Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-28 00:00:00

OH, THOSE VEAL PIES

Yesterday, Mr. M'Gowan, instructed by the Health
Committee, made an application to the bench of magis-
trates, of some considerable importance to the public, and
also to those so-called butchers who traffic in the purchase
of diseased beasts of every description, which they—if
not dead before their arrival at their establishment—
slaughter, and then in the most scientific manner carve up
the limbs, and dispose of them to various parties who have
a good demand for sausages, black puddings, and veal,
mutton, and beef-pies. That such a trade has been carried
on to some considerable extent in this town, without the
aid of the exportations of dead horses from the other side
of the water, is a well known fact to the authorities; but
the difficulty has heretofore been, in being able to catch
the parties at their nefarious work. Mr. M'Gowan ex-
plained to the bench that the present application was under
the Nuisance Removal Act of 1855, by the passing of
which the authorities had been relieved from a great
difficulty in bringing such parties, as he had to complain
of, to justice. Prior to the passing of that act, the
authorities had no remedy against such offenders, unless
they were found " offering" unwholesome meat for sale,
bat by the present act, which really to him (Mr. M'Gowan)
appeared to have been constructed to meet such cases,
for by it the officers had the power of seizing such meat,
and then coming before the magis►rates, and after it had
been duly inspected, it was for the bench to decide whether
such meat should be destroyed or not. In this case he
should ask the bench to inspect a sample of the meat, and
then, if thought that it was unwholesome, that they should
give an order to have it destroyed, but as far as regards
the penalties to which the parties had rendered themselyee
liable, that would be the subject of a future applica-
tion. Mr. M'Gowan then wort on to describe the
quality of the " stuff.' found on the premises, a portion of
which was produced in the court, the appearance of, and
the offensive odour from which, caused all persons present
to give a shudder with disgust that that abominable filth
should ever be allowed to be sold for human food. The
defendant, Charles Smith, of Towbridge-street, was then
called, but he did not appear, having " abdicated" from his
calling, from the fact that a warrant had been issued
against him for another offence. Two officers unier the
Health Committee, named Heade an.l Jones, deposed to
the fact of going to the cellar kept by the defendant on the
night of Friday last, where they found the limbs of an old
cow, which had evidently died of the dropsy, cut up and
properly prepared for sale. They also found a calf, which
had been taken from the cow long before it had arrived at
maturity, already carved up and ready for sale. Mr.
Wybergh : I suppose for the purpose of making veal pies.
A sample of the meat was then exhibited to the Bench,
upon which an order was made to have it immediately
destroyed.

OXFORD ClRCUlP.—Sreewoan, JULY 25.
BEFORE BARON BRAMWELL.
--='Exeaaoarhereav CA.E —Cnarles Parish was charged
with stealing twelve cows, the property of Was. Curnock and
James Coxon. Mr. M'Mahon and Mr. Scotland prosecuted ;
and Mr. Huddles'.on, Q C , and Mr. Powell defended the
prisoner: The circumstances of this case, and the mode
in which it was treated by the learned judge were out or
dock before Mr.
the ordin try course. Parish had been in the habit of
Yesterday, a man named William Swift, a strong
'powerful built fellow, who is a master carter, living in
going about from fair to fair and selecting beasts at such
No. 21 court, Mile-end, was placed ier?
pieces end giving information to the various butchers in the
with the view to their purchasing them. On the 18. a S• Holme; on a charge of having, by his brutal conduct,
inst., Coxon and Curnock, butchers, of Birmingaa causei the death of his wife, Mary Swift. Mr. Bluck,
tn, the
prosecutors, agreed to go to Oakhain fair and divide it who appeared for the prisoner, asked for a remand, on the
that is to say, that all the beasts they bought at that fair grounds that the Coroner was holding an inquest on the
sheuld become common property, and a p irtnership should body, and that he (Mr Block) was anxious to get the
assistance of counsel to defend the prisoner. In answer
exist as to such cattle so purchased. Parish was anxious
to go to Oak h im, and borrowed 10s from Coxon to enable to the magistrate, Mr. Inspector Kehoe said, that they
him to pay his fare. At the fair Parish saw eleven or were perfectly ready to go on with the case at that time,
twelve bees's, which he recommended to Cuxon, and which and the magistrate not seeing any necessity for any ad-
were afterwards bought by him. Coxon and Curnock journment, proceeded at once with the case. The first
Gor who stated
wit-
purchased, in the whole, thirty-six beasts, twenty-seven of
ness called was a girl, named Mary Ann man,
which they sent by the railway to Wo'vertiampton. Coxon that she had been servant to the prisoner, and she
then went to Leicester with Perish, and while there it was stated, that on Monday evening last, the deceased
agreed that they should go to Melton malice', but when with her two chil Iran and herself were at home about six
Cum at was ready Parish made some excuse, altered the o'clock, when the prisoner came in and turned them all
marks on twelve of the beasts, and started off fin- Wolver- out into the street. They all went to the bottom of the
bameton. He then took the twelve beasts out of the field street, and the prisoner followed them. At that time
in wntch they were lying, and drove them to Dadley, sold the deceased was perfectly sober, and the prisoner also
them all at an under price, and when taken into custody appeared to be sober. At the corner of the street, the
he was asked whit money he had in his possession, and he Prisoner gave his daughter the key of the door, and they
denied having more than half a crown. On being searched, all went home together. She (witness) put the children
£1.12, the produce of the sale of the beasts, was found to bsd about nine o'clock, and at about half-past, the
upon him. Mr. Hu ldleston, for the defence, contended deceased, without taking her clothes off, laid down on the
that there was a partnership existing between the prisoner bed with the children. The prisoner came home about
and Coxon, and whatever lie did se es in assertioa of a right. twelve o'clock, and on the door being opened to him, asked
He proceeded to call wi:nesses, with the view to prove a if his wife was at home. She (witness) told him that she
partnership between the prisoner and Cexon. Mr. was not, although it was a lie ; bnt she did so for the pur-
M‘Mabon replied, and commenced by stating that if he felt pose of preventing a similar row to that which took place on
the fac's of the case did not warrant him in pressing the a previous occasion. The prisoner said it WAS ad —d good
jury tor a convietion, he should deem it his duty at once to job that she was not at home. The witness then went up
retire. from the case. Baron Bramwell: Then you would stairs to her room, when the prisoner followed her, and
do wrong. I should deem it your duty—and I hold it to knocked at the door. She told him again that the
be the duty of every member of the bar—to prove, if " missus " was not there, when he broke the door open and
requisite, that black was white—that I mean that any commenced a most brutal attack upon the deceased, knock-
member of the bar should neces'ariiy do that which will tug the witness and all the children out of the way, and
be immediately found out from its fallacy—but that he is kept hammering her head and chest with his clenched
bound, where aey comment is capable of being made upon fist, but she could not say whether there was anything in
the evidence, to make such comment fearlessly, and without it or not. After that the deceased was got out of the
reference to his own conviction, and that where there is a window and taken to St. Anne's dispensary, when
difficulty in the shade of colour, he is bonnd to give the her head was dressed, but after every surgical at-
best argument he can to prove that his colour is correct tendon was paid to her, at her mother's house, she
Mr. M‘Mahon :My Lord, I should deem it my duty to died on the evening of Thursday last. Mr. Muck :
withdraw from a prosecution if I saw there was no evidence, I do hope you will in this case grant a remand.
Baron Bramwell : No doubt, that is a very high principle. Mr. Holms : The prosecution are prepared to go on with
for which Mr. M'etahon is noted, and he may be right and the case, which is one of great importance, and I must
he may be wrong ; he may have studied the subject more hear what evidence there is in it before I grant a remand,
than I have, although I hive given the greatest attention or know whether I have a right to detain the prisoner.
to the question under discussion of late, and I must admit We must have the medical testimony. At this juncture of
that the greatest ornaments of the bar who are now the case, one of the officers of the Court (Connor) stated,
upon the bench have carried out the principle I have that he was coming up with the surgeon when they met
n)w stated to the fullest ex ent ; for what injury can the Coronew and after those two gentlemen had exchanged
be ,Iloee is starting a proeosiien that cannot carry a few words, the surgeon returned to the Coroner's Court.
cwivic foie,. whereas, if a subject is open to doubt, it is By Mr. Holme: I told him that the magistrates were
also open to'
argument. Mr. Mt Mahon : My Lord, I waiting for him. Mr. Holme, after making a few remarks,
still think that
lam right ; but I submit respectfully to directed the officer to go to the Coroner's Court,
your Lordship's r: le, and bow to it. Baron Bramwell and inform the surgeon who had made the post
then made some len •bethy comments on the duty of the I mortem examination, that he was required at the
bar in respect to the part. 'War course he bad alluded to, ' Police-out, BOW minor Mies were then heard,
.