The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-04-07 00:00:00

In consequence of suspicions that subsequently arose, a
1)011m-officer went to the now ;:f the prisoner at Abraham,

near Leigh, on the 7th of I.lli,
the morn;o2.. The officer w.
and found in a writing desk
cloth. Mr. Barton. !!.1, Prosecw,

last, at an early hour in
Amitted by Edwin Lucas,
luitntity of tail-ends of silk
wris xvith Idea, and said,

ih prisoner's hearing, that thcv xverc his property.
said some of them had been filen! for some time—some as
long as two years. Mr. Barton asked if they chose to say
where they got them from, and the younger brother said he
did not think that a proper question,—he'd answer it at
another time. The officer afterv:3ids went to another house.
a quarter of a mile off, which was held by the prisoners, and
there found seven pieces of black silk handkerchiefs. A
to was in 0--

Prisoner

re house. As one officer was leaving with
them in a parcel, another, having in charge the two prisoners
came up and, on seeing him carrying something, said to the
woman, " Did you tell them where you had them from."
She said, " I told them from you," and he replied, " that's
right. —[Our subsequent account of the case is condensed
from such part of the statement of the learned counsel as
was proved, and the evidence subsequently adduced, and uri-
contradicted.]—On the Ist of March, a police-officer went
to Mr. Lewis's warehouse, Church-street, Manchester, and
received seven pieces of silk, which were produced. On the
2d of the same month, another received three pieces, also
produced. A dyer named Walinsley went in April last year
to the prisoners at Abraham. and was employed by them to
rectify some silk that was unfinished. He being out of work
was asked to stay with them, and then dyed 30 or 40Ib weight
of silk, warp and weft—all black. Between and the October
following, he dyed 6001 b weight of silk weft—black. He saw
a quantity of other silk—black orgazine. There were several
lots of the same :shade, and he remarked that it was well
dyed to hit it. He saw no manufactured-coloured silk, nor
did the prisoners tell him while he was there that they had
taken another house. He left them in January.
The witness, on cross-examination, said that he slept in the
house with Nathan, the younger prisoner; that he was there
during the whole of Whitsun week ; that they generally went
to bed together about 10 o'clock, and that on no occasion
during that week 'did he miss the prisoner when he awoke,
or in the morning.
A good deal of ,evidence was gone into in order to prove
that on the night of the robbery the prisoner Nathaniel was
(with a companion) at a public-house at Barton-on-Irwell—
was there with a Spring cart, and something in it ; also that
he had been at Tilsley on the following morning, on the way
(though circuitous) from Manchester to Leigh with some
sort of cart—but this was by no means distinctly proved.
Mr. Barton then proved, • -by corresponding patterns,
tabs and otherwise, that the goods produced were his pro-
perty. His warehouse-keeper corroborated him ; spoke
solely to the warp of the manufactured goods and the sel-
vages. The silk handkerchiefs they could not swear to.
Other weft had, it appeared, been used in making them into
cloth.

It was admitted by the prosecutor that a great number o f
pieces of silk similar to that produced had been sold by him,
but the pattern and style were uncommon.
Mr. WILKINs addressed the jury in behalf of the priso-
ners in a most able manner, availing himself of every point
he could possibly, seize in behalf of his clients, and urging
that there was no proof against either as to the robbery, and
. .

that at the most the evidence could only bear out a charge o
receiving.

The JUDGE stated the case in a very clear manner, recapi-
tulating every particular point of evidence.
The jury retired for about an hour, and on their return gave
a verdict of guilty of the robbery against Edwin Lucas, and
not guilty as regarded Nathaniel.
Some respectable witnesses were brought forward, who gave
the convicted prisoner a good character over a number of
years, as being respectable and respected in the neighbour-
hood, and, as a master, a friend to the poor: After the last

. ,
witness to this effect was heard (some postponement having
taken place owing to his absence), Mr. Hutton, the junior
counsel—in the absence of his senior, and also f Mr. Wil-

kins, stated to his lordship that a police-officer of Manches
ter could say something on this point. His lordship as
sented ; and the officer beim); called, be stated, in a some.
what eager manner, that be had seen the prisoner during tho

last two years in the company of persons in Manchester who
he knew to be thieves, and in houses to which they resorte,

We do not remember to have heard before this sort of e

deuce brought forward, in contradiction to those on charac-
ter, particularly in the absence of the prisoner's counsel, who
might other wise have questioned its authenticity, and, per-
haps, disproved it. As it was, it added to the prisoner's
sentence by perhaps some years of suffering beyond the seas.
His LORDSHIP said that the prisoner had been found guilty
of a heinous offence • that he had, it appeared, borne a good
character, but that from what he had just heard, be had for-
feited that latterly, and the sentence of the court was that he

should be transported for fifieen years.
The prisoners appeared to be rather genteel and good-look-
ing men. The younger was discharged. The elder, when he

heard the sentence, appeared to be disposed to say somett
but failing, he was taken down from the dock.

MISDEMEANOUR,

James Partington, aged 50, who had pleaded not guilty to
an indictment charging him with having, at Bolton, put off a
forged order to one John Makin, by means of which he ob-
tained a considerable sum of money, withdrew his former
plea, and pleaded guilty. It appeared that he had been led

to the commission of the offence by another prisoner named
Horrocks. He had been imprisoned since the 10th of Fe-
bruary. His LORDSHIP, therefore, sentenced him to four
months' imprisonment and hard labour.

BURGLARY

Win. Wood, aged 39, was charged with having, at Ashton-
under-Lyne, broken and entered into the dwelling-house of
John Morris, and stolen therein four sovereigns and other
moneys and goods.
The prisoner was acquitted.

UTTERING A FORGED NOTE

Joseph Royle, 52, was indicted for having, at Manchester,
uttered a forged note, purporting to be one of the notes of the
Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Company for the
payment of £5, with intent to defraud William Birchall—
also with uttering another forged note to Isaac Staley.
Tne prisoner, it appeared,. went to Birchall, who keeps the
Fleece Inn, and asked tbr change of the note, which was af-
terwards found to be bad. The other he uttered to Isaac
Staley, in payment for goods to the amount of about XI.
He said, on being told that it was bad, that he had received
it in Yorkshire, and would refund the money on the following
Saturday, but did not. On being apprehended, he said he
had received the note from a person named John Taylor, of
Buckstones, at an inn called " Aunt Sarah's." A man
named John Taylor, from a place three miles from Buck-
stones, was there, but did not know the prisoner. The pri-
soner had put his name on the note. He had, it appeared,
been in the habit of travelling the country selling cloths, and
also kept a provision shop. The superintendent of the Man-
chester police stated, on cross-examination, that a vast num-
ber of such notes had recently got into circulation in York-
shire and elsewhere, and that he had recently been on a trial
in which it was shown that one man had uttered them to the
amount of £lOOO. Mr. WiLictrts, who appeared for the
prisoner, said that the prisoner had taken the notes unwit- •
tingly, and had even put his name upon one of them.—The
prisoner was acquitted.

Cross-examined by Mr. JOSEPH POLLOCK.—It was quite
light when we went into the shop. (The witness here said
spontaneously, that when the prisoner mentioned arsenic she
looked in her face so as to know him again if anything hap-
pened.) She stopped at the door; she did not try to get
away, or show a desire for concealment.
Thomas Wollenden 'examined by Mr. WILKINS.—I am
apprentice to Mr. Howard. I remember about four o'clock
on the 12th November, two women came in. One asked for
arsenic, and referred to the other. I refused, as the witness
was too young. She said it was to poison vermin, and men-
tioned twitch-clocks. I believe she said the other lived with
her. He could not identify the witness nor the prisoner.
Mr. Davies, druggist, Travis-street, examined.—My shop
is about 200 yards from the house of the deceased. I had
known the prisoner. From ten to fourteen days before the
inquest prisoner came to the shop and asked me for some
arsenic. She did not ask for any particular quantity then.
1 asked what she wanted with it. She said to destroy mice.
I asked her if she did not keep a cat. She said no, she was
frightened of cats. I did not give it her, telling her I did not
sell it without a witness. She did not mention her husband.
I told her to fetch her husband. She went away. She came
:o the shop again that day with another person, Mrs. Dunn
"now present). She said she had brought her as a witness.
asked her if she (Mrs. D.) knew what prisoner wanted, and
;he (Mrs. D.) said it is all right, it is for the arsenic. Mrs.
unter asked rue how I sold it. I said Id. per ounce. She
said let me have two ounces. I let her have it. It was
wrapped up in two papers, in one parcel. I wrote upon it
poison" only. \V hile 1 was making it up, she said t sup-
mse there is as much there as would poison a person, and I
;aid yes, a dozen persons. I cautioned her not to let it come
n the way of children. It was not in a metallic state. By the
JUDGE.—No, it was in powder-,-arcenous acid. That is not
metallic. She said she would soon make use of it in oatmeal
balls and put it in the cupboard. 1 have sometimes admi-
nistered medicine to her children when they were poorly.
No one came to me on the 25th November to say that hun-
ter was ill.
Cross-examiined.—She made no mention of her husband.
I have not given a different account from what I now give.
She went away, as I inferred, to bring her husband. Arse-
nic is purchased for rats, mice, beetles, twitch-clocks, bugs,
&c., and is frequently sold for that purpose. On the 27th
November she came again to me, between seven and nine in
the evening, for some mustard. She seemed in great trouble.
I asked her what was the matter. She said her husband was
very ill. I asked her what was the matter with him. She
said she did not know, and that the doctor had ordered a
mustard bath for him. She did not mention a doctor's
name. To the best of my remembrance she did not mention
Dr. Harrison's name. I swear she did not.
Re-examined.—l never heard of deceased's illness till
Sunday night. I said nothing about porridge. I always re-
quire a witness in selling arsenic, or require them to bring
the colouring matter it is to be mixed with, and mix it with
it myself. By the JUDGE.—The prisoner was not intoxicated
when she got the arsenic.
Elizabeth Dunn.—llived at the time in 'Walton-street.
I remember the Friday on which John Hunter fell ill. On
Saturday before (the 19th) I saw the prisoner between six
and seven in the evening. She came to my house. She was
not in the habit of coming. She asked me to go an errand
for her,—to go to the pawnshop for her husband's clothes.
I went to comply with her request. She said she was sorry
I was so badly off, and had such a family to contend with.
She gave me twopennyworth of whiskey. We got to Davis's.
She had not before mentioned Davies. She said, how do
you sell that stuff, Mr. Davies, for we are very near +mewed
out of the house with twitch-clocks? She said her husband
had gone to her club,—the Odd Fellows. Mr. Davies took
the drawer out and asked how much would do, and she said
about two ounces. She asked the price ;he said Id. She
asked him if he would please to write on it what it was, and
he wrote on it " poison." She asked him to put it in two
papers, and he did. She asked, " Would this poison a per-
son." He said, " Yes, a dozen of people." We went
away and she gave me a pennyworth of beer. She said she
would come for me again. On the Monday morning follow-
ing she sent for me. I went and asked her then if that stuff
was of any service in destroying the twitch-clocks. She said,
" What stuff, my dear," and when • I told her she said, " I
lost it on Saturday night, when I parted from you."
Cross-examined.—l do not recollect saying when she
asked for the arsenic that it would be all right.
Elizabeth Bedford, a girl of eight years of age, was then
called. In reply to Mr. Wilkins, she said that God would
send her to the bad place if she told lies.
Cross-examined by Mr. Pollock.—l was Only toll to say
that this morning in the house. I was told so before by the
same person. (The witness appeared to be quite confused.)
I have seen the person since in the court, but I don't te,!
him now. He wore a jacket like a factory man. No other
person told me so before.
Re-examined.---I attend a Sunday school, and the clergy-
man -talks of God and Heaven. I - learn the catechism. A
lady tells us it is wicked to tell lies. A gentleman present,
whom I now see, told me it was wicked to tell lies. That
was when 1 went before the gentlemen (the grand jury.)
By the JUDGE.—What do you think will be done to you
if you take an oath, and then tell a lie ?—lf I told a lie I
believe I should go to hell. Hell is a place of torment.
She was then sworn, and placed on the table of the court.
She said in reply, •
I knew Mr. Hunter, and remember when he was taken ill.
It was on Friday night. I used to go there to nurse. Mr.
Hunter used to come home to his supper at six o'clock. I
had been there that day. I went at tan o'clock in the fore-
noon, and stopped till Mr. Hunter cause to his supper. I
took the children out before he came. Mrs. Hunter told me
to take them out. It was about half-past five. Mrs. Hunter
was then cleaning, Mrs. Hunter put their bonnets on. She
told me to take them and play with them. I took them to
the top of the street. She told me to bring them back about
seven o'clock. I stayed out till about half-past seven with
them. While I was out 1 met my sister Caroline, who took
the children from me. In about five minutes after I went to
Mr. Hunter's. I did not see him. ,I saw Mrs. Hunter.
Mr. Hunter was up stairs. I often went there to play and
nurse. There were two children. I have seen Mr. Hunter
eat his supper. He had it generally as soon as he came
home. lie had milk porridge, with a bit of meal in. When
he took it be had generally one child on his knee and the
other beside of him. He often gave them some of the por-
ridge. If the children were out at the time, their porridge
was put in the oven. Mrs. Hunter used to clean on a
Friday. She had sent me out before with the children when
she was cleaning; and she put their bonnets on. She was
generally cleaning before at three in the afternoon, and was
cleaning then, and sent them out again. They had not been
so long back that day when she sent them out again. When
I went out with them there was water to boil on the fire in
an iron pan that was used for porridge. The porridge was
made with a little water, and a little meal and milk. Mrs.
Hunter put the meal in the porridge when he came in. She
put it in with her hand. She had frequently sent me out
with the children after dark. I have before taken the
children out at supper-time. When they returned they had
their porridge, which their father gave them in basins.
Sarah Street sworn.—l am wife of a warehouseman. I
knew Hunter and his wife about three months before his
decease. I occasionally went to their house. On the even-
ing of the 25th November, I heard somebody vomiting in
that house. Soon after, the prisoner came for me—about
twenty minutes after I heard the vomiting. She said. " Will
you come in ? Mr. Hunter is very sick." I went, and found
him vomiting at the slop-stone. I asked had he the bowel
complaint? He complained of pain in his bowels, and said
his throat was very hot. He said he thought it was from
Cayenne pepper or snuff. I held his head. Prisoner came
in and said, " John thought it was his porridge that had
made him ill," and he said, " Give the porridge to the dog."
She (prisoner) said if it was not fit for him it was not fit for
the dog, and she had thrown it away. She said it was in a
basin, and she had thrown that away too, into the midden.
She said she had tasted it herself, and that it had made her
sick. She said she had taken about two spoonfuls. She did
not say what quantity the deceased took. The deceased vo-
mited into a tub in the slop-stone. There was much vomit
in the tub. Mrs. Hunter threw it away into the inidden.
She emptied the contents of the tub twice. He said in her
presence that he would require help. Prisoner in conse-
quence went out, and stopped about half an hour. On re-
turning, she said neither Mr. Lonsdale nor Mr. Cook, the
druggists, were in. Deceased was then in the petty. He
neighbour be iriyu rs iacsksistbeudt
hciomulodutnooft
theth petty.row up anything. 1 and a
of his stomach. The prisoner did not He also complained
offer to go for any
other doctor. I thought she had had some liquor—she cried
so and made such a noise. Late in the evening a neighbour
brought Mr. Willis, surgeon. He came about nine Welock.
Dccea ed made use of the pot. The prisoner emptied it once.
Mr. Willis saw the last motion. I stayed till 3in the morning.
Mr. Lonsdale, Mr. Hunter's doctor, came next day. hunter
mentioned the porridge to him in prisoner's presence. She
said she
_had taken some of it, and it had made her sick.
Mr. Lonsdale said he did not wish to attend deceased, as
Mr. Harrison had been called. I noticed what the deceased
had vomited. He vomited carrots out in round pieces. I
observed no curd in the fluid. On Thursday, the 10th of
November, prisoner came to my house, and sighed very
heavily. 1 asked her what troubled her. She said, " No,
Mrs. Strut, it is a dream that 1 dreamt." She said she
thought they had brought John home dead,ancl he was riot well
himself, and fancied he he would not live long. I never
heard him complain ; I thought him a healthy man. I never
heard them complain of twitch-clocks to. mice. We have none
in our house, which is next doer. Prisoner had never spoken
o day after
deceased died
She
ad no cat. Prisoner.lt was locked, and
brought a box
tot m
oure o
house
e ni c.
the
afterwards delivered to Jackson. Mr. Hunter told rue some
ihe savngs'
time before that they had money in t bank. I
went the day after he died with her to the bank to get her
:lame put in. (A small box was produced, containing a bank
book.) I have been shown this hoek. bee a
that there
is £66 due to them. The prisoner, believe, cannot read,
and I did not read the balance to her. There is a pawn
ticket in the box, which prisoner also left with me.
The remainder of the witness's evidence, in chief, was
unimportant

Cross-examined.—Air. Hunter and the prisoner lived very
comfortably together. I never heard them quarrel. The
prisoner was a very good mother to her children. I always
thought her more attentive to her children and husband than
most people in her line of life. She took a deal of pains to
make him comfortable. She kept her house very clean and
peat, and took time over it. It was her great distress at the