The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-09-07 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

REVIVAL OF AN OLD TRICIII"ThOMES Palmer, a young
man dressed somewhat in the fashion affected by the sporting
gentry, was on Tuesday placed at the barAf the Police-office,
charged with having attempted the trick commonly called
"duffing." He was taken into custody by police-officer 166.
The latter stated that he was called upon the preceding day
by a man named Poole, who asked him to read a paper, at
the same time showing him a large bunch of seals and a
chain. Poole and the prisoner were together, and as he
took them to be accomplices who were trying to practise
their trick upon him, he put them both in bridewell. Poole
was called to the witness-boa. He was an innocent-looking
countryman, of very quiet demeanour. He said, stroking
down his locks,—" Aw've bin e bad yealth yo see, an' aw
coom deawn here to bathe for t' benefit o't sawt weyther,
according to th' docthor's horder. Aw coom fra Croxton,
and the lieverind Henry Broughton brou't me deawn at his
own expense. Aw were dawkerin' along on, askin' for doc-
thur Chalmer, as lives here, an' Was recommended to by my
own docthur, as he used to go a shootin' deawn at eawr
place. I owertook that chap as,a wor gooin' along, an' he
came reet across meeh, an' he stooped deawn, an' he made
a grab, an' he poiked up summat. He opened it loik as iv
to see what it wor. Well, he dankered on afoor meeh, an'
then he ask'd meeh to read t' papper as he'd poiked up. Aw
could no' muk it eaut as aw cawn't read written hand, an'
soo as aw thewt that he'd poiked up summat vallyable, aw
com'd to this gentleman, (the policeman,) thinkin' loik as
he'd mebby make it eaut. Aw thewt it wor vallyable pro-
perty, an' it wor but reet as it should kind its way to t'
owner." Mr. Hall told the witness that he had acted very
properly, and like an honest fellow. The chain and seals
were exceedingly well adapted for deception of this nature.
The chain was a quadruple curb, and the seals (there were
three of them) represented chased gold seals. They were
suspended to a ring, and the whole set glittered most brilli-
antly. On the person of the prisoner was found an old work-
brush, much soiled with the red material used to clean such
articles. The paper shown to the witness Poole ran as fol-
lows :—" Gold chain, three gold seals, and gold ring, £l5
10s. Od.—Paid for." The practice is for the pretended finder
to show such paper to the intended dupe, who is generally
thus convinced of the value of the articles, which are always
mock jewellery. The duffer offers to sell his lucky windfall
for a pound or two as the case may be, and it has mostly
happened that dupes, fancying that the supposed finder can-
not read, and is ignorant of the value of the glittering prize,
have given him what he asked. The prisoner, on being asked
what he bad to say, stated that he was a native of Dublin,
but he had been residing in Chester for some time past. He
endeavoured to make it appear that he had really picked up
the articles produced, and that he was a most honest and
hard-working individual. He said his master, a Mr. Smith.
a joiner and farmer, near Chester, had come to Liverpool
with him, arid they put up at the Bull Inn. Mr. Hall: Then
we will send for your master, and he will of course speak as
to your character. Prisoner (quickly): Oh, my,master has
gone away, he did not stop long. M. Hall: Well, they can
tell us at the Bull whether you were there with such a person.
Prisoner: Oh, I did not go into the Bull myself; I left my
master on the steps. Mr. Hall (showing the piece of lea-
ther): What do you carry this about you for? Prisoner : I
often have pieces of leather of that sort; I make bags of
them. Mr. Hall (showing the old brush) : 'What is this for?
Prisoner: I clean my teeth with that. (Laughter.) Con-
stable Gleave said he had met the prisoner about a fortnight
ago near the Prince's Dock, in company with persons who
were known as duffers. It seems the offence was not com-
plete in law, as the prisoner had not made any decided offer
of the seals, &c. to the witness Poole. Mr. Hall said he
should give the prisoner a short imprisonment this time, but
if he appeared before him again he might expect to be se-
verely dealt with. The prisoner was ordered to the House
of Correction for fourteen days.

CURIOUS CASE.—James Hinman, a tall, awkward-looking
youth, was on Tuesday placed at the bar, charged with having
committed a robbery under the following circumstances:—
The accuser was Hannah Smith, a female of uncertain age,
and unprepossessing exterior. With many shrugs and great
appearance of diffident hesitation she stated her case.
" Thet men"—said she "lodged wi me. I hed eet (eight)
pounds in my box end he walked into my—hem—bed-
cheercbaw on Thersdee lawst, end he ()opened me box end
he tuck out my menial,. I went to—hem—to frusterhate
him in his deseen, and he tuck out his kneefe and he
swoaw he would plenge it into lON' ha wt if I attempted to
desist—end he also said, he would rip oopen—hem—my
bowhills. Mr. Hall : "Do the prisoner and you live to-
gether?" Witness : "No Sae." Mr. Hall: " How came
you not to call for assistance when he was going away ?"
Witness: "Oh, I was so 'feared he would put his awful
threats into hixicution." Mr. Hall :—" It is very strange,
he lived in the house with you; you say. Is it your own
house?" Witness: "No Saa.:' Mr. Hall : " Then have
you cohabited with him?" Witness: " Oh, deea, dea, no
saa." " Are you married?" " No—no—ye—ye—yes saa."
Then where's your husband? No answer and the question
repeated. " He's out o' town, saa, he's gone abroad, saa."
„ Where is he?" " The fect saa is, he he's bin trawns-
ported !" Prisoner : " I'll tell you how it is, sir. I lived at
the Isle o' Man. Pula joiner. I met her theer. She said
as she wasnt married, an I 'greed to marry her. I went to
vicar of Kirk Bradden to get a license, and when I men-
tioned her name, he said he know'd her, an' he thought I'd
gotten into bad company, for she had a husband, and she'd
been to him a-begging. He refused to marry us, and so we
came over here a fortnight ago and tuck lodgiugs, and
we've been living like man and wife." Complainant:
(simpering and looking down)—" Oh deea no, we slept in
the seem room, thet's all, don't b'lieve him, he's such a
leyar !" Prisoner: " I can prove it, we'd about £l3 when
we came over, and she paid £2 13s. for tools, and I've been
in work ever since at Mr. Jones's place, and I've always
given het my wages, and I told her if she'd behave like a
woman as she ought to do, I'd do well by her." Mr. Hall
questioned the conarlainant touching the correctness of these
statements. She held down her head, and looking very
foolish, replied, that she had certainly brought £l2 with her,
had bought tools fur the prisoner, and had supported' hint
since they came to Liverpool, besides paying the rent of the
room which they jointly occupied. She denied that the
prisoner had given her any of his wages, for said she, " be
has spent all his mently iu chink, as he waws drinking for
three whole days, and sawlently he• stole eet pounds." The
prisoner mentioned the names of several gentlemen in Li-
verpool, who he said knew him. He denied that he had been
absent from his work for three days, and requested Mr.
Hall to send for Mr. Jones, and inquire if be had been ab-
sent from his work two or three days. Mr. Hall promised
to comply with the latter request, and in the meantime, the
prisoner was remanded.

CHARGES OF THEFT AND OF OBTAINING MONEY UNDER
FALSE PRETENCES.—Edward Campbell, a Warehouseman,
in the employ of Mr. George Halwood Plant, iron-merchant,
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stated, that a little after seven o'clock on Thursday morning,
about three weeks ago, be was on the New Custom-house
stand, when the prisoner called to him and took him and
his
cart to Mr. Plant's warehouse. The prisoner told him he
wished to carry a load of iron to Old Milk-street. The pri-
soner took a quantity of bar iron from the scales and handed
it to the cart. The iron was taken to the smithy of John
Jones, in Old Milk-street. It was usual to have a note, but
when witness asked the prisoner for a note he said, after feel-
ing in his pockets, that he could not find it. Witness told
Jones, the blacksmith, that he had brought the iron from Mr.
Plant's. Jones said, he did not expect any iron. After
breakfast witness went back to Mr. Plant's yard, where.he
saw the prisoner, and asked him to pay for the cartage. He
said, " I will get the cartage from the man for whom the
iron was carted. On the following Monday witness was work-
ing at Mr. Plant's warehouse, when he learned that the pri-
soner had left the employ. As he had not paid for the cart-
age he informed Mr. Plant that he had carried the iron into
Old Milk-street. John Jones, blacksmith, Old Milk-street,
stated, that he remembered the witness Smith bringing the
iron to his place on a Thursday, three weeks ago. Smith
said, he bad brought the iron from Mr. Plant's, but, as he

(witness) had not boaght it, he was unwilling to receive it.
They still remained in the smithy, and he bad that morning
shown them to the constable James Ainsworth. Mr. George
Hallwood Plant stated, that he was an iron merchant. The
prisoner had been in his service about six months. In the
month of August last the prisoner gave him a week's notice,
in pursuance of which he left his service. In a few days after-
wards his son, George Plant, gave him such information as in-
duced him to go to the smithy of Mr. Jones, where he saw the
iron which he identified as his own. It was iron of the best
quality, it weighed six hundred went, and was worth £4 lOs.
George Plant stated, that he assisted in his father's ware-
house. He recollected the witness Smith informing him of
the iron having been taken to Old Milk-street; and, on re-
ference to the books, he found that the day mentioned was
the 16th of August; and remembered that on the day he was
at the warehouse about eight o'clock. From that it was in-
ferred, as the iron had been taken before he went there, that
the prison had entered the warehouse with false keys. James
Ainsworth, constable, stated, that he had received informa-
tion of the robbery on the preceding day. About five o'clock
that morning he went in search of the prisoner, and found
him in a house in Hockenhall-alley. He stated, on being
told what Ainsworth wanted with him, that he knew nothing
at all about the matter. The second case against the pri-
soner was for obtaining money under false pretences. Mr.
John Park stated, that he was partner with Messrs. John
Williams and William Douglas. In the month of July last
they purchased about forty tons of iron from Mr. Plant,
which was delivered in the beginning of August last. It was
agreed that the purchasers should pay the cartage of the iron.
On the 18th of August the priSoner called at their office, and
handed the account produced. It was for the cartage of the
iron. Witness said, " Why do you call for this accountr',
He replied, '6 It is an act of humanity : Cheetham is a poor
man, and has to come all the way from the Clarence Dock;
he has authorised me to receive it." Witness took off the
regular discount, and paid the prisoner £1 lOs., receiving the
receipt produced. John Cheetham stated, that he was a
carter. In the month of August the prisoner employed him
to carry some iron from Mr. Plant's warehouse to Messrs.
Park and Co. On the 22d of August witness went to Mr.
Plant's warehouse to get the weight of the iron. He was
referred to Messrs. Park and Co. He went there and was
informed that the weight had been given, and the cartage
paid, to Mr. Plant's warehouseman. Next day witness went
in search of the prisoner He found him at home, and asked
him who gave him authority to draw his money at Mr. Park's.
The prisoner said, " I was in want of mone', and 'took the
liberty of getting it." The prisoner asked a great number
of questions from the witnesses, but they seemed not to bear
upon the case. Ile was committed for trial on both charges.

MANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ST,INDARD.

Sta,—l have just read the report of the meeting of'the
proprietors of the above railway, at Manchester, yesterday,
and, as a shareholder, I fully expected that some explana-
tion would have been given of the amount of traffic expected
upon this line, and also upon the extension of it, which is
spoken of.
Now, as it is a well established fact, and may be seen by
the published accounts of the Grand Junction Railway Com-
pany, that the traffic between Manchester and Birmingham
upon the. Grand Junction Railway during the first year, is
considerably less than one third of the entire traffic upon
that railway. I would ask what prospect there is of any
remunerating return from the Manchester and Birmingham
Railway? If the Grand Junction, with the whole traffic,
only pays ten per cent. the first year, what will Manchester
and Birmingham, with less than one third of the traffic pay ?
I trust, that before the directors snake any further call upon
the shareholders, they will give this their serious considera-
tion.—l am, sir, yours, &c.
Sept. 6th.

A SHAREHOLDER

ARRIVALS AT THE ROYAL HOTEL, HOYLAKE.—The Hon.
Mrs. Stanley, family and party, Alderley Park; Sir Thomas
Reid and party; the Rev. James Folliott, Mrs. Folliott and
family, Chester; J. Holmes, Esq., and family, Upton ; C. R.
Maddock, Esq., Tarporley; the Rev. Brooke Cunliffe and
family, Wrexham; Lowton, Esq., and family, Manley ;
Rey. Dr. Wynter (President of St. John's, Oxford) and lady;
Frederick Stanley Carpenter, Esq., Liverpool; Captain
Arrowsmith, R.N:, family and party ; John Barton, Esq.,
and party; Captain Tarletnn and party; the Rev. Mr. Fur-
nival and party; William Green Esq., and family; C. H.
Beaumont, Esq., and family, Cheltenham ; John Haseldine,
Esq., and party ; Thomas Wheeler, Esq., family and party,
Manchester; G. Appleton, Esq., family and party, Everton ;
Edward Bennett, Esq., family and party, Manchester; F.
W. Hartley, Esq., family and party, Yorkshire; Wm. Fos.
bury, Esq., family and party, Everton; H. Froggart, Esq.,
and lady, Manchester; W. Btevaoson, Esq., and family, Bir.
mingham • Mrs. M'Corkill," end family; S. Beaks, Esq.,
family and Mamas MaploF, and, family,. &c,