The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE NORTHERN TIMES.

Sir,—Every social evil has its distinctive vices,
even as epidemics prevail at different seasons and
in sundry localities. As surely as the canals of
Batavia, the jungles of Sierra Leone, or the Cam-
pagna of Rome generate malaria and disease, is
the infancy of a nation, " ere human statutes purge
the general weal," distorted by the convulsions of
bloodshed and rapine ; while, in the national cor-
ruption succeeding.the over ripeness of civilisation,
are engendered the colder blooded crimes of
treachery and fraud. According to a genealogical
tree not recorded in the Herald's office, the prodigal
and the wanton are parents of slavery, and crimes of
the basest kind are committed every day in the
higher walks of life by those who come under the
denomination of the usurer and the forger. Though
the knife of the guillotine and bolt of the gallows be
of iron, the mainspring influencing their action is
formed of a more precious metal. The root of the
is—GOLD !

My attention is now drawn to another subject,
altogether different to what I have been so often
treating upon ; and I think it will be no difficult
task to show that a more absolute system of fraud
and nefarious scoundrelism cannot well be brought
before the public—indeed I cannot find its parallel.
Sir, if there is one thing tending to ruin and
distress more than another, it is when a man is
involved in debt to that degree as to require the
intervention of the usurer. Everybody knows the
money lender, in many cases, to be a Jew,the Jew a
usurer, the usurer once a criminal in the eyes of the
law ; not so now, however, it is to be lamented ; but
far better would it have boon for the safety and well
being of society at large, had the usury laws never
been expunged from the statute books, seeing as we
do the fearful amount of misery, poverty, and crime
which is engendered thereby. We are told "Christ
drove the money changers from his Temple," and
why should not man, therefore, be allowed to expel
them from his'tribunals ? The money lending Jew
is one who must have acquired his funds by extor
tion and fraud—one who probably began life as a
pickpocket—assassin— no matter what amount of
obloquy you heap upon his head ! He cannot have
too narrowly escaped the iron grasp of the law.
He cannot be too grossly stigmatised. He has
caused the ruin of thousands.

Money lenders, do not always bear the Israel.
itish type, from whom we naturally expect to find
nothing better than the outward man accordant
with that inward specification—that abominable,
grasping over-reaching spirit, which is characteris-
tic of the whole race'. There are many others
belonging to a different class altogether, who
consider they have pretensions to respectability,
and who identify themselves amongst a higher
order of society. Such men make no secret of
their usurious calling, as we daily are convinced
of by the attractive advertisements which appear
in our local papers.
Now, let us look into the mode of their
doing business, and examine fairly and
dispassionately how loan transactions are
carried on, before I comment any further
upon the matter. When making application to
the money lender for assistance in the hour of
need,he may very likely respond thus to your urgent
demands—" This is- the first time we have done
business together," and starting from his apparent
reverie he will meekly insinuate, " it is my rule to
place confidence only in those who show confidence
in me!" And ho will blandly tell you that you
should not apply to him unless your case is despe-
rate ! " Many," he will add, " will call me shark,
cormorant, vulture, usurer—no matter what they
say, only keep faith with me and I will be your
friend." But, bear in mind, the penetrating eye of
the money lender, all the while, sees at a glance
the hidden thoughts of his incautious victim. He
will give him to understand that if. he
comes to him in the hope of opening his
strong box, a calling such as his necessitates
some degree of mystery. When once, however,
a bona fide negotiation commences all must
be above board—all truth and daylight. What-
ever tangible security the needy applicant possesses,
or whatever expectations he may look forward to
hereafter, all must flash out—nothing can be well
kept back—everything pertaining to his pecuniary
position, both as regards present and future, must
be revealed ; and, after such an exposition of his
affairs, he will then be only too willing to hear of
his bonds, and post obits, his wants and misfor
tunes. No act can otherwise be authentic, unless
the business be negotiated on his own terms. You
may apply to the money lender as a counsellor, or
seek his assistance in any way you like; but
rest assured, the odds are as much against you
as though you were to risk your stake at a
rouge et noir table, or any other gambling
game, so little chance will you have of success ;
and, depend upon it, he will never allow
you to leave his clutches until you be completely
plucked," beggared for life, and laughed at in
the bargain. Aye, he will take good care you are
ruined by no one but himself. You must know,
then, reader, with whom you have to deal; for,
were you to fail him, he would put both you and all
your family into thumb screws, without even
eliciting a ten pound note in your behoof.
Usurers, following their occupation, are force_d to
keep a pretty accurate tariff of the fortu'ies and
future expectations of those who may 0.-,me within
their line of business. And when ;your funds are
nearly exhausted, and you may be left alone to do
battle with gnawing rats, yet Ili will be even worse,
for you will have to endure your own bitter and
gnawing thoughts ; There are many, no doubt,
who, after labouring under the pressure of pecuniary
embarrassments, have found themselves sud-
denly and unexpectedly released. from thral-
dom, will declare that no earthly triumph
can exceed that soul-stirring emancipation,
"The king may make a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, and a' that--"
but, far surpassing any creation recorded in the
peerage, is that of a free man, out of a wretch on
whose shoulder the gripe of the bailiff has been
felt by agonizing anticipation ! Though you may
have gained this temporary relief and nut off the
evil day for a period, yet ultimately you will find
yourself in a worse position than ever. Then, my
friends, I say, beware of the money lender—shun
him as you would a pestilence ; for, bear in mind
one thing, so long as you have dealings with him,
every minute of your life swells the amount of his
possessions—he will rob you of the last farthing,
so little cares he for your downfall It must now
clearly he seen that while other men's property.
diminishes with their span of life, his, like the
evening shadows, grows as the sun goes down.
But, sir, money lending is not confined altogether
to the class to which I have alluded. Others there
are, it is deeply to be deplored, who belong to a
higher calling—the legal profession—and who,
perhaps, dabble more in such money filching
transactions than most people can possibly be
aware of. Such unmerciful men, when once they
seize upon their victim, are not over scrupulous
how they handle him; at the same time, they will
use every precaution to secure themselves from
loss. They will not forget to ask him if he is
applying to them for the means of covering another
transaction of a similar kind; and, if that be the
case, he cannot well deceive them, for, through
their extensive connections with the moneyed
world, they have the means of ascertaining the
truth to a crown piece. Let us look a little further
into the conscience of this disingenuous friend,
and see how far he will step forward with a
helping hand to assist those who apply to him for
advice and pecuniary aid Do you think, reader, he
will be tempted by any insignificant amount of
interest—ten, twenty, or thirty per cent? Do you
think the attraction of your honest countenance
and promissory note will tempt him ? Pray, try
not the experiment, in order to enlighten yourself
on the matter, for you will sorely repent of it if
you do. The word of honour of a gentleman has
no value whatever in dealings of this kind, and
should have no mention in a money dealing
transaction. The affair is simply one of specula-
tion—the odds against the borrower. You want
money : he has to sell it you, as much as possible
to his own advantage. He must, therefore, have
good security and exorbitant interest; or, without
security and interest so outrageous, he will not be
induced to make • you the neeekleary advances.

Ho will tell you he has been offered tic°
hundred per cent by needy men before Deft:
and he will not fail to impress upon you, agtll,l
and again, that the mere promise of a stranger „'
not exactly worth its weight in gold. Should Ye,'",
however, have no bona - fide security to offer hint, u:
may be induced to take a policy of
rance on your life ; and if such Peae't
be given, reflect, first of all, for a nioree'n°i
upon the fearful amount of interest
your debt, and keeping up the policy of insural
besides the expense of the execution of the dee
Examine carefully, then, this system of rael3ei
is
borrowing in whatever light you please, and It%.
nothing else than swindling with one's eyes 06;10
it is most ruinous; and few are they when (tut
caught in the meshes of the money lender
ultimately come to irretrievable penury and neleto
ending misery, and, as a punishment, will have of
work and toil for an existence to the end Aet
their lays. And does not all this come un"o,,
the category of slavery ? Unquestionably it dal
How little, how very little do those real potent.ates
of modern times, who sway the destinies of not'
cif
and individuals with a rod of gold, and issue ti!i6
decrees in bank notes and Exchequer 1)1,
—the bankers of money-spinning Eurqe
conjecture the fearful nature of the passionif
imprisoned in that Pandora's box,--th,
iron safe,—the world of ma is spells, e°ri
e,O
passed within the simple parchment covers of " d
hooks of their constituents,—the fiat of life aa
death occasionally inscribed on one of the poilut:s,
cheques which their clerk mechanically eseulo
registering the number of the notes he gives,ie
exchange with as cool deliberation as though
heart of the expectant "bearer" throbbed not vild
ecstacy at the sight of those bringers of glad 0415
to his necessitous household. The whole roalefijo
of civilisation is in fact comprised within the 1116
initials of Ls. d. Money is indeed power!--,'
" Open Sesame" to the seemingly impervious re
of human destiny ! Of all the masquerading gillpsif,
in which false philosophy loves to parade be,ls'gt
contempt of money, the ladder by which tt'''''°o6
every earthly advantage is attainable, surely
is most absurd !
Now, my friends, in conclusion, let me Wili°,Pes:
one kind word in your ear, which never forge.'.oo
long as you live. Whatever may be your Peel,tio
in life—whatever pecuniary difficulties you. R'l,ll
have to encounter—let me earnestly, and withtbef
sincerity advise you, be the consequences what id
may, to avoid any transaction, however triflinFithe
its nature, connected with the hateful calling e"
Money Lender.—Yours, &c., Vsllo.
Liverpool, April 14th, 1857.

WARBRICK'S CHARITIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMICS ,ept
Sir,—lf the records of future generations Pre :101,
no greater fidelity of public charities than the Yoe
Liverpool offers but poor encouragement tLril.
benevolence of noble minded men in her 011-
ship.
toffi
About 150 years ago there resided in this -no
one Richard Warbrick, who was the William Dr"
of his day. 00
In the year of our Lord 1706, this gentle-to
gave a sum of money to build alms houses, fot
widows of poor sailors, in Hanover street. A its
These houses were shortly after erected, 040
1708 the Corporation, in consideration of the ;00
of £lO being paid to them 173, the executors, ei„ec
said Richard Warbrick, undertook for ever In
them in repair. trot
But, it appears about 80 years after this anhpse
,was made, the Corporation pulled down t" -its
houses and erected others in lieu of theinti
Cambridge street, numbering in the whole °rot
eight tenements (of course I must assume tout
value was given to charity by this exchange.) ;Olt
how stands this fact at the present day; coolie"' •
:
of these tenements are occupied by the recd3;s ot
-
hY
of Warbriek's charity, and the remaining
fort,'
the corporation and others. tog'
But the greatest injustice remains to be .„),,
On the 27th January, 1727, Richard Warbri;ii,
nephew of him
.before mentioned, made his vs_'„,
under and by virtue of which the churchwardr
and overseers of the poor became possessedlet
property situated in Castle street and Moor str,ol
upon the expressed and unqualified conditions titi
they should dispose of the yearly rents and pro 0
in the support of poor seamen's widows that slo oe
inhabit the almshouses built by his uncle. (df,
gross rental of these premises, at the present
is upwards of £3OO per annum) t esa
in addition to this property in Castle stres,F,
Moor street, the said Richard Warbrick doll 's
other property in Chapel street, which, frOr:, 010
unexplained cause, is entirely lost ; and* , tolVf,rtri
the languageof the paper read ova- to the ve'
on Tuesday last, " can nowhere:
Although the disburseme be found." I that
charities onlyof these and °too
comes b'..-tore the Vestry eveg,igo
years (amounting
Ivorthy of a tr £1,700) they were not alto/
,Pa.ng remark except by rurali' has •
I was rera'7.ided by the chairman that it 0°
quarter to four. Surely, those gentler:ooot 0
are ".nxious to be reformers in reality, snd„nlioef°,f,
name only, these matters present a wider sTthep
usefulness than the intoxicating melody 0' upoS
own " sweet voices," for two hours togother'of the
subjects purely personal, whilst the interest
community at large are postponed to ripen tindier
excitement of party strife.—l am, sir, your nusT'sy.
servant, ROBERT SIP'.

♦
THE LATE APPALLING ACCIDENT Ar

MANCHESTER.
Atieeff
The inquest on the body of James Shaw, ages 28, eetool
in the employment of Messrs, John Pender and Ce., °fr
fatally injured on Monday afternoon, has concluded.__,ol
witnesses examined were Mr. James Peacock, lorehoe_"iip
to Messrs. Petider, and Edmund Carter, apprentice ri3esipai
Baines, who went up in the cage with deciased, Mr.
and his two men, and the Messrs Peacock, and wh° .e
cage at the top landing along with the
very pgi
additional facts and circumstances elicited may be
stated. The efficiency of Mr Baines's apparatus, as Sp
to the hoist in question, bad been several times isecioo
during the past week. On one occasion tho rePe "oyez;
about
accidentally disconnected when the cage wasattd
feet from the ground, and when the witness Carte:oo
lgessrs Peacock.
rof
several man were in the cage, and its descent W$ tea
deli
checked. In the course of these trials little alteretle;er4
seen to be required, which could only be effected by a
ken e"
lever being taken off, and that lever could not be tsbre&
unless the springs, which in the event of the hoist rePebou
ing would force the catches into the racks, were held, Cartel,:
a wedge, and so prevented from acting. The witee.,..-tusw,:-,
the only one conversant with the working of the aPPethidetit
was examined, said he could only account for the „st-erbeli thn:
supposing that that wedge bad not been takeet the lore
lever referred to was last attached ; and hence, w"-Dhes "1",1
was suddenly disconnected by deceased, the catc -
nor o-
prevented checking the descent of the cage. The 11:00,,fai
jury proceeded to the room where Mr. Ba!nes was of t:,
he stated that when be felt the cage going, he tbee,g[noo f
wedge, and called out " The wedge !" The sniiPs`t"-, d
witness Carter appearing to the jury a probable over t-oroee ;
oversight it suggested quite natural, they at once Arethe (Owe"
verdict of " Accidental death." Mr. Baines andCaa
men who were injured are going on as favourably
ea
expected,
Ohl
TARBOLTON--AYRSHIRE ELECTION-- NOTIa.,""-.ltrdeP io
—lt was late on Thursday se'nnight before the negi` eleetrj
us of the final state of the poll. For want of at, plat
telegraph, there was a number of swift running bel 1;044,
at equal grid short distances along the road, wh io
the intelligence from Ayr, a distance of seven eii'e,peCts4
minutes. As soon as it was ascertained by the te
a'
crowd that Lord James had gained a large rtlejer
Da
welkin rang with rejoicing shouts.—Ayr ErPress' ,
THIMBLERIG ADJUDGED LAWFUL IN FR"Yerc •g,
; of !l
question whether the ancient game of
thim bl
the fiefeljuiper
others like it, are, or are not, swindling, in
French Law, was last week submitted to the polic,
a
Court of Rourges. The Tribunal of Correctionairopedo,
of that city had decided that they were; and oc'edeto Pof
man named Biclet, who practised them at fairsl;loo9
and imprisonment for having won money by decisre
them, though the people from whom he woe t 13iee
il tt
they did not consider themselves agrieved• Bat
appealed to the Imperial Court on the ground 'stnigbo
games were not swindling, inaQmuch as pers°not
win at them, though he admitted they could
; the Ptbe
much as the proprietors of the table at
vi of -it
went on. The court decided that the man's f3ot
law was correct, and it quashed the condemnation'
on g foes
la"
,
held that he bad violated the law by carrying t
hazard in a public place, and it sentenced Wu"
flue,

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I"VINDLERS, UNCERTIFIED BANKRUPTS,
INSOLVENTS, FRAUDULENT ASSIGNMENTS,
AND RUNAWAY DEBTORS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.
Sir,—Permit me, through the medium of your
columns, to call the attention of your numerous
readerS, and the members of trade protection
.societies, to the urgent propriety of inducing
government to pass laws for the purpose of sup.
Pressing the abominable lying imposition that is
Practised on the trading community of this country,
thy Parties adopting false names for the purpose of
evading the payment of their debts and to obtain
'Roods, and thus deceive their victims. It is a
eonvnon practice for parties to obtain an unjusti-
tlble amount of credit, and then make a pretended
Itssignment, or a clear run of it to some other town,
ocd commence business in., a new name, and, if
'found out by a creditor, they pretend that another
party
(of the name they have assumed) is the
Proprietor, and that they are the servants of the
!,4id proprietor; but go to pay them money, and
they wilt at once shew themselves masters, and in
other affairs they will give you to understand that
they are sole proprietors. If elected guardians of
the poor, they serve and receive the oath in the
the name ; they also serve as jurors, and sign
Leo same name on the receipt of cash, and other
transactions
Su,;ll vagabonds should be put down; they are
cankerworm to society ; they hesitate not at any
dishonest or dishonourable actions to enrich them
selves.
the Prom the knowledge I have of such parties, and
strict attention I have paid to their actions, I
believe I could furnish any body of gentlemen
Vyith a few hints that would assist them in checking
the u •
nposition.—l ant, sir, yours respectfully,
ONE WHO HAS BEEN VICTIMISED.