The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-08 00:00:00

STABBING A LIVERPOOL POLICEMAN.

David Irwin was charged with having at Liverpool, on
the 9th of October, stabbed and wounded Stephen Thomp-
son, with intent to do him grievous bodily lla,rm,
Mr. RAFFLES prosecuted, and Mr. Mown. defended the
prisoner. The facts of the lease (which have already ap-
peared in the NORTHERN DAILY TIMES) are briefly these :
That on the night in question the prosecutor was on duty
near Boundary Bridge, Scotland Road, and hearing a noise
he turned round, and saw the prisoner approaching, flourish-
ing a bayonet in his band. He had neither hat, coat, shirt,
nor shoes on, but only trowsers and stockings. Without
saying a word to the prosecutor he rushed at him, and
stabbed him in the thigh and the side.
[Whilst the prosecutor was giving his evidence, his lord?
ship asked him if there was a lunatic asylum in the neigh-
bourhood of Boundary Bridge, from which the prisoner had
escaped, for the act looked like that of a madman,]
Mr. MONK admitted that it was the apt of a man who
was in a state of madness. The fact was that the prisoner
had been wrought up to a state of frenzy.
Under the directions of his lordship a verdict was then
given of unlawfully wounding. Sentence deferred.
SHOOTING, WITH INTENT TO MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS. _ _

Nickolas Jackson Naltrass, 32,' captain of the ship Ma•
tanzas, was charged with having, on the high seas, within
the jurisdiction of the admiralty of England, unlawfully
and feloniously shot at George Wake, With intent to kill
and murder him.

Mr. MONK and Mr. ASFINALL appeared for the prosecu-
tion, and Mr. DIGEY SEYMOUR, M.P. for Sunderland,
defended the prisoner.
Mr. MONK stated the facts. of the case, which have
already anpeornd in our noliep 41.0
Matanzas left the port of Snnderland for South America,
and, returned to England, arriving in I.4iyerpeol in Septem-
ber last, on which the charge was preferred against the
prisoner. Having stated the particulars of the case at con-
siderable length, the learned counsel 'called George
Wake, who said :—I am a seaman. In March last I
was at Rio. I engaged there as a seaman on board the
Matanzas for anywhere she might go to. The other
seamen on hoard. at Rio had been discharged. [The
witness here stated the crew who shipped with him at Rio.
He continued ; We sailed for Bahia in a fortnight after'
shipped, In a few days we found we were short of water;
and put back to Rio, After we sailed again we got on to a
reef in a fog. There was then a dispute about the appren-
tice, who was acting as chief mate. We got to Bahia in Zi
days. We loaded there. There were more quarrels there
between the apprentice and the captain. The apprentice com-
plain,ed to the consul and he was discharged from the ship.
There were also 00;0 between the crew and the captain,
which were referred to the consul. In consequence of some
quarrel about the stowage of some 'stiffer,- tWo of the nip
refused to work. That was three days before I was shot.
The night before I was shot the captain discharged the
ship's muskets and loaded them afresh. On the Sunday
morning I went to the captain and asked him if he was
going to sea ? He said he was. I asked him if he was
going to take the two men who were off duty ? He said he
was. I told Min that the men said they would rather snter
death than, go to sea. I also tbld'hiin 'I would not go to Sea
unless he put the two hands ashore and got two otlieri in-
stead of them, He said to me he would make them work
when lie got tq sea. I told him 'mew bow he intended to
make them work,' for that last nigilt he had frightened
us from going to sea with him, Ile ipecip a Ttind Pta laugh
of it and walked off. Soon after, we were sent to break?
fast, and as we sat down the mate came and told us the
captain wanted us. We went to him. When we got
to the captain he asked me to weigh the anchor. I told him
I wenld not weigh the anchor until we got our complement
of hauds• We wprp short-handed from Rio to Bahia.
Ife asked' me if I would weigh anchor for his sake. I said
no, lie then again' said • will you neigh anchor ? I
again said U no," an which he ppulled out a pistol, and said
"you may take that," and fired at me, hitting me between
the shoulders. He was then about two or three yards from
me. After I saw the pistol I had just time to 'slue" my
shoulder, or it would have shot me in the heart. After that
I saw him take two more pistols out of his pocket and pre-
Sent them at the two men. The men said they were willing
'to Weigh the' anchor, and he did ;et fire. I afterwards