The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-12-18 00:00:00

CATSTiON YOI7THS.---DRATH BY DROWNING, FROM
THE BREAKING OF ICE IN A PIT.—An inquest was held
before P. F. Curry, Esq., yesterday, on view of the body of
James Rous. Mr. Rhid, master of the Deaf and Dumb
School, Laurel-street, being suborn to interpret the several
questions put to the witnesses, said, that the deceased was
one of the day scholars of the Deaf and Dumb Institution.
He was thirteen years and a quarter old. On Wednesday
last, witness, on returning from the opening of St. Saviour's
Church, about half-past one o'clock, was met by a boy, who
informed him that a boy had been drowned. On ascertaining
where, he immediately proceeded to the spot, and saw round
a pit, in Crown-street, near the Institution, a number of per-
sons collected. He was there informed that one of the boys
was drowned, and there were several persons seeking for
the body. The Rev. Mr. Barker was giving directions. In
about five or ten minutes the body of the deceased was taken
out, apparently lifeless. The body was carried to the Insti-
tutionf and everything was done to restore animation, but
withoUt effect, as the deceased was quite dead. There was
a play ground attached to the Institution, ancrthe boys were
not allowed to go out without some one with them. The
playground is under formation at present, and as the doors
leading out of it cannot be closed, in consequence, the boys
can get out. The children dine at twelve o'clock, and are
afterwards permitted to go into the play-ground for an hour.
Witness saw the deceased in the room at twelve o'clock.—
Joseph Thomas, being sworn through the last witness, said
he was a boarder in the Institution, and was fourteen years
and a-half old. He said he perfectly understood the nature
of an oath. Wednesday, directly after dinner, the deceased
asked him to go and slide, and they went together to a pit
close by the Institution. The pit was frozen over, and the
deceased went on the ice and began to slide. Witness stood
on the bank close by. He was sliding, and exclaimed by
signs that he was not afraid—when, all of a sudden, the ice
gave way and he fell in. He seemed to try to scream, but
the water got into his mouth and prevented him. Witness
beckoned as well as he could for some one to come to his as-
sistance, and a man came, who pulled his coat and shoes off,
and a rope was fastened to his waist, and he went in and
swam about for the deceased.—The jury returned a verdict
to the effect, that the unfortunate deceased was accidentally
drowned.

THE DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION.—Yesterday fore-
noon, the coroner for the borough, P. F. Curry, Esq., and
a respectable jury, had occasion to view, at the new building
erected for this institution on the site of the old Botanic
Garden, the body of a deaf and dumb boy, who had been
accidentally drowned in a neighbouring pit, as recorded in
another part of our paper; and they availed themselves of
the polite offer of Mr. Rhind, the able master, to inspect
the premises, and hear the' pupils examined. They were
mulch struck by the excellent arrangements throughout, and
at once astonished and delighted with the proficiency of the
scholars, and their extraordinary sharpness and intelligence,
the result of the long experience, zeal, and exertions of Mr.
Rhind as a teacher of the unfortunate but contented beings
under bis care, who are deprived of the organs of speech and
hearing. Their quickness in solving arithmetical questions
was a subject of especial wonder ; their calculations and ad-
ditions being correctly made almost as soon as the figures
could be written down on a board, under mutations of place
and amount, that showed no previous preparations, but an
aptness to answer without pause the most complicated pro-
positions. In other branches of education they exhibited
equal proficiency, and a degree of general information seldom
attained even by'young persons gifted with those faculties
which nature has denied to these interesting children. To
use the words of Mr. Cftrry, " the boys absolutely spoke
mentally, if not verbally." Thirteen of them came down to
the coroner's office, where several of them gave their testi-
mony, in a distinct manner, on the inquisition, by signs
(Mr. Rhind acting as interpreter) ; and all of them showed
great intelligence for their years. One of them, who went
to the school perfectly deaf and dumb, has actually been
taught by Mr. Rhind to " speak," so as to be understood,
though `►e cannot hear his own words : this youth astonished
the jury by asking one of their body how he did! Mr. Curry
was highly gratified with the institution and the whole sys-
tem of tuition, which was so much superior to what he had
anticipated, that he immediately expressed his determination
to become a subscriber. We notice these facts with a view
to induce others to " go and do likewise."

DEATH BY ADMINISTERING POISON BY MISTAKE.—
Yesterday an inquest was taken before Mr. Curry, touching
the death of John Whittaker. The deceased lived in Head-
street, Toxteth-park, with his parents. On Monday a
brother of the deceased was sent by his mother to Mr.
Smalley's, druggist, in Park-road, for a pennyworth of
paragoric. He went there and was served by a young man.
He took it home, and by his mother's dll-ection gave the de-
ceased half of it mixed with some water. There would be
about four or five tea-spoonfuls altogether. The deceased
soon after fell asleep, and witness put him to bed, and did
not hear anything of him until the next morning, when his
father told him (witness) that the deceased was dying. He
went to him and he appeared to be dying. A doctor was
sent for, who came, but the deceased died about two o'clock
the same afternoon. Witness had frequently been to the
druggist's shop, and was often served by the same person who
served him on Monday night. He was sure he asked for
paregoric, but did not inquire how much was to be- given.
James Whittaker, a porter at the Railway, said the deceased
was his son, and was five months old. The child was weaned
in consequence of the illness of his mother. He was healthy
but cross, and they frequently gave him a little paragoric, to
quiet him and make lrtm sleep. They generally gave it him
every night, and a pennyworth served him twice. On Mon-
day night he found the deceased in bed asleep. About 12
o'clock he breathed with a little difficulty, which witness
thought proceeded from cold. About half-past one deceased
was worse, and directly ceased from breathing. Witness
(who was in bed with him), got up, and procured a light,
and found his eyes quite fixed. He called a neighbour,
and placed the child before the fire. He came round a little,
and sobbed, but did not breathe rightly. He called his son,
who said he had given the deceased some paragoric. Sus-
pecting there was something wrong, he got the bottle contain-
ing the temains of the liquid. He was afterwards told that
it contained laudanum. The deceased died soon after. A.
neighbour, who had been called in, took the bottle to a drug-
gist's shop in Mill-street, and was informed it was laudanum.

The deceased never proPerly recovered, and died at two in
the afternoon. Mr. Caw, surgeon, was called in, and found
the deceased evidently labouring under the effects of narcotic
poison. Every means that appeared judicious was used to
recover him, but in vain. The bottle was shown tohim, and
he pronounced it to be laudanum. The quantity taken (if as
much as that remaining) would be about 60 drops.—Mr.
Smalley, druggist, St. James's-place, said he had two per-
sons employed in his shop, one an apprentice, and the other
a druggist. Paragoric is composed of camphor, opium, ben-
zoic acid, oil of aniseed, and proof spirits. The bottle con-
taining the paregoric was labelled " Tinct. Camph. C.," and
that containing laudanum is labelled " Tinct. Opia." In-
structions are given not to sell laudanum to any person un-
less they were known, and not to sell it in a tea-cup.—The
jury returned a verdict of " Chance Medley" against the
brother of the deceased.

LIVER THEATRE.—On Monday last, a drama entitled
" The Cavalier" was produced at this theatre, for the pur-
pose of introducing Mr. Elton, after many years' absence,
to the Liverpool playgoers. The plot of " The Cavalier" is
taken from an antique novel, called " The Fool of Quality."
The story of the play is briefly this :--Mrs. Hargrave (Mrs.
Gordon), the wife of Hargrave (Mr. Elton), having attract-
ed the attention of Lord 211oreton (Mr. Montague), is en-
trapped by him, and confined in an apartment of his house ;
a Madame de Grave (Miss Donville), a woman in his ser-
vice, being appointed to keep guard over her. Hargrave,
on missing his wife, receives information that she has fled to
Lord Moreton's. The scene in which he obtains the intelli-
gence is finely acted. Hargrave then goes to Lord More-
ton's house, and demands his wife, when he is told by Ma-
dame de Grave that she is in the house, but by her own
consent. We next find Hargrave almost heartbroken at
the supposed falsehood of his wife, when she rushes in and
explains the mode in which she had been entrapped, and the
means by which she escaped, having stabbed Lord Moreton
when he attempted to insult her. This portion of the play
Mrs. Gordon played with an energy, a taste, and skill, that
stamped her an actress of great merit. Mr. Elton's disco-
very of his wife's daring act was a clever and most finished
performance. His rejection of her until he finds the truth,
was well done, and his delight at her innocence from shame
and her perpetration of the deed was also acted extremely

well, In the midst of their delight the officers of justice
enter, to take .11frs. Hargrave into custody for the murder
of Lord Moreton, and she is led away to prison, accompa-
nied by her husband. After the trial of Mrs. Hargrave, the
announcement of the verdict against her is made. The mode
in which the intelligence was received by Mr. Elton was
excellent, and Hargraves's emotions were powerfully de-
picted. Previous to the time appointed for the execution of
Mrs. Hargrave, her husband tempts her to poison herself,
to avoid the public disgrace, offering to swallow poison also ;
she rejects the proposition, when her brother and sister rush
in, and declare that a reprieve has been granted, Madame de
Grave having confessed that she and all the witnesses had
sworn falsely. This scene was very finely done, and drew
forth rounds of applause. Mr. Elton's action of dropping
on one knee, and hiding his head in his hands, was a novel
idea, and a most appropriate attitude. Throughout his
acting he gave great spirit to the drama : it is a very good
one, and is well and forcibly written, being much above the
common run of such pieces.—On Wednesday " Eugene
Aram" was performed, Mr. Elton assuming the character
of the remorse-struck tutor. It was \graceful and true to
nature ; and Mrs. Gordon's Madeline was full of pathos and
feeling. " Master Humphrey's Clock" was produced as the
afterpiece, for the first time. An interesting plot is worked
up, in which many of the leading characters are introduced.

The scenery was iiew for the occasion, illustrating the wood-
cuts in.the work. The scenes are well painted, and closely
follow those in Boz's admirable publication. Mr. Gordon, as
Master Humphrey, appeared as if he had stepped out of the
engraving; his making-up was very good. Mrs. Barton is
too tall for Nelly, but she played the part in her accustomed
pleasant way. Mrs. Gordon, as Alice, gave a powerful pic-
ture of misery. Mr. Barton, as Hartley, depicted a repul-
sive character with much truth. Mr. Marshall, as Kit Cu-
rious, set the audience screaming with laughter, especially

when assuming the statue of a knight by Nelly's gedside-.
This piece, after a judicious pruning, will have a run. It is
well got up, and full of incident.—" Charles O'Malley" is
nightly repeated, and serves to display the inimitable per-
formances of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond.

COURSING AT HIGH LEGH, CHESHIRE.—WhiIst the va-
rious clubs have been making " strong running," which is so
admirably calculated to increase their popularity in " bonny
Scotland" and in " Old England," we have heard of seve-
ral excellent private days' diversion, which have passed over
with peculiar satisfaction. One of these took place on Fri-
day forenoon, on the unrivalled coursing grass land of George
Cornwall Legh, Esq. A party of gentlemen had a rich treat
in the capital diversion, which consisted of matches (upwards
of forty courses took place), most of them excellently run
from end to end. The character of the game may be infer-

red from having for their opponents some first-rate grey-

hounds, and TiN being killed. The hares were abutidalit.
and if Mr. Legh has so easy a conquest over his competitors
for the representation of North Cheshire as they had the su-
periority of the Manchester " long tails," then will he take
his seat with triumphant success. We understand the same
party has every probability of being favoured with another
day's coursing, when the matchless festival of Christmas
shall again have glided over, and the budding of another year
begins to remind us of more lengthened days and brighter
skies, inspiring into the human breast fresh hopes and pleasing
expectations. It is, we glean from a very good quarter, very
likely there will then be a private stake or two " hit off."
The sport of a lovely December morning being over, the
party, at four o clock, paid their respects to a very good plain
dinner, at the Bear's Paw, High Legh, when they quaffed
" rosy bumpers" to the healths of the Queen, the Princess
Royal, Prince Albert, and the worthy Lord of the Manor,
with three times three, and one cheer more.
THEFT BY A SERVANT.—Margaret Curran, a pretty young
woman, was placed before Mr. Rushton, yesterday, charged
with having stolen several trifling articles from two parties
with whom she had lived as servant. John Ellis, police-
officer No. 231, stated that, about half-past nine o'clock on
Tuesday night, he was on duty in Ashton-street, when he
was called to the boils?, of Mrs. Murray, in that street. He
there found Mr. Kinnersley, of Great Nelson-street, North.
Three silk handkerchiefs and some towels were produced,
which were claimed by Mr. Kinnersley. with whom the pri-
soner had formerly lived as servant. She was now living with
Mrs. Murray. Her boxes were brought down, and witness
searched their, when he found eight handkerchiefs, four caps,
six shellS, a basket, two pair of shoes, a tablet, five collars, a
bag., an apron, a chemise, two pair of stockings, and a piece
of silk, -which were also claimed by Mr. Kinnersley. It ap-
peared that she entered the service of the latter on the 11th
November last, and lived there about three weeks, when she
vvas•discharged, after which several of the above-named arti-
cles were missed. The prisoner, in her defence, said, the
articles found were delivered to her by another servant. She
was committed for trial.