The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-04-14 00:00:00

A BUTCHER LEARNED IN THE LAW.

MANCHESTER POLICE, TUESDAY.—A man named Corson,
rotund in person, rubicund in countenance, having a pair of
eyes which kept up a cross-fire, and looked in every direction
bia the right, was brought up charged with an assault upon
Fawcett, an officer of the Salford police. lie carried a huge
white bat with brims like a Chinese umbrella, and when brought
to the bar was employed in leisurely scavenging his teeth with
a in. Fawcett stated that he was out on duty in the morning,
when be met two men in Broughton-road who were hawking
meat which he supposed to be bad, and therefore seized it. He
had conveyed it to the police-office with a view to its being in-
spected bi Mr. niggles, and was on his way for the purpose of
fetching-the latter individual, when he met with the prisoner,
who forthwith knocked him down 'and abused him severely.
The prisoner (attempting to look at the policeman, who stood
directly opposite to him,) If I knocked you down, where'4 your
mark ? (No answer being given lie turned to the magistrate,)
I bought that 'ere meat in Manchester market, and if it's good
for one town it's good for another. I never struck no man this
(lay' nor I never went out nowhere to injure nobody.
The Magistrate.—You have committed a very shameful as-
sault upon the officer.
Prisoner.—,Has he done speaking, sir, because if he has I've
summut more to tell you. He took me by the throat and nearly
throttled me, and I thinks as how any man's a right in such a
salivation to turn again.
The Magistrate.—You must pay 50s. or be committed for a
month.
Prisoner, in a huff.—Then I'll lie here for a month. (He
was accordingly turning towards the dock, but recollecting him-
self. he resumed.) But, Mr. Foster, it's a bailable offence
Magistrate.—lake him down.
Prisoner.—Give me the liberty of a Ilinglishman to spake.
Mr. Milne. —lt's.not bailable, man.
Prisoner.—But I say it is. Anything's bailable in this free
country but murder and forgery. ( Laughter.)
The lawyer was then removed, vi et armii.

LONDON LAW REPORT.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.-FRIDAY

Mr. Thomas John Dibdin, the dramatic writer, and author
of a recently published work, entitled "The Lays of the last of
the three Dibdins," made his appearance, praying to be dis-
charged. He was not opposed by his creditors.
The veteran of literature had, it appeared, been an inmate of
Horsemonger-lane Gaol ever since May, 18.31, near!), twelve
months. He was discharged under the act as an insolvent
debtor in the year 1822; he again petitioned in 18.31, but was
discharged out of custody by his then detaining creditor.
Mr. Commissioner Il4rris put a few interrogatories to the
petitioner. He was questioned as to the residence of his wife,
some works in the possession of a party, and the time he had
been in prison.
The schedule exhibits debts to the amount of £1,319 6s. 5d.,
extending from the year 1826, and he claimed from the late Mr.
Episton the sum of £2OO, which was marked in the schedule as
a "doubtful" debt. Mr. Dibdin ascribed the cause of his in-
solvency to losses and law expenses. In the last year he stated
his returns at only Ear,. _ _

Mr. Commissioirer Harris said be perceived that a person had
a lien on some books in his possession. The discharge might
issue without giving them up.
It was discovered that one of the notices was incomplete in
the service, subject to which Mr. Dibdin will be discharged.
The court adjourned till Monday.

LONDON POLICE REPORT.

UNION-HALL.

On Friday last a very respectable-looking man, named
Neal was brought up in custody, charged with stealing a watch,
a quantity of flannel, some pieces of calico, and a. few other
trifling articles, the property of a person named Bond, an in-
mate of the King's Bench Prison. An inventory of the alleged
stolen property having been laid before the magistrate (Mr.
Jeremy), lie was informed that the complainant was not in at-
tendance to substantiate the charge, and in fact the prisoner's
wife had absconded from him, and was then living with Bond
in the above prison.
The prisoner declared that the charge of felony alleged against
him by Bond was trumped up for the purpose of having him
taken into custody, and brought to this office, in order that he
might be arrested at the suit of a person named Ainsworth.
Bond had given intimation that he (the prisoner) was in cus-
tody on a charge of felony at this office, and the Marshalsea
officers were now in attendance to arrest him the moment he
was out of custody. The prisoner added that Mrs. Bond would
prove that the property he was charged with stealing was in her
own possession, and that so far from Bond having any grounds
for making such a charge against him that person owed him
upwards of £2OO.
Mrs. Bond was called in, and she stated that her husband
abandoned her, and that some of the articles which the prisoner
was charged with stealing she found' in a box belonging to her
husband at the time he left her. She added that she was con-
vinced her husband had no grounds for making such.an accusa-
tion against the prisoner, whose wife bad abandoned him, and
was then living under the protection of her (witness's) husband.
Mr. Jeremy said that it was a very gross proceeding on the part
of Bond if he had had an innocent man brought up in custody
on a charge of felony merely with a view to have him convicted
on a civil process.
The magistrate then directed that if a Marshalsea officer
were in attendance he might be called forward, in order to
ascertain whether it was at Bond's suggestion he attended to
arrest the prisoner.
Robert Coker, a Marshalsea officer, stated that Bond sent
over a message to him that morning from the King's Bench
Prison, to the effect that Neal was in custody at Union-hall on
the charge of felony, and that if witness attended there he
would have an opportunity of arresting him before he left the
office, on the writ which lay out against him.
Another Marshalsea officer confirmed .the above statement,
and, addressing the magistrate with a writ in his hand, said,
" I hope your worship wont let Mr. Neal go ; I have.come
over here to `grab' him, and here is the writ I hold against
him."

The accused shrunk from contact with the Marshalsea officers,
and inspector Hack stood between the parties, so that the writ
could not be executed on the spot.
Mr. Jeremy, on hearing the Marshalsea officers, said that
there was no doubt the charge of felony against the prisoner was
without the slightest foundation, and trumped up for the purpose
of bringing him to the office, that he might be arrested. If
Bond had really a charge of felony against the accused, or
grounds for such an accusation, he could easily have sent a
verbal request that he might be remanded, but ibis he did not
do, and no sooner had he given him into custody on a most
serious charge than he immediately sent over to acquaint the
officers of the fact of his being at that office. This very cir-
cuinstance plainly showed that Bond, when he gave thayharge,.
must have known that the accused would have been discharged,
and that then the officers could have arrested him upon the writ.
The accused said that Bond had acted in the manner de-
scribed to prevent him from following up some proceedings
relative to his (the accused's) wife, who was then l►vin; with
Bond.

Mr. Jeremy said that the accused was discharged, and added
that it was a gross case of conspiracy to get possession of his
person, and that such schemes would never be recognized
.at that
office • and that the accused had ample grounds for an action
for false imprisonment against Bond.
The accused here left the office without the writ having been
served upon him, taking advantage of the time occupied by the
Marshalsea officers in giving their evidence, which, at the re-
quest of the magistrate, was taken down in writing.

MANSION HOUSE.—FRIDAY.
On Friday an aged man, named Brown, who was some time
ago brought before Alderman Pirie, at the Mansion-house, by
an officer, charged with having been .i,ii the streets without a
farthing in his pockets, appeared before the lord mayor to com-
plain against the officers of two parishes.
Upon the former occasion the unfortunate old man stated,
and his statement was found to be correct, that he had for many
years carried on the trade of a hairdresser in the city, of Lon-
doit, had waited upon Deputy Whitby fur a considerable
time. He had, however, had serious reverses of fortune, and
was obliged to apply for parochial relief to the overseers of the
parish of St. Mary. Mounthaw. For three years he received
relief from that parish, but having had the misfortune to be con-
fined in the hospital with a desperate illness, his landlord dis-
posed of hit room, and upon being discharged he had no place
on earth to go to, and at the age and with the infirmities of 70
years, he was obliged to lay his- head upon a stone pillow. Al-
derman Pirie greatly compassionated the poor man, gave him
money, and sent to the parish officers a request that they would
take his case into consideration, and give him an asylum in the
Workhouse. The request, it appears, has not been attended to,
although Alderman Cowan, before whom the old man was sub-
sequently brought for having committed a like offence, also re-
commended the case to the humanity of the parish officers.
The Lord Mayor.—Why, it must have been for poor helpless
men like you Workhouses were made. How can you account
for this refusal by the parish authorities?
Blown said he believed there was a dispute between the
parishes of St. Mary Mounthaw and All Hallows-the. Great, in
Dowgate, as to which of them he belonged. The first of these
parishes now and then gave him a few pence, but although his
extreme distress was well known, be was refused the Work-
house. The consequence was that he was obliged to go from
watchhouse to watchhouse to beg to lay his weary bones under
any shed; to creep into any nook for protectiou from the wea-
ther, and now, in the last stage of existence, he was denied a
place in which be might die in peace.
The tears ran down the furrowed cheeks of the wretched peti-
tioner as he gave this melancholy account of his friendless and
deoslate condition.

The lord mayor said that he was ashamed to hear of a case of
such inhumanity. The power to compel the. parochial autho-
rities to render assistance, however, did not exist with the ►magis-
trates. If it did, he should not hesitate to exercise his authority
in a very peremptory manner.
Brown.—l have slept in every watchhouse in London, and
often in the Asylum for the Houseless. I have been assisted by
Mr. Deputy Whitby, Alderman Pirie, and Alderman Cowan,
who have, I may truly say, saved my life; but how can I expect
to be supported by gentlemen who have real claimants, upon
whom I have no claim at all? What on earth to do I know not.
The Lord Mayor.—l don't know how any one who has not a
stone in his bosom instead of a heart could know these things,
and have the power to help you, without helping you. I dare
say those who have authority in cases of this kind" will hear of
the statement you have made. I shall, at all events, take care
not to make any secret of it.

lordship then gave some silver to the unfortunate old
man, and desired him to apply in a day or two again at the
justice-room. _ _ _

Alderman Cowan entered during the conversation, and stated
that he had used whatever influence he possessed in favour of
the old'man with the parochial authorities (as we understood
him), but ineffectually. It appeared that there was a doubt
existing as to which of the two parishes Brown belonged, so
that he might perish during the contest about his claim.
Mr. Hobler said that the case might come on for desision at
the quarter sessions, if one parish would pass him to the other.
The lord mayor thought that really a calculation had been
made that the poor old creature would save the trouble and ex-
pense of a contest by perishing in the streets.

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