The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-31 00:00:00

POCKET PlCKlNG.—Several persons had their pockets
picked in Rupert-late, Everton, on Monday. when pass-
ing through the rabble congregated opposite the gate
leading to the militia store-house.
ARRIVAL OF THE GENOVA.—The Genova screw steam-
ship, Captain Walter Paton, arrived here on Sunday even-
ing from Quebec and Montreal after a fine passage of only
fourteen days, having left Quebec on the evening of the
15th instant. The Genova brought a large cargo, and

about thirty passengers. Captain Paton, on arrival, was
presented with a complimentary letter, of which the fol-
lowing is a copy :—" Steam-ship Genova, May 28, 1853.
We, the undersigned passengers on board the steam-ship
Genova, from Montreal and Quebec, deem it not only a
pleasure but a duty:to state that, during the passage which
occupied only fourteen days, we were shown every mark
of respect by the officers, and especially by Captain Wal-
ter Paton. Every thing was done by him that could be
to render us comfortable ; his gentlemanly conduct,
obliging disposition, and last, but not least, his peculiar
tact for amusing and rendering his passengers comfortable
and happy, must always make him a favourite with the
travelling public."—The following is a list of the passen-
gers :—Lady Alexander and family ; Colonel, Mrs. Cle-
ments, and family • Com.-Gen. Rae, lady, and family ;
Mrs. Major Tullocit and family ; Mrs. "Watson ; Mr. C.
D. D. Phillips ; Mr. Edmund Mitchell ; Mr. J. M`Kay,
junior ; Mr. R. P. Laverlochen ; Mr. P. P. Dedier ;
Frere Zozine ; Fi ere Cacile ; Frere Cassier ; Sister Mary,
of the Holy Ghost; Mr. M. M'Kean.
SUICIDE IN GLOUCESTER-STREET.—A man, named
James Halton, 60 years of age, who had for some time
been employed at the Theatre-Royal, committed suicide
yesterday morning, by hanging himself in a bed-room of
the house in which he resided, Green's-court, between
Glou.rester-street and Albion-street. It appeared from
the evidence at the inquest, which was held yesterday,
that for the last two or three weeks he had been in a very
desponding state of mind. Between eight and nine o'clock
on Saturday evening deceased went out to borrow some
money. He returned home about twelve o'clock. a little
in liquor. About one o'clock on Sunday afternoon he
partook of half a glass of gin, and at night went to bed
apparently comfortable enough. Yesterday morning, a
little before nine o'clock, deceased gave his wife a shilling
to get some things for the house. She went out, and got
deceased a glass of gin, and partook of some of it herself.
She then went across to a neighbour's house, and when
she returned, she found the deceased in the top room,
hanging by the bed rail. He was quite dead. A verdict
of " temporary insanity" was returned.

STEALING NEWSPAPERS BY A MAN OF PRO-
PERTY.—At the Police-court, on Friday, John Fletcher
Huddlestone, a middle-aged, respectable-looking gen-
tleman, formerly a shipowner in this town, but now
retired from business, and having a country seat
seat at Workington, in Cumberland, and another residence
at Seacombe, Cheshire, near this town, was brought be-
fore the magistrates, in the private room, on a charge of
stealing two newspapers from the Exchange News-room.
Mr. Thomas Warburton, of the Exchange News-room,
said, a little before two o'clock on Thursday, I received
information that a gentleman had put two newspapers
into his pocket, and walked out of the news-room. The
prisoner was pointed out to me in the street as the person
who had done this. I saw him go into the Crooked Bil-
let. I followed him, and saw him in the dining-room,
perusing the Liverpool Times. I did not speak to him,
but went back and consulted one of the committee.
was directed to inform the police. I saw constable Eaton,
and informed him. He went to the Crooked Billet. I
followed the officer, who told the prisoner to come into
another room. The officer had some conversation with
him. I left the room, and went back to the Exchange.
A short time afterwards I was shown by the officer a .
n!wspsper (Gore's Ad (riser) which is the proce:ty of
the proprietors of the Exchange News-room. I know it
by a peculiar mark, which appears to have been partly
erased. The prisoner was formerly a subscriber to the
room.—John Eaton : lam a detective officer. In conse-
quence of information from the last witness, I went to the
Crooked Billet. I found the prisoner in the dining-room;
I asked him to come out, and he did so. I took him into
the lobby, and asked him if he would be kind enough to
show me the two newspapers which he had brought with
him from the Exchange-rooms. He said I will show you
them bye and bye. I brought them with me to read after
dinner. I asked him where they were; he said, in his
coat pocket in the room. I then asked him if he was
staying at the Crooked Billet ; he said he was. I allowed
him to retire into the room again to finish his dinner;
when he came out I asked him again for the papers. He
said, let us go across, and see Mr. Warburton. I insisted
upon seeing the papers, and he then put his hand into his
pocket, and pulled out the paper produced (Gore's Ad-
vertiser.) I then asked him where the other one was.
He said, 1 have no other; that is the only one I had. I
then told him I should detain him until Mr. Warburton
came across. I asked him his name ; lie at first refused
to give it, hut ultimately gave his name. I remained with
him until Mr. Warburton came over, who desired me to
take him to the Police-office. I asked him again respect-
ing the other paper. He said he had not taken any but
the one, and that he had been in the habit of doing so
regularly. I was then desired to lock him up. By the
Magistrate : When I asked him for the second paper, he
said he had none. I asked him to allow me to feel in his
pocket, and he said certainly.—The case being fully
proved by the evidence of a subscriber who had witnessed
the transaction, and pointed it out to a person sitting
near, and who had, in consequence, named it to one of
the attendants of the room, the magistrate fined the pri-
soner £5, or a month's imprisonment, for not being able
to account satisfactorily for the possession of the paper.
The fine was at once paid, and the prisoner, who was
attended by ssveral merchants of high respectability, left
the room.
DOCK COMMITTEE.—On Thursday,at the weekly meet-
ing, Mr. Francis Shand, the deputy chairman, presided ;
and the other members present were—Messrs. Molyneux,
Robinson, Steele, Evans, Barber, Healing, Gladstone,
Holme, Malcomson, Bighorn, Holden, Langsdale. Tobin,
Lockett, Royden, and Rankin. Tile terms were sub-
mitted, upon which it was proposed to erect sheds for the
British and north American Steam-ship Company, on the
west quay of the Huskisson Dock, and to let them the
land adjoining for a coal depot. The total annual rent
for coal depot and sheds would be £942—Agreed to. The
Harbour-mEoters' Sub-committee reported that they had

interviews with a deputation of steam-boat proprietors on
the subject of cranage accommodation on the dock quays;
and they recommended that a new crane should be erected
on the quay of No. 1, Sandon Graving dock at an estimated
cost of £1,200; also that another of the present cranes
should be removed to a more useful position.—Confirmed.
The Chairman said the next business was the motion by
Mr. Gladstone, affirmative of the right of every member
of the. Dock Committee, and every dock ratepayer, to
examine the dock hooks and accounts. He had that
morning received a letter from the chairman, Mr. TurnTr,
wishing much to be present on the occasion of that dis-
cussion coming forward.—Mr. Molyneux moved that the
matter be deferred, because there would be no disadvan-
tage to the dock estate whether it was discussed then or
that day twelve months.—Mr. Evans moved that the
question be decided at once.—Mr. Bigham seconded this.
The Chairman said, as some doubt had been expressed
last week as to the interpretation put upon a certain
clause, and a suggestion having been thrown out that
counsel's opinion should be taken upon the subject, he
had taken upon himself to instruct the solicitor to do so.
Mr. Gladstone, having called upon Mr. North, the solici-
tor, to read the clause in the act of 1762, (read at'the last
meeting,) brought forward his motion, " That the officials
of the dock trust be directed to furnish information on
the affairs of the trust to each and every member of the -
Dock Committee, as such may be demanded." The
present prohibition made nonentities of them and their
acts.—Mr. Evans seconded the motion.—Mr. Hoyden
objected that, where contracts and other bargains were in
an immature state, that sought would be an unwise and
dangerous power.—Mr. Steele concurred in Mr. Royden's
remarks. He thought it would be a dangerous power to
place in the hands of some of the committee, judging
from past times.—Mr. Bigham objected to the doctrine
that the Finance Committee were the only members to be
trusted, and that it would be dangerous to trust the others.
Mr. Tobin strongly opposed the motion.—The Chairman
said the only point was whether they should get informa-
tion regularly or irregularly. Members could always get
information by proper application to the committee.—Mr.
Jas. Holme supported the motion. He said the prohibi-
tion led to the suspicion that there was something wrong.
If the accounts were accurately kept, he could see no
wrong in their being at all times open for inspection.—
Mr. Tobin moved, as an amendment, that, before they
proceeded to a vote, the case and opinion should be read.
—Mr. Molyneux seconded the amendment.—Mr. Glad-
stone objected, as the obtaining of the opinion had not
been authorized by the committee.—Eventually the board
divided on the amendment, which was carried by a ma.
jority of 9 to 7.—Mr. North then read the case and
opinion. The case was very fully and perhaps rather
strongly stated. Counsel's opinion was :—lt vas quite
clear the members of the committee had no right, in their
individual capacity, to require officials to furnish informa-
tion as to the affairs of the trust. Except in their col-
lective capacity, and when acting in committee, they-had
no power to do any corporate act. That was the invari-
able rule in corporations. As to Mr. Gladstone's resolu-
tion, he could not go so far as to say it would be illegal ;
but such a resolution was, so far as counsel knew, unex-
ampled in the history of corporate bodies ; and it would•
be inexpedient, and likely to lead to inconveniences pre-
judicial to the Dock Estate.—After a few further remarks,
the board divided upon Mr. Glidstone's motion, which
was carried by a majority of I. or the motion : —Messrs.
Robinson, Langsdale, Gladstone, Holme, Bigham, Hol-
den, Malcomson. Evans, Healing, and Barber. Against
the motion :—Messrs. 'Leyden, Molyneux, Tobin, Ran-
kin, Steele, Lockett, and Shand.