The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-15 00:00:00

MURDER AT BIRMINGHAM.

On Monday morning, an inquest was held at the Woolmick Inn,
Birmingham, on the body of Mtn.Perry, who was murdered by
Michael Ford. The Jury having viewed the body, which presented
a shocking appearance, returned to the Wool-park to receive evi-
dence, when some persons, who attended for the public press. hav-
ing complained that not the slightest convenience W 11:. afforded them
for taking notes of the proceedings, the Coroner rose from his seat,
and said, " I have just been informed that two reporters are here,
and I take this opportunity to caution them, that this-Court will
not allow any report to be published, in any manner touching its
proceedings this day. The Court of King's Bench has lately
.de-
cided that persons acting contrary to this order are liable to punish-
ment for contempt of Coon." One of the reporters wished to re-
ply to the Coroner's remarks ; but the Coroner said, " I do not sit
here to answer questions. I am determined to act as I have ex-
pressed."
Mary Perry, the deceased's niece, was the first 'witness. She
proved that, after her uncle and Ford had been talking together
some time in the shop, she heard a bustle, and on hastening up
stairs she saw Ford with the cleaver, uplifted. She rushed at
him, and seized the cleaver, which she forced from his grasp, and
in the contest Ford was either knocked down or fell down.
[The cleaver, the blade of which is about ten inches long,
and four or five broad, was here produced, and identified by the
witness.l
Elizabeth Perry, the deceased's wife, was next examined.--She
stated that her husband had employed Ford, who was an Irish Is.
bourer, in the garden—that he was very kind to him, and, after fie
left her house, credit was given him for what provisions he required
in the counse of the week. _ _

Mary Groutage, who lives opposite Mr. Perry's house, said, on
the day that the murder we committed she saw the prisoner try to
open the cellar and window shutters. While lie was thus engaged,
a person came out of Mr. Perry's shop, and the prisoner then en-
tered. Soon afterwards she heard the cry of " murder."
Several witnesses were then examined, who proved the facts of
the cue as they have already appeared before the public.
Mr. Elkington, the surgeon. said there were several cuts on the
deceased's head, one extending from the centre of the frontal
bone through the cheek bone, and another from the crown of the
head to the lower and back part, and terminating behind the
left ear. Some pieces of the skull had penetrated an inch into
the brain. _

Boyer, the Liverpool police officer. proved having apprehended
the prisoner at that place, u he was stepping into the City of
Dublin steam-packet. He denied that his name was Ford, but
said it was Hendon, and that he came from Manchester.
The Jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of
" Wilful Murder againk Michael Ford," and he was committed
on the Coroner's warrant to take his trial at the Assizes.

FORGED BANK OE ENGLAND NOTES.--011 Monday,
in consequence of seine information received by the police,
a young woman, very decently dressed, was apprehended
in Bridge.eseee►t and, on seetelting her, tens forged Si.
Bank of England notes, and one forged Saddleworth 11.
note, were found in her possession. When qnestioned she
refused to give any account of the manner in which she
obtained them, or to state her name or place of residence.
Ehe was sent to the New Bailey, and will be brought up
for examination this day. The SI. notes are tolerably well
executed so far as the engraving is concerned ; but the
paper is very flimsy, and some of the lines in the water
mark are very large and coarse, especially about the centre
of the note. They are both dated " 18;15, 10 August,
18Y5 ;" and the figure 5 in the year is in both places put
in with a pen, the remainder of the date being printed as
usual. This is intended for the purpose of varying the
year at pleasure, though the date " 10 August" will most
probably he found upon all the notes which issue from the
quarter where these have been fabricated.—MancAester
Mercury.
On Saturday sa'nnight, as some of the junior members
of the University of Cambridge were shooting pigeons in
the neighbourhood of Barnwell, • bird being wounded, a
fine lad, of about 13, the son of respectable parents, ran
to catch it, when s gun went off, and shot out the eye of
the poor little fellow.
A melancholy accident happened in the neighbourhood
of Colne, on Wednesday last. It app:Ars that Mr. Pette,
surgeon and apothecary, of Colne, had Item called in the
ce.ise of the day professionally to Barrioldswick in Craven,
where he was detained uotil evening, and that on his re-
turn home, along the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool
Canal, in riding under one of the bridges, he had fallen
from his horse, and was presipitatel into the water, wheie
he was found about eight o'clock at night, by a number
of week-people, a lifeless coepse, with his bores standiog
on the beak. • •