The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-03-16 00:00:00

MURDER IN THE ISLE OF MAN.

On Tuesday, the 6th instant, a court of inquiry was held at
Castletown, by his Honour Deemster Heywood, for the purpose
of investigating the charge of the wilful murder of Frank Wil-
son, founded against Philip Clucas, by a coroner's jury. The
Attorney-General, James Quirk, Esq., conducted the prosecu-
tion, and the prisoner was defended by Messrs. Bluett and
Dumbell.

The jury having been sworn, the prisoner was placed at the
bar, when James Quirk, Esq., acting Attorney-General, stated
the case, and proceeded to call evidence in support of the charge.
The witnesses were—William Crellifi, Jonas Broadbent;Wil-
liam Hastie, Robert Christian, Ann Gilbertson, John Gilbert-
son, Charles Cottier, Philip Kinley, and Doctors Nelson and
Moses, whose evidence was, in substance, a repetition ot.that.
taken at the coroner's inquest.
Philip calev examined. Is gaoler of Castle Rushen. Re:
members a conversation which took place between Clucas (after -,
he was apprehended) and the High Bailiff of Castletown, at
which he was present. A remark was then made about a pla-
card which appeared on the walls, in which Clucas was stigma-
tized as the murderer of Wilson. lie appeared much surprised
and hurt, that he should he published as a murderer before an
inquiry was instituted. He gave an account of the transaction,
and said, that his reason for telling Wilson that he had passed
Lee's house, when such was not the case, was to induce Wilson
to come on faster, as he was afraid they would be too late for
the packet. Clucas has stated in deponent's presence, that they
had been in several public-houses, and had had each six glasses
of brandy during that evening, which, he said, was more than
he had ever before drunk. The prisoner confessed that he was
tipsy, but Wilson was much more so. After they had left Gil.
bertson's, the deceased became more affected by the liquor, and
the prisoner had difficulty in dragging him on. Several times
the deceased fell and brought the prisoner along with him. At
last the prisoner was obliged to leave him, and proceed on his
way. The prisoner had also stated, in answer to an inquiry at
that time, that, on arriving at Liverpool, he went to his old
lodgings, but the woman of the house beiug about to be confin-
ed, the prisoner could not be accommodated. He then went to
another house, kept by a Manxman, in Liverpool, where he
obtained lodgings, and work being scarce, he had a hundred
cards printed for the purpose of making himself more known
among his friends. If he had been guilty of the crime laid to his
charge, he had plenty of time to mae his escape.
Thomas Nelson examined. Is a surgeon in Douglas, and at-
tended the coroner's inquest on the body of Wilson. In con-
junction with Dr. Moses, he made a post mortem examination of
the body. There were no marks of violence on the head, but
on the cheekbone something like a scratch, and a discolouration
on the left arm, which might result from a fall. There was a
wound on the left temple, about the size of a shilling or half-a-
crown, scooped out, being large inside, perfectly free from dis-
colouration or extraeasated blood. it appeared to have been
eaten by rats or weasels. There was congestion of the vessels
of the brain, which was very much surcharged with blood. A
blow might cause this, but would leave an external mark, which
did not appear on examination of the deceased. A slight fall
of a drunken man might cause the marks described. There
was nothing, from superficial and internal examination, which
would leave him to suppose that the deceased had come to his
death by violent means, Did not suppose that he had come to
his death by strangulation or suffocation, as in cases of that na-
ture the lungs are collapsed, but the lungs of the deceased were,
on the contrary, distended.
J. W. Moses examined. Is a surgeon, and assisted Dr. Nel-
son at the opening of the body of Wilson; has heard Dr. Nel-
son's evidence read over, and perfectly coincides in his opinion.
The stomach was also opened, and presented a very healthy
appearance, having little in it beyond the juices, which would
leave the deceased more exposed to the effects of the liquor he
had taken. _ _

His Honour here asked the Attorney-General, if he had not
stronger evidence against the prisoner?
The Attorney-General said, that he had several witnesses to
be examined, whose evidence, however, was only circumstantial.
His Honour then said, that he had allowed sufficient time to
collect conclusive evidence against the prisoner, before the trial
came on ; but that as it appeared there was no more direct tes-
timony brought forward than what was given at the Coroner's
inquest, he considered that there was no evidence to commit
the prisoner. The laws of the Island for capital crimes were
most humane, and he approved in cases of such kinds where
there was direct evidence against the prisoner, to commit him
for his trial at the Court of Gaol Delivery. In the present case,
no evidence that had been adduced could justify him in follow-
ing such a precedent, and be considered that the course open
to the jury wat to acquit the prisoner. At the same time, he
could not forbear commenting upon that conduct of persons
connected with the public press, in prejudging the case, by
publishing notices su detrimental to the ends of justice, and at
variance to all decency. Such conduct was highly improper,
and deserved the most marked censure.

The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of Not Guilty,
and the prisoner was set at liberty.

NATIONAL EDUCATION.

At a meeting of the clergy of the diocese of Kilmore, on the
Ist instant, the following petition was unanimously adopted.

" To the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in this present Parlia-
ment assembled—the humble petitiuu of the Bishop and
Clergy of the Diocese of Ki!inure,
" Humbly sheweth,
"That your petitioners are members and ministers of the
Established Church in Ireland, and, as such, are sincerely de-
sirous to promote the extension of true religion and sound
knowledge amongst the ignorant and indigent youth of the
country. That it is our hearty desire to be enabled to extend
the blessings of religious instruction to all without respect of
persons; and, for the sake of accomplishing that important ob-
ject, there is no labour which we would decline, and no sacri-
tires which we would not make. consistently with our duty as
clergymen and as christians. That, as ministers of the Gospel
of Christ, we cannot but shrink from the responsibility of with-
holding, or of countenancing any system of education which
withholds from any class of Christian children that blessed
Book, by which life and immortality are brought to light, it
being our bounden duty to assert for all their inalienable right
to read and to hear the holy Word of God. That your peti-
tioners are fully convinced that an Education Board, based'
upon the truths revealed in Holy Scripture, is the only educa-
tion which can lead to that righteousness which exalteth a na-
tion ; and tbey are, therefore, constrained to declare, that in
the schools which they are desirous of being enabled to estab-
lish, the reading of the Holy Scriptures by all children of a
suitable proficiency, should be a rule without exceptions. That
in all schools such as we contemplate, it would be indispensable
that the master should be an individual in whom well grounded
confidence may be placed—as one who would not abuse his op-
portunities to the disparagement of the Holy Scriptures, aud
the perversion of the youthful minds committed to his charge;
and such confidence we do cot feel with respect to the great
body of the masters who are now administering the System of
National Education in Ireland. That the modifications of the
National System of Education, lately put forth by the Board of
Commissioners, do not at all remove our objections to the-prac-
tical working of that system, but rather increase them, by af-
fording additional facilities for the propagation of erroneous
doctrines, and by the increased exposure of Protestant
children to insidious designs upon their faith. Than as a
body of men in immediate connection with the religion
of the State, we feel it not unreasonable to expect from
the Legislature the aid necessary to enable us to be 'use-
ful in promoting the knowledge and practice of our Di-
vine religion. and even justified in complaining, which we
do with feelings of a profound and poignant sorrow, thatthe
public revenues of a country, predominantly protestant, shOuld
be allocated to the maintenance of a system which has been
proved by evidence beforecommittees of parliament, to be sub-
setvient to the aggrandisement of the Church of Rome. That
while we are desirous to abstain on the one band front any
aggression that could, in the remotest degree, deserve the
name of persecution, we are bound also on the other, to abstain
from aiding or confederating in the maintenance of ought that
we know to be opposed to the Word of God ; and, as the,pte-
sent system of national education has a tendency not only to
make light of that Blessed Word, but to foster and encourage
errors that are contrary thereto—while such continues to be its
character, it can never meet with our approbation. That the
board of commissioners, as we understand them, are themselves
are not satisfied with the vast privileges already conceded to
them, but meditate aggressions upon other established institu-
tions for education in Ireland, and aspire even to the power of
taxing the people, and of interfering in behalf of their system
of education, with the rights of the protestant proprietary of
Ireland ; and that the furtherance of such views by the legis-
lature, we should deplore as a great public calamity. That it
is our fixed belief, founded upon long experience, that scrip-
tural schools, under our own auspices, would be largely attended
by children of every denomination, and that if there was secu-
red for them that countenance from the state, to which, foe every
reason, human and divine, they are entitled, a very short time
would witness the rapid disappearance of prejudices which
would never have risen to its present height, but fur a persua-
sion sedulously propagated by the enemies of the national reli-
gion, that both with respect to its rights, and with respect to its
principles, the Established Church in Ireland does wit meet
that support from men in power, which it i*s their duty toaffoid
it. That in now coining forward to pray for aid to extend the
blessings of scriptural education, and to offer this our solemn
protest against a system by which the laws of God and true re-
ligion are injuriously compromised, we conceive that we are
only acting in conformity with that character of guardians of
the public morals and spiritual guides of the nation, with which
the clergy of the established chinch are publicly invested; and
that if we were to hesitate or withhold our warning voice from
the high councils of the realm, on this momentinus subject, we
might he justly chargeable with the reproach of unfaithfulness
in the discharge of our bounden duty. That Your petitioners,
therefore, pray your honourable house to take the premises into
your favourable consideration, and to devise such measures as
in your wisdom may seem fit, to enable them to offer a scrip
tiir:al and literary education ,o the poor of their parishes. upon
principles consistent with the laws of God and with their own
ordination vows, and the inviolable obligations of their con-
science. . .

" And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray," &c.

CONSERVATIVE FE,TIVAL IN StinoPstitaF.—Busy prepara-
tious are making in Oswestry for the app roaching great conser-
vative festival, under the superintendence of a committee of
the neighbouring and resident gentry. All the truly loyal and
worthily liberal members of Shropshire, the adjoining counties
of Denbigh and Montgomery, and others in any way connected
therewith, with several noblemen of unflinching well-tried con-
servative principles, are expected to honour the xneetiog with
their Company.—Ten Towns Messenger,

ANNUAL MEETING AT THE MECHANICS'
INSTITUTION.

On Wednesday evening,. at seven o'clock, the annual meet-
ing of the members of the Mechanics' Institution was held at the
institution, in Mount-street. The meeting this year presented
a different feature to the meetings of former occasions, being
held in the theatre of the splendid new institution in Mount-
street. William Wallace Currie, Esq., the president, took the
chair. Ile was surrounded by a number of the gentlemen of
the town, supporters of the institution, amongst whom we
noticed Mr. Joshua Walinsley, Mr. King, Mr. Richard
Shiel, Mr. Mnsgrove, &c., &c. The gallery of the theatre was
hung round with drawings and designs, the works of the various
pupils of the institution; and on the table before the president
were several models, also the work of pupils and artizans con-
nected with the institution. One, the model of a flight of
steps, in stone, erected without support, on the principles of
geometrical proportion was very beautiful.
The PRESIDENT, in opening the business of the meeting.
said, owing to an accident, two years ago, he had the honour or
being elected president of that institution; and an accident it
was of a graver nature which, the last year, prevented his suc-
cessor being appointed. It was his' great good fortune now to
be called on to address them under circumstances very different
indeed. The last time he had seen them was six or seven
months ago, when they had met to clear the house preparatory
to a removal, when their prospects were far different to wba
they are at present. A circumstance had occurred which was
sufficient to damp the feelings of the most enthusiastic. Now
their prospect was changed. Few institutions had ever arrived
at a position which promised so much for the future. Beyond
the honourable and honorary office which he then held he could
not claim to himself any credit for the circumstances which hal
led to the present result, and therefore what he was going.to say
must be considered as distinctly to apply to the committee, and
not as-a praise of himself, for he deserved nothing. He con-
sidered it a very great honour to be elected to preSide on that
-occasion: It would not be necessary 'for him to enter into any
'detail on the progress of the institution, as their excellent
. secretary would read the report, in which all information on
that head would be' embodied; but he did say this, that, con..
sidering the happy circumstances by which they had been
enabled to secure the services of the professors and masteis
whom they had the honour of having among them, and the
further support which the public seemed inclined to give, he
thought they might look for Ward to bright days indeed for the
institution. He should now request the secretary to read the
report, after which he should distribute the prizes to the pupils,
arid afterwards take the opportunity of saying a few words on
the occasion.

Mr. RADCLIFF, the secretary, then read the following
report :
The Directors to whom you confided the management of this
Institution, in laying before you a report of their proceedings
fur the last six months, feel no ordinary degree of pleasure in
being able to congratulate you, not only on the progress which
the Institution has made, but also on the high estimation in
which it is now held by the public. They feel confident, that
after an impartial review has been taken of their proceedings.
the difficulties which have been surmounted, and the increased
efficiency which has been communicated to every department
of the Institution. it will be admitted that they have not proved
unworthy of the confidence you reposed in them, and that the
Institution is deserving of a still higher degree of public support
than it has yet experienced.
In the last six months 1449 new members have been ad-
mitted, whilst only 113 have ceased to pay their subscriptions,
leaving an increase of 13.36 members. The num'oer of mem-
bers beloneing' to the Institution are as follows :-
470 Members for life,
• 877 Annual subscribers of 21s. each.
210 Quarterly subscribers.;
366 Sons of members.
168 Apprentices.
195 Ladies.

T0ta1..2286

The following brief abstract of the accounts of the Institu-
tion will show its receipts and expenditure ; the detailed ac-
counts will be printed with the report as usual.
Amount received in subscriptions, &c £1532 11 1
Donation from James Muspratt, Esq . 2OO 0 0

£1732 11 I

Amount due to the Treasurer in Sep-
_
tember £ls6 3 8
Amount expended in Teachers' sala-
ries and the general expenses of
the Establishment llO7 1 6 1263 5 2

Balance in the Treasurer's hands £469 5 11
The Directors are happy in being able to state, that in con-
sequence of the great influx of life members during the last six
months, a large sum has been obtained, which they have de-
voted to the discharge of the debt on the building. The
balance remaining unpaid, and which includes the expense of
fitting up the schools, and rendering every part of the Institu-
tion complete, does not exceed £l5OO.
Judging fiom the past, the Directors hope they will not be
considered too sanguine in stating, that they expect the same
source will, (in three mouths) supply a sufficient amount to
leave the building free from incumbrance. When that period
arrives, they earnestly recommend to their successors the pro-
priety of advancing the sum necessary to constitute a life
member to Twenty one pounds, the present subscription of Ten
guineas being, in their opinion, too small a sum for the pri-
vileges which a life membership much confers.
With regard to the building land, the corporation has signi-
fied its readiness to affix its seal to the deed of gift, which will
therefore be perfected as soon as a majority of the life members
have affixed their signatures to it. A few names are still
wanted to make up the number required by the act of parlia-
ment. It is expected they will be obtained in a few days.
The Evening Schools are divided into nine departments, and
consist of 465 pupils, under the superintendance of 13 teachers,
as follows.