The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-04-04 00:00:00

CROWN
COURT.-YESTERDAY.

His Lordship took his seat shortly after nine o'cloc''
and proceeded to pass sentence upon several prisoners.
Daniel O'Brien, aged 27, and Michael Connelly, 26,
who had been found guilty of assaulting Nicholas German,
at Prestwich, and robbing him of a watch, a crown piece,
and other money, were first brought up. O'Brien mad e
a strong protestation of his innocence, appealing to his
Maker, were it his dying day. His LORDSHIP gently re-
buked the prisoner for calling on the Almighty to judge
him everlastingly. On the last day his innocence, if he
were innocent, would be made manifest, and it would be
well for him to suffer quietly. The prisoners had both
been found guilty of a violent assault. with pistols, in the
middle of the day, and the sentence of the court was that
they be each transported for fifteen years.
Charles Henry Coupe, 27, who had pleaded guilty to a
charge of forging an order for goods, and who had been
previously convicted, was sentenced to be transported for
seven years.

IVilliam Edward Davies„ aged 37, who had pleaded
guilty to forging a bill of exchange with intent to defraud
Messrs. Percival and Yates, of Manchester, gnd who had
received strong recommendations, from one of his em-
ployers and other parties of respectability, of good pre-
vious character, was sentenced to be imprisoned for six
months and kept to hard labour.

William Longbottom, 35, who had pleaded guilty to a
charge of having forged the indorsement to a bill of ex-
change, at Rochdale, and also with having uttered a bill
of exchange for £29, with intent to defraud another party,
was sentenced to be imprisoned for eighteen months with
hard labour.

Richard Jackson, 44. found guilty of a violent and
almost murderous assault on a woman at Newton, on the
12th February, was sentenced to be imprisoned and kept
to hard labour for eighteen months.

Henry Meadows, 27, for stabbing a man, and nearly
killing him, (as reported in our last week's paper,) was
sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for
one year. His lordship said he deeply regretted that the
crime of stabbing had become rife in this country, and he
was determined as far as he could to suppress it.

THE MANCHESTER BOILER EXPLOSION CASE

Thomas Riley, a respectable-looking man, was then
put up. He had pleaded guilty of having, through careless
conduct with regard to a steam boiler, at Manchester, by
which, as already recorded, no fewer than thirteen unfor-
tunate men had lost their lives through the explosion of
the said boiler. His lordship remarked, that the prisoner
had by carelessness and negligence been the unhappy
cause of sacrificing life to a large amount. He had been
equally careless of the lives of his own children and wife,
permitting the former, who lived close by, to play about
the premises while the boiler was in a dangerous state.
The sentence of the court was, that the prisoner be com-
mitted to gaol for three months.
Thomas Barrett, 50, and William Mawson, who had
each pleaded guilty to the respective charge of bigamy,
were sentenced, the former to nine months, and the latter
to three months' imprisonment.
John 112` Kee, who pleaded guilty to a charge of bur-
glary, at Manchester, was sentenced to be imprisoned and
put to hard labour for four months.
Thomas Ostick, 13, who had been out on bail, and
pleaded guilty to forging a receipt at Manchester, with
intent to defraud, was sentenced to six montsh' imprison-
ment and hard labour.
William Thomas, charged with having stabbed,. at Li-
verpool, Thomas Halliman, was proceeded against; but
the prosecutor's testimony and manner raised a doubt of
his veracity, and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

- •
THE WIGAN COAL CASE. •
Henry Bleasdale and Enoch Grimshaw, respectable
looking men, were arraigned for having feloniously ab-
stracted a large quantity of coal from under the town of
Wigan, and feloniously appropriating the same, the coal
being the property of other parties. The prisoner Bleas-
dale pleaded not guilty, and the other pleaded guilty. Mr.
POLLOCK, with whom for the prosecution was Mr. WHEELER,
explained the case, stating at the outset that he and his friend
did not purpose to bring any evidence against the parties, in-
asmuch as the principal offender was John Bleasdale, brother
of one of the prisoners, who had absconded. The case was
one of great importance as regarded the coal districts. The
charge was one of stealing a large quantity of cannel and other
coal. The parties who were guilty had, from his own mine,
penetrated the coal fields of others, and the quantity taken ex-
ceeded, since 1844, the value of £lO,OOO. They had, in fact,.
undermined the town of Wigan. John Bleasdale, it was ad-
mitted, had a right to penetrate to the eastward, under the
churchyard, only 13 yards, but they had gone eastward exca-
vating the coal to a distance of 160 yards beyond the boundary,
and had abstracted coal in mines belonging to forty other pro-
prietors. The prisoner, Enoch Grimshaw, was employed as
an underlooker by John Bleasdale, and it was his duty to,
measure the workings from time to time. It did not appear,
however, that he did other than act under the instructions of
John Bleasdale' and therefore no evidence would be offered
against him. In 1844, Mr. Gunniug, the rector, and the'
churchwardens suspected that coals had been wrongfully taken,.
and they sent down- to ascertain the fact, by dialing, when they
found that in place of going only 13 yards, they had gone 160
yards into the property of others. They had great difficulty.
in ascertaining this. It did not appear that Henry Bleas-
dale participated in the profits. The JUDGE suggested that.
he should be bound over to give evidence against the
main offender John Bleasdale, if he could be caught. This
was concurred in by counsel, and the result was that the pri-
soner Henry Bleasdale was acquitted, and he was bound over.
in his own recognizances in £5OO, to appear as a witness if
hereafter called upon, and was discharged ; and the other pri-
soner, against whom there was no direct evidence, was also
discharged, on the provision that he should be liable to be
brought up for judgment—the object being to secure him as a
witness should the main aggressor be apprehended. There
were three indictments against the prisoners, charging them
with abstracting coals, the property of the Rector, Mr. Gun-
ning, and others, also the property of Benjamin Powell, and
the Earl of Balcarres, &c. At the request of Mr. Wilkins the
learned Judge agreed to issue bench warrants for the apprgien-
sion of John Bleasdale. The prisoners were then discharged.
The Judge remarked that he had long wondered why the legis-
lature had not passed a law to enable parties owning coal fields
contiguous to other workings, to go down and examine whether
there was any inroad made upon their property. As it was,
parties suspecting such aggression might not be enabled to
ascertain the fact without going to the expense and inconve-
nience of sinking a new.shaft on their own ground.
Michael Kelly, 19, William Kelly, 18, John Quin, 22, andre-
turned
Michael M‘Laughlan, charged with having, at Liverpool,
jury eerrpso.el,.in
December last, feloniously stabbed Bartholomew Monaghan.
The e a
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dence to good character was given on behalf of M'Laughlan.
The sentence was that the two Kellys should be imprisoned for
was afterwards recalled, and his sentence was mitigated to one
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William Shaw, 40, was charged with d, atLiver-
rder for the payment of e 5,
pool, on the Ist January, a forged o
k r Co
with intent to defraud Mr. Thos. Phillips, ba e , pperas-hill
and St. John's Market. The jury found the prisoner guilty,
• • oned and kept to hard labour
UTTERING A FORGED ORDER.
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and he was sentenced' to be impris
for six months.
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Day last, 112.1aokTe,
consta-
ble, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. It appeared
that the prosecutor and other officers had gone to an unoccu-
piedtwo of whom had been fighting, when the former was struck by
and chargedeun
wounded
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the prisoner with a brick, which knocked. him down, and pri-
soner afterwards kicked him. He was seriously injured. There
slight fracture of the skull. The assault was proved. Several
witnesses gave the prisoner a character for quietness, industry,
and kindness to his mother, whom he had long supported.
The jury returned a verdict oiguilty of the assault only, recom-
mending the prisoner to mercy. After a very strong admoni.
tionthejudge sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned and
kept to hard labour for two years.
Thos. Speakman, 20, was found guilty of having, at Liverpool,
on the 6th of March, broken into the dwelling-house of William
Redfern, and stolen therefrom a quantity of articles of wear-
ing apparel, &c. He had been ten times in gaol before, and
was now sentenced to be transported for ten years.
William Green, 27, was charged with having, in Richmond-
street, Liverpool, on the night of the 9th of '.March, cut and
stabbed Henry Clansey, with intent to do him grievous bodily
harm. The prosecutor did not appear, but the surgeon of the
Northern Hospital described the wound as extending from the
eyebrow to the chin. The prisoner was found guilty, and was
sentenced to imprisonment and hard labour for one year.
Henry Bonas, 19, Robert Guy, 19, and William Thompson,
the
26, were
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stealing therefrom groceries, clothes, copper money, &c., her
property. The prisoners had forced their way into the house
by the cellar, which had been fastened by a chain and a rope.
The two first-named prisoners were found guilty. Bonas was
before committed eight times, and was sentenced to be trans.
ported for seven years. Guy was committed to prison for one
year. Thompson was acquitted.
John Burgess, 18, was found guilty of having, on the 20th
March, entered the house of Mr. Robert Syers, in Hothatn-
street, and stolen therefrom certain articles. He was sentenced
to seven years' transportation, having been before convicted of
felony.