Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-01 00:00:00

MURDEROUS ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

On Saturday the mayor and magistrates at Rochester
were occupied a considerable time in the investigation si
a charge of aggravated assault and .robbery preferrsi
against two privates of the Chatham division of the Rny
Marine Light Infantry, named John Norton And Gwne
Herbert, who were charged with entering the shop as
widow, named Clarke, residing in High-street, Frincis-
bury, and after severely ill-treating her, robbing the tat
of a considerable sum of money. The prosecarti;
who has been very seriously ill ever since the occurrence,
was assisted into the court, and had to be seated near thn
magistrate's clerk during the time she was gisirg
her evidence. Her head and face were much disfigured
from the prisoners' violence. The proseeutrix stated flint
the prisoners entered her shop about nine o'clock in the
evening, and asked to be supplied with a pennyworth
of bread. After they had been served Norton remarked
that he believed she was a widow, and asked her to giro
him a glass of water. Prosecutrix sent the shop boy fur
the water, and, on his returning with it, went into a roma
at the back, leaving the prisoners, as she supposed, in am'
shop. The prisoners, however, followed her into the nova,
when Norton knocked her down with a violent Maw
between her eyes. As she was down, he was proceetTheff
to strike her, the other prisoner (Herbert) cal
"Kill her, kill her !" She then succeeded in (
under the table, when Norton dragged her out by 1_
hair, and told her to give them all the money she ha
Prosecutrix gave him the contents of her pocket, cas-
sis ting of some silver and half-pence, and also the icy
of a desk in the shop, which contained the mom!,
taken during the day. The prisoner Norton went isitit
the shop and possessed himself of the money, among wig
were two five shilling packages of half-pence, the olirez
prisoner standing over her, and repeatedly threat:rim:.
to kill her if she moved. Prosecutrix, however, managita
to get out of the window and give an alarm. Both tic
prisoners were apprehended the same night not far Fr=
the scene of the robbery, but so violent was their cord.nc:
on being taken into custody that it required Ike":
police-constables and some other persons to convey them
to the station-house, one of the police-constables, Dirk!,
having his leg injured through their violence. 1:12.,
prisoners, who had declined cross-examining the prc.•
-
cutrix or the witnesses, made no defence, and they
then fully committed for trial.

iliux Gui

The exploit of William Tell has stimulated a weaver
Spire to try his hand at rifle 'practice on his young- son;
whose head he placed a potato, and brought dowal
tuber at 100 yards, but was had up before the police, a
sent to gaol for a week by the indignant magistrate.
M. Jobard has communicated to the Academy of Seim
a curious discovery just made by M. Ch. Serret, viz., if
a large kind of fresh water mussel,' frequently found. in
stream called La Vierte, which rises near Neufehatez—
the department of the Vosges, and waters a porti(
Belgium, produces pearls equal in quality to the Ori
ones. Some of them are not white, but of a maim
colour, as if they contained iron, which, however, 'ill
do not

ATTE7,IPTED SUICIDE BY A SOLDIER AT TILE BINV
OF :,,TGLAND.-011 Saturday morning a sentinel o 4 (hay
Bankattheof of
ScotsEngland,F
tsilie
tofr Guards, the namearc nowo fWatts,lyinat
of ttirot
battalion
Tower, loaded his musket whilst on duty with powder.fol
ball, and placing it to his left side, discharged it. -porta,
nately the ball took a slantinc,
m s
direction, passing throe
his clothes, and eventually lodging in the door.
immediately conveyed to the military hospital at.tke
Tower of London. He was in the four battles aide
Crimean war, for which he received the silver medal va
four clasps. No reason is assigned for the suicidal Act:
A court-martial will be held at the Tower to inquire-WA
the circumstances.

iriadtrhagyee
ciaf
INSOLVENT G, . .
.RT, LANCASTER.—At the Court, l
judge, onp i
Discharged
foniodi:tS7taiwldl insolvents
Saturday last,
Frederick beforewerLe
oJhwoehrayiri,aa ugpeon Addison,itipaeutcjiPtica
1.1.-,
lector, Manchester. Edmund Simister, block cutter to
calico printers, Audenshaw, near Manchester. Thomas
Parsons, builder and stone mason, Longbridge, near Pres-
ton. John Unwin, publican, Bury. Saud. Wood, tailor
and draper, Heaton Norris. Richd. Davis, beersellcr, St-
Helm. rm. Coupe, factory operative, Bacup. George:
Varley, grocer and general dealer, Salford, Manchester-
Michael Hart Simonson, teacher of Hebrew, Ki.ichester-
Jas. RichmOnd Smith, shipbroker and merchant, Lim
pool. Edwd. Moneypenny, beerseller, Manchester. Ha&
William Morgan, commission agent, Manchester. hater
Ince, beerseller and carter, llindley, near Wig as--
Adjourned to next Court. Elisha Riley, farmer,
otnadest-
shaw, near Manchester. Thomas Charnley, acc-
ti
and general agent, Lancaster. William Dawson,,,uhut.
Ir.
maker, Baxenden, ner Bury. John
_G.
t°01.5;9d yor °tune,
painter, and glazier, Ormskirk,
.40' 0
j Liverymilta.
months. Richard Balsbaw, commission agent,Michael Levy, cigar dealer, _
Manchester. ainuellskap.
t
S arWIF .
wood, the younger, agen , Manchester.—Petitions
missed. Thomas Tomlinson, currier and leather
Manchester. James Eastwood,
boot and shoemabes
Bacup.