The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-14 00:00:00

THE PRESTON ROBBERY OF
'TWO THOUSAND POUNDS.

BIRKENHEAD, WEDNESDAY.—EIiza Bailey, who
(with a male acquaintance) was examined on several
occasions at Union-hall, before Mr. Traill, and even-
tually set at liberty, there net being sufficient evi-
dence to warrant a committal, was brought to this
place, where she has undergone three examinations
at the Town-hall, the last of which took place last
evening, and ended in her committal for trial. The
examinations have taken place before Mr. J. D. Case,
a Magistrate of the county, and, owing to the activity
and zeal of Mr. G. Palmer, special high constable of
the hundred of 'Wirral, such a chain of circumstances
have been collected together as left the worthy Ma-
gistrate no other course to pursue than the one he
has adopted.
The prisoner, who appeared very fashionably at-
tired, was defended by Mr. Owen, a solicitor from
Liverpool, who cross-examined the witnesses at very
great length.
Mr. John Marquis, of Accrington, in the county
of Lancaster, gentleman, stated that on the 17th of
August last he received from the bank of Messrs.
Cutiliffe, Brooks, and Co., at 131aAtUrn, the sum of
3,9341. 6s. 2d. All of this sum consisted of Bank of
England notes, except the odd 41. 6s. 2d., which was
in gold and silver. 'lhree thousand- o 1 this he paid into
the bank, and on Sunday morning, the 4th of Sep-
tember, he counted over the notes he had left, and
placed them in his pocket-book. They consisted of
two 500/. notes, and nine 1001. notes. These he
placed in his pocket .book, and put it into the left-
hand breast-pocket of his coat. On the morning of
the sth, witness (as nearly as he can recollect, about
two o'clock in the afternoon) saw the notes all safe in
his pocket. He walked about the streets of Preston
until the evening, up the main street towards the
church. When opposite the church a man and woman
came up to him. The man took hold of his left arm
and the woman his right, when the former said to him,
" Are you taking a walk ?" He immediately dis-
engaged himself, and said " No." They then left
him, and ran across the street to where a number of
persons were standing, and he, lost sight of them. On
searching he found his pocket-book was gone, and he
immediately gave information to the police. The
witness said he thought the prisoner was the female
who spoke to him.
_

Ellen Lodge, barmaid at Mr. Watson's, the Railway
Inn, at Birkenhead, said she recollected the prisoner
in company with a man come to her master's house
on Tuesday, tl►e 6th of September, about one o'clock.
They remained in the house until about half-past
three o'clock, when they went away towards the
Chester Railway.

..- -
Another of Mr. Watson's servants gave similar tes-
timony, both being certain the prisoner was the person.
Mr. Watson, the landlord of the Railway Inn, de-
posed to going to the water-closet shortly after the
parties left his house, and to finding a piece of paper
on the floor, which, on examination, turned out to be
a MO/. note, with a 101. inside of it. (These notes
were produced and identified as part of the notes, Mr.
Marquis received at Blackburn.
Mr. Wilson the manager of Messrs. Cunliffe,
Brookes, and do.'s bank at Blackburn, deposed to pay-
ing to Mr. Buck, solicitor of Burnley, the sum men-
tioned by Mr. Marquis, on account of the latter. He
identified the notes found in the water-closet as part
of the money.
Mr. Buck, solicitor, on being called, stated that
within a few minutes of his receiving the money he
handed it over to Mr. Marquis, except 726/.125. lid.,
which he retained to pay off a mortgage.
In cross-examination by Mr. Owen, he said most
probably he should retain a .500/., two 1001., and two
10/. notes, to pay the mortgage.
Mr. Owen then, at very great length, contended
that there was not sufficient evidence to justify the
Magistrate in committing his client for trial. As the
notes which had been retained by Mr. Buck had not
been traced, it was fair to presume that those found
might be part of that sum.
Mr. Case said he had given the evidence the best
:1)1si e tthoe t
ake prisoner
her trial t o
trial.for She thnfe erceeo
t
rae
attention, and he was bound to say that he felt he
should not be performing his duty as a Magistrate if
shteo od did
clol
t ni n
t tedd
the next Knutford Sessions.
The prisoner, after being cautioned, was asked if
thecff
she had anything to say, when, by the advice of Mr.
Owen, she replied " Nothing."
She was then removed, manifesting the utmost
apparent indifference.

BURGLARY, ROBBERY, AND
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
(From the Worcester Chronicle)
_

It is our painful duty to record the particulars of a
daring burglary and robbery, accompanied with
brutal violence, perpetrated in this county yesterday
se'nnight, which, but for the merciful interposition
of Providence, might have been equally dreadful in
its results with the atrocious murder near Derby, as
one of the aged sufferers was so dreadfully beaten
about the head and face, that his neighbours could
scarcely recognise his features, when they discovered
him next morning, blindfolded, and with his hands
tied behind him.

The scene of this atrocious' outrage is in the parish
Shelsley, about a quarter of a mile from Stanford,
and the sufferers are two aged men, named Wm.
and Benjamin Butler, who had the reputation of
being well off, though their habits were miserly and
penurious in the extreme. Their residence was for-
merly a mill, but it has long since ceased to be used
as such, and has been roughly fitted up to serve as a
dwelling for them. It is situated in a most lanigy
.spot, at a considerable distance from any lather house,
on the banks of the Teme. ThQ path to the house
is nearly hidden by trees, and the building generally
presents the appearance of being Uninhabited. This
is the third time the house has been robbed, but the


ruffians never carried thPir violence to such a pitch
as they did on the present occasion.
It seems to have been known in the neighbourhood
that William Butler (who is the monied brother), had
been receiving his rents, and in the middle of the
night of Tuesday last, the brothers were alarmed at
hearing some one breaking into the house. In a short
time three villains made their appearance, but the af-
frighted inmates fancied they heard a fourth outside.
Tl.e ruffians (who were armed with heavy bludgeons,
one or more pistols, and a razor), first seized Benjamin
Butler, blindfolded.him, tied his hands and feet, and
beat him about the head in a most brutal manner.
They next laid hold of William, and after ill-using
him, demanded his money, using the most dreadful
threats if he did not forthwith give it to them. Find-
ing that he showed some hesitation to comply with
their demands, one or more of the ruffians returned to
the other brother, and, holding a razor to his throat,
swore they would murder him unless he told them
where the money was kept. Terrified at their violence,
poor Benjamin shrieked out, " Give 'em , the money,
William, to save our lives. Thus adjured, 'William
took them into a sort of barn, and showed them where
the money was hidden, and in a few seconds the bur-
glars' possessed themielves of 601. They afterwards
took a quantity of cloth and several other articles, and
finally quitted the house. Owing to the brutal vio-
lence to which he had been subjected, Benjamin
Butler fell into a state of insensibility, and 'William
was too frightened either to go to his assistance or to
stir out of the house until day-break, when be went
and alarmed his nearest neighbours, -who speedily
came and discovered Benjamin in the Condition which
we have described. They conld not find him for
Some time, which led to the suspicion that he had
been liilled outright. Notwithstanding the brutal
treatment he has received he is likely to do well.
Information of the outrage was speedily conveyed
to the county police, and a man named Thomas Hadda
was speedily apprehended, and placed in the custody
of Superintendent Taylor, of the Great Witley divi-
sion. On being confronted with Benjamin Butler, he
at once identified him as one of *e, men who broke
into the house on the night in quertiotti,i' He conse-
quently unflerwent a brief examination, after which
he was remanded till 'Wednesday. We 4kope to f
re-
ort in our next the apprehension of the other vit.
ains, having reason to know that active officers are on
he "liall 76-r04.61:-001'6'.9ftlierri.- ' TO iiieiltiOn the.
naifia"or tlielitSpdcfed'Parriistatiigeni' iiiigiledefdaV.
the ends of justice.
We believe that both the brothers are above seventy
years of age, and as it was known that they resided
entirely by themselves (not having any female even in
the house to 'attend. to their domestic arrangements),
it is presumed they were deemed safe parties to at-
tack. The elder brother, William, kept a school in
Friar-street, Worcester, some twenty years ago, and
still possesses some property in that locality.

SPECIAL COMMISSIONS.
LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.
MAGISTRATES' ROOM.
(Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.)
CONSPIRACY AND RIOT.
Abel Matley, Samuel Sigley, William Harsett,
John Ingham, John Hague, Thomas Morris, alias
Thomas Fitzsimmons' John Leyland, Thomas Ash-
croft, Thomas Marshall, Joseph Fletcher, Joseph
Bowers, John Harrison, Robert Allen, Richard
Sterndale, and Josiah Andrew, were indicted for con-
spiracy and riot at Ashton. All the prisoners were
found Guilty, but not sentenced.
WEDNEStAY MORNING.
Lord Abinger and Mr. Justice Cresswell have been
chiefly employed this morning in passing sentence on
the prispners convicted yesterday of rioting—the
former in the Nisi Prius Court, and the latter in the
Magistrates' Room. The sentences varied from six to
twelve months' imprisonment, according to the pecu-
liar complexion of the cases ; in one instance a boy,
not more than 15 years of age, was sentenced to three
months' imprisonment. Many of the prisoners were
very juvenile, and all of them belonging to the lowest
class of operatives,
. After sentencing the prisoners, a batch of thirty
were put on their trial before Lord Abinger, charged
also with rioting in Manchester (luring the late out-
break. The trials were proceedingwhen the train
left. The business of the Special Commission is pro-
ceeding with great rapidity' and it will be got through
sooner than was anticipated.
The name of the Rev. Mr. Hill was called in Court
this morning, but whether he will traverse until the
next Assizes, as already announced, was not stated.

STAFFORD, TUESDAY NIGHT.

TRIAL OF COOP.ER FOR ARSON.
Reuben Greatbach, reporter on the North Stafford-
shire Mercury, was under examination when our re-
port broke off yesterday. The following is the con-
tinuation of the trial up to the rising of the Court this
evening :
James Wilding heard Cooper addressing the meet-
ing at the Crown-bank. He said there was plenty on
the ground, and winter was coming, and he did not
know who was to gather the harvest. He did not tell
them to gather it. He alluded to the Court of Re-
quests at Leicester, and said the landlords had been
obliged to pay their own rents there. He also alluded
to the yeomanry.
William Palmer saw Cooper at the Royal Oak, and
on his being told about the burnings, he said, " It is
all right; that is the way to do the work. If they go
on in that way we shall soon have the Charter."
This witness was cross-examined by the prisoner as
to whether he referred to the turn-outs or the burn-
ings ; but he could not tell to which the prisoner al-
luded.

Benjamin Lewis—l am a dyer at Hanley. On
the 15th of August I was at a meeting at the Crown-
bank. I saw the prisoner there, and heard him read-
ing resolutions which had been come to by the people
of Bilston, Wolverhampton, and South Staffbrdshire.
They were to the effect that all labour should be.
suspended until the Charter was the law of the land
Cooper said a great deal about Wednesbury. He
said he expected to meet 5,000 persons, but he met
1,500, and they were all determined not to resume
pfl areobniondi rdiu
ant
nht
ciel the
ea
rnedhs
taatr
tht
ieenr bgshet
that
became
avl
011 auNlv business
ee
el readowse
da as l est
sus
Her-
e
er.
notmasu tsotte
htho avoide nehraeeml
iaenw of
as
sv
favour
ret
then
na writer.lva
cessation
butH e
showisatal siNod‘, osl ulaoelifdawhotat; hounteldd3:b e so for many days. He demanded a
of all labour, and all hands were held up. There
were none against the resolution. He said' a good
deal about the soldiers—that if 100 soldiers were sent
to that town, nine towns would be without any ; that
if they could only agree amongst themselves :there
were sufficient on the ground. I saw the attack that
day on the Police-office. I was at the Crown-bank,
at the meeting in the evening. I saw the prisoner
there. He came down leading the
people, and sing-
ing a hymn. He ascended a platform, and said he
would give out a hymn to which the chorus was,
" Lion of Freedom.' He said he understood they
had destroyed property, which was wrong; but they
had themselves to please.
Cross-examined You caution the people to do no murder and shed no
blood. by the prisoner—l did not hear

Thomas Scragg—l am a china-gilder. I was at
the Crown-bank meeting on the evening of the 15th.
I heard the prisoner say " You have done your work
well to-day; but there are some among you drunk.
You must keep sober, and then you will gain your
cause." He said there were only ten soldiers to earl'
town, and what would they be among such a mul-
titude ?

George Shaw—l am a cutler of Shelton. I went
with my neighbour, Mr. Bell, to the fire at Forester's.
We did not go close, but looked at it from a distance
for twenty minutes. 'We met on our return five men
walking down towards Forester's all abreast. The
prisoner Cooper was one of the party. On being
cross-examined by the prisoner, the witness positively
affirmed him to have been near Forester's.
John Bell, Thomas Broomhall, Isaac Hackney
I sazadCooper going
and James Bundred, swore to seeing Cooper going'
towards Forester's fire on the night in question.
11 or two
John Holden—l am a colour-manufacturer at
Burslem. I was on duty as a special constable on the
m where h
night of the 15th August.
itlherpLugshv.t,hi
with
townhim. thatask night.ed
b i H e
ewasHgeoisnagid
end he seemed surprised at being stopped.
commercial traveller,
going from
htheev,rmsoadawcoasmams
rt,oa-ninde;vasHe then said
Hanley on his way to Macclesfield
to get to Manchester at a particularl and was anxious
ing day. He said he did not like time the fbllow-
that they were burning and d
he wished to get away, as h to
property, and
safe. Ile was taken the e did not consider himself
gistrate. n before Mr. Parker, the Ma-
The prisoner then
his defence and proceeded to address the Jury in
.1 entered into
of his previous life and a lengthened statement
Conduct, arguing that from the
nature of his pursuits and studies he would he.one of
the last persons in the world to countenance or advise

any acts of violence. }le then remarked upon the
evidence that had been given with regard to the
speeches he had made to the different meetings at the
Crewa-bank, and observed that the -most intelligent
among the witnesses had admitted that he had con-
demned the destruction of property,, and had coun-
selled them to preserve the public peace. He said
that he was a Chr.rtist.from principle,land naturally
wished to promote its 'spread among the working
classes, who were ground down by the tyranny and
oppression of their masters. He concluded by deny-
ing in the most solemn manner that he was in the
streets the night- of the fire, calling on the thunders
of Heaven to consume-him that moment if he spoke
untruly.- He left the case in.the hands of the Jury,
assuring them that he, had never counselled, or ap-
proved of, or sanctioned_violence; during his life,. acid
promising, if Providence would deliver him out of
his present danger, that he would take -Care never
again to mix himself up with assemblies or nieetinas
whose proceedings were in the least calculated to4is:-
turb the public peace. He hoped, as honest and con -
scientious men, and men of feeling and humanity,
that they would carefully weigh the evidence, and
pronounce a jug and honest verdict. The prisoner
then called the following witnesses
Mary Hall—l keep the George and Dragon at
New-street, Hanley. I remember thi 15th of Au-
gust. I saw you (the prisoner) come to my house
about nine o'clock. You remained about three hours.
You left my house about twelve o'clock. There were
several persons with you, Tomkinson,
W Foster, Syl-
vester, Green, Danford, and others. hen you left
you had on a drab top-coat and a bat.
• William Sylvester—l am a tailor, of New-street,
Hanley. I was at the George and Drae-on on the
evening of the 15th of August. I went ;bout nine,
and stopped till ten. I went to seek a conveyance to
go to Macclesfield. You were there from nine till
ten, and did not go out at all. I returned about
eleven, and found you there. 1 remained till near
twelve. I found Green there and Tomkinson when
I came back. We all left at about twelve, and I
wen tto fetch the conveyance for Mr. Cooper to go to
Macclesfield. The car was hired from a person
named Stecle.--The Court rose at eight o'clock.

WEDNESDAY.
The trial of Cooper was this day proceeded with.
Henry Forster—l am a potter, of Mill-street, Hul-
ton. I was at the Crown-bank, Hanley, on the night
of the 15th of August. I heard you advise the peo-
ple not to break the 'peace. You censured drunken-
ness. You then went to. the George and Dragon, and
I went with you and remained till about half-past
ten o'clock. -
James Green, a potter, -of Shelton—l was on the
Crown-bank on the night of the 15th August. You
were there, .and addressed the meeting. You cen-
sured drunkenness, as they would be likely in that
state to.commit acts of violence. You told them to
keep the peace and not destroy property. I went to
the George and Dragon a little after ten, and you
were there with Forster, Tomkinson. Yates, Bed-
dington, and other friends. I remained till you went
away, a little before twelve. You had a top coat on
then and a hat.
Cross-examined.---When we were at the George
and Dragon sonic one told us that Forester's was
in+flall~es,-.nd.LoQper, said, Fie .ass Yftrostfrry-for
Witness tfien corroborated the former witnesses as to
the subsequent movement7s-of Cooper.
Samuel Tomkinson—l am a potter at Shelton. I
saw you on the Crown-bank on the 14th and 15th of
August. You did not recommend violence to the
people. You remained at the George and Dragon
till I left, at ten o'clock.
Jonathan Stephen, a potter, of Shelton, saw Thos.
I Brownhall on the night of the 15th of August. It
was about a quarter before ten o'clock, and he was.
then very drunk. I saw him speak to his wife. She:
said she-had been to the fire, and he said " D—rx
your eyes, why did not you stop at home like me ?"
Anne Stephen, wife of the last witness, saw Browy,.,
hall on the night in question. She corroborated her
husband's evidence as to his being very drunk.
Mary Blake—l live at the Shakspeare,
.oltoo„
I saw Thomas Brownhall at Mr. _Aitken's, w'aen the
house was on fire. He went there from Mr;farkee,:,
which was also on fire. He came out of Aitken's
with two bottles, and I heard some or* asking for
one of the bottles, and calling him by I.lis mune. He
" D—n your eyes, go and get them where I did."
I never gave any information about this, although I
have frequently spoken about it. .
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then addressed the Jury
on the evidence for the defence,
The prisoner frequently complained of the smiling
and apparent trifling of parties on the Bench through- -
out the trial, which was checked, by the Chief Justice.
Cooper also repeatedly interrupted , the Solicitor •
'Genet-41 by remarks and rontradictions' and was at
length told by the Learned Judge that he could not
interfere in that way, having had ample opportunity
of making his observations If the Learned Counsel
said anything that was not borne out by the evidence,
he could appeal to the Court.
The SoLICITOR-GENEIIAL then proceeded with his
remarks upon the evidence, and had not concluded
when the train left.

In the case of the prisoners indicted for brertking
into the house of )1 r. Griffin, the Ju•y found all the
prisoners, except Wilkinson, Guilty.

SENTD.NCES ON THE PRISONERS.
The Learned JUDGE then directed the prisoners
who had been fo and guilty, and those convicted the
previous day af the attack on Mr. Platt's house, to be
placed at the bar, and sentenced Owen, Croxton, and
Rathbone to be transported for ; Dean and John-
ston, 15 years' transportation ; Simpson and Spils-
bury, 10 years' transportation ; and Brunt one year's
imprisonment and hard labour.

DARING BURGLARY.
Wm. Lawton, John Jackson, Samuel Gibson, Ed-
ward Bowden, and Wm. Bowden, all young men,
were indicted for a burglary in the house of Mr. Steel,
of the Abbey Farm.
The Jury found all the prisoners guilty, and the
Learned Judge sentenced Lawton to 15 years' trans-
portation, ;I:lel:son and William Bowden to one year's
imprisonment, Edward Bowden four months' impri-
sonment, and Gibson to be sentenced in another Court
where he had been found guilty.
Jonathan Thomas was indicted for robbing the Rev.
Edward Powis, incumbent of Chedlestine.
tto th e
lihouse v
eo f t
ht le)
ien plr4oss.e—c uTt oh ie.
pa nr
ids 0 cili ee r-
It appeared that the prisoner was one of a party-
who
money.mandwed-eiit
e or
Roberts,) 11 i r :
il
131adri oc nt e
dP
farAl i PARR F,„
m)
was found guilty.
The prisoner(B
demolishing and
. .
burning the offices of Earl Granville
yesterday's Sun), was acquitted.
Thomas Lumer was indicted for the same offence
with the last prisoner.
James Bate—Saw the prisoner at Earl Granville's
on the 15th August. He was the man who fired the
offices. Prisoner had on a tounny hat and a round
flannel jacket. The prisoner pulled the fire from the
fire-place of the office into the centre of the room.
Jervase Syms—Lived near Mr. Forester's. He
knew John Lumer, who was one of the 'persons who
went down to the house. He could not perfectly
swear that the prisoner was there. lii a short time
afterwards he was certain that he saw him return
with the mob. He shouted to the mob to halt, say-
ing, "D-- your eyes, lads, we have done nothing
g
yet ; let us go hack and burn the store-room.
do that
The
.
office was in flames; witness said, " Don't at ,
for it 'will burn private houses as well." He replied,h
"Go to h—." In half an hour afterwards, the pri-
soner held his arm, and said, " Oh, d— old Blarney,
he has prevented me."
which the prisoner
Other witnesses proved the part w_
took in the attack.—He was found Guilty.
James Slark was indicted and convicted for a
similar offence.
Thomas Turner was indicted for the same offence,
and found guilty.
indicted
Il Ivas for a riot,
Henry Gibson
ning to demolish theoffices. of Earl Granville on the
15th August, at the parish of Stoke-upon-Trent.
A verdict of Not Guiltyof the demolition
was re-
turned.
His I,oensun. then ordered the prisoners convicted
before him to be put at the bar; when a hatch of 37
were variously sentenced to terms
of
with hard labour, varying from imprisonment,
fifteen to six months.
After the sentences the Court adjourned.
WEDNESDAY.— Sir(Before T
N. TINDAL.)
The Court assembled this morning at eight o'clock.
THE CASE OF O'NEIL.
O'Neil has been allowed to traverse to the next
Assizes, and to enter into bail.
(Before Mr. Baron R OLFE.)
John Ashley, Johnston, and John Neil, were in-
dicted
for demolish'the of Thomas Rose,
Ing house -
Esq., stipendiary
Magistrate for the Potteries.
Mr Sergeant Talfourd conducted the case. After a
lengthened investigation the Jury returned a verdict
of acquittal, and the prisoners were immediately again
indicted for the riot, the evidence being similar to that
in the previous case.
The evidence "was not concluded when the reporter
left.

QUESTIONABLE FOOD.—The blind traveller Holman
stated that at Fernando Po a couple of lambs, grown
to no more than six inches long, were served up to
him by order of the King. Galen reports of swine,
that their flesh possesses no less than 50 flavours, and
is greatly assimilant in kind to human flesh. DuCha7
telin relates that in his days dogs and cats were eaten
at Paris as they now are in China ; indeed, Sir Joseph
Banks and Dr. Solander affirm that dog's flesh is the
sweetest imaginable. At Rome, camel's heels were
the choicest tit-bit for an epicure's tooth. Whale's
tongues ranked among the delicacies feasted on in the
middle century by Europeans. The Caffre eats hi*
lion for food, and the traveller Bruce among them ate
his lion-steak with gusto. At Rio Janeiro an ordi-
nary dish is a monkey pie ; and the head of the ape is
left to appear above the crust for ornament, in the
style of the feet in our pigeon pies.

4FIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED
MONEY DIVIDENDS will be divided in NEXT
51t )NTH, amongst e,900 SELECTED Bonds of the LOAN
negotiated in the year 1820, anrIGUARANTEED by the GO-
VERA ME.NT and his Royal Highness the GRAND DUKE
of BADEN.
1 Dividend 50,000 Florins 50,000 Florins
1 do. 25,000 "
1 do. 12,000 "
1 do. 10,000 "
1 do. 5,000 "
8 do. 1,000 " 8,000 "
10 do. 500 " 5,000 "
10 do. 200 " .. 2,000 "
21/0 do. 110 "
200 do. 105 w
467 do. 100 "
7,300 do. 94 "

:x,•200. Money Dividends, amounting to 892,900 Florins, or
£74,400 Sterling Money.
8,200 SELECTED Bonds, each of which is sure to obtain
one of the above Dividends.

Largest Dividend £4,166 13 4
Smallest Dividend £ 7 16 8

12 flurins equal to £1 sterling, a trifle more or less, as per
Vie day's exchange.
ALL THE DIVIDENDS PAYABLE WITHOUT ANY