Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-14 00:00:00

THE EXT-2.,CT:TION

CAPTAIN ROGERS,

The following appeared in our Extra Edition of Satnr_
day .

Death i 3 fearful to contemplate under anyecireuinstances.
The mangled remains of humanity, after the terrific
shower of grape ; the brokea limbs, ga'.hored after the
fearful collision on some railway; the ghastly appearance
of bodies taken front the coal pit, where the
angel of death, through the agency of fire dame, has mein-
taiued his sway—ell are dreadful to contemplate; but the
most app dung of all deaths is thea of legal strangulation.
On the justice or propriety of banging human beings—
even for the greatest crime that mast's fallen and debased
'nature is capable of plreetrating ;--ate arc net now called
ton to pronounce ; bat even admitting the necessity for
such exhibitions, a degree of horror must always be asso-
ciated with sech censernmation of refined cruelty; There
sire crimes which shin oar natnre—e!rinees dark and dread-
ful, the perpetration of which should f ever -exile the
author from the seciety of man—bat should that
exile be death ? Thwever, as we are not arguing on the
philosophy of patella execatioas, for crimes which the law
says the perpetrator meat Ale, our duty to-day is simple,
yet painful, being obliged, as public journalists, to describe
the ex't from this world of a men in the full vigour of
life, who a short tine sine,e, no doubt, looted forward to a
long life of happiness and most likely nntieipated the
-satisfaction of seeing his children gather round
him in his declining years with true affec-
tion, and leoked through the future wit►t the bright
eye of hope, imagining that his remains would be
followed to an teanured grave, instead of an ignominous
.end oe a scaffold, by the hands of tba common exe-
cutioner, and an unmarked grave within the:precincts of a
.prison. How of-en has the nefortunate Henry Rogers, who
died on the scaffold this day, read the details of the death
of some one who forfeited his life for having imbrued his
hands in the-blood of his fellow creature? How remote
then, was the idea that he shell 1 one day be the subject of
public discussion, and that he should die the ienomineus
death, thecontensplation of which be nrnst have shrunk
from with horror ? Yet such has been the case. The his-
tory of tae case that has depr:nted this man of existence, at
a comparatively early stage of a successful life—that has
left his -wife a widow, and hie five unfortunate children
without a protector, is so well kno we, and so recently before
the public, that it is not necessary for us to recapitulate
(except as in our early edified) 'the facts more fully.
-Very likely a difference of opinion will ever exist in regard
to what is known as cv'ital punishment—the object, ,if
punishment, must be a total fetlare, end if for example,
and With the view cf detering others from the perpetration
of crime, we boldly assert that the spectacle
of a public execution is productive of much
more evil than what it is meant to correct. The day will yet
come when future generations will look with as much
horror on oar present system of taking away life as we do
at this Jay contemplate the faggot, the half-hanging, and
then disembowelling of the yet living wretch. Torture to
extract confessions, burning of witches, and other modes
of taking away life, which we properly abhor, were merely
the custom of the age in which barbarities were practised ;
hanging is the refiaement of such cruelty, and in another
century the present generation will come in for their share
of deserved odium. The pubic mind cannot be compared
to anything in its likings, or dslikings; it runs in this or
that direction of the popalar compass, without much
inquiry of the why or wherefere.
A MAN TO BE HANGED,

at Kirkdale, no matter for what offence, is sure to bring a
crowd, composed of the lowest class of society; for no
person pretending to respectability, or even common
decency, is ever seen in the crowd that surround the
gallows, when the d',ath struggles of some hapless being
are gazed on, whilst, in most cases, brutal jests go round,
at the moment the spirit of the doomed culprit is passing
under Seal lodgment at the bar or eternal and everlasting
justice. 'This is frightful, but it is true; every one who
reads this is fully aware of its accuracy. The offence for
which Henry Rogers died on the scaffold this day
was considere 1 by the law, of such a nature as not to be
forgiven by a human t ibunal; but will his death prevent
others from acting more like brutes than men? That
questioa remains to be answered. We are at a logs to
know bow it is that when a person is to be executed that
people collect, not only from the Immediate loo►lity.
bat come from great distances, in order to witness the
revolting exhibition, with as much gout as if attending a
horse-race, and less thoughtlessness than if witnessing a
dog-fight in the streets. Was it a yearning after morality
that actuated the thousands who collected at Kirkdale gaol
this morning to see an unfortunate creature dangling by
the neck with a piece of rope, between Haven and earth,
that brought that mass of human beings there? Was
there one in that vast crowd, who beheld his dying
struggles that felt the least sympathy for his fate? We
should be afraid to answer "yes," for if such were the
case, one and all, would have rem tined at home, and not
dared to have intruded at such a moment to disturb the
lest sigh or, it is to b 3 hoped, a truly penitent soul,
not only for the offence that brought him to such an end,
bat all the offences of his life.
THE MORNING

was fine and bright, end contributed to swell the number
of persons present—about 40,000—and although the hour
named fur the awful tragedy was twelve o'clock, yet land
before that time crowds began to pour in towards Kirk.
dale from all quarters. One would think that the labouring
and male In classes of Liverpool, and the adjacear.
might have been better ant; more profitably engazed on a
Saturday, than atteudiog the strangulation of a fellow
being, yet we are sorry to s:.y it was otherwise. Popular
indignation, we are aware, ran high agai st the condemned
criminal ; but, if vengeance caul I be pursued further than
death, there might be some seeming excuse for the attend-
ance of the idle an i thoughtless; the labourer and the
mechanic, and a host of others, whose morbid taste brought
them to the front of Kirkdele gaol this morning. Had it
been announced that a sermon would be preached, or a
lecture draivered, how many persons would have attended?
But we speculate not. Henry Rogers, a man in the prime
of life, was to be hung up litre a mad dog, and that fright-
ful exhibition bad m ire attractive charms for the "millior,:"
than wowed have been communicated by words of
peace, consolation, and redemption for sinners.
The preparations for the execution had been all made on
Friday night. The fatal drop, with all its sad and dreary
accompaniments, was placed in the usual position. &rune
,barriers were erected at proper divances from the walls of
the gaol, so as to prevent the pressure of the crowd, and a
large body of police were present and stationed in proper
places to preserve order. We have thus written up to
el yen o'clock and the crowd still increases.
The approaches to the drop were literally crammed with
human beings, and amongst the vast crowd, we regret to
say, there was a large number of women, both young and
old, mostly well dressed, a great many cf whom held
children in their arms. A great number of boys, apparen•
tly of the lowest class, were early in attendance.
As the time drew nigh, fur the strangulation, the crowd
momentarily increased, and in the crowd, before the drop,
M Edward Sumner, a local preacher, was addressing
the people. There were also some members of the Town
Atiakion present, and several psalms were sung. A respect-
ably dressed female was distributing tracts amongst the
teoPle-
The police force stationed about the place consisted of
150 men, eight inspectore, and superintendents Ride and
Thyd, besides fifty men of the county force, under Mr.
Sellers, and wren the latter came en duty, at six in the
sinning, there were over 400 persons already collected
about the scaffold.
Now and then a laugh and cheer were raised at some
rough jest, and the g -neral feeling appeared to be that of
merriment and hilarity. Maly persons same from Old-
ham, Mancherer, Bu-y, and the surrounding districts.
As was expected, a gre at number of sailors would be
present, and thoy did come, in cansiderable force, dressed
in their bat clothes. igt was thought that they would
exhibit some hostile feelings towards the condemned suns,
but up to this time nott.ing has taken place.
A cheep train from Mai Chester added, at this moment,
some hundreds of people to the crowd.
several persons were engtged selling ginger-beer and
ether things amongst the crowd, and a .confused noise was
kept up alt through.

THE NOTITHERN TIMES.--f-LIVERPOC

POLICE INTELLIGENC,c --SATURDAY.

LIVERPOOL.

BMW{ Mit. MANSFIELD.

ASSAULT VN BOARD AN AMERICiN VissEc.—Hirarn Trot,
first mate of the American emigrant-ship Webster, now
lying in the river, and about to sail, was brought up under
a warrant by detective-officer Eaton, charged with an
assault upon Thomas Kelly, a passenger-steward in the
vessel. The steward was not present, being obliged to
remain in the Northern Hospital, in consequence of the
injuries he had received. It appeared, from the statements
of witnesses, that on Thursday morning Kelly was coming
up with some coals to the cook's galley. when the
defendant approached him, and some words followed,
which the witnesses did not hear ; and defendant then
seized hold of Kelly by the collar of the coat and the
trousers, and dashed him upon the deck. Other witnesses,
however, stated that the defendant only gave Kelly a
violent push, Kelly fell upon an iron railing, which
covered a part of the hatchway, and cne of his ribs was
fractured. Mr. Cobb appeared for the defendant. The
defence was that the steward had been drinking whiskey
with some of the wtssengers ; that there was considerable
disorder on boa d ; and that the defendant haviag remon-
strated with Kelly, and told him to go away in
vain, gave hint a push, without intending to do
him any injury. It was stated by the surgeon that Kelly
would be disabled, probably for about a fortnight, but it
did not appear that the injuries would have any lasting
consequences. Mr. Mansfield suggested that the defendant
should give soma petunia-y conopeasation to the injured
man, who would lose his ship, and be disabled from work for
some time. The defendant consented to accept the sug-
gestion, and the parties left the court fir the purpose of
making some arrangement. The case was subsequently
arranged and the defendant was cEscha-ged. We under-
stand the injured man agreed to accept £2 as compen-
sation.
A PUBLICAN FINED F 32 BEING DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.
—William Rule, publican, Mersey-street, was charged with
having been drunk and disorderly in the street, about nine
o'clock last Friday night Mr. Duck defended the prisoner.
The officer stwed that he believed the prisoner was some-
what out of his mind, and was frsquently very disorderly
in his own house. Mr. Mansfield inflicted a'fine of 5s and
, costs, and directed that the case be reported at the next
1 licensing sessions.
ATTACK ON Two B llLlFFS.—Fre!eriek Bateman, a
cabinet maker, residing in Great Crosshall-street,
was charged with throwing heavy missiles at a
bailiff named Charles Keenan and his assistant. It ap-
peared that the bailiff came to execute a distress warrant
on the house in which the defendant was a sub-tenant, and
the defendant, from a parer, window, flung out a block of
logwood, weighing nearly half a hundred weight, and
some smaller piec's oc wood, down upon the pavement,
close to where the bailiffs stood. Mr. Bluck contended,
on the part of the defendant, that the latter had no in-
tention to injure the baigiffs, and only threw out the logs
to save them from the hands of the Philistines (Laughter.)
Mr. Mansfield fined the defendant 203 and costs, or in
default of payment one month's imprisonment.

ROBB 3RY OP £517 IN PA RIC-L UR. —Thomas Pitnm, John
Rice, and Louisa Pimm, were placed in the dock charged
with having broken open a safe in the house of Mr.
George Kearns, publican, Park-lane, and stolen £517. Mr
Kearns' public house and spirit vaults are situate at the
corner of Forrest-street, in Park-lane, and on the evening
of Saturday the 29th of August, Mr. Keacns left the place
about five o'clock, having locked into his safe, behind the
counter, £517 in g )11, silver, and notes. The
following morning it was found that the safe had
been A pierced by means of some instrument,
above the key hole, and forced open. The drawers in
an inner office were elso broken open. 'I he money was
all gone, and papers, &e., were scattered about. Informa-
tion having been given to the police, Inspector Murphy
examinel the premises, aid cams to the conclusion that
the robbery must have been effected by some
.persoh
concealed in the house during the night. The prisoners
were arrested in a public-house in Bedford street, Chorlton,
Manchester, by officers Sandford and Bateman, of the
Manchester de•ective police. Several iron instruments,
known to be such as are used in breaking open locks, were
found in her possession. When the female prisoner was
arrested, and told that she mast be taken to the Town-
hall, she said she had some money about her, and she took
from under her clothes, a bag containing £202 10s. in
gold. Information wts c)nveyel to Mr. Clough and
Inspector Murphy and the prisoners were brought to
Liverpool. Some of the implements discovered with them,
were found by a locksmith to correspond with the perfora-
tions in the safe and drawers. Mr. Kearns identified some
of the sovereigns by marks which he had observed before
locking them into the safe El ward Lewis, a clerk employed
by Mr. Kearns identified, among a number of other men,
the prisoner Rice, as having been drinking in the bar about
eleven o'clock on the night in question. This witness also
picked out of the 210 sovereigns one which he identified by
a mark upon the back of the head, as having been givea by
him to Mr. Kearns a day or two before the robbery. A
police officer also identified Rice as a man whom he had
observed lounging with some others near Mr. Kearns' door
late on the same night, and of whose appearance, thinking
it suspicious, he then took considerable notice The pri-
soners were defended by Mr. auck. Esther Smith, who
lives in Bedford-street, Manchester, said the prisoners
lodged with her, and on the Saturday and Sunday, when
the robbery was committed, they were absent. They came
home on the Monday very dirty The female prisoner said
her husband was a carpenter. In reply to Mr. Bluck, the
witness said the police brought her to Liverpool. She
lives in a beeriouse. Daniel Povey, tool maker, of Park-
lane, said he was called on to examine the drill and ciDsel
found on the prisoners, and the marks on the drawers, safe,
&e., agreed with them, and he was convinced the instru-
ments now produced were used to open the safes, &c. To
Mr. Black the witness said the implement was a clever
invention. Mr. Bluck addressed the come., and contended
that the evidence was not sufficient to convict his clients.
Mr. IVlansfield said the cate was not free from doubt, and
some of the arguments of the learned gentleman pressed on
these points ; there were other circumstances that he could
not get over. He sent the prisoners for trial at the
sessions.

CLIARGZ AG tINST A JEWELLER.--Jacob HoMilder, a
jeweller, residing in Great kliward-street, was chirgad
with having a stolen ring in his possession. Teresa Sloan
said she was at the General Post-office on Wedneslay
night, whoa her pocket was picked of a parse and two
sovereiAns and a ling, the latter of which was found in
the shop of the prisoner. Mr. Dodd appes,7ed for him,
and proved that he bought the ring, and he was discharged.
FXritAOßDlgaltY CASE ABOUT A BANK BlLL.—Detective
officer Scott brought up a respectable looking elderly man,
named Samuel Ackerley, described as a gentleman,
residing at Sefton. House, West Derby, on the follow-
ing charge The prisoner was dressed as a clergy:mix,
and his appearance in the dock caused mach curiosity.
The history of the case was as follows :—Mr. John

Hunt, an attorney, residing at 15, York-street, Dublin,
came to Liverpool in order to pay Mr. Thomas Green,
brewei;, a sum of £2lO for a small property that he had
sold in the county of Sligo. He brought two bills, drawn
on the B Ink of England by the Bank of Ireland, one for
£155 This bill, with a ten and five pound note, was in a
pocket-bo)k, in his eic:e pocket. On the night of the 23,,h
of August, Mr Hunt was in Back Castle-street speaking
to a female, when a man came up and asked him the way
to Cheshire. He add he was a stranger, and just at that
instant the woman snatched his pocket-tpok from his
pocket (his coat was op o), :and got clear away with it.
On the 4th inst. .Mr. Hunt received a letter from the
prisoner, stating that he had the bill, and that it was found
on the West Derby-road, by an unfortunate, bat honest,
Irish gentleman, and demanded £3O for its r storation.
Several letters passed between the parties, and at last it
was agreed that Mr. Hunt should exile over to Liverpool
and meet the prisoner. 113 met him, by appointment, in
Church-alley that (Saturday) morning, and the prisoner
said he coull produce the bill in five minutes, but refused
to do so unless he g)t £3O. Mu. Haut refused, saying he
had lost £l5 already, and would not give any more. Tne
prisoner said the bill was not drawn in duplicate, and
therefore Mr. Haut could not get the money unless he got
the bill. After some conversation, Scott, who was hard
bye, was called, and the prisoner was g:ven into custody.
Scott stated that he heard the conversation Mr. Mansfield
said there was no doubt the case was one of larceny, and
he would send the prisoner for trial, but it was afterwards
arranged to remand him for a week. [lt is only right to
say that Mr. Ackerley had advertLel the bill as found on
the West Derby-road.]

THE Ain. TRZASURIS EIIIIBITtON.—The e:mmittee of
the lllaneheste:. Art Treasures Exhibition hare resolved to
close it on the 15th of October next.

THE INDIA RELIEF FUND.—On Friday the Lord Mayor
received from ik ad Dalhousie a cheque for £5OO towards
the fund fur the relief of the sufferers by the Indian
rebellion.

The adsices per the African mail steamer Gambia, states
that the exploring expedition to the river Niger and its
tributaries, in charge of Dr. Baekie, R.N , left the Bass
river for the N gar, on the 10th July—all well. The expe-
dition is cr_smnosed of Kroomen, twenty.tive natives of the
countries blr-Licrirg on tho Niger and Chadda, and four-
teen Europeans. It is said to be the intention of Mr.
Macgregor Laird to form trading posts on the banks of the
river, for the collection of cotton, butter, and other
productions of the interior, provided the clip:lite offers no
insuperable obstacles.

L, MONDAY, .Si PTE