The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-08-14 00:00:00

DEATH FROM FURIOUS DRIVING.

James Newton, aged 31, was charged with having, on the
sth of July last, caused the death of Nancy Stump, by fu-
riously driving a coach on which the deceased was riding, by
which, he caused the overturning of the coach, and the de-

ceaseslvoisr,e(l..such. inj uries_ the-reJa_gs_po.s_ed
.11er de
Mr. usHToN appeared for the prosecution, an
WILK INS for the defence.

It appeared that:the prisoner was the driver of a coach from
Oldham to Manchester, and on the 6th of July last, several
witnesses deposed that be was racing with another coachman
till the fore-wheel of his (prisoner's) coach came off, and the
coach upset. The coach for a long distance before the ac-
cident was swinging frightfully from the rate at which it was
driven. On the upsetting of the -coach the deceased was
found lying with her leg unde'r the coach. She was taken
to the house of a gentleman in the neighbourhood, named
Daggett.. and the coachman was given into custody. The
deceased was afterwards sent to the Infirmary, where she
died of the injuries she had received.

Mr. Smith,house-surgeon to the lnfirrnary, stated that the
deceased's jawbone was broken, and she had also sustained
a compound fracture of the leg, near the ankle joint.
Other witnesses were called who deposed, that the prisoner
refused to race the coach, and was not driving at all rapidly,
and that the coach-wheel got into a hole which caused the
coach to rock, and finally to upset. Several witnesses gave
the prisoner a good character as a careful steady driver.
The learned JUDGE said, the question for the jury to con-
sider was, whether the coach was racing or not. If the pri-
soner was racing his coach with another, he would be guilty
of manslaughter; if not, it was an accident.•
The jury acquitted the prisoner, and he was ordered to be
discharged. •

"WIGGING."

Edward Oakes, aged 25, was charged with stealing two £lO
notes, two £5 notes, sixteen sovereigns, and half a sovereign,
the property of George Fitzgerald.
Mr. ItusteroN stated the case for the prosecution, and Dr.
Bitowei defended the prisoner.
It appeared that on the 27th of last July, the prosecutor
was walking in Castle-street, Liverpool, when he was accosted
by a person having the appearance of a country gentleman,
and after they hail walked together some distance, the "gen-
tleman" invited the prosecutor to have a glass of wine with
huff at a public house, where they had some wine and ale.
Presently another man (the prisoner) cameinto the room, and
after calling for some ale, introduced himself to the prose-
cutor and his companion as a pour lad who had come to the
property of his uncle. He said his name formerly had been
"Billy Wilkins," (laughter) but now there was an " Es-
quire" added to it; that he was now living at an hotel. He
produced a large quantity of what appeared to be bank notes.
The prosecutor then stated that he wished to go to the
Zoological Gardens, and his companion said he would go
with him, and then the prisoner begged they would permit
him to keep the company of respectable men. The prose-
cutor then remarked to him on the impropriety and fully of
his exposing his money before strangers, and the prisoner
placed it in a pocket book. The party then went to the
Zoological Gardens, the prisoner paying for a coach. The
prisoner, on their return, invited the others to dine with him,
and they all went to a public house near the gardens where
they dined and had some wine and ale. After dinner cigars
were introduced, and the prisoner asked Fitzgerald, who
wanted to pay his share, "Why don't you put your money
together and keep it up ? Whilst you are with me you shall
pay nothing." The prosecutor then produced his money,
consisting of bank notes, sovereigns, doubloons. and an eagle
which he had kept in his fob ' • and the prisoner insisted that
he should keep his money in his pocket-book in his fob. The
prosecutor placed the money on the table and one of the
party produced sonic paper to wrap up the money, in which
the prisoner assisted. A parcel was placed in the prosecutor's
poCket-pook and the prisoner and the other man advised the
prosecutor not to spend any money, but to put his pocket-
book in his fob, and he (prisoner) would pay all expenses.
They remained about half an hour longer and then went
out. They called at a public-house again, where the prisoner
called for some ale and said he would go and see his lawyer,
and then went out, leaving the prosecutor with his first com-
panion, who soon after went out also, and said he would look
after the prisoner, as he was a kind of foolish man. Soon
after the prosecutor left the house and called at a boot store
to buy a pair of bouts, and pulling his pocket-book out from
his pocket found that the paper parcel contained only a few
half pence, and he had never got his money back. The pri-
soner was apprehended the following day, and part of the
money found upon him.
_ _

Air:RUSHTON. That is the case, my lord.
His LORDSHIP. And a very nice case it is.
Dr. BROWN addressed the jury on the part of the prisoner,
and said the question resolved itself into one of identity. He
called several witnesses who gave the prisoner a ' good'
character.

His Loa DSHIP said the question was whether the prisoner
was "Billy Wilkins" or Squire Wilkins, or not.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced
to be transported for seven years; his Lordship saying that
he was too clever a man to remain in this country.