The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-22 00:00:00

AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF PHRENOLOGY.

A shipkeeper was placed at the bar on a charge of having
stolen three pieces of canvass from on board a vessel which he
had been hired to watch. Though there were strong suspi-
cions against the prisoner, there was no direct evidence of
the charge of the theft ; but the man himself put the matter
beyond doubt, by saying, " It is quite true that I took the
canvas from the vessel, but I do not know what induced me
to do so. I have never been in such a place as this before."
The captain of the vessel also stated that the conduct of the
prisoner, whom he had frequently employed as a shipkeeper,
had hitherto been unexceptionable; so it appears pretty evi-
dent that the poor fellow must have been involuntarily driven
into the act by an excessive developement of the organ of
secretiveness. . .

He was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, the usual
expedient adopted for reducing the size or activity of that
lump.

ATROCIOUS ASSAULT.

Mr. Hardy, together with his son, a boy of about 15 years
of age, appeared before the police magistrate for the purpose
of obtaining a summons against a foolhardy fellow, named
Pickup, a car-driver, for having first picked up a quarrel with
his son, and then thrown a pail of water upon him (Mr.
Hardy.)
The boy, at the direction of his father, stated his com-
plaint. He said—on Wednesday, I was in a street at the
back of 'West Derby-street, when Pickup called me a softy.
I asked him who he was calling a softy, and he told me to
go about my business. I told him the street was as open to
me as to him, and that I would not go away. He then said
that he would make me; and I said—
Mr. Rushton.—Well, well, what did lie do ?
Complainant.—He struck ine on the shoulder with his fist,
and on the leg with an altar. (Query, a halter.)
Mr. Hardy.—l went to remonstrate with him on his con-
duct to my son, sir, and he threw a pail of water on me.
Mr. Rushton.—And you want a summons against him fur
throwing a pail of water on you?
Mr. Hardy.—Yes, sir, I do.
Mr. Rushton.—Very well; take it.

APPLICATION ON A CHARGE OF OBTAINING MONEY

UNDER FALSE PRETENCES.

Lieutenant Low appeared before the magistrate to ask his
assistance in a case of some importance, in which certain
individuals, calling themselves J. V. Hughes and Co., and
representing themselves as agents, had obtained money from
two individuals in the following manner :
Mr. Wtn. Frederick Johnson said-1 saw in a Kent paper,
an advertisement for several persons to go out to ports in the
United States, as agents for J. V. Hughes and Co. I
answered the advertisement, and in consequence of the com-
munication which took place I came down to Liverpool. On
the sth of September last, I entered into an agreement with
Mr. Peter Hughes, who terms himself James Vincent
Hughes. I was to be an agent for the collecting of freights,
the disposing of consignments, and the receiving cf passage
money, in New York. He (M r, Peter Hughes) required
from me a security of £2OO, £l5O of which I paid down.
He allowed me the remaining £5O as a half year's salary in
advance.

Mr. Rushton.—Then you have never been in New York.
Mr. Johnson.—No, sir ; I have not.
Mr. Rushton.—l am sorry that it is a case out of my
jurisdiction. I am not aware that I can do anything to re-
lieve you.' The case is one that shows how extremely cau-
tious strangers ought to be, and apply to houses of re-
spectability. Such houses have no occasion to apply by
advertisement for agents, as they can make their arrange-
ments without.

Mr. Johnson.—They have taken my little all.
Mr. Ellis.—There is another case of a similar nature, in
wich the person advanced as security £lO3, and received
back £2O.

Mr. Johnson.—l tried to get a passage from him yesterday,
as I have relations in New York, and I thought it better to
get that than lose my all. He said that he would let me have
one, and this morning I found that my name is inserted in
the passage list of the Irving, for a passage for myself, my
wife, and child; but the captain knows nothing about it, nor
did I till this morning.
Mr. Rushton.—l would interfere very promptly if I could;
but the thing is of such a nature that, though I may have a
very strong opinion about it, I cannot do so.
The magistrate advised the applicants how to proceed, and
they then left the court.
AN ORDERLY HOUSE.

Inspector M•Gill, supported by a police-officer, laid an in-
formation against Mrs. Wood, the keeper of a public-house
in Cockspur-street, for having had in her house several
drunken persons, . and for permitting disorderly conduct

therein.

The Inspector stated that at a quarter to twelve o'clock on
(we think) Tuesday night last, he, in company with an officer,
entered the house of Mrs. Wood, and in different rooms he
found altogether thirty-two persons, several of whom were
drunk. Amongst them were twelve females, three at least of
whom be knew to be prostitutes, and, fiddling and dancing
was going on. One man was dressed in woman's clothes,
and was dancing.
Mr. Davenport, who appeared for the defendant, said that
the house was one at which several " beneficial clubs" met,
that tsfice a week the Rev. Mr. Wilcox and the Rev. Mr.
Croft (catholic priests) attended for the purpose of managing
the club. On Tuesday night, however, they were absent ;
but there was only one man in the house who was drunk, and
he had been requested to leave before Inspector M`Gill en-
tered.

In proof of this statement, Mr. Davenport called witnesses.
The first was Mr. Murray (the Brougham Institute lecturer)
who said that the club which met on a Tuesday night was a
male and female club, consisting of about 400 members. From
the beginning of his connexion with the society, down to the
present day, he had never seen a prostitute in the house. Se-
veral Irish women were also called, most of whom stated that
they had been in the house from half-past eight to half-past
elo en, and they had not seen any drunken or disorderly
charalt c•rs.

Mr. Rushton.—Well, what does all this amount to, Mr.
Davenport ? You have not asked one question as to disor-
der, but only as to disorderly characters. From the state-
ment of the officers, it appears, that there were th'rty-two
ersons in the house, three of whom were drunk, three others
were prostitutes, there was one man dressed in women's
c'othes, and there was fiddling and dancing. The evidence
of your irincipal witness extends only to within a quarter of
an hour of the time mentioned.

Mr. Davenport—But if a man chooses to enter her house
in fema!e clothes, it is a very hard thing that she must be
fined for it.

Mr. Rushton—l think it is a very clear cage. Every Mon-
day there are brought before me from one to two hundred
persons who have been found in the streets in a state of
drunkenness, which would not be the case if publicans acted
as they ought to act.
Mrs. Wood was tined 40s. and costs.
SATURDAY.
STEALING MANURE.

Edviaril Mutch was placed before-Mr. Rushton, charged
with having stolen about a ton and a half of manure, worth
seven shillings and sixpence per ton. It appeared that the
prisoner went, on Tuesday last, to Mr. Smethurst, who had
about twenty tons of stable dung, near his stable, Mill-place,
Shaw's-brow, and asked the price of it. He was told the
price, and that not less than the whole quantity could be sold.
He, however, went to a person named Chorley, who is in the
service of Mr. Atherton, a farmer, and coolly taking him to
the heap, sold a load of the manure, and 'received payment.
Mr. Smethurst missed his property, and, on inquiry amongst
his neighbours, discovered the name that was on the cart.
This led to the apprehension of the prisoner, who confessed
the offence, and was committed for trial.
YESTERDAY.

SEEKING A SEPARATION.
A middle aged man, of genteel exterior, was placed in the
dock, charged by his better half with having, at sundry times,
beaten and otherwise treated her with cruelty. The wife,
with two witnesses, each gaily attired and respectable in
their appearance, proved th assault. All the wife sought
for was a separation from " the brute," as she could no lon-
ger live with him. She had been married seventeen years,
and borne him several children. Her husband was in the re-
ceipt of £7O a-year,—a retiring pension as a superannuated
tidewaiter.
On hearing the husband's statement, it appeared she was
generally the original transgressor, and that it had been
agreed among the party themselves, that the present steps
should be taken in order to have the magistrates' opinion
and decision thereon, as she was continually harping npon
her own capability of maintaining herself and children, if he
would but leave " her alone in her glory." He was desirous
of conforming to her wishes, and abiding by the result. She
asked for the whole of the household furniture, which cost
him at least £7OO, and a weekly allowance towards the sup-
port of the children. He was willing, on the magistrates'
suggestion, to allow this, and 10s. weekly. How long such
a separation will last, after a seventeen years' marriage, is
doubtful.

Mr. Feargus O'Connor, who is at present in Cork to su
perintend the registries, has expressed his intention of offer
mg himself as a candidate for the representation of the coun
ty at the very first election.