The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-09-21 00:00:00

victorir

of Mr. Edward Dutton, of Hamilton-square, a vest, fou
silk handkerchiefs, two pair of trousers, a coat, and
pistol ; and from the house of Mr. J. H. Greene, also o
Hamilton-square, a silk velvet coat of the value of .£lO
The prisoner Griffiths had been employerl
outside of the houses, and in consequence was allowed to
pass through the upper rooms to get to the top windows,
when it is supposed he availed himself of the opportunity
to carry away the articles. Some of the articles were
found at the lodgings of the prisoners, and others, it was
discovered, had been pledged at different pawn-offices in
Liverpool. They were committed for trial,

to paint the

HORRIBLE ATTEMPT OF TWO MAIDEN
LADIES TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY
STARVATION.

A circumstance of a most extraordinary and painful
character, and which, but for the prompt and humane ex-
ertions of the parties concerned in bringing it to light,
would no doubt have ended fatally, has taken place in the
parish of Marylebone.
About a month since two ladies of highly respectable
appearance, and with manners of a very superior order,
whose names have been ascertained to be Harriett and
Julia Sharpley, called at the house of Mrs. Turner, No.
41, Adam-street West, London, Edgeware-road, and en-
gaged her back attic, which was at the time to let furnished.
They paid their rent regularly, and went out together every
@lay for the first fortnight, and their .general appearance,
although exceedingly melancholy, piainly betokened that
they had seen better days. A fortnight since last Wed-
nesday they ceased to go out as usual, and a week having
elapsed since they had been seen or known to leave their
room, fears were entertained by Mrs. Turner, the land-
lady, that something was wrong, as the door was kept
locked, and the woman in the adjoining apartment ex-
pressed her conviction that they had no food, as she never
beard the sound of a plate or a knife and fork.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, the Bth instant, Mrs.
Turner, with a view to ascertain the cause of their non-
appearance, knocked at the door and told them she wanted
the room for her son. One of the ladies replied, " Very
well," and told ber they would open the door in the
evening. She went up, and on their opening the door she
found them together, but they would not admit they
wanted food, although they appeared in a very desponding
and emaciated condition. She went down stairs and made
them some tea, and brought up some bread and butter;
but although they thanked her for her kindness they
declined, saying they could not take it. She, however,
insisted on leaving it, and came down stairs, supposing
her presence might hurt their feelings. They again locked
the door, and feeling her position was a delicate one the
landlady did not like to disturb them until Wednesday
last, when having received intimation from the lodger in
the next room that she heard moans proceeding from the
back attic, she felt it her duty to go to Mr. Mackenzie,
the beadle and summoning officer of St. Mary's district,
who advised Mrs. Turner to have the door forced open,
and if what she feared was true to make immediate appli-
cation to the workhouse. Mrs. Turner acted under the
advice, and laid the case before the workhouse authorities.
Mr. Collett, one of the inspectors of out-door poor,
immediately proceeded to the house, 41, Adam-street, to
visit the case, and on entering the apartment he found the
sisters lying on the bed dressed and locked in each other's
arms. They were both perfectly sensible, but were so
weak from want of nourishment that they were unable to
stand, and one actually fainted in Mr. Collett's arms as
he attempted to raise her. The inspector saw that unless
some prompt measures were resorted to a few hours would
terminate their existence, as they already appeared in a
dying condition. He at once, and in the most humane
and praiseworthy manner, sent for brandy and wine, and
administered it, mixed with a little water, himself, which
appeared to revive the unfortunate ladios. Mr. Grant,
one of the medical officers, shortly after attended, and
ordered stimulants and nourishment, which had to be
administered by force, as the patients were either un-
willing, or too weak, to take it. They rallied a little,
and on Thursday it was deemed advisable, in order to
insure them that constant medical attendance and nourish-
ment the case required, to remove them to the work-
house. Mr. Collett went to the house with a cab for
that purpose, and when the sistars were informed where
they were to be taken, they expressed the greatest horror
and repugnance at going, as they said, to " the union."
The removal so affected one, that it was feared, both on
the way and after her arrival at the infirmary of Mary-
lebone workhouse, that she would have died. They
were, however, ultimately placed in bed, and then at-
tended by Mr. Grant and Mr. Squires, the head surgeon
of the infirmary, and by the kind attention of Mrs.
Bailey, the nurse, No. 36 ward, they are improving, but
are by no means out of danger. It is with great difficulty
the nurse compels either of them to take the food or-
dered for them, and they seem heartbroken at their
position.

The further inquiries of Mr. Inspector Collett have led
to the following disclosures :—The unfortunate ladies,
the eldest of whom is 41 years of age, and the youngest
39, have a father and mother exceedingly aged, and re-
duced from affluence to live with some relative in a small
cottage at Sinefield, near Slough, he having formerly
kept a large school in the vicinity of Windsor. His un-
fortunate daughters were educated as governesses, but
being unable to obtain employment, and their parent
being unable to support them, they came to London to
seek needlework, by which means they hoped to support
themselves. They were unsuccessful, and their slender
means becoming exhausted, they resolved, rather than be
a burden to their parents, or to bring disgrace on their
family by applying for relief, to starve together. They
still remain in the Marylebone Infirmary, and object to
take food. Their condition and their apartment were
perfectly cleanly, and it has been ascertained that the
only drink they had for more than a fortnight was the
drippings from the pipe from the roof of the house.

THE SHEFFIELD MURDER.—EXTRAORDINARY CON-
DUCT OF THE PRISONER.—WhiIe the prisoner Barbour
was being conveyed to York, he manifested a fright-
ful indifference to the imminent jeopardy in which
he is placed. On arriving at :Hasbro' he inquired of a
porter for an engine-driver named " Jack," who came to
the steps of the carriage in which Barbour was confined,
accompanied by another person. This man, it appeared,
Barbour did not wish to overhear his conversation, for he
said to him that it was a piece of impudence his coming
there, and ordered him away. Barbour then said to the
driver, " Well, Jack, thou need not be afraid about that
£2O I owe thee, for thou shall have it. I'll write to thee
about it next Thursday." The driver made no reply.
Directly afterwards the prisoner said, " Well. Jack, who's
to win t'Leger ?" The driver said he did not know, and
asked Barbour what horse he thought would win. He
replied, " Oh, Dan O'Rourke." The driver said he
thought not, whereupon Barbour said, " Oh, but Dan's a
real swift horse, and far better than the others." After a
pause he said, " Did thou win aught on the Derby ?"
The driver made no reply to the question, but said he
hoped that Barbour was not guilty of the murder. He
replied that he was not. "Well," said the driver, "if
thou isn't 1 hope thou will get off ; but if thou is, I
shouldn't care to see thee hanged." Here is a theme for
the censor of the age—Punch. A manacled felon,
charged with murder, on his way to a long confinement,
hich in all nr-Jbability will end in a murderer's fate, whose
), absorbed not as to the issue of the terrible
gh which ' -- but by racing events
4 t Normanton a q'

le must _
•
ker lady handed him, through t

he came to t

word "

ay doubl
hr 'hp tar

tiny up evidence, an

that Mr.

brutal apatb