The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-13 00:00:00

id even if there

',le, the whole
Imme-

diately below the pipe was found a small handsaw., and
it was by means of it and a clasp knife, which was found
in the prisoner's possession, that the pipe was cut. In
conclusion, the learned counsel submitted that the
prisoner, knowing the consequences of his act, must
have cut the pipe with a mischievous intention, and
that the indictment was therefore maintainable
under the act under which it was laid.
His Lordship said that he was against the
learned counsel en the opening of the whole case. The
prisoner was admittedly drunk at the time, and it
might be fairly considered that his intention was rather
to disappoint the audience and annoy his employer, than
to do any damage or personal injury. Mr. Brett
replied, that that objection had also struck him, and
his hope was that he might be able to proceed legally in
the case, and then if the court above decided that the
charge could not be maintained under the act, that the
law might be improved in the requisite particular.
The case proceeded for some time, but at each moment
it became more clear that the indictment could not be
maintained, his and Lordship had reluctantly to stop the
trial. Before discharging the prisoner he observed
that his act was a most mischievous one, deserving the
strongest reprobation, and cautioned him to be careful
how be conducted himself for the future. The prisoner
was then discharged.

NIGHT POACHING.—WiIIiam Markham, aged 25,
weaver, Henry Neville, aged 20, weaver, and William
Cross, aged 24, weaver, were placed at the bar, charged
with having at Pleasington, near Blackburn, at night, on
the 6th September last, being armed with bludgeons,
and other offensive weapons, unlawfully entered the
lands in the occupation of William Walmsley, for the
purpose of destroying game. Mr. Whigham conducted
the prosecution, and the prisoners were defended by Mr.
Bowler, Mr, Torr, and Mr. Saunders. The land on
which the prisoners were found trespassing is part of the
estate of Woodfold park, at present in the occupation of
Mr. Sparrow, a magistrate of the county. Mr. sparrow
preserves his lands, and on the night in question his
keepers were out watching. About 2 o'clock in the
morning they heard the yelp of a dog, and in a few minutes
afterwards, saw the prisoners and a number of other
persons in pursuit of a hare. They closed with the
poachers, and a regular fight ensued. The keepers had
the best of it, and succeeded in securing the prisoners.
Here, however, another difficulty arose. The prisoners
would not walk to prison until they were supplied with
some " grub" and drink. The head gamekeeper thought
it better to drink than fight, and so all parties proceeded
to make merry. The prisoners sang some good songs, and,
relishing the gamekeeper's beer, assured him that they
would visit him again at Christmas, as they would " only

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XTENSIVE FIRE AT FARNWORTII PAPER
MILLS, NEAR BOLTON.

Oa Thursday morning, at twenty minutes to four o'clock, a
fire was observed by the watchman to be raging furiously in
the centre of the top storey of a building at the works of
Messrs. John and Thomas Bonsor Crompton, Farnworth Paper
Mills, situate about two miles from Bolton, and probably the
most extensive paper manufactory in the county. The building
in which the fire originated is situated on the northerly side of
tho'o extensive works, and was eighteen windows, in length,
four storeys high, but very narrow, not being more than seven
yards wide. The lower storey was used as the white finishing
room, in which were five hydraulic presses ; the two next
storeys were occupied as rag and waste store rooms; and the
upper storey, where the fire was discovered, was used for cutting
up rage previous to their being used in the process of converting
them into paper, In these rooms were stored a large quantity
of rage and cop bottoms, and, also, in the finishing room there
was a large quantity of paper, but, with the exception of that in
the hydraulic presses, nearly all the paper was saved. The
whole of the remainder of the contents of the building
(except the presses), together with the building, was how-
ever, destroyed. On the alarm of fire being given, the
fire brigade belonging to the establishment, with two
engines kept at the works, and one from the mill of Mr. T. B.
Crompton, et Prestolee, was shortly at the scene of devastation
and there being an abundant supply of water from the river
Croal and the numerous reservoirs, the engines

into play, but the devouring element had )?

cendancy, and the contents being of so

r efforts were of no avail

was directe

The attent:

oon got

f the firemen

lg the other adjoining buildi

tely they succeeded very

iaterially in their ob

ock the roof fell, carrying with it a portin of tl

ward walls, which fell up

n a machine lig2;e3e, one stmey'lligh,
ontaining three valuable roachie-,s, recently erected. The
roof of this building help; glass, the burning materials and
debris fell among the machines, partially injuring two of them.
The separation -wall prevented the flames entering the brown
room, b".:. another rag store, eight windows long and four
L"'"'res high, situated at- right angles from the clock tower.
' was destroyed. An engine house, containing 224 horse engine,
is also considerably damaged. This engine not being in work
for a time, its destruction will not impede the working of any
portion of the works, as water power can be applied to the
weeks connected with it, None of the hands employed at
these mills will be thrown out of employment by this calamity,
as they will be employed in other portions of the buildings,
and the whole of them will be at wotk by Monday next. The
estimated loss by the fire is upwards of £6,000, none of which
is covered by insurance, Messrs. Crompton not having insured
for many years. The very high rate of premium required by
insurance companies on works of so rig:), a na•ute induced
the firm to take the risk upon themselves, and by keeping
fire engines, an efficient fire brigade amongst their own work-
people, and other arrangement% they hava considered it ad-
vantageous to be their own insurers. The cause of the fire is.
not known, but the tnsst probable one is that of spontaneous
combustion.