The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-14 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

SMOKE.—On Saturday, Messrs. Tyson, soapmakers,
were tined £5, for not having a smoke-consuming appa-
rstus to one of their furnaces.—The master of one of the
Rock Ferry boats was fined 40s. for negligently using his
furnace.

HOUSE ROBBERIES. —On Friday an extremely well-
dressed and good-looking girl, named Alice Birley, was
committed for trial on a charge of having stolen several
dress pieces and satins, the property of Mrs. Aspinall, of
Canterbury-street, Islington.—A Welsh female, who had
only lodged one night in Comus-street, was also com-
mitted for trial on a charge of having stolen a variety of
wearing apparel, the property of the keeper of the house.
On Saturday, Mr. Rushton dismissed officer 634 fro&
the force. He had taken Dr. Reynolds of this town into
custody the previous morning, soon after two c'clock. The
Dr. had been attending an accoucheinent, and asked the
policeman the way to Marybone, but because the Dr.
would not tell the worthy Dogberry what he was doing in
the streets, he was taken into custody. The bridewell
keeper knowing Dr. Reynolds, refused to receive the
charge.
CAUTION TO CELLAR OCCUPANTS.—On Tuesday, 31
informations, laid by Mr. Fresh, against parties who had
re-occupied cellars contrary to law, were heard in the
Police-court, and fines of £1 4s. Gd., in each case, were
inflicted. The pertinacity with which parties continue to
resist the wholesome operation of the law abolishing cellar
occupation is astonishing, considering that the fines are
"
strictly enforced. There is no doubt, however, that in
time they will be obliged to yield to the influence of the
law.
TIMBER DOGS.—On Tuesday, Charles Flynn, a marine
store dealer, was brought up at the Police-court, charged
withrun s
wstealing
Dock a quantityand
n e og fh
b"0 tui
rmh bo eo rd
og sffi,cer froml3 the
had
B
heard of the loss of the " dogs," and went Collard arine
store in Salthouse-lane, kept by Beasley, , and
Co., where he found twenty-eight pairs of "
ney weighed about eleven hundredweight, and were
worth £3O. The names of the owners were in almost
every case stamped upon the property. The prisoner was
a licensed marine store dealer, and Beasley and Collard
were also licensed, and dealt by wholesale. They had
bought the " dogs" from the prisoner at various times as
old wrought iron.—Mr. Rushton said that the wholesale
dealer ought to be sent to trial. It was one of the most
scandalous things he had ever heard of. The prisoner
was sent for trial.—The magistrate said with respect to
Collard's license, that he hoped the Recorder would deal
with that question, but if he did not he would do so him-
self. There was more of the property in the yard in
Salthouse-lane, but not half of, what had.been stolen was
recovered.

THE IRISH POOR.—Catharine Byrne, an Irish girl, in
a miserably destitute condition, was brought before Mr.
Rushton on Friday, charged with begging. The police-
man who preferred the charge stated that the girl's
father was dead, and her mother was then in a dying state;

surrounded by four of her wretched offspring. Mr.ltash:
ton gave directions for the investigation of the case by
the proper officers.—Many other Irish people, men and
women, were brought up on charges of petty thefts com-
mitted on the dock quays. In some cases the alternative
of being passed to their own country was accepted, but in

the majority rejected.
THE PRICE OF OBSTINACY.—On Wednesday, a man,
named Joseph Nelson was summoned before the magic,.
trates, for keeping pigs in a confined locality at the north
end of the town, by which they were a nuisance to the
neighbourhood. It appeared that he was fined for a
similar offence on the sth November, but the magistrate
said the penalty would not be levied if the pigs were re-
moved. The defendant promised compliance, but a few
days since the pigs were found still on the premises. Mr.
Rushton ordered the defendant to pay the former fine of
20s. and costs, and also a similar sum for a repetition of
the offence. The enraged defendant then began to im-
pugn the decision of the Bench, and conduct himself in
such a manner that Mr. Rushton ordered him into cus-
tody, and inflicted a third penalty of 20s. for contempt of
Court. The total sum the defendant had to pay was £3 9s.
REFUSAL TO MAINTAIN A WIFE.—On Tuesday, a
man of genteel appearance, named M'Allister, was brought
up, charged by Mr. Evans, of the parish office, with ne-
glecting to maintain his wife, Jane Ann M'Allister,
whereby she had become chargeable to the parish. Mr.
Davenport, on behalf of the prisoner, endeavoured to show
that the wife had imposed upon him by representing her-
self as a single woman, whereas she had been previously
married, and it was doubtful whether her first husband
was dead or not. The wife of the prisoner, in reply to the
magistrate, said that she did not conceal her fore—, m ir-
riage from her second husband. She had not ' card of aer
husband's death when he first wished to pad hie aldr _.sses
to her, and she told him she was a married wo ..,o. It
was six or seven years since she had heard of her first
husband. Some evidence was then produced, showing
that the marriage was perfectly valid, and the prisoner re-
sponsible. Mr. Rushton said the case was a very bad one,
and the prisoner must comply with the demand made by
the overseers, and if he did not do so, he would commit
him to gaol as a rogue and a vagabond.
EXTENSIVE FORGERY. —On Thursday, a man of most
respectable appearance, named Edwd. Wilson, late cashier
in the service of Messrs. John M`Nicoll and Co., the pro-
prietors of the Brunswick-street. Saw Mills, was brought
up at the Police-court, charged with having embezzled
money to the amount of £250. Mr. Radcliffe appeared
for the defendant, and Mr. Robinson for the prosecutor,
Mr. M`Nicoll. The prosecutor. before the case was gone
into, substituted the charge of forgery for embezzlement.
Mr. M`Nicoll stated his complaint: he had given Wilson
a cheque on the Borough Bank, for a sum, something near
£156, which he was to pay in liquidation of an account to
another party. The cneque was not filled up, as Mr.
M'lsticoll was not aware of the exact amount of the ac-
count, and it was therefore left for Wilson, who had access
to the books, to fill up. Instead of adhering to his in-
structions, he filled the cheque up with the fiures £250,
and received the money, which he appropriated. After
this, he sent a letter to Mr. M`Nicoll, acquainting him
with what he had thine, and explaining the cause; namely,
the determination on his part to secure the payment of
arrears of salary due to him. He concluded the letter by
expressing a desire to continue in Mr. M`Nicoll's service.
A document was put in, purporting to be a copy of a
written agreement which was made on the part of Mr.
Anderson, sen., in the year 1844, who at that time was a
partner in the concern, by which Wilson was to be paid
£2OO per annum, with a gratuity of £lO or £2O exclusive.
Since that time Mr. Anderson had left the concern, and
Mr. M`Nicoll became the manager, between whom and
Mr. Anderson there existed an ill-feeling. It appeared,
the document referred to was written by Mr. Anderson
from memory, at the request of Wilson, subsequent to the
drawing of the cheque, and the original agreement, though
inquired for, was not forthcoming. The prisoner's salary,
as stated by Mr. M`Nicoll, was under half the amount
represented by Mr. Anderson. The case terminated in
Wilson being committed for trial.
A ROBBERY, COUPLED WITH STRANGE ADVENTURES.
—Under this head, one of the Liverpool papers says,—
" Some night last week, an imprudent machine-maker,
from Colne, of the name of Franklin, was robbed in Man-
chester of the large sum of £250, by a woman of ques-
tionable character, with whom he conversed and walked.
She handed the booty to a male acquaintance, and the
following morning herself and her male friend came over
to Liverpool with the money in their possession. The
same evening they resorted to a public-house, where they
became communicative on the subject of the robbery to
a parcel of Liverpool thieves, and before they parted com-
pany the Liverpool thieves succeeded in robbing them of
the whole of the £250, except what had been spent in
railway fare and drink. The female was then put into
Bridewell on a charge of drunkenness, and the following
day she was committed to the Borough Gaol. On the
night of the day she was committed, her male companion
was taken up on a charge of having assaulted one of the
Liverpool thieves who had robbed him of the £250, and
whom he accidentally met a second time in the street.
When the assault case came before Mr. Rushton, the
prisoner, who gave his name John Murphy, informed the
court of the reason why he had inflicted personal chastise-
ment on the complainant; and as the explanation threw
some light upon the recent robbery of the Colne machine-
maker, Mr, Rushton ordered the complainant to be taken
into immediate custody, and both to be remanded until
an officer from Manchester could attend. Yesterday the
Manchester officer was in court, but as there was no fur-
ther evidence, and no trace whatever of the £250 since
the notes had reached the hands of the Liverpool thieves,
both the prisoners were discharged from custody."—This
is the robbery for which a young woman, named Mary
Ann Vine, was apprehended, and was brought before Mr.
Townsend on Friday week, and remanded until Tuesday.
On that day she was discharged, the police being unpre-
pared to connect her with the above robbery, although
they are aware that she had been in possession of about
£3OO, supposed to be the produce of another robbery of
which the party robbed will neither give information, or
appear to prosecute.—Manchester Courier.
CHARGE OF FELONY AGAINST A TIDEWAITER, AND
ARREST OF THE ACCUSER FOR PERJURY.—On Saturday
Mr. Fowler, a tide-surveyor, of this port, and two boat-
men, George Precious and James Carr, were placed in
the dock of the police-court, the first charged with having
robbed a tidewaiter, named Thomas Williams, of a £5
note, and the others with being accessories. The case
excited much interest. Mr. Snowball appeared for the
prosecutor; and Mr. Hull attended at the instance of the
Custom-house authorities on behalf of the prisoners.
Thomas Williams being sworn, said that on the Bth Dec.
instant, he was on board of the Indian Queen, in the
Prince's Dock, at three o'clock in the morning of that
day. Mr. Fowler (he said) came on board. Witness
was then asleep in the cabin. Fowler then awoke him,
and asked for a blue-backed book, showing the watches
of the various tidewaiters, and in which a surveyor, on
making a visit, writes his initials. Witness said it was in
his hat, where he kept it, but the men said it was not there.
Fowler seized his (witness's) clothes, and rummaged his
, pocket. He told Fowler he had money and property of his
lown in a pocket-book in his coat pocket. He tried to get
his clothes from Fowler, and in a struggle that ensued,
ththe book,
tw'o boatmenwch co heldnta
ihnim (
ed
awl (witness) ensos)
te,a whilen d Fowlersoe
buildingtook out
society receipts, &c. Fowler opened the book, and took
out some papers, but witness being held could not see
what they were, but he observed the blue book among
them. He called on the second mate to prevent his being
robbed. That person said he did not like to interfere be-
tween officers. Fowler and the others then departed,
taking the pocket book with them. He followed calling
upon Fowler to give up his money. He looked for a
police officer, and whilst doing so they all slipped on board
of another vessel, the Mary Ann, and went into the cabin.
He called to them from the stage to deliver up his " hard
earned money." A police officer came and he told him
they had robbed him. Fowler came up and said he had
left the book in the Indian Queen, and he refused to go
back and look for it, nor allow the boatmen. Witness
and
geatxvhaeemt f fiea
examination
eor
prisoner
r searchedie andtmo
tcthat.tuesdt vesselcustody
b
a t
but
thfeot
the
oeiut
cg,
hhbatur tgteionwvhoaaui
have
de.
H
not be received, and the prisoners were then discharged.
been on watch on deck at the time, and not asleep
below. When the book could not be found in his hat, he
said the rats must have taken it, (laughter,) and a
remark from witness to the effect that he had seen rats
eat a whole library on board of a ship. He had a
guinea a week of wages, and £3O a year. He received
the £5 in payment, but could not tell when. The second
mate alluded to, said he saw the party take a blue covered
book out of witness's pocket. The surveyor had it, and
there were no other papers with it. Constable 484 said
the witness had complained to him of the robbery, and
after consulting his inspector he took the prisoners to
bridewell. Thomas Jones, a tide-waiter, who was sleep-
ing on board the Mary Ann on the night in question,
found in the morning the pooket-book that was missed,
on the cabin table. It contained some papers, but no
£5 note.—Mr. Fowler warmly rebutted the aspersions
cast upon him. He shewed that Williams had prevari-
cated when asked about the book, and behaved with vio-
lence and insolence. He had handed him his vest to take
the book out himself, but he would not. The boatmen
took the book out of his pocket, and it was left on the
table. He had explained the matter so clearly at bride-
well that the charge was not taken. The two other pri-
soners said the pocket-book was given to the prisoner,
who himself put it on the table. Mr. Rushton said lie
did not believe Williams's story. It was a charge got
up to screen him from the effects of a neglect of duty.
He discharged the prisoners, and said the conduct of Wil-
liams was such that he should detain him, and he sug-
gested to Mr. Harding to communicate with the Board of
Customs, to see if they would take the matter up, as there
was too much reason to fear that the man had been guilty
of the most reprehensible perjury. Mr. 'larding said he
should represent the matter, and Williams was sent from
the witeess-box to prison.—Mr. Hull yesterday applied
to Mr. Rushton requesting him to remand the prisoner,
as he believed he could bring forward evidence against
him if time were given. Mr. Rushton said he should re-
mand him until a reply was received from the Board of
Customs. Mr. Snowball afterwards appeared in court, and
said that he had had no notice of a remand to be applied
for, and he requested that the case might not be postponed,
as he could that day produce such evidence as would, he
believed, convince him (Mr. Rushton) that Williams had
not been guilty of perjury. Besides no witnesses had been
examined as to the offence for which he was detained, and.
he thought that lie ought to be allowed to cross-question•
any witnesses that might be brought against the prisoner.
Mr. Rushton said that in that view of the case, be should.
etrhe publicheag obfutslilnee
business was
a s thatd is
idwasye,ds oofs.oonmars.
grant
Snowball int
obtained leave to see the prisoner in the
r.n
taiamsf su r
having t,
hf
then left the court. At one o'clock, Mr.
Hull, the solicitor for the prosecution, and Mr. Snow-

ball, the solicitor for Williams, came into court. Mr.
Hull said that he had given the case a good deal of atten-
tion, and had been occupied the whole morning in exa-
mining witnesses, and the result of this investigation was
his opinion that the charge of perjury could not be made
out. if he were right in his view of the else, the only fact
which bore out the charge was the statement of Williams
that he was held by two boatmen while Mr. Fowler rum-
maged his pockets. Mr. Rushton said there were two
ways of proceeding with the case—either for perjury or
false imprisonment, but if the customs' authorities were
not determined to prosecute the affair, he should discharge
the man, for although it was a villainous case, he was not
of opinion that it was one that warranted the expenditure
of the ratepayers' money. Mr. Hull. on behalf of the
customs, declined to prosecute, and Williams was accor-
dingly dismissed.