The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-02 00:00:00

(MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN WORCESTER.
--The city of Worcester was on Thursday . orning last
thrown into a painful state of excitement by the disco-
very troit a man had murdered his nephew and afterwards
attempted soicide. The victm was fien.iamin Hooper, a
boy about five years of age, living with his parents, who
keep a huckster's shop in Plea,:ant-street, and his mur-
derer—his uncle—Jobez Hooper, a single man, aged 45,
residing in the house. It vvt,uld appe it " that the dreadful
act was done while the pro-petraror laboured under nervous
excitement brought on by long induleence inl;quor. The
boy had gone to bed at his ugult hour, and was followed
by his uncle, who slept with him. About three in the
morning the boy's mother heard a noise proceeding from
the bedroom, and on going thither discovered to her bor.
ror the floor covered with, blood. She'ran down stairs
and called several police-officers, who on entering the
apartment found the boy dead on the fluor, with his throat
cut. The murderer also lay it a pool of his own blood,
with his throat dreadfully cut. The wound was sewed
up, but it appeal eel scarcely possible. that he could sur-
vive. Whatever his condition when he did the deed, he
was afterwards perfectly rational, and erpressed his.wants
in legible writing. lie bad before attempted self-destruc-
tion.

POACHING EXTRAORDINARY.—WC have viten heard
of the ravages committed by the hooded crow on the eggs
cf game during the breeding seas in, but we were scarcely
prepared for such a proof of wholesale destruction as the
tollowing fact discloses. A few days ago, Mr. Purses,
tenant of Linton Burnfont, ascertaining that:there was a
hooded c-ow's nest in a certain tree on his far,M, pro-
ceeded to the spot with his gun wi'h the itention of
destroying the brood of young before they took their de
parture from the parent nest. On arriving at the placer
however, Mr. Purees was much disappointed at discover-
ing that the whole brood had flown. Knowing the de-
structive propensities of this vermin, he had the ctssiosity
to examine the ground around the foot of the tree, and.
was so astounded at the number of partridge egg-shells'
which he found strewed about, that, lest he should' be
accused of exa?geration, he took the precaution of re—
questing two gentlemen, his neighbours, to assist him in,
counting the shells, when, to the'r astonishment, they'
picked up the enormous number of 196 shells of partridge-
eggs, within a few yards of the tree! The whole of these
eggs were evidently consumed in feeding the young birds;
but how many the old lady and gentleman had themselves
gobbled up without ever bringing them near the family
domicile, it would be difficult to estimate.—Kelso Mail.
THE CONFECTIONERY TRADE.—Some few weeks since
a memorial was presented to the President of the Board
of Trade, by the journeymen confectioners, respecting
the introduction of hard confectionery into England from
Halifax, North America, and which was done in direct
opposition to the tariff of last year. The parties wh, im-
ported the goods contended, that, under the navigation
act, which was passed to enable the inhabitants of Halifax
to enjoy the same privileges as the people of England, the
goods, by being manufactured at Halifax, were, to all in-
tents and purposes, British-manufactured goods, and
therefore could be admitted at the duty of id. per lb.
This was met by the trade, who stated that sugar was not
the production of Halifax, but procured from the West
Indies; and by its being admitted at a very small duty
into Halifax, the result would be, that, if the trade were
allowed to continue, it would throw every workman in
England out of employ, besides causing a deficiency in
the revenue of upwards of a quarter of a million sterling.
These proceedings have at length terminated by an order
in council being issued, prohibiting the import of any
hard confectionery into any of the ports of the United
Kingdom under a duty of 6d. rer lb., and which enact-
ment came into operation on Monday week. Since then
it is understood that seven tons weight of lozenges have
arrived in the port of London ; and, although exertions
have been made to get it admitted at the duty of ld. per
lb., the attempt has been unsuccessful, and it is now in
bond.

POPERY.—The town of Walsall was, last week, the
theatre of one of those exhibitions which the lovers of
show in the Romish Church will make in defiance of the
laws of the land, so long as the authorities do not inter-
fere to prevent it. It was the procession of a certain body
called the " Catholic Guild," in which the interdicted
carrying of the Cross was performed. The several ranks
in costume, with music and banners displayed, went forth
to their perambulation, to the number of 174, besides the
clergy and friends who " honoured" the meeting with
their presence. The band headed the procession, before
them being carried a richly ornamented processional cross,
and a banner representing the crucifixion of our Lord,
with an "appropriate" motto. The females followed,
attired with capes, and other peculiar adornments, with
whom were borne garlands of flowers, tastefully canopied
over them ; then followed the Chaplain of the " Guild,"
with the assistant clergy. The girls succeeded dressed in
white, with black hoods and capes, covered with a flower-
ing veil, and bearing artificial lily flowers in their hand.
Before the boys, who were attired as the men, in the
cloaks of the " Guild," with the cruciform shield upon
the breast, was borne another cross, and a banner in-
scribed with the lines which tradition states to have been
read by the Emperor Constantine in his vision—" In this
shalt thou conquer." The large "processional cross,"
and the banner of the Walsall Roman Catholic Guild,
preceded the men, who were conducted by the members of
their council and the clergy. The whole line was inter-
spersed with garlands of flowers. Such a scene has not
been witnessed in the neighbourhood since the Reforma-
tion.—Birmingham Advertiser.

THE POISONING CASE AT LONDON.—On Monday the
inquest on the body of Mrs. Belaney, who died in Lon-
don recently from the effects of poison, suspected to have
heen uelminicterpd he her husband, was resumed. Mrs.
Mary Stubbs, a widow lady, and aunt of Mrs. Belaney,
who trembled a good deal and appeared greatly affected,
was sworn. She said she resided at North Sunderland,
in Durham, and rented a farm from her late si,t •r, Mrs.
Rachel Skelly, mother of the deceased, at £lOO a year.
She went twice to see her sister before her death. Her
sister was then living at the prisoner's house. On the
Saturday she saw Mr. Belaney, who told her Mrs. Skelly
was asleep, having had a little laudanum, and expressed a
hope that she would be better when she awoke. Witness
understood Mrs. Skelly died that day; but her niece did
not ask her in when she again called. Mrs. Stubbs un-
derstood the property which she rented from her sister
passed on that lady's death to Mrs. Belaney, and from her
to her husband. Witness received notice to quit from
Mr. Belaney, whose wife, on Mrs. Skelly's death, she
looked upon as her landlady. Witness told Mr. Belaney
she did not expect a notice to quit; but he replied it was
Mrs. Skelly's express wish. Witness, however, had rea-
son to think otherwise. She did not know on what terms
the prisoner and his wife lived, as she had not seen them
above twice together. Mrs. Skelly had five houses, and
had no child but Rachel. The inquest was adjourned
unt 1 Thursday, and then terminated with a verdict of
wilful murder against Mr. Belaney. On Saturday the
prisoner was brought up again before the magistrates,
and committed to the August session of the Central Cri-
minal Court, fur trial on the charge of the wilful murder
of his wife.

THE DUKEDOM OF SUSSEX.—Their Lordships sat as
a Committee of Privilege, for the further hearing of this
c•tse, on Tuesday last. Sir Thomas Vl' ilde called Augusta
Emma D'Este, the sister of the claimant, and Lady Vir-
ginia Murray, aunt of the late witness. Lady Virginia
proved that the late Duke of Sussex and her sister lived
together as man and wife, and that she was present at
the birth of the claimant, whom the duke called the
Prince Augusta. Dr. Lushington was called, and men-
tioned a conversation of four hours' duration, with the
Prince touching his marriage, The evidence of the
learned doctor was, however rejected. Dr. Nicholas
Wiseman, who resided twenty-two years at Rome, and
was coadjutor of the Bishop of Rome, gave evidence re-
spPcting the law of marriages in that city, and showed
that such a marriage was valid i❑ that country, and the
children legitimate. At length, after the examination of
a Catholic priest, of the order of Jesui's, who had studied
at Rome had been proceeded with, the Lord Chancellor
gave it as his opinion, that, on the subject of the marriage
law, they should have the evidence of some number of
some tribunal at Rome, or some lawyer practising at
Rome. The committee adjourned sine die, in order to
afford time to Sir Thomas Wilde to procure additional
testimony in support of the claim. The Lord Chancellor
reminded Sir Thomas Wilde of the necessity of procuring
this additioual testimony before the judges went on circuit.
Their lordships sat again on Friday, when Dr. Thomas
Brown, vicar apostolic for Wales, was examined as to the
Roman law of marriage. He testified that the marriage
of two Protestants by a Protestant, at Rome, would be
held valid, and the issue would be entitled to inherit
property. A letter was put in from the Secretary of
State to Lord Grenville, by which it was proposed to
allow Lady Augusta Murray an annuity, provided she
would not use the royal arms. A clerk from Coutts and
Co.'s proved the payment of £l,BOO a year to Lady
Augusta Murray. This closed the case for the claimant.
Mr. Earle having summed up on behalf of the claimant,
the Lord Chancellor submitted to the common law Judges
a case founded on the evidence. The committee again
adjourned sine die.

SALARIES AND EMOLUMENTS OF GOVERNMENT
OFFICERS.—The following are extracts from the evidence
(given before a parliamentary committee) of Mr. Leonard
Edmunds, clerk of the crown, as to the salaries and
emoluments of some of the public officers :—" The salary
of the reading clerk, the junior clerk of the table, is
.£l5OO
a-year. The salary of the clerk-assistant of the

ments is £3OOO a-year. The salary of the second clerk
of the table is £2500. The salary of the serg'ant-at-
arms in the House of Lords is £l5OO a-year, and £2OOO

a-year in the Commons. The sergeant-at-armsreceives
£l5OO a-year for his services in this house. His services
in the Court of Chancery are paid by fees received there,
which fees amount to a sufficient sum to enable him to
pay his deputy for his services in the Court of Chancery,
and for his services in this house. The sergeant-at-arms
is an officer of state in this house, having no responsible
duties. The registrars of the Court of Chancery receive
from £l2OO to £2OOO a-year. The masters in the Court
of Exchequer, who are officers for the taxation of costs,
receive from £l2OO to £l5OO a-year. The various officers
lately created by acts of the session 1842, in lunacy, and
on the abolition of the six clerks' office, receive from
£l2OO to £2OOO each. The taxing officers of the Court
of Chancery receive £2OOO each ; the commissioners in
lunacy £2OOO each ; and various other officers in courts
of justice receive £l2OO each. Under a late act of par-
liament the tithe commissioners receive £2OOO a-year
each. The registrar of births, deaths, and marriages, a
new officer, receives £lOOO a-year. The clerks in the
offices of this house commence with small salaries—they
commence at £l5O, and rise to £l5OO by seniority. In
the House of Commons they are pretty nearly on the
same scale. In the law offices I find in the secretary of
bankrupts' office the chief clerk receives £5OO a-year, and
the junior clerk £3OO. The door keepers of the Houses
of Parliament receive from £2OO to £5OO. The door-
keepers at the Commons receive at present between £9OO
and £lOOO a-year. Their successors are to receive £3OO
and £5OO. In no office of the courts of law do I find a
less salary than £5OO a-year for a principal clerk. The
clerks' salaries range from £2OO to f. 400 and £6OO a-year,