Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-13 00:00:00

and afterwards used as a " duster." The money

I found in this piece of cloth was proved to have
formed part of that stolen from Mr. LITTLE'S
office, in a variety of ways. Equally, if not
more, singular was the discovery of the remain-
ing portion of the stolen money. In a privy
connected with the railway was found a bucket,
at the top of which was 671. 10s. in silver.
There was red lead at the bottom of the bucket,
amongst which was found a small padlock, used
for fastening oil cans. The prisoner had been
in the habit of using two such cans, and it was
found that he had two such padlocks, but that
never more than one was seen with him after
the murder. Again, when SPOLLEN was arrested,
it was found that he had in his house eight
sovereigns, which bore marks of having been in
recent contact with water. Now, what strikes
us as being strongly against the prisoner, on this-
part of the case, is the fact that he was only
earning 245. per week, and that he had contrived
to save eight pounds and support his family.
After SPOLLEN'S arrest, the canal was re-searched,
and there was fouud a razor with ScoLLErr's
name on the handle. Its appearance indicated
that it had been used in a manner similar to
that of " throat cutting."
The above are the main points of the case
against SPOLLEN. Two facts were laid before
the jury, namely, that Mr. LITTLE had b6eu
murdered, and cash abstracted from his office ;
in addition to this, it was proved that a large
portion of this money was traced to SPOLLEN.
The next suggestion was.—had the prisoner
access to the office of Mr. LITTLE, SO as
to enable him to perpetrate the double
crime of murder and robbery. The
first of these was clearly proved, and it was
incontrovertibly demonstrated that hardly any
other person could
,have had recourse to the
same hiding places and by the same means.

What is SPOLLEN'S account of himself ? We
have said the murder took place between five
and half-past seven. SPOLL`3N says he left off
work at half-past five, went home' direct, and
remained there reading until nine, when he went
out with his wife. This, however, his children
contradicted, and they did so in a manner that
leaves but little doubt that they spoke the truth.
We had omitted to state that some time after
the murder Mrs. SPOLLEN was taken dangerously
1111,
and when it was proposed to send for a
medical man the prisoner threatened death to
any one who would go on such an errand.
What did this imply, but that he was desirous
of her death, lest she should reveal the awful
secrets connected with Mr. LITTLE's. murder

Looking, then, with an unbiassed mind, at all
these facts—for they were not controverted by a
single witness for the defence—we think they
constituted as strong a chain of circumstantial
evidence as was ever laid before a jury. GOD
forbid that we should impugn or question the
jury s vernier. vre Know that in such cases- a
variety of trifling and minute circumstances
weigh deeply with men in their trying position.
A. look, a gesture, the slightest hesitation or
faltering of the tongue, have great influence,
and oftentimes act powerfully on behalf of the
accused. They considered that in the slight
discrepancies of the children's evidence a doubt
was raised, and according to the laws of England
that doubt they gave- the prisoner the advantage
of. In this they were right, and we should
rejoice could we arrive at a similar conclusion.
We regret that SPOLLEN'S children should have
been called upon to swear away the life of their
father. Public justice is inexorable , and painful
though the scene may have been, it was a
necessity which nothing could overturn. The
scene that took place after the verdict was given
—which we publish in to-day's paper—was an
affecting one. SPOLLEN'S speech will long be
remembered as unusual, and remarkable for its
bitterness of expression towards his wife, whom.
he designates a " female tigress." One thing
which struck us as being very singular; he nevor
uttered a single word as to his innocence ; and,
as if the mark of Ca.rN had been set upon him,
he has resolved to leave the country and finish
his career in one of our distant colonies. We
sincerely trust that he may benefit by the painful
ooeurrences of the past, and that, if really guilty,
he will, ere he is called hence, make his peace
with an offended GOD, and obtain pardon for
actions brutal, bloody, and diabolical in the
extreme.

For once, the Guardians of the West Derby
Union have been engaged in a discussion of

interest and importance to the public.
.For
onee, too, they have spoken on a debateable
topic as became gentlemen. They kept their
temper, and manifested an unusnal::4:incrant of
philanthropy. They spoke and uttered their
sentiments on that everlasting topic of conten-
tion—the quality of the Pike water. We have
often had occasion to find fault with the tone
and tendency of the debates of the West Derby
Guardians, consequently it gives us the more
satisfaction to approve of their proceedings of
yesterday. For, when we consider that they
were debating a topic of life and death to the
people of Liverpool, reasoned with acute-
ness, and manfully set forth their opinions as to
the deleterious qualities of the Rivingten. Pik e
Water : and when all this was on th,p, side of
those who have, through evil report and good
report, opposed the proceedin
Water Committee, rs of the Liverpool
s,
" in",'Avirw- a useless waste
of the public, moue
laying the foundation
for popular dison'tent, and sowing among the
people g:t--"..; f h
borough the seeds of disease and

death ; we conf.-:ss we are proud of the course
adopted by the Guardians of the West Derby
Union.

It was only yesterday that we took occasion
to animadvert upon the course lately adopted
by the Water Committee with respect to their
delay in making their report according to
the resolution passed at the Council
meeting of May last---whether any and
what scheme of filtration could be adopted so as
to render the Pike water fit for dietetic purposes.
The only thing that has been produced in
accordance with the resolution of the Council
is the " half-and-half" production of an amateur
chemist, Mr. SPENCER. But that learned man of
science has not had not time to complete his ex•
periments. At the same time, he tells us of the
wonderful effects which filtration has upon the
Pike water. Now, we believe every scheme of
filtration has been tried in the Rivington works,
and what is the result ? Let the samples of the
water as supplied to the West Derby Workhouse
be one of the latest replies. Yesterday, a
decanter of this " precious mixture," as our
Reporter aptly terms it, was placed on the table
of the Board-room. It was as nearly as possible
of a saffron colour. This of itself is another of
the many proofs which we have adduced of the
impurity of the water.

But the Guardians did not condemn the water
for its colour alone. There is an old and
quaint saying—" The proof of the pudding is
in the eating." Accordingly they resolved on
making an experimental test of the quality.
irrespective of the appearance of the decanter
before them. Two glasses were filled out, and
every one who had nerve enough took a sip from
the tumbler handed to him. What was the
result? Universal conietnnation. One termed
it " brackish ;" another exclaimed it had a very
"flat taste :" indeed, each and all declared it
unfit for any human being to- drink, unless
filtered.

Now, we should like to know what system
of filtration, can change the colour so as to make
it perfectly clear. Every attempt has hitherto
failed, and unless some. Seer from above deigns
to visit the earth and tell us the great secret,
we fear the people of Liverpool must drink this
Rivizigton trash until a pestilence sets in and
compels the Corporation authorities to listen to
reason in this important matter. Mr. EDWARDS
turned to the Reporters, and, after his palate
had been offended and his stomach. nauseated
with the sample of the Pike water served out,
asked them to let the public know what were
the opinions of the Board respecting it. "It is
not," he added, " fit to be. drunk without it is
filtered." We gladly give currency to his
request. It is only another of the thousands of
instances which we could adduce in• support of
his ideas. It is, however, idle to talk of the
filtering process- It is too tedious, uncertain,
and inefficient to effect any desirable result.
Moreover, the cost of this proposed plan of
filtration is more than double the expense
necessary to supply the inhabitants of Liverpool
with the red sandstone water for household
uses, and that from Rivington for general
purposes. We tell the people of Liverpool- that
they have themselves to. blame for being com-
pelled to use the latter for such a length of time.
Patience, in this case, instead of being a virtue,
is a positive curse.

THE PUNJAUB.

[COMAUNICATZD.]

IN the present state of affairs in the East,
where long-pending causes are likely to produce
such disastrotis effects, it may seem to: the serious
reader something inhuman and atrocious to
contemplate the crisis with any feeling but that
of the most prof,aund seriousness. Nevertheless,
our Douses of Parliament, containing, as of
course they do, the very quintessence of Eng-
land's wisdom, have of late treated the matter
with so little consideration ; have made light of
the Indian conflagration; have- been so mute on
the army mutiny ; have spouted and speechified,
and asserted and contradicted, and have been all
along considering how not to do it, to such an
extent, that we feel justified in relaxing from
onr usual solemnity, and looking upon Indian
affairs in a livelier light. For in so doing, have
we not an exemplar in the Premier himself, who,
to Mr. SPOONER'S inquiry, replied, there was
nothing new and, after having listened with
great nonchalance to Sir Dm Lacy Ev.t&s' sugges-
tion to '.go-a-head," answered, that it was all right,
and that nobody need get in a "stew" about India
at all, since the rebellion would soon be satisfac-
torily hashed up, and the rebels get their desert ?
He stated, however, that orders had been sent
to the Cape to forward as many troops as could
be spared to Calcutta ; so that, when the forces
from the Cape have arrived, the mutineers will
probably be cutting some capers. In reply to
Sir DE LACY'S proposition to send out some of
the line, Colonel NORTH, whose poll, as a North
rote, is not a very .acute one, expressed an
opinion that the troops had better stay at home,
since there were quite enough rulers in India to
produce a line or two on their own account.
Mr. DISRAELI thought different. •He conceived
Lord PALMERSTON underrated the danger of the
disaffectien of the Indian army, although
he would not underrate the British public, when
that danger became so eminent as to call forth
a few more taxes: • -He ,thought a charge or so
now, against the mutineers, might prevent a
series of charges upon the pockets of the people ;
. • -
and he believed a little blood sbecl. at, present in