The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-06-25 00:00:00

OVERLOADING OMNIBUSES.--On Tuesday Philip
Condon, driver of John Bradley's Bootle omnibus, was
fined 40s. and costs for carrying twelve passengers out-
side, the legal number being eight.—Francis Priest and
Leversage Bradley, both drivers of omnibuses belonging
to Mr. William Jones, of Bootle, were mulcted in the
same amount for similar offences. Mr. Rushton stated,
that although a vehicle was licensed to carry twenty, if the
owner painted the number eight on the outside, he was
bound by the number adopted. He also said, that the
overloading of omnibuses was a growing evil, and in future
he would put on the full fine of £5.
Rumors RED MURDER.—On Tuesday last a report was
current at the north end of the town, that a boy had died.
in Scotland-road, in consequence of being struck by a
woman. On Wednesday Catherine Connor, the party
implicated in the matter, was brought before Mr. Rushton,
and evidence produced, to the effect that the prisoner had
struck the lad, whose name is John Riley,. though it did
not appear that he was materially injured. The prisoner
denied that she had struck Riley at all, and said that he
had merely fallen down in a fit, having I .booted under a
complaint of that nature for some time. Immediately
after the circumstance took place, he was removed to the
Northern Hospital. The case was adjourned to Thursday,
when the boy was able to attend but not being able to
comprehend the nature of an oath was not allowed to give
evidence. The prisoner was discharged, as the testimony
of the witnesses on the whole was unsatisfactory.
COMPLAINT OF AN EMIGRANT.-0a Wednesday last,
Lieutenant Henry, inspector of emigrant vessels, appeared
before Mr. Rushton, to prefer a complaint against Mr.
Holmes, for a violation of the act of parliament, in having
taken passage-money without being duly licensed to act
as passenger broker. It appeared that an emigrant, named
Thomas Bowley, had paid over to Mr. Holmes £5, for
the passage of himself and wife to the United States, but
that after the vessel had been out a short time, she sprung
a leak, and they were obliged to return. Lieutenant
Henry stated that he called at Mr. Holmes's office, and
was informed that the passage-money should be returned,
but as it was not immediately paid he had thought proper
to bring the case before Mr. Rushton. Mr. Bardswell.
who appeared for the defendant, said he (the defendant)
had acted in ignorance of the act of parliament, and had
taken the money merely to oblige the passengers, as the
vessel was about to proceed to sea. Lieutenant Henry
said the vessel would be unfit to be sent to sea for eight or
ten weeks ; that she was almost rotten, being nearly 33
years old. Another emigrant, who had embarked by the
said vessel, but who had been shipped by the passenger
brokers, Messrs. Byrnes and Co., also complained that
he had been kept back for several weeks at great expense
to himself. Mr. Rushton censured the parties, and or-
dered the money to be paid over, observing that if there
was any further difficulty in the matter. the passenger
brokers must be summoned. The passage-money was
than returned to Bowley—namely £7—the sum of Lt
having been previously allowed for bread.
INQUESTS.—On Tuesday two inquests were held before
the borough coroner. The first was on the body of Wm.
Poland, a man 77 years of age. who acted as watchman on
board the ship Rappahannock, at present lying in the
Victoria Dock. On Friday evening week he was going on
board that vessel, when he fell headforemost on the deck,
and injured himself so severely that he died on the follow-
ing day.—The second was on the body of Mary Ann.
Morris, a child two years old, who, whilst endeavouring
to stand on the lower part of a table, drew down a teapot
filled with hot tea and scalded herself so dreadfully over
the shoulders, head, and arms, that she died 011
Saturday. —Three inquests were held, before the Bo-
rough Coroner, on Saturday. The first was on the body
of John Davidson, a man in the employ of Mr. Joseph
Betteley, anchor-manufacturer. It appeared that the
deceased was found, in an insensible state, in a field near
Park-road, on Thursday morning last, and that he had
evidently fallen down a declivity, near where he was
lying. Ile was immediately removed to his house in
Windsor-street, where he died on Friday of effusion of
blood on the surface of the brain, the result of external
violence, such as a fall.—The second was on the body of
William Kendall, an apprentice on board the ship Helena,
at present lying in the Prince's Dock. On Monday
evening ast he took hold of the combings of the main-
hatch, for the purpose of going below to get a broom, and
having put his foot on some goods in the hold, one of the
bales canted over, and he was thrown with great violence
to the bottom. On Tuesday he became delirious, and on
Friday he died of concussion of the brain, the result of
the fall.—The third inquest was held on an elderly man,
named William Collett. On Tuesday morning he went
up to Eliza Tweedle, a servant in the employ of Mrs.
Curzon, who resides in Wellington-road, and after talking
to her for a short time he put his hand behind him, leaned
against the wall, fell down, and, after groaning three
times, expired. The surgeon was of opinion that death
had been caused by a rupture of the hea. t. Verdicts in
accordance with the evidence were returned.
CHARGE OF MISCONDUCT AGAINST TWO POLICE-.
OFFICERS.—On Thursday. John Robinson preferred a
complaint against Police-officers, Stee e and Guy, for using
violence towards him, and also ill language in committing
him to Bridewell. The complaint was brought up on
Wednesday before Mr. Rushton, (having been found in
Marybone the previous evening, and booked by the officers
as a suspicious character) and discharged. Robinson
stated that the officers accosted him on his way home,
about twelve o'clock, and one of them called him a d—d
thief, they then searched his pockets, and took out his
pocket-book, observing at the same time that they would
do as they liked, for he was a notorious thief. On arriv-
ing at the Bridewell, in Vauxhall-road, one of them gave
him a poke in the back and used the most insulting and
threatening language. The Bridewell keeper, (Ramage)
remonstrated with them, and said, if they had a charge,
they had better let him know, but they had no right to
use such language. They were then observed to whisper
together, and one of them said, Book him as a eeapici-
cious character." The statement of the complaint was
corroborated by the Bridewell keeper, who said they used
the most aggravating language in reference to the
prisoner : so much so, that he found it necessary to call
them to order : they also came at five o'clock in the
morning, and used abusive language, because he (Ramage)
had reported the case to Inspector Bibby. Steele and
Guy, on being called, denied the charge made against
them ; and the former said that he knew the complainant,
and had seen him in bad company. Mr. Rushton remark-
ed that the case was not one affecting the character of
Robinson, who, it appeared, had been convicted of a
crime six years ago, and once or twice brought into court
and discharged ; there might be some justification for
suspicion against a man living as he had formerly lived,
but from the time the man was brought into Bridewell
until he was put down their conduct had been marked
by great impropriety ; taking their whole conduct into
consideration, the magistrates were of opinion that they
must be suspended.
DOCK COMMITTEE, THURSDA.V.—Present, Messrs.
Moore, Holmes, Chilton, Trotman, Bulley, Roydon, Bold,
Sandhach, Shand, Ripley, and Aikin. The Surveyor
presented an estimate of the cost of coping the river wall
with sandstone and granite. The expence of the sand.
stone was estimated at £36o—of granite at £630. Granite
was ordered to be used.—A letter was read from the
Finance Committee, stating that in consequence of there
bring 100 vessels now lying in the river for want of dock
room, the river craft dock had been placed at the disposal
of the Dock Committee for a fortnight. Some conversa-
tion arose as to the payment to be made to the Corpora-
tion for the accommodation, but it was decided to allow a
charge to be made first by the Council, and then the com-
mittee would discuss the subject.—An account, inclosed in
a letter from Harvey and Falcon, was ordered to be paid.
—A letter from Sir John Hall as to the Manchester
Bonding Bill, having been read, Mr. Ripley said he was
glad that the committee had last week decided not to inter-
fere in this matter. He believed that bonded warehouses
in Manchest r would be decidedly advantageous to the mer-
chants of Liverpool. Here there was a lack of middle
men as dealers, and if they infused new blood they would
have a new set of dealers, and new capital introduced: If
properly understood, he thought the merchants of Liver-
pool would support the question.—The Chairman said
he understood it was a government measure so far as the
principle was concerred, and any opposition would be
unavailing.—Mr. Ripley asked if there was anything new
with regard to the new dock bill ?—The Chairman said it
was waiting for the committee.—Mr. Ripley said he
understood that Lord Haddington never intended to sit
on the committee.—The Chairman said Mr. Nicol had
made a mistake in stating that Lord Haddington had con-
sented to sit on the committee. It was supposed that he
would, inasmuch as Lord Granville Somerset suggested
that he ought to be asked to sit upon it.—Mr. Ripley said
the matter had been stated by Mr. Nicol in a way that
would lead to a supposition that his Lordship was unfa-
vourable to the Wallasey Bill, whereas, so far as could be
ascertained, he was favourable to it. A short conversation
ensued, and the committee proceeded to matters of
finance.

THE CHARGE OF MURDER.—The inquest on the body
of Thomas Spinks, found dead in Limekiln-lane yester-
day morning week, as noticed in our last, was commenced
on Tuesday and continued until Thursday. A great num-
ber of witnesses were examined, and amongst them Jane
Rainford, one of the parties in custody (the two others
being Charles Doyle and John Dumford, with whom the
deceased had been last seen in company) was also ad-
mitted, which was to the effect that she, in company
with Dumford and his wife, Doyle, and the deceased,
visited various public-houses on Sunday evening, and
eventually adjourned, about twelve o'clock, to Dumford's
cellar, taking with them some liquor, which they drank ;
that after being there a short time, she went out along
with the deceased, but observing a man coming down the
street, whom she did not wish to see, she returned again
to the cellar, leaving Spinks in the street. In about five
minutes afterwards, Dumford's wife, having occasion to
go out, found the deceased lying in the manner described
by the police-office; and during the time which elapsed
from his leaving the cellar to his being found in the street,
a period of about five minutes, no noise was heard, nor
alarm given of any disturbance calculated to excite suspi-
cion. Both Dumford and Doyle were seen apparently
assisting the deceased about the time of the event, but the
former, when requested by the officer to accompany them
to the station, appeared unwilling to do so, as he went a
few yards and then returned. The statements of Doyle
and Dumford corroborated that of the witness Rainford,
and did not throw any further light on the matter; some
other parties were also called, amongst others Dumford's
wife, who detailed the proceedings that took place in the
cellar, but with the addition, that when Jane Rainford
came in, after being out with Spinks, she said—" 0 God,
my chap has just come, and caught me with Tom Spinks."
Mr. Edwards, surgeon to the Eastern Dispensary, who
made a post-mortem examination of the body, said the
deceased had died from an extravasation of blood on the
brain, the result of external violence and injury, which
might have been produced by a blunt instrument, such as
a stick or poker, or by falling against stones or steps.
The jury found a verdict of wilful murder against some
person or persons unknown. The parties in custody were
released.