The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-12 00:00:00

STEALING A WATCH.

A disorderly female was placed at the bar on a charge of
stealing a watch. Inspector Poole said that he had heard of
the robbery on the preceding night, about nine o'clock, and
lost no time in tracing the prisoner to her lodgings, where he
found her in bed, pretending to be asleep. He took her into
custody, and on her way to Bridewell, she voluntarily made
some statements which confirmed his belief that she had
committed the felony. The owner of the watch here pre-
sented himself, a portly-looking personage, somewhat " de-
clined into the vale of years," and stated that he went into
a beer-house in Duncan-street, St. James's, to get some
bread and cheese. Them he met with the prisoner, who
evinced a disposition to be very familiar with him, and ulti-
mately got possession of his watch. He charged her with
having robbed him, which she stoutly denied. The prisoner,
he said, when he persisted in the charge, pulled out a knife
and' attempted to stab him. She was committed.

A DISORDERLY PAUPER.

A female pauper was placed before the sitting magistrate,
Mr. R. E. Harvey, on the following charge :
Mr. Parkinson, the Bridewell-keeper, stated that on the
preceding evening, about half-past six, the prisoner was
brought from the workhouse to bridewell on a charge of being
drunk and disorderly. She was in a state of great excite-
ment at the time, and continued so during the night. About
half-past nine she became more violent, and broke four
panes of glass. So noisy and outrageous did she continue,
that none of the inmates could possibly sleep.—The pri-
soner was asked the cause of het conduct by the magistrate ;
she replied, " What business had they to lick me ? I was
licked shameful by that squinting constable."—Mr. Parkin-
son here said that the prisoner was not right—she was in-
sane.—Prisoner : " Oh, Pin right enough, only I wouldn't
let that squinting constable lick me !'"l'he magistrate
suggested the propriety of having her insanity tested by a
medical man. Prisoner : " Well, you may do as you like,
but it's no use ; if you examine me by fifty doctors, you'll
find I'm all right." Mr. Parkinson stated that the prisoner
was a perfect nuisance in the workhouse, and continually
creating disturbance. She had got an idea intoher head that
she would be better off in prison. Prisoner : " Yes, I would ;
I would get better meat in prison, and I would rather go to
prison at once."—The magistrate skid the discipline was
rather more rigid in prison than when she was there before,
as she would find on her return. Ultimately she was re-
manded for medical examination, and left the bar, vowing
vengeance against the object of her ire—" the squinting con-
stable."

SATURDAY.
SHOPLIFTING.
Elizabeth Sherlock was brought up charged with having
stolen a piece of print, the property of Messrs. Aaron and
Edmund Lewis, linen-drapers, Ranelagh-street. It appeared,
that, about six o'clock on Friday evening, the prisoner went
into Messrs, Lewis's shop, and asked to look at some prints.
Mr. Lewis showed her some prints, three or four pieces at a
time. She laid two pieces aside, saying, that she lived at
the Waterloo Hotel, whither the pieces might be sent. She
expressed a wish to see some better prints. Mr. Lewis went
to the window to get some better prints. On his return to
the counter, he missed one of the pieces which the prisoner
had laid aside. He asked her what she had done with it.
She told him that he had taken it away. He got over the
counter and accused her of having stolen it. She denied the
charge. She was requested to move, which she declined
doing for some time, and when she at length complied, she
did it so awkwardly and with so much constraint that Mr.
Lewis and his brother were convinced she had something
under her petticoats. At length, she was prevailed upon to
put out her leg, when the piece print fell from beneath her
clothes. The above evidence was corroborated by the testi-
mony of a gentleman who was in the shop. The prisoner
was given into the custody of police-officer Downing. She
denied the charge, and was committed for trial.

EFFECTS OF JEALOUSY.
Margaret Farrell appeared to complain against Sarah Gar-
ner, for having assaulted her. Both the complainant and de-
fendant are very pretty girls, though it was the opinion of
those who consider themselves good judges, who sat in the
court, that Sarah is rather inferior in personal attractions to
Margaret. Both parties were neatly dressed. Miss Farrell
stated, that Miss Garner had been in the habit of insulting
her for the last twelve months, and she was quite at a loss to
imagine for what reason. On Sunday evening last she was
passing along the street, when she saw Miss Garner standing
in the footwalk. She attempted to pass her, and, as she did
do, she was saluted by the defendant with a violent blow on
her face, for which she did not give the slightest provocation.
Miss Garner replied as follows : " Well, gentlemen, I saw
her coming along the street, and when she came up to me,
she called me a bastard. This insult provoked me, and I
struck her. She had very strong feelings against me, and I
know the reason, though she says she does'nt. The truth is,
gentlemen, she's jealous ! She's vexed because I've taken
her sweetheart from her." Miss Farrell : "I ? Oh dear !
Now, you know, ma'am, I would'nt speak to llim if he were
to speak to me." Miss Garner : "No ; perhaps you would'nt
now, Miss, but you would twelve months ago." Mr. Harvey :
" You acted very improperly in striking her. That is con-
duct which we cannot allow." Miss Garner : " Oh, but she
called me a bastard, and that was the reason why I struck
her. I have a witness." A young woman was called, who
corroborated Miss Garner's statement. The Magistrates
fined the defendant 2s. 6d. and costs.