Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-24 00:00:00

SAD CALAMITY AT SEA.-TWENTY-FOUR
LIVES LOST.

By letters received from Shethnd we have the truly
mournful tidings of another sad calamity among the islands
there, resulting in a melancholy loss of human life. Early
on the morning of Wednesday last, while the haaf boats
were prosecuting the fishing, they were overtaken by a
sudden and severe gale of wind, by which three belonging
to the island of Uist, and one to North Marine, were lost,
with all on board. Each beat was manned by six men,
consequently no fewer than 24 have perishal by this
terrible calamity, the greater pars of whom have left help-
less and destitute families. This sad calamity, as might
well be imagined, has naturally excited a most intense
excitement in tlhetland, the more particularly as in several
instances as many as three or four of the men who perished
are connected with one family. In the absence of fuller
particulars, the distressing tidings having only reached
Lerwick a little before the sailing of the steamer, we
cannot give a mire a lengthened accou at of the catastrophe ;
but there cannot be a doubt that it would result in much
suffering and want in many a home, and that there is a
loud call on the humane to come forward in behalf of the
suffering and poverty-stricken mourners. Should any of
our readers think proper to contribute towards this object,
we shall cheerfully transmit any sum, however small, to
responsible persons, for the relief of the bereaved wives
and little ones. From all we can gather, we should not
be surprised if more than 60 children have been made
fatherless by this terrible salamity.—Northern Ensign,

CONVICTION OF A MILITARY OFFICER FOR
OBTAINING GOODS ON FALSE PRETENCES.

At the Middlesex Sessions, on Monday, Henry O'Bloick,
39, described as belonging to the mil tart' profession, was
indicted for having obtained by false pretences, two re-
volver pistols----one from Joseph Laing, and the other from
Henry Tatham—with intent to defraud them thereof. He
pleaded guilty. The Assistant-Judge having examined
the depositions, put some questions to Captain Feversham,
one of the witnesses, who stated that he was connected
with the Pay Department of the German Legion, now dis-
banded. The prisoner was an ensign in that corps, but in
January, 1836, he deserted, and nothing was heard of him
until March last, when he applied to Colonel Kin-
loch for his commission, the document never
having been actually delivered to him, but Colonel
Kinloch would not allow him to have it, as he was
a worthless fellow, and ought not to be allowed to
be in possession of a document bearing the , Queen's
signature, which he might parade as a proof of his
having been in the service, and assume thereby the credit
of having served meritoriously in a force now disbanded.
Unfortunately, he (Captain Feversham) did not strictly
follow up Colonel Kinloch's advice, and kick the prisoner
out of his office; for, by allowing him t 3 be there, he
found an opportunity to steal some of the official papers,
bearing the stamps and marks of the War Department,
upon which he subsequently wrote the forged orders, by
which he committed the frauds he was now charged with,
the prosecutors, of course, concluding that the orders
really emanated from the War Department, from the
official paper. There had been every wish to do what
they could for the prisoner, but his conduct had been
such as to render him utterly unworthy of the honour of
being in possession of his commission, and the au-
thorities refused to allow him to have it, although it
was decided not to have him tried by court-martial. The
prisoner said he was in distress, and had applied in
vain for assistance. (A letter was handed up to the
Assistant-Judge, in which he stated that he had been for
days without food. Captain Faversham said that if he
really had known that the prisoner had been in want ho
would readily have given him money ; but; his representa-
tions to that effect were unworthy of belief', inasmuch as
he had just before thought fit
_to proceed to Maidenhead
by railway, and pay all his expert? es, for a purpose which
a penny postage would have amply sufficed. The prisoner
said he went to see his paymaster about a return of income
tax which had been deducted from his pay. Captain Fe-
vereham said, he believed there was an amount of inc 'roe-
tax to be refunded to the prisoner, as it had been deducted
from his pa.-, and .it was now shown that his income did
not amount to £lOO a-year, but if he had been in distress
he would have writ ten to his paymaster instead of incurring
the expense of a journey to Maidenhead. The Assistant-
Judge, after a little consideration, sentenced the prisoner
to nine months' hard labour.

CONVICTION OF TWOFAqHIONABLE FEMALE

THIEVES.

At the Southwark Police-court, London, on Monday,
Matilda Reeves and Elizabeth Williamson, two .yonne
women dressed in the most fashionable style, and well-
known as frequenters of the various metropolitan railway
stations, were brought before Mr. Combo for final examina-
tion, charged with stealing two sovereigns and a half, and
one shilling and fourpence in silver, the property of Miss
Mary Ann Low, in a second-class carriage, on the North
Kent Railwa:. The prosecutrix said, that on Friday
last she got into the two o'clock train at the latter
place to come to London. The carriage she got
in had only the two prisoners, who were seated
on her right side, and no one else entered during
the journey. At the time witness took her seat she
placed her purse containing the money in the pocked on
the right side of her dress, where 11;eves sat, and just
before the train stopped for collecting tickets, she put
her hand to her pocket, and missed her purse and
contents. She immediately mentioned her loss to the
prisoners, who seemed surprised, and recommended her
to look about the carriage. She did so, but could not
find ir, and she was thunder-struck at losing it, as she
had not the least suspicion of the prisoners, believ-
ing them to be ladies. A few minutes after wards she
put her hand in her pocket again, when she dLeo-
vered her purse there, but on examining it, nothing
was left but the railway ticket. She immediately men-
tioned the circumstances to the guard, who detained the
prisoners, and they were given into custody at the ter-
minus. She was positive that her money was safe in her
pocket when she sat down by -the prisoners. Clutter,
501 A, said he had received charge of the prisoners, when
he found a sovereign and two shillings and tenpence on
Reeves, and a sovereign on Williamson. They both
declared they were ladies, and were indignant at being
charged with committing a robbery. Mr. Combe asked
whether they were known ? Chuter replied that they
frequented the various railway termini about London,
and on the same day a lady was robbed in another
carriage. Mr. Combo ask,d the prisoners what answer
they had to make to the charge ? Mr. Charnock
contended that the lady must have been mistaken, and
dropped her money before she got into the carriage,
as it was not likely she could have been robbed in
that r lam without knowing it. Mr. Combe said if that
was their defence, he should send them for trial, and then
they would have the advantage of a jury. Mr Charnock,
after consulting with his clients, said it was not their wish
to go for trial. Mr. Combe : Then they must plead guilty.
He did not want them to do that if they were not. Mr.
Charnock said they would plead guilty. Mr. Combe ob-
served that he had no doubt as to their guilt, and had there
been any evidence as to their former malpractices, he
should have punished them with the utmost severity of
the law. Each of them must be committed to the House
of Correction for three months, with hard labour.

THE EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.