The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-02-05 00:00:00

Elistrirt Pe

On Monday a drunken reprobate at Blackburn died in
an instant after drinking a quart of rum.
On Tuesday last the waters of the Ribble overflowed
the banks, and the whole of the valley was covered to a
considerable depth.
At Preston station, on Saturday week, a loaded waggon
passed over a breaksman, named Woof. He died soon
after.

On Friday the boiler at Mr. Marsland's foundry, Burn-
ley, exploded, and did considerable damage to the premi-
ses. A carter named Dugdale had his legs broken.

Lately, a boy residing in Cross-lane, S'alford, was affix-
ing a pair of gutta percha soles to his shoes, when the
composition took fire, and in endeavouring to extinguish
the flames, he let the box fall on a little child, who was
so dreadfully burnt that she died a few days afterwards.
On Monday evening, at a tea party in the Wesleyan
Chapel, Haydock, Mr. William Fort was presented with
a silver tea and coffee service by his friends and admirers,
as a token of their esteem, and as a memento of their
regard for him, on the occasion of his leaving Haydock
to reside in Liverpool.
The Manchester Courier mentions having seen, at
Messrs. Chubb's establishment, a padlock, made of gold,
of such tiny dimensions, that it only occupies the cavity
in the shield of a gold signet ring, the whole, with two
keys, weighing but 16 grains. This Lilliputian lock was
perfect, and its wards answered with as much accuracy to
the keys as those of larger dimensions.

EXTRAORDINARY.—The Manchester Examiner relates
that, yesterday week, Mrs. Burke, of Chorlton-upon-
Medlock, being absent at Southport, had so singular a
dream that, considering it ominous of evil, she hastened
home next morning, and found her husband dead. He
had retired to rest in his usual health the night before, but
was found dead by his servant next morning. The shock
to the lady was so severe that her life his been despaired of.
SIGNS or THE TIMES.—For the first time since the
restoration, the bells of the Manchester cathedral omitted
to rinc, a muffled peal on the anniversary of the Martyr-
dom ofb King Charles. This omission took place by the
express orders of the reforming churchwardens. We take
this to be an ominous indication that the days of old
Oliver are rapidly coming back again upon the then plun-
dered Collegiate Church.

MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL AGRICULTURAL SO-
CIETY.—The next annual meeting and cattle show of this
society is to be held at Warrington, on the 25th Septem-
ber. In lieu of the ploughing match, which has generally
been held in the spring, there will, this year, be a trial of
implements, in some field near the town of Warrington,
the day before the show. It appears this town is nearly
in the centre of the society's district, which comprises
South Lancashire, North Cheshire, and all other places
within thirty miles (in a direct line) of Newton-in-the-
Willows. Mr. Wilson Patten, who resides at Warrington,
has accepted the office of president, and the Mayor of
Warrington IMr. Benjamin Pierpoint) has consented to
be one of the vice-presidents. Next year, Cie society's
anniversary is expected to he held in Manchester.
REFORM MEETING AT MANCHESTER.— On Tuesday
evening an aggregate meeting of the National Financial
and Parliamentary Reform Association was held in the
Free Trade Hall, Manchester. The platform was filled
with the ancient notables of the league, George Wilson,
Esq., presiding, and introducing the business of the even-
ing by an exceedingly appropriate and effective address.
There was but one resolution—which was moved by Mr.
Archibald Prentice, and seconded by James Kershaw,
Esq., M.P., affirming the reduction of public expenditure
to the standard of 1835—the extension of the suffrage to
all householders, according to Air. Hume's plan—the re-
distribution of parliamentary seats—the adoption of tri-
ennial purliaments—and vote by ballot. Long speeches
were delivered by Mr. Cobden and Mr. Bright •, after
which a vote of thanks to Messrs. Cobden and Bright was
moved by Mr. Henry Ashworth, seconded by Alexander
Henry, Esq., M.P., and carried by acclamation. _

. .
ROCHDALE SAVINGS' BANK.—The committee of the
depositors had an interview with the trustees of thoobank
this week. Mr. Howarth's factory has been sold for
about £4,650, although it cost £30,000. The greater part
of the trustees have put down their subscriptions condi-
tionally—that is to say, each promised to give £l,OOO, on
condition that £25,000 were subscribed in Rochdale. All
the trustees, with the exception of the Rev. Dr. Moles-
worth, the vicar, have now agreed to give their £l,OOO
each without any restriction. It has been discovered from
Mr. Howarth's accounts, that he took as much as £20,000
from the deposits of the savings bank within the first
three years after he began to abstract those funds. In the
first year he took £5,000, in the second £6,000, and in the
third £9,000. It has also been discovered that depositors
have been receiving parish relief, and have been buried
from the parish funds. The overseers will now have a
claim on such deposit equal to the sum expended by the
parish on behalf of such depositor.

THE ST. HELENS SAVINGS' BANK. -The examination
of John Johnson, the actuary, and Win. Johnson, his
brother and sub-actuary, took place on Monday, at the
Town-hall, St. Helens, before Robert Neilson, Esq.
(chairman), the Rev. J. R. S. Evans, and William H.
Brancker. Esq. Mr. Aspinall, barrister, appeared for the
trustees of the bank ; Messrs. Taylor and Whitley ap-
peared for the defendants. Mr. Aspinall said the charges
would relate to a sum of £2OO, which was alleged to have
been received and not accounted for by Mr. Johnson, on
the 15th of August, 1842. The prisoner, William John-
son, so far as this case went, would be charged as an
accessory after the fact; his brother as principal. Mr.
John Haddock, trustee of the St. Helens Savings Bank,
and other witnesses were examined, after which the
magistrates committed the prisoners—John Johnson for
the embezzlement of £2OO, and William Johnson as an
accessory after the fact, with a guilty knowledge. They
were also committed for conspiracy to defraud and cheat.
William Johnson was admitted to bail, but his brother
remained in custody until the amount of his bail should
be decided by the Court of Queen's Bench.
LIFE IN A HOVEL.—DEATH OF A STRANGE INDI-
VIDUAL.—On Tuesday Mr. E. Herford, coroner for
Manchester, held an inquest at the union workhouse,
New Bridge-street, Strangeways, on the body of Robert
Dunn, a ropemaker, aged 66 years. The evidence showed
that for some years past, the deceased had evinced a
strange disregard of what are usually considered the first
requisites of personal comfort. It was stated that for up-
wards of nine years he had worked at a rope-walk, near
the Carpenters' Hall, Charles-street, belonging to a man
named Joseph Oint. The deceased, and one or two men
who worked with him, made and sold ropes on their own
account ; and, it was stated, that the deceased's earnings
usually averaged from 10s. to 12s. a week. During the
whole of the period referred to, he had lived in a small
and ruinous brick hovel, at one end of the rope-walk,
which was not floored, and into which the rain and wind
had free access. He had nothing like a bed, and was
never known to lie down, as he usually passed his nights
seated on a wooden stool, leaning his head against a sort
of opening in the wall, which was designated a " window
stone," but which was no more than a hole filled with
wrappering. From the mud, caused by the rain, which
found its way into the place, the hovel was " as bad as
any pig cote." The deceased did not stint himself in
food ; but the principal part of his earnings was accounted
for by a witness, who was acquainted with him, who said
that "he used to drink and enjoy himself very well."
He had the scurvy very badly in both legs, but he never
took off his clothes, and seldom washed himself. On
Friday he did a little work at the rope-walk, but on
Saturday he did not appear at his usual time. About
three o'clock in the afternoon he was found in the hovel
referred to, seated in his usual position, but almost speech-
less. Some spirits were given to revive him, and, in the
course of the day, the necessary steps were taken for his
removal to the workhouse. It was, however, between
ten and eleven o'clock before he reached that place ; and
when he was taken out of the van, he was found to be
almost dead, and he expired within a very short time.--
Mr. J. H. Coveney, surgeon, found evident signs of con-
sumption in both lungs.