The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-12 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL

BEFORE MR. AIRIN.

MD SCOTLAND ROAD ROBBERY.— Arthur Cunningham,
Patrick Ent), and Mary Cunningham, were brought up on.
remand, on the above charge, the details of which appeared in
our paper of yesterday. Mr. Bluck appeared for the prisoners.
The evidence was gone Tito de nova. Mr. Muck asked what
the evidence against the female prisoner was ? Officer Horn
said she had pledged one of the stolen watches, and the ticket
was found on her. Mr. Levy, watchmaker, of Oldhall street,
said—on the 27th January, two days aler the robbery, the
prisoner Arthur Cunningham brought the silver lever watch
(identified by Mr. Shaw) to his shop, to get it repaired. He
called on the following Saturday week and pad 12s. for the
repairing; he came b ck in about half an hour witi: the gine
broken. Witness put a glass in, and told him to call oa the
Monday, when lie would have a glass ground for it. S Ant:
time after the prisoner had left the shop a police officer called
and inquired about the watch, and he told him the facts. The
officer then told him to stop the man if he called again. Hesaid he
was to call on the next Monday, but he never called till Monday
last, when witness sent for the police and had hiin arrested,

and this led to the discovery of the whole affair. In reference
to the conduct of Mr. Shewhill, the pawnbroker, who took
two of the watches in pledge, Mr. Clough asked the young
man who attended for him, bow, it was that the watches could
ba taken in, when there were bills before them describing the
watches ? The young man said the lever watch was taken in
late on a Saturday night, and it vv,is overlooked, and as to the
other watch, he said it was not properly described. Mr.
Clough said, you have done all this after A serious caution
given to you a very short time ago, for having tarn a quantity
of linen stolen from the Steam Packet Office with marks on
it, and that strong caution having been given to you by tll3l
very magistrate who sits on the bench at this moment. Mr.
Aikin said it was very bad conduct indeed. Mr. Clough t
I said here yesterday, and I repeat it to day, that if the pro.
perty had not been released from the pawnbroker, I would have
put him into custody on this charge of felony, and I have
no doubt he would have been sent for trial. Mr. Aikin said
such conduct on the part of p^Avnbrokers afforded great
facility to crime. Here, within one week of each other, you
take in two stolen watches, having at the same time printed
bills before you describing them. You are the cause of much
crime, and lam very sorry the present instance that we
cannot punish you. Mr. Bluck trade a forcible address for,
the prisoners, and contended that there was no case for stealing
proved against the prisoners—the mast that' could be said about
them was, that the property had been found in .`beir possession.
He strongly contended that there was no case against the female
prisoner. His worship sent all the prisoners for tf.`al, but
allowed the woman out on bail in two sureties of £5 each.
CHARGE OF FORGERY.—WiIIiam Cornett, of 83, Bro7plovi
Hill, described as a clerk, was charged with having forged the
name of Charles M'Millan of Tatlock street, to a promissory
note for £5. It appeared that the prisoner made an
application to the loan office in Renshaw street, for
£lO, and that he sent in the name of M‘Millat
as one of the sureties. The latter was agreeable to go
bail, provided his wife consented. The wife demurred, and
A4Mi;!!.tn therefore withdrew from the responsibility. Toe
prisoner then went to the office, and stated that one of the
sureties (there were three at first) had gone cut of town, and
requested the loan to be reduced to £5, on the surety of
M'Millan and the other person. This was agreed to, and on
Monday, the prisoner, with the two persons, attended at the
office, signed the note, and got the money. One of the parties
signed his mark, as M'Millan, and this being discovered to be
a forgery, the prisoner was given into custody. M‘Millart
proved the facts, so far as he was concerned. A clerk from
the loan office proved that a person, who said he was M•Millan,
attended at the office and signed the bill. In reply to the
prisoner, 111‘Millan said a person called on him, and asked it
he would sign his name to the bill, but hs refused to allow
him. The prisoner was remanded in order to produce the
party alluded to.

REFUSING TO SUPPORT CIIILDREN.•—WiIIiam
clerk, residing at 16, El,lon place, was brought up by Sir.
nughes, one of the outdoor inspectors, on a charge of having
refused to support his four children. It appeared that in.
August, 1856, the prisoner and his wife were sent for trial, on
a charge of having murdered two of their children by starvation.
The case excited universal sensation in Liverpool at the time.

At the subsequent assizes the man was acquitted, but his wife
was convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to two years
imprisonment. At the time they were committed, the four
children were taken into the poorhouse, where they were taken
care of since, On Monday the complainant took the children
to the prisoner, who said he would not take them. The
prisoner and his son were earning 30s a week. In reply to the
bench, the prisoner said he only wanted the children to be kept
for another fortnight in the house until he could procure
proper lodgings for them. Mr. Hughes said the prisoner
positively refused to take the children or support them.
Prisoner : '‘ That's false." Mr. Aikin sent him to gaol for one
mouth.

THE ROBBERY IN RUSSELL STREET.—EIIen Benton Wal
brought up on remand, charged with stealing a watch from the
house of Mr. Lee, Russell street. The details of the case
were published in yesterday's paper. Mr. Clough said the
prisoner was detected by Mr. Holt, the manager of Mr..
Gregson's pawnshop. Copperas hill, and he felt bound to say
that the conduct of Mr. Holt and Mr. Gregson, had been
always honest and highly honourable, and contrasted strongly
with the bad etZiduct of other pawnbrokers. He felt bound
thus to state publicly his approbation of such conduct, The
prisoner was sent for trial.

BIRKENHEAD.

BEFORE I. D. CASE, ESQ.

ROBBERY BY A FARM SERVANT.—John Prince, a teams'
man, in the employ of Mr. John Briscoe, of Upton, saddler
and farmer, was brought up by county constable Morris, and.
charged with stealing a sack and a quantity of potatoes, the
property of his master; Mr. Briscoe stated that, on Monday-
evening last, he had a quantity of potatoes removed to a loft,
over a shippon in his farm yard, of which he (the prisoner) bad.
the keys. On going into the loft on the following morning
he directly missed one of the sacks of potatoes. Suspicion
falling on the prisoner, he applied for a search warrants which
was placed in the hands of Morris, the constable, who searebed
the prisoner's house, and in a closet under the stairs he foam&
the sack of potatoes, which he (Mr. Briscoe) immediately
identified as his property. When the prisoner was taken bat°
custody he denied having taken any of his master's potatoes,
but, in answer to the charge now, ho said, " I have nothing t.
say ; 1 hope you will forgive me." Committed for trial.

GETTING DEITNIC AND STARVING A WIFE AND CHILDREN.
—Patrick Franey, described on the bridewell sheet as a
labourer, whose appearance betokened that Bacchus had, foe
some time, the upper hand of him, was charged with neglecting'
to maintain his wife and three children. whereby they becamst
and were still chargeable to Birkenhead. Mr. M‘Herney,
the relieving officer, stated that this was the third time the
prisoner's wife and children had been chargeable to Birkenhead
through his drunken habits. The prisoner came to the offices
on Saturday last, in a drunken state, and his face bleeding,
and, with great bombast, said he had come to give himself up.
as he understood his wife and children were again chargeable,
in addition to which he was very abusive. The
Magistrate (to the prisoner) : " What wages do you get
Prisoner : " 203., and sometimes 189. a week." Magi'.
trate : "Nell, it's moat disgraceful that a man getting the
good wages you are, should be getting drunk, and neglecting
your wife and family as you have done. You must go to
prison for one calendar month's hard labour at Knutsford."
REFUSING TO GO TO SEA.—Griffith Jones and Charles
Jones, two strong looking seamen, but no relation to each.
other, were charged with refusing, without any reasonable
cause, to go to sea in the vessel Aeron Queen, lying in the
river Mersey, between Tranmere and Rock . Ferry.
Thomas Williams, the captain of the vessel stated that
both prisoners had signed articles as able bodied seamen, to,
go in the vessel to some part of Spain, hut that yesterday
morning they refused to turn to, what for he could not
tell. Griffith Jones, who acted as spokesman,said they were
norked too hard from early in the morning till late at night.
Captain Williams, however, said they had no more to do
than others in the same position as themselves. The worthy

magistrate then asked them if they would go to sea or be
sent to the house of collection, when they both chose the
latter alternative, and were sent for 21 day's hard labour at
Knutsford.

TWEED FISHERIES.—These fishings still continue very
unproductive, two or three fish per day. The company, on
Thursday, had about fourteen or sixteen salmon, price 2s 4d
to 2s per pound; this was the best day they bad since the
first week of the fishing. This week there are no fish in the
upper districts.

GA.s FROM PEAT.—We are happy to learn that Mr;
J. ohnston's admirable invention for the production of
illuminating gas from peat is beginning to be appreciated,
and will probably in a short time be brought into general.
operation in those districts of Ireland where peat is cheap
and abundant. We have already described the nature and
merits of this invention, and we need only say that me..
rience has fully confirmed the opinion expressed by us of
the brilliancy of the light produced, and of the cheapness
and facility with which the gas is manufactured. Last
week Mr. Johnson erected the nt cessary apparatus for the
manufacture of peat gas, at the extensive concerns of Robert
Cassidy, E6q., the eminent distiller, of Monasterevan, to
whom is due the credit of being the first gentleman in
Ireland who has endeavoured to bring into practical
operation this useful invention. We are authorized by
Mr. Cassidy to state that the result has fully satisfied
his expectation—so much so that he has given orders
forlthe ereotion of additional works,—Freemen's Jourea.