The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-21 00:00:00

Dec. 21, 1847.

SOUTH LANCASHIRE WINTER ASSIZES.

she took deceased with her, leaving the prisoner in the
house. William Pilkington also accompanied them. A
person named H )dgkinson, a relative of deceased, called
and saw the prisoner, when he said she had gone to his
(Hodgkinson's) mother. In a subsequent conversation
prisoner said John was in gaol, and had given him orders
to look after the property—that he was to get lodgings in
the neighbourhood, and not to live in the hay-roost, as he
had been doing. The deceased, with the servant and
William Pilkington, having disposed of the milk, returned
some distance on the way home, when Pilkington left
them, and deceased and the servant went onward toge-
ther. When they got home. prisoner, who was sitting at
the fire, said, addressing deceased, " Ts thee to be the
mester ?" The deceased replied, " Yes," and said " Our
John left me in care of the house." The prisoner then
got up, and taking 'the poker, advanced towards the de-
ceased, and strink her two violent blows on the head.
Bridget Dean, the servant, interposed, seized the poker.
but the prisoner recovered it again, and struck other blows
at the deceased, and also at the servant girl, when the
latter finding she was unable to make any further resist-
ance, ran out of the ionise. An alarm was then given,
and several of the neighbours came in, but the prisoner
had made his escape through the back door. The .de-
ceased was found lying on the floor, weltering in her
blood, and upon being placed upon a chair, heaved one or
two sighs, and immediately expired. There was a poker
in the fireplace, which bore marks of having been used in
the perpetration of the foul deed. A search was then made
for the prisoner, and he was apprehended shortly after-
wards, at Little Bolton, about four miles from his son's
hou;e. On being charged with the murder of his wife, he
replied,—" Saying so does not make it so." There were
marks of blood on one of his hands. Several weeks before
the murder took place, the prisoner was heard to say, on
hearing the deceased was to have charge of her son's
house, that he would some time be the end of her.
Several witnesses were then called, and their evidence
supported the statem ant made by counsel. In cross-
examination of W. Pilkington, it was elicited that the
prisoner had been run over by a cart. and that his mind
was affected by the injury for some time after. Ha had
also had a fall from a horse about 6 years ago, and was
trepanned for a fracture of the skull.
The injuries inflicted on deceased were described by the
surgeon who examined the body. There were several
cuts, wounds, and bruises, fractures of the cheek-bone,
the jaw-bone, the forehead, &c.,—sufficient to cause death.
At the request of the judge, the surgeon examined the
prisoner's head.—There was an injury of the head which
might have caused mental derangement at the time, but
no appearance trepanning-The-injures--would not-
prevent a person from knowing right from wrong. The
evidence of John Pilkington (from the gaol) went to
corroborate the facts befure stated, and it closed the case
for the prosecution.
Mr. PoLLocx addressed the jury for the prisoner,
observing he cool I only do so in mitigation as it would
be idle to deny that the unfortunate woman had met her
death at the hands of the prisoner. The only question
was whether the crime was in law murder, or could be
reduced to manslaughter. He urged that the prisoner
being reduced to dependence upon his son. and having
received injuries of the head, had in a paroxysm of
anger, committed manslaughter. He drew the attention
of the jury most urgently to all the circumstances and
probabilities that could favour such a position, and
besought them to return a verdict that would release
the prisoner from
,the awful responsibilities of the crime
of murder.
His LORDSHIP summed up the evidence with great
minuteness. The two points were, the state of mind of
the prisoner, and the character of the offence. His hav-
ing run away showed lie was sensible he had done some-
thing wrong. There were some points as regarded the
motive of the prisoner which required the careful con-
sideration of the jury.
The jury, after being absent about twe.tty minutes,
returned a verdict of " guilty."
When the prisoner was asked why sentence of death
should not be passed upon him, he replied,—" The wit-
nesses have foresworn themselves—you may pass sentence
as soon as you like—l have another Judge to pass."
The JUDGE then passed sentence. The justice of the
verdict no one could doubt. The prisoner had been
guilty of the murder of his wife, and had nearly effected
that of the servant girl.
The prisoner, who did not seem at all affected at the
awful position in which he was placed, here said, with
some warmth, " I never touched her—she told a lie."
The JUDGE—" Now don't say that." He exhorted the
prisoner to devote the few remaining hours he had to live
in the world to make peace with the Almighty. After
some remarks on the painful duty of a judge in such
cases, as the instrument of the law, he passed sentence of
death in the usual form, adding—" So far the law says,
and now I say, may God have mercy on your soul."
The prisoner then walked away from the dock with a
firm step.
DISCHARGE OF THE GRAND JURY.—EDUCATION
AND CRIME.
_ _ _

TUESDAY.
fßffore Mr. Baron Alderson.)
The trial of James Dwerryhouse, charged with the
murder of a female at Knowsley, was postponed, and the
recognizances were respited, because the unfortunate man
is in a hopeless condition of insanity.
James Harris, aged 22, was convicted of having, at
Bootle-cure-Linacre, stolen a mare, the property of John
- Jump. was sentenced to imprisonment and hard
-labour for eighteen months.
_Robert Paskell, 38, was indicted for having, at Waver-
' tree, stolen a calf, the property of Mary Dunbabin. The
prisoner was convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment
and hard labour for two years.
Thomas Roach, 21, was found guilty of having, at Man-
.chester, assaulted Ann Donahoe, and with personal vio-
lence robbed her of .7s. 6d. He was sentenced to trans-
portation for seven years.
James Murray, 36, was indicted for having, at Prescot,
• killed and slain Martin Mulloy. The prisoner was con-
victed. The Judge, in passing sentence, said the case had
been much aggravated by a grievous attempt to deceive
- the court by perjured testimony, and as this attempt must
. have been -within the knowledge of the prisoner, it con-
siderably aggravated his offence; but a 3 there were some
palliating circumstances in the case, the sentence of the
court was, that the prisoner be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for two years.
Maddock: and Halliwell, convicted on Tuesday of
stabbing at Manchester, were next sentenced—the former
to imprisonment and hard labour for two hours, and the
latter to imprisonment and hard labour for six months.
Henry Disley, 22, pleaded guilty to a charge of having
married Ann Sweeney, his former wife being then alive.
Thomas Phillips, 26, was indicted for having, at Den-
ton, together with a certain other person, feloniously
. assaulted John Harrison, putting him in bodily fear, and
stealing from his purse 25., a curb-chain, and a knife.
The jury, somewhat to the surprise of the Judge, acquitted
the prisoner, and he was immediately discharged from
custody.
John Mellor, 20, and John Travis, 21, were found
guilty of having, at Oldham, broken and entered the
dwelling-house of Thomas Kelly, and stolen a coat, two
pairs of trousers, and three vests. The prisoners were
each sentenced to ten years' transportation.
Harriet Rigg, 38, was indicted for having, at Blatchin-
worth -and .Calderbank, forged a certain acceptance and
• receipt for the sum of £5 Is. sd„ with intent to defraud
-John Hebden. Tile prisoner was convicted. The prose-
through his counsel, earnestly prayed that the
'Clemency of the court might be extended to the unfortu-
nate woman, who was the sole support of her father and
a once respectable family, and who had been led to coin-
-mit the forgery by the late depression of the times.
• His Lordship said he would consider of the sentence, but
that he was always inclined to punish forgery with severity,
lest he might live to see the day when that, grievous
Offence to society and large communities would again be
made capital.
Thomas Moore, 24, was indicted for having, at Salford,
stabbed James M'Cabe, with intent to do him some
. grievous bodily harm. The prisoner was convicted of an
assault, and sentence was deferred.

SECOND COURT.
(Before Mr: Justice Coltman.)
John Jones, 28, was found guilty of having at Man-
- thester, been found at large, without any lawful excuse,
•he having, in 1837, been transported for the term of his
natural life. He was sentenced to six months' imprison-
- went. ; and at the expiration of that time, should his story
`. be found not correct, to be transported for life.
Arthur Calligan, 19, and Frederick Kendal, 20, were
found guilty of having, at Liverpool, feloniously assaulted
Thomas Rugg, with intent to steal money from his person.
They were then sentenced each to nine months' impri-
sonment. with hard labour.

John Wiltaffy. 31, a seaman, pleaded guilty to an in-
,dictment, charging him with having, at Liverpool felo-
niously married Margaret Keatley. his former wife being
then alive. The prisoner was sentenced to six months'
,imprisonment, with hard labour.
Thomas Jones, 17, pleaded guilty to an indictment
charging him with a burglary at Manchester. His lord-
ship, after cautioning him as to the result of another ap-
pearance ih the dock of a court of justice, sentenced him
to twelve months' imprisonment, with hard labour.
Thomas Hale, a market-gardener, of respect ble ap-
pearance, was indicted with having, at Liverpool, felo-
niously killed Ann Owen, by driving over her with a
spring-cart. The jury, without a moment's hesitation,
. returned a verdict of not guilty. The prisoner was then
discharged. _ _

John-Lowe, 39, and Isaac Dawson, 47, were charged
with having, at Manchester, on the 22d of October, forged
and uttered a bill of exchange for £lB 15s. 6d., with in-
tent to defraud Charles Bailey. The jury found both the
,prisoners guilty of uttering the bill, knowing it to be
forged, and they were each sentenced to twelve months'
imprisonment, with hard labour.
John Smith, 22, was indicted with having, at Aintree,
on the 13th of October, stabbed Richard Taylor, with in-
tent to murder him. The jury found the prisoner guilty
of stabbing, with a malicious intent, but under consider-
able provocation. He was then sentenced to be impri-
soned for nine calendar months, with hard labour.

At two o'clock, the grand jury having disposed of the
whole of their bills were discharged, his lordship thanking
them for their valuable services. Just as the jury were
about to retire, Mr. Robertson Gladstone said that, as an
individual member of that body, he was desirous of ad-
dressing his lordship for a few minutes on the subject of
that portion of his charge which referred to the question
of education.—His lordship said that, in reference to any
WEDNESDAY. expression of opinion on the subject of education, and also
(Before Mr. Baron Alderson) , in reference to any peculiar views that might have been
John M'Gough and Robert Sellers, two young men, advanced, he would rather not admit of any remarks in
were convicted of a burglary in the house of Ralph Bar- the court, but if they related to general topics connected
low, of Reddish. They were sentenced to ten years' with the law, he should be most happy to hear Mr. Glad-
\ traosportion. stone.—Mr. Gladstone sold he wished to state the reasons
.-JohiAgrosss. voilnigulyam, jvaanoilavir_ted_ef hitpinst
we] ing- ey, a riaitora, of education, as a remedy for the diminution of crime.—
with the intention of committing a burglary. He had Ilis Lordship said he should be glad to hear from him in
been previously convicted, and was sentenced to ten the proper way ; he would, in fact, be happy to hear from
years' transportation. him, and have his assistance on any subject.—Mr. Glad-
The Grand Jury ignored the bill against William Doyle stone replied that it was a subject of interest to the whole
for the manslaughter of Elizabeth Tupman, at Liverpool. I community.—His Lordship said that at present they were
Lewis Woolfe, charged with having received, at Ashton- only a portion of the community engaged in the judical
tinder-Lyne, two watches which had been stolen from business of the county. Mr. Gladstone said he bowed to
William Wild, was acquitted. his lordship's decision, but he had a strong feeling on the
William Derbyshire, for stealing a cow, the property subject.—Mr. T. B. Horsfall, the mayor, said the only ob-
of William Moulton, at Moss-side, was sentenced to jection was, that if one gentleman claimed the privilege of
twelve months' imprisonment. I expressing his opinion, others would follow, and his lord-
Ann Riley, for having uttered a base half-crown at ship's time would be taken up.—His Lordship thought
Liverpool, was sentenced to twelve months' imprison- they had better not open the question, but if Mr. Glad-
went. stone would write him a note on the subject, he would be
Michael Picket and James Blaney. for uttering counter- much obliged to him.—Mr. Gladstone replied he should
feit shilling in this borough, were found guilty. The Ibe most happy if his lordship would permit him to do so.
'prisoners had been previously convicted of a similar —His Lordship said he had no doubt he should receive
offence. Picket was upon the present occasion sentenced I instruction from it.—The matter here dropped, and the
to ten years transportation, and Blaney to two years' gentlemen of the grand jury withdrew.
imprisonment to hard labour. MINT CASES.
Ann Williams, a young woman, for uttering base coin Mary Compston, 19, was found guilty of uttering
in this borough, was sentenced to two year's imprison- counterfeit shillings at Liverpool. The prisoner, who
meat. was an old offender, was sentenced to seven years' trans-
portation.
John Gaffney, 39, and Mary Gaffney, 23, were indicted
for uttering counterfeit fourpenny pieces at Oldham.—
John Gaffney was acquitted. The other prisoner was
found guilty, and sentenced to twelve months' imprison-
ment.
Bridget Finn, alias Coleman, 48, was convicted of
uttering counterfeit shillings at Pennington. Sentence,
four months' imprisonment and hard labour.
Patrick Connor, 60, pleaded guilty to two indictments
—one charging him with making counterfeit coin, and
the other with the possession of a mould for making base
coin. Sentence, ten years' transportation.
• MANSLAUGHTER AT ROCHDALE.

(Before Mr. Justice Coltman.)
CONVICTION FOR MURDER.
Joseph Speed, 30, who it will be remembered was
remanded from the last assizes upon the charge of having
murdered his two infant children, in Lord-street, Hulme,
Manchester, on the 31st of July last, was indicted for
this grave offence.
It appeared that the prisoner was a weaver, living in
Lord-street, Hulme, and that with him lived his wife and
children, the eldest of whom, Joseph, for whose murder
the unhappy man was indicted, was 3 years old. In con-
sequence of having been out of work for a considerable
period they were almost in a famishing state, and the
-neighbours had frequently assisted them by giving them
sundry articles of food. On the morning of the 31st of
-July the prisoner's wife went to a neighbour's house about
welock, leaving her children in bed, and her husband.
At the house where she went, she had some bread, tea,
butter, &c., for her family's breakfast. About a quarter
to nine o'clock she returned home, and immediately after-
wards the neighbours were alarmed by her shrieks. She
rushed out of .the house with her apron up to her head,
and ran across to the house of Mrs. Carpenter, where it
was found that her head was cut open. Speed was told
to fetch a doctor immediately. He said" What's to do ?"
—looked at his wife,-who was then being attended to by
some women ; put the key of his house upon the table,
and left the house. He proceeded at once to the police-
station at the Salford Town-hall, and said he had been
doing a rash act—he had murdered his wife and children,
and was eome to give himself up to justice. While he
was so absent, his wife was assisted across to her own
house, but no notice appears to have been taken of the
children, as the clothes of the bed being apparently un-
disturbed, it was thought they still slept.
The unfortunate children were found with their throats
cut in a most frightful manner and quite dead. A razor
stained with blood was found in the cupboard.
The jury, a'ter a short absence from Court returned a
verdict of guilty.
His Lordship then put on the black cap, and in an im-
pressive manner passed sentence of death upon the
prisoner, without any hope of mercy in this world.

John Woodhead, 23, was indicted for having caused
the death of William Woodhead, his father, at Rochdale.
The prisoner and deceased had been drinking together—
had quarrelled—yet proceeded home together, and the
father was found next morning dead in a field which they
would have to cross, with seven of his ribs broken. This
was the whole of the evidence, and the prisoner, who was
ably defended by Mr. Atkinson, was acquitted.
(Before Mr. Justice Coltman.)
Michael Abbott, 22, was indicted with having, at Man-
chester, forged a promissory note for payment of money,
with intent to defraud the Manchester Working Man's
Loan Association. The prisoner obtained a loan of £4
from the society, and signed his name John Beard. The
sureties had also used other names than their own. The
jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to
twelve months' imprisonment.
Ann 1111 Kenna, 23, was arraigned for having murdered
her infant child in this town. Mr. Simon prosecuted and
Mr. Atkinson defended. On the 19th of November last,
the prisoner gave birth to a female child. Almost a month
previously, she went to reside at the house of Mrs. Mur-
ray, Cashel-place Plumbe-street. During the period of
her stay she was told by Mrs. Murray. that she was in
the family way, which she at first denied, but afterwards
admitted. Some linen was offered to her, in order that
she might prepare some clothes, but she declined taking
it, as the child would not be born alive. On the day
named, she gave birth to an infant, which was afterwards
nursed and fed by Mrs. Murray. On the following day,
the child was heard to scream loudly, and upon Mrs.
Murray going up stairs to see her, she found the infant
dead. Its face was black, and blood issued from its
mouth, nose, and ears. Mr. Atkinson made an eloquent
speech in defence. His lordship having summed up, the
jury, after a few minutes' consideration, returned a ver-
' diet of not guilty.
George Smith, 35, was indicted for having caused the
death of John Towers, in this town. Mr. Atkinson pro-
secuted, and Mr. Pollock defended. The parties had
been quarrelling at the George the Fourth public house,
Hood-street, and fought. The jury, without hearing the
speech for the defence, found tl.e prisoner not guilty, on
the ground of the provocation he had received.
Ann Curtis, 19, was charged with having caused the
death of her child, by exposing it to the cold. Mr. Blair
prosecuted; the prisoner was undefended. "The prisoner
was found guilty, and sentenced to twelve months' impri-
sonment and hard labour.
Thady Freeman, 40, and Bridget Freeman, 30, were
charged with aiding and abetting in the death of Patrick
Falkney. This was another public-house quarrel, in
which the deceased had received his death blow from a
man named Brady, who had escaped. The prisoners were
acquitted.

THURSDAY.
(Before Mr. Baron Alderson.)
WILFUL MURDER. AT HEATON.

Robert Pilkington, aged 46, was indicted for the wilful
murder of his wife, Betty Pilkington. at Heaton, near
Bolton. He was further charged with having cut and
bruised Bridget Dean, with intent to do her grievous bo-
dily harm. The prisoner, a tall, athletic man, was dressed
in a flannel coat, such as is usually worn by " navigators."
On being arraigned he pleaded " not guilty," in a firm
one of voice. Mr. Cross and Mr. Monk conducted the
prosecution ; and the former, the senior, obtained leave to
bring up, by a habeas corpus, John Pilkington, the
younger, a son of the prisoner, from Kirkdale gaol, to give
evidence. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Pollock.
Mr. CROSS, in opening the case, said the prisoner stood
charged with the deliberate murder of an old and unoffend-
ing woman, his own wife. The prisoner and deceased for-
merly lived at Heaton, but had separated several years
ago, and the wife went to live with her son John, at a
farm in the neighbourhood. the prisoner lived about
half a mile distant, and he was prevented from visiting his
son's house. He, however, went occasionally to receive
assistance from his son in the way of food, which was.ge-
nerally given to him in the stable. The son of the priso-
ner was convicted of an assault in August last, for which
be was sentenced at the assizes, to undergo nine months'
imprisonment ; he consequently did not return home, and
to that circumstance was the catastrophe that had taken
place in some measure to be traced. The prisoner was
in the court at the trial, and after hearing the result he
went to his son's house, on the 22d August. He was
seen by his son William, and asked permission to light
his pipe, saying he would go immediately if allowed to do
so. He was admitted, and, after lighting his pipe, was
asked to go, but refused. A statement which he subse-
quently made showed that his object was to make the
house his permanent residence. The servant, Bridget
Dean, interfered to let him out; but he said he should
remain, as his wife had two houses and he had none. The
servant said that if he stayed the deceased should not re-
main in the house, As she was about to take out milk,

FRIDAY.
(Before Baron Alderson.)
Alexander Waiteworth, 42, Mary Whiteworth, 50,
and Jessie Tweedale, 25, were found guilty of having, at
Heap, broken and entered the dwelling-house of John
Howarth, and stolen 6s. 6d. The two Whiteworths were
sentenced to fifteen months' imprisonment, and Tweedale
to nine months' imprisonment.
James Dealtry was indicted for having refused to sur-
render to a fiat in bankruptcy issued against him by the
Manchester District Court, with intent to defraud his
creditors.—Mr. Monck and Mr. Pollock prosecuted. Mr.
Cobbett defended. Mr. Monck, in opening the case, said
that this was a prosecution of a kind somewhat different
from any which had as yet been submitted to the jury.
The prisoner in the March of 1844 entered into a negocia-
tion with the agent of a Mrs. Catharine Beardmore. for