The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

LOCAL I2V. TELLIGENCE.

Virß ISLE OP MAN Steam-packet Company have it in
contemplation to build a fast clipper steam-ship in addi-
tion to their present fleet of vessels.
MR. MORRISH, of the Merchants' Dining-rooms, is fit-
ting up a suite of rooms at the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Railway station, Tithebarne-street, to be opened as a
restaurant and general refreshment rooms.
TEE AmAL BAZAAR, in connexion with the Everton
Church MisSionary Society, is announced to commence
,tomorrow (Wednesday), and continue over the two fol-
lowing days.
AMALGAMATION OF THE LEARNED SOCIETIES. —A
meeting of delegates from the four learned societies was
held on Wednesday, at the Royal Institution, and a very
interesting discussion took place upon the desirability of
amalgamation. No final resolutions were adopted,
however, the meeting being adjourned till to-morrow.
SP. GEORGE'S BAZAAR, Queen's-square, recently de-
ItroYed by fire, was re-opened on Wednesday. A sum
heady sufficient to cover the actual losses of the tenants
has been raised; and the exertions of the proprietor to
°are the bazaar re-opened will cause the Christmas of
clany of the tenants to be merrier than they could have
otherwise expected.
FIRE.—In an outfitting store, kept by Rose Delama, in
Saltney-street, opposite Stanley Dock, a crowded neigh-
bourhood, an alarm of fire was given by the inmates,
about half-past eleven on Friday night. It was imme-
diately subdued, without even the aid of the reel-hose
and engine, which were promptly in attendanee.
DECIMAL COINAGE.—A requisition was a few days ago
Presented to the Mayor, J. B. Lloyd, Esq., requesting him
to call a meeting for the purpose of hearing a statement
of the evidence taken before the committee on the above
subject, and of the advantages pointed out in the report
likely to accrae from its adoption. His worship has com-
plied with the request, and has named Wednesday, (to-
morrow,) at the Sessions-house, Liverpool.
ME. WILLIAM JENNINGS REES, St John's College,
'Cambridge, (formerly a pupil and Canning Scholar of the
Royal Institution School,) who, in the first and second
Tears of his matriculation at the university, gained a
foundation scholarship and two Wood exhibitions, has
again distinguished himself, being first man of his year,
in the mathematical and classical examination, just ended,
at the above college.
CHANGE RINGING.—On Wednesday, Mr. John Holt's
ten-course peal of grandsire trebles, consisting of 5,040
hanges, was rung on the back, eight of St. Peter's bells,
in three hours and eight Minutes, by Messrs. J. Heron,
treble ; W. Heron, fourth ; James Heron, fifth ; R. WI
Hams, sixth ; J. Heron, jun., seventh ; H. Roberts
th ; G. Helsby, ninth ; J. Johnson, teno
ducted by John Heron, jun. Weight o f tenor
in the key of D

25 cwt

THE SOUTH AMERICAN screw-steamer Braziliera,
Captain Cox, went into the river from the Birkenhead
Dock, on Wednesday, with a full cargo of fine goods on
board, and sailed on Saturday for the Brazils and the
River Plate, via Lisbon and St. Vincent. Since her arri-
val in port the Braziliera's accommodation for passengers
has been extended, and she has been fitted with Griffith's
Patent screw, which will no doubt enhance her sailing
"Qualities. She takes anthracite fuel this voyage.

BANQUET AT THE TowN-HALL.—OR thursday the
Mayor, J. Buck Lloyd, Esq., entertained the consuls at
this port and a party of gentlemen. The representatives
'of Russia and Turkey being among the guests, the Mayor
.Placed them next himself, lamenting that there was no
Member of the peace society in the room, to seat between
'them; and he set the table in a roar when proposing the
Army and Navy" in the presence of two belligerent
Powers ; for although he was ready to cry " A plague on
both your houses," he expressed a strong suspicion that,
if necessary, we could serve the masters of both alike.
ROYAL MERSEY CURLING CLUB.—The annual meeting
'of this club was held on Friday, at Woodside, for the
Purpose of passing the accounts, electing officers for the
ensuing year, and transacting other business. The presi-
dent, Mr. Hastings, occupied the chair, and the accounts
for the past year were presented by Mr. Houston, the
secretary. After they had been examined and passed, a
vote of thanks was given to the retiring officers, and the
following gentlemen were elected to conduct the society
for the next year :—Mr. Hastings, Liverpool, president;
Mr. Dalziel, Landican, vice-president ; Mr. Corrie, Birken-
head, treasurer ; and Mr. Galloway, Birkenhead, secre-
tary. Upon the conclusion of the business, the members
spent a social evening together.

CONCERT Toun.—The enterprising house of Cramer,
Beale, and Co., has just projected a grand musical tour-
nee in the provinces, which will commence in the last
week of January. The artists engaged are Miss Arabella
Goddard, Madame Amadei, (" the English Alboni," as
she is called,) Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, Mons. Sainton, and
Mr. Land. The tour can hardly fail to prove interesting
in the highest degree. Madame Amadei is an untried
singer, it may be said, and goes before her provincial
audiences without a widely circulated reputation. We
however consider that the projectors of the tourne'e are
folly warranted in engaging the new-found contralto.
Madame Amadei possesses a magnificent voice, and has
already produced a great sensation at the Reunion des
Arts and the Wednesday evening concerts. We cannot
doubt that she will be equally successful in the provinces.
Of Miss Arabella Goddard it is unnecessary to say a word.
Her name is as well known out of London as in it ; her
'talent almost as thoroughly appreciated. The renowned
Yiolinist, M. Sainton, too, requires no preparatory trumpet-
-1/4,,g• He will be welcomed everywhere. Of Mr. and Mrs.
eiss and Mr. Land, it is enough to say that they will
'constitute serviceable members of the company. —Musical
World.

BRENA.I.7 V. PRESTON.—The Vice Chancellor, on Wed-
-nesday, delivered judgment in this case, which has been
long before tne—cout, d- possesm, interest.
The plaintiff is part owner in the brig Pbcebe, the defend-
ants, Messrs. Preston and Watson, of this town, being the
owners of the remaining part. By an agreement the de-
fendants were appointed ships' husbands and brokers, with
a commission on all freights, and Brenan was appointed
master. The ship was chartered to Messrs. Burns and
Vlver, of this town, who paid £134 for it. It was con-
tended that by the agreement they should only have paid
£l3O, and it appeared that this £4 which had been claimed
by the defendants as commission, had been paid without
the knowledge of the plaintiff, who thereon sought for
what he alleged as a fraudulent agreement to terminate
the partnership. The case has been long before the
courts. His honour now decreed " that the £4 received
by the defendants under the agreement ought to have
been received on account of the owners ; that the receipt
of that sum, without communicating the fact of such
agreement, was fraudulent, and entitled the owners of
three-fourths of the shares to give notice to determine
agency, and that it was determined by such notice. The
injunction restraining the defendants from acting as ship's
husbands, &c., must be made perpetual ; the account of
all sums received to be taken ; the costs of the suits, and
of all the proceedings at law, to be paid by the defendants ;
an inquiry as to the value of the defendants' shares in the
ship if they acquiesce in a sale ; and a direction for pur-
chase by the plaintiffs at that valuation ; if the defendants
decline to sell, then no order on that part of the case.
Liberty to apply." The defendants, it is understood, in-
tend to appeal against the decision.
DOCK ComnairrEE.—The weekly meeting was held
on Thursday, Mr. Turner in the chair. Mr. Gladstone
said that the subject of funding the bonded debt had by
no means escaped his attention ; but, whether right or
wrong, he had considered the present moment scarcely the
right time for bringing under the notice of the finance
committee a scheme for the object contemplated. The
matter, however, had by no means been forgotten by him,
and in a short time he would take the opportunity of
stating to them what his views were on the subject. The
chairman said he was sure the finance committee would be
very glad to consider so important a question. The object
was a very desirable one to be attained, if it could be done.
--The sub-committee of works submitted a plan of laying
out a portion of the Harrington estate for yards for storing
timber, and recommended that they should be let at a rent
5-16ths of a penny per square yard per week, to per-
manent tenants, and at a halfpenny per square yard for
temporary occupation : these rates to commence on the
Ist of April next. After a good deal of conversation, Mr.
Gregson, seconded by Mr. Chaloner, moved that the rent
tor the timber ground be ls. ld. per square yard per
Annum for permanent, and id. per yard per week for tem-
porary occupation. On a division the amendment was lost
by 12 to 5. Mr. Smith then proposed as an amendment
that the rent be ls. per yard per annum for permanent,
and id. per yard per week for temporary occupation. The
amendment was lost by a majority of 10 to 7.—Mr. Steele
'moved an amendment that the time for the commence-
ment of the new rates he extended, as the import of timber
did not arrive till about July or August. Seeing, however,
that the feeling of the meeting was against him, he with-
'drew the proposition. The recommendation of the sub-
committee was then confirmed.—After disposing of some
other business, the committee adjourned.
SINGULAR ROBBERY BY A FEMALE.—On Monday, last
Week, a robbery was committed at the house of Mr. Wil-
liam Blackburn, the Bricklayers' Arms, corner of Claren-
don-street and Newcastle-street, Hulme, under circum-
stances of a very peculiar nature. The information was
,__received at the Chorlton Town-hall, from the girl Sarah
i.„vvhittaker, who had been left in charge of the house.
This girl, who is the sister of Mrs. Blackburn, and had
I.eteutly come from Liverpool, stated that on Monday
&rnoon, about half-past three o'clock, Mrs. Blackburn
Zing in ill health, went with another female to visit a
""rgeon and left her in charge of the house. Immediately
ber they had gone two men with large whiskers, one
lack, and the other red, came in and called for two glasses
°f beer. She went into the cellar to draw it, and while
the Was absent she believed they fastened the front door.
ifter they had drunk part of the beer one of the men
'went towards the stairs, and the other man seized her.
,and the waist, told her that if she uttered a sound he
Would kill her, and took out of his pocket a large clasp
ife, opened it and placed it on a table near him. He
leuen took a rope from his pocket and tied her to the table
g• While this was going on she heard the other man
41.11 stairs making a noise as if breaking open boxes and
Tha'everS. At this moment some one knocked at the door.
man up stairs then came doWn and they both left the

as the by an entry leading into Clarendon-street. As soon
Ch„theY had gone, she dragged the table to the fire, heated
th' Poker, and released herself by burning the rope. She
it eturned out that a box and some drawers had been forced
1,i)),11 and £25 stolen. On
~_"ce examined the house, ai
zleto the correctness of the
Eitart
us e ,ained that a few mu
eu to have taken place,
tro and had some talk wi
ee2l turned upon the numE
hLtIY been committed, and
taker, place by men ent
search
tO tables. This (
the reit was made, and
43 Whole of the st
oto 2s. 10d., was foul
bbe and conf
fore th Mon Wedn'

have re

%wdust

'aid " - ...ag tes Istra charged
14 ' Oh, dear, I did take it
(who
—lack burn, the landlord of t
is the prisoner's sister),
the aloney was found. In 1.,
Drisoner said, that before al
1114,1 lived with her uncle in t
'eeni unfortunate. She was
Previous course of life may be

arse in

I TESTIMONIAL—There is now in Mr. Wordley's shop,
in Lord-street, a silver &tilt basket, intended for presenta-
tion to Henry Meadows, Esq., of Poulton-hall, in Cheshire.
The inscription is as follows :—" Presented by the friends
of Henry Meadows, Esq., Poulton-hall, Cheshire, for
his invaluable services and unwearied attention to all
matters connected with the parish of Wallasey for up-
wards of 42 years, in the several capacities of commis-
sioner, churchwarden, and president of the Wallasey
Club. October, 1853."
SESSIONS IN 1854.—The following are the days for
holding thderious quarter sessions of the county during
the ensuinffear :
Epiphany. Easter.
Jan. 2 ... April 3

Lancaster
Preston...

Salford

Midsummer. Christmas,
... June 26 ... Oct. 16
28 „ 18

10 ... Jiily

Kirkdale 17 „18 „ 11 „ 81
Intermediate sessions are usually held at Preston and
Salford six weeks after the quarter sessions. The annual
sessions will be held June 29 ; the first adjourned annual
sessions, (the principal meetinc, of the year,) September 14.
ADVANCE OF WAGES AT VARRINGTON.-011. Tuesday,
Messrs. Stubs, file-workers, Warrington, without solicita-
tion, advanced the wages of the workpeople in their
employment ten per cent. Immediately on the announce-
ment being made, a meeting of the workmen was held at
the works, when it was resolved that thanks be given to
their employers for their generous and noble conduct,
and that a dinner be given to them by the workpeople.
A deputation afterwards waited upon the heads of the
firm, and communicated the result of the meeting, but
they declined to attend any dinner, as what they had
done was merely an act of justice.
ESCAPE.—On Tuesday, at half-past six o'clock, Mr. E.
Watkinson, of Sefton, and Mr. Peter Almond, of Lunt,
were returning home in a vehicle from the Liverpool
corn market. In consequence of the darkness of the
night they took the turnpike road as far as the Old Roan
public-house, at which place they turned to go through
Netherton. Here the horse ran against the cop, and
turned the vehicle over. Both gentlemen were thrown
underneath, Mr. Watkinson lying on his back, with the
conveyance upon him. They were kept in this position
for about ten minutes, when some of the residents in the
locality were attracted to the spot by their cries for assist-
ance, and they speedily released the party, who sustained
no injury from the accident, and the horse escaped with
a few bruises on his hind legs.
TILE LATE Mn. PRELps.—We find in the American
papers numerous notices of the late Mr. Anson G. Phelps,
who, though resident in the United States, has been so
long connected with the commerce of Liverpool. The fol-
lowing is one of the many :—" It is with great regret that
we have to announce the decease of Anson G. Phelps,
which took place at his residence yesterday morning, after
a lingering decline. His age was 74. Mr. Phelps had
recently returned from a trip to England, which he had
undertaken in the hope of deriving benefit from a change
of air and scene. The journey proved of no material ser-
vice. The deceased has long been known as one of our
most prominent merchants, and one of our most public
spirited citizens. He has never failed to evince great
sagacity and enterprise in his commercial pursuits, and
long since succeeded in acquiring a princely fortune.
At the time of his death he was President of the New
York Colonization Society, and took an active interest in
all the benevolent operations of the day. Few men have
been in the habit of contributing more liberally to every
good cause. For integrity, generosity, Christian principle,
every quality that dignified human nature, Anson G.
Phelps has left a character behind that reflects honour
upon the mercantile annals of our city, and will long be
held in admiring remembrance."—New York Courier and
Inquirer.

THE STRIKES AND INTI 3 IDATION.--011 Monday, last
week, the factory owners of Wigan threw open their mills
for such of the operatives as would return at old prices,
and one thousand, or about a sixth of the whole, availed
themselves of the opportunity. Many more would pro-
bably have returned to work, but the trades' delegates,
attended by a large crowd, were in the streets at an early
hour in the morning to intercept,persuade, and intimidate
all they could, out of going to work. The Messrs. Eccles
obtained the greatest number of hands (about 400), and
200 went in at Rylauds'. The others were pretty equally
dispersed through various mills. The magistrates and
police did all they could to protect the hands in going to
the mills, and this they also did again on Tuesday and
Wednesday morning. On Monday and Tuesday morning
they found it necessary to apprehend several persons for
undue interference with persons going to work, and for
inciting to a breach of the peace. The system of intimi-
dation does not apply to those alone who go to work at
old prices, but in othertowns it applies to persons refusing
or neglecting to subscribe funds to the Preston and other
strikes. At Stockport, on Monday, and at Ashton, on the
same day, men were brought before the magistrates for
acts of intimidation, and there is no doubt that a wide-
spread system of tyranny prevails throughout the whole
manufacturing districts to extort money from the opera-
tives in work at the mills to support those out of employ-
ment through the strikes. The people complain of it
loudly at the shops where they buy their provisions, and
it is talked of everywhere.

WEST DERBY BOARD OF GUAEDIANS.—The weekly
meeting was held in the boardroom, on, Wednesday, Mr.
J. Harrison in the chair. There were also present Messrs.
Alpass, Heyes, Shaw, R. Birch, Lunt, Taylor, Abrahams,
Mountfield, Brown, Molyneux, Miller, G. Harrison,
Smith, Tattersall, Carter, Medealf, Kirkus, Pilkington,
and the Rev. W. Badnall. The governor reported that
the number of paupers in the house amounted to 679, the
number in the corresponding week last year having been
723. There were 28 admitted during the week, and 22
discharged, and there were two births and three deaths in
the house. The sum of £350 was ordered to be paid to
Mr. Clayton, the contractor for the new boardroom, on
account of the work he had done, in addition to the sum
of £BOO previously ordered to be paid. A letter was re-
ceived from Mr. Reid, resigning his situation as school-
master. Mr. Alpass moved that the resignation be
accepted, which was agreed to. Some conversation ensued
upon the salary which should be offered, several of the
guardians expressing an opinion that the sum paid to Mr.
and Mrs. Reid (EBO and £32) was too much, and it was
ultimately agreed that the salary should be £6O for the
-master and £3O for the mistress. A letter was read from
Mr. Johnson, one of the vaccinators, stating the grounds
on which he had applied for an increase of salary. Mr.
Alpass, in accordance with a notice which he had given at
the last meeting, moved that Mr. Wood, who resides near
the Aintree racecourse, be appointed one of the vacci-
nators for the union. Mr. Taylor seconded the motion,
which was carried unanimously.—Mr. Alpass, on behalf
of the hospital committee, complained of the slow progress
which was making in the work of laying out the grounds,
under Mr. Downes, who was, he thought, quite unfit for
the position in which he was placed. Mr. Shaw corrobo-
rated the statement made by Mr. Alpass, and said it was
a waste of public money to pay Mr. Downes £BO a-year
for what he was doing. Mr. Taylor justified Mr. Downes,
and said the delay in the work was owing to the ineffi-
cient labourers employed under Mr. bownes. After some
conversation the committee was ordered to investigate the
matter, and report to the next meeting of the board. Mr.
Kirkus then reported that four tenders had been received
to supply an organ for the Workhouse chapel, and moved
that Mrs. Bewsher's tender be accepted. Agreed to. The
cost of the organ will be £6O, and £8 additional was
voted for another stop. The following letter was handed
to the chairman :—' Having some suspicion that the
corpse of my late husband is not buried, I am determined
to have the grave opened to see the corpse. If I should
not receive the permission from you to see him, I shall
give it into the hands of an attorney, who shall force it
by all means. Wilhelmina Angbery." It was stated that
the woman wished to sell the body, as she said she had
been promised £lOO for it by the doctors, and it would
be very useful to her, as she was very badly off. The
board then adjourned.
HOLMES' BANK.—Since our last issue, it has been
ascertained that the amount of notes in circulation of
this unfortunate concern, at the time of Mr. Holmes'
death, fell but little short of £26,000. The license being
but £lO,OOO, it results that the over issue was nearly
£16,000. Whether the insular property, said to be
mortgaged for the payment of these notes, will realise
money sufficient for their payment, remains to be seen.
We hope it will do so, and leave a good balance for de-
positors and other creditors ; but in these stringent times
for money we are not so sanguine as some people are. But
should these notes ultimately prove to be good, their being
forced out of circulation by their uncurrency inflicts a most
serious evil on the country, and is especially oppressive on
the holders of these notes. But there is still another class
of persons—and a pretty numerous class too—suffering
still worse inconvenience, not to say positive distress,
than the holders of these notes. We have on this island a
great number of families designated as resident strangers,
who have long been accustomed to draw their means of
support from England or elsewhere through Mr. Holmes'
bank. In many of these cases deposits had been made,
as we learn, with Mr. Holmes, in anticipation of drafts
for quarterly or half-yearly instalments. The amount of
money thus coming to the island from abroad has ex-
ceeded £lOO,OOO yearly ; and it has made up no small
portion of the circulating medium for this island. But
this sudden stoppage of the bank—this well grounded
apprehension of insolvency—has thrown everything into
confusion as affecting those resident strangers ' • and in
many cases has exposed them to absolute starvation.
We state these melancholy facts for a special object, viz.,
that tradesmen, and the creditors of those strangers, do
exercise at this time the greatest forbearance possible,
until other arrangements can be made to realise their
foreign funds. Some of them, indeed, may suffer loss—
such, for instance, as have ordered their remittances
through Holmes' bank, and deposits had been there made
in anticipation ,of cheques. It is surprising that in a
shrewd community like ours suspicion had not long since
got abroad of Holmes' insolvency. Look at two facts.
First, the interest of 41 per cent. being paid by him on
deposits. If Mr. Holmes had been a great capitalist he
would not have been a borrower of money at all, and
especially at a rate of interest beyond what any business
on the island will warrant. This of itself should have

awakened suspicions that all was not sound at bottom
and yet we know of but one man on the island who drew
the correct inference from that fact ; and that man for

the present shall be nameless. Bat Perhaps same other
persons who had funds in hand, may remember that a
certain man gave them hints long ago, which prevented
their depositing money in Holmes' bank. The other fact
to which we allude is a most telling one. Why should a
man of seventy-five years of age, when he had become
stone-blind, attempt to carry on the intricate, delicate,
and most hazardous business of banking, for years, without
a partner on the spot to aid him ? Such a one lays a
powerful temptation before a set of clerks and dependents
to rob him right and left. The clerks could falsify the
books, and misread them to the poor old blind man, and
he be none the wiser for the deception. Far be it from us
to insinuate that Mr. Holmes' clerks did anything wrong
in the bank ; but we are speaking of the folly and hazar
dons absurdity of a blind man attempting
banking. Why, then, did Mr. Holmes do so r•
present state of his affairs answer. NT,4I
knowledge of his insolvenc‘'

to carry on

Let the

ig short of a full

and the want of moral courage
+1 drag

emptiness in lifetim,

induced

along till the grave should cover him trout an expose-of
his bankruptcy. His sycophants had cracked up his
wealth too high for forty years to leave, him with courag
enough to declare his insolvency, as. a,greater and a bett(
awn would have done. We sav,„ therefore, that this f
of keeping on the bank in a stale of blindness should hi
aroused suspicions that all wae.•.not right. Bu

,e shock hastalicn, all by surpriatas.—lmona's

was not
VP'

MR. THOMAS'S shilling concerts commence at the
Philharmonic-hall, on Monday next.
Sr. MARK'S ScsooL.—The children, after their an-
nual examination, last week, presented the curate, the
Rev. W. Moeran, with a very handsome writing•case and
a pair of vases, containing wax flowers.
TICE Docx TRUST. —lt is said that during the past
week the Dock Trust have received offers of money as
follows :--t12,300 at four per cent., and £3,000 and
£4,000 (old bonds) renewed at the same rate of interest.
THE LECTURE intended to have been delivered by the
Rev. V. M. White, at Clayton-hall, on Friday evening
last, has been postponed, in consequence of the reverend
gentleman being called to attend the sick-bed of his
mother.

INDUSTRIAL RAGGED SCHOOLS, SOHO-STREET.—The
annual Christmas dinner to the children of this institu-
tion, was given yesterday at the large room of the Police-
station, Rose-hill, T. B. Horsfall, Esq., M.P., having
kindly offered to defray the expenses.
A NEW PILOT BOAT, called the Criterion, was launched
at Ipswich on Saturday week. She is intended to replace
No. 10 in the Liverpool pilot service, and her owners have
great confidence in her being a fast and comfortable boat.
The Criterion is the third schooner-rigged pilot boat
which has been substituted for cutters, and it is contem-
plated to build two others of the same class.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—On Saturday night a man, while
passing through Whitechapel, was robbed by a woman,
who threw her arms round him, of £5O, the savings of
many years, which he had put into his pocket for safety.
The same night a prostitute was taken into custody for
being drunk and disorderly, and upwards of £5O was found
upon her. She was subsequently identified as the woman
who committed the robbery.
ACCIDENTS.—On Friday night Mary Quin, aged fifty-
six, of Thomas-street, got jammed between a cart and the
wall in the same street, and received a compound fracture
of the arm and a fracture of the ribs.—On Saturday night
William Edward Wilson, second mate of the ship Empire
State, lying in the Sandon Graving Dock, was going on
board, when he slipped, and fell into the bottom of the
dock, receiving a severe compound fracture of the thigh,
and other bruises and contusions. ,
THE CHRISTMAS " PLYGAIN " AT ST. DAVID'S
CHURCH.—The custom received from the Eastern Church
of assembling at an early hour on Christmas morning,
was duly observed at St. David's church on Sunday last.
The service, commencing at six o'clock, was read by the
Rev. D. E. Jones, M.A., and the sermon was preached by
the Rev. W. Hughes, 8.D., from Ezekiel xxxiv. 29. The
choir and the carol singers acquitted themselves in a very
creditable manner, and the church was well attended.
SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—The last rehearsal for
the present year of a selected portion of the chorus of this
society, numbering upwards of 100 members, took place in
the class rooms, 34, Church-street, on Monday evening
last. The music was selected from the works of Handel,
Mendelssohn, &c., and included a new anthem, by the con-
ductor, a copy of which was presented to each member at
the close of the performance. When it is considered that
the whole of the members of the chorus are amateurs, all of
whom have been taught singing in the vocal school during
the past year, it must be admitted that very great pro-
gress has been made. The chorus contains some re-
markably fine voices, especially the trebles ; and there is
little doubt the society will shortly have a chorus most
efficient both in respect of proficiency and numbers.
Correspondent .
SEASONABLE BOUNTY.—DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL.—
On Friday week the pupils attending this school were
admitted to view the works of art contained in the Exhi-
bition of the Liverpool Academy, with which they appeared
to be much gratified. In the afternoon of the same day
they partook of a plentiful dinner of roast beef and plum-
pudding, provided for them, as customary at this season,
through the bounty of Richard Rathbone, Esq. The
number of these pupils is now greater than at any former
period. The school occupies a sphere of usefulness in
which it can have no substitute; and we trust that its
merits and claims will be borne in mind by those who
have the power and the will to do good. In dispensing
their Christmas bounty, or appropriating their charitable
subscriptions for the next year, they will do well to re-
member what a good work they may aid by supporting our
local school for the deaf and dumb.
HEALTH OF THE Towx.—The medical officer of health
reports that the continued low temperature causes a pro-
gressive increase in the mortality from diseases of the
lungs, and that the general mortality of the borough is
consequently, as in the previous weeks, comparatively
high. The total deaths were 247, being six more than the
previous week, but ten less than the average of the same
week of the preceding six years, after allowing for in-
crease of population. From diseases of the lungs the
deaths were 116, being twelve more than in the previous
week, and a greater number than in any week in the nine
months preceding. Excluding this class of diseases, last
week's return shows a decrease of six in the mortality
of the borough. From zymotic diseases there were 53
deaths, being 26 fewer than in the week previous. They
included 12 fr2m hooping cough, 10 from cholera, 7 from
measles, 6 from typhus, 5 fyom scarlatina, and 4 from
diarrhoea. B-iwel complaints are not more than usually
prevalent, and n3ither • the registrars' returns nor the
daily reports of the district medical officers furnish any
indication of the immediate spread of epidemic disease.
The temperatttre was below the average on every day of
the week. The mean 37 610ths degrees—was nearly 4t
degrees below the average of the same week of the pre-
ceding seven years. In the corresponding week of last
year, when the mean temperature was eleven degrees
higher, the mortality from diseases of the lungs was little
more than half that of the past week.

LIVEEPOOL RIGGED ScirooL SOCIETY.—The seventh
annual meeting of the Liverpool Ragged School Society
was held on Thursday, at the Mission-house, Bedford-
street, Toxteth-park, T. B. Blackburn, Esq., in the chair.
The attendance was very limited. The 11ev. Francis
Bishop, the secretary of the society, presented the report,
from which it appeared that the average attendance in the
boys' school during the past three months had been 62 ;
in the girls' school during the same period, 40. When
the continued usefulness of the schools (the first of the
kind established in this town) was pointed out, and the
great need of an increase of such institutions, in conse-
quence of the large number of neglected and destitute
children still allowed to wander our streets, and become
the victims of the many temptations that surround those
that are deprived of the blessings of good home influences,
and the kindly and elevating discipline of the school, it
was hoped that the society would increase in numbers and
usefulness, when the new Mission-house, now rapidly
approaching completion, shall be ready for occupation,
arrangements having been made to accommodate both
schools in that building. The treasurer's report was pre-
sented by P. H. Holt, Esq. It stated that the amount of
subscriptions and donations during the past year was
£99 6s. ; the expenditure £6O 2s. 9d. ; leaving a balance
in the hands of the treasurer of £39 3s. 3d. It was
resolved to print the secretary's report and treasurer's
statement of accounts, for circulation. Samuel Bright,
Esq., was appointed president of the society for the ensuing
year, and resolutions, appointing the committee, and
expressing the thanks of the society to R. V. Yates, Esq.,
the retiring president, were then passed, after which the
meeting separated.
SELECT VESTRY.—The Rev. Rector Campbell presided
at the meeting of the select vestry, on Tuesday, when the
workhouse committee stated that the total number of
admissions into the vagrant sheds during the past week
had been 662. The number of inmates in the workhouse
on the 14th instant was reported to be 2,076. The num-
ber of sick cases in the house was 606, of these 64 being of
fever, and 27 of itch. Mr. Hughes complained that a boy
had been confined in one of the sick wards for a fortnight,
for want of clothes to go out in, and that an old woman,
70 years of age, was a nurse in one of the lunatic wards,
on which it was agreed, after a discussion, that the work-
house committe should inquire into the matter. Mr.
Johnson then explained that both the newly qualified
magistrates, and some of the old ones, had agreed to visit
the workhouse to attend to parochial business, and he
therefore moved that the establishment in St. Panl's-
square should be closed. The motion was agreed to after
a brief discussion, in the course of which Mr. Hughes said
it seemed an absurd law which required two magistrates
to pass paupers one way or another. If the vestry could
remit any portion of the poor rates, they surely were quali-
fied for all the purposes for which those magistrates were
to be used. A letter was read from Mr. T. B. Browne,
government inspector of schools, respecting the power of
the vestry to dismiss apprentices, which he said they could
not do without the concurrence of the Poor Law Board.
Mr. Hart's reply was also read, the pith of it being con-
tained in the following paragraph : The select vestry do
not deem it expedient or proper that, with regard to dis-
missal for misconduct, the `pupil teachers' should be
placed on a different footing from the assistants of a higher
grade ; nor do they think it fitting that a board of guar-
dians should be placed in such a position towards these
junior assistants as to be incapable of dismissing them,
however deservedly, without the concurrence of their
lordships." In answer to Mr. Kitchen, the chairman said
that there seemed no chance at present of closing- the
cemetery at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, and hence there
was no necessity of opening that at Walton. The visit of
Dr. Sutherland had brought the matter under the serious
consideration of the churchwardens, and everything should
be done that was right and proper. _ _

HEILTH CO3I3IfTTEE.—The weekly meeting of this
committee was held on Thursday, Mr. Langsdale in the
chair. After the disposal of some routine business, Mr.
Lee, an inspector of the general board of health, was
introduced. He said that as the board was informed of
the still high rate of mortality in Liverpool, he was in-
structed to visit Liverpool, to examine the sites of the
epidemic disease, and report to the board any particular
circumstance connected with it. He commenced his
labours on Wednesday, and has visited, along with Dr.
Duncan, the engineer, and Mr. Fresh's assistant, a con-
siderable number of places where the cholera had exhibited
itself in Liverpool, and he might say that, with only three
exceptions, so far as his inspection had gone, he had
found that the cases had occurredia-houses which were
in close contiguity to, or . immediately adjoining,_ open
privies. It seemed, tl

erefore, that although theii-driin-
,
Ige works were very excellent, and their pavement had
been wonderfully improved, (and, undoubtedly, they had
done more here in a sanitary point of view than anywhere
else,) it seemed that these privies, as they now existed,
were very serious evils. Of that they were themselves
fully convinced, as he believed they had applied to parlia-
ment for powers to enable them- to remove them. The
position of these privies and their character were both
objectionable, and from the construction of the houses he
did not see how they could be remedied, except by con-
verting them into some kind of water-closets, so that the
soil might be taken away from the premises. Many of
those he had examined were in a most disgusting state,
and the emanations from them were of the most offensive
character ; some of them being within a few feet of the
windows of the rooms within which the persons had died
of cholera. Some desultory conversation ensued, and Mr.
Lee then proceeded to state that there were several kinds
of apparatus which could be got for water-closets, which
might be had at an expense of about xa for each place.
He was aware that there would be some difficulty in
keeping them in repair at first, but ft was an educational
process, and after the neonle became, accustomed to them

they would occasion Mile Or no, trouble. After some con-
versation Mr. Lee retired, and' the subject dropped.—The
subject of the bill for whicb.,the.Laneashire and Yorkshire
Railway are now applying: to parliament, asking .for
powers to carry their rails on bridges over certain streets
at the north end of'tlie town, was introduced by the
surveyor. A general: feeling. was expressed that the
Council should_coppose in _parliament, and the sub-
ject dropped..

RAILWAY Accrrosa-r.—On Saturday evening the pas-
senger down-train from Chester, which is due at Birken-
head at seven o'clock, when about leaving Tranmere sta-
tion, was run into by a goods-train. The collision was
severe, but the passengers sustained little or no injury.
CHRISTMAS HOSPITALITY.—On Friday and Saturday
last. upwards of 70 tons of coal were distributed by the Con-
servative Association of Abercromby Ward to nearly 300
deserving poor people in the ward, irrespective of party,
creed, or politics, the only recommendation being their
good character and their poverty. This benevolent un-
dertaking, which was zealously carried out by the com-
mittee, was suggested by Dr. Neill, who gave £lO, and was
handsomely seconded by Mr. Alderman Gardner, who like-.
wise contributed a similar sum. Other gentlemen in the
ward also subscribed liberally to aid in the object by
which so happy a result was brought about.
Two IcQuEsTs were held before Mr. Carry, the
Borough Coroner, on Saturday; one on the body of
Patrick Skelly, aged three years, who died on Thursday
from the effect of injuries sustained by being accidentally
burnt on the 3d instant ; and the other on the body of
John Coffey, illegitimate infant of a servant-girl in the
service of Mr. John Holme, Aigburth, which had died at
the house of Widow Donnelly, of Gerard-street, on Thurs-
day, to whom it had been entrusted by the mother to
nurse on the previous day. A verdict of "accidental
death" in the one, and " natural causes" in the other,
case was returned.

A DESPERATE PRISONER.—John Cavanagh was, on
Saturday, charged with entering the liquor-vault of Ben-
jamin Elvis, at the corner of Love-lane, on Friday morn-
ieg, and stealing five shillings from the till. He was
committed for trial. As he was being removed, in order
to have the depositions taken, he seized a water-bottle,
placed on the table for the use of the bench, and was
about to hurl it at the prosecutor, when he was secured,
and taken out of court.

DEFENCES or LIVERPOOL—A correspondent of a Lon-
don contemporary says : —" The value of property lying in
the docks at Liverpool is reckoned by millions. Its only
defence is a small and not over strong fort at New Brigh-
ton. In case of the outbreak of hostilities with Russia,
what is to prevent a Russian steamer, commanded by
another Paul Jones and under a false flag, entering the
Mersey ? Half an hour would suffice, and you would
publish, in a third edition by telegraph, that ' the docks
were in flames.' It is not invasion lay a squadron, whose
movements would be known and therefore intercepted,
that we have to fear ; it is the possible mischief that a
single armed vessel could inflict that has to be guarded
against. Let our energetic head of the Admiralty send a
single block-ship to be moored in the Mersey until the
horizon of European politics brightens."
PRESENTATION TO A CLEREIY3tA.N.--011 Monday week,
the congregation of St. Paul's, Withington, near Man-
chester, assembled at tea in honour of the Rev. George
Troughton, L.L.8., and his 154, and for the purpose of
presenting them with a large and handsome timepiece,
bearing the following inscription :—" Presented to the
Rev. George Troughton, L.L.8., by the congregation of
St. Paul's Church, Withington, near Manchester, as a
mark of their esteem and respect, and as an acknowledg-
ment of the efficient manner in which he discharged his
duties as curate."—December, 1853. Though the even-
ing was bitterly cold, and there was snow on the ground,
yet a very numerous assemblage sat down to tea in the
school, which was very tastefully decorated for the occa•
sion. The Withington choir were in attendance, and
greatly contributed to the enjoyment of the occasion.
The Rev. Theophilus Bennett occupied the chair. Mr.
Troughton is son of the late Mr. John Troughton, of
this town.

Bosun' INTOLERANCE.—On Thursday evening a meet-
ing. of Roman Catholics was convened at the Temperance
Hall, Bond-street, by one-of the itinerant Popish lecturers
of this town, who make a trade of abusing the Church of
England, and, by inviting members of that Church to dis-
cussion and promising fair play, succeed in entrapping
many Protestants to attend. The principal object of the
meeting was the organization of a society, which should
counteract the successful efforts of the " Liverpool Work-
ing Men's Protestant Reformation Society,' established
under the patronage of Mr. Alderman Molyneux. Among
those invited by public placard were Mr. J. Parsonage,
president of the above-named society, Mr. C. P. M`Carthy,
and Mr. T. Worrall, special missionaries in connexion
with the parent society, and other gentlemen, all of whom
attended, being induced by the false promise of fair play
and honourable discussion. It would be impossible for
language to describe the scene that took place when Mr.
M`Carthy rose to reply—the hooting and yelling which
were unceasingly kept up during the whole time he at-
tempted to address the meeting, when contrasted with the
silence and attention that were given to his opponent, who
occupied an hour and a half, was a faithful reflection of
that system of ignorant bigotry and blind superstition
which fears free discussion and fair play, as also an in-
stance of truly Christian forbearance upon the part of the
Protestants present, which was worthy of the cause of
truth. We understand Mr. M`Carthy will lecture on
Thursday and Friday evenings next, in the Temperance
Hall, Bond-street, when these disgraceful proceedings
will be exposed.
LIVERPOOL WAREROITSES.—In the London Court of
Bankruptcy, on Friday, Mr. Commissioner Goulburn gave
judgment in re Williams and Marchant upon a proof for
£2,000 and interest, which had been tendered by one
David Price against the separate estate of Williams. The
matter was originally argued before Mr. Commissioner
Goulburn alone, and subsequently before that commis-
sioner and Mr. Commissioner Holroyd. The disputing
parties havin'g decided to abide by the decision of this
court. The claim on the part of Price arose out of unpaid
purchase money alleged to be due to him by the bankrupt
for the sale of his (Price's) share of certain warehouses in
Liverpool, which had been their joint property, and Price,
in the first instance, asked that he might be permitted to
prove, without prejudice to his lien on the warehouses,
for the said unpaid purchase-money, no conveyance hav-
ing been executed by him to the bankrupt. On the part
of the assignees the latter condition was objected to, and
ultimately the lien on the property was abandoned,
and the whole matter in question was left to this court.
It appeared that on the 24th of July, 1849, an inden-
ture was made between Price, the bankrupt Williams,
and Hughes, the trade assignee. This was a deed of
dissolution of a partnership theretofore subsisting be-
tween Price and Williams, who had for some time pre-
viously carried on the business of warehouse-owners
together, under the style or firm of David Price and Co.
No articles of partnership had ever been executed between
them, but Price and Williams mutually agreed to
dissolve partnership upon certain terms therein mentioned.
His honour, in pronouncing judgment, after some intro-
ductory remarks, said the claim was preferred under the
bankruptcy of Williams and Marchant against the sepa-
rate estate of Williams. The claim was grounded upon a
covenant in the deed of dissolution between Price and
Williams, dated. July, 1849. The assignees had no per-
sonal interest whatever in the matter beyond seeing that
a certain trust was fulfilled. The principal acting assig-
nee was surety for the performance of the covenant in the
deed alluded to, and he was nearly connected with Wil-
liams, and had throughout shown a friendly disposition
towards him. The only other party who opposed the
admission of the proof was Williams himself; who was
practically interested in its rejection. Price, by the deed
referred to, obtained a lien on certain portions of the pro-
perty, until the debt to him was liquidated—in fact, until
Williams had performed his part of the contract, Price
was to continue with the rights of an unpaid vendor. But
it was contended that the deed was inoperative in that, as
Williams was induced to make it through misrepresenta-
tion, fraud, and falsehood. He (the Commissioner), how-
ever—and he also expressed the opinion of his learned
brother (Mr. Commissioner Holroyd) —intimated his opi-
nion that there was no fraud or falsehood, and that no-
thing could be more unsatisfactory than the evidence of
Williams himself on this head, his memory appearing to
be, as far as all important points were concerned, a perfect
blank. His honour now went through all the evidence
with great care ; and, having adverted to the numerous
cases which had been cited pro and con., came to the con-
clusion—a conclusion, also, in which his learned brother
Holroyd concurred—that Price was entitled to prove his
debt and receive his dividend. The costs to be paid out of
the estate.
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

MURDER.—SENTENCE OP DEATH.—At the High Court
of Justiciary, in Edinburgh, a man named William Cum-
ming, a seaman, belonging to Leith, has been convicted of
murdering his wife. He was sentenced to be executed on
Monday, the 9th of January next.
LIE WEST RIDING OP YORX.—The greatest extent of
railway is in the West Riding of York. The length is
420 miles, 3 furlongs, and 192 yards ; and the land
occupied by the railways is 5,391 acres, 3 roods, and 4
perches, out of 565,158 acres, 3 roods, and 36 perches.
SINGULAR SUICIDE.—On Thursday se'nnight a lady, a
remarkably fine-looking woman, committed suicide in a
cab in London. It appeared she hired a cab and directed
the driver to proceed to London-bridge. On arrivinc, at
the Old Pancras-road toll-gate, it was discovered she had
cut her throat. Subsequent examination made it also
apparent that she had swallowed a large dose of the essen-
tial oil of almonds. 'A verdict of " temporary insanity"
was returned.

REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH STAPPORDSHIRE.—Lord
Paget has announced himself as a candidate for South
Staffordshire, vacant by the death of the Earl of Dart-
mouth, and the consequent elevation of Lord Lewisham
to the peerage. Lord Paget has issued an address to the
electors, in which he declares himself an adherent of free
trade,, and an intended supporter of the new Reform le
to be introduced b Her Majesty's ministers.
THE PANAMA 'RAILWAY. According to the latets
accounts, every effort was being made to complete this
railway as soon as practicable. 1,700 labourers were em-
ployed upon it, and additions were being made every
fortnight by the steamers from Carthagena. Besides this
two ship loads of Irish labourers were daily expected from
the Emerald Isle, who would commence work with an
equal number of Coolies now on their way to Panama.
A SHOCKING ACCIDENT occurred on Wednesday at
the Windsor station of the South Western Railway, to
Charles Allen, a porter belonging to the company. He
was discovered on the line, opposite the Queen's waiting
room, lying under a heavily-laden truck, with one of his
legs literally smashed, and the other dreadfully lacerated.
The cause of the accident is not ascertained, it being wit-
nessed by no one, and the man when taken up being in a
senseless state.

FIRE IN .GREENOCK.—On Wednesday morning a fire
broke out in the store-room of the large cotton-spinning
mill, situate above the town. The men were at work, and
assisted by the mill girls, succeeded in confining the fire
to that part of the building whereit originated, which was
entirely gutted ; a fire-proof wall was• the principal means
of preventing the fire from spreading. This mill is one of
the largest and finest buildings of the kind in Scotland,

and its water-wheel is uneq-ualled in size, and hundreds of
men and women are employetrin it.
GALE ON TEE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST.-011 Thurs-
day week, the coast of Northumberland was visited by an
easterly gale of great severity. Several colliers, beating
between the Tyne and: Whitby, were overtaken by the
storm, and endeavouredtto obtain shelter from its fury by

running for the Tyne. On crossing lynemouth-liar, one
of them, the Sylphs was struck by a tremendous sea,
which ove in her stern, unshipped her rudder, and
nearly filled her:, with water. Perceiving the imminence
of her peril, the-South Shields-life-boat, manned by some
of the pilots, .went to the rescue, and fortunately suc-
ceeded in saving the crew. The vessel soon afterwards
drove in.amongth2 rocks . at tile -Old Priory, and went to

Two LADIES BITENTC—Cr Wednesday night a fire
broke out in the house. of Mrs. Wilkinson, Wimpole-
street, Cavendish-square. The- la;dies were sitting on a
sofa near the fire-place of a. front room on the first floor,
and the dress of one havingcome in contact with the bars
of the grate, the dress of both: became immediately in
flames. The screams of the-sufferers soon brought assist-
ance and they were removed:to the-lower part of the pre-
mises, but both were so dreadfdly burnt, about the arms
and other parts of their bodies that their lives are des-
paired of.
INCREASE OF PAY TO THE: CITY POLICE.—The in-
crease of pay for which the Chief Commissioner has so
long urged on the Court of Aldermen and the City Police
Committee, has at length been obtained. The rise is
general, and the scale is as followso:—lnspectors, from £2
55. to £2 10s. ; sergeants, £1 4s. to £1 Bs.; first-class pri-
vates, £1 2s. to £1 4s. ; second ditto, £1 to £1 2s. The
inspector of the reserve men is. raised from £2 lOs to £2
155.; and the detectives from. £1 ss. to £1 103. The
change takes place on the Ist of January, 1854, after
which period, it is said, stringent regulations will be adopt=
ed as to the probationary men and new enrolments.

GRAVE YARD REGiLITIONSs—There appears to have
been a misapprehension as to the origin and intention of
the burial-ground regulations issued by Viscount Pal-
merston, previous to his resignation. They had been
announced as general regulations intended to be applied
to all new burial-grounds, but it is now stated that they
were simply drawn up for St. Margaret and St. John,
Westminster, the latter of which has already declined to
have a burial-ground under such restrictions, and it is
denied, moreover, that the regulations had the sanction of
the Home Office. The mistake, if such it was, is strange,
and unaccountable; but whatever we may think of the
original statement, and of the version now given of the
affair, it is pretty plain that no such regulations will be
enforced, —John Bull.

LORD PALMERSTON AND THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.
—The lord mayor of London wrote to Lord Palmerston on
the subject of making Monday (yesterday) a holiday. In the
reply sent the following passage occurs :—" With regard
to the public offices of the government, when Christmas-
day falls on a week day it is made a holiday, in order to
enable the persons employed in those departments to
attend to the religious observances belonging to that day ;
but as in the present year those observances will have
been duly attended to on the Sunday, the 25th, there does
not appear to Lord Palmerston to be any good reason why
the public service of the country should be stayed and
impeded by a holiday in the government offices on Mon-
day, the 26th December, when there will be no religious
observances to attend to."

A WnoLE FAMILY POISONED.—On Thursday an in-
quest was held on the body of James George Trump, aged
six years, the son of a plasterer living in Prince's•road,
Bermondsey. The mother stated that on Monday the
family, consisting of herself, her husband, the deceased,
and a child, aged 17 months, dined off some hashed
mutton, over which a paste made of flour and water had
been poured. Soon after partaking of the meal, the whole
of the family except the youngest child, who had had
none of the paste, became very sick. In the night the
illness of the child increased so much that her husband
went to fetch a doctor, but before medical aid could arrive
the child had died. Witness had used flour out of the
same lot without experiencing any ill effects. The coroner
said it was a very mysterious case, and adjourned the
inquiry for further evidence.

ANOTHER COLLISION ON THE GREAT NORTHERN
RAILWAY.—On Wednesday morning another of these
accidents, involving a considerable destruction of pro-
perty, occurred at Peterboroug,h. The night fast-goods
train from London to the North was entering the station
at about three o'clock, when it dashed into a coke train,
which was also cominc, into the station from the Eastern
Counties line. The shock was very violent. Consider-
able injury was done by it to both the engines and several
of the trucks of the two trains, but no person was parti-
cularly hurt, though the drivers and stokers of both
trains had an extremely narrow escape. The line. was got
clear in the course of the morning, and a fresh train was
despatched with the merchandise after some delay. The
damaged trucks and engines were sent to Doncaster for
repair.

BURNING OF A PAPER MILL.—On Saturday, a most
tremendous conflagration took place at Esher, on the
premises of Messrs. W. M'Murray and Co., about 18 miles
from London. The first intimation given was from a
drunken man, having called at the Washington-street
station about three o'clock in the morning, but, after re-
peated questions put to him, his authority was doubted.
However, the foremen of the four districts of the London
Brigade met at the chief station, when, from the intelli-
gence received by that time from the London warehouses.
of the firm in Queen-street, Cheapside, the dreadful de-
struction previously announced was proved to be too true.
It appeared that the engines from Richmond, Teddington,
Twickenham, Esher, and others from private resources,
were sent to the scene of the fire, ani, there being large
tanks of water at hand available for the use of those
attending the engines, every effort was attempted to stop
the progress of the flames ; but such was-the inflammable
nature of the property that had ignited, and the fearful
progress made by the flames, that it was very improbable
that any portion of the great establishment could be
saved. The loss is supposed to be about £lO,OOO.
MURDER IN LONDON.—On Saturday the neighbour-
hood of King-street, Soho, was thrown into a state of
excitement by the report that a man, living at No. 15,
had attempted to murder his wife, and had then commit-
ted suicide. The man's name was Heise, a German, a
tin-plate worker, who lived with his wife and two children
in the attic. It appeared that his circumstances were
good, but he had strong feelings of jealousy against his
wife. The poor woman was confined only on Wednesday,
and Heise had become impressed with a conviction that
the child was not his. He frepiently taunted her with
his'suspicions, but she had no reason to suspect that he
meditated violence towards her. On Saturday night,
however, as she lay in bed with her infant at the breast,
he suddenly rushed into the room with a dagger-knife, of
the Italian form, and stabbed her in several places on the
left side and arm. She immediately jumped out of bed
and rushed out of the room, loudly calling out " Murder."
She dropped on the stairs from loss of blood. She was
removed to a room below, where she was immediately
attended to, and her wounds dressed. She was sub-
sequently removed to the 'Workhouse, with the infant,
which was drenched with blood. The man himself was
quite dead before the medical gentlemen arrived. On
entering his room a frightful scene presented itself. The
floor was a pool of blood, and Heise lay partially upon the
bed, his throat cut from ear to ear. He had nearly
severed the head from the body, with the exception of
the vertebrae; both the carotid arteries, the windpipe,
and all the soft parts being cut through.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.—A public meeting took.
place at Birmingham on Tuesday, for the purpose of pro-
moting the general establishment of reformatories for the
reception of destitute and criminal children. The body
of the hall was crowded, and the galleries were nearly
filled by a most respectable audience ; upwards of 3,000
persons were present. Sir J. Packington, having given
a brief sketch of the proceedings which had taken place
at the conference in the morning, and of the resolutions
which were then adopted, submitted to the meeting the
followine. resolution :—" That this meeting, having re-
ceived information of the proceedings of the conference
held this day, in reference to the national treatment of
' morally destitute and criminal children,' expresses its
hearty concurrence with the resolutions which have been
adopted."—Mr. Adderley, M.P., seconded the resolution,
which was adopted.—The Earl of Harrowby proposed the
second resolution :—" That this meeting trusts that the
legislation which is held to be necessary for establishing
Industrial Reformatory Schools will encourage the en-
lightened and philanthropic managers of those institutions
maintained by voluntary effort, which have already
awakened public attention to the subject, and which ought
to be fostered and multiplied for the sake of the varied
rl and valuable experiences they are calculated to supply,
the individual zeal and interest they enlist, and the op-
portunity they present for the immediate adoption of
treatment towards criminal children, different from the
ordinary punishment of adults."—Mr. M. D. Hill, recor-
der of Birmingham, seconded the resolution, which was
agreed to.—Lord Lyttelton moved the following resolu-
tion :—" That the reformatories established privately in
this and other countries have been very successful, and
afford decisive proof of the practicability and fitness of the
mode of treatment of juvenile crime which they have
adopted." The noble lord expressed his opinion that refor-
matories should be established, if possible, by voluntary
efforts, under the sanction of the government, but that
if private liberality did not meet the requirements of the
case, it might be advisable that the government itself
should provide such institutions.—The resolution was
seconded by Mr. Woolrych Whitmore, and was adopted.
—On the motion o' Mr. R. M. Milnes, M.P., seconded by
the Hon. A. Kinnaird, M.P., the following resolution was
agreed to :—" that the petitions from this meeting be
presented to both Houses of Parliament in favour of the
objects sought by the conference, and that such petitions
be signed by the chairman on behalf of the meeting; and
that the noblemen and members of the House of Com-
mons now present be respectively requested to support
the prayer of such petitions, and that they be repectively
presented by the Earl of Shaftesbury and Sir John
Packington."—On the motion of Lord Calthorpe, seconded
by the Rev. S. Turner, a vote of thanks was passed to
thdbrl of Shaftesbury for his conduct in the chair, and
th eedings terminated.
IDloTs.—Professor Sedgwick, in speaking, last week,
at the meeting held in the Town-hall, Cambridge, in
behalf of the " Asylum for Idiots," among other anec-
dotes and statements of interest, narrated the following :
Mental imbecility may arise from blighting or withering
up of certain faculties, still leaving other facultids belong-
ing to the mind of man capable of great development. It
is important, therefore, that those who are engaged in the
training of idiots should watch and see if any strength re-
main, that thereby they may develope such faculties as
are not destroyed. Having mentioned a case, in which all
the avenues of the mind were shut up, that had been suc-
cessfully treated, the rev. Professor said that that case was
different from those which this society contemplated gene-
rally. In that case there appeared to be no original
imbecility in regard to the constitution of the mind itself;
it was only that the avenues to it were blocked up, so that
the mind could not get the raw material of thought to
mould to its own purposes and uses. " I remember," said
the Professor, ' that, when a boy, I saw, in my native
town, a Melancholy case of an idiot. Those around him
made sport of him, and mocked him, and he was treated
immorally by those who ought to have known better. Yet,
in those circumstances of moral and intellectual degrada-
tion, he had certain faculties in an extraordinary state of
perfection.. His powers of calculation were most marvel-
lous, and he delighted in numbers, and answering compli-
cated questions ; yet he knew nothing of arithmetic. He
could not write a single letter: He was brute in manner,
and he was brute in morals, so far as his perception in right
.and wrong went. Well, a question was put to him. My
father spoke to a schoolmaster to try him in figures. Are r-
son was knitting stockings, and the; gave the man the
number of stitches on the needles, the expansion of the calf
of the leg, the contraction.of the heel, and the peculiar for-
mation of the foot,andasked him to work out the number
of stitches ! I saw- him sit down as one in a mental
agony, and his features puckered up in thought. He went
on, and at last' gave the number of stitches very near the
mark. If this man .had been taught in the manner spoken
of by the Rev. Mr. Sidney-and Dr. Conolly, something, x-
traordinary might have been made of him. Yet he was
the vidina of brute passions ; and I have seen , hips beat
his head with fury on the.ground, makingJhe very blood.
trielde over his face,,:while he cursC4l.4ll4 swore . most.