The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-12-31 00:00:00

BRUTAL OUTRAGE.

John Brown, a sailor, was placed at the bar of the Police
Court, on Saturday, charged with having attempled to poison
a young woman, a servant at Mr. Green's public-house, at
the corner of Garden-street, in Hurst-street. The police-
officer on duty in that neighbourhood stated, that, at three
o'clock that morning, the prisoner was given into his custody
on a charge of having poisoned a young woman. He went
and saw the latter, and she was so violently convulsed that it
took four men to hold her. A girl, who was understood to
be connected with the house, stated, that about half-past ten
o'clock on the preceding night, the prisoner asked a young
woman, called Ellen, to go up stairs and play a game of
bagatelle with him. She assented. He pressed her to take
something to drink, which she, at first refused : at length,. he
prevailed upon her to consent to take a glass of ale. He
went down to the bar and procured the ale himself, which he
gave her on his return. She requested witness to drink some
of it, but the prisoner interposed, saying, " No ; I want her
to drink it all herself." She drank a portion of it, and re•
marked that it had a very curious taste. Witness took it
from her and asked the prisoner if he had not put tobacco
in it. He said he had not, and, taking the glass, he threw
the remainder of the ale on the floor. The young woman
(Ellen) immediately complained that she was unwell. She,
however, went out, and was absent a short time. On her re-
turn she was seized with a violent trembling, " and from that
time until this morning," said the witness, " she has got out
of one fit into another." A young sailor, a companion of the
prisoner, stood up and said to the magistrate, " 1 got the
stuff, sir." Mr. Rushton asked him if he wished to give
evidence, to which he replied in the affirmative. Mr. Rush-
ton cautioned him against saying anything that might crimi-
nate himself ; after which he proceeded to inform the ma-
gistrate, that the " stuff" which the prisoner had put into
the glass of ale was cantharides. He (witness) had had some
in his possession for mere curiosity, and he gave sonic to the
prisoner.

. -
Mr. Rushton said, it was a case which required further in-
vestigation, and he ordered the officer to go for the surgeon
who had attended the young woman.
In about an hour a young man, named M'Clellan, made
his appearance. He said, the young woman was then in a
state of slight fever. He did not believe she was in any
danger, nor had he conceived that any thing particular was
the matter with her. When he first saw her she vomited
'very much. She had many fits : his opinion was that they
were feigned. He had not had time to examine the contents
of the stomach. When told that the girl had had a dose of
cantharides administered to her, he said, a small quantity of
the latter would produce' the symptoms which the girl had
exhibited.—The prisoner was remanded.
Yesterday, the case was further investigated. A profes-
sional gentleman stated that ,he had not. been enabled to
detect the presence of cantharides in. what the girl had
vomitted, after he was called in; but she had twice vomitted
before that time. The landlady of the. house stated that she
did not think the prisoner had put anything Into the ale. . Tue
case was further adjourned inconsequence of a witness being
absent.

YESTERDAY.
OBTATNING MONEY UNDEit VAT,SE PRETIENCES.

A man; harped John Chapman, was claimed with obtaining
...sure of money under false pretences. The prisoner, it ap-
peared, had gone to Mr. Lace, a provision. dealer, in Bath-
street, on the afternoon of the 25th instant, and asked if Mr.
Isaacson was at home.' Mr. Lace (who knew that the prisone r
was in Mr. Isaacson's employ) said that he was not there.
The prisoner then asked witness to lend him .i.:2 for Mr.
Isaacson, for the purpose of buying some shells and bird
skins from the Eliza Kincaid, just arrived from Siucapore.
The money was lent to the prisoner, who said he would call
with what he purchased for Mr. Isaacson. He did not, how-
ever, return. Witness afterwards saw Mr. Isaacson, who
said he had not authorized the prisoner to borrow any money.
Mr. Bernard Isaacson, a naturalist, residing in West Derby-
road, said the prisoner had been in his service for six or seven
months. On the 25th instant he was with Mr. Lace on the
pier-head, and there left the prisoner, but did not authorize
him to borrow any money. On Satnrday, witness and Mr.
Lace saw the prisoner, and gave him in charge. On being
asked why he got the money, he said, " I was tempted; I
was in drink; I am very sorry for it."
The prisoner said he did not mention Mr. Isaacson's name,
and that Mr. Lace said, if he wanted any money he might
have it.