The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-04-15 00:00:00

YESTERDAY,

A woman named Graham was charged with drunken-
ness. Constable 504 stated that as he was passing over
Chisenhale-bridge on Saturday afternoon, he observed the
female in the dock standing on the bridge, she was hold-
ing her infant over the bridge by the legs, the child's head
being towards the water, and it was the impression of the
officer that her intention was to drown her child. With
the assistance of a labouring man, however, he prevented
the commission of the crime, if it were contemplated.
The woman, in her defence, said she was merely holding
the child over the bridge to show him the water, which he
had cried to see. The case was treated as one of drunk-
enness, and the usual fine was imposed.

RIFILAOTORY PAurzus.—One of the taskmasters of
the borough Workhouse appeared to charge two girls,
named Jane Williams and Eliza Martin, with breaking
windows in the Workhouse. They had refused to work,
and had left the Workhouse,—to which, however, they
returned on Friday last, and being refused admission,
made an attack on the windows. The girls said they were
not able to " tarn the mill." Mr. Parkinson said they
were prostitutes, and had been in custody before on a
similar charge. They were committed for one month as
prostitutes.

RECIIVINS STOLEN GOODS.—A man named Owen
Owens was charged on suspicion, under the following
circumstances :—Constable 94 stated that, on Saturday,
he met the prisoner in Great Howard-street carrying a
parcel which contained about 81bs. of sugar. This the
man threw into the canal as they passed th bridge. The
officer further said that the prisoner keeps a small shop
which he is suspected to have stocked by purchasing the
proceeds of the pilfering which goes on to a great extent
in and about the warehouses in the town. The man was
committed to prison for fourteen days.

- -
Came DESERTION.--A person named Bdward Cap-
stick, who resides in St. Anne's-buildings, St. Anne-street.
about eleven o'clock on Saturday night, was shocked by
finding: he body of a child, which had been left on the
ground, wrapped in a piece of canvas. Mr. Captstick was
not quite certain whether life was extinct or not when he
discovered the child, which was given into the charge of a
policeman, who immediately conveyed it to the Rose-bill
Dispensary, where it was foetid to. be dead.

THEFT by A WATCHMAN.—James Mulligan, an Irish-
an, who had been engaged to watch cotton on the quay
of the Victoria Dock, was apprehended on Sunday
morning, having a quantity of cotton concealed between
his coat and waistcoat, as well as between his trousers and
body. The prisoner commenced a very ingenious defence,
the purport of which was, that the night being cold, he
had spread the cotton between his body and his other
clothes for warmth. Mr. Booth committed him for
fourteen days.
A 'WORTHLESS Sere.--A respectable-looking man
named Macfarlane charged his son, a lad apparently
about sixteen years of age, with having robbed him of a
blanket and several articles of wearing apparel. The lad
had absconded from home, but, like the prodigal son,
returned repentant, but half famished. His father took
him in, had him washed, fed, and put to bed. The young
scoundrel acknowledged the affection. of his parent by
decamping on the following morning with the articles
referred to.

A CHARGE DISMISSED.—Mr. Samuel Atkinson, the
proprietor of an auction room ,in Paradise-street, appeared
to charge a respectably dressed young man named Patrick
Welch, with felony. From the prosecutor's statement it
appeared that both he and the prisoner are auctioneers,
but that the latter had been engaged by him to sell on
commission, and that, during his absence from home, the
prisoner had taken a watch belonging to him, which, ulti-
mately, was pledged for thirty shillings. The prisoner
said that he had disposed of a large amount of property
for the prosecutor, as much as £B6 worth having passed
through his hands on the 22nd ult. That was on the
Saturday ; and, on the same night, when he called upon
Atkinson, to settle with him, he found considerable diffi-
culty in inducing him to do this, having to call again on the
Sunday : he then admitted having disposed of the watch,
and told Atkinson to deduct it from what was owing to
him ; this was done, and they were on the usual friendly
terms; he heard nothing of a prosecution until he had
refused to sell any longer for Atkinson, who had caused
him to be apprehended after he had taken his passage to
Belfast, (where he was engaged as an auctioneer), thereby
occasioning the loss of has passage. Complainant denied
he ever owed the prisoner any money, as he was employed
by him at a salary of £2 per week. The evidence was in-
sufficient to establish the charge, and the prisoner was
discharged.

STABBING. BY A FEMALE.—Ann Wilson was charged
by Caroline White with having stabbed her over the eye.
Both females are prostitutes ' • they met on Sunday, a little
before midnight, when words ensued, which led to the
prisoner inflicting a serious wound over the eye of her
antagonist with a knife. Wilson was fined £5, in default
of payment of which she will be imprisoned two months.
EMBEZZLEMENT. —Benjamin Sullivan was charged with
having embezzled four shillings, the money of his em-
ployer. Mr. W. Thompson, the man's master, carries
on the business of a baker and confectioner in Great
George-street. The fraud was effected in the following
way :—Mr. Thompson eave four shillings, and directed
him to go to the Mercury-office to order the insertion of
an advertisement, and to pay for the insertion at the same
time. Sullivan, however, appropriated the four shillings
to his own purposes. He was fully committed for trial.

Dtstrta faelus.

The population of Blackburn has increased 11,000, and
Bolton 10,040, since 1841.
R. Marsland, Esq., M.D., of Blackburn, has been
appointed a county magistrate.
The population of Chester is now 27,616. In 1841, it
was 23,375.
The Cheshire magistrates have voted £lO,OOO for the
purpose of extending the House of Correction, at Knuts-
ford, and building a new prison for females.
A commission, consisting of Archdeacon Brooks, Hon.
and Rev. Horace Powys, &c., is now sitting at Wigan, to
determine all claims as to seats in the old parish church.
Primroses are so abundant in the neighbourhood of
Orr r skink, that two persons, by way of experiment, lately
gathered each a thousand flowers in twenty minutes.
The " Jenny Lind wing" to the Manchester Infirmary
is now completed, and will be ready for patients in a fort-
night. The cost of the new addition is £14,000, of which
£4,000 was contributed by four firms. The two concerts
realised £2,500.
NEW MAGISTRATES.—The Rev. John Macaulay, of
Addingham, Ulverstone, Robert Bravlsford Jackson, Esq.,
Blackburn, David Whitehead, of Holly Mount, Rawten-
stall, Edmund Thomson, Esq., Primrose, Clitheroe, and
Richard Bryan Smith, Esq., of Lydiate, Ormskirk, have
qualified as magistrates ; and James Lomax, Esq., Clay-
ton Hall, has taken the oaths, and qualified as a deputy-
lieutenant of this county.

AWFULLY SUDDEN DEATH.—The Rev. John M`Lin.
don, M.A., incumbent of Briercliffe, near Burnley, was in
Burnley on Wednesday afternoon, and after returning
home was taken seriously ill and died early on Thursday
morning. He has left a widow and one child to mourn

their unexpected bereavement. We understand his re-
mains will be removed to Birkenhead for interment. He
was much esteemed by his parishioners and will be long
and deservedly regretted both by his congregation and a
numerous circle of friends and acquaintances.—Blackburn
Standard.

PROTESTANT DEMONSTRATION.--For many years the
village of Astley, near Leigh, has been celebrated for its
strong Protestant feeling, and the attachment of its inha-
bitants to the Church. Headed by their zealot's pastor,
the Rev. Alfred Hewlett, the people of Astley were the
first in this county to address her Majesty on the subject
of the Papal aggression, and for many months—from the
very commencement of the agitation—lectures have been
delivered, and meetings held fortnightly, in the village.
Mr. Hewlett has also delivered numerous lectures in
other towns explanatory of the Popish system. His
friends, determined that his exertions should not pass un-
noticed, held a meeting, on the evening of the 3rd instant,
in the school-rooms at Astley, at which nearly 600 persons
were present, including Mr. Bailey, (chairman,) the Rev.
J. Birkett, of Winsford ; Rev. W. H. Wright, of Liver-
pool ; Rev. Mr. Fenton, &c. The chairman presented a
testimonial to Mr. Hewlett. It was a purse, containing
£2BO in gold, cheerfully subscribed by hundreds of indi-
viduals, in sums varying from 3d. to £5. After passing a
high panegyric on Mr. Hewlett for his general services in
forwarding the interests of the cause of God in the place,
the chairman handed the purse and its contents to Mr.
Hewlett.—Mr. James Darlington, as treasurer and secre-
tary of the fund, then addressed the meeting in an excel-
lent speech, and concluded by reading and presenting an
address to Mr. Hewlett. The address was beautifully
engrossed, and surrounded by a richly gilt frame.
MANCHESTER BOILER EXPLOSION.—The adjourned
inquest in this case was taken on Wednesday. Mr. Her-
ford
the coroner summed up, commenting on the leading
facts which had been elicited in the course of the inquiry,
and particularly directing attention to the repeated cau-
tions given by witnesses both to Egerton and to Wil-
liamson, his employer, of the danger they were incurring
by running the engine with too little water in the boiler.
He also drew attention more particularly to the opinions
of Mr. W. Fairbairn, that the boiler had become red-
hot through want of water, and that this caused the
explosion—an opinion supported by Hartley, the boiler-
maker. There were sixteen jurors, and they brought in
the following verdict :—" The jury are of opinion that
the boiler was efficient and perfectly competent to per-
form all the duties required from it. They are also of
opinion that gross negligence was exercised in the
management and attendance of this boiler, and great
want of ordinary care. The jury are unanimously of
opinion that the deaths of the parties visited by the jury
arose from culpable negligence on the part of Thomas
Egerton (the engine tenter) and Thomas Williamson
(his employer)." " Under these circumstances," the
foreman added, " twelve of the jury returned a verdict of
manslaughter against the said Thomas Egerton and
Thomas Williamson." Williamson and Egerton were
detained in custody on the coroner's warrant, and will be
committed for trial at the next Liverpool assizes.

ADJOURNED ANNUAL SESSION.—The annual meeting
of magistrates for this county was held by adjournment in
the court house, Preston, on Wednesday last, the Ven.
Archdeacon Brooks in the chair. There was a very fair
attendance of magistrates. Mr. Edmund Ashworth in
the absence of the Rev. T. S. Mills, moved a resolution
which, when amended, was as follows : " That the follow-
ing magistrates be a committee for the purpose of watch-
ing all bills which have been or may be introduced into
parliament with reference to the assessment, management,
and expenditure of county rates or stock, with power, if
they think fit, to present petitions to the houses of parlia-
ment praying that further evidence may be taken for or
against such measures, and for such other relief as may be
thought necessary." The principle of this resolution had
been agreed to at the Salford quarter sessions, in January
last. A committee having been in London, had in some
degree gathered what the feeling of members of parlia-
ment was in reference to Mr. Milner Gibson's bill now
before parliament, and they were fully impressed that the
court ought to make inquiries with regard to the provisions
of that bill, which was of such vast importance. if the
bill were passed, the business of that court would have to
be transacted by a county financial board, which would be
composed of au equal number magistrates and persons
elected by boards of guardians. Now, the effect of this
would be that in a division where there are only two or
three unions (as was the case in Lancashire), the whole
duties of quarter sessions would devolve upon two or three
magistrates whose duties would be too onerous for any
men.—Mr. Ashworth denounced the bill as crude and
impracticable, and said, that as he believed it would pass,
he thought they were peremptorily called upon to send
up a committee to make it workable. It was sure to be-
come law, and it rested with the magistrates to see that
in forming the details, it should be made workable.—Mr.
Rosson seconded the resolution, and called upon the
magistrates to resist the bill to the uttermost. The res-
olution was then unanimously agreed to.—Mr. Addison,
seconded by Mr. Peel, moved " That William O'Grady
having become incapable of executing his duties as porter
at Lancaster Lunatic Asylum, from old age and infirmity
sonb!,
being now 76, and having been in the service of the insti-
tution for if years, be granted an annuity of £l5 per an-
num."--After
s
same
is
num."—After some little opposition, the resolution was
agreed to.—Mr. Rayner Woods proposed " That the clerk
of the peace be directed to prepare a revised scale for the
rHpeaciysommemnte motionnodf recommendedwitnesses
reference as
quarterseveral
n a l
the c o usessions,police,
quarter and
who, wd the hhsen atten-
ding quarter sessions, received their full pay, lost no time
and yet received remuneration like all other witnesses.—
Mr. Ashworth seconded the motion, which was carried,
and the court then adjourned.

A Cassntaz SUPERSTITION.--Adjoining to Brereton,
the seat of the family of that name, there is a pool wherein
the trunks of trees are seen to swim for certain days to•
tether, before the death of any heir of that house; and
after the heir is dead they sink, and are never more seen
till the next occasion of the same kind.—The Book of the
Months.—[Brereton is no longer the seat of the family of
*kat name, which may possibly account for the nen.ap-
patinae of the trees OA a recent oceidan.l