The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-07-20 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, .TVEY NI), 1852

THE CASE OF SUPPOSED MURDER BY A

POLICE OFFICER

ATTACK UPON CONSERVATIVE VOTERS

An inquest was held yesterday, in the Sessions-house,
before P. F. Curry, Esq., on the body of Patrick Bulger,
aged 24, who died on Thursday last, at his lodgings, No.
5, Court, Burlington-street.

The first witness called was Mary Barnes, sister of the
deceased, who stated that, on Wednesday, the day of the
polling, the deceased came home from his work about
half-past six o'clock. He got his tea ; cleaned himself
and went out. Between ten and eleven o'clock he came
home, and witness being in bed, he came to her bedside
and asked for a candle, at the same time saying he was
killed. On the candle being lighted, witness perceived
that his head was bound up, and inquired the cause. The
deceased said he was standing in the street, doing nothing,
when a policeman knocked him into a cellar. The next
morning he was unable to speak ; medical assistance was
procured, but he died last Thursday.

Mary M`Quilliam, a neighbour, gave similar testimony.
Mr. A. Twiss Ricordan, one of the surgeons of the Nor-
thern Hospital,deposed to attending the deceased during his
illness, and afterwards making a post mortem examination
of the body. He found the skull fractured, and extrava-
sated blood upon the brain, which was the cause of death.
Thomas Morgan stated, that on the evening of Wed-
nesday week, between eight and nine o'clock, an attack
was made upon his house, No. 40, Bispham-street, by a
mob of about 500 persons. They were of the very lowest
description. The doors and windows were completely
smashed ; and had it not been for the timely arrival of
the police, he had no doubt the lives of both himself and
his family would have been sacrificed. The reason for the
attack was because he bad voted for Mackenzie and Turner.
Agnes M'Neal gave similar testimony, adding that the
mob attacked her and her mother, who were standing at
their door, calling them bloody orange b-s.
This statement was corroborated by another female,
named Jane Felton, living in the same street. The wit-
nesses also spoke to the forbearance of the police, and
said they behaved very well.

Two or three other witnesses were called, who spoke to
seeing a man knocked into a cellar, but they could not
identify the officer nor the body of the deceased as the
man who was knocked into the cellar, and materially dif-
fered as to the dress worn by the party.
Mr. Ride gave a description of the riot which took
place in the district in question, and the part taken by
the police under Captain Greig and himself, but none of
the witnesses spoke to seeing the deceased in the crowd.
The Coroner enquired whether any further evidenes
could be produced.

Mr. Superintendent Ride said he did not think they
would be able to find evidence to show that it was the
deceased who fell into the cellar.

Mr. Superintendent Boyd had spent a whole day in an
investigation in the neighbourhood, but without success.

The Coroner said, if he saw any prospect of the point
being cleared up, he wou'd adjoul a the inquiry,
as he had no wish to have a hasty conclusion come to.

The Foreman of the Ju
satisfied.

said he believed they were all

The Coroner then summed up the evidence at consider-
able length, stating what was the law as applicable to the
case. If the jury were of opinion that the deceased had
not been identified as the par;:v who was knocked into the
cellar, then their verdict would be that he came to his
death by injuries inflicted on his head, but how those
injuries were inflicted there was no evidence to show
If they were of opinion that the deceased was identified a
the party who was knocked into the cellar, then it woin,'
be for them to consider, suppose tl

came t

sion that it

was actin

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