The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-08-09 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY DEATH.

On Wednesday last a sensation of alarm and apprehension
was excited at Bootle and in this town amongst the family
and friends of Richard Finlow, Esq., solicitor, of this town,
who resided at the former place, in consequence of his not
appearing at home on the night of Tuesday, or on the follow-
ing morning.
It was known that he had, on the former day, gone to dine
with his intimate friend John Roose, Esq., of Everton-brow ;
and it was found that he had left the house of that gentleman
before ten o'clock, in good health and spirits.
Search was made in. every possible direction, but no tidings
could be obtained of the missing gentleman until the following
afternoon, when, on the passing of a boat on the Leeds and
Liverpool canal, (a short distance from his residence, in
Bootle,) his body was observed in the water. An alarm was
given, and some parties, who came to the spot, immediately
recognised in it the remains of the lamented individual. The
body was conveyed to his residence, a handsome cottage villa,
close to the sea shore, and a little to the south of the Bootle
Landmarks.

A. highly-respectable jury was yesterday summoned, by
John Hey es, Esq., county coroner, to inquire into the cause
of the death of the deceased. They assembled at about half-
past three o'clock, at the Derby Arms Hotel, Bootle, and
soon after proceeded a distance of about a quarter of a mile,
to view the body.
On their return, the coroner took the evidence bearing on
the death of the deceased, and from that, and other information
of the car-driver and others, not considered legally requisite,
the following facts are derived :
Mr. Finlow, soon after leaving the house of his friend,
went to Mr. Busby's livery stables, corner of Fox-street, and
ordered a car to take him home. A driver, named Richard
Messenger, who gave his evidence in a very clear manner,
said that he started with the deceased at about ten o'clock
from the gate of the stables, and drove to Bootle by Vauxhall-
bridge, round the new road. The deceased, on arriving at
the toll-bar, at Bootle, where they stopped a moment, ex-
changed a few friendly words with the gate-keeper, and the
car passed on. The driver, not knowing the house of the
deceased, made some enquiry, and finally found the short
lane leading down to it from the main road. When about
half-way down the lane, the deceased who had just previously
paid the fare, told him to open the door and let him down,
His wish was complied.with, and the lane being narrow the
driver ledhis horse down, following the deceased at a short dis-
tance until he could find a place at which to turn, which he did
by backing into a small crossing lane, between palings. a
Fhort distance below.' He states, that the deceased, while
he (the driver) led his car down after him, was but four or
five yards before him, and that he observed him, with his
umbrella under his arm, until he was within, as he con-
sidered, thirty or forty yards from his dwelling. The wit-
ness did not accompany him, thinking probably that he could
find his home without difficulty.
Nothing was (as before stated) heard of the deceased gen-
tleman, until the afternoon of Wednesday. His body was
drawn out of the canal close to " Miller's Bridge," a short
distance from his residence - and it appeared that he was ac-
customed to embark by the canal fly-boat at that place, on
his way to Liverpool. It further appeared that he had, on
Tuesday, (as he had stated, but not taken in evidence) received
a considerable sum of money ; and the supposition was,
that some unnecessary apprehension had come across his mind
on the subject; and that he had resolved to return to Liver-
pool instantly, before entering his house, to look after the
property; and, the night being thick, rainy, and dark, that
he had fallen accidentally into the water, and could not re-
cover himself. There was no evidence of violence, or of foul
play,—his gold watch, his pocket-book, and his purse, con-
taining both gold and silver being found upon his person. The
only marks upon which were those made by the grapnell
irons. The deceased had been remarked by all who had seen him
on that and the previous days, in the best of spirits. His
watch stood at a quarter past eleven o'clock, which would
allow him a reasonable time to walk back from the spot
where the carman last saw him, to find his way to the em-
barking place near which he was found—allowing a few
moments for the stoppage of the watch, by immersion in the
water.

The Jury, after a brief consideration of the whole of the
evidence,. returned a verdict in accordance with the opinion
of the coroner, to the effect that—" the deceased was found
drowned and suffocated in the Leeds and Liverpool canal ;
but how or by what means he came to be there, there was no
evidence to show." Great regret was expressed in the neigh-
bourhood at the demise of the deceased, who was highly
respected.

The Right Hon. Lord Lilford has been pleased to present
the Rev. Thomas Lowe, of St. Paul's Church, Warrington,
to the Vicarage of Leigh, vacant by the death of the Rev.
John Topping.

The Rev. Mr. Jackson, one of the chartist leaders appre-
hended at Manchester, has been released from Kirkdale gaol
on giving two sureties of £lOO each, and becoming security
himself in £3OO, to appear at the assizes, and meanwhile to
be of good behaviour.

MASTER BABBLE.—We perceive that this accomplished
youth intends to give another opportunity to the inhabitants
of Liverpool, to witness his astonishing displays of mnemo-
nical knowledge. His next conversaziones will take place on
Saturday, at the Medical Hall.—See Adv.
STOPPAGE OF THE PHCENIX BANK.—On Tuesday morning
considerable excitement was occasioned here by the report
that the above bank had stopped payment. The cause is
explained in the circular put forth by the directors, a copy of
which we subjoin :

" Sir,—ln consequence of the discovery of a large deficiency
in the accounts of the late manager, Mr. Samuel Henry
Walsh, the directors, after much anxious deliberation, feel it
their duty to suspend the operations of the bank, until they
can have an opportunity of consulting the proprietors.
" With this view, a special general meeting will be held as
early as practicable.
" By order of the Directors,
" W. COLSON, Sub-Manager.
" Liverpool, 6th August, 1839."

Mr. Colles's novelties, now on sale, at his apartments, in
Bold-street, seem to cause as great a sensation as his magical
figures dil at his former visit, nine years since ; his collection
of wonders is now very extensive, and well worthy the in-
spection of the curious. Mr. C.'s manner of showing his
various experiments is extremely neat, and yet we are informed
that he enables his pupils to perform them as well as himself.
His advertisement will be found in another column.

THE REGISTRATION.—The lists of borough and county
voters will be affixed to the doors of the churches and cha-
pels on the two succeeding Sundays. We call attention to
the circumstance, that the conservatives may be on the alert,
and narrowly peruse the lists in their respective localities,
so that every effort may be made to erase from the register
such names as may have been inserted by the radicals upon
delusive and fraudulent pretences.

TAKING POISON.—On Sunday morning a police-officer
was informed by a boy that a young woman to whom he
pointed (named Ann Berry, and living in Gore-street) had
swallowed fourpennyworth of laudanum. Hereupon the
police-officer promptly took the girl to the shop of Mr. Ti-
therington, druggist, Oxford-street. Dr. Anderson and Dr.
Poole attended, and used the stomach-pump ; and from their
attention to the young woman, she is now out of danger.
ATTEMPTED HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—About a quarter to
three o'clock on Sunday morning, Mr. Page, of Wellington-
road, was attacked, in a field Opposite Park-street, by four
young men, who twice knocked him down and attempted to
rob him. Mr. Page called out for the police, and imme-
diately afterwards office No. 2i3 was seen approaching the
spot. Of course the rascals then fled. They were closely
pursued by the officer, when, seeing that detection must
inevitably result if they continued their flight with the officer
at their hells, they suddenly turned round and knocked him
down, but not before he had had an opportunity of seeing
the rogues distinctly, so as to be able to identify at least two
of them. By this manoeuvre the whole party succeeded in
effecting their escape.
LIVERPOOL WOOL SALES, AUGUST 2, 1839.---A series of
public sales of wool commenced on the 31st ultimo, and
have terminated this afternoon. The attendance of buyers
was very numerous ; and, for the Australian and the Van
Diemen's Land wools, the bidding was very spirited, the
prices realized being fully equal to the late London sales.
The sale of Cape was brisk, and sold at an advance. All
the Spanish wools would have found buyers within ld. per lb.
of last (January) sales. The Germans consisted principally
of summer and lamb wools, which met with buyers at very
full prices. Peruvians were heavy with grease, and a portion
of them skin wools : the prices obtained were equal to the
late private sales. Turkey wools are held for more money
than the market will admit of, otherwise more business
would have been done. East Indias continue to enjoy a
preference in demand over all other kinds of low wools : the
whole was sold at an advance of id. to id. per lb. on late
sales. Alpaca, for some time past, has been in demand for
the fancy trade, particularly black and brown colours ' • but
at present there are few buyers, and the sales went off at a
decline. Upon the whole the sales have gone off well, taking
into consideration the state of the money market.
If a bre4ch be made in our sanctuary, it will be by the
combined forces of Popery, Dissent, and Unbelief, fighting
under a political flag.—Robert Southey, in 1829,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-TUESDAY.