The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-12-17 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ASSIZES.

CROWN COURT.—TUESDAY.
(Before Baron ALDERSON.)

John Diggles and Thomas Exton, convicted on the
previous day of assault and robbery, were sentenced to
twenty years' transportation, and their accomplice,
M'Anulty, for seven years.
Samuel Healey was sentenced to nine months' impri-
sonment for the manslaughter of Eiizabeth Clegg in
August last. The deceased was a girl employed at the
factory of Mr. Howard, in Rochdale. She was employed
in what was called the " roving" room, in which room the
prisoner was the overlooker. He had had occasion to
complain to the deceased for not having " kept her frames"
up." Some words took place between them, and he told
her to !eave her work and go home. She refused to do so,
and, in pushing her down stairs, she fell to a lower land-
ing, with her head against the wall. She was taken up in
a state of insensibility, and shortly afterwards died of
compression of the brain.
A well-looking boy, only fifteen years old, named
James Barlow, was sentenced to fifteen years' transpor-
tation, for having stolen a horse from a stable at a fair
near Lee,ls, in September. There was another indict-
ment against the prisoner for a similar offence, and a prior
conviction for horse-stealing twelve months ago was
proved against him.
John Whittaker was acquitted of the manslaughter of
'William Halstead of Burnley.

Thomas Mulch ( 25), Michael Doherly(23), and Edward
Clarke (20), were charged with having at Walton-on-the.
Hill, near Liverpool, in September last, feloniously en-
tered the dwelling-house of Mr. Eltnzh Hornby, and bur-
glariously broken out of it. Entrance into the house was
obtained by the use of an instrument which made two
large holes in the window shutters; through these holes
the arms of the burglars were introduced, and the shutters
were opened. They were disturbed, and consequently
did net take any property. Mutch was subsequently ap-
prehended, when he was found in possession of an instru-
ment which exactly fitted the holes in the shutters.
There was no evidence against the other prisoners.—
Mutch was found guilty,-and was sentenced to be trans-
ported for life.

NISI PRIUS COURT-TUESDAY.

Before Justice TA LFOU RD.)

Mr. Threlfall was brought up for sentence. On being
placed in the dock he exhibited the same calm demeanour
which marked his conduct on Monday.

The Learned Judge addressed him-at great length upon
the enormity of the offence which he had committed, and
characterized it as one of the most extensive and well-
organized systems of fraud and forgery which he had ever
heard of. lie alluded in strong terms to the high posi-
tion which the prisoner formerly 11,1 d in the commercial
world, and regretted that so violent a shock should have
been given to mercantile honour. It was no palliation in
his mind that the prisoner had intended to meet those
bills. The guilt was the same whether such intention
existed or not, and when he reflected that many a man
much less criminal had suffered the penalty of death for
offences of the same kind, but of infinitely less magnitude,
he could not but admire the mild spirit of the present law,
which would give the prisoner time to repent of the error he
had committed. The sentence of the court therefore was,
that the prisoner should be transported for fifteen years.
Threlfall was then removed from the dock.
S. Ridgway, a soldier, was sentenced to seven years'
transportation for burglary at. Ashton-under-Lyne.
A young man named Mills was sentenced to transpor-
tation for seven years, for having, as an excise officer at
Bolton, received sums of money from various parties for
licenses to sell tea, tobacco, &c., and not accounting for
the money. The prisoner made an eloquent speech of an
hour's duration in his own defence. He said that he had
been in the service of the Excise for thirteen years, and
the whole amount laid to his charge was under £lO. He
admitted having received the money, and had been care-
less, but his inattention had been sufficiently punished.
He had left Bolton publicly, and gone to Davenport, and
had sent his full address to Bolton. The jury, after an
hour's deliberation, found him guilty of the fraud.
James Taylor was bound over to receive sentence when
called on, for killing John Regan at Manchester during a
fight between them. The deceased had been ruptured
before, and not having had the rupture reduced in due
time, neglect might have caused the strangulation. The
prisoner had been three months in confinement.

CROWN
COURT.-WEDNESDAY.

John Charlesworth and John Smith were sentenced to
eighteen months' imprisonment for assaulting and at-
tempting to rob Moses Fletcher at Manchester.
Two men named Jackson and Ashworth were sentenced
to ten years' transportation, and two others named
Greenhalyh and Wilde to two years' imprisonment, for
a burglary at the pawnbroker's shop of Mr. Berry, at
Oldham. . .

Thomas Unsworth was sentenced to ten years' trans-
portation for a burglary at the d yelling-house of Robert
Farringdon, at Culcheth, in October last. A previous
conviction for felony was proved against the prisoner...

The other sentences passed were for offences of no
public interest.

NISI PRIUS COURT.-WEDNESDAY

John Smith, for assault and robbery upon Robert
Dickens, at Manchester, was sentenced to ten years'
transportation.
Margaret Leech, for bigamy, was sentenced to one
week's imprisonment ; and Ann Carroll, for a like of-
fence, to one month's imprisonment.
William Greig was sentenced to seven years' trans-
portation, for sending a letter to Mrs. Stebbing threaten-
ing to burn down the Amphitheatre, with the intention
to extort money. We reported the case fully when be-
fore the police-court in August last.

FRAUD AND CONSPIRACY ON THE ROYAL INSURANCE

COMPANY

George Smith, 83, and Mark Casson, 31, were chard
with a conspiracy to cheat the Royal Insurance Company.
There were seven counts in the indictment, laying. the
offence in various ways. Mr. Bliss, Q.C., Mr. Blair,
and Mr. Rushton, appeared for the !prosecution ; and
Mr, JatneF defended the prisoners. Mr. Rushton haring
opened the pleadings, Mr. Bliss stated the case. He said
that the prosecutors in this case were the directors of the
Royal Insurance Company at Liverpool. The manager
of the company was Mr. Dove, and the sub-manager was
Mr. Gray. One of the prisoners at the bar, Smith, was
a tailor and draper in Liverpool, and the other prisoner,
Casson, was his foreman. At the time of the alleged
offence Smith carried on business at a shop in Scotland-
road. Smith himself resided at another house, but Cas-
son and an apprentice or two slept in the house attached
to the shop in Scotland-road. Smith had also two other
workmen in his employ, whose names were Edward and
William Roe. In the early part of the year Smith had
been in embarrassed circumstances, and in March last he
found it necessary to apply to his creditors to give him
time to pay his debts. The stock-in-trade and the fix-
tures amounted to £4OO, the debts to £250, leaving a
balance of £l5O. Smith effected an insurance on his
stock while matters were in this position to the amount
of £B5O. On the 13th of July the file broke out in
Smith's shop. Some of the goods were injured or de-
stroyed, but Smith declared the value of the whole to be
£1,600, and he preferred a claim for the sum for which
he was insured. He said his books were burnt, with the
exception of two ledgers, so that he could not make a
detailed inventory of his stock. The company appointed
two competent persons, Mr. G. Smith, tailor and draper,
and Mr. Samuel Thornley, to examine into the claim.
They counted about 127 lots of goods, the value of which
they estimated at £96. After the fire, it was proved that
Smith left some goods at the house of a person named
Roe, where Casson lodged; other parcels of goods were
left at the house of a Mrs. Hardcastle, and another parcel
at the house of a Mrs. Taylor. These goods were entered
in the prisoner Smith's claim upon the Insurance Com-
pany, as though they had been destroyed by fire. The
prisoners were found guilty, and Smith was sentenced to
two years' and Casson to one year's imprisonment.

.e.
CROWN COURT.—THURSDAY.

The following prisoners, who had been tried on the
previous day, were brought up to receive sentence :

James Conboy, John Gilhooley, and Lawrence Colman
for robbing Joseph Hinds,atManchester,eighteenmonths'
imprisonment, and bard labour.
Luke Lloyd, for stabbing John Worrall, at Manchester,
twelve months' imprisonment, and hard labour.
George Vaughan and Charles White, for committing
burglary in the house of John Thomas Leyland, at
Wavertree, two years' imprisonment with hard labour.
Joseph Reid and William Locker, for feloniously break.
ing into the house of Samuel Woods, at Warrington, Reid
one year, and Locker, nine months' imprisonment, with
hard labour.

Michael Clarke and William Henry Furber, (against
each of whom there were three separate indictments), for
stealing money and other articles from letters entrusted
to them for delivery, in connexion with the Liverpool
Post-office, and who pleaded guilty, seven years' trans-
portation. _

Thomas Abbott, for bigamy, at Barton-upon-Irwell,
six months, with hard labour.

Joseph Gregory and Janzes Holland, were charged with
having, at Manchester, burglariously entered the dwelling-
house of Rebecca Thompson. Gregory was found guilty,
and Holland acquitted.
Joseph Gregory, 21, James Holland, 22, and William
Pimlott, 18, were convicted of having. at Pendleton,
near Manchester, feloniously assaulted William Kennett,
and robbed him of a coat, boots, and three handkerchiefs,
Gregory and Ilolland were tried in the foregoing case of
burglary.
James Holland (who figured in the two previous cases)
was charged with feloniously assaulting James Cooper,
and robbing him of £1 2s. 6d. and a silver watch. The
prisoner was found guilty.
Gregory, Holland, and Pimlott, were brought up to
receive judgment. His lordship sentenced Gregory to
be transported for life. Holland was sentenced to fifteen
years' imprisonment, with hard labour,
John Williamson, 22, was charged with having, at
Ashton-under-Lyne, feloniously killed and slain Samuel
Foden. The death of the deceased was caused by a blow
given in a public-house fray. The prisoner was sen-
tenced to a fortnight's imprisonment (solitary.)
John Rigby, 33, was charged with having, at Windle,
burglariously entered the dwelling-house of John Fair-
dough, and stolen therefrom £2 in copper, four shil-
lings in silver, and other property. The prisoner was
found guilty, and sentenced to ten years' transportation.
Thomas Bates and Thomas Rowland were charged
with having, on the sth instant, at Warrington, feloni-
ously entered the dwelling-house of John Leicester, and
stolen therefrom a pair of trousers, a handkerchief, &c.
The prisoners were found guilty. Bates was sentenced
to fifteen years' transportation, and Rowlands to twelve
month's imprisonment, with hard labour.

NISI PRIUS COURT.--.THURSDAY

John Barnes was sentenced to twelve calendar months'
imprisonment for burglary.

William Macaulay7(4o), and Thomasrrharles
(59) were then arraigned, the formeron the charge of having
burglariously entered the dwelling-house of James Fisher,
and stealing therefrom two silver spoons, two pixes. four
teaspoons, and various other articles; and Sirrell for
having received the same, knowing them to be stolen ;
also for receiving a table spoon, the property of Thomas
Gardner, of West Derby, knowing it to be stolen.
Mr. Blair stated the case for the prosecution, and pro-
ceeded to support it by the evidence of several witnesses,
who recapitulated the facts of the case which are already,
fully known to our readers. The witnesses underwent a
rigid cross-examination by the learned counsel for the
prisoners.

The case for the prosecution being closed, Mr. Sergeant
Wilkins asked his lordship to say was there a case to go
before the jury.
His Lordship said that it was perfectly true that Mr.
Sirrell had received a parcel ; but there was no reason to

sunpose that he could have any knowledge that a particu-
lar felony was committed, nor could he have knowledge of
the contents of the parcel. The letter which preceded it
said only that so much was sent. There was nothing to
excite any suspicion that the contents of the parcels were
come by unlawfully, unless there was a general under-
standing between Sirrell and Macaulay, the former agree-
ing to receive any property that might be sent him, and
which he had some reason to believe Macaulay had stolen.

Air. Sergeant Wilkins.—From beginning to end there
was nothing but surmise, because they saw the entire
correspondence.

His. Lordship thought the correspondence favourable
to the prisoners. However, as Mr. Blair wished it to go
to the jury. he would not interfere with thei& province.
Mr. Pollock then proceeded to address the jury on be-
half of Macaulay. He contended that the evidence against
Macaulay was not sufficient; and he only feared that the
prejudice which existed in connexion with the prisoners,
through the rumours which had been circulated by the
press, would lead the jury to a wrong conclusion.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins then addressed the jury for Sir-
cell. who, he contended, had been more particular in his
transactions than ninety-nine out of a hundred trades-
men.

Mr. Thomas Upshall, pawnbroker, Whitechapel-road ;
Mr. Johnson, a member of the Common Council of Lon-
don ; a gentleman for thirty years a magistrate of Nor-
wich ; Mr. Watson, jeweller and silversmith, London ;
Mr. Sadleir, a member of the Common Council of Lon-
don ; Mr. Greatley, wholesale jeweller, City-road ; Mr.
Cooper, Hatton-garden ; Mr. Bulk, bullion-dealer and
banlon-; Mr. Elliott, and Mr. Williams, spoke to the
prisoner Sirrell's character—that, as a tradesman for the
last twenty years, he had maintained a character of the
highest and most unblemished class.

His Lordship then proceeded to sum up, after which
the jury, without leaving the box, returned a verdict of
guilty of receiving against Macaulay, and of not guilty
against Sirrell.

The verdict was received with applause.
CROWN COURT.—FRIDAY

James Smalls and Peter Toole, for uttering counterfeit
coin, were sentenced to seven years' transportation each.
Edward Neill, for uttering a forged order, one year's
imprisonment. James Kelly, for bigamy, six months'
imprisonment, with hard labour. Bridget Jackson, for
bigamy, one month's imprisonment.
Walter Stuart Fawcett pleaded guilty to a charge of
burglary, at Blackburn. The prisoner, who belonged to
the theatrical profession, made a long and clever speech
in justification of his crime, stating that he was driven to
commit it in consequence of his wife and child being nearly
starved. The learned Judge gave little credit to the pri-
soner's story, and sentenced him to be imprisoned for
one year, with hard labour.
Paul Lawrenson was indicted for burglariously enter-
ing the house of Mrs. Elizabeth Morris, at Warrington,
on the evening of the 2nd instant, and stealing a quantity
of bacon, flannel, floor-cloth, &c. The prisoner was
found guilty, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment,
with hard labour.
Daniel Hepsworth was indicted for having., on the 11th
November, feloniously assaulted and stabbed Thomas
Dolan. A quarrel occurred between the prisoner and
Dolan in a public-house in Ormond-street. Manchester,
in the course of which the prisoner, who was in drink,
threatened to kill or stab some one. Dolan remonstrated
with him, on which the prisoner ran at him with a knife,
and stabbed him in the breast. The jury found the pri-
soner guilty of a common assault, and his lordship sen-
tenced him to two months' imprisonment, with hard
labour.

John Billington, 23, was indicted for stealing seven
shillings and a pocket-handkerchief from the person of
Henrietta Perry, on the 2fid instant. On that day the
prosecutrix was proceeding by railway to the residence of
her master, Mr. Willmer, at Huyton, when the prisoner
robbed her and attempted to kiss her. He was found
guilty, and sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to hard
labour for six months.

John Williams, 31, was found guilty of robbing John
Bothwell, at Manchester, on the 4th instant, and sen-
tenced to be imprisoned with hard labour for one year.
Daniel Rogers was indicted for stabbing Caroline
Knox, a married woman. residing in Bloom-street, Man-
chester, on the evening of the 9th of December. On the
day in question the prisoner and the prosecutrix had been
drinking at a public-house, when an altercation took place.
They afterwards quarrelled in the street, and the prisoner
stabbed the woman on the right side with a penknife.
The wounds, which were not of a dangerous character,
were dressed by a surgeon.—The prisoner, in his defence,
said the liquor had stupefied him, and he did not know
what he was doing.—Mr. Crellin, with whom the prisoner
had worked for several years, gave him an excellent
eharacler.—The jury found the prisoner guilty of a com-
mon assault, and he was adjudged to two months' impri-
sonment, with hard labour.

Nathan Grandy was charged wilh having burglariously
entered the house of Henry Glover at Windle, on the 31A
of October, 1848, and stealing therefrom various articles
of clothing.—Not guilty.
John Pritchard, a car driver, was charged with having
feloniously killed Robert White on the 13th of Septem-
ber. On that day the prisoner was driving a car, when
he ran over thA deceased, who was walking alone the
street in a state of intoxication. The person ran over
died in consegnence.—Not guilty.
William Hannay (51), was charged with having caused
the death of Robert Middleton, at the Marsden station.
on the East Lancashire railway. It appeared that the
prisoner who is a gate-keeper, placed a truck on the main
line, and (in consequence of Lis watch stopping, as the
prisoner alleged) did not remove it in proper time, by
which a collision took place between the truck and an
express train at ten minutes to ten o'clock, a.m., on the
12th of August. The result was that two carriages were
overturned, and the deceased so severely injured that he
died on the evening of the same day.—Not guilty.
David Mowell Doiy was charged with having feloni-
ously killed Joseph Fiddler, at Newton, on the sth No-
vember. The prisoner had charge of the points at the
Ardwick railway station on the evening in question, and
the charge against him was that he did not turn the points
in sufficient time to enable a goods train to pass along the
line, which it was intended it should do. In consequence
of his having turned the points at too late a period the
train was broken, and the result was that the deceased,
who was a railway guard, and was on his way home, was
thrown from one of the waggons and received such severe
injuries that death was the consequence.—The jury re-
turned a verdict of acquittal.