The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-21 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL MURDERS.

The excitement in the public mind relative to the un-
happy fate of Mrs. Hinrichson, herchildren, and servants,
has, in some degree, subsided; but still great anxiety
exists to learn the early history of the man who has given
the name of John Gleeson Wilson, and who has been
committed on the charge of wilful murder. Our excel-
lent head constable, Mr. Dowling, has at length been
enabled to obtain some authentic particulars as to the
supposed murderer, and as these may be confidently re-
lied on, they will scatter to the winos all the unfounded
statements and suspicions which have been afloat on this
subject.
The real name of the prisoner is Maurice Gleeson.
He is the son of David Gleeson, and was born at the
village, or townland, as it is called, of Brurie, nine
miles from Limerick. He has three brothers younger
than himself, and two sisters. The father is a black.
smith by trade, but has done little or no work for
some time. He is dissipated and idle, and the whole
family have/ been noted for their idleness and vicious
propensities. The father is now in receipt of out-door
relief from the parish. The prisoner, who workfd a lit-

tie with his father as a (locksmith, left home more
then two years ago, in consequence of baying been
chraged with a robbery, although the crime was not
clearly proved against him. Since he left his father's
house, Honorab, one of his sisters, has been transported
for ;ten years. The prisoner went from Ireland
to Plymouth, where he worked for a few months
in a foundry, as striker. From Plymouth ha went
to London, and lived for some time in Limehouse,
About ten months ago he came to Liverpool, and took
lodgings at the house in Sparling-street, kept by his pre-
sent wife, whom, as we before stated, he married at the end
of last year. Since he came to Liverpool he has never
be( n known to do, a day's work, but the head con-
stable has now ample evidence as to his pursuits and mode
of living. The prisoner himself gave Mr. Dowling par-
ticulars, similar to the above, before he was removed to
Ku kdale, and they have since been confirmed by unques.
tionable authority.

L will be seen from our shipping intelligence that the
Duncan, Captain Hinrichson, did not arrive out at Cal-
cutta till the 25th of Febuary.—Liverpool Mercury.

CHARGE OF EMBEZZLING
NEARLY 5,0001.
At the Leeds court-house, yesterday, Mr. Peter
Mann, who has been chief clerk of the Leeds Water-
works Company since its incorporation, upwards of
seven years ago, was' brought up in custody, having
been apprehended on the previous day by a warrant,
which charged him with having received various
sums of money, the property of his employers, and
embezzled the same. Mr. J. W. Dather, one of the
engineers of the company, said that in consequence
of what he had observed regarding the management
of the company's depot, he was induced at the last
monthly meeting of the directors of the company,
held on the first Monday in April, to ask for the
appointment of a sub-committee to inquire into
the manner in which the business was transacted
there. A sub-committee was appointed, and the
result of its investigations showed that the prisoner,
whose duty it was to receive the water rents
from the collectors and to pay them to the treasurer
the next day, had some years ago begun to retain the
sums so received in his own hands for a few days,
afterwards for longer periods, say a month, and
sometimes be had• not paid them over at all. The
consequence was that out of the sums received by
Mr. Mann from the collectors of the water rents
from time to time, he had withheld moneys to
the extent of nearly 5,0001. The directors had met on
Wednesday, and had come to the painful conclusion
that they must bring the present charge against the
prisoner. They had' appointed Mr. Bywater, the
accountant, to examine' the books, and as that investi-
gation was not yet Con'cluded, the case was not ripe
for inquiry by the-bench,' and therefore the prosecu-
tors had to ask that ' the accused might be remanded
to a future day. Mr. J. M. Barrett, solicitor, who
appeared for the prisoner, said that he did not object
to a remand, but he, wished the magistrates to fix the
amount of the hail they would require for his client's
appearance on . the day to be named. He said that
this matter had been before the directors for the last
ten days, and that since they had ascertained the
extent of his deficiencies they had taken an assign-
ment of all his goods and effects, and he had not
sought to absent himself. Mr. Barr, clerk to the
;justices, who is also clerk to the water-works' com-
pany, said that the prisoner had volunteered a state-
ment to a gentleman connected with the company,
and also to himself, that he was a considerable
defaulter, stating that he had invested the money
in purchases of grain, peas;beans, Scc , and he appeared
to be, under the impression that it would realize more
than he had withheld from the company, and he had
offered to give up everything that he possessed. He
had since executed a deed, by which he had assigned
to the company all the property he possessed, whether
solely his own, or in which he had only a partnership
interest; and he was now penniless, though the pro-
perty given up was not equal to his deficiencies. The
magistrates, after retiring to consider the point, re-
fused to take hail, and remanded the prisoner for
further examination on Monday next.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, April 19.

, WILDS V. HARRIS.

. = This was an action to recover compensation- in
damages for a breach of promise of marriage, under
the following circumstances.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and Mr. Needham were for
the plaintiff ; Mr. Huddlestone conducted the defence.
The Learned SERGEANT, in stating the plaintiff's
case, said that his client was a widow, residing in
Birmingham,l where she carried on the business of
girnblet• maker, which had been previously carried on
•by her late husband. The .defendent was a contrac-
tor under the Telegraphic Railway Company, earning
a salary of 3001. a year. In the year 1847 he came
_to Birmingham for the purpose of erecting the tele-
graph for the London and North-western Railway,
and took lodgings in the house of the plaintiff. Al-
t-unit immediately he began to pay her marked atten-
tion, representing himself as the employ! of Govern-
ment with an income of 3001. a year. He after a few
lays', declared himself her lover, and proposed
'mn.rTiage. Plaintiff accepted him, and he not only
made the promise to marry, but actually gave orders
about the wedding dresses, at the same time inviting
her sister to be bridesmaid; and planned the wedding
en,shoe said that as he wouia Ina ..“1.4 io
Birmingham, he would take a house for her in Ashley-
grove or Vauxhall. All of a sudden he pretended he
received a message from Somerset-house, and would
be obliged to go to London, but would return within
a fortnight; that time had long elapsed, though plain-
tiff wrote defendant several letters reminding him of
his promise, but never could obtain a reply ; at last an
inquiry was set on foot, when it was ascertained that
he was a married man with a wife and four children.
The Learned Counsel appealed,to the jury, whether
the plaintiff was not entitled to'heavy damages. The
defendant not only palmed himself on her as a single
man, but what was worse, unhappily insinuated him-
self into her embraces, and the fruit of such inter-
course was an illegitimate child. He was sure under
those circumstances his unfortunate client would
obtain justice at their hands.
Miss Jane Steer stated that she was the sister of
the plaintiff, who is a gimblet maker, in Birmingham.
In January, 18411, the defendant came to lodge in her
sister's house, who is a widow, about 28 years of age.
Heard defendant propose marriage to her sister, and
told witness she should be bridesmaid, and spoke of
the wedding dresses she should wear. He repre-
sented himself. as employed by Government to lay
down rails for the public safety. He stated that for
the wedding trip he would take her to London, but
as he was to be . stationed in Birmingham he would
take a house there. He lodged in her sister's house
from the 4th of January to the let of February.
Crosi•examiried—When he made the promise it
was on a Sunday evening, they were drinking gin
and water. Cannot remember the colour of the pro-
posed wedding dress for her as bridesmaid. There
are two apprentices in' the house, one twenty two
years of age, the other a mere boy. Her sister was
confined of a childin the September after the defendant
left.

Re-examined—Her sister had previously two chil-
dren by her husband.
Mr. Thomas Evans, clerk in the telegraph-office,
proved that the -defendant was employed as a con-
tractor. Previously to the present year his profits
were about 3001. a year, but this year they would
not be more than 1001. or liol. He believed him to
be a married man with four children.
Mr. HUDDLEiTONE addressed the Jury for the de-
fendant, and said that his client was represented to be
a large contractor for the Telegraphic Railway. He
'was no more than a common carpenter, and the ques-
tion was, whether any promise was made, was there
any proof the recently born child was the defendant's.
Could she not hare summoned him before a magis-
trate, and produced his conviction before them in evi-
dence to establish the fact, but his unfortunate client
had got into the widow's clutches. The Learned
Gentleman concluded by calling on the jury to give
the smallest possible damages.
Flis Lounsuip oblrl the jury that he thought the
promise was proved, and the question for them was
damages, which he, thought should be moderate.
The jury having retired for half an hour, found a
verdict for the plaintiff, damages 10/.

THE LATE MR. MARERLY.—It is with much re-
gret we have to record the death of John Maberly,
Esq., who died recently at Amiens. It is well known
that Mr. Maberly's extensive connexion with the ma-
nufacturing interest of Aberdeen originating a good
many years ago in the purchase of the flax spinning
milt at Broadtord, which with his characteristic en-
terprise, he very greatly enlarged, and carried on
with a degree of spirit most creditable to himself,
and no less beneficial to those in his immediate
employment than advantageous to the whole commu-
nity. At a somewhat later period he engaged in the
business of banking, in which he was not so successful; he
consequently disposed of his manufacturing concerns in
this place, went to reside in Amiens in France, and was
the first to introduce into that country the mill spinning
of flax. So highly was he respected and esteemed in
Amiens, that, at his death, the inhabitants generally
united in a public tribute to his memory, by erecting a
monument over his grave, recording the date of his de-
mise, his age, and the number of years he had sat as a
M,mber of the British House of Commons.—Aberdean
Banner.

'[nE DANIsa BLOCKADE.—The following arrivals
in the river have been officially reported at the Custom-
house as having taken place on Wednesday last:—The
ship Malcolm Brown, of London, has arrived at Graves-
end, with her outward cargo on board, having been
cared on the .sth inst. for Hamburgb, but prevented
entering the Elbe by the Danish blockading squadron;
the vessel Argo, of Shields, arrived at Stunestairs, with
her outward cargo on beard, having been cleared on the
sch inst. fur fiamburgh, and prevented entering the
Elbe by the Danish blockading squadron; and the vessel
Concordia, of Waterford, has arrived at Deptford, with
her outward cargo on board, having been cleared for
Bremer-haven, and prevented from entering, the port
being in a
.6 kat,e of blockade.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, April 20.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the woo.
sack at Five o'clock.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid certain returns
on the table relating to the assessruint of poor-rate in
Ireland.

SMOKE BILL.

Lord REDESDALE introduced the Prevention o:
Smoke Bill, which was read a first time.

PETITIONS.

Lord COLCHESTER presented a petition from the
landowners of Sussex, complaining of agricultural
distress.

The Earl of ROSSE presented several petitions from
various unions in Ireland against the rate in aid.
CONVERSION OF ESTATES BILL.

The LORD CHANCELLOR gave notice that on
Thursday he should move the second reading of the
Conversion into Renewable Leaseholds of Copyhold
Estates Bill.

CASE OF MESSRS. CHADWICK AND MARRINER,

Lord BEAUMONT presented petitions from Messrs.
Chadwick and Marriner, apologizing for their contempt,
and praying that their Lordships would be pleased to
order their release from custody. The Noble L .rd moved
that these petitions should be taken into consideration,
and would leave it to the Noble Lcrd on the Woolsack
to state when they ought to be taken into consideration.
The LORD CHANCELLOR thought that they could
not be taken into consideration before Monday.
Lord BEAUMONT gave notice that on Monday nt at
he would move that these petitions be taken into tho
consideration of the House.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

-- HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 20.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly be:ore Four
o'clock.

Mr. BROTHERTON presented several petitions from
different parts, praying that no new licences might be
granted to beer-houses. •
UNIVERSAL RAILWAY CASUALTY COMPEN-
SATION COMPANY BILL.

The third reading •f this Bill was postponed till
Monday.
Colonel REID presented a petition from Windsor
against the alteration of the Law of Marriage Bill.
Colonel MUIR presented several petitions from Glas-
gow and other parts of Scotland, against the runnirg of
trains on Sundays on railway•. Also petitions against
the Marriage Bill and the Lunatic Asylums Bill.
Mr. ALCOCK presented petitions from Surrey
against any alteration in the law of marriage.
Mr. HEYWORTH presented petitions from Derby
and other places against granting any further licences
to beer-houses.

Mr. FERGUS presented several petitions from dif-
ferent parts of Scotland in favour of the Clergy Relief
Bill, against the Marriage Registration Bill, and against
the Lunatic Asylums Bill.
Sir D. DUNDAS presented petitions from Suther-
landshire against the running of passenger trains on
Sundays.
Mr. TURNER presented a petition from Coventry
against the Public Roads Bill.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY presented a petition from
Bridgenorth against any alteration in the law of marriage.
Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a petition from Rams-
gate against any alteration in the navigation laws.
Captain BATESON presented petitions from London-
derry against the Rate in Aid Bill.
Mr. BANKES presented petitions :from Dorsetshire
praying for the repeal of the malt and hop duties.
Captain PECHELL presented a petition from Brighton
in favour of the Clergy Relief Bill and the release of
the Rev. Mr. Shore.

Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented petitions from
Westminster, and other places, praying for the extension
of the elective franchise.

Mr. d. S. WORTLEY presented a petition from St.
Mary-le-Strand, and also several other petitions, in favour
of the Marriage Bill.
Mr. H. A. HERBERT presented a petition from the
grand jury of the county of Kerry, praying for an amend-
ment of the poor-law, and another, praying for an
alteration of the Irish grand jury laws.
Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Manches-
ter, complaining of the state of the relations between
this country and Braids, in reference to the suppres-
sion of the slave trade.

SCOTCH LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

In reply to Mr. MACKENZIE,

The LORD ADVOCATE said he had no objection
to lay on the table of the House the information which
he had received relative to the lunatic asylums in Scot-
land, and that he would not move the second reading
of the Lunitic Asylums (SJotland) Bill until the 30th
of April.