The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-17 00:00:00

CONFESSION OF MURDER AT HALIFAX.

On Saturday afternoon, a middle aged man, named James
Smith, a blacksmith, made the following confession of murder
at the Halifax Borough Police Court :—" I have come to give
myself up. Another man and myself killed the governor of
Carlisle gaol about fourteen years ago, by throwing him over
the banisters. I have been uneasy in my conscience many
years, and now I am determined to get rid of it." Sergeant
Thompson suggested to Smith the propriety of being very
careful what he said, as the charge he bad laid against himself
was one of the gravest character. After receiving this caution.
however, he reapeated his statement, and _added that he and his
accomplice were undergoing two months' incarceration for
poaching at Carlisle, when the horrible crime was perpetrated.
On being examined by Mr. Superintendent Pearson, a short
time subsequently, Smith seemed inclined to withdraw what
he had said, or reduce it to a charge brought against him at a
public house. But the superintendent locked him up, that
the case might come before the magistrates ; and enquiries
afterwards made by the police elicited information which,
if it fail to establish the charge casts great euspicio❑ upon the
prisoner. One of the most important f►cts which have
been disclosed, is that Smith told a fellow workman, about
a fortnight ago, that he purposed writing to his brother at
Carlisle, to inform him that he intended returning home, if
the murder at the gaol had been forgotten. The prisoner is
a native of Carlisle, but he left that neighbourhood about
the time at which he fixes the commission of this crime,
and for some years past he has resided at Halifax. The
police are busily engaged investigating the ease, and Mr.
Superintendent Pearson has communicated with the authorities
at Carlisle.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS AND THE POLICE.

DEPUTATION TO SIR G. GREY.

On Saturday, a deputation of a Committee of Licensed
Victuallers, consisting of Mr. Benjamin Foster (chairman),
Mr. Maynard, Mr. Wildee, Mr. Young, Mr. Jackson, Mr.
Doggett, Mr. Grose, and Mr. J. Beaver (hon; secretary),
had an interview with Sir George Grey, at the Home Office,
to call his attention to the present anomalous positio❑ of the
Licensed Victuallers with respect to the police. The deputation
was introduced by the Hon. F. IL F. Berkeley, M.P.,
who, in a few observations, placed the whole question
before Sir G. Grey. It was this —° Had the licensed
victualler the right to the aid of the police to remove
a disorderly or peace breaking person from his house,
as several magisfrates and judges had held. Sir George
Grey said, he apprehended the police could not he
called into a victualler's house for any general
purposes, or to clear the house merely ; but if the the publican
preferred a specific charge against any person, the police, of
course, must take the person, if required to do so ; but, in
many such cases, when the charge had been taken, the publi-
can did not follow the matter up, and left all the responsibi-
lity upon the police. A breach of the peace, or a provocation
to a breach of the peace, was an offence against the law, for
which a person might be taken in charge ; but the publican
making the charge ought to carry it out, and not leave the
police in the position pointed out by Sir Richard Mayne, in
his evidence before Mr. Villiers's committee (whir's the right
hon. baronet eead). Mr. Foster said the question which
they were so anxious to have determined was one of great im-
portance to the trade. He cited the case of Mr. Doggett, one
of the deputation, who had merely pushed four persons from
his door, who bad- spat in his face, to incite him to an
act of assault, was afterwards indicted for an assault, and fined
in the sum of £2O, besides which he incurred considerable
costs. They only wanted some definite line for their guidance,
as the magistrates had laid down in law that which the police
did not act up to. Mr. Doggett entered into a detail of his
case, which he said occurred as far back as May last, and it
had at once called the attention of the trade to the question
now involved. Sir George Grey said it seemed to him to be a
very hard case under the circumstances stated. He would
peruse the documents which had beta handed to him, and
would speak to Sir Richard Mayne upon the matter. Mr.
Berkeley thanked the right houourable secretary, and the
deputation withdrew.