The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-03-22 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-TUESDAY.

BREAKII26 liV'T'O'A DWELLING-HOUSE, AND THREATENING
TO SHOOT IN'HATES.—COMMITMENT OF ORR OF THE
SUSPECTED ON Aiith'illEß CHARGE.
On Tuesday last, four young men, named Thomas Cooke,
John Sale, William Mclllroy, and John Linacre, all known
to the police-officers to be of bad character, were placed at
the bar of the police-office under the follinving circumstances.
Mr. Dowling stated, that on Friday night feast, Mr. Robin-
son's house, in Mill-street, was entered by some person or
persons by the coal-cellar grating, and the prisoner* have
been apprehended on suspicion of having one or all been
codceriml. The two Misses Robinson are present, and would
statethe facts. One of them said, that in the night in ques-
tion she and her sister and mother had gone to bed in the
same room, and about half-past ten o'clock up to about
twelve she thought she heard occasionally a noise of some
one in the house.- At the latter hour she roused her mother
and sister. The Itter stated that she and her mother rose
and went to examine the house, when they saw a man, with
a dark lantern in one hand' and' a pistol in the other. He
presented the pistol at them, and said, " If you don't hold
your noise I'll shoot you all." She theught the man was the
prisoner John Sale, now at the bar. If he was amongst them
that was the man. Mr. Hall here said that such- identifica-
tion was far too vague to be proceeded upon, and the wit-
ness, who is short sighted and wore spectacles, again looked
at the men intently from the witness-box, but could give no
positive statement of her belief. She was then requested to
s go nearer to them, and to look at each of them without her
glasies,, which she did not wear on the night in question ;
and at heFown suggestion the prisoners were ordered to but-
ton their eoats' close up, and to put on their hats. After
gazing at each of theinfor a considerable time, she said she
thought that the man vilts' either Sale or another whom she
pointed out. Her testimony being, therefore unavailing, the
case was necessarily dismissed as against all the prisoners ;
but they were detained, at the instance of Mr. Dowling,
there being another charge against one of them, Mclllroy.
An elderly man, named Johnson, being sworn. said that on
the night of the 25th February, while he was on his way from
Edge-hill towards Toxteth-park, and had reached a vacant
piece of ground near the end of Stanhope-street, when he
was stopped, maltreated, and robbed by three men. The
prisoner was one of them. He (witness) took particular no-
{ tice of him as he sat on his breast, while the others kicked
him and robbed him. They took from him a half-sovereign,
a sixpence; and some copper, and finally stripped him of his
coat, waists•OV,-,handkerchief, and shoes, which they carried
off. He gave infOeination to the police at the time, but the
prisoners were not ft und until Monday night. None of the
money or wearing apparel *av found in possession of any of
them ; but it is remarkable, tlyati on the prisoner Mclllroy
was found a polished iron tobacco box, which witness bad
not enumerated amongst the articles taken., but which was_
in his waistcoat pocket at the time. This he identified before
he saw it again, as having engraved on it the " Oddi Fellow's
Arms." He also picked prisoner out amongst eight, in
the bridewell yard, as one of the gang who robbed him. As
he could not identify any of the other prisoners at the bar
they were dismissed, and McElroy was fully committed for

POCKET PICKING.
This offence has become so frequent that scarcely a day has
passed, for aE week past, in which one or more instances of it
are not brought helot® Mr. Hall at the Police-office. Amongst
the commitments arc the fbllowing:—On Wednesday Wm.
McQuirk, for three months to the House of Correction ; John
Duffey for one month, and Jartieg Duffey for fourteen days.
On Thursday (Yesterday) John Fogg, John Shenahan, and
John Garvic, each three months to the Howe of Correction.

THURSDAY.
SERIOUS CASE OF EMBEZZLE WENT.
Yesterday, James Yowd, who had recently been in the efri-
ploy of Mesprs. Wm. Rathbone and Co., was placed at the
bar of the Police-court under the following charge :—Mr.
James Powell, a partner in the firm, stated, that the prisoner
had been employed as Custom-house clerk, and, as such, was
intrusted with certain sums to be paid, on account of the
concern, at the Custom-house and Excise- office, and was also
authorised to receive satfts that might be payable. He (pri-
soner) was required, by the rules of the establishment, to
balance his cash-book once a month, and was allowed a few
days beyond the first of each month to make up his balance,
as inaccurracies might sometimes arise, which it would re-
quire some time to discover. He had to balance his cash at
the beginning of the year, and had made up his cash book to
31st December ; but had not debited himself, or accounted
for a sum of £66 and odd, which he had received at the Cus-
tom-house, being the amount of a debenture due, and a re-
ceipt for Whieli he (Mr. Powell) gave to the prisoner. There
was also a deficieney of £l6 and odd on another. Mr. Brown,
cash-keeper to Mesas: Rathbone and Co. received the prison-
er's cash-hok from him ontlae 15th January. It was balanced
up to the 31st December, inclusive, the day on which he had re-
ceived the money at the Custom-honse. The prisoner had re-
ceived other money from witness for current expenditure
in the interim, between the 31st December and the 15th
January. Mr. Powell here added, that the prisoner ab-
sconded after the 15th January, and that he had been called
for at the house where his wife and family lived, and a request
left that he would come to the office and explain his conduct;
but he never made his appearance. He was at length seen
; on board of a vessel, by one of the clerks, and a clue was
thus furnished to his apprehension. Mr. Holt, excise-officer,
stated that he paid the amount of the debenture to the pri-
soner, £67 Os: sd. (There was a deduction for a stamp
paid by the prisoner of ss. 6d.) The prisoner said that he
lost two £5O notes in the month of August: that he had
taken other money, from time to time, to make it up, and
the debenture money was taken to make it up.. He expected
some money in Manchester, and if he had got it, he should
have made it up. He was committed for trial at the sessions.
ROBBERY OF A FATHER BY HIS SON.—Yesterday, Pa-
trick Marsh, Mary Ann Marsh, his wife, and Jane Johnson,
were placed before Mr. Hall on a charge of robbery. It ap-
peared that the male prisoner was charged with robbing his
father, who is a pawnbroker, in Dublin, of a considerable
quantity of plate, watches, jewellery, money, &c., with
which he had absconded, with the intention of going to
America from this port. The prisoners were together when
apprehended, and six of the watches were found upon the
man, and another and a gold chain upon his wife. It was
ordered by the bench that they should be sent by the first
conveyance (yesterday evening) to Dublin, to abide the
result.

THE DOCK COMMITTEE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—Are there such things as mercantile associations in
our good old town, when the affairs of the docks are so
miserably mismanaged ? If there are, is it not high time
that they should look after their interests, and the interests
of those whose representatives they are ? Are the affairs of
the docks—the medium of our commerce—to be quietly re-
signed into the hands of men who have given, on more than
one occasion, evidence of their total unfitness to manage
them ? Where are the merchant commissioners, who are
sent to the Dock-board by the rate-payers, to look after
their interests ? It is true they form but a minority ; yet
their talents and business habits fully qualify them to coun-
teract the mischief and even ruin that may ensue from the
imbecility—the shameful jobbing of those who at present
form the majority at the board.
There will soon, I understand, be a vacancy for a com-
missioner, and I hope the rate-payers are prepared to put iri
no one but a man on whom they can rely—a man of firm-
ness of purpose, who will not be cajoled and silenced by the
smiles of his radical coadjutors, nor be their tool in helping.
them to carry out their ulterior projects. Such a man must
not be again invested with such momentous trusts.
The very existence of our merchants' privileges is now
threatened from enemies on all sides. Our Cheshire neigh-
bours need not he alluded to, I have only to refer to the
threatened dangers of trials nearer at home. Look at the
advertisements of the Harrington Dock Company, now going
the rounds of the papers, and of others about to appear. If
these things do not open the eyes of our merchants, nothing
will.

What has led to all this?—why the miserable mismanage-
ment of the incapables at the Dock-board, and the dissatis-
faction that has arisen therefrom, many of whom having
little or no stake—and, as it was well said by a gentleman,
the other day, in the council—" have not the length of them-
selves in land in the town," and some of whom do not pay
twenty shillings a year in dock-rates.
What have these men done since they came into office ?
They have placed the attorney of the Reform Association in
the office of solicitor, of whose fitness let recent events in
parliament speak. They sent, a short time ago, one of their
party,—a very needy fellow,—a little out at elbows,—into
Scotland, to sell a stone quarry that these wiseacres held
there. They might have found some one on the spot to have
disposed of it, but that would not be providing for one of
the many hungry fry by whom their ranks are at all times so
well filled. This man,—one 'Wylie,—was sent upon this pre-
cious mission,, upon wages in amount that would make him,
if such a metamorphosis were possible, a gentleman, equal
to, if not above, the income of any of the lairds in the dis-
trict. They have discontinued their support of the telegraph,
to the great loss and inconvenience of the port ; and though
economy is always in their mouths, they have not lowered
the dock rates one farthing,—whilst they have increased the
debt.

Well may they shrink from giving publicity to their pro-
ceedings, and from allowing reporters to enter their secret
chamber : the deeds done there were not,—they know it full
well,—fit to meet the public'eye.
Should not the rate-payers immediately call a meeting to
bring the subject of the dock management before the public,
with the view of applying to parliament for a revision of the
trust, and of getting the management into their own hands'
That the merchants have power to do this is quite certain.
I understand that the Dock Cominittee have appointed a
sub-committee, to go into some matters, with the professed
object of adopting some mode of expediting the discharge of
vessels : but this, I suspect, is only with the design of delay,
and I predict that their deliberations will end in doing no-
thing. If they really designed to adopt measures with
avowed object, why not at once follow out the recommenda-
tion of a sub-committee, appointed in the month of May
last, for the purpose " of giving increased facilities and des-
patch to the loading and discharging of vessels ?" lam told
that their system of doing business, within their closed dooi*
is perfectly childish and amusing, if such a term can with
propriety be applied to any thing of so much consequence' in
its results to the all-important subject of the trade of this
town. Plans upon plans are called for, and sub-committee
upon sub-committee appointed, without their acting upOn
the one, or adopting the recommendations of the other. The:
former, without ceremony, are thrown on one side, and the,
suggestions of the latter are never attended to.
I earnestly intreat our merchants to look well to their own
affairs, and to rescue them from " the miserable and un-
worthy hands into which they have fallen," before it is too
late. If the trade of the place should be driven away. for
want of proper accommodation, it will be long, very long,
before it can be brought back again.
A WELL-WISHER TO THE PORT.

LIVERPOOL REFERENCE OFFICE.—We perceive, from an
advertisement in another column, that Mr. Myles has under-
taken the management of the old-established reference office,
at No. 6, Wood-street, where, we have no doubt, he will
meet with the same extended patronage which has been
hitherto bestowed upon the institution.—See Advt.
LIVER THEATRE.—We beg to remind the public that this
evening terminates the present season at the 'Liver Theatre.
When we add, that Mr. Raymond takes his benefit on the
occasion, we feel confident that the house will be crowded.
No one better deserves " a bumper."
RURAL POLICE.—We believe that the report of the com-
missioners appointed to inquire into the propriety of esta-
blishing a rural police will very shortly be laid before parlia-
ment. The report is very voluminous, and contains a great
body of evidence ; and although its recommendations have
not yet transpired, we believe we may venture to state, that
the commissioners have suggested that a paid constabulary
be established in any county, riding, or division, under the
control of the magistrates of the district, provided they, or
the guardians of the poor, or a certain portion of the inhabi-
tants, shall apply to the police commissioners for that pur-
pose ; and that the expense of such force is to be paid partly
out of the county rate and partly out of the consolidated fund.
—Ministerial paper.

THE MURDER AT HAYES.—The coroner's jury assembled
to inquire into the circumstance attending the death of Mr.
Joseph Alsop,the unfortunate young gentleman who was stab-
bed on the 9th instant by Mr. Francis Hastings Medhurst,
his fellow-pupil, at the Rev. F. Sturmer's, Wood-end-green,
Hayes, have returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against
Medhurst," and were unanimous in coming to the resolution :
—" That the conduct of Mr. Sturmer are highly reprehensi-
ble in not interfering to prevent the altercation between the
parties, as such interference might have prevented the un-
happy consequences which have ensued."