The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-29 00:00:00

POLICE couRL - E STE RDAY

(BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD.)

MORE STABBING.— John Birch, a plasterer, was charged
with stabbing Mr. Holt, a house agent, on Saturday even-
ing last. The complainant stated that, for some years, the
defendant had been employed by him to do all sort of odd
jobs to houses from which he had to collect the rents ; but,
from his being so much addicted to habits of intemperance,
he had repeatedly to discharge him ; but, after punishing
him for three or four days, he took him on again. On
Friday last ho had to discharge him again ; and, on Satur-
day last, while he was sitting in a public-house, the Star.
having a glass of grog, a person came and informed him
that he was wanted. He went to the door, when he saw the
defendant, and, after som t few observations of an angry
description, the defendant struck him A blow on the side of
the bead, when he called out, " Oh, I am stabbed," when
some persons went to his assistance. The surgeon stated,
that the wound in itself was not dangerous, but still there
might perhaps be something intervene, by which the plain-
tiff might be injured for life. The policeman who appre-
hended the prisoner said, on taking him to jail he at once
admitted that he had stabbed the person, and said that he
intended to do it as he had injured him, and he was deter-
mined to do him an injury in return. The prisoner was
committed to take his trial at the next assizes.

ATTEMPTING SUICIDE.—C itherine Harris, a decent look-
ing and respectably attired Scotch las, was charged by her
master, Mr. Fellett, of No. 7, Seymour-street, with attempt-
ing to destroy herself on the previous afternoon. The
master introduced the case to the magistrate by observing,
that Catherine was a very excellent servant ; she was steady,
honest, and industrious, and what could have possessed her
on the previous day he could not imagine. He then went
on to say, that all at once yes'erday, Catherine rushed into
his room and then attempted to hang herself, having tied
some pieces of rag together, which broke and she fell down.
She next rushed into Miss Tellett's room, and there
attempted to get a razor • and, in fact, her conduct was
such, that he was compelled to send for a policeman, and
have her taken up in order that she might not injure her-
self. Several times in the course of the enquiry, Mr.
Teilett expressed his total inability to account for such con-
duct. Catherine Harris was then asked whet she had to
say to the charge, and her simple tale was, that on F, iday
her master and mistress, and the young Misses, went to
Bootle to spend the day, and left her in charge of the house.
After they were gone, some servant—it did not appear of
what gender the visitor was—called in, and they had tea,
and after that they went oat, and did not return until after
the master, who came home an hour earlier than he said he
should. This caused the mas er to be angry, and, before
the mistress, he called her a thief, and said she should
leave. Being called a thief, hurt her feelings very much,
so much so, that she was in such a state she did
not know what she did. Mr. Mansfield told the girl to
rest quiet, as her master gave her a very good character,
and not excite herself any more. The girl was then dis-
charged.

(BEFORE MR. BENN.).

FXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF PERJURY.—TRYING TO
OBTAIN A WIFE BY A FALSE AFFIDAVIT !—A well dressed
Yankee, named George Waterman, who had the appearance
of the master of a vessel, and was attended by about 20 of
his messioates, was brought up by Inspector Kelsey on the
following strange charge. The inspector said at half-past
nine on Sunday morning he was called into St. Michael's
Church, when the prisoner was given in charge by the Rev.
C. Marrall, for having committed peliery, by which he had
obtained a license to marry a young girl named Anne Jane
Woods he being a married man at the time. When he
took the prisoner into custody he said he had a wife in New
York, but that he had not seen nor heard from her the last
two years and a half, and he did not know whether she was
living or dead. Mr Campbell, who attended for the pri-
soner, asked the inspector who gave him in charge ? and he
replied the Rev. Mr. Morrell, who produced a licence which
was given to him by the prisoner. The young worn an to
whom he was about to be married, got so affected by it, that
she had taken poison on Sunday night, and was in the
hospital since and not able to attend. The Rev. C. Montan
was then examined, and said he was the Incumbent of Saint
Michael's Church. On Send ty morning, at the hour men-
tioned, the prisoner presented himself to him to be married
to a young woman who accompaaind him. He asked
the girl her age, and she replied twenty- one. From
her appearance he certainly concluded she was not that
age, and this excited bis suspicion. The father of the
girl then came and said she was between 18 and 19.
Witness then asked the prisoner if he were a married man ?
and he did not deny it, nor did he deny that the girl was
under age. Cross-examined by Mr. Campbell : I asked the
girl how old she was and she said 21 years. Inspector
-Kelsey said the prisoner admitted that he was married in
New York, and the reason he left his wire was that he found
a man in her bed. The Rev J. A. Stafford said he is a sur-
rogate in Liverpool. The prisoner applied to him for a
licence to be married, and ho made the usual affidavit, in
which he swots that be was 21 years of age, and a bachelor,
and that the girl was 21 years o'd and a spinster. That
affidavit was now in Chester. Mr. Campbell : I should like
to know what the prisoner is charged with ? Mr. Wyberz:
The charge, as it at pre ent stands, is for taking a false
oatb. Mr. Campbell : There is not the least proof of that.
Mr. Clough : Yes ; there is the father of the eirl here, who
will prove that she is not 21 years of age. Mr. Campbell :
But that will not do, for the girl herself stated that she was
21 years old. George Woods, the father of the girl
was examined, and said she was close on 19 years of age.
He was not aware until lately, of the .‘ carrying's on "
between thorn. He went to the Surrogate, aid ascertained
that the prisoner had made the affidavit, and got the certifi-
cate ; he then went to the church, as he beard the marriage
was to take place on Sund y morning. He would not give
his consent to the marriage. On Wednesday last, be dis-
covered that the prisoner was a married man, and that he
was to marry his daughter on Sunday morning. He
followed the parties to the vestry, and took his daughter
home. He kept her at home, but in the evening she
wanted to go out to a public-horse, to a friend of the
prisoner, but he would not allow her to go. and then she
took up a large piece of blue stone and swallowed it. He took
her at once to the infirmary where she still remains ; he
did not hear how she was this morning. He was told by a
person on Sunday, that the wife of the prisoner was seen in
Liverpool last week, and that he had a child five
years old here. From his a-pearance, -he would
conclude be was not only married, but the father of a
family. (A laugh.) Mr. Campbell said there was no evi-
dence
whatever to ahow the prisoner was a married man.
As to the charge of perjury, the girl herself told the rev.
gentleman that she was 21 years of age. Mr. Wybergh
said the case now was not one of perjury, bat one of
misdemeanour at common law. Mr. Bean (to the girl's
father) : You see your daughter represented herself to the
clergyman to be 21 years of age. I must discharge the
prisoner. The prisoner was then set at liberty. and left
with his friends, who seemed much pleased at his liberation.
STRANGE CASE.—Two respectably-atired females (sisters-
in-law), named Margaret Grundy and Frances Dyer, were
charged with stealing a pair of child's boats, value is 6d,
the property of James Lloyd, of Whitechapel, The
prisoners were described as highly respectable persons, the
fist being the wife of the ming ir of Milner's Safe Works,
and carrying on liminess for herself; and the other
the wife of the chief engineer at the Wolverton
station. Mr. Simon defended them. The short facts of the
case were there : —About twelve o'clock on Saturday night,
the prisoners went to the shop to purchase a pair of boots
for a child, which Mrs. Dyer had in her arms. The allega-
tion of the prosecutor was, that they stole a pair of child's
boots, which he found on the shop poor. Mr. Simon, in very
strong language, denonnced the charge, and said it was an
attempt to extort money on the part of Mr. Lloyd, This
*as indignantly denied by Mr. Lloyd. It was shown that
the prosecutor was not quite sober, although he pereisted in
saying he was. He (the prosecutor) attempted to show
that the prisoners were not sober, but the police proved the
contrary, and that Mrs. Grundy had £27 19s in her pocket
when charged at the station house. Mr. Simon addressed
the bench, and again designated the conduct of Mr. Lloyd
to be of the vilest description, and declared the open det,r-
minat ion of his clients to bring an action against him for his
abominable conduot. The prisoners were discharged.

(BEFORE MR. GLADSTONE.)-SATURDAY

SUSPICIOUS.—A woman, named Mary Smith, who kerpa
disteputablo house in Mason's-court, was brought up by a
police man, who stated that he was informed, the previous day,
that she was purchasing some stolen property from some girls.
He went to her place, and, in a certain portion of the premises,
he found a roll of ribbon, and a gold watt) aid chain, which
he suspected to be stolen, and he therefore asked for a remand,
in order to make enquiry. The woman said the uatch, &c.,
were her own, and that she bought the guard in Landon-road,
for £3 10F, and could bring the person from whom she
purchased it. She was remanded.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.-Celia Berry was ()barged with
attempting to destroy herself, by jumping into the Union-dock.
A policeman rescued her. She was given up to her friends,
who promised to take care of her.

COUNTY COURT. -YESTERDAY
-__ESTERDAT

(BEFORE J. roLLoc, ESQ., JUDGE.)

THE FEMALE ORDER OF UNITED RFCHABITES.---DiSSFR
sions to some extent have, it would appear, sprung up among
some of the branches of this body ; and yesterday the disput-
ing parties appeared in the County Court, to have their
disease h, aled through the intervention of Joseph Pollock,
Esq., the County Court Judge. From the statements made,
it appeared that one branch had, in February last, seceded
from the main body ; the seceding party being lucky in
retaining possession of the funds, £lO in all, belonging to
the general body, and which they refused to give up. After
hearing the case to some extent, the learned judge suggested
that all the accounts and other documents, connected with
the different branches of the society, should be submitted to
him ; and out.of these he should endeavour so to apportion
r
the fund in dispute as to meet the justice of the case. Aft
some demurring and altercation between the parties this
course was ultimately adopted—Mr. Pollock pledging him-
self to give his award at the earliest possible moment.