The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-09-26 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

COMMITMENT.—At the police-court, yesterday, Ellen
Langley was charged with having, on Saturday night, in
a public-house in Argyle-street, robbed a man named
Devereux, of £1.195. She was committed for trial.
POCKET PICKING.—During a small fire in Whitechapel
early yesterday morning, Thomas Rees, Thomas Thomas,
and James Morley, all youths, were observed by police
officers busy in the crowd attempting to pick pockets.
They were apprehended; were yesterday brought before
Mr. Rushton, and were committed to gaol for two months.
" HAnn Up."—A man was yesterday charged before
Mr. Rushton with endeavouring to obtain from another
the sum of 14d. for the delivery of a letter, which he stated
was from a gentleman known to the complainant, to whom
it was addressed. The latter opened the letter, and found
it to be blank paper. The prisoner on being asked what
he had to say, said he wanted to raise a little moneyas
he was " hard up."
On Wednesday, Robert Thompson, a licensed marine-
store dealer, was sent to gaol for two months, for encourag-
ing theft. He was proved to have bought from five little
boys a quantity of lead, at one-fortieth its value. Mr.
Rushton also ordered hiP license to be revoked.

A MODERATE REQUEST.—AII Irishman, who was
brought up at the police court last week, and fined for an
assault, requested the magistrate to reprimand him till
the morning, and he would prove his innocence—an office
which his worship was too happy to decline.
EMBEZZLEMENT.—At the Birkenhead Police-court, on
Monday, a decent looking young man, bearing the some-
what ominous name of James Swindles, was committed
for trial, charged with having embezzled sums of money
at sundry times, the property of Joseph Finney, a bread-
baker, residing at Rock Ferry.
A POLICEMAN AT FAULT.—A policeman, No. 606, was
detected on Monday morning, by Mr. Walthew, of Low-
hill, in the act of robbing a pear tree in his garden of some
splendid fruit. The man was suspended by Mr. Dowling,
and appealing to the Watch Committee, of which Mr.
Walthew is a member, was discharged the force.
BREAKING INTO OFFICES.—A young man named John
Johnson was yesterday charged at the police-court with
having stolen several articles from an office in Water-
street. An officer stated that a number of offices in that
street had recently been broken open and plundered of
various articles, amongst others the office of Messrs.
Kean and Co., from which two coats and other property
were abstracted. The prisoner was apprehended, and the
coat on his back was identified as one of those stolen.
Two pairs of boots were also found in the yard ready for
removal. He was committed for trial.

EMBEZZLEMENT.—On Tuesday George Prior Steains,
lately collector of poor-rates for Great George and Pitt-
street Wards, was brought before the magistrates, charged
with embezzling the moneys of the parish. On the 23rd
of October, Messrs. R. and J. Sharp, of Kent-street,
paid £5O 17s. 6d., which the prisoner received, and gave
a receipt for; and instead of accounting for the whole
sum, he accounted for £25 Bs. 9. only. The prisoner
was remanded. On Thursday a number of other cases
were proved against the prisoner, and he was committed.
DISREPUTABLE PRACTICES AT THE POLICE-COURT.—
On Friday, Mr. Rushton called the attention of ,Mr.
Davenport and Mr. Owen, solicitors, to a part of the re-
port of Mr. Hill, the inspector of prisons, which stated
that the Liverpool Police-court was frequented by cads for
low attorneys, who got cases to defend prisoners for their
employers, and wrote orders of admission to see prisoners
in gaol, eharging heavily for work generally neglected.
Both of the professional gentlemen stated they had reason
to complain of the practice referred to., and Mr. Rushton
announced he would mention it to the magistrates, that it
might be effectually put down.
SCANDAL THROUGH JEALOUSY.-011 Wednesday, a
genteel-looking young person, who answered to the name
of Mary Ann Floyd, appeared before the magistrates to
make a complaint against Mrs. Leigh, of Alfred-street,
Toxteth-park. Miss Floyd, it appeared, is a teacher of
languages and a teacher of music, and lodged at Mrs.
Leigh's house. Another lodger, Mr. Smith, and she, be-
came lovers. Owing, it was suggested, to the neglect by
Mr. Smith of Mrs. Leigh's sister, to whom• some atten-
tion had been previously shown, Mrs. Leigh insinuated
that the intimacy between Miss Floyd and Mr. Smith was
of an improper character, and even went so far as to make
such representations to the various employers of Miss
Floyd. She went much further afterwards, and threatened
personal violence to the complainant. Mr. Rushton in-
quired if Mrs. Leigh was married, and was replied to in
the affirmative. He advised her to send for her husband,
as he would require him to give security for her future
good behaviour; he should take care such conduct.should
not be repeated.

The inhabitants of Birkenhead should be on the watch,
as several attempt Cat burglary have recently been made
there. _ _ _

LIVERPOOL SCULPTORS4—The name of John Gibson is
irrevocably connected with the town of Liverpool. That
name is now known in- every civilized country, end we
think it will be admitted that he is the first of living
sculptors. We are glad to perceive that another Liverpool
man is likely to rise to the highest eminence in his pro-
fession, and although years must elapse before he can at-
tain to the elevation of Gibson, it is clear that, by perse-
verance, he will in time- take a first rank, if we are to
judge-by his first important work. The exhibition-rooms,
in Church-street, now contain two splendid statues—the
" Aurora," by Gibson, which is the property of Henry
Sandbach, Esq. ; and " Lavinia," by Benjamin Spence,
the property of Samuel Holme, Esq. These beautiful
productions of the chisel stand in the long vestibule, and
while the visitor is delighted with the airy grace of
" Aurora," who seems as if she scarceiy touched the earth,
he is equally charmed with.the simple peasant-like grace
of " Lavinia," whose downcast eyes and most beautiful
features are strikingly impressive. Mr. Spence is the-son
of Mr. Wm. Spence, of this town • and several gentlemen
having been struck with his-modelling, advised him tee go
to Rome to pursue his studies. His figures of the chil-
dren of Mr. Arthur Holme having attracted the attention
of his brother, Mr. Samueldlolme, that gentleman gave
him a commission, and the statue of " Lavinia" is the re-
sult. Criticism might be disarmed, from the circumstance
of its being Mr. Spence's first work, but it has been-suc-
cessfully exhibited at the National Gallery in London,
and was-universally admired. The Earl of Yarborough
was so charmed with the " Lavinia," that he has given
the young artist a commission. It gives us much pleasure
to notice a rising young man who is a native of Liverpool,
and we wish him all possible success. " Lavinia"' was
sculptured in Rome, and we are glad to record that Mr.
Spence has received every kindness from Mr. Gibson
during his adjourn in the " eternal city."—Liverpool
Courier. [We willingly give insertion to the foregoing
handsome recognition of our young townsman's talents;
and we hope that his future career will be as :Jrilliant as
its dawn is promising. At the same time, it would be
illiberal to omit honourable mention of other local-sculp-
tors—men of fine talents and modest bearing,—Messrs.
M'Bride, Jackson, Smith, and others, who have produced
works of no ordinary interest and talent. Mr. Mcßride,
for instance, has achieved a high metropolitan name by
his historical group, "-Margaret of Anjou and her son
after the battle of Hexham," to which the fastidious
Athenceum paid an eloquent tribute when it appeared at
Westminster-hall. The studio of the same artist pre-
sents, at present, another historical group, which cannot
fail to elicit admiration, when it is finished. With the
works of the other artists we have named, the frequenters
of the Liverpool Academy are well acquainted.]
Chronicle.

CAPTURE OF Two BURGLARS.—Soon after the exami-
nation which took place before the magistrates, at Witham,
Essex, of A. Patten, the elder, and A, Patten, the
younger (uncle and nephew), Mr. Corder rode to Ford-
ham, and succeeded in obtaining possession of a letter
which had been received that very morning from William
Payne, one of the parties suspected. The letter bore the
Liverpool post mark of Sept. 10th, was signed in the
feigned name of " Wm. Plail," and contained what Cor-
der believed to be a clear clue to Payne and another party,
who was not named, but only referred to in the letter,
but which he had no doubt was Thomas Whittaker, who
had absconded some time previously from his home in the
Colne road. The writer expressed a particular wish that
the party to whom the letter was addressed would see his
uncle as soon as possible, and tell him to send word whe-
ther there had been any of the Coggeshall party after
them. Mr. Corder, on his return to Witham, lost no
time in preparing an information and warrant, which were
not, however, signed until eleven o'clock at night, because
no magistrate could be found before that hour. This
being done, police-constable Livermore started off by
the mail train, which leaves Witham at thirteen
minutes before three o'clock in the morning, on his
route to Liverpool. Mr. Corder also wrote by the
same night's post to Mr. Dowling, the police commie-
-Isiorrer-at--Liverpool, givirm-VArn inforynatiorruf the IV;
tives, the feigned name which one of them had assumed,
and the name of the very ship, the Colonist, in which he
believed they had taken a passage for New York. Liver-
more arrived in Liverpool on Wednesday afternoon, and
having ascertained that the Colonist had left the dock, and
had proceeded down the river, outward bound, accompa-
nied by Wiiliam Gardener and John Toole, two of the
detective police force of Liverpool, and whom on his ar-
rival he found quite ready to render him every aid, he
took a boat and proceeded down the river. They over-
took the vessel about four miles from the pierhead, where
she was lying to, off Black Rock, waiting for the next
tide to carry her out to sea. On boarding her, almost the
first person the officers saw was Payne, and having se-
cured him they next found and apprehended Whittaker.
On the robbery of the wine at Mr. Charles Skingley's
being mentioned, Payne remarked, " Very well, I am
satisfied I am clear of that," placing a particular em-
phasis on the word " that." Whitaker was very taciturn
and dejected, but Payne seemed not much depressed.
They were conveyed on Thursday to Witham, where they
were committed for further examination. Some papers
were found on one of the prisoners, which may prove
an important clue to the retreat of another of the gang
still at large. It appears that Whitaker and Payne had
taken their passage to New York, and with a fair wind
would in a few hours' time have been fairly on their voyage
to the United States. It is a remarkable fact, and shows
the vast facilities afforded by railway communication, that
Mr. Corder was, on Tuesday evening, between six and
seven o'clock, at the retired village of Fordham, near
Halstead, ferreting out the information upon which Payne
and Whitaker were, at precisely the same hour the next
evening, apprehended at Liverpool, a distance, we believe,
of nearly 300 miles. Whitaker and Payne are both sup-
posed to be implicated in the fire and robbery which took
place at Mr. Skingley's a considerable time since. Whit-
aker, it appears, made an assignment of his property
before he absconded. On Wednesday last, the prisoners
French and Tansley, charged as principal and accessary
in several of the burglaries in the neighbourhood of
Coggeshall, were re-examined at the county gaol. Other
prisoners, apprehended since the previous examination of
French, were also brought up, one of them being impli-
cated in the burglary in the house of W. Ham, at Brad-
well next Coggeshall, for which Wade was tried at the
la3t maim. 111 the accused were committee for

THE DEPRECIATION IN RAILWAY SHARES.

" What is the matter with the railways ?" has been the
exclamation of everybody who, during the past fortnight,
has taken up a share-list or a newspaper. Down, down,
down every day, until, " non vi, sed scepe cadendo,"
unfortunate shareholders were beginning to fear that their
property was about to disappear altogether—locomotives,
carriages, tunnels and all. It is not the new schemes,
either, which have suffered so fearful a collapse, but the
old and dividend-paying lines—the property of the Hud-
sons and other kings of the rail—undertakings in which
are invested the savings of many a toilsome life, and whose
prosperity forms the only dependence of thousands of
families. How is this ? we ask ourselves ; and we are at
a loss for a reply.
Unfounded panic, we should imagine, it cannot be which
brought down our London and North-Western shares to
£lO5 to £lO7 ; Midlands to £81; Manchester, Sheffield,
and Lincolnshire to £4B ; and other similar lines to a like
depreciation. Neither is it in the power of all the
" bears" which the Stock Exchange could furnish to
create such a result. There must be substantial ground
somewhere for so rapid and so'fearful a decline; and we
imagine that it must arise from a suspicion on the part of
the public that some of these giant concerns have over-
estimated their strength, and made improvident purchases
and guarantees. Branch lines may be turning out dear;
preference shares may interfere with the dividends upon
old shares ; and ten per cent. guarantees are inconvenient
things. In addition to the influence of such impressions
upon the public mind, it may be that tradespeople, mer-
chants, manufacturers, and others, are feeling that their
spare capital would fructify quite as well if employed in
their respective businesses ; that, in fact, its amount has
been over-estimated, and that some people have been
considering themselves A 1 at their bankers' rather too
soon.

We feel confidence, however, that alarm on the subject
of the soundness of concerns such as those which have
suffered the greatest depreciation, is a little silly. They
may not just now be in a position to pay the same large
dividends which they have been in the habit of doing,
partly because their nett earnings have to be spread over
a larger capital. Their traffic may not be so much per
mile as before, because they have had added to them new
miles—branches and extensions—the traffic of which is
not as yet fully developed. They have had to add to
their stock of carriages, locomotives, &c. ; to. improve
their stations, and provide increased accommodation for
the public. But all this will come round in a very short
time, and we shall again see railways amongst the most
favoured investments of the country.
By the bye, when people give us statistics of the de-
cline from the highest point to the lowest, they omit the
most important consideration that the high price included,
and indeed was grounded upon, the right of the holders
of original shares to allotments of half shares, quarters,
&e, or to a participation in new schemes, all of which
were, at the time they were brought forward, eagerly
taken up at premiums.