The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-06 00:00:00

MURDER OF 4 CHILD BY ITS FATHER.

At the Reading Assizes, on Wednesday, Chas, Forrester,
aged 36, was indicted for the wilful murder of his infant
son, Samuel Forrester, on the 14th. of November last, ha
the parish of Wokingham, in Berkshire. From the
evidence adduced, it appeared that the prisoner originally
was a tailor by trade, but being rather of a religious turn
of mind, he was sent to the training institution, at Bedford,
in the year 1853, preparatory to his being employed as a
home missiona,y. In the month of May, 1855, he was
engaged by Mrs. Saltmarsh, a lady of religious and bene—
volent disposition, living at Bill Hill, near the town of
Wokingham, as a scripture reader, to visit the poor at
their cottages, to read and expound the scriptures to
them, and to preach at a chapel in the neighbourhood, every Sunday. He continued to perform such duties for
about twelve months, when MrS. Saltmarsh, observing
something rather eccentric in his manner, and that his
mental powers were not such as to qualify him for the
post he was occupying, gave him a notice of three months
to find some other occupation. The wife of the prisoner
was induced to open a shop for the sale of groceries at g
place called Ernbrook, and was assisted in that object by Mrs. Saltmarsh, and the sympathy of the neighbours was
such that she soon got a good e.annection. ImMediaiely
upen the prisoner (whose health had been declining),
ceasing the duties of home missionary, he was removed'
to the Consumption Hospitil, at Brompton, in Middlesex.,
and remained there till towards the end of the month of
October. He returned home on the 10th of November,
and his-wife and neighbours observed him to be suffering
from great mental depression. On the morning of the'
14th his wife rose soon after seven o'clock, leaving him
and the little boy in bed. In less than an hour after-
wards, he came down stairs, and immediately proceeded
out of doors, but his wife, supposing him to have gone into
the garden, took no notice at first. His long absence, how..
ever, occasioned surprise, and Mrs. Forrester went upstairs
into the bedroom, where sh 2 saw her only child, a boy about
Dire years of ace, quite dead on the bed, his head being
nearly getered from the body. The prisoner, immedi-
ately upon doing this, went to the police station at
Wokingham, and there gave himself into custody, saying
that he bad murdered his boy. Mr. Huddlestone, in his
address to the jury for the prisoner, remarked that he
was prepared to show that for years previous the prisoner
had shown an ecKettricity of conduct which could not fait
to lead to the irresistiOe conclusion that the prisoner was
insane at the time he deprived the child of life. After evi-
dence to this effect had been i:iven, the learned Judge
summed up, expressing the opinLon that proof was
positive of the act being done in a momei.l when deprived
of reason. The jury almost immediately returned &
verdict of " not guilty" on the ground of insanit;'' Ilis
lordship ordered the prisoner to be detained during
rher
Majesty's pleasure.-

STRIKE OF THE HAND-LOOM WEAVERS OF
DROGBEDA.

VIOLENT OUTRAGE.

About a month since the hand-loom weavers of this
town, to the number of over a thousand, struck for am
advance of wages, and met almost every night in a store
rented by them, for the purpose of binding each other
more firmly together to resist the terms of the manufac-
turers. Only one of all the manufacturers in, the town
agreed to the propositions of the operatives, and he made
the proviso that he was not to pay the advance until thft
other manufacturers met them on similar terms. About
a fortnight since the manufacturers, with the exceptiod
alluded to, held a meeting, and passed a resolution. to the
effect " that they could not afford to give the advanee
required, but, on the contrary, they would reduce their
wages one shilling per piece." In consequence of the
latter step, the weavers have at different times since
assaulted parties who took out work from the manufao.
turers at the reduced rate. 01 Tuesday morning one of the
weavers, named Patrick M'Ginness, accompanied by his
wife, while conveying material to his residence at Sarstie/d,
in the neighbourhood of this town, was set upon by a party
of "the body," and beat in a cruel manner. From the evict
dence of M'Ginness, sworn before C. Jordan, Esq , J. P., it
appeared thatin order to support his family he (WGinness)
was obliged to take employment at the terms of the manufac—
turers. He was watched upon his movements, and way.;
laid at Gallows-lane. Two of the parties who attacked
him beat him on the head with sticks. The bonnet was
torn off his wife's head, and she was also beat in a violent
manner. The unfortunate man bore evident marks of
abuse on his head and face. Warrants were issued for
the apprehension of the parties implicated. A number of
the manufacturers have attended in the Mayor's office,
and stated that their stores were vigilantly watched by
mobs of the operatives, for the purpose of intimidating
nvo gin efgßy WS' nfo 15816221ethallacif:rfirriallie
different corners of the streets. In consequence of the
strike, the shopkeepers complain loudly of the slackness
in their business, through the poverty of the operative
weavers, which is felt generally by almost every class in
the cornrunnity. The manufacturers are about employing
counsel to bring into operation the strong arm of the law,
in order to put down the combination, which threatens
to result in most serious consequences.

ADDRESS TO SIR JOHN" APNEILL .41.111 D COLONEL
TULLOCII.

The followjng is a copy of an address sent from
Bath on the 24th of February, to Sir John M‘Neill,
G.C.8., and Colonel Tulloch, late Commissioners
in the Crimea :

ADT'RESS.
When disasters, the consequences of official mismanage-
ment had deprived the British Government 'of the cons
deuce of Parliament and people, your appointment as
Commissioners in the Crimea was hailed with general
approbation.
Ameliorations in the condition of the army before Sebas-
topol, effected under your auspices, raised the spirits of
the nation, and public opinion has cordially participated
in the feeling of entire satisfaction with your conduct;
which has been repeatedly expressed in Parliament by
Lord Palmerston.
The proceedings at- Chelsea, and the languid action of
Government on your report have caused pain and mis-
giving ; and we ha% e seen with regret that your exertionst
distinguished by great ability, great perseverance, and
great minuteness .of research, by means of which the
effectiveness of the British forces in presence of the enemy
was increased, and by which recurrence has been pre=
vented of such unfortunate events as at one time disgraced
our military system, have not been recognised with so much
alacrity as some acts of bravery in the field, for which that
honours of the crown were promptly awarded.
It would be a stigma on this nation were the revelations
of your report to be forgotten'or unheeded, or the fruits
of your labours to be sacrificed under any baneful
iofinences ; or were the Government's neglect of your
eminent services to be tolerated iu silence. We trust such
disgrace cannot befall England. The popular voice will
be heard in vindication of the national sense of justice and
of merit.

We solicit your acceptance of this address, which IS
offered as an expression of our respect, and as a testi-
mony, that we have not failed to appreciate the great
services which you have rendered to our country by the
honest and unflinching discharge of your duty.
Signed by R. Cook, Mayor of Bath, &c.

REPLY or SIR JORN McNEILL.
Granton House, Edinburgh, Feb. 25.
Gentlemen,—Allow me to offer my cordial thanks for
your manly address. Believe me it is not merely the
approbation of my services and those of my colleague,
Colonel Tulloch, that gives me pleasure, but likewise the
proof which you have given that the spirit of truth and
justice still distinguishes our countrymen, and insures to
every honest public servant who has the courage to do
his duty, that approbation which is his best and highest
reward.—l have the honour to be, gentlemen, with the
greatest respect and gratitude, your most obedien
servant, (Signed) JOHN M'NEILL.
R. Cook, Esq., Mayor of Bath.
William Bush, Esq., ex-Mayor of Bath, &e.

REPLY OP COLONEL TIILLOCII.
of the 63, Eaton Square, London, Feb. 28.
Gentlemen,—l have the honour to acknowled
inhabitants of Bath, expressing address
from
their
s thet
ra t erse,ce receipt
td
satisfiction with the manner in which Sir Joh
Ba the
e mayor, magi.
magi.
M'Neill and myself discharged our duties as Commission-
ers in the Crimea. This expression of feeling, comity
from persons to whom I am a stranger, is in itself a ream..
pense for any service which it has been in my power to
render; and I feel confident, while so strong a feeling is
manifested throughout the country in support of m
colleague and myself, that the result of our labours wi
not be lost, though circu,nstances may for a time preven
measures being taken on them.—l have the honour to be,
gentlemen, your most obedient servant, •
g R. Cook, E.g., Mayor of Bath.
Wm. Bush, Esq., ex-Mayor of Bath,
(Signed) ALEX. M. Tursoca, Colonel

THE LUND HILL COLLIERY ExPLostopi.—The mod
careful enquiries have been made as to the sacrifice of life
by this explosion, and the exact number of deaths has now
been ascertained to be 186.

COUNTY COURT. —ln the absence of the judge, Mr.
Pollock, the business of this court was conducted yesterday
by Mr. T. S. Raffles. A largo list of cases was gone through,
but none possessed any public interest.

PRESERVED FRESIIILW MEAT, &C.—ln February last
we directed attention to Hand's Patent for the Preserving
of Fresh Raw Meat, Poultry, Game,- 89., since which
period we find that large quantities of provisions manufac.
tared by his process have been used in our ships. and
especially on voyages to and from Australia. We also
understand that the government have tested these pro-
visions by placing them in rooms where the heat was regulated so as to occasion decomposition, if such was
possible, and they were found, after a period' of eight
months, to be perfectly sound.—Shipping Gazette.—[Mr.
Morrice, 14, Cooper's Row, is Bole agent for Liverpool.] I