unable themselves. They
were inconvenienced in being obliged to leave their
own church, and preach there, but his (the preacher's)
only motive was to try to win souls over to the

few weeks,

Lord. The reverend gentleman, who, on surveying his
vast congregation, seemed to have been suddenly struck
with the awful scene he witnessed when he occupied the
same position before, concluded by saying that no one could
tell the feelings he had at that time. A fter which he
delivered a most eloquent sermon from the sth Chapter of
the Epistle to the Romans, Bth verge—" But God Cm-
mendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet
sinners Christ died for us." The discourse was listened to
with breathless attention, and, on the conclusion, the vast
assembly quietly dispersed.

STABBING.—AIice Simp,on, a young girl, who has fre-
quently appeared in the police court, was charged with stab-
bing a youth on Saturday night. It appeared that the
defendant went into one of the cellars in Williamson square
about half past twelve o'clock on Saturday night, and after
having had supper, commenced quarrelling with a sailor.
From words they got to blows, and in her rage she caught
up a knife, and attempted to stab the sailor. The assistant,
seeing what was going on, rushed upon the female for the
purpose of taking away the knife, when he received a severe
stab in the hand. The girl was immediately taken into
custody. When before the magistrates she said she was so
drunk that she did not know what she was after. The
magistrate, who expressed his regret that in quarrels such
weapons should be used, committed the prisoner to take her
trial at the sessions.

INDECENT ASSAULT ON A LITTLE GIRL
BY A CLERGYMAN.

At Worthing, on Saturday, the Rev. George John Free-
man, the rector at Bruntingthorp, in the diocese of Lincoln,
and who is upwards of sixty years of age, wils placed before
the magistrate, charged by Mr. Superintendent Norman,
31uek I with an indecent assault on a little girl, named Francis

Mr. Superint

endent Norm3i gave evidence of

certain facta too gross for publication. He seized him by
the collar, and the prisoner said, " I am a gentleman-4
hope you will let me go." The superintendent told him he
must go before the magistrates. He said, " Could it not
be settled otherwise ? He was a gentleman—it would ruin
him—would not money do it ?" The superintendent told
him nothing would do but going before the magistrates,
and thither he took him. The little girl fully corroborated
the officer's statement, and gave her evidence very clearly.
The defen iant, in answer to the charge, said the position
he then stood in was fraught with great danger to him, for
in Hampshire.
very
er
he would loose a professional appointment by not being then
was sorry, before God, for having
behaved as he had in touching the child,which he was aware
wasywrong,but it had been much overstated. The
magistrates then retired, and, upon their return, the chair-
man, with manifest emotion, said ; It is much to be regretted
that a clergyman should he placed in the disgraceful situa-
tion in which you stand. It is quite clear that you com-
mitted an indecent assault on this child, scarcely nine years
old. It is fortunate that you did not effect your wicked
purpose, or you might be standing at that bar charged with
a much more serious offence. The magistrates consider
that it is a most disgraceful act in you, and sentence you to
be sent to the House of Correction, and kept to hard labour
for three calendar months. The prisoner raised his hands,
as if bewildered, and was removed to the calls, and subse-
quently conveyed to gaol.

TIMES.LIVERPOOL

TVEsDAY

THE MURDER AT ERITH

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF THE ALLEGED

MURDERER.

On Saturday, an inquest was held at the police station,
Blackheath road, before Mr. Carttar, the coroner for the
district, to enquire into the cause of death of Thomas
Cartwright Worrell, who was taken into custody on a
charge of murdering a man named Carter. and who was
found dead in the cell of the station on Friday morning.
Mr. Freeman, of Bucklersbury, attended on behalf of the
relations of the murdered man, George Carter ; and
Mr. Gilham, of Bartlett's buildings, attended to
watch the case for the relations of Worrell.
The father, mother, and wife of the deceased were in
attendance, and were deeply affected during the time the
enquiry lasted. Mr. Barry, surgeon, who had examined the
bottles containing the poison, said each bottle contained a
drachm, and a drachm would destroy life. He found a label
that would fit one of the bottles marked " poison." It did
not bear the name of the chemist who sold it. The label
had been lost. Mr. Edward Dawning, a surgeon, made a
post mortem examination of the body of the deceased.
Externally the skin was slightly 'ivied, the nails blue, the
hands clenched, and the jaw fixed. On opening the cheat
and abdomen he found them quite healt!.y. When the
stomach was taken out the odour of prussic acid was very
perceptible. His opinion was that the deceased died from
the effects of prussic acid. Mr. Mallalieu, the superinten
dent of the R division of police, said he received the
phials produced from the surgeon yesterday morn-
ing. There was no label with them. The Inspec-
tor of Greenwich police (Ur. Wilson) said he re-
ceived the charge of Worrell at half-past six on Thursday
evening, from Sergeant Ebbs. He asked Worrell bow old
he was, and he said twenty-six, and that he resided at
Clayton- place, Kennington, and that he was a carpenter by
trade, but that he had not worked at that trade lately.
There wore found on him three sovereigns and other money,
a gold watch, and several other articles. He was charged
with the murder of George Carter, at Erith, and detained
on that charge. Witness read the charge to him, and
he replied, almost in a whisper, although he bad spoken
in a firm voice previously—" Yes, I am told so ; but I am
quite innocent of it." A letter, addressed to his father,
protesting his innocence, was taken out of his pocket-
book. The prisoner was then taken out of the cell into
which he had been placed about two minutes before, and
had a special policeman to attend to him, to whom he
gave strict instructions to watch the prisoner in an
adjoining room, in which he directed him to be placed.
Witness then went to Mr. Superintendent Mallalieu and

told him that he had got the prisoner in the reserve room.
Mr. Mallalieu said that that was against the commissioners'

orders, and when witne s went back he had been removed

to a cell. Witness had a long conversation with prisoner,
who declared his innocence, and stated that he was not in a
cab with Carter on Friday morning, as had been sworn, but
was with him on Thursday, when they went together to the
London Docks, for the purpose of securing a good vessel
for C leer, who was going to Australia, and that that was
the last time he saw him. Witness directed the policeman
on duty to go to the prisoner every five minutes, but he did
not think it desirable to put a man with him into the cell.
At about twenty minutes before two he was called ap, and
found the man dead. He (witness). when he read the
letter, thought that the prisoner might have poison at
home, but did not suspect that he had poison with him.
The pan of the water closet was examined, and two bottles
were found. There was a label with the word "Poison" on
it. Constable Lyons, 28 R division, said that he searched the
deceased a few minutes after twelve o'clock, assisted by
Cook, 232, and in the presence of Sergeant Binge. He took
his overcoat off, turned the cuffs over, and felt all parts.
The body coat was taken cff, and the waistcoat, and he
searched them. He examined his drawers and his under
clothing, pulled off his boots and stockings. searched his
hat, handkerchiefs, and found nothing whatever, and was
certain that if the bottles had been there, he could not
have pessed over them. He afterwards listened at the
door of the cell, and fancied that he heard him snore. He
called to him, but he did not answer. Upon entering the
cell afterwards he found deceased lying on his back, and
thought he was in a fit, and fetched the doctor. The cover
of the watercloset was down. He saw deceased every three
or four minutes, and upon nearly every occasion got into con.
versation with him, but he gave ro information respecting
the cause of his arrest, and appeared to be perfectly rational.
Constable James Cook, 232, assisted at the search, and
confirmed the evidence of the last witness. He saw the
deceased every four or five minutes, sometimes alone, and
sometimes in company with the other constable. By Mr.
Gilham : The practice was to search prisoners only in the
presence of the superior officers at the station. There being
no other witnesses to examine, the coroner stated that it
would be necessary to obtain more evidence to show the
previous state of mind of the deceased. The inquest was
accordingly adjourned until Wednesday next. The cabman
who drove the two men about, and for whose appearance
nrinted placards have been issued, has not yet been traced.
Worrell, in his let ter to his father, found upon him when he
was first searched at the Greenwich police station, stated
that some money that he had got due to him from
" Richardson and Co., of London," would be paid to his
wife in the course of a few weeks. From this it is inferred
that the arrangement for the payment of the money to his
wife had been made by him after the murder of Carter, and
probably subsequent to the period when he possessed him elf
of the prussic acid with which he ended his career. This
can, of course, be only matter of speculation until
" Richardson and Co." are found ; and it is not unlikely
that the parties so termed will give evidence before the
coroner, as the folice are endeavouring to find them out.
It is a fact worthy of notice, that the last conversation held
by Worrell with his father, just before his arrest, and when
he must have had about him the letter announcing to that
father his determination to destroy himself, and also the
means by which he succeeded in doing so, was, or so the
father states, upon a matter of business, namely, the pro-
posed purchase of a piece of ground, upon which the elder
Worrell was to build houses for the younger. Such a
conversation at such a moment would seem strange in the
highest degree, if it were not for the probability that the
son entered upon it for the purpose of strengthening his
father's conviction of his innocence when all should be
over.

SHOCKING CRUELTY TO A CHILD BY HER

STEPMOTHER.

At Southwark Police-court, on Saturday, Mary llliot, a
middle-aced, respectable looking female, the wife of a
journeyman hatter, residing in Alie-street, Bermondsey, was
brought before Mr. Burcham, charged with cruelty and gross
neglect towards Maria Elliot, her stepdaughter, aged twelve
years. Sergeant Howland, 19 M, said, that he received
information that a child was in a water .closet, in an empty
house, No. 1,3, Alie-street, about six o'clock on the previous
evening, and on being admitted, he found the child in a
most deplorable and filthy condition. Ile took her to the
workhouse, where her flesh was washed, and wounds were
discovered on the arms and back, inflicted by a cane. The
child was so filthy that they could not tell its colour until
washed. Witness then went and informed the prisoner, who
said the child had run away, and she acknowledged having
beaten it with the cane produced. He then took her into cus-
tody. The girl, a fine-looking and apparently well-fed child,
but clothed in filthy rags, was here led forward, and the bruises
were exhibited to view. She was very intelligent, and
perfectly aware of the nature of an oath. On being sworn,
she said that she was a naughty girl at times, and stole
bread from her grandfather, who lived in the same street.
She stole some on Wednesday and Thursday, and was beat
for it with the cane. She ran away on Thursday evening,
and hid herself in the water-closet, where she remained
until the constable came and took her away. She had food
given her during that time by a neighbour. Her father
very seldom beat her. There were five other children by
her mother-in.law, and she had to remain at home all day
to look after them, while her father and mother went out
to work. She had to clean the house, and the other
children were better kept than she was. She had, at
times, taken money belonging to her grandfather,'when h-r
mother beat her with a cane. Mr. Burcham asked her
whether she was hungry at the time she took her grand_
father's money and bread ? She replied that she was not
at times. She, however, hid the bread under the
bed, and with the money she bought cakes and sweetstuff
The police sergeant here informed his worship that he
understood the prisoner bad taken her by the hair of the
head and banged it against the wall. The child was
questioned on this point, and she admitted such to be the
fact, but it did not occur more than twice. That was
because she stole the bread. On the part of the prisoner it
was shown that the child had good clothes to put on, and
could have washed herself after she had done the cleaning in
the house. The neighbours said she was a very bad girl.
After hearing further evidence, Mr. Burcham said what-
ever the child's conduct, there was no exduse for the
step'mother's conduct. The child was intelligent, and had
promised to behave honestly for the future, therefore he
hoped she would not repeat such brutal conduct for the
future. Her husband must enter into his recognisances for
her good behaviour.

SUICIDE BY HANGING IN BACUP LOCKUP.— On Friday
last, an inquest W 33 held at the George and Dragon public
house, Bacup, before Mr. Hargreaves, deputy coroner, on
the body of George Broadley, aged 49 years. It appeared
intemperate
habits. the deceased had been a person of very
habits. On Thursday last he was apprehended under a
warrant on the charge of having obtained a gallon of beer
under false pretences, and committed for trial, He could
not be removed to Freston that night, and had to remain in
the cell until the following morning. About three o'clock,
however, it was discovered that he had hanged himself. By
some means he had succeeded in fastening the apron he was
in the habit of wearing to the iron railing attached to the
window of his cell, and in this manner he committed the
rash act. He had previ( usly been in the House of Correc-
tion for felony, and whorl he came out he told his wife that
he would rather die than go again. The jury returned a
verdict of " Death by hanging, but in what state of mind
the deceased was in, there was no evidence to show."