Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-01 00:00:00

TO TAR EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.

SIR,,—It may be a wise dispensation of Pro,
vidence, that a certain &ass of bipeds ycleped
bachelors, have long been marked out.as fit and
proper objects of persecution, particularly by the
daughters of Eve, who do not take into considera-
tion the bashful diffidence under which so many
of them labour, otherwise they would quickly join
the ranks of the happy benedicts.
Having long been put down as a non-marrying
man, I havC, 'myself, gone through the usual
martyrdom of wearing shirts without buttons, un-
darned stockings, &0., &e., with patience and
resignation, and even have not murmured when
my landlady has charged me fifty per cent. addi-
tional for every article I consumed in her establish-
ment when the cat has eaten tpy cold mutton,—
broken my grog bottle, or smolted my cigars, my
philosophy has not been disturbed. Ino fact,
I had made up my mind to bear my unhappy
fate with resignation • but, alas, sir, now and
dreadful viols of wrath are now prepared to be
poured ot.our devoted heads, and how to protect
ourselves against the storm I know not. That
the danger is not exaggerated you will eperceive
from the following plain statement :
On Thursday last I endeavoured to while away
an hour in the magistrates' court, when my atten-
tion was suddenly attracted by a case in which two
young gentlemen (Greeks) were summoned for
having willfully and maliciously cut and brolten
sundry articles in their lodgings, and were con-
victed in the penalty of 10s and costs. It appears
the indictment was under the new Police Act, and
that this was the first case tried under its juris-
diction. As the case proceeded, it appeared that
the young men had lodged in the house for several
weeks, and a claim for damage to the furniture was
not made until after they had given notice to quit
and had settled for their lodgings and were leaving
the house. All the parties concerned had been
previously on good terms, and the landlady stated
that, although they had given her notice, she did
not think they intended leaving her until a car
came for their luggage. Finding, however, her
mistake, she, at the last moment, made a claim of
10s for damage to a table cover. This they refused
to pay, asserting that the injury had not been in-
fficted by them ; at the same time offering her 5s
as a gratuity. Three days afterwards she called at
the counting-house of one of the parties, and de-
manded the amount of the previous claim, but did
notonention that any further damage had been dis-
covered. In about a week after the defendants had
left her house, she,for the first time,stated that seve-
ral other articles of her furniture had been injured..
No evidence was offered that the defendants had
actually committed the damage wilfully or acci-
dentally, and upon oath they denied having done
so,—but although the magistrate's clerk stated
that the information was legally defective and
could not therefore be sustained, and that no
proof of wilful or malicious damage had been
brought forward, and therefore they ought not to
be convicted upon inferential evidence. To the
utter astonishment and dismay of:the writer they
were fined the amount previously stated.
Now, my dear sir, you will, I hope, see at once
the deplorable situation in which all unfortunate
devils living in furnished lodgings are placed
under this new police act, which appears to have
been framed especially for the punishment of our
sect. Why, we are a fair mark for all the lodging-
house-keepers in the country, who in future will
find no difficulty in setting their houses re-furnished
at our expense. The Compton House, large as
that establishment is at present, will have to be
quickly enlarged to meet the numerous demands
that will pour in for new table-covers, ez.e.&c., and it
does not appear to be at all necessary to prove, if
the damage had been committed by the last lodger,
the servant, or any other present or previous in-
mate of the house —(and the claim, it appears, can
be made at any indefinite time after the party has
given up possession)—the householder has only to
select his victim, whose oath of innocency will avail
him nought.
In mercy, Mr. Editor, point out if you can some
sanctuary in which for the future we may abide in
security from the threatened pains and penal-
ties ; or confer upon us a greater boon—find
us helpmates to protect us from imposition.
—I am, Sir, yours, WILL WALTON.
I beg to observe that the case was not heard
-before Mr. Mansfield.
Liverpool, 29th June, 1857.

THE MURDER AT STRATFORD —Oa Saturday, Michael
Crawley, aged 62 years. was hronelit up again before the
magistrates at Ilford, charged with the murder of Mary
Crawley, his wife, 64 years of age, ; t the cottage 12
which she resided, at Wells-street, Stratford, on Saturday.
week. The culpri!, on being placed at the bar, appeared
quite indifferent to the awful position in which he was
placed, and, notwithstanding the fact that he has several
times confessed the commission of the deed, he put on a
most dogged manner, and stoutly denied having ever had
anything to do with it. The depositions of the witnesses
were read over to the prisoner, and on those of Margaret
Willey, his married daughter, he refused to put any ques-
tions; but she said she knew he had done it, for he was
always knocking deceased about, and threatening to do for
her. After some of the depositions had been read, Margaret
Willey, bursting into tears, exclaimed "Father, why don't
you open about it ?" Chairman • Yee must not speak to
him. Willey : You can't do any more than speak out after
von have killed her. Prisoner . All I know is, I de) not
know who murdered her. I left her tying up watereresses
when I went out. John Crawley (prisoner's son),
addressing the bench, said : Why, he owned to me the
other day that he did it. He was then sworn to prove
prisoner's having acknowledged committing the deed.
Prisoner : I never said anything of the sort. The prisoner
was then fully committed for trial.
A REMARKABLE CASE OF LONGEVITY WITHOUT THS AID
OF FOOD OR NOURISHMENT.—The following particulars
have been related to us by Mr. George Cronkhite, of this
village, a gentleman of well-auown veracity and candour,
who has visited, in his professional capacity of county
superintendent of the poor, the lady whose remarkable
tenacity to life, without the aid of food or any stimulus to
support nature, we give to our readers. It appears that
about a year ago
the invalid (Mrs. Simeon Hays, residing
at Horicon, in this county) was attacked by a disease
known as epileptic fits, and that one of these paroxysms
was of such a violent nature that it lasted eighteen days,
and that during the past eleven months not a particle of
any kind of nourishment has passed her lips excepting a
small quantity of water and apple sauce, administered to
her by her husband ; and he is of opinion that even this
did not remain in her stomach, as she seems to have an
nneeatrollable aversion to any kind of aliment whatever.
Daring the period of her sickness she has shown no signs
of intelligence or recognition of her friends, and all the
natural functions of her body have ceased their operations.
Mr. Cronkhite (our informant), who conversed with the
husband, and gleaned these moat astounding particulars,
is of the opinion that she is now felling rapidly, and that
but a short time will intervene before the sands of life will
run out. In our opinion, it is the molt remarkable case
of endurance without food on record, and 110010 more
then a passing notice by the medical profession.