Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-14 00:00:00

EQUITY COURTS,-JULY 11.

BZPORIC VIC 1-CHANCFLLOR SIR J. STUART.
DonSON PATTINSON.—In the year 1814, Thomas
Dobson, a sailor, left Liverpool, on board a ship for Rio
Janeiro, and neither he nor the ship was ever afterwards
heard of. Under the wills of three persons named Blamire,
Thomas Dobson (if alive) and his brothers and sisters be-
came entitled to a sum of money, which, as to their shares,
was, in 1815, dividod amongst his brothers and sisters, on
their giving a release to Mr. Pattinson, who was then the
sole trustee of the fund ; but he retained Thomas Do' son's
share, amounting to £135, and gave a memorandum that
he did so, with the view of dividing it, in the event of its
being satisfactorily proved that Thomas Dobson was dead.
Though frequently applied to, he always declined to divide
the amount on the assumption of Thomas Dobson's death.
but he proposed on some occasion to divide half the fund
amongst the brothers and sisters and their representatives,
on the other half being given up to him as an indemnity
for the risk he would run, on the ground that the obtaining
indemnity by means of the Court of Chancery would cost
more. This suit was instituted by some parties entitled
claiming the fund, and charging the trustee with interest
and costs. The other defendants were persons in the same
interests with the plaintiffs. Mr. Malins and Mr. Bates
were for the plaintiffs; Sir. Batten for the defendants in
the same interest with them ; Mr. Bacon and Mr. Haw-
kins were for the trustee. The defendant alleged that he
kept the money in his hands in the daily expectation
that the death of Thomas Dobson would be proved, and it
did not appear that he had invested it so as to obtain any
nitersat up.m it. The Vice-Chancellor said the only ques-
tion was as to interest and costs. The conduct of the de-
fendant liad been highly improper. Fr,.m 1815 he had
continued in possession of a fund, which was small, and
Ns-latch was the property of persons in a humble station of
lite. He had required positive evidence of facts not
capable of such proof, and he did not invest the money,
but kept it in his own hands. He must be decreed to pay
the money with interest at ,c 5 per cent. from 1845, and to
pay the plaintiffs' costs.

SUSPECTED POISONING CASE AT
BIRKENHEAD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THZ NORTHERN TIMES.

Sir,—Through a letter signed " Juror," which
appeared in your paper on the sth inst., the public
were made acquainted with the principal facts of
this more than suspicious case—yet, though it is well
known that a great deal of dissatisfaction exists
amongst the many in consequence of proceedings so
disgraceful. No a. tempt has been made to justify
them by the few paid public officials who are impli-
cated. Something might have been said or done
to vindicate their conduct, and alleviate that sus-
picion which the circumstances had created. Their
taciturnity is significant, and adds fuel to the flame
of suspicion which already burns within the public
breast.

The medical men have not yet accounted to the
public for the death of this poor girl, nor do I
think it possible for them to do so truthfully without
further chemical analysis. It has been asserted by
a respectable merchant in Birmingham, and by the
mother of the deceased, that she was poisoned by
cantharides administered by other hands then-her own
Statements like this merit, a rigid investigation,
which in this instance has yet to be made. All the
symptoms and morbid appearances were compatible
with poisoning by cantharides. It may be a case of
manslaughter, suicide, or murder, no matter what,
the public ought to be satisfied If the police have
deco their duty in this matter, they should be
able to inform us who and what the young
man is who was to meet the deceased,
and for whom she engaged a bed at
Dear's eating-house. If the medical men have
done their duty, and have any regard for their
reputation, would they not court further investiga-
tion ? They should be aware that cantharides
undergoes but little change, after a long interval
of time, and is scarcely more difficult to discover
in decayed than in recent animal matter. It has
been said that the tests applicable to poisoning by
cantharides were not used by those who made the
post mortem examination. The relieving officer,
Mr. M'Nerney, should also endeavour to assist the
public in solving so great a mystery. He is on
terms of intimacy with Mr. Sweeny, who is the
relieving officer at Birmingham, and who but a
short time ago was assistant-overseer at Birkenhead.
Through hi.n much useful information might have
been obtained.

It is to be hoped that the coroner will not think
it incompatible with his duty to institute further
inquiries, and either disprove or confirm the asser-
tions made by certain parties in Birmingham.
Should this not be done, an inquest may, with some
degree of truth, be called a burlesque—comedy

after tragedy.
Birkenhead, 11th July, 1857.

PUBLICOLA.

BOYS' CLOTHING MADE WITH GREAT TASTE
At LEWIS & COMPANY'S. Ranelagh street.

DreisoucAL OUTRAGE.-02 Friday night last a wicked
attempt was made to upset the down train from Dublin to
Cork, by placing two large metal blocks on both tracks of
the line, at Killelene, near Templemore. Fortunately, the
obstruction was observed by one of the milesmen about
eleven o'clock, and rem ,ved before the arrival of the train,
which was then nearly due, and passed by very shortly
afterwards. No reason is assigned for this fiendish act,
which imperilled so many lives, and no clue has been yet
found to the guilty parties.
ROBBSRY OF A JEWELLER'S SHOP AT MA,CHESTEH.—
On Thursday night the shop of Mr. Greenhaigh, silver-
smith and jeweller, St. Mary's-gate, Manchester, was
entered, and property, consisting of gold and silver watches,
chains, rings, brooches, and other articles, to the amount
of abi,ut £l.OOO, was stolen. The thieves were old and
expert hand, for they drilled a hole through the door of the
iron safe half an inch thick, so as to pick the lock. The
polies have as yet no clue to the p:rpetrators of the
robbery.

SUSPICIOUS CASE.—If rumour is to be believed, Glee-
gow is nor, in the matter of poisoning, to be long left
alone in its infamy. A short time Bgo the wife of a man
in the employment of a respectable farmer in the neigh-
hourhood of a leading little town in the upper ward of
Linarkshire, died somewhat suldenly. To the surprise of
every one, scarcely had two weeks passed over when Vie
breach in the household was filled up by the widower lead-
ing homo a second spouse. The unseemly conjunction of
bridal and burial, however, would seem to be tolerably
well accounted for in part, by the fact of the newly-married
wife beicg far advanced in prc.naancy. Information or so
very unusual concatenation oleircumstanees having been
conveyed to the Procurator-Fiscal of the district, orders
were immediitely forwarded to have the body of the de-
ceased wise raised and submitted to a suitable examination.
The contents of the stomach have been secured, and will
no doubt undergo a searching analysis.THE FRENCH VINTAGE.—The Echo Agricole publishes
the following information respecting the prospectus of the
vintage :—" The season has been hitherto very favourable
to the vineyards, and this year's wine will probably be
much superior in quantity to that of the last four or five.
The oidiam has appeared but in few places, and its ravages
have been restricted by the use of sulphur. Some surprise
is manifeeed that the price of wine should not have fallen
to some extent, but attention is not paid to the fact that
many months must elapee before the new wine however
abundant it may be, can come into the market. No
sensibly decline in prices can be hoped for until the cellars
of the trade are full, and this is far from being the case at
pre3ent. Nevertheless, a decline is certain. though goad
wine will always maintain its price. In the s)trli the
formation of the fruit has passed over with complete
success, The harm said to have been inflicted by the recent
rains has been greatly exagerated. Letters from Bayonne state
that the vintage will be small in that neighbourhood, in
consequence of the limited number of bunches on the vines.
At Bordeaux, everything pronounce a splendid vintage.
At Nantes the rain has done harm, and the proprietors are
somewhat alarmed for their vintage."
ALARMING AND DESTRUCTIVE FIRZ4 IN THE METROPOLIS.
—On Saturday morning, about eight o'clock, a fire of
co isiderable magnitude broke out on the premises of Mr.
Hale, picture-frame maker, Naylor's-court, High-street,
Whitechapel, whereby two persons were injured and pro-
party to the extent of several thousand pounds was des-
troyed. The flames were first discovered by a police-cor-
stable of the K division, raging in the upper part of the
warehouse. The parish and brigade engines were speedilyon
the spot, and, with a good supply of water, the fire was
subdued,but not until the premises of Mr. Patrick, the
oilman, and the contents were destroyed. Two houses on
the west side were njured by the flaraes passing across the
avenue. A female n mned Coombs, was injured on the
head by a falling pantile while being rescued by Sergeant
Foay. A large crowd of pickpockets and idle persons were
kept back by a body of constables of the K division, under
the directions of Inspector Constable. Insured in the
Phcenix and Royal Exchange. Another serious fire
occurred between twelve and one o'clock on Saturday
morning, at the shop of Mr. San Fer, a German fancy
stationer and jeweller, of No. 198, Whitechapel-road, near
the London Hospital. The disaster was first detected by
a civilian passing the front of the house, when he saw
flumes issuing from one of the windows. Mr. Sanger and
his family were rescued by a young man, named Smith,
who, to save himself from suffocetior, leaped out of one of
the upper windows, by which means he sustained such
serious injuries, that he was removed to the hospital. The
fire was extinguished by the brigade and parish fire-
men. The su'erer was insured in the Defender Fire
Office,

ELECTION EXPENSES TN THE EXSTEEN COUNTIES.—
The election auditors in the Eastern Counties are making
great progress in the publication of the expenses of the
various candidates at the late general election. At Norwich
the expenses of Viscount Bury, and Mr. 11. W.
Schneidor, ALP., are returned at £1,185 Is 7d ; and those
of Sir. S. Bignold, the unsuccessful Conservative candidate
at £1,143 4s 9d. There tsas a sharp contest. In West.
Saffolk, the expenses of Mr. 11. S. Waddington, 31. P.,
are returned r,t £d7 6; ; those of Mr. P. Bennet, M.P.,
at £57 17s 61 ; and those of Mr. F. 4,f. Wilson, the un-
successful Liberal candidate at £3B 4s 7d. Mr. Wilson
did not go to a poll. In East Suffolk the expenses of Lord
Henniker, M.P., are returned at £55 18s 3d and those of
Sir F. Kelly, M.P., at £B7 14s 9d. There was no contest.
At Iluntinglon (borough) the expenses of Genera! P,el,
M.P., are re'urned at £lB3 19s ; and those of Mr. T. Bat-
ing, M.P., at £18695. There was no contest, and the town
clerks's charges amount to £157 108 against each gentleman.
At Carehidge University the expenses of the Right Hon.
H. S. Walpole, M.P., are returned at £B7 Os 9d ; and
those of Mr. L. T. Wigram, M.P., at £BO 9; 91. There
was na contest. At Grantham the expenses of Mr. W. E.
Welby, 111. P., arc returned at £246 Ile 6d ; those of the
Hon. F. J. T.llemache, M.P., at £97 Iss 9d; and those
of Lord M. W. G-alt ,m, the unsuccessful candidate, at
£285 13s 26. At Great Grimsby the expenses of Lord
Worsley; 31. P., are returned at £199 17s 16. There was
no contest. In the county of Rutland the expenses of the
Hon. G. J. Noel, 31. P., are returned at £64 13s 4,1; and
those of the Hor. G. H. Heathcoate, M.P., at £69 iSs
106. There was no ecntest. In North Lincolnshire the
expenses of Sir AI. J. Cholmeley, M.P., are returned at
£199 12s sd; and those of Mr. T. Banks Btanhope,
M.P., at £75 3s 3,id, There was no contest.