The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-04-16 00:00:00

POLICE COURT

-YESTE RIMY

(BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD,

A PAM ot...l3l.AcKcivAßDs.—Two fellows, dressed as
boatmen, whose names appeared on the charge sheet as William
Lewis and.Yames Ellen, were charged by a poor woman, named
Mary Foster, under the following circumstances. The com-
plainant said she resides in MarYbone, and makes out her
living by selling coffee at the dock gates during the night time.
On Monday night she was stationed at the Pinces-dock with
her coffee standing when the prisoners accosted her, and, after
offering her some personal insult's, which she resented, they
overthrew her standing, and destroyed her whole stock, 'thus
depriving her' of the means of support. In reply to Mr.
Mansfield the poor woman said the value: of her stock was
lOs 10d, and that was all she bad to, support her. Theprisoners
said, in a careless manner, that they fell over the stand. Mr.
Mansfieid said they were a couple of great blackguards. He
would fine them 40a each, or to be ceinmit,ed for two months.
As he saw they had money he supposed they would pay, and
he would in that case order the poor woman the amount of
damage done to her standing, and also costs.

STABBDTG.--John Cattrell, a carter; residing in Clement.
street. was brought up on a charge of stabbing a young woman;
named Anne Burke. The complainant's face presented a fear-
ful appearance, being bruised and swollen in a shocking man-
ner; her eyes were scarcely, visible, and her forehead was
covered with sticking plaster and bandages. Her story was as
follows :=Her sister.had a baby, which she gave to the wife of'
the prisooer to nurse at 4s. 6d. per week, as her sister had got
a situation out. The child was badly treated by the prisoner's
wife, and had. its leg broken. On Monday evening, witness
went to take the child away, when the prisonet's wife attacked
her with a key, with which she beat her about the face ; and,
whilst so engaged, the prisoner stabbed her in three several
places on the forehead with a sharp histi ument, which she sup,
posed was a knife, although she did not .see it. Surgeon
Brown, of the Vauxhall Dispensary, said he had examined the
witness, and found three wounds—two on her forehead, and one
over her left eye : the wounds were incised, but not, however,
dangerous. The _ sister, of the complainant stated that while
Cie prisoner's wife was beating the complainant,
she heard the wife cry out to the prisoner, " Don't take the
penknife, but take the carving knife to her." She did not,
however, see a knife used, but she saw her sister cut and
bleeding after the prisoner struck her. A man named
Robert Patterson, a carter, was called for the prisoner, au
he stated that the prisoner did not strike the young woman,
but his wife did with a key. His Worship said, that as he
had some doubt about the case, he would send it before a
jury. The, prisoner was sent for trial at the Sessions. Mr.
Bluck for the. prisoner, said he would reserve his defence.
The prisoner was admitted to bail.

-ANOTHER ASSAULT.—Mary Fetus, and a lad named
•Thomas Jones, her bon, were charged with having broken the
jaw, and otherwise injured a woman named Elizabeth Jackson.
The parties reside in 16 Court, Ailey Srreet, and it appeared
thPt on Monday night some quarrel took place between them,
and, as stated, the female prisoner struck Jackson a blow on
the forehead, which inflicted a severe wound, and the boy, it
was alleged, struck her a blow with some weapon on the
jaw, which was in consequence fractured. She was at present
not able to attend. In reply to Mr. Mansfield, it was stated
that the blow by the woman was struck with a tea-pot full of
hot tea. The prisoners were remanded for seven days,

ASSAULT ON THE PoLim—Police constable 23, charged
a man, named William Woods, with .having assaulted him.
The officer was on ditty at St. George's doek, at one o'clock
the previous night, when the prisoner came up in a state of
intoxication, and wanted to 'go into the dock, but the officer
refused to let him, in consequence of his state. The prisoner
then seized the witness and flung him over the chains be got
up and whistled for assistance, when the prisoner broke his
whistle and tore his coat, and neatly knocked him into the
dock. The prisoner said ho was drunk, and did not know
what he was doing, He was fined £2 and costs.

NOT THE REAL CHEPSE.—A young woman, named Mary
Anne Flints, was charged' with having committed a violent
assault on Maria Robert's, Mr. Bluck was for the prisoner.
The complainant said shp was in a house in Pall Mall, when
the prisoner created a row, at the same time swearing she
would "cut her up like Gloucester cheese," and, in
pursuance of this promise, she . seized a glass tumbler,
and with it inflicted two blows on the ' face, which
cut her. In reply to Mr. Bluck, the complainan't admitted
that there was a " spite" between them, and be produced wit-
nesses to prove this fact, and• Mr. Mansfield discharged the
prisoner.

CURIOUS CAS 3.—T HE VALUE OF AN ADVOCATE.—A youth
named John Martin, dressed as a sailor, and who resides in
Westmoreland-street, was charged with having stabbed a girl
named Sarah Lucas, about fourteen years of age. In this case
Mr, Bluck had been retained for the defenceof the prisoner,
but during its investigation ho was engaged in another court,
and on hearing the case, Mr. Mansfield ordered the boy to be
sent for trial. When the depositions were being read, Mr.
Bluck entered the court, and having apologised for his absence,
begged to ask the girl some questions, and his worship having
granted the request, the girl was asked by Mr. Bluck if she
thought the affair happened by accident? and she replied she
did Clink it was an accident. Mr. Muck : Do you think he
intended to hurt you ,at all ? Witness : I do• not think
he intended to hurt or injure me. Mr. Bluck
said he would not ask another question, as that put an end to
the 'case ; no jury on earth could convict the prisoner, after
thetie answers. Mr. Mansfield said he was not aware of these
facts before, nor would he have been now, had not the advo—
cacy of Mr. Bluck elicited them. After the answers,
certainly no jury could convict,,,and, therefore, he felt bound
to grant Mr. Bluck's request, and had great pleasure in
discharging the prisoner. The prisoner was then set at
liberty.

IMPORTANT TO THE POLICE AUTHORITIES.—There was a
case which may prove of importance to the police authorities.
It was this :—Two women, named Maria Carnes and Agnes
Wilson, were imprisoned in the Hotham-street bridewell, on
Monday night, on charges of being drunk and disorderly.
It appeared that about four o'clock in the morning, Wilson
made a furious attack on Carnes, and assaulted her so dread-
fully that she had to be sent forthwith to the hospital, where
she at present lies, in a dangerous state. Mr. Mansfield
addressed Mr. Quick, one of the chief superintendents of
police, and said, this was not' the first, nor the twentieth case,
of dangerous assaults committed, in Abe hridewels, -and such
would continue to be the case, until the • authorities
proVided separate cells for the prisoners. He trusted
that' the gentlemen of the press would take notice of this
subject, which was one of importance, so that it might
come under the notice of the police authorities. The
prisoner was remanded for a week, pending the state of
the injured woman.
IMPORTANT TO FERRY BOAT OWNERS.—Mr. Tyndall,
appeared on behalf of the board of trade, to profer a
complaint against Mr. Henry Nichols, the owner of the
Loch Lomond,. Eastham ferry boat, for a breach of the
act of parliament, by allowing 144 passengers more than
the boat was registered to carry. She was registered
according to the act, to carry 500 passengers, but on
Good Friday she had 644 passengers, to the danger of
life, &c. The penalty in this case does not exceed £2O,
visd .e 5 for each passenger. Mr. Missiter appeared for
ffre defendant, who pleaded
.guilty. Mr. Tyndall said; it
was right for boat owners to show that if
the ' law punished them, it • also protected them,
for the defendant had only to call on
Major Greig, and he would have given a sufficient body
of police to prevent an extra tnimber of. people from going
into the boat, and the,defendant had.also another remedy
by the new, act, and.that was,.he.had the power of sum-
moning 'any one who refused to go on shore, being re-
quested to do so, and fine him 40s, so that there was no
excuse now for saying that boat owners could not help
people running.on the.boats, and over-crowding them rn
holidays. Mr. Missiter urged the time and circumstances
in mitigation of punishment, and trusted that now the
new law was known, it would he obeerved. After some
discussion on the general question, his Worship fined the
defendants Is each the number of passengers in excess,
and also another fine of 42, and the ordinary costs.
(BEFORE MR. YATES.)

" Tuts Fztr.ow."--William 'Gavin, a lad aged 13, aid
of rather diminutive appearance, was charged by police
constable 440 on. suspicion of stealing coal. The
_police
constable, a_man about six feet in height, and rather
strong built, stated that on the previous diy he; caught
,‘ this. fellow," with a piece of coal-in his possession, near
the canal, and as coals were so frequently Stolen, he,took
him into custody. In answer to the magistrate, the
defendant said he did not steal the coal, but dragged it
out of the canal, and had a father and mother. The case
was referred to Mr. Mansfield to dispose of.
THE LATE FliouwaY ROBBERY.—John Dalziel, charged
with robbing Mr. Kirkpatrick, on the Walton-road (the
Particulars of which appeared in this journal of pester-
.day), was again brought up,,atid being fully identified,
was committed to take-his trial at the next sessions:
PROCEEDINGS, AGAINST TIE PARENTS OF JUVENILE
Ovrztinsits.—A. person named. William Wood was sum-
moned before the magistrates under the following circum-
stances :—ln the month of January, 1855, a son of the
defendant was convicted before Mr. Mansfield as a rogue
and vagabond, and ordered to be sent to a reformatory
for five years, during which time the father of the
lid was ordered to pay four shillings per week towards the
expenses of maintaining the boy while thus confined. The
act under that conviction and order was made has since
been repealed,- but an order from the Secretary of State
empowers the magistrates to fix a sum which they
were then required to do. Mr. Morgan, of the Birming-
ham Reformatory, and acting agent under an order from
the Secretary of State, attended to press the charge,
when the identity of the young criminal was proved, and
also that the parent, who was a shipwright, was well able
to pay for the maintainance of his son, whilst thus con-
fined in Saitby Reformatory. It was proved that the
father had been served with a previous order, but had not
paid any amount towards it,although lie had been earning
good wages, and:been repeatedly told that unless he did
so proceedings would be taken against him. The amount
of arrears was reduced one-half, which was to be paid by
instalments of 6s. per week, and that in future he was. to
pay 4s. per week towards the maintenance of the boy,
making in all 10s. per week. until the arrears were paid,
and in default of payment he would be committed to
prison for ten days each week's defalcation. The magis!. trates expressed their determination, after this notice, to
press the charge against any parents of children who
were in any reformatory. The money to be paid weekly
at the Central Police Court, As this was the first pro-
secution under the act the defendant was forgiven the
amount of the oosts incurred.