The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-03-09 00:00:00

POLICE COURT, YESTERDAY

BURGLARY.—Richard Green, charged with breaking
into the shop of William H. Brookes, professor of music,
South John-street, and stealing therefrom two accor-
dion., value 305., was committed for trial.
STEALING POTATOES.--Lewis Prince and Christopher
111'Kenzie, charged with stealing, from the stores of the
Lancashire and Yorkshi-e Railway, a quantity of potatoes,
were sentenced, the former to one, and the latter to two
months' imprisonment.

PICKING POCKETS.—John Herbert was charged with
attempting to pick pockets in St. John the Evangelist's
Church, Hope-street, on Sunday morning last. Povey,
detective officer, stated that on the previous Sunday a
lady's pocket was picked of £2O in that edifice, Bra] he
was, in conseqence, induced to go there. As the congre-
gation was coming out he perceived the prisoner approach
two ladies, and attempt to pick the pocket of one of them,
lie therefore took him into custody. Herbert was sen-
tenced to three months' imprisonment.
SMUGGLING.—John Robinson, second mate of the
James Grey, lying in the Albert Dock, was charged with
having concealed in his berth 7 lbs. of foreign manufac-
tured tobacco. Remanded till Thursday.—James Fahy,
charged with smuggling one gallon of whiskey, which he
had concealed in a bladder at the Clarence Dock, was
sentenced to pay a penalty of £lO.

LIVERPOOL CATTLE MARKET.
For the season the supply at our market this day
was much above an average, and the demand being
slow, prices, in both beef and mutton, fell full Id. per
lb. from last week's prices. Small sheep brought
about the same as at last week's market. The transac-
tions for actual business, if compared with the supplies,
must be considered limited ; so that at the close of
the market a large stock was left unsold.—Prices :
Beef per lb. : Prime heifers, 44d. to 44d. ; second-class
do. and fat bullocks, 4d. to 41d. ; halt fat bullocks and
cows, nd. to 31d.—Mutton per lb.: Prime wether sheep,
bd. to utcl. ; 2nd class do., ad. ; ewes, sd. to 6d.

THE LATE MR. WALTER WALKER.—The body of this
unfortunate rentkmitn flo.tint, in ttac Rsortus.
Dock on Sunday last. Information was at once forwarded
to the coroner, Mr. Churton, and a jury immediately
empannelled ; their verdict after a very short inquiry
being found drowned. Mr. Walker was missed by his
friends about seven weeks since; and it will be remem-
bered that his hat was found floating in the Morpeth
Dock, some distance from the spot where the lamented
deceased's body was discovered.

LAUNCH OF A RIVER STEAMER.--Yesterday a beauti-
ful steamer, called the Countess of Ellesmere. built by
Mr. Laird for the Trustees of the Duke of Bridgewater,
and intended to ply between Liverpool and Runcorn, was
launched from the building-yard of Mr. Laird. She
plunged into her native element in gallant style, amidst
the loud applause of a large concourse of spectators. She
is of beautiful model, and, with passengers on board, will
not exceed a draft of four feet. Her engines, on the oscil-
sting principle. with all the latest improvements, are in
course of erection by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston and Co.,
and are expected to be completed (on board) in April.
The Countess of Ellesmere is 170 feet long, and 20 feet
beam, and 80 horse power with feathering floats.
" SWINGING THE GREAT BRlTAlN.—Yesterday this
splendid craft left the quay at which she had been for
some weeks laying, for the purpose of having her com-
passes adjusted by observation. The operation is a most
interesting and important one. This floating castle was
swung to every point of the compass, and the bearings of
the compasses attained to the greatest nicety. A select
party was present to witness the process, and all took a
deep interest in the proceedings, and were delighted to
find that despite the amount of local attraction in this
leviathan ship, her compasses were rendered as perfect as
as those of any craft afloat. The quay was lined through-
out the operation by interested spectators. Amongst
those on board we observed Mr. Robert Bright, of Bris-
tol, Mr. Samuel Bright, of Liverpool. and other of her
spirited owners ; as also Captain Claxton, to whose
great exertions at Dundrum Bay, may be attributed the
preservation of the ship. The operation of adjusting the
compasses was performed by our talented tow nsman ,Mr.
Gray.

DARING MUTINY ON BOARD THE QUEEN

OF THE WEST.

On Saturday afternoon last a most desperate affray took
place on board the packet-ship Queen of the West, Capt.
Mors, bound for New York, and lying in the river ready
for sea. The ship cleared out of the Wellington Dock
about 11 o'clock, and lay near the Cheshire side of Ole,
river, between Egremont and Seacombe. About 1 o'clock
the captain went on board in a steam-tug, with Lieut.
Prior, the government agent, and soon afterwards the
crew refused to work or go to sea, and a sanguinary con-
flict between the officers and men was the result. The
police were sent for from Liverpool, and apprehended the
rioters, conveying many of them, severely wounded, to
the Northern Hospital in this town, where two now lie in
a very dangerous state. The disturbance taking place on
the Cheshire side of the river. those of the prisoners who
were able were removed to Ilrkenhead for examination.
CONVICTION OF THE MUTINEERS YESTERDAY.
At 11 o'clock yesterday morning, at the Polke•office,
Birkenhead, ten of tha prisoners were placed in the dock,
on the charge of mutiny and assault, before Sir E. Cust
(chairman), W. S. Jackson, Esq., and J. D. Case, Esq.
Mr. Snowball appeared for the captain, who was
himself, as 'cell as the other officers of the ship, dread-
fully bruised ; and Mr. Aspinall, barrister, instructed by
Mr. Atkinson, for the rioters.
The names of the men were—Geo. Freeman. Alexander
Jack, James Black, jaIIIVS Trayner, James Fowler, This.
Brown. John Droan, James Thompson, William Perry,
and Henry Downs—all of them youmg, athletic men, and
most of them Americana.

Mr. ASPINALL, before the proceedings commenced,
intimated his intention, us soon as the first charge was
disposed of, of applying for the committal of Captain
Mors, for attempting to shoot Geo. Freeman, and on other
accusations.

The ease having bcen briefly opened by Mr, SNOWBALL,
the following witnesst s were examined :

Captain David Mors.—l am master of the Queen of the
West, an American vessel, lying in the river Mersey on
Saturday. We had part, of the crew on board (about 22),
and the rest were coining. I went ashore after putting
the ship in the river, to get the government agent to pass
the ship, and on my return to muster the passengers with
the agent, I found the mate mustering the crew. I told
him to go below and get the passengers on deck, and I
would muster the men myself. I did so, and found 20
seamen answer. 1 told the shipping master to go ashore
and get six more hands, which, including the carpenter's
mwe and one more man, would make 28 for the crew.
George Freeman on this, one of the crew, stepped forward
to me, and asked me what I meant by having 26 men
when the complement w, s 30, and swore he would not go
in the ship. I turned coolly to the man, and told him he
could not do more than one man's duty. I collared him
to take him at, but was knocked down and beaten. I
then went to the wheelhouse, the other end of the vessel,
and got a -revolving pistol. I came forward again and took
hold of Freeman. He was my prisoner. I told the rest
also to stand back, or I would shoot them. On that two
of them came forward, and seized hold of me.
I could not swear to them ; I think Jack was one, and 1
fired at him. The pistol missed fire, and the men closed
into me again, with handspikes, belaying pins, marling
spikes, knives, and anything in short they could lay hold
of'. They knocked me down and cut me severely all over
the head and body. With that, the mate came along
with a cutlass, and commenced to strike away at them;
also the second and third mate came on deck, and lent a
hand to clear the road, to that I was able to get up. As
soon as I got up, I told the mate to give me his cutlass,
and told him to go and get another one, and we cleared
the decks before us in a very short time. Lieutenant
Prior, the government sure

yor, being there, took the tug-
boat alongside, and went ashore fort he police force, which

was not aware of E
in custody, jumped overboard, and went ashore in the
steam-boa;., and were given in charge by Lieutenant
Prior. I ordered the officers to put the men in irons.
When they came to Downs, one of the ringleaders, the
whole force of the three mates could not bring him aft,
owing to his violent resistance. I was at. the time in the
wheelhouse having my head dressed by the doctor, and I
jumped out and lent them a hand to secure him. When
Downs gor aft he was so very " obstroperlous" (I should
call that I tied Lim up in the rigging and flogged him.
In a short time Mr. Ride came aboard, and 1 gave them
into cu.tody. lam a German.

the time

ight of t

iese men, now

By Mr. ASPINALI
treating men

—I have not been charged with M-
etes-L.. I have been twice before the
rna,,istrates in New York for ill-treating passengers, and
once in Enoland. The last was for ill treating 'lie men.

I went to assist the mates whom the men were abusing,
and I was honourably cleared by the court, but I did not
wish to press the charge against the men. It was the
former commar.der of the ship, Captain Hi!lards, who was
up the other day for ill-treatment. I never remember
two of the sailors jumping over board on the banks of
Newfoundland from my ship. I did not strike Freeman.
I was not in the act of striking him. I seized him by the
collar to ask him if he wanted a row, and if he had said
so, I should have had him aft

►d put in irons. I was
knocked down. before I went aft for the pistol. Most of
the passengers were on the deck during this time. Ne
one had struck me the second time when I fired the
pistol. The pistol was wrenched out of my hand and
thrown overboard. There was no cap on. and I fired it
only•to frighten the men. I never till this moment said
there was no cap on the pistol. I did not tell Mr. Clough
there was no cap on it. I did fire it with the intention, if
I could, of shooting the man if he did not let me alone.
Freeman was the man who threw it overboard. I got the
cutlass from the mate. I lost my senses once pretty well
by a blow from a handspike, before I got the cutlass. The
mate was the only one who had a cutlass besides. The
third mare had a belaying pin. The boatswain remained
neutral throughout. I have not been on board a ship
since. I have sworn before, and do so again, that I was
knocked down by handspikes and belaying pins before I
got the pistol. When I was knocked down the second
time, and when twenty men were on me, I called out to
the passengers to assist me.

By Mr. SNOWBALL.—The pistol was a revolving pistol
of six barrels, I think. There were three nipples with
caps, I think, and three without. I was not before the
magistrates at New York for violence. I was punished by
a fine of or £2. The first time was for a row, in which
I interfered, with the passengers ; and the second, of
which I was acquitted, for striking a passenger who had
stolen 40s. from a boy.

James Purdon Risk, first mate of the Queen of the
West, said—The captain came alongside on Saturday, and
hailed me to know why I had not the passengers on deck,
and I replied I was doing so as fast as I could. The
shipping-master was mustering the men. I had not seen
any of the men before that morning. Freeman said there
was not the complement of men on board, and the captain
said that was his business, and told the men to go forward
and get on with, their work, at the same time directing me
to follow, and see they went on with it. The crew was
going forward by the captain's orders, which were given
in a civil tone, when Freeman turned round and said he
would not go to sea until the complement of men was
aboard, which was 30 of a crew, he said. Other words
passed, and the men then went and stood on the fore-
castle-head. On my going forward to. obey the captain's
orders, I was followed by Captain Mors, and told the men
to go on with their work. Freeman turned round and said
he wanted his breelvitst before he went to work, and was
very insolent. I was a little excited at the time. The
captain then took Freeman by the collar, and told
him to come aft. All the men then set about the
captain, and, on turning round, I saw blood stream-
ing down his face. I put my arms out to protect
him, when Fowler, whom I had never spoken to before,
came up from behind the rest, aed saying " Oh 1 you son
of a —." struck me with a belaying pin on the head.
I was also struck with a handspike, and knocked down.
When I got up, I told Captain Mors to go aft, and I
would get the rest of the officers up. lie made me no
reply, but went aft. When I got to the main hatch, I
sang out " All the officers on deck," as I had before sent
them down to bring the passengers up. I ran into the
main deck, and again called them up, fearing they first
might not hear me because of the noise on deck. I got a
cutlass out of the locker, and ran on deck again. I saw
the captain down. He made no noise then. I thought
he was dead. The second and third mate were down also,
and the men beating them. I threw the scabbard down,
and slashed away at the men on the captain, and if I did
not cut them, I intended it at all events. I then drove
the men from off the other officers, and chased them
to the other side of the deck, when I found that many
others had got on board the steam-tug. I gave the cap-
tain my cutlass, and got another from the steward. I
then went on board the steam-boat for the men who had
escaped there; but Lieut. rrfor would not let me take
saying be would give them in charge when he got
ashore. After some persuasion I went on board again,
and got the second and third mates to look for such of
the crew as had stowed themselves away, intending to
put them in irons. We found Downs in one of the state-
rooms, and be would not come out. The door was &mat,
and he was seized ; but he still violently resisted. When
on deck, the captain came out of the wheelhouse, and
assisted to get him aft. He made such a noise, and cried
out " Murder !" so, that we tied him up to the rigging,
and flogged him. We put Trayner in irons. At the
time the man was flogged, the captain, I believe, was in
such an excited state that he had not all his senses about
him. Lieut. Prior then came, and the men were given
up to the police. All the prisoners aided, more or less,
in the row : there were others whom we could not iden-
tify. I believe they all struck the captain.
By Mr. ASPINALL.—If they did not strike the captain,
they tried to do so. I did not ask any passenger to assist,
nor did they refuse, saying it was the captain's own fault.
Lieutenant Prior would not let me take the men from the
steamer. They were in the hold. The man was not in
irons when ho was flogged. We flogged him because he
resisted all he could, and struck all he could. We flogged
him with a rope. It was not a three-inch rope, nor so
thick as a two-inch rope. The captain flogged the man
with his own band.—Q. And yet he was so excited he did
not know what he was doing ? (Laughter.)—He was so
excited at the time. I was not so excited as to flog the
man ; I was on duty then. I assisted to lift his shirt up,
and so did the captain. We flogged him for a minute or
two. We did not flog him till the police came. When
he had been flogged he was put in irons with three others.
Lieutenant Prior did not tell me we were to blame, and a
great deal worse than the men. Lieut. Prior is not here;
he is on hoard the Queen of the West, clearing the skip
out. In order to get the pistol out of the wheel-house,
Captain Mors bad to go from one end of the ship to the
other. Some of the men, I am told, were sent to the
hospital. After the disturbance was over, I and the
captain did not chase the men with cutlasses. I chased
them and cut at them as they ran away from me. I had
no intention to hurt them, unless they offered resistance.