The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-11 00:00:00

THAMES.

A VIOLENT LOVER.—SHAMEFUL PERSECUTION
OF A YOUNG LADY.—Miss Jessy Woodroffe, a
young lady of considerable personal attractions and
beauty, came before Mr. Paget to complain of the
conduct of a sailor named John Piper, who had
been persecuting her with his attentions for four
years at intervals, and at last had recourse to vio-
lence and threats, with a view of forcing her to
comply with his wishes and marry him. The young
lady's mother is married to a second husband. They
are highly respectable people, and carry on the busi-
ness of sparmakers and vendors, in Limehouse.
Four years ago Piper bought a pair of boots at the
shop. He then became enamoured of the young
lady's charms, and sought her hand. She peremp-
torily rejected his suit, and never offered him the
slightest encouragement. He continued to press
his suit very ardently on his return from
every voyage, and she continually refused to listen
to his protestations of love. At last he had recourse
to threats and violent language, and for the last
eight months he had been at home and had annoyed
her at her own dwelling ; he threatened to shoot her
if she d►d not marry him or married anybody else,
and followed her through the streets and caused a
disorderly crowd of ignorant and illiterate persons
to gather about her. Her stepfather and his work-
men had repeatedly ejected him from the shop and
its precincts. On his last visit he called out, " I'll
shoot you if you don't marry me, and shoot you if
you marry anybody else."

Menett and Watson, officers of the Court, said
they had remonstrated with Piper on his persecu-
tion of the young lady, but without effect, and his
language was bad. The fellow was twice the age
of Miss Woodroffe.

Mr. Paget said as remonstrances had been un
availing, he should grant a warrant for the imme
diate apprehension of Piper.

MR. BRIGHT'S CONSTITUENTS.

BIRMINGHAM, Friday Night.
A meeting of the committee of the Liberal Asso-
ciation of this town, and of the Reform League was
held at the Public-office here to-night ; Mr. Alder-
man llawkes in the chair. It is a kind of local
Parliament meeting twice a week, to take what is
called " prompt action" about the Reform Bill,
" as circumstances may require." •
A resolution moved by Mr. T. A. Partridge, se-
conded by Mr. Radford, chairman of the Reform
League, supported by Councillor Harris, and car-
ried unanimously, conveyed an expression of thanks
to Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Bright, and Mr. Mill "for
their unanswerable and exhaustive speeches," de -
monstrating to the house of Commons that the
Government scheme for the personal payment of
rates would exclude great numbers from the
borough franchise ; " and this meeting," said the
resolution, " regards the decision of the house in
twour of this plan, after its fraudulent character
had been clearly proved, as a crowning proof that a
majority of its members will oppose any substantial
measure of Reform until their hostility be over-
come by the combined action of the people."
At the moment this resolution was put and car-
ried unanimously, as above stated, there were 79
persons in the room, exclusive of reporters. The
Chairman explained that only members were ad-
mitted to th 3 assembly, but it was mentioned that
the payment of ls. gave a claim to a card of "mem-
bership." The attendance at this meeting and the
interest which the Birmingham Liberals take in the
vote of Thursday night, may be measured by the
two facts stated.

LIVERPOOL COTI%V MARKET-:his Day.

Market opens with - a very good demand, parti-
cuia4V for export. Sales about 15,000 bales, at
The extreme prices of yesterday.

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