The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-09-16 00:00:00

THE ROCK FERRY MURDER.-APPREHEN-
SION OF THE SUPPOSED MURDERER.

Our readers will doubtless recollect the circumstances
attending a most cold-blooded murder perpetrated o❑ an
am;ahie young man, named Thomas Peacop, who resided
at New Ferry, was a partner in the house of Messrs.
Golding and Co., corn merchants, of this town, and the
manager of their concern at Rock Ferry. The deceased
was on his way home on the last evening of 1844, about
ten o'clock, having closed the concern, and was proceed-
ing along the turnpike road towards New Ferry, when he
was attacked by three ruffians, who knocked bin., down
and beat him in so dreadlnl a manner as to produce a
fracture of the base of the skull, from the effects of
which be lingered until the 4►h, when he died. The same
night a commercial traveller. Mr. J. F. Keyzar, who
lived near the deceased, was on his way home and he
came up at the time the parties were engaged in the at-
tack. lie interfered, and received a blow on the head
with a bludgeon, which rendered him insensible for a
short time but he recovered, and with difficulty walked
home.

From that time until within the last few days not the
slightest clue could be obtained as to who the parties
were, although a reward of XlOO was offered for the off-
enders ntd a free pardon to any except the actual person
who stuck the blow.

The circumstances which led to the apprehension of the
persons in custody are, we understand, as follow :—A let-
ter was received by Mr. IL Boughey, governor of the
Birkenhead Bridewell, from a person named Michael
Burns, then residing in Dahlia, in consequence of which
that person was brought to Birkenhead, on Sunday morn-
ing, when he ma& a confession to Wm. Jackson, Esq..
which induced the apprehension of three other parties.
Ys teal :y morning, early, Mr. G. Palmer, special high
constable, and Mr. M`Harg, superintendent of the Bir-
kenhead police force, proceeded to the Rock. lane, and
apprehended a person named Patrick Lynch, who was at
work laying pipes for the Gas Co.. when pounced upon by
those active officers, he was about swinging an immense
shell at the head of Mr. M` Here, which, if the intention
had been suffered to be carried into effect would doubtless
have ::roducA fatal injury. Another person, named
William Nowlan, was apprehended by Mr. Robert
Boughey, at the Water Works, near Ovton about half-
past six o'clock, and a third, named Patrick' Lynch, was
apprehended about the same time by Mr. R. Newton, and
Mr. Tivy, constables of Behbington. In the house of
Lynch was found a heel stick, about two feet long, en-
cased at one end with a very thick coating of lead, ren-
dering it a most desperate weapon.
The parties were all lodged in separate cells in the
briclewell ; and half-past twelve was fixed upon for their
appearance before the magistrates. We must here ob-
serve. in justice to the officers engaged, that their activity
and dexterity in apprehending so desperate looking a set
of persons, is deserving of the highest commendation.
Before the hour for their examination arrived, the Pa-
lice court was crowded to excess, and a large assembly
were obliged to wait the result outside.
The maeistrates on the bench were the Rev. R. M.
Fiellen, Wm. Jackson and Wm. Poitar, Esqrs.
After some consoltetion on the bench, Patrick Tallant,
Robert Lynch, and William Nowlan, were placed at the
bar. All these had worked at the Gas Works, but when
taken the first mentioned was working at Mr. Pine's
brickfield, at New Ferry.

Mr. Townsend, clerk to the magistrates, addressing the
prisoners, said—" you are charged with having been con-
cerned with the highway rohb-ry and murder of Mr.
Thomas Peacop, on the 31st of December last."
The, prisoners appeared for the moment a little con-
fused. At length Lynch said—" not guilty," and then
the same observation was made by the other two.
The Rev. Mr. Fielden.—There is another prisoner, let
him be brought up.
Michael Burns was then placed at the bar.
The Rev. Gentleman then said, there was a charge
against the prisoners of highway robbery, which, unfortu-
nately, e!:ded in murder, and the bench considered there
was that evidence before them which they considered suf-
ficient to remand them upon. It appeared, however, in
the house of the pt ironer, such a weapon was found which
no person who pursued honest courses was in the habit of

using.
Lynel

is a weapon which I was in the habit of
using when watching at nights the Gas Works.
The magistrates, however, cautioned him as to making
any statement at present, and ordered the prisoners to he
remanded until to-morrow (Wednesday), at half past 12
o'clock.

The Great Britain brought a large c;,rgo of goods for a
steam-ship, hut we have not ascertained the precise ton-
nage. She commenced discharging soon after landing her
passengers. We learn that a highly complimentary letter
has been presented to Captain I losken, from the passen-
gers, thanking him for his kindness and attention to them
dining the passage,and bearing testimony to his undoubted
high qualifications as a commander.

EASTHAM REGATTA—SECOND DAY.—On Saturday,
the yachts, named elsewhere, sailed, at two o'clock, from
Eastham, for the Hooton Cup, value 20 guineas. The
course was from Eastham to the Floating Coal Depot,
near New Brighton, and back ; and, after this, the same
course repeated. The wind was from the southward,
blowing rather brisk;y. The Hebe, the first time down,
was foremost in rounding the depot, and got away cleverly.
The others came quickly round in succession, but, owing
to the wind and tide, got all jammed together, between
shore.tut t h
eTi‘h eie
rilml earind7 iidh
he
coat t
tfitig.s thpa:v
thetb the dGeepthii t
following,and t the
e
gotay
ashore. Various interesting positions took place in the
second time round, and the sailing between three of the
yachts coming down, all close together, was beautiful.
They got up to Eastham—Hebe first, and Gem second.
The fishing boats went the same course, for the prize of
£3, which was won by the Jane.
EASY AND ELEGANT BOOTS.—we can with pleasure
bear our testimony to the system of bootmaking adopted
by Mr. Leary,o T 1
of .rke-street, whose advertisement ap-
peat sin our columns. We have tried the boots which he
makes on his improved plan • and they defy the encroach-
ments of those plagues to pedestrianism—corns—and this
without trenching upon the elegance of form which fasti-
dious wearers study to preserve.
WRITING, BOOKICERPING, &c.—We have frequently
taken occasion to speak favourably of Mr. Thompson's
effective mode of communicating instruction in wilting,
bookkeeping, &c. ; and, in again directing attention to
the same subject, we feel that we can, with the confidence
which the long familiarity with that gentleman's admir-
able system induces, recommend the advertisement in-
serted elsewhere to the serious consideration of those who
must inevitably suffer, in an active commercial community
like ours, from a deficiency in the all-important requisites
taught by Mr. Thompson.--See ads.