The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-06-26 00:00:00

Till LIVERPOOL STANDARIi.

On Wednesday the stage coach which runs between
Henley and London was upset. A lady on the outside
had ier leg broken, and so great was the injury that the
limb was amputated. A gentleman received a compound
fracture of one of the arms. The other passengers,
though much injured were able to walk to their respec-
tive homes.

LUDICROUS INCIDENT.-11l the Court of Bnnkruptcy
on Thursday, in the proceedings of Mr. Fitzgerald, mine
owner, of Portland-place, an attempt was made to prove
a claim upon an alleged annuity. In support of the claim
a letter was produced, on the back of which was written
that the consideration for the annuity was that the an-
nuitant should " hold his tongue." The claim was not
established.

A MAID-SERVANT OUT OF EMPLOY.—At the Green-
wich Police-office, on Wednesday, Susan Reed, late in
the employ of Mr. E. Luck, landlord of the Navy Arms,
Deptford, was committed on a charge of stealing £9 in
gold and silver, the property of her master. P. C.
Arthur, of the detective force, said he found her at Cam-
bridge, where she leas living on property of her own. J.
Clifford, ostler of the Red Lion, Brompton, identified the
prisoner as having been at his master's house on the day
after the robbery. She called for five pints of gin, five
gallons of beer, nine pots of half-and-half, and 33 bottles
of soda water and brandy, besides cheroots. The whole
of these were consumed by the prisoner and the company
present. The prisoner paid for everything, and smoked
three cheroots herself. She treated every on 3 who visited
the room—many persons were present.
POPERY AT SUNDERLAND.—A judicial investigation
took place a few days ago before the magistrates at Sun-
derland, into a charge involving the barbarous treatment
of a child about six years of age, by the teacher of a
Popish school in that town. John Daveen is the name of
the Popish disciplinarian, and the child, it appeared, was
a scholar in the establishment over which he presided.
The poor child's shoulders and back were in a frightful
state from the blows which had been inflicted on them,
and their appearance created a shudder throughout the
court. The defence was that the child had been behav-
ing ill, and. had only been properly chastised by the de-
fendant as a master in the school : but the evidence failed
to support that plea, and the defendant was convicted.
The sentence of the court was that the defendant be fined
twenty shillings and costs ; and the Mayor, in giving
judgment, commented most severely on the defendant's
cruel conduct. On subsequent inquiry. it appears that the
child so brutally treated is the son of Protestant parents.
THE PAPER DUTIES.—A petition has been forwarded
to Mr. Cowan for presentation to the House of Com-
mons, from Messrs. Chambers, of Edinburgh, in which
they state that the excise duties, while felt as little bur-
densome in the case of high-priced books, fall with great
severity upon works which seek to make up, by a large
circulation, for the cheapness of single copies. So much
is this the case, that they have been prevented by no
other cause from continuing or commencing various peri-
odical works calculated to introduce the blessings of know-
ledge and moral culture among the masses of the people.
In one case they abandoned such a work, while its sale
was 80,000 copies weekly, because of its being unprofita-
ble ; the fact being, that the paper duties would of them-
selves have been a very high remuneration, much more
than sufficient to induce them them to maintain the
work. During the five years ending with Dec., 1848,
they paid for printing paper the sum of £63,425, of which
£14,335 were exacted as Excise duties.
AN OAK STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.—SINGULAR EF-
FECTS.—During the thunder-storm on Saturday week,
a magnificent oak in the uolicy of Mr. Wouchope of Ed-
monstone, about three miles from Edinburgh, was struck
by the lightning and instantly redue4d to a picturesque
heap of ruins. The tree was about fourteen feet in cir-
cumference at the base, and is supposed to have been
nearly 200 years old. The electric fluid appears to have
entered the trunk about ten feet from the ground, strip-
ping it completely of its bark, and cleaving it asunder in-
to a thousand different segments down to the root, and
apparently through the root itself, while the vast branches
—each equal in size to a considerable tree—were torn
from the stem eel thrown to the ground, covering an area
nearly a hundred feet in circumference. The splinters of
the trunk are of all sizes—from filaments as fine as flax up
to massive planks, several of which, weighing probably
four or five hundred pounds, have been projected to the
distance of fortyrfifty, and even a hundred feet. None of
the fragments have the least appearance of being scorched.
ATTACK BY A MARE, AND FATAL RESULT.—An un-
fortunate circumstance has just oocurred at Mistorton,
which has cast a gloom over the whole village. William
Colton, farrier and blacksmith of that place, having occa-
sion on Wednesday week to go into the farmyard of Mr.
Corringham, observed a mare, which he had recently had
under treatment, prick her ears, and look intently at him,
as if she meant mischief. Becoming alarmed, he turned
round hastily to make his escape from the yard, when his
foot slipped, and he fell. The mare in a moment was
upon him, and, kneeling upon his body, seized him by the
back of the head, and inflicted very considerable injuries
with her teeth. Whilst in this position, a maid servant,
who had seen the mare run at Colton, came up, and threw
something at it, which frightened it away. Assistance
was then called, and the wounded man was conveyed
away, and placed, as soon as possible, under. medical
treatment, but the injury he had received was of such an
extensive nature, that no hopes were entertained of his
recovery. He continued to linger until Wednesday last,-
when death, we understand, put a period to his sufferings.
—Doncaster Chronicle.
DR. COFFIN'S WORK: DEATH OF A FEMALE FRCM
INDIAN TOBACCO.—On Saturday, an inquest was held in
London, touching the death of a young woman named'
Jane Garner. It appeared that the brother of the de-
ceased, acting on the instructions in a work called " Cof-
tin's Botanical Guide to Health, and Natural Pathology of
Disease," had given her several doses of lobelia. Mr.
Leeson, surgeon, who was called, stated that the lobelia
inflata is an Indian weed of a very powerful character,
and a narcotic poison. He had made a post mortem exa-
mination and attributed death to the poisonous effects of
lobelia. He found upwards of 400 grains of it in the sto-
mach, which was quite sufficient to produce death. Lo-
belia acted upon the nervous system in the same manner
as prussic acid. The jury returned the following special
verdict :—" That the deceased died from the effects of a
certain noxious weed called lobelia inflata, administered
to her as a medicine, and without any intention to destroy
life; but the jurors cannot separate without expressing
their opinion of the injurious effects which have been thus
produced by a book published, and entitled Coffin's
Botanical Guide to Health,' which has led torn incautious
and indiscriminate use of the weed in question, and which
work is condemned by the wholeof the medical profession.►-

PREDISPOSING CAUSES OF- CHOLIsRA.—III the return
of deaths from cholera in London, in the week ended
Saturday last, we find that a lady, the widow of a colonel,
living in Gibson-square, Islington, died of cholera in 48,
hours. The medical attendant states, that " there is a
foul cupboard under the stairs of the house in which she•
lived."—Mr. J. Watts, the registrar, adds, that " deceased
occupied a house situated in one of the open squares.
The attention of the family was directed immediately
after the death to offensive effluvia proceeding from the
kitchen stairs, which they traced to the unused closet or
cupboard mentioned above. In the last weekly return was
reported a death which occurred suddenly in the same
house, of a gentleman, aged 60, from cholera, after 151
hours' illness, whose sleeping room was partly over this
cupboard. Both parties had been previously in excellent
health."—No fewer than nine fatal cases occurred in the
Leather Market. Bermondsey, and Mr. Martin, the regis-
trar, states, "that all the nine cases of cholera reported
this week, occurred on the banks of a disgusting tidal
ditch, mentioned before. Seven of them occurred within
50 yards of each other.. Theditch, formerly used as a
mill stream, is now the receptacle of all kinds of filth.
Putrid fish in large q_nantities is frequently thrown in ;
many of the poor drink the water and use it for culinary
purposes."—These deaths from offensive effluvia and bad
water, are strong arguments for the removal of every
nuisance without delay, and for the greatest care being
exercised both as to wholesome food and drink.

A HURRIED MARRIAGE.—A. ship's husband belonging
to Montrose sent the other day to Dundee for three sea-
men, to complete a ship's crew about to sail for Arch-
angel. The men accordingly came; one of them with a
heart overflowing with the most intense love for a beauti-
ful young lady, coupled with an overwhelming determi-
nation to appear before the altar of Hymen before he
went to plough the vasty deep. But the vesseFwas within
a few hours of sailing; and, as misfortune would have it,
the pockets of the love-stricken tar did not contain that
without which a matrimonial alliance cannot be consum-
mated. In such an emergency what was to be done? for
married Jack must be —married--as life could not be
endured unless he could call her whom be loved his own.
He went to the captain, or rather the ship's husband, and
asked a month's pay in advance. This was granted, upon
security; but, even with the money, how could he get
married ? The ship was within an hour of sailing ; every
moment was precious. Fortunately for Jack, the law has
a provision for such an urg€nt case of matrimony. He
received a line from the captain that the ship was to sail ;-
and with this important document he hurried up the
town with his sweetheart, and before a justice of the
peace, declared her to be his lawful married wife. Poor
Jack had no time for a marriage trip, nor even the plea-
sure of dancing to a fiddle on the night of his wedding.
He looked at his dear, kissed her tenderly, shook her by
the band, jumped on board, and departed, leaving the
newly-made wife upon the shore.—Montrose Standard.
PROSPECTIVE REPORTING. We boast sometimes of
the electric telegraph, which can transmit a message a
thousand miles in " less than no time ;" but the powers
of the subtle fluid have been eclipsed this week by a pen-
ny-a-liner located at the Menai Straits. The smartness
of the class is acknowledged, but it is not often that we
have detailed accounts of an event before it has occurred.
The " fast" scribe, however, writing on Tuesday evening,
gives a circumstantial account (published by the Times)
of the floating of the great tube for the Britannia bridge,
—an operation which, owing to a petty accident, did not
take place till Wednesday evening. After describing the
preparations, and the multitude of spectators, the writer
says :—" All eves were fixed with mingled feelings of
confidence and fear on the gigantic fabric, upon which
stood Mr. Stephenson and Captain Claxton. Soon after
the utmost excitement ensued, on the first signal, that of
the sudden springing up on the Anglesey side of the first
signal flag, and a shrill strain from the trumpet of Capt.
Claxton from the top of the tube, to the pilots, to take
the tide and pipe all hands for the exploit. This was
responded to by a loud burst of enthusiasm from the sea-
men, whose efforts, united to those of the steam-tugs,
told upon the screws and tackles, and „upon the hitherto
motionless monster, which then glided very slowly, and
amid intervals of unceasing cheers and salutations without
injury or jar, and with a majesty that could only be com-
pared to that of a mountain moving on the waters to the
site of its final resting-place." There were of course
none of the striking displays mentioned. Capt. Claxton
never blew " a shrill strain from his trumpet," nor was
there any " loud burst of enthusiasm from the seamen,"
for the monster tube, instead of being " glided" to its
6` Anal resting-place," was Prier moved at all.

Hoes* THE COUNTY RATES ARE SPENT.—TWO boys,
last week, at the Central Criminal Court, London,
were indicted for a burglary, when, after a policeman
deposed that he saw the two prisoners drop from the
prosecutor's wall, and captured one of them with the
property on him. The following conversation took place
between the judge and the witness :—The Common Ser-
jeant : Did vou examine the premises ?—No.—Common
Serjeant No, I thought not ; another officer had 4;,0 do
that ?—Yes.—Common Serjeant : And, of course, another
to take the other prisoner ?—Witness : Yes, he was not
taken at the time.—Common Serjeant : Of course he was
not; and, .I suppose, another constable to prove some-
thing else. All these policemen, in such a case, accounts
for the swelling up of the county rates.
PAPISTS TURNED STREET-PREACHERS !—ln the thir-
teenth annual report of the Loughborough and Ashby-de-
la-Zouch (Church of England) Protestant Tract Society
(with the sight of which we have been favoured), we read
that, during the year 1848 the Papists in that vicinity
" have carried on rather extensively a system of street-
preaching." on which " they seem to have placed special
reliance. The committee are willing to hope that this is
a 'favourable symptom—a proof that, in their chapels,
where the superstition and idolatrous ceremonies of their
faith are necessarily practised, they do not sufficiently
gain the ears of the people; and, therefore, need to enlist
converts in the streets and highways, where the peculiar
doctrines and practices of their church can be kept out of
sight. Certain it is that the style of street-preaching was
adapted as much as possible to the popular taste. Hymns
were given out and prayers (apparently extempore)
offered up by the preacher; 'and, in the subject matter of
the discourses, a special disposition was shown to say but
little about the peculiar tenets of the Church of Rome,
and enter merely on such points of morality and practical
holiness as all religionists are agreed upon, and therefore
none would controvert" (" Report," p. 8). We rejoice
to know that this subtle machination of the Papists has
not succeeded. By the circulation of effective and well-
written tracts, aided by well-selected lending libraries and
the unwearied labours of the Scripture-readers, the com-
mittee of the Loughborough and Ashby Protestant Trace
Society have been enabled, by the divine blessing, effec-
tually to stem the progress of Popery within the district to
which their labours are confined.
JUVENILE THIEVES AND THEIR RECLAMATION.—
Two boys, named Corbett and Ryan, whose heads were
scarcely visible above the dock, were found guilty of a
burglary last week at the Central Criminal Court, Lon-
don. After proof had been tendered that Corbett was a
regular thief, the Common Serjeant asked Ryan whether
he had not been drawn into the affair by Corbett, and
where he had met him ? Ryan said, the last day of Step-
ney-fair, and he then proposed that they should go next
week to Deptford-fair where they might do something.
The Common Sergeant : What were you to do ? tell the
truth.—Ryan: To pick pockets.—The Common Sergeant:
Well, what did you do ? (To the jury). We may
learn something useful by this.—Ryan (with much sim-
plicity): We did not do anything; we were taken into
custody before the fair began. In answer to further
questions, Ryan said that he had no father nor mother,
and that he lived with an uncle in Rosemary Lane. A
police-constable said, this was not the first time he had
been in trouble. The Common Serjeant : I thought all
his innocence was gone, coming from such a place as that.
—Ryan admitted that he had been before imprisoned,
and once whipped at bridewell, and with tears running
down his cheeks, implored the Common Serjeant not to
send him again to prison, but to transport him, for when
he came out he should be a man.—The Common Serjearit:
What do you mean by being a man?—Ryan (with much
earnestness) : Because then none of my friends and com-
panions will know me.—The Common-Serjeant : Ah !
There is much truth in that. You have no chance in this
country.—The other boy, who during a portion of the
time maintained the most hardened indifference, now
burst into tears, and begged that he might be transported.
The Cornmon-Serjeant said, they were much to be pitied,
particularly the boy Ryan, who only had an uncle to look
after him, and was brought up in that receptacle for vice
—Rosemary-lane. It was the best thing that could be
done for them to transpert them. Both the boys assured
his Lordship that they never were so happy or comfort—
able as when they were in prison. The Common-Serjeant
said he believed them. They were then ordered to be
transported for seven years. They both bowed most
deferentially to the bench, and said "Thank ye, we arc
obliged to you." The investigation into the circumstances
connected with the lives of these boys excited much
sympathy and interest, and the poor little fellows seemed
truly grateful for the sentence passed on them.