The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-07-17 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

ACCOMMODATING TH !EVES.— A youth named Isaac Dixon,
whose visits to the police-court are much more numerous
than-to church or chapel, was, on Friday, placed in the dock,
charged with having robbed a sailor on Thursday night.
Thesailor stated that he ,was going home, eta rather late
hour, when he met a gentleman in a frock coat, and another
person. He was very groggy at the time. The " gentle-
man" asked him, in a very gentlemanly manner, if he would
be so kind as to inform him in what direction Bispham-street
lay. Complainant replied that he was going in that direc-
tion himself, and would point out the street to htm. As they
went along, they came opposite to a public-house, and the
" gentleman," as a slight repayment ter the civility of the
sailor, begged that he might have the pleasure of treating
him to a glass of ale. Jack assented, as a matter of course,
and began to look upon his strange companion as a' devilish
good fellow." When they lett the public-house, they pro-
ceeded, arm in arm, towards their destination, and by the time
of their arrival in Bispham-street, the " gentleman" had be-
come so excessively fond of the "tar," that he declared he
would not then go ho►r,e, but would go and take a walk with
him. "He said I was a reg'lar rum fish, but he was a ruin urn
and no mistake. He'd got me in a reg'lar line, your honour,
and then fished my pockets, leaving me only one poor six-
pence to look at, like a monkey at a rotten nut." Magis-
trate—" Well, look about you, and tell me whether you can
see the young gentleman.'; Sailor—" I think he (the pri-
soner) be one of 'em, but I can't swear, as I was very.
groggy." Magistrate—" How much did you lose?" Sailor
—" Eh ! I can't say that; I was very groggy—as full as a
fish, else I shouldn't have been such a flat." The prisoner,
who endeavoured to look like a very ill-used young man du-
ring the time of his examination, was remanded.

SEA I.OUSY.—A decent-looking, matronly Scotswoman, who
had a child in her arms, having, on Friday, been placed at
ihe bar, a young and rather showily-dressed female, named
Davis, neither killirigly handsome nor disgustingly ugly,
entered the witness-box, and, having first smiled very
amiably, began in a low tone to complain as follows
:
"This woman's (the prisoner's) husband came to me, sir, a
few evenings ago, as he had done before, and pressed me
very hard—" Prisouer—"An' mail's the shame that ye
should let him do sae." Complainant (without noticing the
interruption)—" Pressed me very- hard, I assure you, sir, to
go and take a walk with him. I replied, 0 no, that will
never do, because you are another woman's husband; it
would be quite improper in me to do so." Magistrate—" Yes,
I dare say you exhibited uncommon prudence." Com-
plainant—" Yes, sir, I acted as a prudent woman ought to
do in such cases; he had'a wife of his own, and therefore
—" Prisoner—" Couldna ye as weel hae teilt him that ye
had a husband o' ,yer ain? Ye wouldna gang wi Jock, ye
say, because he had a wife, not because ye had a husband
yersel, Out on ye!" . Magistrate—" Are you a married
woman?" Complainant—" Yes, sir: but my husband is in
Africa; he is a cooper.—Well, sir, as 1 was telling you, I
positively refused to walk or talk to him ; but I just hap-
pened accidentally to mention the name of the place where
I was going to —" Magistrate—•'Not intending, of
course, that he should follow you ?" Complainant—" 0
dear, no, sir !—and he came there after me, and how could I
help it? Well, sir,in c6nsequence of that, this woman came
into my house and called me most ridiculous names, posi-
tively infamous, sir; she abused in a manner I can't mention,
sir, and struck me, sir, and all because her husband had bad
the audacity to speak to me when I told him not." Mattis-
trate—" A case of jealousy. Why did you (prisoner) go
into her house?" Prisoner—" I didn't go intil the house at
a', sir; this was in the yard. I jest shook her for walking
out with him, and ca'd her a bit hussy, or such like, and she
lifted up her foot and kickit me on the left breast. They
made an appointment, and a' the neighbours kenn'd o't weel
eneugh. But it's nae uncommon thing this wi' her. There's
always married women comin' till her boose, to ask for their
husbands." Mr. Hall seemed willing to act leniently, and
visit the offence with only a slight pecuniary punishment.
Prisoner—" But I'm vera puir the noo, and I hope yer ho-
nour 'll no be hard wi' me." Mr. Hall—" But you can pay
the costs at least, my good woman; you had better do so."
Prisoner—" I dinna ken. He (her husband) took a good
deal of money, and never put a halfpenny in the house."
With some difficulty she was prevailed to come 'to this ar-
rangement; but, not having the money with her, a friend
proffered to fetch it. " Na," said the jealous wife, in a tone
of asperity that was ominous of any thing but peace towards
her guidinan, tell the loon to come hisself—directly."

SHIPBUILDER'S BENEFIT SOCIETY-THE RIVAL SELRE,

TA lES.—A case Of assault, originating in a dispute between
the members of the Liverpool Shipwright's Benefit Society,
came before Mr. Hall on Friday, which occupied a consider-
able time in the adjustment, although excessively trifling in
itself. The parties were Mr. Isaac Thompson and Mr. John
Foy, each calling himself secretary of the aforenamed society.
Mr. Snowball'appeared for the complainant, and Mr. Daven-
port for the defendant. From the evidence of the different
witnesses, it appeared that the Shipwrights' Society is divided
into two parties, one of which, about 100 in number, have
elected Mr. Isaac Thompson as their secretary, while the
other, numbering from 400 to 500, have elected Mr. John
Foy to fill that office. The two parties had been in the habit
of meeting simultaneously at a building in Bold-street be-
longing to them, and the two secretaries were in the habit of
sitting side by side, for the transaction of business; but
latterly, it appears, one party has laid claim to a right of ex-
clusive possession, and has endeavoured to deprive the other
of the opportunity of meeting therein. The Foy party, it
would appear, had then, to prevent ill-feeling, agreed to meet
upon such nights as the building would not be required by
the Thompsonites; out their moderation led to their tempo-
rary ejection: they found, on presenting themselves at the
usual place of meeting, that the doors were locked, and in-
gress unattainable. , To, prevent the recurrence of such a
disagreeable circumstance they reverted to their original
meeting nights. On Monday night last the two parties met:
Mr. Thompson had taken his seat in the usual place, when,
much to his surprise; 'Mr. Foy entered, ceremoniously seated
himself at the elbow of his rival, and requested him to make
a little more room for his book. The request would seem to
have led to a somewhat uncourteous reply, and the upshot
was that secretary. Foy struck or pushed secretary Thompson
in the side with his elbow. Mr. II all t bought that the con-
duct of the two parties was extremely absurd. 'Why did not:
they meet in a spirit of good will, and let the majority come
to a decision which should be binding on all? If they could
not do so, surely they might come to an agreement to permit
Foy and his party to meet on one night, and Thompson and
his party on another night. By so doing, neither Would pre-
judice any right in the building which they might possess.
There could be no doubt that the two secretaries were very
important men in their own opinion; but he thought the in-
tertotatn -4-/azira u/d be bet .
amicable settlement or li the two planets
Must not appear on the same night, let the shipwrights do as
he had advised, and not go to law about the matter; if they
did, he hoped that both parties would suffer for their stupidity.
The magistrate at last brought the secretaries to consent
that, pending the settlement of right, the two parties should
use the building, each to meet upon different nights. ill
also advised them, through the means of their respective
attorneys, to come to some final compromise in the matter,
so as to do away with their foolish disputes. With this ad-
vice, the two parties were dismissed.

THE LAST STAGE OF HUMAN DEGRADATION.—On Satur-
day, at the Police-office, John Bold, publican, of King-street,
Kirkdale, was summoned before the magistrates on a charge
of harbouring drunken and disorderly characters in his house.
Inspector Thompson stated that in consequence of his atten-
tion having been called to the house from hearing singing
and noise within, at ten minutes before five o'clock on Sun-
day morning last, he entered it and there found 18 men and
4 women, most of them drunk. Mr. Crewe, Solicitor, who
appeared on behalf of the defendant, enquired if the Inspec-
tor was sure any of them were drunk. Inspector.—" Yes
I am; there was one man so drunk that he was reclining in a
corner, and another was holdiny a glass to his mouth to drink
he was too drunk to drink!" Mr. Hall said it would appear
they had been drinking there all night, fur at five o'clock in
the morning they were found in this helpless state. The de-
fendant was fined 40s. and costs.

UTTERING BASE COPPER COiN.-011 Friday, at the Police-
office, two Irishmen, named M'lvoy and M'Kenna, were
brought before Mr. Hall, charged with uttering a quantity of
base copper coin. Their transactions, from the statements
made in court, appeared to be very extensive, The first
named priioner gave £9 of the spurious copper to a trades-
man in exchange for silver, allowing a discount of sixpence
in the pound, and he offered large quantities to others, who
declined receiving them. The tradesman passed the copper,
without being at all conscious of its being spurious. On the
apprehensioa of M'lvoy, a quantity of the same metal was
found at his lodgings, and a letter, from which it appeared
that the spurious coin was forwarded to him from Belfast by
the other prisoner. The letter also intimatedthe writer's in-
tention of leaving Belfast by the steamer on a given day, so
that, on landing from the packet, he was immediately appre-,
headed by an officer waiting to receive him. Two large bags
were found on board the steamer Victoria, belonging to
M'lvoy, and it appeared from the statement of the mate of
the Corsair steamer, that he had been frequently in the habit
of bringing bags of copper from Belfast at the request of
M'Kenna for the prisoner M'lvoy. The copper consisted of
pennies—harps, as they are generally called; the greater
portion bore the impress of George IV., and was dated 1828.
It appeared to be compounded of a very course alloy, and the
pennies were thin and light. Mr. Hall remanded the pri-
soners until the Mint was made acquainted with the case, de-
claring at the same time his belief that the Mint would deem
it advisable to prosecute for the offence.
CRUELTY To A House.'—Nicholas Sloane, a carter, was
summoned to appear before Mr. Hall, on Saturday, an in-
' formation from Mr. Joyce, an officer from the Customs.—
Mr. Joyce stated, that, on Thursday last, he saw the defend.
ant beating a draught horse very brutally with his whip. The
animal plunged' and endeavoured to get free, but was held
fast by another man. The punishment was so severe that
several deep marks were inflicted in the breast. He (wit uess)
• remonstrated with the defendant, and was told, by the man
who held the horse's head, that it was exceedingly un-
mi,nageable. Witness replied that such treatment was
enough to drive the creature mad. The horse had, in his
pain, nearly jumped into one of the bonded vaults. Mr.
Hall asked to whom the horse belonged. Mr. Joyce said it
was the property of Mr. Briscoe. He (witness) went to the
last-named individual, and told him what had happened.
Mr. Briscoe said the man had done perfectly right, as the
horse was very refractory. Mr. Joyce asked him if he allowed
' his horses to be used in such' a manner. Mr. Briscoe made
very light of the matter. and said, the horse deserved lick-
ing.—Mr. "It is a pity he did not feel a little of it
himself." The defendant's wife, who appeared for him, said,
"My husband was not the driver of the cart, sir. He was
passing at the time, sir, with his own cart, and the driver of
the t'other cart axed him if he'd be so good as to give the hoss
a cut or two with his whip, sir. 'Cordinlee, being a good
natured man, he turned too, an' gave the hoSs a whippin'.
It was not his boss, sir, or lie wouldn't a done it, of course,
for he's very kind to his own bosses--he hes that charick-ter,
sir. Not being his own boss, he didn't care so much, sir, of
coorse, but just did as the t'other man tould him, sir." Mr.
Joyce pointed to where the real driver of Mr. Briscoe's
horses stood, and said, "That man held the horse fast by the
head while the other man beat it, and the chief cruelty was,
that the lash was made to ciit all about one spot, (the
breast)." William Nevitt, Briscoe's driver, was called up,
and he attempted to palliate his own fault by throwing the
blame on Sloane. Mr. Hall said the conduct of both patties
had been exceedingly brutal. Sloane was ordered to
and costs, and 181 r.. Hall directed information should be laid
against Nevitt. •

• A MODERN Dort JUAN.—Yesterday, at the Police-office,
an interesting-looking young woman, who gave her name as
Marian Hastings, and who appeared to be in the family way,
was charged by a dirty, ill-favoured individual, about forty
years of twe, named O'Dogherty, with having pawned his

clothes. The complainant stated that the prisoner lived in
his service, and had pawned a variety of the furniture of his
wardrobe. On' being asked what she had to say in defence
the prisoner burst into tears. A respectable middle-aged
woman, who represented herself as the step-mother of the
prisoner, here stood up, and stated that the prisoner lived in
the service of the complainant, who bad seduced her, and
she was now in the family way by him, and that the charge
was only a trick to get rid of her. The witness had no sooner
done speaking than a middle-aged Irishwoman, decently
dressed, but whose
.mother had evidently not studied the
graces, when engaged in the important office of bringing her
into the world, stood up, and with much heat addressed the
magistrate as she unceremoniously elbowed the complainant
out of the way. " Dhis is my hushbant yer warship, an' I'm
his wife." O'Dogherty.—" No such a thing." Mr. Hall.
—Are you the wife that wrote me 17 letters; and each letter
as long as three ordinary ones?" Wife.—" Yes, sure. I
am ; an' you must jist excuse me as I'm no scholard." (A
laugh.) Mr. Hall.—" Where is Ann Fielding, the other
wife of the complainant, whom you mention in your letter?"
Wife.—" I don't know, .sir; they've made id up among
themselves." O'Dogherty (with much apparent indigna-
tian )—" I never was married to her in my life? Mr. Hall
(tote wife.)—"What is your tiame ?" Wife;,—"Bridget

O'Dogherty." Mr. Hall (to complainant.)—"Well, here
are Bridget O'Dogherty's marriage lines stating that she is
your wife." O'Dogberty.---"Nothing ov the kind."
Bridget.—" Indeed, an' I was marri'd to 'im lawfully in
March last, at dhe Parish Church irt Doblin." Mr. Hail.—
"And this poor unfortunate creature has been seduced by
him, (addressing the complainant.) I believe your character
is very bad. This girl is now in the family way by you."
O'Dogherty.—"Not by me." .Prisoner.—"-Yes, Lean take
my oath of it; you know it well." b 1 r. Hall (to complain-
ant.)—" You deserted your other wife.', O'Dogherty.—
"No sick a thing; she deserted me, are.iiin off wid a pedlar,
and robbed me." Bridget.—" What he says, yer honour, is
not to be believed." The mother-in-law of the prisoner en-
quired if the prisoner was not to have her wages; that she
could not get paid? O'Dogherty.—" 06, she is £4 in my
debt." Mr. Hall ordered the prisoner to be discharged, and
said he should institute an inquiry as to whether or not the
.complainant bad two wives; and if so be should have him
prosecuted.

SAILORS' FOLLY.—Yesterday, at the Police-office, a thief
and two prostitutes named John Smith, Ann Wordsworth,
and Margaret Blair, were charged by a sailor with having
robbed him of all his wages, which he had just drawn. The
complainant, who appeared to have been so tong at sea as
hardly to have intelligence enough to conduct himself on
land, and certainly not enough to keep himself out of mis-
chief, stated, that he " fell in with" the male prisoner, and
offered to treat him to a glass of grog, to which the prisoner
agreed, provided his two female companions were treated.
The parties, together with a shipmate of the complainant's,
then all adjourned to a public-house, where they cont rived to
get themselves fuddled into a happy state of obliviousness,
when, according to the testimony of the complainant's ship-
mate, whilst the women were engaging the attention of the
complainant with no very tender or delicate dalliance, the
male prisoner, finding he could not pick his pocket, pulled
out his knife, and whipped off the pocket with all it contain-
ed, about £2 10s., the want of which had not only taken frOm
the complainant the capability of enjoying the happiness of
being drunk, but had also deprived him of food and lodgir.
The prisoners were remanded for further inquiry.

SIMPLICITY.—Yesterday, at the Police-office, a simple-
looking labourer, named-James Andrews. who stated that
he was a plasterer, charged a common prostitute named
Eliza Jones, with having robbed him of 12s. "This woinan,"
said he, " asked me if I would give her a glass of ale, and I
said, if she was in necessity I would give her twopenny worth,
—(laughter,)—and while I was talking to her she robbed ine
of 125.; she did, indeed, sir." (Continued laughter.) Mr.
Hall—" Were you drunk ?" Complainant —" No,. sir—l
was quite sober." Mr. Hall—" Did you feel her take it from
your pocket ?" "No, but she was in my society *hen she
took It—(a laugh). The woman was sent for one month to the
Borough Rouse of Correction.