The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-20 00:00:00

I PLUNDER OF £6OO FROM A GOLD DIGGER
IN LIVERPOOL.

Yesterday, after the morning charges had been disposed of
at the Police Court, three persons named John Foster,
Martin Smith, and Margaret Wilkie, alias Foster, were
brought up by Detectives Carlyle, Scott, and Sullivan, on a
charge of having stolen £478 in sovereigns, and the balance
of about £6OO in gold dust, the property of a foreigner
named Conrad Ither. Thu facts were these :—The com-
plainant came from Australia by the James Baines, and
went to lodge in the house of a Mr. Ellis, Ilill-street, in the
Park. Fe had a box containing the money and the gold
mentioned, and on Monday night, between seven and ten
o'clock the box was stolen out of the top room in the house.
Mrs. Wilkie resides next door to Ellis, and keeps a beer-
house. It appeared that her son, the prisoner, John
Foster, was what the police call, " a very bad lad." Some
one very like him, was seen about half-past seven on Monday
nigh, breaking through the midden of Ellis' house and getting
out on the wall. Soon after, the box which contained the
treasure was gone. The police then weut in search of
it, and on arresting Smith he at first denied it, but after-
wards he called Carlyle aside, and said that Foster had
taken the box, and gave him a bag full of sovereigns out of
it, and that he had given it to the female prisoner. She
was then arrested, and at first denied any knowledge of it,
but afterwards said she gave the bag to her daughter.
Sullivan searched the house, and on removing two bricks
from the chimney piece he found a bag containing 200
sovereigns concealed there. The prisoner, John Foster,
was then arrested, but the remainder of the money was not
found.

Mr. Snowball appeared for the female prisoner, and
stated that she had kept an inn for twenty years, and that
there was never any charge preferred against her. Latterly
her son had turned out very badly, and was connected with
thieves. Mr. Snowball submitted that his client should be
discharged, and it was agreed to do so. She promised to do
all she could to recover the remainder of the gold and
money.
The male prisoners partly admitted the robbery. They
were remanded.

ALLEGED POISONING AT HARTLEPOOL.

On Fridai'morning a young girl, named Mary Brown,
aged seventeen, living in the service of Mr. George Wil-
kinson, surgeon of Hartlepool, died suddenly after a short
illness. A report was very industriously circulated that
the deceased girl was enceinte by her master, and that
poison had been administered to her. Mr. John Little,
deputy coroner for Stockton Ward, therefore impanelled
a jury which assembled on Monday afternoon at the St.
Hilda Hotel. Mr. Wilkinson attended at the inquiry.

Jane Taylor, the mother of the deceased, said that six
weeks ago she came to Hartlepool to see her daughter,
who was very poorly. Deceased was at that time taking
medicine prepared for her by her master. She sometimes
refused to take it, saying it was very nauseous. Mr.
Wilkinson replied to witness's questions, that nothing
serious was the matter, and that he would " talk her
over." Three weeks ago the deceased went home to her
parents, and slept there for two nights. She complained
very much of pains in the head. On Wednesday morning
last a messenger came for witness to go to Hartlepool, as
her daughter was very ill. On arriving, she found her in
bed and speechless. Deceased did not recognise her. She
remained in that state till Friday morning, when she
died. During all that time Mr. W ilkinson prepared the
medicine for her, but she could not be got to take much.
Jane Dowson, housekeeper to Mr. Wilkinson, said that
deceased, who had been in the service of her master about
fourteen months, was a healthy-looking girl till about
September or October last, when she took a fancy for
eating hearth or sandstone. Witness checked her for
doing so, and informed Mr. Wilkinson, who spoke to her
about the practice, and gave her purgative tnedicincs.
When deceased refused to take the medicines prescribed
for her, she (witness) stood over her and compelled her to
take them. Deceased at that time complained of pain
across her chest. She got considerably better, though not
strong, after taking the medicines, but on Tuesday last
she suddenly became seriously ill, was insensible and
speechless, and lost the power of using her right hand. It
seemed paralysed, and she never regained the use of it.
Medicine was prepared for her by Mr. Wilkinson, but
witness could not get it into deceased's mouth. On the
preceding Saturday deceased vomited a great deal, as also
on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Tea, gruel, and sago,
which she took, came instantly off her stomach. She had
not eaten animal food for a week previously to her death.
Deceased had free access to her master's surgery, and its
contents.

Martha Booth, wife of Richard Booth, fisherman, who
resided next door to Mr. Wilkinson, said that she had
known the deceased about six months, and she appeared
to be a healthy girl. On Tuesday afternoon, witness was
called in by Jane Dawson, and saw deceased lying upon
her bed. She asked deceased if she had any pain, and
the reply was " No." The housekeeper asked deceased
if she had been eating any more of that "filthy stuff"
(the sandstone) and deceased replied "No." On deceased
being lifted off the bed, she ejaculated, " death—death
—death l"

At this stage of the inquiry, the coroner informed the
jury that he considered a postponement necessary in order
to have a post-mortem examination.
Mr. George Green, surgeon, was then appointed to the
task, and the inquiry adjourned.