The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-20 00:00:00

REP J RT.

On almost all former occasions, in presenting their annual
report, the committee of the District Provident Society have
felt themselves called upon to expfeas mingled feelings of thank-
fulness and regret—thankfulness for the amount of support the
society had received during the past year, regret for the inade-
quacy of the means supplied to realise their just expectations.
Ilow much more lively these sensations are on the presen' occa-
sion, all who have had any share in conducting the institution
through the present crisis in its affairs can testify. While they
bitterly deplore their confidence so grievously abused by their
late agent, while they lament the neglect of those checks and
precautions which would have compensated the force of temp-
tation, and made an early discovery of fraud inevitable—they
feel proportionally thankful to tho:e who have so nobly and
generously come forward to assist in relieving them from an
overwhelming responsibility. While, however, the committee
cannot but feel personally and individually grateful for the
manner in which they have been met by the principal sup-
porters of the society in this painful emergency, they regret
that they must make a further appeal to the liberality
of the town at large, to enable them to place the
affairs of the society on a safe footing, and to carry
on its benevolent designs with unimpaired resources. By
the statement of accounts herewith presented, it appears
that on the 31st December, 1856, there was due to depositors.
the sum of £3,054 2s 24, to meet which the society had at
the same date, from all sources, only £2,183 12s lid, show-
ing a deficiency then remaining of £B7O 10s Ind. [The society
at the present moment has, from all sources, cash in hand to
the amount of £415 16s Sid.] But it must be observed that
the whole of this is required for the relief of the poor, and
for the ordinary working expenses of the society during
the current year, and could not, except under circum-
stances of the most pressing necessity, be applied to the
repayment of deposits. A sum, therefore, of not less
than £l,OOO is required to restore the efficiency of the society.
In appealing to the public for the means of meeting this
deficiency, and preserving the credit of this 'ociety, the com-
mittee beg to assure them that such a system of book keeping has
been propo ed, which it is believed will, with ordinary precau-
tion, prevent the recurrence of any similar pesnlation for the
fu'ure. The visitors' books and depositors' cards have been
called in and examined, and the balance to the credit or debit
of each visitor struck to the Ist of January, 1857. And
when they inform the society 'hat Mr. Alfred North is
willing to undertake the laborious office of treasurer to the
deposit department, your committee feel sure that all who are
acquainted with that gentlemen's devolon to the charitable
institutions of the town, and his acknowledged business habits,
will accept his name as a guarantee for the faithful carrying out
of a satisfactory system, As treasurer for the general depart-
ment, Mr. William Harrison has kindly consented that his
name should be proposed for your acceptance at this meeting
The late treasurers, Mr. Groom, and Mr. Wagstaff—the one
from ill health, the other from business engagements—have
been compelled to tender their resignation. After much
anxious deliberation and careful enquiry, your committee
have selected Mr. Fulton, late a viAitor of this society,
and accredited with the very highest testimonials, to sacra.
Mr. Shaw as your agent ; and so far as they can at seesaw-
judge they have every reason to be satisfied with their choice.
Your committee deeply regret that it has been found necessary
to stop the receipt of deposits at the central and branch offices
(a practice, however, they would remark, not originally con-
templated), as no efficient system of checks could be devised
without the employment of a larger staff than the funds of the
society could support. But that the usefulness of the society
may not suffer to the serious extent of depriving the very
large nu saber of office depositors of the opportunity
of placing their money in safety for the future, your
committee would make a very urgeat appeal to the
youth of both sexes throughout the town, but especially
to those who reside in the districts most imperfectly visited, to
come forward and devote one or two hours a week to the
service of their poor neighbours. That very large and
populous portion of the town which, commencing at Dale-
street as its base, lies between Scotland-road and the river,
containing a population of probably 100,000, is almost un-
visited ; these are hut six visitors in its whole exten'. That
its inhabitants are desirous of being provident is shown by the
fact of their having deposited no less than £4,981 17s Eld at
the offices in Queen-aquare and lleving'on during the past
year. Perhaps some of these may be induced to lodge
their money in a savings hank, but it is to be feared
that too many will be unable to resist the temptation
of spending it improperly, and, at all events, the fact of neatly
£5,000 being deposited by those who will take the trouble to
go to the office may safely ho accepted as a proof that two or
three times that amount might be collected by house-to-house
collection, It is not too much to say that £lO,OOO a year is
,-
108, or worse than lost, to the poor in this district for want of
visitors to collect it. At a trifling increase of expense the
uaefelness of the society might bo trebled. In calling
the attention of the public to the operations of the society
during the past year, the committee observe with pleasure
that the amount of deposits exceeds that of any former year
since 1839 ; and as this increase has been progressive since
the cessation of the premium, when the amount suddenly fell,
they draw from this fact the pleasing assurance that the society
is every year gaining on the confidence of the poor, and steadily
advancing the objects of its institution. The total amount depo-
sited during the year 1856 was £13,649 13s 10d. Ot this nearly
£5,000 was received at the office, leaving £8,650 collected by
visitors. In the relief department your committee are glad to
find that the demands upon the resources of the society were
far less in 1856 than in 1855; 6,374 persona were relieve*
1856, at a cost of £747 9s 6d, against 22,130 persons, at a cost
of £1,753 35. 6d ,in 1855. On the whole the winter has not
been a severe one, and work has been tolerably plentiful ;
nevertheless the society has been the means of relieving much
casual distress, helping many a poor family through a severe
pinch, and exercising a kindly supervision and watchfulness
over the interests of the labouring classes. In conclusion,
while they acknowledge with unaffected thankfulness the
extraordinary support they have this year received, your com-
mittee would venture to express a hope that good may
arise out of evil—that a conviction of the practical use-
fulness of the society, advertised as it were by its eery mis-
fortunes, may be diffused through the town, and that the
public at large, encouraged and assured of its worth by the
testimony of good names and large benefactions, will come
forward not only to supply its extraordinary exigencies, but
also to raise its ordinary income to an amount in some degree
commensurate with its extensive aims. On a vigorous effort
for such a purpose assuredly the blessing of God will rest.
The Rev. R. Appleton than read the treasurer's statement
of accounts, from which it appeared that the liabilities of the
society up to the 31st December, 1856, amounted to £3,054
2s 2d, to meet which the total assets were £2 183 12s lid,
being a deficiency of £B7O 104 !d. The deficiency of B.law,
the late agent of the society, it appeared, amount d to
£3,108, 8s 6d.

Mr. William Ra'bbone moved the adoption of the
report, and in doh]; so alluded to the late defalcations of
the agent, Mr. Shaw, which he attributed in some degree
to the neglect of the committee, who, he was happy to
s.y, had since made amends for their carelessness. He
expressed bis regret that there were not a greater number
of gentlemen present, but urged upon the ladies to
exercise the influences they possessed over their husbands,
and at once raise the money and place the society in a
good position: Having stated that the society was not
supported as it should be, he concluded by urging upon the
public to gire it proper and efficient suppart.
Mr. Parker seconded the resaluticn.

The Rev. Mr. Payne and Mr. Howett moved the
appointment of president and officers of the society for the
ensuing year, which was adopted.
94Mr. North, as one of the treasurers, said he only took that
office with the understanding that the deficiency was
immediately to be made up.
The Chief Constable moved a vote of thanks to the
committee, &c, which was seconded by the Rev. Mr.
Sleinthorn, and unanimously adopted.
Tte Rev. Mr. Hunt tnr ved, and Mr. Welsh seconded, a
vote of thanks to the visitors for the past year, and spoke
to the great exertions they had made during that period.
Tnis re,olution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. R. Rathbcne, the Rev. Thomas Lawrence, and Mr.
Payne, and Mr. R. It Rathbone, briefly addressed the
meeting in support of the society.
A vote of thanks to the Mayor concluded the business
of the meeting.

The conscera!ion of the Bishop of Norwich (el,ct)
takes place at Marylebone Church, on the 1I th of neat
month.

It is stated that an interesting scientific convention—the
initiative of which is due to France—is on the point of
being arranged between the different European Powers. A
series of observations made at different points in the
empire, and the result of which has been transmitted to
the Imperial Observatory at Paris by means of the tele-
graph, allows of daily bulletins of the state of the tempe-
rature of France being collected and published. It is
proposed to apply this method to all Europe.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. .YESTERDAY.

LIVERPOOL
BEFORE MR. MARSFIELD.

THE CHISELS AND POKERS -George Grierson was charged
with having violently assaulted a young woman, named
Elizabeth Jones, by striking her a severe blow on the
forehead, and also for inti ieting a serious w,riNd on Corne-
lius Jones, her hu 'band. Mr. Bluck appeared to: tha prisoner. The hist ry of the case was this. 0 s Monday, the pri-
soner and some other persons had a "lawsuit" at the
Police-court, when the man Jones was s witness against
tue prisoner's party, and his evidence defeated the " fac-
tion." The prisoner vowed vengeance, and said he would
have it before he slept. About dusk, h-, along with a
number of blackguards, armed themselves with chisels,
pokers, knives saw', and oilier things in that line, and
proceeded to Eaton-street, where the complainants resided,
and a-tacked all they met. The prisoner behaved so furious
that, in the zeal of his passion, he actually struck his
mother a terrible blow with a chisel on the head, which
blow he intended for another person. It was proved by
three or four witnesses that 'the prisoner struck the com-
plainant several blows with a chisel, and Surgeon Grimes
proved the nature and extent of the wounds, which were
severe. Notwithstanding an able defence by Mr. Black,
the prisoner was sent for trial.

A fellow named Thomas Devlin was brought up charged
with being concerned in the " fight;" and he was sent to
jail for a month.
CURIOUS CssK.•—Thomas Jones, described as a labourer,
was brought up by Mr. Hughes, the parish officer, charged
with refusing to support his wife, although he was in
receipt of 24s a week, The prisoner alleged that his wife
had been guilty of improper conduct, and• that was the
reason he refused to support her. Mr. Hughes, in reference
to this statement, said the prisoner and his wife formerly
kept a public house in Portland street. and were in a
respectable position. The prisoner got into some difficul-
ties, and was arrested. During his absence, some one
informed -him that his wife had acted improperly. He
brought an action against the man who was suspected, and
failed to get a verdict, thereby proving the innocence of
the wife. Mr. Mansfield said the veraict of the jury was
an answer to the charge. Be sent the prisoner to jail for
a month.

ASSAULTS AND STABBING CASES.—William and Reeves
Thomas, brothers, were charged with having assaulted
police officers 11, 701, and 367 in Coiling wood street. • One
of the prisoners was drunk and disorderly in the street,
when one of the officers took him into custody.
and then the other prisoner attacked the policeman, and a
row followed. The officers were violently assaulted by
both prisoners, who were sent to jail for three months
each, in default of paying fines of £5 each.
Ellen. Crawford and Bridget Carr, described as the
keepers of a bad house in Banastre-street, were charged
with having stabbed a woman, named Mary Goodall. Air.
Bluck defended the prisoners. It appeared that the com-
plainant was taking her husbanive breakfast, when she
was accosted by the prisoners, who wanted her to treat
them. She refused, when Crawford struck her two blows
with a key, and stabbed her in the arm with a penknife.
Several witnesses proved the fact, and Mr. Black called
three witnesses to disprove the case, but they failed, and
Crawford was sent for trial, and Carr was sentenced to
two months imprisonment.
FAMILY JARS.—An athletic young man, named Thomas
Howard, was charged by Hugh Jones, of 19, Castle-street,
Everton, under the following circumstances :—The
prisoner is married to complainant's daughter, but they
have been separated for the last two years, she living with
her father and mother. The cumplainant,who is a sturdy old
"John Anderson my Jo" sort-of-looking Welshman, whilst
giving his evidence, an l also on cross-examination by Mr.
Buck, who defended the priscner, cleated an amount of
mirth that we have seldom- seen equalled in a court of
justice. It would, however, be quite impossible to describe
the complainant on paper, but if he could ant on a
theatrical stage, as he acted in the witness box, he would
realise a fortune in a brief period. The story told by thid
quaint subject of the Principality amounted to this—that,
on the previous evening, the prisoner came to the house,
burst in the door, and violently assaulted complainant's
wife, to whom he gave a black ej e. It was ultimately
arranged that the prisoner timid enter into his own
recognisance to keep the peace.

Au UNFAITHFUL SERVANT.—Bridget Neale, a young and
well developed girl, of eighteen years of age, late a servant
at Mrs. Chambers' boarding house, No. 8, Front Portland-
street, was charged with stealing £35 in gold, and a pas-
sage ticket (upon which .E. 50 had been paid for Australia)
by the ship Dragoon, the money, &c., of Mrs Mary Anne
Morrow. Tha facts of the case were these. Mrs. Morrow,
arrived hero from Ireland, along with her son, a rather
handsome youth of twenty, and engaged berths in the
ship named, for which she paid £5O, and procurei hsr
ticket. She went to lodge at Mrs. Chambers, in Portland-
street, where the prisoner had come on Friday last as
servant. On Sunday morning the lady left her bag
which contained her money in the bed where she slept.
The prisoner made the bed and found the money there.
She got leave to go out on Sunday evening, but did not
return. The lady missed the money, and of course suspi-
cion fell on the prisoner, the more so as she did not return
home on Sunday night. Detective offi3er Patrick was
sent in search of her, and on Monday evening he got her
on board a Dublin steamer, just starting for that city. to
doubt Miss Bridget Neale intended to astonish some people
about Gorey, in the county of Wexford, of which
place it appeared she was a native, by the
quantity of finery which she fondly dreamt of exhibiting
to their astonished gaze, if ever she got there. The
course of felony is, however, (no matter how sweet-
hearts may repudiate the idea) very like that of true love
—it don't run smooth, nor prosper " no how," and Biddy
was no exception to the rule. The officer got brooches,
rings, chains, and a variety of other nice things with poor
Biddy, besides a considerable quantity of wearing apparel,
and last, though not least, a sum of £lB Its in cash upon
her. In reply to the charge, the prisoner laughed
and winked most knowingly at Master Morrow,
the young gentleman already named, and said he
gave her the money, and that he w.,s to have
cut with her, only for the vigilance of his
mamma, and that they were to have been married in
Ireland, and she would now have been Mrs. Morrow,
junior—barrin' for the poliss. The young gentleman repu-
diated the insinuation of the prisoner, and his poor
mother nearly fainted at the idea. Mr. Clough said,
when the girl was brought to the station, and confronted
with the young man, she gave him so many becks and
nods, and wreathed smiles, that he imagined there was
something between them, and he questioned the young
man, but he denied " the fact." (Laughter.) He (Mr.
Clough) said, the lady and her son were go ing away next
week, and, therefore, could not remain to prosecute. The
prisoner stoutly persisted in her statement, but his
worship consigned her to two month's hard labour, for not
being able to account for the possession of the property.
The latter and the money were ordered to be given up to
Mrs. Morrow.

CHARGE OF CRIMINAL ASSAULT ON A Flaara..—A very
ordinary looking female, named Anne Hackin, charged a
respectable looking young man, named Henry Middlehurst,
described as a butler and car driver, living at Mrs.
Robertson's beer-house, 97, Church-street, Everton, with
having criminally assaulted her on Sunday night last,
in Waterhouse-lane, Everton. Mr. Bluck appeared for the
prisoner. So far as can be published the case was this.
The prosecutrix went from her lodgings in Crown stree'
on Sunday night last to see her sweetheart home, and on
her return she said she saw the prisoner standing in his
shirt Awes at the beer house door. She asked him the
shortest way to Crown street, and he took her down the
lane, where the offence was committed. In reply to Mr.
Bluck, she swore over and over that the prisoner
was the • person beyond all doubt, and she as
solemnly swore several times that she was a
virtuous person, and never bad been charged with any im-
proper transaction. Mr. Bluck made an able address for
the defence, and called police officer Joseph Cock, No. 401,
who happened to be in court on other business, and he gave
such evidence as totally shook the assertion of the prosecu-
tris, so far as her previous moral character was concerned,
and Mrs. Robertson, at whose house the prisoner lodged,
gave evidencs that completely negatived the truth of the
girl's story, as to the identity of the prisoner, but, at the
same time, left no doubt that a person who lodged in her
house was the person who committed the offence—provided
any offence was committed. On this evidence, Mr. Bluck
rested his case for the defence, and his worship at once
discharged the prisoner.
- DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.—CIOAItS versus PAVING
STONES. —Jules Bernick, a Polish Jew, was charged by
another Jew, and a countryman of his, named Solomon
Cohen, with having obtained £l5 from him by means of
false pretences. Mr. Godfrey, appeared for the prosecu-
tion. From the statement of Mr Godfrey, and
the evidence of Mr. Solomon Cohen, (who was
not on the occasion a Solomon) it appeared that
about Christmas last the prisoner called on Mr. Cohen
who keeps a boot and shoe establishment in Copperas-hill,
and represent d himself as being in great distress. He
was relieved from time to time with money, clothes, and
food, and treated in the kindest manner. On Wednesday
last, the prisoner called at Mr. Cohen's, and represented
that he could gat a great bargain of first rate foreign cigars
if he had £l5 to pay the duty. He represented the
affair in such a favourable light, that " poor" Mr. Cohen
scraped up the money and gave it to him. He also
lent him two large chests to bring home the precious
weed, and at ten o'clock that night the prisoner
came with the chests tolerably heavy. These were depo-
sited in Mr. Cohen's back parlour, and he being anxious
to try the flavour of the stuff; asked the prisoner to open
the chests. Horrible; the prisoner had, or said he had,