Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-29 00:00:00

BEFORE Ma. MANSFIELD.

TIIR " DESERT" OF A 11,7 G ITTA DINNER ! —A. "fashion
able" looking young man, named Francis Widen (stated
to be the son of a member of the Council), was chareed
with having assaulted a baker named John MCormick
Mr. Hull appeared as the prisoner's advocate. It
seemed that about a quarter-past eleven on Saturday
night the complainant was on the Stage, on his way to
Birkenhead, along 'with his wife. There were five young
"swells" walking arm-in arm, who took up a gocd deal of
space. They knopked egainst him, and then accused him
of having pus' ei against them. He denied having done
so, when the defendant, who was very drunk, struck and
knocked him down ; he got up, and ran off, followed by
the party ; and the prisoner still abused him. One of the
Stage porters said he saw the five swells on the Step ;
they were drunk, and he saw the prisoner kr ock the
complainant down He interfered with them, when he
Was also struck. Mr. Hull cross-examined the
first witness, who denied either having pushed or
struck any of the party. He said one of the prisoners
first offered him money not to proceed in the ca-e. Mr.
Hull said he would oat attempt to diTute the evidence, but
he plealed in mitigation that the young " gentlemen" had
been dining at the 'Regatta Club," and had come from
Birkenhead. They regret-ed what had taken place. Mr.
Mansfield fined the defendant £2 and costs. The fine
was paid.

"As SOBER AS A JUOGE."—A. man, apparently aI:W 50,
years of age, with a full florid face, that betokened his
acquaintance with fermented liquors, was charged with
being drnek and disorderly, in D de-street, at nine o'clock
on Saturday night. The prisoner gave his name as William
Broody, and officer 262, who had him in cestody, said the
prisoner told him he was a writer in the Livarpool Herald,
and other papers. The officer also said the prisoner had
no shoes on him. Hie comelaint was that the prisoner
was drunk, and very disorderly at the time stated,
at the corner of flatten-garden, Dale-street. He
wanted him several times to go away, but he refused,
and got most disorderly. The prisoner, in reply to the
charge, said it was quite impossible that he could haie been
drunk, and he would demonstrate it clearly. Mr. Dixon :
How ? Pr'sener : Why, from two ''clock in the day, up
to the time I was arrested, I only drank nine g'aeses of
rum and water. (Laughter) Mr. Dixon : Nine glasses
of rum and water ! Prisoner : Yes, sir, that was notifng ;
I had only two glasses of whi•ikey bs'ore that. (Renewed
laughter.) Mr. Dixon : Nine glasses of rum, and two
glesses of whiskey, and saber after that ! Prisoner :
Sober as a judge" I was. (Great laughter) I had
only four glasses of a'e before that—(renewed
isaghter)—and surely that was not calculated to make
any one drunk! Mr. Dixon : Well, nine glasses of ium,
two glasses of whiskey, and four glasses of ale, and sober
after—l never heard the like Pr:soner :It is fact —a
positive fact, I assure you. It's a most vagabond public-
house where I was. Mr. Dixon : I suppose you are on a
per with the house. I fine you ss. The prisoner was
then removed, exclaiming that it was quite out of the
question that nine glasses of rum, two of whiskey, and four
of ale could make him drunk.
TRE POCKET PICKING UNDER TUE GALLOWS.—Thomas
Griffiths, the ouog man charged with picking pockets
under the gallows, was brought up. Mr. Black, for the
prisoner, said, in addition to the evidence produced on
Saturday, he had another gentleman from Birmingham,
who would prove that the prisoner was in thst town on the
day of the execution, and, of course, could not be at
Kirkdale He (Mr Biuck) had made some inquiry about
the prisoner, and he found that lively he had kept bad
company; but, notwithstanding that, he would prove
beyond doubt fleet he was not in Liverpool on' the day in
question. He thought it rig'tt to mention the-fact that had
come to his knowledge about the prisoner Mr. Clough
said he hid rece'ved a letter from the Birmingham police,
which was nearly confirmatory cf what Mr. Bieck had
stated. He handed the letter to his Worship, who read
it, and then said he was satisfied, and cautioned the
prisoner and discharged him.
STABBING —Anthony Corcoran, a lebourer, was charged
for having stabbed another man, named James Clarke.
There did not appear to be any provocation far this outrage;
and Surgeon Pope, of the Southern Hospital, said, the in-
strument that inflicted the wound entered the upper lip of
complainant, info the mouth, and through the opposite
cheek. The prisoner was sent for trial.
A. Don Case!---Jarnes Seddon, a f:,undry man, was
charged for having assaulted Mr. Samuel Se3tt, a publican
in Whitfield-street, and for stealing a dog from him. 'The
complainant said he was in Vanxhall-road, along with bis
dog, when the prisoner came up to him, and without any
provocation knocked him down, took the deg on his
shouVer, and ran i f with it, but he was arrested by as
officer, who got the dog on his shoulder. The p -isoner said
he lost a d g, and he imaainel the animal in question was
his. He was fined 30s.

VIOLENT ASSAULT.—James Spies, a labourer, was
charged under the fol!owiog circumstances, A. Mr.
M'Cormick said, on Saturday night, himself and a Mr.
Seed, a cle k in Great Howard-street, were in Scotland-
road, and at. the corner of a street they inquired the way
to Blackstone street, from some persons who were there,
then the prisoner struck him a blow; two poieemen came
up, and arrested the prisoner-, and as they were going to
the station, a crowd followed, and a fellow in it flung a
briek, which struck Mr. Seed in the head, and inflicted a
serious wonted on him, and at present he ,Nas not able to
attend, beingin charge of a sweeon. The officer who had
charge of the case, said he knew the man who fluqg the
atone. The prisoner was remanded, until the other p rson
could be arrested.
UNFOUNDED CHARGE.—JoIui Walsh, a dock labourer,
charged Mary Plitt, the keeper of a cookshop in Byrom-
street, with having pa,sed a base half-crown on hint
Mr. -Muck defended. The prosecutor said, he went into
the shop of the prisoner and purchased a pig's foot and
a penny cake, and gave half a sovereign in payment ; he
got the change and went into a public-house to get a pint
of ale, and tendered a half-er)wn that he got from her in
change, and this proved to be bed, and he got an officer to
whom he gave her in charge for passing ition him Mr.
Block put the prosecutor in a towering passion by his
cross-exemina' ion, when Mr. Cl eigh said the prisoner was
a respectable eh:le-keeper' and if the chvge had been
brought before him he would not have taken it—the man
was away an hour and a half before he came back, and
no one could telt where he had been in the mean-
time. He was of opinion the woman did right
not to take back the half-crown. Mr. Block : It is too
bed to hear a respectable shot-keeper charged in this way
by such a f llow. C. mplainant, : What do you reckon
me ? The psisuner was discharged.
Somernitse New IN TUE EWINULING Lime—The longer
we live the more we know. The public were under the
impression that all the " science" of swindling had been
'explored and exhausted. but they have been mistake:), for
it remained for one cf the Smith family to produce some-
thing new in the line. The following is the case A. well-
dressed person, named William Smith, was put to the bar,
charged under the following circumstances. Mr. Goodere
was for the prosecution, and Mr. Roby for the pris ner.
From the opening statement of Mr. Goodere, it appeared
that the prosecutor was Mr Morgan. of the firm Morgan
and Co., coal merchants, Chapel-walks. Oa the prisoner
was found a card that would, perhaps, explain a portion of
the case. Thia card purported to be of the firm cf
" Campbell, smith and Co., coil merchants, 11, Heriover-

street." However, there was no en h fi-m in caistcnce

These was a person names Campbell who occasionally
took orders for Messrs. Morgan for coal. It appeared
that this person was in the -habit of going at an early
hour in the morning to the office'of Messrs. Morgan and
Co , when the woman would be cleaning out the place,
and he represented himself as the agent and traveller for
the house. In this way he used to sea the orders for
take checks out of the check (E r delivery) book,
take bill-heads of the office, make out the avounts cor-
rectly b-5 the above means, and then give the accoun's to
the ptisoner, who used to collect them, but of course
Messrs. Morgan never saw the money. When bills were
made out in the office, these were taken also by the person
named Campbell, and collectedb; the prisoner, who
signed, among4t other names to the receipte, "J,
Broadbent.'' Matters went on for some time in this way,
but ahhough some efforts were made to discover the party,
failure followed. At la,t, ti-use the wordi of Mr.
Morgan on his examination, by the " judicious
advice and mansgement of Mr. Goodere,'' - a •bill
for a certain sum was made out at sight, and
left in the office. This ivas, of course, taken away in
the morning by Campbell. It was a bill purporting to be
ior coal delivered to a Mr. Pierce, at the north end cf the
town. It was arranged that, if any person called for the
amount, that, Mr. Pierce was to give him into cipeody:
The prisoner called with the bill, and was handed the
money; he signed the receipt, was taking up thl cash,
when a policeman w.tlirnd in and arrested him.
Pierce was cited, and said—" The prisoner Mlle to me
for money as due to Messrs. Morgan. I handed hiin
pen to sign the receipt, and laid the money on the Conner;
I then went to the door and called the officer. .who
arrested him just as he was taking the money off the
counter. He represented himself as c, ming frorn`Mr.
Mcrgan." Mr. Morgan' was examined, and said the
prisoner was nevee authorised by him to collect motley
he did'not: in fact, know the prisoner at all. Mr • Garnett,

the chief clerk, asked Mr. Pierce it hiowed the;na;;;;;:?
and he said he didlbt. Mr. Garaett said that wag not
obtaining money under false pretences. Mr. Morgan was
examiaed, and, on cross•eaamination by Mr. Roby. he
said he knew Campbell, who used to take oceasioaal