Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-10-22 00:00:00

POST OFFICE ROBBERY AT BIRKENHEAD.

Andrew Wal lam Tucker, a stamper in the Birkenhead Post Office,
and who stool re nandai from Tuesday, the 13th inst., was again
placed in the dock, ch trged, before it. Bryans, Esq., wit's stealing a
at smped envelope and a half-sovereign, the proderty of her Majesty's
Postmaster-Gen ran. Mr. James Mouse, a c'erk in the missing letter
depattrnent of the General Post Office, London, was the first witness
examined, mad sated that in coascquence oF.nume-ous complaints
baying been addressed to the Postmaster-General, of letters cont M-
ing money and articles of value, being missing, he had been sent
down to endeavau, to detect the gai ty party, and for Ithat purpose
he arched at Clreer on the 12:h inst.,lwhen he wrote a letter,
enclosing with it a marked vamp I envelope, and also a marked
half.s ,vare'gn, addressed to Kr. Janie" Parkgate, near Birkenhead,
and gave it to his assistant to be taien to Manchester, to be posted
and put into the Birkenhead letter bag, and on the following
morning he was in attend tnce at the Birkenhead Post-office to make
inquiries rasp cling it, but the letter could not be found. The
prisoner was out at the time, and he went in sers-ch of him. Having
found him at a beerhonse in Somerville-street, he took him, back to
, the Post.office, and having taken him into the private office, he told
him who he wa', and acted if ha hal bee: on duty that morning
when the Manehe-ter bag arrived, upon which he (the prieoner)
said he had, a d that he had stamped all the Birkenhead letters
arriving at the post-office, previ ens to seven o'clock. He then told
the pfsen,r that a letter, ad _trey:el) as before states, was missing,
and asked him if he knew anything about P. to which he replied—
"l do not." He then asked him if he had any objection to be
searched. and having said that he hal not, hs was desired to tarn out
his pockets. Prisoner then took 9s s I out of one of his trowsera
pockets, which he paced u.-on the table; but he (Mr. Monde)
observed that the rocket was not enmpletely turned out, and
eonsequen ly desired h m to do so, at the samell ti te observing
the prisoner trying to conceal something that was in it, and
afterwards try to conceal it up his sleeve ; upon which he (Mr.
Mollie) sp Ate rather sharply, and desired the prisoner to put the
piece of paper out of his pocket on to th- table. He did so, when it
turned out to be the I lentleal envelopelhe had enc`osed in the lett r
wilt the half-sovereign, addressed to Mrs.J.-dlicoe.ll Having asked
the prisoner to account for the possession of it, he said he h d had it
in his possesslon since the previous Friday, intending to direct it,
upon which he gave the prisoner into custody. A great many other
w.tnessea-were examined, to show the whoie course of the letter from
the time it left Mr. Moale's hands to the finding of the envelope in the
p mouton of the prisoner. Prison-r was then committed for trial at

the next assizes ; upon which Mr. Mou'e said h 3 had, assisted by the
police, searched the prisoner's home, ani found articles which no
doubt had boon sent through the Post offl.e, amongst which was the
silver pencil-case he then produced, and for which he should be able
to and an owns-, and prayed that the prisoner night be remand d
.upon that ch rge until Mond sy ncxt. wh'ch the w.,rtliy magistrate
acceded to.

ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCE )LOGICAL

SOCIETY.

The opening meeting of:the Arehi octant and Anlfsellogical
Society for th 3 sessi n was h ild I 1 the Royal Institution, at half-past
seven o'c ock la-t night. The chair was taken by the President.
Samuel Huggins, Esq. _

The Sec'etarj lsid blore the melting several communicttions,
among which wds one from the Oxford A etitectural Soele y an-
nouncing that it WAS the Intentio of that body to invite the members
of the Liverp Jol Society to rase- them in Oxford, in June, next, when
a gatherin; of su± b ,d,es will be IrAti, and:pipers upon subjects of
interest brought forwa-d.
- -

. Mr. Boult proposal a rao'utioa expressing the acceptance of the
invitation on the part of the s)clety, and stating that when the
arrangements were mare definitely made known tho society would
be in a position to say haw many of their members wall probably
attend at the proposed meeting. _

Mr. Picton se •ondel the mot'on, which was Cereal unanimously.
Several donalons of books and periodicals were anno:nced.
Some photographic drawings were exhibited, sent as specimens by
the A-chttectnral Photographic Association, to whose prospectas the
attention of the society was dt.-ectel.

The Pre.ilent then p weeded to read Oe opening adiress of the
sessi an. Ater sons prefatory remarks, he declared that one of the
gratest of existing obstacles to the proven rf architectural art, was
the w..nt of freedom of design, and the se-vile fealty to particular
styles. He -urged that many modifications might be made not
dreamed of yet in our philosophy, an! that architects ought to give
up the 'ea' of v olating or shaming the sprit of a stye. Let them
be tear ess, and leave styles to their own tate. As the true poet
wove everything into son; , so cou'd the true architect adopt every-
t ing to architecture. Architects dil not sufficiently recogn se the
change whinh was taking place.in the spirit of the times all around.
The President considerel that the present system of competition for
designs adopted by the Government, was calzulated to keep ba k
-the spirit of originality and invention in architecture. In order to
gain succeks, it was too frequently the habit, ins €a i of considering
the practical oblect of the bulling in the first instance, to take
some great design, disguise its exterior by decoration and
aleration, and then adopt the remainder of the building to
suit it. There was also per.eptible among archite is in ge ,e-
-ral, a neglect of the capabilities for improvement afforded by
. . .

the scientific and indnstrial inventions and adaptations o 1

the present day. He remarked, for instance, that he could
see no reason why cast-iroi should not be mere genera ly used
for the spiret of churches, and woad for the grained. ceilings of Gothic
bui:dings The care-r of architecture cull not be considere
finished, until it had sneceadcd in exhlbiti Ig events suited to every
country and climate, every relieon, aal every national character.
The Pre .ident th'n passed oo to make ecru, renter :5 upon recent
swhitectur ,1 developments in the town of Liverpool itself, including
the re ent aJ t Von+ to the exterior of St. George's Hall, which he
strongly conde nitcl—gees, columns, lions, and sea gods. Many
plans, unexceptionable artistically, hal tnen suggested for rendering
the spice ar mnd St. Georg :'s Hall one noble place, but those plans
hal the defect of involvin; t> la "ge an expeuthtnre —not too loge
for the means of the corporation if they would le we- off Pike

a..'hemes,ana other fruiters anderteiings—(hear, hear,)—but larger
than most of the members of tha fora Cua ,cil waald be !twined

is undertak for archttertural7purpos.s. The presi lent gave many
saggestior s for the improvement of that portion of the town where
St. Georges-h ill stands, as well as of the streets in general. Greater
regularity in the leading design on which streets were laid ot't ; the
introduction of trees; the openirg of wide spaces end clearing Of
overcrowded districts were among the points of Improvement to
which be directed attention. Many other interesting and impo tart
topics were touched neon In the pres'dent's a 'dross, which was
listened to with great atte,tim, and the canclu.don of which was
followed by load ap?Pau-e.

It was annoanced that the paper for the next meetin; would be an
essay by Mr. Frank Howard., upon the adaptalon of stained glass
windows to the ornarnentaton of Glasgow C .thedral.

MISS EMMETT COI/ITS IN 33IRMINGFIAM.—Mils B .irdett
C,,utt4, a lady diwinguished a ike for her birth, her wealth,
her benevolence, and her kindness of malner, is at present
on a visit to Birmingham. She arrived on Friday evening
and t>A up a terepwary lodging at the Queeett
Hotol, where it is understood :la will remain for a
few days. The mein . object of her visit was to
inspect giver?' College, an institution in which she has
displayed great interest, having presented it with, £6OO
last summer towards the new museum. in addition to
other donations. This is her fist acquaintance with
Btrini.-:,gli nu, and she is making a tour of hispection
through mast of its objects of interest. On Monday an
address was praseuted to her by 'he students. After its
presentation she prccleded to the Free Industrial School.,
and from thence to the Girl's Reformatory at spring Hill.
Birmingham Daily Press.

OTOBER 22f 1&57.