The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-10 00:00:00

YESTERDAY.

DESPERATE RIOTS AND ASSAULTS AMONGST THE IRISH
IN LACE-STREET-ONE MAN NEARLY KILLED.-TWELVE
PRISONERS REMANDED TO THE BOROUGH GOAL TO

AWAIT THE RESULT.

Yesterday, at the Police-court, the following twelve pri-
soners were placed before Mr. Rushton and Mr. Hardman
Earle, on a charge of rioting in Lace-street, on Sunday, and
attacking a man named Patrick Rafferty, in a manner so
brutal that his life is in imminent danger :—viz. James Wal-
dron, Thomas Costello, Patrick Malonv, Michael Moran,
Thomas Henry, Harry Moran, John Sweeney, Margaret
Nicholson, Catherine Casey, Margaret Bolton, Catherine
Butler, and Winny O'Brien. The whole of the parties were
of the humbler classes—as might be assumed from the locality
of the street ; and they appear to have been actuated by that
spirit of desperate feudal hostility which has frequently ma-
nifested itself in faction fights bLtween the northerns and
southerns in the sister isle.

Bridget Finnegan was first called. She said—l keep a
lodging house in Lace-street, in a court. I was standing at
my door when Patrick Rafferty, a hod-carrier, came out with
his hands in his coat pockets. It was about two o'clock.
The prisoner Winny O'Brien, caught him by the collar.
She said—" I'll have my revenge out of you ;" and then she
took up a big stone and struck him on the ear. The prisoner,
Margaret Nicholson, then came and struck him with a brick
in the face. The elderly prisoner, Catherine Butler, then
came up and threw slutch in his face. Hugh Cowen and
Harry Allison (not in custody) then came out, and both
struck him, the first with a stick ana the other with a poker.
Patrick Malony next caught hold of him, and said—" If he's
not done, we'll do for him," and he then struck him on the
head with a loaded whip, and he (Rafferty) fell down. The
magistrates then had the parties accused by the witness
brought to the front of the dock, and asked them separately
if they had any questions to ask. They all entered into
statements; and elicited nothing favouralile to the few ques-
tions they put.
Michael Gilmore, a boy, being sworn said,—l live by
selling things at the docks. Yesterday, about half-past two
o'clock I saw Rafferty in the street. Two men came and
struck hip, one with a poker and the other with a stick.
The prisoner Catherine Casey came out and struck him
with a brick. I saw Patrick Malony afterwards pull
Rafferty out of Cubin's house by the legs. Harris had the
poker. The crowd ran down the street.
Casey and Malone asked witness, if on his oath, he saw
them strike, and he affirmed that he did.

Mary Kewley sworn.—l live in Lace-street with my
brothers. There was a crowd, and Rafferty was beaten. He
was afterwards taken into a house for shelter.

Elizabeth Haney called —I live at No, 1, Lace-street, at
the top. I saw Rafferty abused, and heard cries of " Don't
murder the man !" He came up the street with his face to
those striking him, and his hands up to save himself.
Michael Freeman, Tommy Gallagher, and Hugh Coin, (not
nere) struck him. They had all sorts of weapons. In getting
into the house for shelter, he strove to catch the panels of
the door, but fell into the house. If he had not fallen I be-
lieve he would have been killed.

John Griffith;WOrJ I am a labourer and live in the street.
About halt-past nine yesterday morning, the prisoners, Pat-
rick Malone and Michael Moran, were going up and down
the street. Moran had a poker. Two men, named Galla-
gher, and several others (not here) were also amongst them.
Moran was asking who would come against him They were
all sober. Michael Freeman (not in custody) ran into the
house, got a poker, and joined them. After that they all
went into the house. Thomas Rafferty (the brother of the
man hurt) came down the street, about ten o'clock, with
James Welsh. Thomas Gallagher came into the street and
struck James Welsh. Rafferty (the brother) made his.escape.
After that, Mark Burns and two more were going to work at
the docks.* The prisot.er, James Waldron. came up anti
struck Mark Burns on the temple, and he and his voini,anic.,
made their escape. There was a second attack ahout two
o'clock. Patrick Malone and a man ❑amed Hornsby came
Out and attacked Rafferty, Malone with a whip. Winny
(Winifred) O'Brien came up, and said to Rafferty, " You
may fetch your coffin with you." Winifred O'Brien struck
him with, 1 think, something she had in her hand ; hut of
this lam not quite sure. \\ in-u he was grainy; into un house.
Malone seized him by the leg, and iiorn,by b tt:e ,altar.
lie was beaten by them. I went ,iy%ay Malone
,aid that they had hao the street too long to it.einsAve,,, sod
it•was time they (his party) should leave it to tbeinsei‘e•.
Mark Burns said :-1 was going to w.rk at rice work at
about two o'clock on that day. Pat Malone ano others were
in the street. I went o❑ the other side. To.- pi is,,n,r al-
dron came behind ate and struck ine.

Warburton.—Did you not come up with a spade to my
House and strike me ?

The witness replied in the negative.
Honour 'Folly sworn:-1 saw the old woman (a prisoner)
come up with two or three bricks, which she put on the road
in readiness. She threw them at Win. Fanegan, and would
not let him pass till the crowd came up. I saw Margaret
Bolton and Catharine Casey. Mrs. Casey said that she übe
revenged for the money she had lust, and would wash her
bands in Rafferty's blood. Margaret Nichnls,u) said, " I'll
be revenged for the money that's lost," and she struck Raf-
ferty with a brick. Her husband came up and struck him
with a poker. 1 saw Mary Moran. She came up with a
small scuttling spade, and struck Rafferty's wife. Margaret
Bolton told the crowd to keep together. Thomas Costello,
the lame man, had his crutches, and said, " If I get a blow at
Rafferty with my crutch with the ferrel on, it will put him
a-sleep." He gave the two other men (Gallagher and Horn-
by,) two sticks, and said to them" Fight like men, and have
one of their lives."
The parties implicated by the last witness were called to
put any questions, but asked nothing, eliciting answers in
their behalf.

Thomas Burns spoke to seeing Rafferty about half-past
two, and every one of them striking him. Costello wanted
to give Rafferty a blow when he was down, and said, if he
got it that would be enough.
Biddy Rafferty (the wife of the injured man) being sworn,
was questioned by Margaret Moran as to attacking her with
a scuttle spade. The witness said, she was struck and tum-
bled into the channel, and her cap was torn from her head,
but she did not say by whom. They wanted to take her life,
as well as her husband's.

Several police-officers were then examined. None of them
had seen the fights, but they had been frequently called to the
street, and had three times dispersed the mob, and, appa-
rently, restored quietness. One of them, Alexander Suther-
land, found Rafferty a little before three o'clock in a cellar,
in an insensible state. John Burn pointed to Warburton as
one of the men who had struck him. The witness produced
a bar of iron, somewhat fashioned like a poker. It was about
a yard long.
On each witness being examined Mr. Rushton enquired
what witnesses they had in their behalf, and their names were
taken down. They were all now called in and examined.
Their testimony did not go to invalidate the evidence against
the prisoners ; but in one case, that of Michael Moran, some
time was to be allowed to produce Mr. Teal, sen., and Mr.
Teal, jun., who have the management of the cleaning of the
Clarence Dock and Basins, by whom he said he was employed,
and had worked for two tide ways—including part of the
afternoon in question— which, if it covered the afternoon in
question, would, of course, amount to an alibi.
Mr. Rushton addressing the prisoners, said, that they had
all been clearly proved to be present when the violent assault
was made upon the individual who was now lying danger-
ously ill. It became, therefore, his duty to remand them to
the Borough Gaol until the fate of that unfortunate individual
became known by the result ; and should that be fatal,} they
would have to abide their trial by another tribunal.
Mr. Teal, sen. and Mr. Teal, jun. afterwards appeared in
court and stated that Moran had worked two tides in the
sewerage of the Clarence Dock on Sunday, and that he re-
turned to the second tide-work at about half-past two in the
afternoon.

Mr. Rushton said that he was glad the prisoner stood clear
of being present at the principal assault; but as he was sworn
to as one of those present at the first riot in the morning, he
could not release him without bail—himself in £lO and two
sureties in £5 each.

* We think the Dock Trustees might dispense with men
working in the docks and basins on Sundays.

The Grand Jury at the Stafford Sessions, on Thursday,
returned a true bill against George Wynn, the registered
proprietor, and Alfred Jolly Caldicott, the publisher of the
Staffordshire Examiner, for publishing in that paper an
article inciting the populace to riot at the Conservative ban-
quet held at Bilstou on the 7th of August last.— Wolver-
hampton Chronicle.

A PROLIFIC Sow.—Mr. Birchby, of the Red Lion Inn,
Euxton, near Chorley, a tenant of J. G. Wainwright, Esq.,
bas a sow, (which we noticed in April last) of the Shropshire
breed, that farrowed a few days ago sixteen pigs. This is the
fifth litter, and the total number of the five litters is eighty!
The first two litters she had seventeen each, and the third and
fourth litters were fifteen each.—Preston Chronicle.
DEATH OF GENERAL BLlGll.—Lieut—General the Hon.
Edward Bligh died on the 2d instant. He was born in Sep-
tember, 1769, and was grand-uncle of the present Earl of
Darnley. The only record we find of his services in "The
Royal Military Calendar," is as follows :—" This officer was
a tieutenant-colonel on half-pay of the 107th foot, the sth of
March, 1791 ; colonel in the army the Ist of January. 1798 ;
major-general the Ist of January, 1805 ; and lieutenant ge-
neral the 4th of June, 1811."

FACT AND SENTINIENT.—A gentleman, partial to romantic
associations, being informed that a slip from the willow which
has for many years over-shadowed the grave of Napoleon,
was growing in the garden of an inn near Bristol, made a
pilgrimage to the spot. His inquiries after the object of his
search was at first unsuccessful; but on accosting a labourer
on the premises, the reply was Oh, yes! you'll find it
growing on 'tother side o the garden—right against the
pigsty.;

THE ROYAL CHEESE.—This celebrated produce of 750
cows progresses rapidly in ripeness and perfection at the farm
of Mr. Dunkerton, of West Pennard, and still continues to
attract visitors from all parts of the country. No precise
time is fixed for its preeentation to the Queen, nor is it yet
determined in what manner it is to be conveyed to London ;
but it is in contemplation that it shall be drawn thither by
eight of the finest and most beautiful cows the West of Eng-
land can produce.—Bath Chronicle.

NORTHALLERTON SESSIONS.—Last week a deaf and dumb
man was tried for felony, and found guilty. The prisoner
will have one advantage—the silent system will not interfere
with his usual organs of speech.—Tyne liferetury.-