The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-03-11 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

COMMERCIAL

Bombay securities in port ; markets small ; business during
the fortnight at prices even further depressed than at date of
last report ; and from great scarcity of money, no prospect of
any change for some time to come. Money Market also ex-
pected still higher. Export produce scanty of late, but as new
cotton is beginning to arri% e, busi as will be probably resumed
with evident activity, especially as the late accounts 'Tom
the East and West for the staple are -considered favourable.
British and Swedish iron and steel lower, and almost un-
saleable. Copper nominal. t ead and tin plates lower. Spel-
ter dull. Freights to London .4'2 ss. to £2 7s 6d ; to Liver-
pool £2 2s. 641. to .£2 ss. The harbour is filled with vessels;
6 for London, 7 for Liverpool, 10 for China, 5 for other ports,
and 27 are wait ing freights. Exchange 2s. 2/ to 13-16 d.
CALCUTTA, JAN. 23 —London mail of 7th of December ar-
rived 13th January. There had been severe and growing Ares•
sure in the money market. Bank of Bengal has raised dis-
count to II per cent. Govermnent Securities fell considerably,
but, through home news, somewhat reassuring; and business
continues very quiet. No relaxation in money market; indeed
pressure seems worse. Exchanges all over the country' seem
quite disorganised, and discounts of be t Native acceptances
are everwhere at almost unprecedented rates. Rather
inure disposition to proceed with exports since the mail
came in. Exchange taken rather upward, and now but
trifling. Indigo season drags on heavily. Good sugar wanted.
A little new silk sold at high rates. nice cheaper. Jute goes
forward freely. Imports dull. No renewal of demand for
British goods in upper provinces. :Moderate business in Lan.
cashire cottons. Little doing in Glasgow light goods. Metals
very quiet. Exchanges 2s. 2id. to 2s. 2id. Freights rather
higher. Sugar to London, £3s. ss. to £3 10s. per ton.

In order that no unnecessary alarm arising from the
Caffre war may be excited among parties who have con.
nexions at Port Natal, it may be as well to state that the
distance 'between the Cape colony and Natal is by land
something like a six weeks journey, and that there is not
the remotest communication between the Caffres of the
Cape colony and the inhabitants of Port Natal.
AN UN EXPECTED HONOUR.—At the last Court ball at
Vienna, a lady belonging to a high noble family refused to
dance with a young officer, decorated, but not noble.
The emperor, observing what had taken place. exchanged
a few words with his mother, the Archduchess Sophia, and
then addressing the young officer, said, "My mother
wishes to waltz with you."
INTENDED DUEL BY LADIES.—Great sensation has
been lately caused at Florence by an intended duel with
pistols between two countesses. in consequence of a poli-
tical dispste. One of these ladies had taken an active
part in the war of Italian independence, and the other is
a fair daughter of the north, whose name is well known in
the diplomatic world. The combatants were on the
ground, and the pistols charged, when fortunately their
husbands arrived, and put a stop to the affair.
MURDER IN GREECE.—A horrible murder, rendertcl
more odious by the circumstances which accompanied it,
has just terrified one of the villages on Parnassus.
Thirty armed men introduced themselves during the night
into the house of one of the primates of the village, and
dragging him out into the street massacred him, without
touching any part of his property. It is said that the
mayor and two gendarmes stationed there, who must have
he ►rd the noise, and did nothing to prevent the crime,
were in connivance with the murderers ; and as the
victim was the avowed enemy of a person holding a high
position at court, the latter is suspected not to be uncon-
cerned in the crime. However, the officers of ju3ti e are
actively engaged in the pursuit, and it is said that four of
the assassins have been taken.
The city of Rangoon, in Burmah, has been almost
wholly destroled by a fire which occurred on the 28th of
December. A man engaged in boiling some oil went out
to see a Burmese ship of war just then arrived in harbour :
he forgot his charge, the oil boiled over, and the house
was in a moment in flames. The fire spread instantly
through the streets, the bulk of the houses being of wood :
' the Catholic church, when in the midst of the flames, was
saved from destruction by a sudden shift of the breeze.
The building yard and vessels in the harbour were pre-
served by the wise precaution of pulling down all the
sheds and other combustible structures around. Several
ships were burnt to the water's edge. The property de-
) stroyed is valued at £300,000.
A PARISIAN STORY.—The curiosity of the inhabitants
of khouse in the Rue St. Honors, was lately attracted by
seeing a canary bird flying about in the court, and the
more co as the bird was observed to have a small strip of
paper attached to its neck. The bird was at length
caught, and the paper, on being unfolded, was found to
contain the following words :—" Poor, ill, without em-
ployment, and without resource of any kind, I know not
what will become of me; I am 20 years of age, and I can-
not consent to lead a disreputable life. My mind is made
up—all will be over this evening. The only friend I have
in the world is this little bird, which I am now about to
set at liberty. I beseech the person who finds it to take
care of it, for it sings most sweetly, poor little creature.
Thanks, thanks, beforehand.—JOSEPHlNS." This event
caused great excitement in the neighbourhood, but as yet
no clue to the writer of the billet has been discovered.—
Galignani's Messenger.
A MAN AFLOAT IN THE MID OCIZAN.—On the morn-
ing of the Twenty-eighth January, et three o'clock as
the bark Oregon, Thompson, from Frankfort for Havanna,
was nearing the coast of Cuba, and distant some twenty
miles, the attention of the officers was attracted by a
singular noise near the ship in the water, not seemingly
the voice of a human being in distress, but which led to an
examination of the surface, as far as the eye could reach,
without ascertaining any object floating upon it. The
ship passed on its way a half-mile or more, when the cap-
tain, impressed with the sentiment that life was at hazard,
ordered his ship about. The singular sound was again
heard, the boat lowered, and a life saved. James Thomp-
son, a Prussian by birth, after having obtained strength
to give utterance to words, reported that he fell overboard
from the ship Ocean Star, bound from New Orleans to
Boston, at 6 o'clock the previous evening, that he fell
through the head, and the vessel passed over him, and he
presumes that it was not observed on board in time to
render him assistance. Ile remained six hours without
anything to aid in sustaining himself, as be thinks, but
some three hours before he was picked up, be struck a
floating board of some three feet in length and one foot
in width, which buoyed him and enabled him to rest.
SIR CHARLES NAPIER AND THE INDIAN ARMY.—At
a dinner given to Sir Charles in India, recently, he said,
When i came out here 1 thought I was to be Com.
mander-in-Chief, but I was mistaken—yes, gentlemen,
egregiously mistaken. 1 found that I was merely a sort
of monster adjutant, nor even as a monster adjutant com-
plete, but like a half-caste bullock— neither one thing
nor t'other. Gentlemen, Ido not believe that any one of
the Commanders-in-Chief who went before me knew
exactly what they came out to do ; and I'll tell what is
more, gentlemen,—by God, I don't exactly know myself.
Here with your regulars and irregulars, your rangers,
your Bheel corps, and I don't know what else, you have
an army of four hundred thousand men who are fit for
anything. Where a British officer leads, you will 4111 C

BRAZIL.—The ship Seraphina, which arrived at this
port on Wednesday evening, has brought advices from
Pernambuco to the 29th of January, from Bahia to the
23d, and from Rio de Janeiro to the 15th. There existed
some consternation amongst the foreign residents at
Bahia, in consequence of rumoured threats of Her Majes-
ty's steamer Cormorant to take from the anchorage four
Portuguese vessels suspected to be for the stave trade, the
President determinedly refusing to give them up, and
having ordered the forts to be put in residence to resist
such an attempt, besides making other preparations. Two
Brazilian war steamers, the Affonso and Recipe, had ar-
rived from Rio, and another was hourly expected. The
object of their appearance was supposed to be in some way
connected with the English steamer Cormorant's pro-
ceedings. The advices from Rio state that the Southamp-
ton frigate, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Reynolds,
was about to sail for Bahia, and that according to report
several of the vessels under his command had been des-
patched thither. The ship Columbus arrived on Sunday
with accounts from Pernambuco of the 6th of February.
The Royal-mail Teviot arrived at Pernambuco at six
o'clock a.m. on the 2d tilt., in 23 days from Southampton.
and left the same day at noon for Bahia. The Teviot
accounts had little influence on the markets. Cotton and
sugar would probably decline a little. The latter article
had been purchased extensively previous to the receipt of
the steamer's accounts. Cotton sold during the week
ending February the Ist, at 7,300 reis to 7,400 reis, but
7,500 reis had since been paid. Hides were freely offered
at 127 reis. Freights had an upward tendency, vessels
having become less plentiful. Cotton to Liverpool was
taken at Id. to id., and sugar to the United Kingdom 655.
to 60s. In exchange business to a large amount had
been done at 30d., and in some instances 301 d. had been
given for ready cash.

METAIRIE V. WISEMAN.
This motion, which has already been twice before the
court, but adjourned, came on to-day.
. Mr. Bethell (with Mr. Kinglake) said, he appeared for
a person named Julie Metairie, the plaintiff. The de-
fendants were Cardinal_Wiseman, who was only a defen-
dant in his official character, John Athanasius Cooke, the
Very Rev. Mr. Norris, and Mr. Cox ; and the object of
the application was to restrain Cooke, Norris. and Cox
from dealing with or transferring a sum of £7,C00. Three-
and-a-Quarter per cent. Annuities, and from receiving
any future dividends. This sum of stock was made the
subject of a deed of gift obtained from a dying man under
the influence of his spiritual director. Some years since
the legislature in its wisdom passed an act putting gifts to
Roman Catholic charities on the same footing as gifts to
Protestant dissenters ; but before that period they were
not regarded as valid, and the good sense of the parties
was'enough to induce them to abandon them. Now, it
appeared, they felt greater confidence arising from some
cause or another, and they thought that this gift made by
a dying man could be supported. He should, however,
not mention any farther Cardi 301 Wiseman's name, as he
was only a formal party. The defendants were John
Athanasius Cooke, a gentleman at the equity bar, well
Conversant with the practice of our law, and he was the'
gentleman employed to prepare the deeds, and is a trus-
tee. This gentleman descended to menial offices in pre-
paring the deeds ; he saw to the engrossment ; he paid
for the stamps, and fulfilled all the duties of counsel, soli-
citor, and law-stationer. Mr. Holdstock, the priest, and
Mr. Norris, and Mr. Cooke, were the trustees. Mr. Ha-
milton was a legatee under, the will, the other defendants
were the next of kin of the testator. The outline of the
case was as follows : he should give little that was not
confessed in the brief. More than fifty years ago, in 1797,
Methurin Carte, a native of France, came to live in Eng-
land, being then very poor, hut he gained a subsistence by
teaching languages in London. During the last eiehteen
years of .his life he lived in the same house with the
mother of Matthew Hamilton, one of the defendants to
this suit. from whom be rented two small apartments on
the second floor. The house was situate in Clialton-street,
Somers-town ; and his two rooms were fitted up with a
press-bed and a few other cheap: articles of furniture
belonging to himself. M. Carte was a man of great
vigour and industry, and by extraordinary exertions in his
calling, and by very rigid parsimony, he gradually amassed
two sums of £7,000 and £3.000 stock, and invested his
savings in the public funds of Great Britain. He attained
the age of seventy-seven years in January, 1847, when he
-till retained his strength and vigour. lie was possessscd
of two sums of £7,000 and £3,000 bank annuities, and
1,500 francs in a French batik. He possessed one pecu-
liarity not usual with his countrymen-7a rooted aversion

to women—a matter of importance when the gift is to a
female school. He always hoped to go beck to Labelle,

. .
where his friends had resided, On the 26th of' February,
1847, be became in a weak state of health, and at the sug-
gestion of Mr. Hamilton. a medical practitioner, named
Gasquet, who was of the Roman Catholic persuasion, was
called in, and attended him in his apartment on the 27th
of February, 1847. Mr. Gasquet observed that M. Carre
was suffering from weakness, and that he would be most
henefitted by nutritious food, but lie feared " the poor
creature" had not the means to supply himself with
the comforts his state requited; and Mr. Gasquet was
then going away when Mr. Hamilton stopped him and
said that M. Cane had ample means for all that might
be required, for, in fact, he had property to the amount
of £lO,OOO. Mr. Gasquet appeared surprised, and asked
whether he had any relatives in this country, upon which
Mr. Hamilton told him that M. Cane had no relation in
England, hut be had a sister and other relations living in
France. Mr. Gasquet shortly after quitting M. Carre's
house, had an interview with the defendant, J. Holdstoek,
a Roman Catholic priest, of a chapel in Clarendon-square,
Somers-town, and informed him that at the house of Mr.
Hamilton there was an aged French Roman Catholic in a
dying or sinking state, and that he was said to have pro-
perty to the amount of £lO,OOO. On the following day
the said James Holdstock called at Mr. Hamilton's, and
said he wanted to see M. Cane, and must see him alone,
and while he was alone with M. Cane. there was no evi-
dence to show what had taken place, but it was said that
Carre of himself proposed to giye the larger part of his
property to the charity. It was represented that his in-
tention was reduced to writing, hut that the paper had
not been preserved. The priest then sent one of his con-
gregation, Mr. Cooke, who represents himself as being a
convert to the Romish religion in 1837, and that he car-
ried the paper away with him. Cooke then, without. the
intervention of a solicitor, drew a will, and returned on
Monday, the Ist of March, and the priest, James Hold-
s'ock, and John At hanasius Cooke, called together upon
M. Carre, bringing with them a will ready engrossed.
While the priest and J. A. Cooke were with M. Cane,
two women, who lived in the same house with the priest,
called by his direction in order that they might witness
the will, but they were then sent away, when it was pro-
posed instead of a will a deed should be prepared, so as
to save the legacy duty of £7OO. On Thursday the 4th
March the deed and will were ready prepared, and a Miss
Clark and a Mr. Hay, a former clerk in Wright's house,
came to the door. M. Clare was then worse, and he de-
sired that they should not be admitted. Some altercation
took Place, but eventually the priest went up to ni. Carte,
who admitted he bad prohibited them. Some conversa-
tion then took place, and atter some time the priest in-
duced the sinking man to consent. At this time Mr.
Brown came in, and as to what took place there was a
different complexion given by the evidence; the old man
was unwilling to proceed with the business; he desired to
, be left alone, when the priest interieted, speaking to him

in French. Cooke then read the will through; he was
desirous to leave the room, but the priest commanded
him to stay. The priest then propped the old man up,
and held his fingers, as he affixed his signature, and all
this took place between five and seven o'clock. Among
the documents signed was a power of attorney to enable
Cooke lo get the fund. The old man wished to have the
documents left with him ; that was refused. Miss. Clark
then attested the deed, and with considerable dexterity
Mr. Brown, who happened to be in the house, was made
to be thy' other witness. Cooke then took away the
deeds. The power of attorney was left at the Bank, on
Saturday the transfer was made, and on Saturday M.
Carre died. It appeared that the priest never visited him
again, so that he died unabsolved, uneonfessed, without
those consolations of his religion which were the price for
which he had given up his property.

THURSDAY

Mr. Bethel! resumed his address in this case, but did
not conclude it before the rising of the court. He stated
that the relatives of the deceased had come five times to
England to see after the property, but that Mr. Cooke
had not told them of the deed ! He also showed that,
with a view to the like evasion, a payment of the dividends
on the £7,000 stock, prior to the deed of gift, had been
entered by Mr. Cooke as a sum of money received from
Dr. Griffiths, as a debt due to the testator, in order, no
doubt, to avoid disclosing the existence of a £7,000 stock.
A witness for the defendant corroborated the witnesses
for the plaintiff that after signing the deed of gift. Carre
was told by Cooke that the property would remain the
same ; that it could not be touched till his death, and that
he might " alter it at any time lie liked." Miss Clarke,
another witness for the defendant, also corroborated the
evidence on the other side as to the priest insisting on
Cooke going on with the affair, though Carre begged not
to be troubled ; and as to his standing over the old man
while he signed the deed.
It appeared that M. Carre was a man somewhat in-
different about religion, and t hat on the occasion, when
the -priest and Cook, who were accompanied by Hay and
a Miss Clark. called on the deceased with the deeds, on
Hamilton saying that M. Carre was too ill to see any one
that day, the Priest grew violently angry, and fiercely
cried out, " 'Tis a lie," and, pushing past him, rushed up
stairs to the bedroom. The Priest also to ked to i4I. Carre
in a foreign tongue and in an overbearing tone, and he
(Hamilton) was sure he was pressing M. Carte to do some
act which he was reluctant to do. M. Carte was a man
quite ignorant of business; and it was Hamilton's im-
pression, as he believed it to be also M. Cart e's own, that
the three documents which M. Carte signed were a will
in two parts and a power of attorney, authorising him
(Hamilton) to receive the dividends which Mr. Carle had
previously arranged he was to do; neither a Mr. Brown,
who was present, nor he suspecting that M. Carle had
done anything to put his property out of his power or
limit its control. It also appeared from the affidavit that
the deed gave £5O to the Priest to pray the testator's soul
out of purgatory. and that after the deeds had been signed,
it having been M. Carre's intention that Hamilton should
have the money and goods that.were in the house, and that
he should be his executor and draw the dividends. M.
Carte expressed much indignation at this not having been
done in the will, and that there was no power of attorney
in Mr. Hamilton's favour. After the other parties had
left, carrying the deeds with them. M. Carte said to Ham-
ilton and Brown, "All they wanted was to rob me of my
money; they have done just as they liked, contrary to my
will, but I will make a new will." He said he would give
Hamilton £5OO, and the January dividends and the next
April dividends, and make a new will. On the Saturday,
the £7,000 was transferred by Cook about three o'clock,
at which hour M. Carte died. Then followed an affidavit
by Mr. Brown, which was in similar terms to that of Mr.
Hamilton, and the case was again adjourned.
On Friday morning, Mr. Bethell resumed his argument.
The learned gentleman was occupied the entire day, up to
the rising of the Court, reading aid commenting upon
the voluminous affidavits in the case, contending that the
deed and will were invalid, and had been obtakel from
the deceased under fraudulent circumstances. As on the
previous days, the Court was crowded with members of
the bar and strangers, anxious to hear the arguments and
ascertain the result.
On Saturday, Mr. Bethel' continued his statement, and
the case was again adjourned.

A CORNISH MINING SPECITLATION.—In the Court of
Exchequer, on Saturday, an action was brought to recover
£2OO on a bill of exchange. The plaintiff, named Har-
vey. is a mine assayer at Truro, in Cornwall; and the de-
fendant, Mr. Towers, is the landlord of the Angel Hotel,
in this town. It appeared that, a person named Bellew, a
brother-in-law of the plaintiff's, bad gone to the Queen's
Hotel, in Manchester, of which the defendant is also the
occupier, and representing to him that there was a capital
speculation, the working of a tin mine, in Cornwall, in-
duced him to take 100 shares, of £4 each, in the El
Dorado, Bills having been granted for the money, the
defendant some time afterwards visited Cornwall, to look
at the property. He discovered then that the mine was
noj at work, but six men were certainly at work, as he
found. to his cost, when summoned for their wages in the
County Court. It appeared that the mine was valueless,
and that four previous attempts to work it bed proved
failures. Amongst the witnessea pn the trial was Mr.
Baby, a stock jobberiu this town ;Anil it appeared, from
the cross-examination, that be hadibeen engaged in dis-
posing of the,shares in Pelles's:mhlipg scheme. Il@ ad.