The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-19 00:00:00

A WIFE BEATING .RELIEVING OFFICER.

At the Worship street Police court, London, on
Friday, Mr. Alfred Hughes. the assistant relieving officer
of the hamlet of Mile end New town, was brought up in
custody before Mr. Hammill, charged with a series of
aggravated assaults upon his wife. The complainant,
Phoebe Hughes, a delicate looking woman, who exhibited
extreme emotion, stated that she bad been married
several years to the defendant, by whom she bad a
family of four children, and that he had subjected
her, for a long time past, to a systematic course of
cruelty. On the previous evening she was invited by
her landlady to accompany her to the theatre. On
returning shortly after eleven o'clock, she found that her
husband had reached home before her in a state of
intoxication, and that he was then lying asleep on the
children's bed. Not wishing to disturb him, witness
directly retired to rest in an adjoining room, and was
composing herself to sleep, when the defendant
suddenly entered, and imperatively ordered her to
get up immediately and leave the house. On remon-
strating with him upon his cruelty in turning her
into the street at such an hour of the ni4ht, the
defendant forcibly dragged her out of bed and dealt
her a savage kick on the lower part of the back, from
the effects of which she had been ever since in a state
of excruciating pain. The defendant was proceeding
to other acts of violence, when the landlord of the house
and other persons hastened to her assistance, and
rescued her from further ill-treatment. Mr. Christopher
Hayman stated that the defendant and his family had
occupied apartments in his house for the last week, and
during that brief period he had been repeatedly
called upon and interfered for the protection of
the complainant against the violence of her husband.
On the previous night, witness accidentally met him in
the neighbourhood, and on telling him that his wife
had been induced by Mrs. Hayman to accompany
her to the theatre for a little recreation, the defendant
declared, with a dreadful imprecation, that she
should have cause to suffer for it before the
night was over. Witness saw no more of either of
the parties until a late hour of the night, when he was
disturbed by loud cries of " Murder," and on hastening
down stairs he heard the sound of several violent blows in
their apartment, which was followed by a heavy fall upon
the flu ir. Witness immediately obtained the assistance
of a policeman, and on bursting opea the door, the
complainant rushed out in a state of pitiable distress
and agitation, and the defendant, who was decide dly
intoxicated, was ultimatelely given into custody.
Police constable Reading, H 214, gave corroborative evi-
dence, and added that on their way to the station house
the complainant declared that her husband was in the
constant habit of ill treating her, and that he had lately
knocked out three of her teeth. In answer to tha charge
the prisoner admitted the last assault, but said that he had
acted under feelings of strong provocation. Mr. Hammia
said that it was a very gross and lamentable case. and it
was only in consideration for his unhappy wife and
family that he abstained from committing him to prison
for the full termof six months, but as such a
sentence must inevitably involve the loss of his situation, he
would afford him an opportunity to enter into satisfactory
arrangements for their separate maintenance. In the
course of the day, Mr. Proctor, the vestry clerk of the par-
ish, attended in court, and having undertaken that a suffi-
cient proportion of the defendant's salary should be appro-
priated for the support of his wife arid children, the
defendant was ordered to put in substantial bail to be
answerable for his good behaviour for the next six months.

THE LATE DOUBLE MURDER.

EXTRAORDINARY PARTICULARS.

inspector Young, with one or two officers of the L divi-
sion, are actively pursuing their enquiries, and using every
possible effort to unravel the extraordinary mysteries and
strong suspicion which surround the shocking murder of the
two children in Four Acre-street, Walworth, but have not
yet arrived at any satisfactory result beyond the very strong
suspicion that the unfortunate mother is not the actual per-
petrator of the fearful crime. There is one circumstance
that strikes them as something extraordinary, and that is,
that though Bacon, the father of the children, returned to
town on Wednesday morning., it was not until the Friday
night following he said anything about the alleged robbery
of money, watch, suit of clothes, though he had frequent
opportunities to do so ; and that the accounts he then and
subsequently gave were most unsatisfactory and conflicting.
In the course of his inquiries, Inspector Young had found
that, though representing he had £7 by him, Bacon had
applied for assistance to his brother-in-law in the country,
and that he sent l4e ; and the fact is admitted by Bacon
himself without any satisfactory reason. It was further
ascertained, that in July last Bacon had been tried at the
Lincoln assizes, on a charge of arson in setting fire to his
house at Stamford in that county, but was acquitted, and
subsequently received £2BO from the insurance company.
The most starling circumstance connected with the affair
remains to he told. Front facts communicated to the
officers, it appears that• the mother of Bacon had a life
interest in some house prwerty in the town of Stem.
ford, and that on her death the property passed into
the possession of her son, subject to a few legacies to
relatives. About seventeen or eighteen months ago, the(
mother was invited to, and did dine with her son on a
Sunday, and soon after dinner complained of severe cramps
in the stomach, which continued to her death, which took
place on Monday night or early on T legday morni;,T. The'
medical man who attended her gave it as his opinion that
death bad been caused by a "cramp in the stomach," snot
having given a certificate to this effect, the body was interred
without an invest or any judicial investigation. R'cent
events, however. have given rise to various surmises on the
part of the inhabitants of Stamford and its vicinity on
the snbjezt, and it is said to be the intention of the
authorities there to have the body of Mrs. Bacon exhumed,
in order that it may be carefully examined, and the contents
of the stomach and bowels submitted to the necessary scien-
tific tests, and an inquest held on it. There is another mat-
tsr connected with this mysterious affair, and one that is not
the least as exciting the strong suspicion of the officers in
favouring the belief that the dreadful crime had been com-
mitted on the Sunday night ; and that is, the fact that
during the whole of Monday, the neighbours next door,
though generally annoyed by the screams of the children,
did not hear a single cry; on the contrary, they describe
the place perfectly silent and free from noise. Inspector
Young has proceeded to Stamford to prosecute his inquiries
there, and it is hoped, from the perseverance and intelli-
gence of that officer, that he will be able, by the next
examination of Mrs. Bacon, to throw some light on the
mysterious affair.

Peter Lougbnan and Timothy Kelly, convicted of the
murder of a French seaman, at Alderney, and now lying in
Gaernsey gaol, have been reprieved during her Majesty's
pleasure. _ _

- There has been a sudden fall of about 15s. per
share in the shares of the Antwerp and Rotterdam Rail-
way, consequent upon a positive statement that no
dividend will be recommended by the directors in their
forthcoming report,
We understand that the directors of the Bank of Egypt
propose shortly calling a meeting of the shareholders, who
in the meantime are required to sign the deed of settlement
and exchange their scrip for shares. The latest data
allowed for this is the 24th instant.

THE PRINCES OF OIIDE AT THE INDIA House.--Oa
Friday the two Princes of Oude, now on a visit with the
Queen Mother to this country, went to the India House for
the first time, and had an interview with the Court of
Directors. The visit was purely one of ceremony, and bad
no aim in connection with the political affair that has
brought them to England. They were attended by Major
Bird, and Colonel Rawlinson, and a numerous native suite.
The Princes were formally introduced to the Court of
Directors, and after an interchange of compliments had
passed, they were escorted by the members of the court
through the building. The princes and their suite were
afterwards entertained at a dejeuner.
POISONING DOGS AND FOXES.—It will he in the recollec.
tion of our readers that we some time back published an
account of the destruction by strychnine of some of Baron
Rothschild's stag hounds, and also of several fine foxes on
the farm of a Mr. Bowden, on the estate of Captain
Lovett, at Soulbury, Bucks. From that time down to
the present dead foxes and dogs have at frequent intervals
been found poisoned. W. S. Lowndes, Esq , only a few
weeks ago, had two very valuable setters destroyed by
font means. A person who it is supposed was
guilty of these shameful practices has been convicted at
the Winslow petty sessions. He is the brother
of Mr. 0. Bowden, of Soulbury, upon whose farm
Baron Rothschild's hounds met with their death,
and upon whose lands the poisoned foxes were found.
The case was heard before P. Douncey, Esq., and E. W.
Lowndes, Esq., on the 13th instant. Mr. J. Bowden,
farmer, Swanbourne, was the defendant. He appeared to
answer a summons charging him under the Malicious
Injuries Act' with poisoning a dog and a bitch, the
property of Mr. T. Yates, of the same plaee, on the 7th
December last. Mr. Yates deposed that on Sunday, the
7th of December, he turned one of the dogs out of the
house at dinner time. The dog remained away only a
short time when it returned home and went and smelled at
the fire, and immediately fell down backwards, his joints
becoming very stiff. It frothed at the mouth, and its lips
were shrivelled up, leaving its teeth and gums bare. It died
almost immediately. In consequence of not having seen
the bitch during the morning, he became alarmed, and
went in search of her. He went to Mr. Bowden's house,
which is situate a short distance off, and asked Mr.
Bowden if he bad seen his bitch. He said, " Yes, Tom, I
saw her in my orchard dead, and I kicked some leaves over
her." He (witness) then went into the orchard, and under
a walnut tree found the bitch dead. She was covered over
with leaves and long grass. He then went to Mr. Bowden.
and said to him, " Thank yen for poisoning my dogs, but I
will see what I can do." He then took her home and cat
her open, and found in her stomach a hare's foot and a piece
of intestines tied up in a knot. The dog and bitch were
buried together. Mr. Supt. Hodgkinson stated that
he was present when the dog and bitch were dug up, and
that, having seen the dog opened, he took away the stomach
and hare's foot, &c. He took them to Messrs. Denne and
Newham, surgeons, of Winslow, for the purpose of having
them analysed. Mr. Newham deposed to receiving the
stomach of an animal, a hare's foot, and a piece of intestines
from Mr. Superintendent Hodgkinson, which he had sub-
mitted to an analysis, and he found that they each contained
a large quantity of strychnine. Five other witnesses were
examined, and after a lengthened. investigation, the magis-
trates convicted Bowden of the offence, and ordered him to
pay damages and costs, amounting to £ll 3s 6d.
REFUSING TO MARY ON A SUNDAY.—A young man and
young woman, who had previously obtained a licence to he
married at Kirk Bramwith, near Doncaster, gave notice to
the rector, the Rev. F. Maynard, on Saturday evening last,
that his services would be required on the following day,
when he refuted to attend to perform the ceremony, alleging
that Sunday was not a proper day for merrymaking! He
was again waited on during Saturday evening, and
informed that the persons who wished to be married
on the following day had friends in attendance, who
would be obliged to return home by an early train on
Monday, and that they would be in attendance at
any hour that would best suit his convenience. Mr.
Maynard, however, again refused to perform the ceremony
on the following day unless the wedding party would agree
to attend divine service afterwards. Not feeling disposed
to do this, they repaired on Sunday morning to Barmby
Dun, the parish of the intended bridegroom, for the
purpose of prevailing on the minister there to perform the
ceremony. This gentleman, the Rev. J. Duffin, expressed
his readiness to comply with their wish, but found he was
unable to do so, as the licence was made out expressly for
Bramwith. Mr. Duffin, however, advised the party to
return to Bramwith, and present themselves before the rector
in the ehurcla, as he had known in his own experience
instances of marriages being performed during Divine ser-
vice. Acting on this suggestion the bridal pair and their
friends returned to Bramwith, entered the church, and,
just as Mr. Maynard was reading the second lesson, the
intended bridegroom advanced to the reading desk and
laid the licence before the minister. The lesson having
been concluded, and no answer vouchsafed to the applicant,
he said to the minister, " I will thank you, sir, to say
whether yon will or not ;" but Mr. Maynard made no
reply, and threw the document behind the pulpit ! The
person who presented it picked it up and with his friends
left the church. He subsequently went to Doncaster
and stated the whole affair to Dr. Sharpe, the vicar
there, who had granted the licence. He expressed his
surprise at what had occurred, and at once altered
the licence so as to allow of the marriage taking place at
Barmby Dun. They were accordingly married at the church
at that place on the following day, in the course of wh t:11
note was delivered to the father of the bride from r.
Maynard, intimating that if Joseph Scholes(the bridegroom)
did net appear before him that day in a "quiet and re,peet-
ful manner," and consent t) the terms then to be p: of. rred
to him, they would be summoned to appear in court to
answer the charge which would be laid against them. No
notice was, of course, taken of this epistle, and the rev.
gentleman has obtained a summons against the two
young men for disturbing the congregation during Divine.
service.