The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-04 00:00:00

BANKRUPTCY COURT-YESTERDAY

Gibbs; plans be returned, and the plan of sewerage sub-
mitted by Messrs. Duncan and llolnae, conjointly with the . _
surveyor, be adopted. BEFORE MR. COMMISSIONER STEVENSON.
~ A letter from the Wavertree Board, in reference to a IN RE LAWFORD.—The examination of Mr. Lee was
dispute as to the boundaries dividing the two townships, again resumed this morning. The same legal gentlemen
was laid before the meeting, and, after some discussion, the appeared as on the previous day. In answer to Mr. Yates,
clerk was ordered to state to the Wavertree Board, in reply the witness said :—The information I obtained from the
to the letter, that the Garston Board were willing to refer bankrupt, with regard to the winding-up of the Norfolk
the question to Mr. John Stewart. street trade, was that Mr. Hesketh was willing to leave the
I claim of £1,750, which he had lent to establish the business,
to arbitration. The arbitrators did meet. The result of
the arbitration was, as I understand by Mr. Lowndas, that
the accounts had been examined, so as to ascertain the
actual loss, and that the loss, whatever it might be, was to
be borne by the party in the arbitration. It was acknow-
ledged what the loss was, the arbitration seas given up,
after the books had been examined, and the award was to
ba paid accordingly.
By Mr. Brett : The letter produced was sent by me to
Mr. Hesketh, on the subject of the arbitration. In Oct. or
Nov. 1854, I introduced Mr. Lace to the bankrupt.
About that time I called on him to know if he knew any
person who would be a good partner for my brother-in-law.
I mentioned the recent failure of the bankrupt's father, and
told Mr. Lace that of course he had not much capital, but
that I had agreed to advance him some. Mr. Lice replied
that he thought it would do for his nephew. The nephew
was subsequently introduced to the bankrupt. That is all
that I had to do with the introduction. The bankrupt was
formerly slightly acquainted with Mr. G. Lace. I had
only one c mversation with Mr. Ambrose Lace on that
subject. The bankrupt was introduced to Mr. G. Lace at
a subsequent period. It took place at the office. I don't
recollect whether t went with him. From the enquiries
made by Mr.- Lace into the business I gathered but little
information. Mr. 8,,d0e, an accountant, was employed to
examine the books. I gave Mr. Lace some information
as to the bankrupt's affairs. 1 told him that he had a small
capital of his own, but a considerable portion was borrowed,
and that I was going to advance, him some thousands. I
do not recollect anything further taking place as to capital.
I did not tell him. at that time, of the advance of the
£2,000, nor did I allude to the £1,750, which had been sunk
in business in Norfolk street, as I considered Mr. Hesketh
was a debtor to the bankrupt in reference to that business.
The £2,000 'not being payable until 1859. (Most of the
above answers were, however, ordered to be erased from
the examination.) The bankrupt had consulted him as to
the business in Kent street, and frequently alluded to his
affairs in Norfolk street. The bankrupt entered into
partnership with Mr G. Lace, on the Ist of January,
1854. I think the articles of partnership were shown to
me, but I can't remember for what purpose, except as
being 'his brother-in-law. I examined them, but did not
sign any approval. At that time I knew nothing of bis
affairs from my own knowledge, without information from
him. The bankrupt had represented to me the state of his
affairs in Norfolk street, and that he thought Mr.
.Hesketh should pay a portion of the expenses be
had incurred ; and, to a certain extent, he
was a creditor to that gentlemen. He told. me that if he
had some assistance from me. he could carry on the new
business. At the same time I knew of the advances made
by Mr. Hesketh, of £1,750, to establish the business, and
the £2,000 loan payable in 1859, that it would be paid at
the time. I also knew of the £1,500 loan, by Mr. Ames,
but I had a strong impression that it would never be asked
'for. I did not know that the bankrupt was indebted to the
Family Endowment Society for £l,OOO, as I did not know
the terms on which the money had been borrowed. He had
arranged with him as to the mode of raising the money.
He was to raise £2,000 at that time ; I was to lend him
£l,OOO, and another £l,OOO in July. He mortgaged his
life interest in his settlement to my sister, Jane Lee, for
£5OO. How the other was raised I do not recollect. I
believe he borrowed £2.50 from Mr. Edward Cazenoe, his
brother in-law, and another £250 from the other Mr. Gaze-
noe. I was consulted about the borrowing of the money of
Miss Lee. The security was in writing. It was prepared
by the bankrupt's brother, in London. I did advance him
£l,OOO on the Ist of January, 1855. There was no agree-
ment drawn up in writing on that day, with regard to that
£l,OOO. There was a paper, purporting to be an agree-
ment, drawn up about that time. This he explained by
saying that he had paid him 71 per cent., but agreed, in
consequence of what I had lost and done foe the father, to'
give me 5 per cent. in addition, if he could do so. This docu-
ment was never acted on, and has since been destroyed by me.
In January I advanced him £l5O on some olive oil, and I
lent him £2OO, but I don't know how. Those sums were
in addition to the £l,OOO. I did not know how that money
was to be applied. I believe those sums were repaid. In
April I gave him £5OO stock of North British Railway to
raise mo-ey on them. I was not told for what purpose the
money was to be applied. In May there was a written
agreement entered into with regard to the railway shares
In June I advanced the bankrupt the other £l,OOO. In
July or August, Mr. Lace' expressed a wish to retire from
the partnership, but the bankrupt arranged the terms
himself. I did not take any part in that arrangement. On
Sunday afternoon I told the bankrupt what should be put
into such a paper, and I believe he wrote it down at the
time. I did not, after that, agree that my money should
remain out seven years. I did not give any guarantee to
eiaher of the Mr. Lace's at the time of the dissolution of
the partnership, but, subsequently, I was answerable for
some sums for him for a few days, which he paid. In
April, 1856, the bankrupt spoke to me about a bill becom-
ing due to Messrs. Gladstone and Serjeantson for £3,600.
I agreed to assist him, before doing so it was not
agreed that a balance sheet as to the state of
his affairs should be drawn out. I lid not see one about
that time. He told me he had a large stock at that time.
He went to London about that time to sell his produce.
I have no recollection of any balance sheet being shown
to me, as I generally trusted to the statements made by
the bankrupt in these matters. I undertook to raise
£2,000 for him to meet that bill of Gladstone'a. At
that time he represented to me that he had a large quan-
tity of oil and cake which he could not sell, and that he
should be able to return the money in a week or two.
He represented that there was a great depreciation in his
stock from the peace. He spoke to me of some other
liabilities coming due in July. I- do not recollect tha
he mentioned the amount of his liabilities further than theset
temporary calls upon him. I did not make any enquiry
into the nature of the bills : I merely enquire; into the
gross amount that he was called upan to pay. In April,
letter being shown at the- ban
, the bankrupt
1856, I sent the letter now produced, On that
got some credit, but I do not know how
much. I am not aware that the bankrupt
had asked, me to write the letter before it was sent. It was
wmeyr
eintentionr
dths astohl
de, sahnodulld
dgiedt
lme
nodn e
hy
ionin itz 2,00T0h. e shares
tell you how I introduced Mr. Alexander Smith to the
bankrupt, by .relating what took place. After that there
was a negotiation between Mr. Smith and the bankrupt
babaloauntcgeosi'anegetinshthewp setvheartaltitmimeest,hberueowacasna.
not recollect if the paper produced is the copy of it. Early
narttonemrshni
in the negotiations the balance sheet, as I understood,
pgmiAtht
presented a prosperous state of, things, but as the negocia-
dons proceeded, they lrcame less advantageous to, the
bankrupt. I think the balance sheet contained the trade
accounts principally, and not to the borrowed moneys
of
. I
saw several letters from. Mr. Smith proposing. term
partnership. At this stage of the examination of the
witness, the court adjourned.

SLAVERY-WHAT IS SLAVERY ?

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.
Sir,—Since the commencement of my subject I
have been answered through your columns by two
correspondents. One in your impression of the
18th ult., under the signature of " Myrea, "
eulogising the feeble attempts which I have made

to put down—or at all events to mitigate, as far as
is practicable, this iniquitous system of slavery.
The other, who *replies to me on the 25th, styling
himself " Alpha, ' thinks contrariwise, and
evidently appears to deal both with me and my
argument in a very uncharitable spirit, as his
remarks, touching upon the lamentable evil I have
portrayed, I contend are not only vague in the
extreme, but untruthful. In the endeavour he has
made to refute what I have set forth to the public,
I am charged with having an ardent desire to
emancipate servants from the authority of their
masters. I strenuously deny this accusation.
Such a thought has never entered my mind—nay,
on the contrary, I have too plainly shewn, in my
last letter, that so far from this being. my object,
it has been my earnest study in bringing every
powerful argument to my aid to show that I am
actuated in my present work with the best of
intentions—viz., the amelioration of the distressed
condition of our fellow creatures ; and, moreover, I
have zealously tried to place plainly before your
readers that it is quite possible—very possible to
cement a Christian feeling and a binding link
between masters and their servants—servants of that
class I have so often alluded to—the disregarded,

over unremunerated labourers of our country,
whose injuries there should be an untiring
perseverence to assuage so far as it is possible for
human efforts to accomplish. If your correspon•
dent " Alpha" cannot set aside the grave charges
which I have attached to many tradespeople—the
oppressors who have so much power—concerning
the very worst description of slavery which these
pitiable, forlorn creatures are daily, subjected to,
and if unable to deal with facts as they are given,
then let me advise him not again wilfully to mis-
construe what I have asserted.
Sir, the present era of chapters and events urges
us deeply to reflect and think for ourselves, and
to weigh over quietly and dispassionately, in our
minds, the immediate cause of so much abject
misery, suffering; and crime, surrounding us, as it
does on every side—in every-day life. Have we
no means of diving deep into the impure waters of
corruption, N‘hich swell and overflow—to a very
great extent, the miserable dwellings of the over-
wrought workers of their employers ? Can we not
come to the real cause and effect, as to the fearful
and astounding enormity of this grievous sin, which
is so constantly committed ? Surely, if we only
give ourselves the trouble to investigate thoroughly ;
and by energetic, persevering efforts to struggle
—might and main—with the enemy that so far
generates this crying evil, then we shall be able in
some degree, to exterminate the sway which that
devouring monster has over its victim. The pub-
licity of a great evil, is a mighty step towards its
remedy, and in all matters to be achieved, it must
be conceded, that a beginning should be made ;
and that beginning should be based upon a sound
foundation ; and, unless so based upon a solid
structure, the culture of the mind will be defective,
and will ultimately crumble and give way, and in-
evitably fall into ruin.
The- first and foremost of these disasters, so
detrimental to the moral worth of society, which
we have so much occasion to deplore, and mani-
fest our utter abhorrence of, is drunkenness.
This truth, I have dwelt upon at some length in
a previous communication. One of our excellent
townsmen' and magistrates, in a 'letter addressed
'to the author of " Publicity the cure of social evils,"
which has appeared in the Mercury of Wednesday
last, also expresses precisely the same opinion I
entertain on this matter; and, moreover, I opine,
judging from the remarks that he has thrown out,
that he agrees with me in another way; showing,
as he does, that it is needful we should redress, so
far as we can, the deplorable wrongs of the poor—
by enabling them to enjoy, to some extent, how-
ever limited, innocent amusements and recreations
by the moderate cessation from toil ; and which,
if I mistake not, this great philanthopist neces-
sarily means to imply, will prove in a great measure
a powerful antidote for this hurtful and distress-
ing prostration of the human frame ; for, as be
wisely observes, " They are amongst the most im-
portant means of reformation ; second only to the
efforts to make their dwellings a decent and com-
fortable home, which they may feel as such, after
the labours of the day are over."
Ay, that is the pride I desire to instil into their
minds, for it is a pr )per pride, and one which
every poor man should study well, and deeply
foster in his bosom, for, rest assured, it is a great
matter, and one which will' unquestionably tend to
rate himself high in the estimation of both him
self and his fellow man. But let the poor inno-
cent worker have a chance of enjoying his own
fireside ; let us try and place within his reach the
means by which he may accomplish this end, and
perseveringly strive to assist him as we ourselves
would desire to be assisted, in any emergency which
might befal us. Yes, let us . show some liberal
spirit towards the working classes, and extend the
warm hand of friendship towards them, in a way
becoming ourselves, who have, in a great degree,
the charge of them, and not cause them to be
duped into the surrender of their, birthright—to
slave and toil, day by day, for the .veriest paltry,
low, ,wages ; and, moreover, by such crushing
means, to forfeit the observance of the seventh day
for-the aggrandisement of their taskmasters
The remarks of our valued friend are very
laudable, which no one for a moment can dispute,
but there is something more essential still to be
borne in, view, ere we can establish the great,
benefit we are seeking after, and which, I think,
he must have inadvertantly overlooked. I mean
the one great thing so necessary to be attended to,
viz,-,-Education, by whiahlour brother Lazarus may
be raised from his present low estate, and by the
improvement of his intellect, enable him to guide
his actions correctly, and cherish within his breast
soothing hopes for his future good. Should we
disregard the intellectual darkness of our people ?
I answer,—No ; it is too serious a matter to be
deal with lightly: on the contrary, we should all
feel an ardent interest in the great cause of educa-
tion,—a secular and religious education,—for, un-
questionably, nothing else will tend so much to
check and put down the many crying evils so con-
stantly before our eyes ; and, moreover, act as a
valuable safeguard against the many wrongs with
which society is afflicted.
Here, for the the present, 1. will draw to a close,
and will resume the subject in the columns of an-
other impression of your journal.—Yours, &c.,
Liverpool, 2nd Dec., 1856. VERITAS.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE

LIVERPOOL

BEFORE MR. NV. EARLE. ".; •
ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL THE BIRTH OF A CHILD —A young
woman, named Mary Bryan, was charged with having
attempted to conceal the birth of her child. It appeared
that the prisoner resided as servant with a Mr. Edward
llayes, a tailor, residing in a court off Bispham-street,
and on the 24th November, from something that took
place, some women proceeded to the ashpit, where they
got a newly born male child ; it was alive, and was taken
care of, and is still alive. Officer 142 was called in, and,
in reply to him. the prisoner said she was a married
woman, and did not like to be exposed. Ire then took her
to the hospital, where she remained since. Surgeon Brown
gave evidence as to the recent delivery, and the prisoner
was sent for trial at the assizes.
THE GAROTTING IN BASNETT STREET. Charles Oh alloner,
the young fellow who stood remand orge ed on a charge of
having assisted a woman to rob Mr. Ge
the ni Moxon
ht of o
the
f a
watch, value £5O, in Basnett-street, on g
18th ult., was brought up. Mr. Bluck was for the pri-
soner, and trusted his worship would discharge him, as
there was no further evidence against him. (The details
of this case were published on two former occasions.)
Mr. Clough asked for another remand. The
prosecutor repeated his evidence, when Mr. Bluck,
in an energetic speech, protested against any
further remand, as the evidence was not sufficient to
detain him any longer. Mr. Earle said the charge against
the prisoner was for assisting the woman to get off with
the watch. Mr. Bluck contended that there was no com-
munication between the prisoner and the woman to
warrant the conclusion. Mr. Clough said if he got a
remand he would probably be able to find the watch or
the woman, or perhaps both. Again Mr. Bluck protested
against this course ; but his Worship thinking it a case
of remand, ordered accordingly.
£37, the
, and that
SHOFLIFTING.—Jane Mitchel and Eliza Mitchel, mother
and daughter, were brought up, charged on suspicion of
being concerned in a robbery of shawls, value
property of Mr. M`Lennan, of' Church-street. Between
the 17th and 24th November the proPerty was stolen from
Mr. M.Lennan, but he could not tell how the shawls were
taken from his establishment. It appeared that one of
the shawls had been pledged at Mr. Woodruff's
a person who purchased the ticket went to release it.
This led to an enquiry, and it was found that the article
was pledged by the prisoners. They were sent for trial.