The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-12-16 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL POLICE.

ILLICIT DISTILLING.—Ou Tuesday, at the Police-office, a
cadaverous and miserable-looking young man, named
Franter, was brought up, charged with working an illicit still.
Mr. James Boys, an excise officer, deposed that from informa-
tion he had received, he went on the Sunday, accompanied by
Ainsworth the police officer, to a house in Harrison-street, and
in a room there he found the prisoner, and in another room a
still in full work, with a mug underneath in the receipt of the
spirit. There were other mugs about containing small portions
of whisky, as if it had been drunk as manufactured, which he
understood was the case. Only the prisoner was found on the
premisei, and it was impossible but that he must have known
that the manufacture was going on. There was a tub contain-
ing thirty gallons of wash, and all the apparatus for distilling.
Ainsworth deposed, that the prisoner had told him that an old
man bad left the still at the house on Saturday night. The pri-
soner said he had been bad of a fever for eight weeks, and he
knew nothing whatever of the distillery. Mr. Hall said, it only
remained for him to adjudge the fine under the act of parlia-
ment; he was bound to commit him if the case was proved.
He was of opinion that the case was proved, and he adjudged
that he should pay the fine of £3O, and in default be committed
for three mouths.

" A HOSTILE MESS AGE."—On Tuesday, at the Police-office
an Irishwoman. possessing the usual characteristics of Erin's
fair sisterhood, as seen in the classic purlieus of Ben Jonson-
street, named Sarah Ratcliffe, was placed before the ma-
gistrates, Messrs. Hall and Birch, charged with sending a
hostile message of rather a novel, and of certainly a very un-
pleasant character, to one of the police. Policeman Andrew
Connolly deposed, that that morning, about one o'clock, he
found the prisoner at the bar making a terrible noise in Lean-
del-street, over which she appeared to have undisputed sway,
none daring to oppose or attempt to quieten her. He went to
her and desired her to be quiet and go home, at which she was
very wroth, and running into .her house, came out armed with
a weapon with which he was not accustomed to contend, and
from which he had not " the cunning of fence" to protect him-
self. The weapon was none other than what the witness de-
scribed (lowering his voice to a most bashful whisper) as the
chamber utensil, the "contints" of which she " shove ' on to
him with unerring aim, saying, " tak that' avick machree, as
me Christmas box." He accordingly took her into custody,
as such unsavoury " boxes" were highly unpleasant to the
sensitive noses of his Majesty's servants, and exceedingly
derogatory "to the dignity of the cloth." Mr. Hall inquired if
he was much worse ? The Bridewell keeper : " Oh, your wor-
ship, he was in a very dirty state." (A laugh.) Mr. Hall (to
prisoner)—" 'Well, what -do you say?" Prisoner: "Oh no;
6 nothin' ov the kind, your wurshup ; I never seed the gintle-
man. It isn't myself 'ud do what'ud not become a leddy ; was
it likely, your hauner, I'd empty dhe po on any wan, and send
the curse o' dhe cows on a giutleman's coat ?" Notwithstand-
ing the "'eddy's" protestations that she had not made such a
hole in her manners. Mr. Hall fined her ss. and costs, or-in
default to be committed seven days.

Talc" EFFICIENT" POLICE.—On Wednesday, at the Police-
office, a respectably-dressed- female, named Catherine. Wright,
having the appearance of a servant, was placed before the ma-
gistrates. Messrs. Hall add Birch, on a charge of havinq a
a quantity of cotton stockings in her possession the night
befo-re, for which she could not satisfactorily account. Police-
man John Dowling, No. 239, deposed that he was about leav-
ing his beat the night before, and showing to another officer his
beat, when he saw the prisoner with a white bundle under her
arm, walking up Bevington-street ; he shouted after her,
" What have you got there ?" when she turned into an entry to
get away. He followed her, and found a bundle of cotton
stockings upon her, marked. She (lid not answer for their
possession, as he thought, satisfactorily, and he accordingly
took her to Bridewell. The prisoner, on being asked what she
had to say, said the stockings were hers, and she was carrying
them home. A very respectably dressed young woman and an
,elderly woman, the one the sister and the other the mother of
the prisoner, here stepped forward. The sister said that she
had given the stockings to her sister, who was carrying them
home. She herself lived with a family in Chatham-place,
where she had lived for the last twelve years, and her sister had
told the policeman that she (witness) had given the stockings to
her, and offered to bring him to her master's house to corroborate
her statement, but he had refused. Mr. Hall.—" Did she do
that?" Policeman.—" Yes; but it was too far out of my beat,
so I took her to Bridewell." Mr. Hall.—" Discharge the pri-
soner." The mother of the prisoner here applied to know if
she could have no redress for her daughter being kept in Bride-
well on such a charge? The magistrates made no reply, and
the policeman laughed aloud. The next case was called on,
and the applicant was. thrust unceremoniously down to make
room for the witnesses in the next case. The probability is that,
the friends of this poor girl being poor, this wanton exercise of
authority and breach of law in confining a respectable young
woman in Bridewell all night, amongst the vilest wretches that
infest the town, because the reference she gave as to her right
to the property she was carrying was tooj'ar from the policeman's
beat, will go unpunished; but a more barefaced infringement
on the liberty of the subject we never heard of; and the police-
man who committed it received no reprimand from the Magis-
trates.

A FORTUNATE OWNER.—On Wednesday, at the Police-
office, an ill-looking fellow, a porter, named Edward Connolly,
was placed before the magistrates charged with offering a
watch to pledge which had been stolen about twelve month
before. A pawnbroker deposed that the prisoner had brought
the watch to pledge the night before. On referring to the
books, he found that the watch answered the description of
one that had been stolen about twelve mouths ago, and he ac-
cordingly detained the prisoner and gave him in custody. A
respectable-looking female, apparently a mechanic's wife, de-
posed that the watch was her husband's, and that he had lost it
about twelve mouths ago. He went late one Saturday night
to get shaved, and left his watch at the barber's shop; there
were other three men in and it was supposed one of them had
taken it. When be got home he found he had left his watch,
and on going to the barber's it was gone. Her husband was
then at work at Manchester. Mr. Hall said he supposed her
husband had told her that tale, as she had called him to account
about the watch. He could not put the prisoner on his trial for
such an offence, committed at that distance of time. The
judge would stop the trial at even two months from the com-
mission of the offence. The mere circumstance of the watch
being found in his possession was nothing. He might have come
honestly by the watch. He must leave her husband to settle
the matter with the prisoner by an action ; he could make no
order about the watch, and must discharge the prisoner. The
watch was worth about £3.
CAUTION TO HACKNEY COACHAIEN.—On Wednesday, at the
Police-office, James Roon, the driver of coach 174, and John
Heaney, the driver of coach 57, were summoned before the
magistrates on a charge of driving furiously down Parker-
street, after the mail. A gentleman named Preston stated that
ou Saturday, about six o'clocke in the evening, he was driving
his gig up Parker-street, and he met the north mail about half
way up; immediately after it, comming at full speed, were three
cars, two of which, driven by the defendants, were foremost and
abreast. He saw it was almost impossible to avoid coining in
contact with them, and with a great deal of difficulty he suc-
ceeded in pulling his horse and gig on the parapet, and the
car nearest him contrived to pull up just before it run against
his gig. If he had not pulled his horse on the parapet it must
have been killed, and his gig would have been upset if the car
had not been stopped as it was. The cars filled the whole
street, and it was impossible to get past them. He supposed
they were striving which could get first to obtain a fare from
the passengers of the mail. He -brought the case forwards as a
public duty; he thought it one in which the magistrates ought
to interfere. The defendants, of course, denied that they were
either driving fast or coming abreast. Mr. Hall said he had
fined car drivers so repeatedly for this offence that it appeared
to him to have no effect. He was not in the habit of imposing
heavy.fines, but this seemed to be a case which called for the
infliction of a heavy penalty. He should fine Roon, who was
on the wrong side of the street, 20s. and costs; and Heaney 15s.
and costs.

UNWHOLESOME MEAT.—Yesterday, at the Police-office,
Bernard Murphy, who keeps a stand at 'St. John's Market, was
summoned before the magistrates charged by Holden, the
market inspector, with having exposed for sale, on Saturday
night last, 108 lbs. of measled pork, unfit fur human food. He
was tined 7s. and costs. Catherine Evans, the keeper of a
stand in St. John's Market, was summoned for exposing
45 lbs. of measled pork for sale on Saturday night last, unfit
for food. As she had previously borne a good character the
Lice was remitted, and she was ordered to pay the costs. Wm.
Risky, the keeper of a stand in St. John's Market, was fined
ss. and costs for exposing for sale 83 lbs. of measled pork.
Patrick Banner, the keeper of a shop in Standish-street, was
fined 2s. 6d. and costs for exposing 3'2 lbs. of measled pork for
sale on Saturday night.
" THE SATISFACTION OF A GENTLEBIAN."—Yesterday, at the
Police-office, a gentleman named Geo. H. Kemp was summoned
before the magistrates, Messrs. Hall and Birch, by a gentleman
named Bird, on a charge of having sent him a challenge and
otherwise threatened him. The challenge was said to have
originated out of a love affair. Both parties, we understand,
had been paying their best attentions to a voting lady, and, the
complainant being the more lucky ',Qatari°, the defendant
vented his disappointment in sending the other a challenge,
which formed the subject of the present complaint, the defen-
dant alleging that he was put in bodily fear thereby. Mr.
John Bird, the complainant, stated that on Sunday night,
about eleven o'clock, lie left a house in Northumberland-street,
where he had been. He had got but a little way from it, whe❑
Mr. Kemp came up, and said he " wanted to speak" with him.
He (complainant) replied he did not wish to have anything to
say to him. He was aware that he had been threatening him.
About three months before, defendant met him and threatened
to horsewhip him. He in consequence thought it best to go
home again, and he returned to the house in Northumberland-
street, and gave a loud knock at the door. The defendant then
came up to him and said " stop till 1 lay a horsewhip about
your back," and 'called him " a coward." The lady of the
house then came to• the door and called a policeman, and the
defendant ran away down the street. Next morning he re-
ceived a note from the defendant, (complainant here handed a
note to the magistrates,) and he understood that he had been
laying in wait for him since. He was afraid of injury, and
could not walk the streets in safety. _

Mr. Hall (to defendant.)—" What do you say to this ? Is
that your note ?"
Defendant.—" Yes, it is."
Mr. Hall.—" How came you to send such a one?"
Defendant.—l received a summons last evening. I imme-
diately consulted a mutual friend, wishing to settle the matter
out of court, and I have only received the answer this morning,
and in consequent I am quite unprepared to say anything. If
I could get the case deferred until to-morrow, I shmild be pre-
pared with my defence.
Mr. Hall.—" What defence could you have then more than
you have now ?"
Complainant.—" I must have protection; I went over the
water last night. I durst not sleep in town."
Defendant.—" I never intended to injure the young man at
all."
Mr. Hall.—" You ask him to give you satisfaction ?"
• Defendant.—lf I Went into a vindication of my whole con-
duct I could show you—
Mr. Hall.—" I am not going into the, whole of the transac-
tion. This note, after the above demand, says, If not I shall
be obliged to brand you as a coward in every -public place in
which I may see you.' You then give your address and where
You may be found at such an hour. It then goes on, `lf you
have the soul and spirit of a man and a gentleman, you will give
me immediate satisfaction as a gentleman.' Are you prepared
with bail?"
- Defendant.—" No, I am not."
Mr. Hall.—" Cannot you send for any respectable person to
bail von? We cannot allow this to pass. This gentleman bay
called on us for protection, and he must have it at our hands."
Complainant.—" It is a great annoyance to the family."
Mr. You must find hail; yourself in £lOO, and two
respectable sureties of £5O each. (To complainant.)—That is
your object I belizve."
Complainant'.--"It is, Sir." • .
The complainant then left the court, and the defendant re-
mained in custody until his bail should arrive. The epistle
commenced, " I do not -mean to, dispute your charming prize.
with you ;" and then went on- ". I neither intended to cut or
murder; you as you seemed so_ mach to apprehend last evening,
I merely wished for an explanation from you as to the cause of
Y.our ire,-.admissien to Mr, ,This, I conceive, yolk can-
/./not but give me,'as you must be aware that I answered you a

similar question on a similar occasion. It not, of course you
Cannot object, if you have the s.,yi...and spirit of a man and a
gentleman, to give me satisfaction in another way. Should
you feel inclined to do neither, I shall be under the necessity
of branding you as a coward in any public place in which I may
meet you, which I shall assuredly do.—l am yours, &c.,
" G. H. Kahle."

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