The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-04-19 00:00:00

lIIIIIIERY- AT ELECTIONS,

Lord J. RUSSELL movedior leave to 'bring in a bill to pro-
vide for the trial of petitions complaining of general bribery
-anti con tiptiiin in cities anti:boroughs sendiugmeinbers to serve
in Parliament. The noise prevented -ouritearingthe explana-
tion given by the tiohle4Ord of the objects of the hill.
Lord J. Ittissum. said,.with reference to the question of the
hon. and learned gentlemaeopposite, he 'ho'd nut been able to
satisfy his mind that 'it was desirable to impose such. an oath.
as that referred to on members of the 'house. -Ile felt the
greatest possible repugnance to call oh men to Swear•Solemoly
to facts 'which, according to. the vasions interpretations placed_
on.election 'transactions, others might consider false.
. . . .

Mr. Wtratki- concurred in what 1111 fallen from the noble lord
on the subject of an oath to be taken by members disclaiming
bribery. As to the other observation of the lion, and learned
member for:Dublin, no douht an unsuccessful attempt at bri-
bery was as criminal in the party offering the bribe as a suc-
cessful one; but he did not see how such a matter could be
made a ground of disfranchisement when the fact was,itproved
'the viitue utelectors. . •

After aleW words from Mr. E. Wason, leave was given to
briirg tnihm-11-11. . .

COMMISSIONERS OF 'STAMP.

Mr. GOODETT, without airy observations, moved for " a re-
turn, stating the names of the commissioners of stiintfis, 'the
solicitors of stamps, of all under officers and clerks, and other
persons in that 'department ; stating the annual spur which each
of the said persons receives as salary or pay; also stating the
n:imes of retired commissioners, solicitors, clerks, and other
persons;inthe said department, and the sum which each of the
said retired persons receives annually; and also stating the
names of all the distributors of stamps, county by county, in
Ifargland, Wales, and -Scotland, and stating-the-sr:4m.y or -SUM
that each distributor annually receives for his services."
Lord Aurnoap said, that the number•of persons, fora list
Whichorith the salaries attachedqn their offices, Etc. the hon.
*ember now moved, amounted to no less than 525. -He just
stated that fact to show the enormous trouble that would be oc-
dasioned in making out this return. (Hear.) Ile should like
th know, therefore, from the hon. member what object he had
in view in moving for such a ienrrn. As yet the hnu. member
had mentioned no grounds fur this motion, to which•he (Lord
Althorp) should certainly object, unless good parliamentary
grounds were established for coMplying with it.
The motion was then.putnnd negatived.

SIVINGS'

TIC CuAritELLon of the x.CliEcluzit.rose.toiptlip for leave
tiotringin a Bill to enable ..persons to purchase small annuities
Uhrough the means of savings' banks. The lowest sum which
Could be granted by way of annuity under the present law was
£3O a-vear, the proposed law which he had in •view would ena-
ble the poor man, by means of instalments in the savings'
liants, to secure for his old age an -annuity of £29, which-he-
weiddle able to abet, if he "commenced, from the age of
to 30 years, the payment of monthly instalments of Os. by the
time he reached 60 years of age he.woOld haVe made 'deposits,
together with interest, Sufficient to secure the payment of £:2O.
a-year for the rest of his life. It was also to be proVided for
by the bill he intended to introduce that in case the payment
of those monthly payments ceased, either through want .of.
means or disinclination to continue them, the depositor would
be entitled to receive back the whole of the money paid in by
him, but no interest would be allowed the amount; a change
which would constitute some difference between the fund lie
proposed to , establish and:the ordinary savings' banks. The
Government would lose nothing by this plan, and to the indus-
trious working classes the gain would be very great. Ile also
intended to introduce two clauses into the bill, one of Which
would provide for a longer notice being given of a depositor's
intention to withdraw his money trout the fund than was now
required under the Saving' Bank Act; and the other would
preclude the depositor from replacing his fund under the same
advantages as if he had not withdrawn it, Which, by a ProVisiOn
in the Savings' Banks laws, he was at present enabled to do, if
he gave notice of such intention within a certain period of his
withdrawal; the alteration would place him in the situation of
a fresh depositor, and the advantage gained would be to render
the persons who forwarded these deposits more steady in their.
payments, as well as secure the Bank itself against any un-
reasonable run upon it, which caprice, or other accidental
causes might occasion. With this explanation he should con-
elude by moving for leave to bring in a bill for the purposeS he
had mentioned.
Sir THOMAS FREsiANTLE said that he had been one of the
Committee on Savings' Banks, and his opinion was so strongly
in favour of them that he-had a notice on the OrderS for the Bth
of May relative to their condition, but Which motion, he had
little hesitation in declaring, would be entirely superseded by
the Bill. now proposed by the Noble Lord, to which he gave
his hearty sanction.
The noble lord then obtained leave to bring in his bill, .which
he did shortly after, when it was read a first time, and ordered
to be read a second time this day.
PETITIONS AGAINST BRIBERY.
Lord J. RUSSELL brought in a bill to provide for the trial of
petitions against bribery in cities and boroughs sending mem-
bers to Parliament.

SCOTCH BURGHS, &C.
Mr. KENNEDY, in the absence of the Lord Advocate, moved for
leave to bring in " A Bill to provide for the appointment and
election of Alagistrates and Couueellors for the several burghs
and towns of Scotland which now return, or contribute to return,
Members to Parliament, and• are not Royal burghs. Also, a
Bill to provide for the appointment and election of Magistrates
and Councillors for divers burghs, towns, and places in Scotland
which send no Representatives to Parliament, and are not
Royalburghs. Also, a Bill to regulate and diminish the annuity
tax now levied on the city of -Edinburgh, and to take away the
exemption of members of the College of Justice from payment
of the said annuity tax, and the assessments for the poor.
Also, a Bill to empower his Majesty to issue a Commision for
inquiring into the condition of the several Royal burghs, and
other burghs and towns in Scotland; and reporting what may
be fit to be done for their improvement; and the correction of
any de:ects or abuses that-may be found to exist..
Leave being given,
The other orders of the day where then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at one o'clock

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS-MONDAY.

(Before Mr. Baron Vaughan and a London Jury.).
THE CHARG,E OF ATTeNIPTING TO SHOOT ME. MELLISH.—
Noah l'eae Alger, aged 37,. described a• mariner, was
indicted for maliciously shooting at William Mellish, with
intent to murder him. _

Mr. A.DOLPEiIjs And Mr. PitiLtti,s conducted the prosecution;
And Mr. Serjeant; ANonnws- and Mr. CLARKSON the. defence.
In the occasional absence of the two former-Counsel, Mr. COD-
KIN examined the witnesses.
• The evidence in support of the prosecution, that of Mr.
Mellish and other witnesses, iwas precisely the same as has
been full detailed in Mansion4iouse police reports• of the trans-
action, wtten the prisoner was iirst-apprehendtd.
The cross-examination was unimportant:
A great number of witnesses, most of them Captains in the
merchant service, and persons with whom the prisoner had'
associated or lived with, declared it as their opinion thathe was'
insane, and related various- instances of aberration of nlitid,
both when sober and intoxicated.
• Mr-. Gilbert sl'M'urthich, Singeon to N'etvt.,atc, *as called at'
.the request of ,the Judge, and said he had seen the prisoner
two or three times after the transaction in question, arid 'had
conversed with him. Witness had reason to suppose he was
.of Unsound taint/.
Cress-examiued bySerjeant AN onEw s—Witness was'directed
14 the Lord Mayor taaserve the' pligOnee's tondueL
Mr. Baron VACGIIAN then commented the summing up. of
the case, which, he observed, was one for the grave consideration
of the Jury, as it' involved the life of a fellow-creature. The
learned Judge said he had called the stirgeon attending the
,prison in order that it' might'bu' Eckel-tante& front him whether
tny thing had taken place under his observation so lead to
a. correct opinion of his sanity. They had hpurdthe testimony

of that gentleman, as well as the mass of evidence, to prove
that he at times suffered under the severest infliction that could
- attend Truman nature. The charge against the.,prisoner..vtal
that of unlawfully and maliciously shooting at Mr. Mellish,
wit li intent to kill him. Another count Charged him *ith
intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. The prisoner
•had been indicted under Lord -LarisdoWne's 'Act, and AfhiCh
was formerly known as that of Lotd lillethorOugh. The'.lo,46‘
question for the Jury to determine was; Whether the prisoner
was of sound or 'unsound mind. The crime consisted iu
• the malice and intention. If the -prisoner were betel% of
understanding, -he could not be found guilty. of the Offence.
It was a case, however, requiring their vigilant consideration.
That excellent Judge, -Sir Matthew Hale, had said it was
ditileinctii "define -Or leterniine in -Siie.-,h-iiiafreis.
that the line was `almost invisible, 'and that therefore the
more care. was to be taken that the prisoner. should h,e•pro:
tected, and lire law -and justice not violated. His lordship
then expatiated upon the former threats of the prisoner—ihat
he Weald Ithriewhip Mr. Mellish, • and thirt he -had hougirt
whip for the purpose. This showed prerneditirtitm,-at all ettitits ;
but then, 'again, was-the t prisoner-acting under a delusion or
mind—for' whenever Mr. Mellish-was mentioned, he spoke in
• an excited manner; And talked of the unrequited ddirris he had
upon that gentleman, but •whietr it was clear Were groundless.
The learned judge concluded a long and elaborate charge by
recapitulating-the-evidence.
The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after a lapse
of twenty minutes returned into court.
..
The foreman, addressing Mr. Baron Vaughan, said they
a verdict to return, 'which, if• not correctly word .y
worded, they wofird
ask hss lordship to correct them.
Baron VA cc ti A is your verdict, gentlemen ?
Plreinan—Our verdict is--,we acquit the prisoner on the
.ground of insanity. •
Baron VauGutN—Very well. gentle-Men—it is your verdict.
The 'prisoner, who had behaved in an incohaerit
during the trial, often'Staring round the court and turning IA
back upon the .proceedings, was then removed, and of COUStqa
derision
awaits-the' of the eX eartiVe- as to-hisfirlille-diSpoWil.
The trial occupied six hours.

TUESDAY.
Richard Coster amyl Eiround Smith were indicted for utteitig
a forged £lO note,:with the intent to 'defraud the Governor and
Company of the Hank of England;' the second count chArged
_them with the intent to defraud Theophilus Clarke. There
were.three other indictments of a similar nature against the
prisoners, To art or wriictittieprea-ze-d-qvarmilify. -
Sir JA MES SCAIII.ETT (with whom was Mr. Xiut.Locit
retainc.d for the prosecution ; and 'Mr. ADOLPHUS and fr.
BODKIN appeared for the prisoners.
Sir.Les..S.6vor.ETT stated the case to.the jury, and observed,
that since the law respecting for,gery_had been altered, a 'gikt
increase in the circulation. of forgea Batik of England notes had
taken:plieee,4ind the"pohlic ought to be very careful - h0w".17
took them, especially- £5 bank notes. The rnisoners had adopted
a most ingenious mode of .circulating them. Letters were sent
in tOlhe cmmtry, informing iiirfacturersthOt the writer =Wwi
engaged in smuggling gooas into Belgium, and for the goods
which were
.sent cash would be paid. In thuse eases, the mu 4y,
which consistect of notes, was sent before the arrival of the-goiis.
Mr. 'l'. Clarke, of Devonshire, deposed reeetVini;
two letters; one of the-2'3th of February, and a second on tin:
15th of March. The second one contained teu £5 Bank of
England notes. Ile marked them all, and in about ten nii•
nutes oiler he carried. them .to the Iloniton Bank, where he
learned they were forgeries. Ile afterwards wont to Mr. Alidt
deep, a solicitor, in consequence of having seen a letter directed
to Miss-Cox .in postinan's hands,-al pautlyin the- same
hand-writing as the one which 'he had received. Miss Cox's
letter also contained' eight £5 Bank of 'Etiglaild notes, and-tiiie
£lO note. lie afterwards Made up two parclls, and diteetchl
them to William Jackson, Bishepsgate-streeti-ati'd •he Bent
two lettershy the post; cue of them was written by his wile.
One of the parcels contained a small quantity of lace, and the
other only blank-paper.
Mr. A.Doi.vu,s.—The notes were never out of my poise.-
sion.

Mr. Aberdeen, a solicitor, of Honiton, received, on the
of March, a:Letter from Miss Cox, a lace-manufacturer, of 'Ho-
nitou, in which were enclosed eight five-pound And one tee-
pottitd Bank of Eugland notes, 'which, Upon inquiry, proved to
be forged,- dud width lnc having- marked, 'he' sent-to the solicitor
Of the Bank of England ; he also sent a small quantity of lace,
directed to Wm. Jack Son, 31, Biskopsgate-street Within, %widen
he sent by the 'Exeter mail, having. pniviotisly lean-fed that Mr.
Clarkeintended to send his parcel in the same direction by tue
Devonpoit mail.
Biebard Pearcedeposed, that his father keeps the Four Swan',
Bishopsgate-street. Ou Saturday evenng,March 16, the pri-
soner. Smith came-to.his• house and delivered him a piece of pa-
per; he then said he expected a parcel, but he had made a ims-
take, thinking he had g/Ven the numbers of the Bullinn. The
prisoner asked_hitnto.takc it in, on which he asked if anything
was to be paid. He replied no; all his parcels f% Out the coun-
try wereEpaid. The. prisoner then said he would call on :licit-
day. 011'03 following day he saw Cotfr at the bar, who had
a glass of. porttir, and inquired what tune the Ipswich coach
came in, as he expected a gent!eman by it. He afterwards saw
the prisoner 'Smith; who called himself Jackson, go into the
coach-of he; with a parcel under his arm,
very briskly towards Bishopsgate church. He was followed by
Rowe, the officer, who took the prisoner into custody.
Mr. Anoymi es, Mr. BODKIN, and Mr. BARRI' cross-exarniifkl.
the witness on the part of the prisoners, but elicited nothing
material.

. .
Rebecca Scone., barmaid to Mrs. Pearce,—On the lkh March
she was in the bar of the Four Swans, and saw a parcel
cone directed'to Mr. Jackson, al, Bishopsgate-street;.she gave
it to her master. The following day Coster came to the house,
but did not remain long. Ile said tie expected a person to come
up by the Ipswich coach, or he might.come by the Bury coach.
She informed him the Bury coach did ~not call ,there. There
had been a letter kit at the bar for a Mr. haver; this Coster
saw, and said Favor had taken in a friend of his- of the name of
Jackson for near OW. The prisoner then left, and came a
second time, wl.feu.'he remained -for about an hour. i 40.11
speaking about Jackson; he said lie lived at the west end of the
town.

John Clifford, the book-keeper at the Four Swans.—Upon
Tuesday morning, the 19th of March, Mr. Pearce brought him
two i:arcels and two letters, which he directed him to take care
of. The prisonet:Sinith called at two o'clock, and received
them from him. Smith, upon being asked froni whence be ex-
pected them, said from lloniton, iu Devonshire.
By Mr. BARRY,—Smith did not say he was sent for the par-
cels by Mr. Jackson.
Henry Pearce, the landlord, of
.the Four SwanS, in conse-
quence of instructions he had received, on Monday, the 'Nth
of March, engaged several policemen to be in his house. on the
Tuesday. On that morning two parcels, directed to William
Jackson, were received at his hOtisofroM Honiton; the one by
the Exeter mail, the other from Devonport. lle sent themboth
into the coach-office. About two the prisoner Smith came into
his bar, and inquired for a parcel directed to William Jackson ;
he was referred to the coach-office, which is up the yard. Wit-
ness saw the prisoner Coster walking up ,and "down the other
side of the street, frequently looking across, and evidently wait-
ing for Smith:, Shortly.•after, ,Stnith cage outer the yard with
the parcels, and walked down the street—on the same side of
the street as the Swans.- Costerintmediately did the same on
the other side of the street, but kept frequently.looking over to
Smith. Roe, a city officer, who had been waiting iu the houne,
now followed and captured Smith, upon which Coster'begen-to
run, but was followed and taken into custody by. witness: • .
Several other..withesees were called,, who • corroborated the
above statement. • .

Smith, in his defence, said he was totally,•ignerant of tile
transaction. He had been employed by a person of the name
of Jackson to call for the parcels: . .
Coster, who occupied three quarters of an hour in his defence,
denied all knowledge of the transaction. His guirtglo;the'Four
Swaratwas to meet a friend; laud • he shturid• call .evideneer to
prove that the letters were not written by him.
Alderman HARMER said be' hilly been engaged professionally
for the prisoner, and he did not think the letters-utiiv 'proditcvd
were written by Custer.

Other witnesses spoke to the same effect.
The Learned Judke stntuthbd up.
The jury returned a verdict of. Guilty against both prisoners,

We are told that the influenza (in almost every.farnily at the
west end of the town) has spread through. tire wEnTe. establish-
ment. In one commercial concern near Ilanovei,sqpare these
are thirty-two iu bed-; and, in another at Charing-cross' arty
persons • . at Devonshire'-house, nearly the 'Whole of the Ifoitse
hold ; atr NO'rthuneheriand=houSe,. also Many. In the Bank of
'England on Menday,'no feWer• thau ninety :four of the cleilie
were laid up with prevailing disease ; and last night all the
principal theatres'were eloseel in'consequence of the illness. of
inatiy of the performers. Miss Kelly's entertaining perfottn-
anccS were alsb suspended last night, in consetionee of tile•
of that' IA tly front the prevailing • epidt•Mte. Le'±iV,e'nr
country readers shotild 'be over-much alarmedat'thls'stittieMiebT,
7wEttitiit it-rigtrucatdratavrtitB nrea:4y;.-..thrregtnaarte•lettile
it lasts. ballot proved tatall:avyone instltp
Paganini is in great disgrace amongst.th#,,glisli is Par
because he has refused to. play for Miss guritlison's benell;.;.) in
fact, the beau has go: into a serape.

To Jail immediately.
For QUEBEC and MONT AL,
The SIR WATK ,
220 tons per register, coppered_ an copper-fastened.—
For freight apply to JAMES LOGAN, Exchange-court,
Exchange-street East.

On k ItIDAY, the 3d May next, at 'lwelve o'clock, at the Pun"
tic SALE-ROOM, Exchanfbuildings,
70 Chests Manilla DIGO,
Now landing.—Apply to Mr. Tuo . RIPLEY, Merchant, or to
BATESON and HOUSFALL, Brokers.