Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-01 00:00:00

LANCASIIIRE WINTER ASSIZES.

The Winter Assizes, for the county of Lancaster, opened
u ..t. George's Hall, at eleven o'clock, yesterday, before
tinsticee Wightman. The following gentlemen were
trrla as Grand Jurors :
Till G Ilesketh, Bart., Rufford Hall—Foreman,
J°flies Wells Blundell, jun., Blundell Hall.
osepa Brown, West Derby.
J,4 Campbell, South Hill Grove, Toxteth Park.
rthi Cattrell, Golborne Park.
0 Corbally, West Derby.
,
Evart, M P., New Brighton.
a 6111 as Fairbairn, North Wood, Manchester.
4tepli. Fenton, Rainford Hall, Rochdale.
otnas Gillen Bedford-street, Liverpool.
attaes lleywood, Headlands, Prestwich,
cttnes Ilolme, (Mayor of Liverpool), Liverpool.
aag• Molyneux, Croxteth Hall.
B. Moore, South Hill, Toxteth Park.
Vllkacis Shand, Fairfield Hall.
tiallrY Sharpies, Bishop Eaton.
bemard Sheil, West Derby. -
ohald Gordon Stewart, Bedford-street, Liverpool.
rtyard Tootall, Weasce Lodge, Pendleton.
a,
° Raudolphus de Trafford, Croston Hall.
sates A. Turner, M.P., Manchester.
esand Watt, Speke Hall.
t 4
Lordship addressed the Grand Jury as follows :
414. Foreman, and Gentlemen of the Grand Jury of the
thern Division of the County of Lancaster,—lt is now
NI Years since I held a winter assize for the County
taba,tiae of Lancaster, and I rejoice to fled that the
tk, `nr of persons 'charged with offences at this assize
twotars by the preseut calendar, as compared with that
stiilears ago, to be meth less. The offences, however, with
tote' they are charged are of the gravest kind, including
elver than thirteen casts of homicide, of which three
,
Charges of wilful murder. There are also fifteen
Niles of malicious wounding, some with intent to murder,
, others with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
tirlY say that at least one-third of the cases in the
„ttidar are charges of personal injury, arising from
lattes wholly independent of any attempts upon property.
, lta,°irences which are charged against property are of the
l' serious kina, comprehending twelve charges of burg-
th,' am thirteen charges of highway robbery. But, though
eatltiendar undoubtedly presents a black appearance, it is,
Wh',,e same time, to be considered that it repre.ents the
4,:8, of the more serious offences which are charged to
tbeen committed within the last three months in this
itt County. By the last census the County Palatice of
labeester was found to contain upwards of two millions of
4bitants—a number greater than is contained in the
t tY of York, or, indeed, in any other county in the Uni-
V 4 ~ogdom. With so great a population, a great part of
lan, is congregated in densely populated manufacturing
AC6 and districts, where the ill-disposed may readily
sit associates for evil, and subjects on which to exercise
tfher fraud or violence, it can hardly be a matter
lithsurprise that the number of persons charged
tia„,aoffences, and those of the gravest character,
I `4Q. be as great as it is. It, however, renders
ktiltPinter assize, intermediate !between the summer
tilt the spring circuits, a matter of necessity, to prevent
ae overwhelming accumulation which would otherwise
tit: at the spring assizes. It is, therefore, that you, gen-
takn, as well as the petty jury, have been summoned
at Your homes at this season, possibly at some incon-
to 4:40, which, however, I am sure that you, who have
Vrep an interest in the welfare of the county, will not
kg• You no doubt have noticed that an arrangement
tii),7°ll male by which only a certain number of cases will
aa,`°.nght you on each day of the present week, Saturday
lop e, but affording every reasonable probability that
16.116.11, without difficulty, conclude your inquiries on that
I,‘ If this arrangement occasions you any serious incon-
aqlee, it is much to be regretted ; but it was adopted
at4te the public the great and unnecessary expense of
tat:ll4'g a vast number of witnesses in the town for a
kaatll longer time than was necessary. A similar arrange-
lB has been adopted for three or four years past ; and
tt.,7 tell that the saving is not less than :E2,000, or more,
lile:oh assize. This, I am sure, reconcile you to any
tlys ill'eilience you may be nut to by a longer detention by
tleZ arrangement than would have resulted from the
iktl;-;y Pon such perusal of the depositions as I have been
n'eniake, very few indeed of the cases appear to me to
Ilaa.ea as require any particular comment from me ; and
May remark that in many of the cases, and some of
lei-44 of great importance, the depositions are so badly
tte In as to be almost illegible and unintelligible. No
!re undertake to take down the depositions, or be
ttlil,s,°Yed to do so, who is enable to write, or, at best, very
Itattfeetlea If any question of costs to be allowed can
tai in respect of the depositions, the illcgibility and bad.
114 of the writing should be taken into consideration.
is aye also again to complain of a practice which obtains
t''ses before some magistrates, of not taking down and
mina, with the depositions, the statement of the
Red, when they make any, before the magistrate.
tiaNtaamission tends greatly to impede the due adminis-
sas4 of justicee—it is often of the greatest importance,
eolt4aB for the prisoner, and a-metimes for the prose-
I:4N; to know what are the prisoner's own account of the
1‘ hen asked if he had anything to say, after hearing
htlt[e'clence against him; and I do earnestly hope that
'4tir 1); en in the commission of the peace will not suffer
NaeLerlts, from idleness or caprice, to omit, what ap-
btfte t° Me, an essential part of their duty. I have already
e acee to you that there are two cases in the calendar
map tell the charge is wilful murder. In one of these a
Ripe, 'lamed O'Brien, is charged with the murder of his
!titaB,,lllother ; and, in the other, the prisoner is charged
,14,ta:40 Murder of his wife. If the evidence before you
as it appears on the depositions, I do not think.
t'''lll.',,c'n cite do otherwise than find bale for murder in
nth
I° cases. The prisoners in both cases appear to have
'''rtiah',,nder the influence of liquor, adding. fresh instances
Itearful consequences arising from intemperance ;
cats, nret to say that these are not the only instances in
`447lthdar in which intemperance is the cause of crime.
Patit'6,truth, the besetting sin of the nation, and until some
kre'taege takes place in the habits of the people in
NesPect, I fear that it will be vain to hope for any
Nr2eduetion in the amount of crime. The third
is one of child murder, against a woman, named
Natt Larkin, and, if the evidence before you, as to
tij;,6nis made by the prisoner, is the same as is stated
NI; depositions I do not see how you can do otherwise
neethe bill, a'nd send the case for trial, and if there
nea 3' extenuating circumstances to reduce the crime
,ntet„tnet of murder, or to warrant a conviction for
hlnent only, she may have the benefit of them when
a10413,°11 her trial. There are three charges of man-
aNet4„'er ; One against a person of the name of Miles, and
el"sa,-! against a person named Whalley, and the third
Nas„": a person named Delaney; in each of which the
t, Mainly depend upon the medical testimony as to
anl,'6se of death. If there is reasonable evidence to
N.:l4at the deceased, in each case, did not die from
°r accidental causes, but from injuries inflicted by
Otli 6 by the prisoners, you will, in each case, find
lattantblit not otherwise. There is a case in which
I;'es ' named Cummings. is charged with having
a girl, named Mary Bolan, out of the
ag on, and against the will, of her father, she
Neil,l4der sixteen years of age, and unmarried. The
1:4:6,11:lade under a statute passed in the ninth year of
a4'''• The girl herself is said to be in America,
lOttabt4 e went with the prisoner, and she cannot be
agtta c'cl as a witness. The main question will be
qs htr taere is evidence that the prisoner induced, or
irtai3osed to her to go with him, and leave her father,
is such evidence I think you ought to find
oti; but if it should appear that she herself took the
kpaa,,,e, and proposed to leave her father without any
1114tes16nt or proposal by him, and that she left her
h tll°aouse of her own accord, and would have done so
With him or not, I do not think that you ought
vk'taf,l ; as he can hardly, in such case, be said to
her oat of the pos.-iession of her father. The
ytiv"ao intended for the protection of paten's ; but if
bti,,,.4er did nothing more than merely accompany the
tt,',44C case does not appear to me to be within the
t—:-Lliere is a charge of manslaughter against a man
tip Ctle of Holden, for causing the death of a young
t he„ aai neglect of his duty as underlooker of a coal mine,
%Nig of which neglect of duty there was an explosion
T„545„4:21 P in the mine, which killed the deceased.
i‘4,11.711 will be as to the nature of the duty, and
`ak 1,11,,1 here was culpable neglect of it by the prisoner,
ta4la;ger the deceased met with his death solely in
e 4e, 4;1" of the prisoner's culpable neglect of duty.
ye el reasonable evidence of the duty of the prisoner,
viPable neglect, and of the death in consequence,
‘ifinland the bill.—And now, gentlemen, I may say
taA the course of your inquiries you find cases in
aanlt 1-bevidence is not so satisfactory as to induce you
NA, '6t a conviction would be the result, it is better
`ithiee,
•fcilt the bill than to find it upon insufficient
ila`kl ()„1. if once the bill is found, the prisoner must
Eft t sernu if acquitted on account of the insufficiency
,teoreoleece, he cannot be tried again, though other
ktt th‘i epee,
evidence is afterwards discovered ;
kteh bill is thrown out, he may be indicted again
xsr evidence. And now I will trouble you no
&lee Yost by observing that if in the course of your
NI 'hie' find any case that I have not adverted to
You, may wish for my assistance or advice, I
koat
1a1,,,,,11-tnea ~anpy to afford them.
13URCLARY.—Alfred Fletcher, aged 24, was
I k of g
i breaking and entering a dwelling house, on
pith ligust last, and stealing throm a shawl
Property of Mary Child&eref Witneseee were

called who proved that at an early hour on the morning
in question, the prisoners were seen to force an entrance
by the window shutters into the house, and a policeman
was sent for, who apprehended the prisoner, on his leaving
the place, having the property in his possession. He was
found guilty, and a former conviction having been proved
(when he was sentenced to 10 years' transportation), his
Lordship sentenced him to 15 years' penal servitude.
HOUSEBREAKING AT WlGAN.—Bryan Lamb, aged 18, was
charged with stealing a watch and other articles, from the
dwelling-house of Elizabeth Haughton. It appeared that
the prisoner had, previous to the robbery, lodged in the
prosecutor's house, and on the day in question he had
decamped from the house, taking with him the goods
mentioned in the indictment. The prisoner was after-
wards found pawning the roods at a pawn-office in
Lancaster. Guilty. Twelve months' imprisonment, with
hard labour.

BURGLARY AT MANCHESTER —Edward Thompson, aged
20, a joiner, was indicted for having burglariously entered
the dwelling-house of J. W. Barton, on the night of the
2-Ith of August, and stolen therefrom a teapot and other
articles. As the burglary could not be distinctly proved,
the prisoner was found guilty of having received the
articles, knowing them to have been stolen, as they were
found at his lodgings. The prisoner had been formerly
convicted, and sentenced to ten years' transportation,
which term had not expired at the time of the robbery,
and he was now sentenced to seven years' penal servitude.
GAROTTE ROBBERY.—Benjamin Kenyon, aged 22, and
John M'Dermott, aged 18, were charged with baying
violently assaulted and robbed Thomas Morris, at Man-
chester, and stolen from his person a watch. The prose-
cutor stated that, about twelve o'clock on the night of the
27th of September, he was near St. Jude's church, in
Manchester, having return ,_d from his club house, when
he was attacked by seven or eight men, amongst whom
were the prisoner Kenyon, who struck him on the eye,
while M'Dermott seized him by the throat, and Kenyon
took his watch. For the defence it was contended that
the prosecutor had been robbed by one of the unfortunate
females who walk the streets of Manchester, with whom
the prosecutor had been standing. The jury found both
prisoners guilty, A former conviction was proved against
the prisoner Kenyon, who had been tried at -Manchester,
and sentenced to two months' imprisonment. His Lord-
ship sentenced the prisoners to four years' penal servitude.
BURGLARY AT MANCHESTER.—Robert Hart, aged 23,
and William Fox, aged 18, stood indicted with having, on
the 13th of October last, burglariously broken and entered
the dwelling house of Peter Clarke, of Manchester, and
stolen therefrom some money and some soap, A witness
was called, who obtained a livelihood by going about the
streets at an early hour in the morning to knock persons
up to go to their work. On the morning in question he
saw the two prisoners near the house of the prosecutor,
and when they saw him they ran away, Soon after that
he saw that the prosecutor's shop had been broken open.
Ho then gave information to the police. A female proved
that on that morning the robbery was effected, and that
subsequently a portion of the money and some of the pro-
perty stolen was found in the possession of the prisoners.
Guilty. Sentence deferred.
The Court soon after adjourned till this morning.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-YESTERDAY.

LIVERPOOL.
BEFORE ME. DIXON'.

THE POVERTY IN THE TOWN.—Fire strong, powerful,
and able-bodied men, who gave their names as Coyning,
M'G-enty, 'M'Donald, Joyce, and Mealey, were charged
under the following circumstanees :—lnspector O'Brien said
about three o'clock oa Saturday afternoon he was informed
that there were a number of men begging, in a gang, in
Percy-street, off Canning.street. I went there, when I
found the dye persons begging from door to door, and
certainly creating a feeling of alarr in the minds of the
inhabitants. I h ore since visited all their houses, and
found that they were in great distress, but I believe that
they are libouring men. Mr. Clough said that the autho-
rities had taken every precaution for the protection
of the inhabitants, and, at the same time, were
prep.,red to relieve all cases of real distress; therefore,
there was no occasion for any parties to go in gangs begging
from door to door, but it would appear to suit their purpose
better than going and getting assistance in a proper and
peaceful way. The Magistrate: This is a very serious case.
What have you to say to it ? Coyning : We can't get any
work. List Saturday I went to St. John's-lane to get
some tickets for relief, hilt could not get any, and went
away, and we were caught begging by the inspector.
The other prisoners represented the same statement. Mr.
Clough : These men might go amongst the master lumpers,
and get one or two days work now and then, but they must
not be allowed to ge ab out the town in gangs, The Magis-
trate : It is very wrong of you to go about in this way, and
creating alarm in the minds of the respectable inhabitants,
and I must make an example of you in order to deter others.
Mr. Clough : We have reason to believe that Mealey was
drawn into it by the others. The Bench discharged
Mealey, and sent Joyce and Coyning to prison for fourteen
days ; the other two for a month each.

DEMANDING BREAD —TW ) able-bodied young men were
charged by police constable 530, with begging and demand-
ing bread off a shopkeeper in Boundary-street. They gave
their names as Price and Reed. The constable stated th it
he was on duty on Saturday in Athol-strreet, when he saw
the two prisoners, who asked him the way to Scotland-
road. He directed them there, but soon after he heard
that two man hail been to Boundary street, anti demanded
sane bread or money. Ann Grant, of No. 60, Boundary-
street, stated that on Saturday afternoon the two prisoners
went into her father's shop and demanded some bread or
some money, saying that "Baker's and butcher's shops
were the shops to go to." Mr. Clough : The alarm was so
great, that informatiou was sent to the Head Constable's
Office. The Police Constable: One of them had 2s lid in
his possession when he came to the prison, and the other
had a lump of bread. They each denied that they had
demanded bread, but were ordered to be committed for one
month.

MonE BEGGING.—A person dressed in the garb of a
navvie' who gave.bis name as James Critchley, and another
named Powell, were charged with begging at different
vaults iu Great lloward:slrset, on Sunday night, and
saying that they were going to join the rioters on the next
day. Oa the former was found 53 211. They were each of
them sent to gaol for one month.
A " MODEL LODGER." AND "MODEL HOTJSEKEEPHR."—
A young man, named Robert Thoaip3on, was charged with
having inflicted an incised wound oa the head of Patrick
Martin, a shonkeepor, of 66, Norfolk-street. The cam-
plainant, who certainly did not seem to be much con-
certed at the injuries ha had received, said, with the
greatest nonchalance, I was having a few words
with my misses, when this man, . who is a
lodger of mine, came up and interfered, and
struck me ; then I struck him, and he struck me, and as I
was going down the stain I saw a knife in his hand, which
he held over my head and then stabbed me on the head."
Police-constable : This knife was found on the prisoner.
Complainant : That is the knife. The surgeon, who
dressed the wound, said there were two incised wounds on
the scull, which might be dangerous, but were not so at
present. Mr. Parker, who appeared for the defendant,
then proved that the complainant was a drunken dissi-
pated fellow, that he had quarrelled with his wife and
broke all the windows in the 11,11 c.•, and had attacked the
complainant in a most shameful way. The Bench said
that, as there had been a wound inflicted by same sharp
instrument, the prisoner must be remanded.

ASzAULT.—Peter Bowers, a porter, wee charged with
inflicting a most serious wound o❑ a dock labourer, named
Browne, at a beer-house in Gilbert-street, on Sunday
night. It appeared that the parties were all drinking in
the place, when some an2ry words ensued, and the
defendant struck the complainant a blow on the face with
a glass tumbler, inflicting a severe injury. The offence
having been clearly proved, the defendant was committed
for fourteen days. Mr. Cobb defended the prisoner.