Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-21 00:00:00

you answer that question. I hope the citizens will do as
I have done. I won't hear you
Splien, senior : Just answer me one question 7
Mr. Fitzpatrick: The jury have acquitted you, and I
cannot say anything.
Spollen, senior : Answer this question. Supp3se I wag
the most guilty man in existence, would you run me into a
hole to starve? Now answer that humane question.
Mr. Fitzpatrick : Upon my word, I would run you into
where you would be away from the public, that you might
not do further mischief.
Spoiler; senior : That is not a very Christian opinion.
Mr. Fitzpatrick: The Lard Mayor ought to stop those
proceedings, and I sincerely h ipe that he will do so.
Spollen, senior : I hope it will not be the case.
Mr. Fitzpatrick : At any rate there is no one to listen to
you nor ; so I may now go away. Mr. Fitzpatrick then
left the room.
Spollen who had been standing up to this, then drew the
chair to the side of the stage and sat do wn, and, after a
pause, said in a low voice —" I think that is Mr. Fitzpatrick,
the grocer of Dams-street—his ebulition of temper is not
vary Christian, but I will put my case before the goads-
men present. What am Ito do ? (Hera he paused as if
for a reply, and then continued)—What would you have a
man to do under the circumstances ? I think it is a very
hard case. Were it no, for the incumbranee of my family
it would bs easy for me to retire, and go into one of the poor
houses. (Spollen paused here for a censiderable time, wiped
his eyes with his handkerchief, and, after a time, went on W
say) —I thought it would have been the object of every
humane gentleman to assist me in leaving the country,
and not show the display Mr. Fitzpatrick has used now.
(Another lengthened pause occurred here.) There is no
gentleman present but will admit it would be the best
course for me to leave the country if I only got the
resources to do it. My object in coming here was not to
make any particular display any m ire than to bring the
public to one sentiment to give me the means that I
require. I made a request some time ago of the gentle-
men of the press when at the police court, and I must say
they responded to it chaerfully—thet was, not to put forth
any injurious reports. I hope they will observe the same
this time. lam sure their object in coming here was
rather to assist me and not to do anything that would be
injurious to me in public opinion. lam deprived of every
means. By taking this step I can't bring myse:f into
more public notoriety than what my trial has done ; but "
if I remain in this country you all know what the con-
sequence will be. Even though I was the guilty man-
-supposing that I was the guilty man, it is a most
dreadful thing that the sacred bond of matrim:my should
be destroyed by my wife. I have nothing more to say to
you. It was not my object in bringing the public together
to make any display. I hope, gentlemen (rising up), you
will temper my case before the public leniently. I think
you will admit I am deserving in some way of support.
You will admit that Mr. Fitzpatrick's display
One of the gentlemen present here interrupted Spollen.
to whom he said--you did not answer Mr. Fitzpatrick's
question, as to who told your wife where the money was ;
explain that now.
Spollen : It would be el:fa-rah to explain what the police
could not find out; that is totally out of my power.
The Gentleman : You did not say you were innocent?
Spollen : I held forth my innocence; but, as I said
before, even though I were the guilty man
The Gentleman: Who put the money there, do you
know?
Spollen : Nothing, whatsoever, sir.
The Gentleman : No suspicion of any one ?
Spollen . No suspicion whatever. There may be rlomestic
fights that it wou:d not be va y feeling to me to enter into
an explanation of—perhaps it is more honourable that I
sh hold them, aad that they should remain with my-
self. My position is a very severe one.
Another person present here observed : It does not
appear to annoy you much at any rate, for of all the cool
audacity I ever witnessed, your's is the greafest. I paid a
shilling to see how far your audacity would carry you. Now
I sea it, and if there was a subscription got to buy you a
rope I would subscribe. I ant proud to see th it the working
public did not come here.
[ I'his person left the room when he had concluded.]
tipollen : I:if course some must be dissenting parties.
This much I think, the puhlic will be inclined to assist
a man to leave the country. That is the only object I
have in coming forward. I am sure the public would
rather that, than to have a man knecking about the
country.
Arm her person present obsereed hat he did not wish to
say anything that would affect Spollen, but that the result
of that day's peoceelings should show him the feeling of
the public on the matter.
The gentleman who had ques,ioned Spollen before here
said to him : You get the eight sovereigns that ware
produced at the trial. Way did not you go off with
them ?
Sinnott.: What would you have me do with that portion
of my family
The Gentleman : Your son is as well able to work as
yourself.
Spollen : Where will he get work —will he get it in this
country ? He will not.
The Gentleman : Beth of you could have got to America
with the money.
Spollen: Would you have me walk about the streets of
New York without a shilling, to be worse off than I am
now. Take a view of it in every way. Would I not be
worse off than I am—would you like to sea a man knocked
about? lam sure you would not. Now, gentlemen, I
leave my case in your hauls, and I hope you will not
make it worse. It is a little thing will seeva a good deal
certainly, and a little thing will injure a great deal. I
put, it to your owe consideration to do anything you
possibly can to serve me. I will not detain you any
longer, gentlemen.
Tne small audience then retired, without re4pending to
Spollsn's invitation to "volunteer and contribute."