The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-08-02 00:00:00

THE LONDON CAB STRIKE.

London is rubbing its eyes at the first striking result
of the administrative ability of "all the talents." Cabs,
we were told, were to be cheap ; it has ended in there
being no cabs at all. We trust the same result may not
come to pass with other things that we were to have had
cheap, especially with bread. No cabs, after a few days
of cheap cabs, may he endured. No bread, after a few
years of cheap bread, would be more serious. But we
will not indulge in ominous anticipations. "Sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof." Only let our senators
condescend to learn a lesson which they have long stood
in need of—the leasson, we mean, that there are limits to
the " omnipotence of Parliament." It is the cant and
the conceit of this alleged "omnipotence," that has done
all this mischief,—aye, and a great deal besides.
Meanwhile the mischief is done, and the question is,
how can it be undone? Cabby has withdrawn to the
right side of his stable-yard gutter, and from behind it
bids us as insolent defiance every whit as the Czar on the
wrong side of the Pruth. Cabby says he will have no-
thing to say to her Majesty's government, until he has
a formal assurance given him, that his privileges ab
antique shall be restored ; so says the Czar. They are
both of one mind. They take the government of " all the
talents" to be a bevy of poltroons. Even of Palmerston
they are not afraid, seeing they company he is in. Cher
Aberdeen, all the world knows, is " a cock that won't
fight," so every sparrow-hawk and every cock-sparrow
gets or takes leave to make game of the poultry yard in
which he should rule, but only crows. —John Bull.
The cab proprietors of London, suddenly, on Wed-
nesday last, withdrew their cabs, amounting to between
four and five thousand, from the stands and streets, on
" strike." The whole affair seams to have been so
secretly organized, that nothing was known of the with-
drawal being intended to be so general that morning,
when the streets and various railway termini were found
to be deserted. For several days there bad been a feeling
amongst the cabmen to avoid going near the principal
West-end stands, such as Old Palace-yard, Parliament-
street, St. James's-street, &c., so as to punish, as they
said, the framers of the new cab law; and on several
occasions, when the House of Commons had broken up,
and the rain had been falling heavily at the time, not a
cab was to be found in the vicinity, and the members had
to trudge through the wet. But on Wednesday morning
it fell suddenly upon every one. and the sun rose on a
city without cabs. The first to feel the inconvenience
was the traveller by early trains—into and out of London
—who found himself three or four miles from everywhere,
with a leather trunk, a hat hox, a carpet. bag, fishing-rod,
umbrella, and waterproof coat to carry. As the day
progressed, the desire for cabs became more urgent—
people found themselves at a full stop without knowing
why. There was no " going to my bankers," or " call
in the city," or " take a cab to the railway." The rail-
ways suffered the greatest possible inconvenience. At
every station piles of luggage waiting conveyance, and
mobs of jeering bystanders advising the calling of a cab
that would not come, confronted the impatient traveller.
Even the aristocracy did not escape the common fate.
Unless met by their "own carriage" they were compelled
to trudge it on foot for long distances, and several in-
stances of ladies of high degree in a state of comparative
exhaustion were observed. Train after train, too, brought
an accumulation of luggage, and each hour added to the
harrassing of impatient passengers from all parts of the
country, so that fine as the day was the inconvenience was
excessive. Since then the whole Of London has had to
go afoot, and the omnibuses, whose fares have been ad-
vanced, and the private flies, hired from the livery stables,
doing nothing towards supplying the deficiency. In two
or three instances, where drivers did not join the combi-
nation, and plied for hire, their cabs were overturned and
the reins cut. The grievance, as appears from Mr.
Fitzroy's reply to a question in the House, is not so much
the reduction to sixpence a mile, but the absence of any
remedy, under the new act, against a long fare to some
country spot, whence no back fare can be expected. But
the charge of 6d. per mile and the great and arbitrary
power given to magistrates in punishing drivers, is also
complained of. At a meeting of cab proprietors, Parlia-
ment, especially the Manchester men, were abused for
Passing the act, which, they said, they had given a fair trial
to during the last fortnight, and could not work under, and
after considerable discussion, a series of resolutions, em-
bodying a higher rate of fares generally, making them
double when further than four miles, and a power of ap-
peal against police court decisions, were adopted as amend-
ments to the act. The strike continued until Saturday
morning, when, owing to some concessions on the part of
Mr. Fitzroy, the cabs resumed their stations.

THE BLACK SWAN.—The musical inhabitants of Liver-
pool will be pleased to notice that Miss Greenfield, the
famous protege of the Duchess of Sutherland, is about
to visit this good town in a professional capacity. The
success which attended her concert at Stafford House,
and the high terms in which she has been spoken of by
the Metropolitan press, give us reason to anticipate a rich
musical treat ; while the incidents of her singular career
invest the dark-tinged stranger with an additional degree
of interest.
GRATIFYING TESTIMONIAL.—On Saturday last the
members of the Mersey Steel and Iron Works Sick Club
met at the Star Hotel, Mill-street, to present their
esteemed treasurer, Mr. Benjamin Eastwood, on his re-
tirement from its office, with a very chaste and unique
marble pedestal with time-piece, manufactured by Mr.
Mayer, of Lord-street, and bearing a suitable inscription.
Mr. Simpson, in presenting it, paid a graceful tribute to
Mr. Benjamin Eastwood's worth and sterling character ;
and Mr. Eastwood returned thanks in a few brief and fe-
licitous remarks. Mr. Smith, Mr. Hughes, and other
gentlemen connected with the establishment afterwards
addressed the members, and the evening was brought to
a a:lac ig happy and convivial

THE LATE FORGERY ON THE NORTH
AND SOUTH WALES BANK.—TRIAL AND
CONVICTION OF THE PRISONERS.
4D,
Yesterday, John Gore (alias. Brown) and
Mudd were tried before the Recorder, at the bcrougn see
sions, charged with having obtained the sum of £3OO from
the North and South Wales Bank, in this town, by con-
spiracy and forgery.
The facts of the case will he in the recollection of the
public, having already appeared in the Standard. They
are briefly as follow :—On the 11th of January last, a man
named William Simpson. who returned from Australia in
December, placed in the North and South Wales Bank
the sum of £3OO, for which he obtained a deposit receipt.
He subsequently sailed for Messina, leaving the de-
posit receipt with a person named Eliza Richardson
(whom he then represented as his wife). Some
time after the prisoner Gore (alias Brown) came
to Liverpool, and found out Simpson's wife. He re-
presented to her that he was well acquainted with Simp-
son, and that they came from Australia together. Brown
was received as Simpson's friend, and ultimately got pos-
session of the deposit receipt. He took it to the bank, and
the prisoner Mudd, who is a boarding-house keeper in this
town, having stated at the bank that Gore's name was
William Simpson, Gore signed the name of " William
Simpson" on the deposit receipt, and the £3OO was then
paid over to him, out of which he paid Mudd £io for
stating at the bank that his name was Simpson. On
Simpson returning from sea, the case, which had frequently
been before the magistrates, was again heard, when Simp-
son altogether denied Gore's statement, and said that he
had no authority whatever to sign his name to the deposit
receipt. On this evidence both prisoners were committed
for trial.
When the case was last before the committing magis-
trate, Simpson was subjected to a severe cross-examina-
tion by Mr. Smith, solicitor. of London, who appeared
on behalf of the prisoner Gore, with the object of proving
that Simpson was concerned in an extensive gold dust
robbery, which took place near Rio Janeiro, on board
the Lady Flora (the vessel in which Simpson returned
from Australia to England). Simpson denied that he was
at all connected with that robbery, adding that when he
left Rio Janeiro, the prisoner Gore was in the hands of
the authorities there, charged with being a party to this
robbery.

Matthew

Mr. BLAIR appeared for the prosecution. The pri-
soner Gore was defended by Mr. TINDAL ATKINSON,
and Mr. SIMON defended Mudd.
The learned counsel on behalf of the prosecution briefly
stated the leading features of the case. Simpson, after
being absent from England for many years, came home
in December last in the ship Lady Flora. Before leaving
Melbourne he paid the sum of £440 into the bank of
Australia at Melbourne, receiving for it a bill upon the
Australian bank in London. On arriving in England, he
met with Eliza Richardson at Colchester, and proposed
marriage to her. He came over to Liverpool with her to
get married. During his stay in Liverpool he resided
with Captain Brown, a friend of his. Whilst in Liverpool
he did not get married, but cohabited with Eliza Richard-
son. Captain Brown went to sea, but put into Beau-
maris, where Simpson went over to see him, Eliza Rich-
ardson accompanying him. At Beaumaris, Simpson made
up his mind to go to sea with Captain Brown, and gave
Eliza Richardson £2O, and also left in her keeping until
his return, a deposit note for £3OO, which he had paid
into the North and South Wales Bank, in this town.
The learned gentleman having gone over the various facts
of the case, proceeded to substantiate them by the exami-
nation of various witnesses.
The first witness called was William Simpson, who re-
capitulated the evidence he gave before Mr. Mansfield, the
stipendiary magistrate, and which has already appeared in
this paper.
Mr. TINDAL ATKINSON subjected the witness to a
lengthy cross-examination, but failed to shake his testi-
mony with regard to any of the material facts of the case.
The witnesss stated, in answer to the learned counsel,
that during the passage home on board the Lady Flora,
there was a great deal of gambling going on. Witness
took part in the gambling : sometimes he won, and some-
times he lost. The gold dust ro bery was discovered
when the vessel was at Rio Janeiro. Was not on board
the ship when the disturbance about the robbery first took
place. Was ashore at Rio, and heard of it after he came
aboard again. Witness never heard that some of his
friends with whom he had gambled had committed
the robbery during the night. Knew a man named
Crawcaw, who was on board the ship. Had heard
that Crawcaw had been convicted for stealing a
portion of the gold dust. Witness had gambled
with Crawcaw. Did not know how much gold dust
was taken. Did not know if there was an inquiry at Rio.
When at Captain Brown's, in Liverpool, witness passed
off Eliza Richardson as his wife. Intended to have made
her his wife, but had not time. Thought he lived with
Eliza Richardson about three weeks. Had not time in
three weeks to make her Mrs. Simpson. Did not know how
many years it was since he went to the colonies. Had
a very bad intellect. Never gave her authority to get
money on the note. Told her if she wanted any money
the bank would perhaps advance her some. If not on
the note, did not know on what the bank was to advance
her money. Thought she might borrow a little money
from Mrs. Brown if she wanted money, while witness
was away, and witness would be answerable for it. Never
made such an arrangement with Mrs. Brown.
Re-examined : Went out to sea with Captain Brown
through having known him, and to obtain a better
knowledge of navigation. It was after lie got to Beau-
maris that witness made up his mind to go with Captain
Brown. Captain Brown had put into Beaumaris by stress
of weather. When he went on board the Lady Flora, at
Melbourne, had £67 in money, besides the bill on the
bank for £440. He lost all that on the passage, and then
borrowed some more. He lost it by gambling. Gore
gambled with him. He was told that Gore and Crawcaw
were both concerned in the gold-dust robbery.
By the COURT.—Witness paid the money back in Lon-
don which he borrowed on board. He paid it out of the
sale of some gold which he purchased before leaving
Melbourne. With the money he borrowed, he afterwards
won all his own money back again. As security for the
money he borrowed he gave the gold.
ELIZA RICHARDSON was the next witness examined
by Mr. Blair, and amongst other statements, she said that
when Gore came to her lodgings, he asked her if Simpson
had left any money with her ; she replied that what he
had left was in her care. Ile also asked her if Simpson
had left her any money on the bills in London, and she
said he had not.
In cross-examination by Mr. ATKINSON, the witness
stated that Gore introduced himself to her as Mr. Brown.
Had never seen him before. Witness came from Col-
chester with Simpson, to become Mrs. Simpson. Could
not say whether there was not time for that. Never went
with Gore anywhere. Knew where Chester was. Was
at Chester at the races, and saw Gore while she was there.
Did not go to Chester with him. Came home to Liver-
pool with him and another gentleman, and three more
ladies. That night came home to her lodgings. Only
passed one night in Chester. No one slept with her that
night—would swear it. Slept by herself. It was after
she had been at Chester, and seen Gore there, that he
went with her to the bank, Could not tell how often she
was at Gore's lodgings. He was often at her's.
The other witnesses examined were the officials from
the bank, who spoke to the fact of the prisoner Mudd
stating that the prisoner Gore was " William Simpson ;"
that Gore afterwards signed " William Simpson" on the
deposit receipt ; and that, on his doing so, the £3OO was
paid to him.
Mr. ATKINSON and Mr. SIMON then addressed the
jury on behalf of their respective clients ; and witnesses to
character having been called for Mudd, the learned
recorder summed up the evidence, after which
The Jury found a verdict of guilty against both
prisoners, but recommended Mudd to mercy.
The RECORDER then proceeded to pass sentence, first
on the prisoner Gore. He said he had been found guilty
of a very serious offence. After having dishonestly got
possession of a document, he went to a bank where a man
had deposited his money, and stated that he (the prisoner)
was the man ; and, although he was told at the time
that the authorities at the bank were not satisfied
that he was the person who had deposited the money,
yet he did not repent ; but, on the other hand, he
went and sought out another man to aid him in accom-
plishing his wicked purpose. Bankers would never
be safe, if people were to be permitted to do as
the prisoner had done. His case was aggravated by
the circumstance, that he was on friendly terms wills the
other prisoner, and also, as it would appear, with Simpson.
He had, by this representation, won the confidence of the
woman, and so contrived to defraud the man. In towns
such as this especially, these offences must be met by the
most severe punishment ; and the sentence of the court
was, that he must be transported for seven years. The
recorder next proceeded to dispose of Mudd.' He said, it
was exceedingly painful to him, to have to pass sentence
on a man who had had such a good character given him
by several gentlemen in this town : a man against whom,
it would appear, up to this time no offence could be urged.
At the same time, it was of the utmost importance, when
money was to be obtained from a bank, that nothing
should be dono which was not straightforward and
right. By the course the prisoner had pursued,
along with the other prisoner, he had clearly
been guilty of doing that which was not right,
and in consequence of this, £3OO had been wrongfully
taken from the bank. He was bound, in such a transac-
tion as this, to pass a heavy sentence. He should not
pass on the prisoner the same amount of punishment
which he had done on his companion, who had allured
him into the commission of this offence. At the same
time he must pass a severe sentence. The sentence of
the Court was, that be be imprisoned and kept to bard
labour for nine calendar months, and in addition to pay
a fine of £lOO.
Some sensation was caused in court at the termination
of the trial, which occupied several hours, by two officers
of the metropolitan police force, who had been in
court during the whole of the day, stepping up
to the principal witness, Simpson, and taking him into
custody by virtue of a warrant which they showed him.
The warrant charges Simpson with being one of the
parties concerned in the gold dust robbery on board the
Lady Flora, referred to in the trial. We are informed
that a legal opinion has been given to the effect that the
warrant is illegal and cannot be acted upon.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 1.

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
THE HAHVEST.—The advices from the continent report
more favourably of the harvest in Belgium, where reaping
has commenced pretty generally ; and in the north of Ger-
many, also, the appearance of the crops is more satis-
factory.

DENMARK.—At Copenhagen, from the 25th to the
26th ult., there were 303 new cases of cholera, 133 proved
fatal; total deaths, 2,171. The greatest consternation
prevailed.

THE EASTERN QUESTION.
The leading article in the It/morning Post of to-day con-
tains the latest authentic news on this subject. The only
facts of interest, reported this afternoon in the foreign
letters, are, that Russia is making the unprecedented levy
of ten men in every thousand, and that much agitation is
caused in Sweden by the expected concentration of Rus-
sian troops in Finland,
The French journals contain statements tending to con.
firm the assertions in the Morning Post,