The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-03-14 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

PREVALENCE OF DISTRESS.—Numbers of cases are
still brought before the magistrates, in which the offen-
ders have been impelled by hunger to break the law. On
Thursday morning a child, who gave his name Charles
Cochrane, was charged by a person named Tilston, with
havinc, stolen a loaf from a baker's shop. Mr. Rushton
directed the proper officer to conduct the boy to the
overseer.

THE EFFECTS OF INTOXICATION.—A man named Wm.
Pooley, was placed at the bar of the Police-court on
Thursday. A police-officer stated that the prisoner had,
while under the influence of drink, attempted to hang
himself, but failing in that he made a second effort to
strangle himself with one of his braces. He was taken
into custody for safety. The prisoner admitted that he
was drunk at the time, and did not know what he was
doing. The magistrates ordered his discharge.
CONSEQUENCES OF USING THREATS.—OR Friday, a
blackguard-looking fellow was brought up at the Police-
court, before Mr. Rushton, upon the charge of being
drunk and disorderly on the previous night. The case
having been clearly proved, the prisoner was ordered to
pay a penalty of five shillings. The prisoner, upon hear-
ing this, turned to the police-officer and told him that he
would thrash him next time he saw him. Mr. Rushton
ordered the prisoner to be again placed at the bar, and
told him that in consequence of his threats, he should
bind him over to keep the peace for three months, and in
default of finding sureties, he must go to gaol. Prisoner.
—That's all you can do. Mr. Rushton.—lt will be quite
enough for your feelings. The prisoner was then removed.
MATERNAL. DEPRAVITY,—Margaret Clarke, and Frank
and James Clarke, her sons, were charged before Mr.
Rushton on Wednesday, by police officer Marks, with
having attempted to pick the pockets of several ladies in
Church-street and Bold-street, on Tuesday. He at times
observed the mother attempting to pick pockets while
screened by her sons, and then one or the other of the
latter, while screened by the mother. He knew the pri-
soner, Frank Clarke, to be an old juvenile offender, and
he took them all into custody. Mr. Parkinson said that
the mother was lately tried at the sessions, and sentenced
to eight months imprisonment, and that she had been
three times committed and twice discharged. Frank
Clarke, the eldest of the two sons, had also been three
times committed and twice discharged. The youngest
(apparently about nine years of age), was not known.
Mr. Rushton said nothing could be more deplorable then
to see a mother actually training her children in the paths
of crime. He ordered her to be committed for four
months, the eldest son for one month, and the youngest
to be given to the care of the overseers, in order that, if
possible, he might be preserved from destruction by being
sent to school.

INFORMATIONS UNDER TIIE LOCAL ACT.-011 Friday,
a green grocer, living in the neighbourhood of Vauxhall-
road, appeared before Mr. Rushton, charged with having
obstructed the foot-path with some hampers of potatoes.
The defendant was accompanied by his wife, who had talk
enough to serve half a dozen people, and they admitted
the truth of the charge, but they tried to impress upon
the mind of the magistrate the fact that they had done no
harm. They were ordered to pay a penalty of five shil-
lings and costs. Defendant.—l wont pay a farthing. Mr.
Rushton.—Oh ! yes, you will. Wife.—He shan't pay.
Defendant.—l have done it every day for the last fourteen
years. Mr. Rnshton.—Then you ought to have been
fined every day in the last fourteen years. Defendant.—
Well, I shan't pay. Wife.—No : he shan't. Why did
they not tell us before ? Mr. Rushton.—But I'll make
you pay very soon, and if you don't go out of court and
take your noisy wife with you I will order you to be taken
into custody. The defendant and his wife grumbled, but
left the court. Mr. Gerard Donking, of Dale-street, was
also summoned for having caused an obstruction of some
sort, and he likewise was fined five shillings and costs.
The defendant said that he had not had justice done to
him. Mr. Rushton.—lf you make any such observations
here, sir, I shall take you into custody. What am. I to
do with poor people who are fined for offences of this sort,
and lose nearly all their substance, whilst a rich shop-
keeper like you break the law, and when you are fined
say you won't pay ? You'll pay the fine, sir; leave the
court, and don't let me hear any more of your imperti-
nence here, or I'll send you to gaol. I would much sooner
send you than these poor people. The defendant paid
the fine and retired.

RIDGWAY AND UNION COURSING MEETING.—This
' meeting took place at Lytham, on Thursday and Friday.
The Clifton Cup was divided by Mr. Hampson's Diligence
and his Highflyer ; the Ridgway Cup was won by Mr.
Graham's Dupe. Mr. Hampson's Horse running second ;
the Talbot Cup was taken by Mr. Graham's Demagogue,
Mr. Knowles' Kilrush running up. The second ties of the
Union Stakes were won by Mr. Graham's Curry Powder,
and Mr. Hampson's Opelia. The match between Mr.
Ridgway's Old England, and Mr. Peacock's, Prime, was
won by the former.