The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-04-18 00:00:00

S. 186

did not warrant his anchors. Mr. Miller, one of the
plaintiffs, was recalled, and stated that he never would
have given the order if he had understood Mr. Gibson
to make such a statement. His Honour declared his
opinion to be that the anchor when delivered was not
reasonably fitlifor the purpose it was designed for, and
that there was no custom of the trade to control the
legal responsibility of the defendants to furnish such an
article. He, therefore, gave a verdict for the plaintiffs,
but postponed, for the present, deciding the exact
amount of the damages.

POLICE COURT

, -YESTE RDAY

(BEFORE ate. MANSFIELD.)
A Row.—Douglas Johnston, James Wadding, and
William Brown, three Yankee sailors, were charged with
having created a considerable row in the publichouse of
Mr. Irvine, Cleveland-square, and with breaking lOs
worth of jugs, &c. It appeared that on Wednesday
evening a lot of sailors were paid off at the " Home,"
and that they went about the loellity in a drunken con-
dition, and kept the entire neighbourhood in a state of
uproar during the evening. They went into Mr. Irvine's
house and created a row, and broke a.
-quantity of the

,
crockery there. Johnston, the worst of the three, was
fined 10s, the other two 5s each, and the trio were
adjudged to pay costs also.
Row, No 2.—Charles Wilson and Thomas Wood were
charged with fighting in Cleveland-square. A policeman
said be saw the prisoners boxing. Wood, who was
sober, knocked down the other man, who was drunk,
and kicked him in the face violently. It appeared that
the prisoner Wilson, went into the house of Mr. Robins
in the square, and caused a row there, and, in consequence,
he was ejected by the other prisoner, who treated him
very badly. Wood was fined £2, and the other pri •

soner I OS
PRIVATE Resonmeeoev.—Mr. G. Melley and Mr. G.
Holt, jun., who maintain a private reformatory at Mason-
street, Edge-hill, applied for two boys, the father of one
agreeing to pay 2s Gil a week for his support. We
understand that there are seven boys in this establish-
ment, which has only been open a few weeks.
(BEFORE MR. B. V. YATES.)
WATCH STEALING.—Bridget Ryan, who had been
remanded on a charge of having stolen a gold watch and
chain, value 22 guineas, the property o Mr. Carver,
publican, Pitt-street, was brought up, but as there was
no further evidence in the case (the details of which
were published in our paper a few days ago), nor was
the watch forthcoming, the prisoner was discharged.
(BEFORE MESS BS. ANDERSON AND YATES )
IMPORTANT TO PAWNBROKERS —A few days ago we
gave the details of a case, in which Mr. Deverill of Park-
lane, pawnbroker, was somewhat implicated, and as that
case must be quite fresh in the recollection of the
reader, we merely repeat the short facts now, which
were these :—On Tuesday week, a man, named
John Braithwaite, was robbed of his watch,
by a girl, at Rigby's vaults Whitechapel, and the article
was pledged at Mr. Deverill's, and the allegation against
him was, that he had taken in the watch, and afterwards
denied the fact to the police, and that he persisted, even
after a printed bill had been served on him describing
the watch, in saying he had not the watch. The police
further stated that Mr. Deverill did not admit having
the watch, until the owner, the man who pledged it, and
the police, went to the shop and demanded its produc-
tion. The case came before the court again yesterday,
in consequence of two women, named Margaret Dodd
and Bridget Hinch. being brought up on remand, on a
charge of stealing the watch. Mr. Bluck was for the
prisoners, and Mr. Aspinall (barrister) appeared for Mr.
Deverill. The court was crowded by pawnbrokers, who
seemed to take much interest in the case. Thomas
Charles Howard, the man who pledged the watch (for,
as he said, the prisoner Dodd) was examined and cross-
examined by Mr. Block at great length, and it appeared
that his life had not been of the purest description, but
that did not affect the question relative to Mr. Deverill.
In reply to Mr. Wybergh, he said the house where he
pledged it was at the corner of Tabley-street, in Park-
lane. This was shown to be the house of Mr. Deverill.
Mr. Deverill was then sworn, when Mr. Wybergh asked
him if the watch (now produced) had been pledged at
his house ? Witness : I did not take it in. Mr. Wy be rgli :
I did not ask you that; I ask if it was pledged at your
shop ? Witness : Yes it was. Mr. Wybergh : How long
ago ? Witness : About Tuesday week, I think. Mr.
Wybergh : For bow much ? Witness: Twenty-five
shillings. Mr. Wybergh : Did the police officers go to
your shop to enquire if you had taken in such a watch ?
Witness: Yes, I now recollect they did come, although
on the last day here, I said I did not remember that they
had called. I recollect it now, and the reason I did not
remember it then, was because of the manner in which
they came, so unnerved me, that I did not recollect what
I was doing at the time. When I went home from this,
the young man told me that the police had been with me,
and I then recollected that they were at the shop, but I
was very much confused, as the young man who conducts
ties...business was away at the sessions. The police did
come in one day, and asked me if I had taken in'a silver
lever watch that day, and I said no ; as I thought it was
o!ie of those casual circumstances that happen every day,
and I did not want to conceal it. Mr. Clough made an
observation, when Mr. Aspinall objected, and said Mr.
Clough was in the habit of making observations against
pawnbrokers. Mr. Clough said he would not be deterred
from performing his duty, neither by the learned counsei
nor the pawnbrokers. He continued to say that he
sent constable 541 with the owner of the watch and the
man who pledged it, and directed the officer to Mr.
Aspinall objected to this, and said if Mr. Clough had
any evidence to give, he must be sworn. Mr. Clough :
Your client is not, I suppose, afraid to hear the truth,
that is, if he is innocent. Mr. Aspinall insisted on Mr.
Clough being sworn, and he was sworn accordingly.
The latter then made some observation which was not
heard at the reporters' table, when Mr. Aspinall said
the superintendent must remember he was a witness,
and to demean himself as such. He (Mr. Aspinall) had
no objection that Mr. Clough should tell what the pawn-
broker said. His client was willing to enter into any
investigation, if there was any charge made against him.
Mr. Clough said he must state facts, although, strictly
speaking, some portions might not be evidence, yet he
did not think there would be any objection. He sent
constable 541 to Mr. Deverill's shop first, and he came
back ; and then he sent officer 142 along with the owner
of the watch and the man who pledged it; they also
returned, and would tell the answer they had received
from Mr. Deverill. Mr. Anderson : Let the officer be
examined. Constable 142 was then sworn, and said he
went to Mr. Deverill's, in Park-lane, and asked him if
he had taken in a silver watch ? and he replied, " No."
Witness produced the number and maker's name, and
then he looked at his book, and said he had not taken in
such a watch, but that if it came in he would mind it.
It appeared lie had the watch in pledge at the time.
Air Aspinall : Was not this what you asked him—" Did
you take in a silver lever watch to-day ? Witness : No,
it was not. Mr. Aspinall: Will you swear that?
Witness : Ido swear it. Mr. Aspinall : Are you aware
that Mr. Deverill's principal young man of business was
then engaged at the sessions ? Witness : lam not aware
of anything of the sort; he might be, for all I know.
Constable 342 was then examined. He said he went to
Mr. Deverill's and asked him if he had been served with
a printed bill of the watch, and he said he had ' • asked
him had he taken in the watch, and he said he had not;
asked him to search, and he did so, and then admitted
having taken it in on the Tuesday. In reply to Mr.
Aspinall, the witness said he was not aware that Mr.
Deverill was not in the shop ; lie did not know that the
very man who manages the business was engaged at that
time at the sessions, but he heard afterwards that such
was the case. He showed witness the printed bill
about the watch at the time. To Mr. Clough,
the witness said that Mr Deverill told him he
had lent 25s on the watch. Mr. Clough : Did you hear
him make a different statement here in court from
that? Witness : I did. Mr. Clough : What was it ?
Witness : That he lent 40s on the watch. Mr. Deverill :
I admit I did say so, but I was under great excitement
at the time, and did not rightly mind what I was say-
ing. Mr. Clough : He was under excitement, certainly,
at the time. The young man who assists in Mr. Deverill's
shop was examined : He said lie took in the watch, and
lent 25s on it; Mr. Deverill was very rarely in the shop.
Mr. Aspinall said there was some mistake made by Mr.
Deverill, and he was now anxious to correct it, but it all
arose out of the absence of the young man who managed
the business ; his client, through him, protested, that he
had not the least intention of (Ling wrong to any one ;
it was merely a mistak I on his part. Mr. Wybergh :
Yes, but it seems a mistake, according to the police, that
is constantly occurring. Mr. Deverill said he did not
deserve to be so harshly treated by Mr. Clough. Mr.
Clough said, as long as Mr. Deverill continued to do
wrong, so long would he continue to denounce it—he
would hold out as long as that. Mr. Deverill : I did
wrong through , mistake, and I acknowledge it. Mr.
Aspinall denounced the conduct of Mr. Clough. Mr.
Anderson said, as the magistrate who heard the case,
when it came originally before the court, he could not
help saying that the case, as then made out against Mr.
Deverill, was a very strong one indeed. lie could not
help coming to one of the conclusions, either that Mr.
Deverill haTi made some unaccountable mistake, or had
acted wilfully. He was satisfied, however, to take his
answers to day, and say it was a mistake. As to the
observations made in reference to Mr. Clough, he
thought these were too hard, if not wholly unnecessary.
Mr. Clough was well known to the magistrates, as a very
useful, intelligent, and confidential public Officer, and
the magistrates were much indebted to him for the
assistance he rendered them, and the manner in which
he discharged his duty. Mr. Aspinall said, he did not
mean anything personal in reference to Mr. Clough, but
when that gentleman made cert,in statements, Which
had got into the public papers, it would not be so easily
to get rid of the impressions made thereby. The two
female prisoners were then sent for trial, and the affair
ended for the present: