Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-02 00:00:00

HORRIBLE MURDER IN LIVERPOOL.

An inquest was held yesterday, before P. F. Curry,
Esq., coroner, on the body of a man who was found on
Monday morning lying dead in a timber-yard with his
throat cut. The head was nearly severed from the
body, and there were besides several marks of violence
on the face of the deceased. The following evidence
was adduced at the inquest yesterday :
Thomas Williams was the first witness called. He
said—l am a labourer, and reside at 18, Tamworth-
street, Park. I am in the employment of Mehars.
Houghton, Smith, and Co., timber merchants. ' Their
timber yard is on the east side of the Canada Dock:
There is a footpath on the east and west sides. There
are two other timber-yards, one on the north and
the other on the south of the dock belonging to
different people. There is a carriage way near the bot-
tom of the yard. About noon on Monday I was passing
along this carriage-way, when I saw the body of a man
lying on his back with his throat cut. He was in apool
of water. His knees were doubled up. He was partly
turned on his left side. I did not touch the body, but
went to our cashier. I returned with him, and after-
ward informed police-officer 560, who was on duty out-
side the yard. He removed the body. It was lying
about thirty yards from the west entrance gate.
Thomas Jelly said—l am a police-officer, No. 550.
On Monday last I was on duty on the east side of the
Canada Dock. About noon that day the last witness
came and informed me that there was a man lying in the
timber-yard with his throat cut. I went immediately,
and found the dead body of a man lying on his back,
partly on the left side, with his throat cut. His
knees were gathered up as if twisted. The body
and limbs were quite stiff. I went for another
officer (635), and left the body in his care. On
my return I found the .cap now produced. I took
the body to the dead-house, where it was searched, but
nothing was found except a small piece of foreign
tobacco, some American cards from hotels in Buffalo,
anti a worsted braid chain. He had on . a -white flannel
singlet, outside that a red flannel one, next a blue
flannel shirt, a red woollen plaid shirt, velvet waistcoat,
and a greyish coloured monkey jacket. The pantaloons
were of the same colour as the jacket; he had also a
pair of very thick woollen drawers, and Wellington
boot's. Around the spot where the body was ' found
there were several foot-marks, and some as if made by
a small boot such as those worn by females. On
Saturday night last I was on duty about the same spot.
I was talking to a custom-house officer when I heard an
unusual noise coming from the timber-yard. I ran in
the direction of the sound, but the noise immediately
ceased. I did not hear any more noise that night.
Edward Conway said he was talking to the last wit-
ness on Saturday night, when he heard a voice from the
timber yard exclaim, " Oh, don't !" two or .three times,
and then ceased. He did not hear it again.
George Hicks said—l am Police-officer 635. On
Monday last, about noon, I was on duty at the east side
of the Canada-dock, when Officer 650 came and told me
there was a man dead in Houghton's timber-yard. I
went to the yard and saw the body before it was
disturbed. It was lying partly on the back, with a
little inclination to the right ; the legs and lower parts
of the body were twisted to the left. The bands were
uplifted and partly open. I made a diligent search
'
about the spot for a knife or other weapon, but did not
find any. About fifteen yards from the body I found
the cap now produced.
William Pennington said—l am a delivery clerk in
the employment of Houghton and Smith, timber mer-
chants. On Saturday last I had charge of the yard.
My duty was to close the gates. I left the yard about
five o'clock, after securing all the gates, except one,
which was at the north-east corner.

Edward Slater said—l live in 141, Portland-street,
and am in the employment of Mr. Hilton, who has the
contract for removing timber to the station for transit.
On Saturday afternoon I went with four other men to
the yard, to load some, timber. We left the .gate at
the north-east corner open. •
Samuel Meacock, ban sworn, said; lie was barman.

; at Mr, -Miele; publit home itt_Regent-road. Od Satur-
day evening, shortly after nine o'clock, two men, ap-
parently foreigners, came to the house in a cab. They
seemed a little. excited with drink,-and gave the driver
a glass of.brandy. They told the driver, in broken
English, that he could have anything he wanted. They
did not remain in the house more than three or four
minutes. They appeared very friendly, and seemed to
have plenty of money. Witness saw about 30 sovereignEl
in one of their hands. The deceased was' one of the
two men. The public house is about half a mile from
the timber yard.
Francis Ayrton said : lam a surgeon. I have made
a post mortein examination of the body of the deceased.
Ile was a strong healthy man, from 25 to 30 years of
age, and about sft. 6in. in height. His clothes were all
covered with blood, and on the front of the right shoulder
the clothes were pierced through with some sharp in-
strument. He had on the lower jaw of his left cheek
an incised wound or cut three inches long. This wound
was superficial, penetrating only the skin. On the right
cheek there was a cut running in an opposite direction
to the one on the left cheek. The former was four
inches long, and extended from the middle of the cheek
to the chin, penetrating through the skin as if a knife
had been drawn across. The end of the chin was cut
off, and hung by a piece of flesh. These two cuts could
not have been inflicted by one cut of a knife. On
the right side of the cheek, below the jaw, there was a
wound one inch in length, penetrating backwards to
the base of the tongue. As the wound proceeded back-
wards it diminished in breadth, which shows that
the instrument had an oblique point. The throat
was cut from side to side down .to the back-
bone, the windpipe and vessels were completely
severed. The instrument had been carried close
along the jaw bone, so close that it cut into the
mouth at the base of the tongue. Along the left jaw
the instrument had peeled off the skin. On the right
side the wound was very deep, as if the instrument had
been pressed down.. Below this cut (which was the
cause of death) there was a second one, extending across
the front of the neck, penetrating the skin, and then lost
in the larger wound. I think the instrument of death
was an obliquely pointed knife, the blade of which must
have been nearly one inch in breadth. The deceased
could not have inflicted these cuts himself.
Geo. Johnson, police-officer 306, produced the articles
of clothing found on deceased. .
The inquest was adjourned tlil Fziday.

The prospectus of the Oriental and Colonial Cotton
Flax, and 'Fibre Company (limited) is issued. The
proposed capital is £lOO,OOO, in shares of £25.
The accounts from the wine markets of France
describe considerable excitement, and a general dispo-
qition among the dealers to ask exaggerated prices. In
brandy there has been a marked rise.
eaerrenpnridittelcinioctrines which the Univers represented."
SCARBOROUGH ELECTION.—The nomination for Scar-
boroughpropo sEinddeaedupt .iteNoh:led
aiA,:nnmpßdcosezl.l_l..ildv
discussion,
s slek,fforoo,placeuintrt,
inN
‘:y,ihoafesoesrtmamemtroadofintarriteydsh
stn.
took place on Tuesday. Lieut.-Colonel Caul-
field, Liberal, and Mr. Dent, Liberal Conservative, were
ob;
ae
rigorous rt
ly iit ee
ac
punishnft
t,
de"
er says
a ayt
nos.
was resolved on. This detail, apparently of no
st. is important as an indication •of the deep and
irreconcileable antagonism between the government and
iiestiltnlets'COCßlN-CHINA.—WC are enabled to give some further
particulars of the engagement between the French forces
and the Cochin-Chinese; as noticed in our last. On
November 18, Admiral Page attacked the north side Of
the Bay of Touron, where there were two large forts
protecting the road to Hue • these were taken, and now
remain in the hands of the French. Communication '
;between the capital and the north is thus cut off, so
that the Cochin-Chinese cannot possibly remain in
charge of the outposts. Lieutenant-Colonel Deroulde,.
of the Engineers, lost his life in this action, being cut
in two by a ball whilst on' board the Nemesis. His
death is a ereat loss to the army in Cochin-China. '
There were a few other casualties in the French army '
Tho mortality from disease is ont the decline, and the
army is in good spirits at the prospect of a campaign in
China. The death of Captain d'Abbeville, as stated in
our last, is incorrect, that officer being at the time at
Canton.—Eimdon and China Telegraph. "
THE WINE ANI) SPIRIT DUTIES. The Times
announces on authority, which it says seems scarcely
open to question, that, with regaid to the wine
duties, the reduction from the present rate of ss. 9d.
to Is. per gallon will not' take place till April, 1861.-
The rate to be proposed for the intervening period is
reported to be 3s. Moreover' when the ls. rate is adopted,
it is not to be uniform : there are to be three rates
according to-strength, viz., is. for all under 16 per cent.
of strength, Is. 6d. for all under 26 per cent., and 2s.
all under 40 per cent. The whole of the French wines,
with scarcely an exception, will come within the first'
class ; the &reater portion. of port and sherry will be
embraced within the second ; white the third will corn.'
prise wines serviceable only .for mixing purposes or for
distillation. With regard to the intentions as to the
change' in the spirit ditties the rumours areless positive;
but an impression seems to prevail that there will be a
reduction of the existing rate of 15s. to Bs.'.

cporting Intrifigente.

MANCHESTER BETTING,

TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS.
7to 2 agst Wizard (taken) 112 to 1 apt King of Diatnondii
(taken)

. .
THE DERBY.
1
11 to 1 agst Thormanby (t.) 40 to 1 agst Plum Pudding (t)
ll'to 1 ... Mainstone (taken) 40 to 1 ... Red Rock (taken)
11 to 1 ... Umpire(taken)

THE CHESTER CUP.
20 to 1 agst Longrange (off'd.) I 33 to 1 agst Satellite (t.)
25 to 1 ... Birmingham (t.) I 1000 to 10 . Rising Sun (t.)

• • CITY' LONDON.
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS,

. .
100 to 3g agst,Winard (offer'd) 110 to 1 agstkingof Diamonds(t)
LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CHASE.
10 to 1 agst Anatis (taken) 110 to 1 agst Xanthus (taken) jp
LINCOLN HANDICAP.
12 to 1 agst Curlew (taken) 15 to 1 agst White Rose (t.)
12 to 1 ... Ambush (taken) 15 to 1 Clovernook (taken)
12 to 1 ... Wallace (taken) 15 to 1 ... Julie (taken) •
12 to 1 Timandra (taken) 15 to 1 ... Tommy Noble (t. )
12 to 1 ... Jenny Longlegs(t)

THE CHASE.
SIR W. W. WYNN'S FOXHOUNDS will meet on
Thxrsday, Feb. 2
Saturday, Feb. 4
...Ma'pas

At half-past ten.
The CHESHIRE HOUNDS will meet on
Thursday, Feb. 2, at Duddon Heath
Saturday, Feb. 4, at Mere Hall
Monday, Feb. 6 Bolesworth Castle
Wednesday, Feb. 8 Withington Hall
Thursday, Feb 9 Aston Hall
Saturday, Feb. 11 Wistaston
At half-past ten.
Mr. MEYNELL INGRAM'S HOUNDS will meet on
Thursday, Feb. 2 New Inn
Saturday, Feb. 4 Blythbury
At a quarter to eleven.
Mr. SITWELL'S LUDLOW HOUNDS will meet on
Friday, Feb. 3 Stanton Lacey
At half-past ten.
The ALBRIGHTON FOXHOUNDS will meet on
Thursday, Feb. 2 The Wheel Gate Wortield
Saturday, Feb. 4 ... The Hem Gate