The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-20 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE

An inquest was held yesterday before Mr. Curry, the
borough coroner, on view of the body of Mr. Wilton Wood
Russell, of Nile-street, whose body was found on Saturday
evening in an unfinished graving-dock, at the Potteries
(South Shore.) The deceased was a highly respected and
talented master ship-builder of this port, and has left a large
family. The following was the evidence :
Robert Cathrell, a baker, said, that about half-past three
o'clock on Saturday afternoon, he saw the deceased coming
towards the Pottery Graving-dock. Witness went into the
dock, which was dry at one end ' • and at twenty minutes to
four o'clock, he saw the deceased standing at the further, or
river, end of the dock, about twenty yards from the water.
Witness saw nothing more of him afterwards until he saw
the body taken out of the water. A boy came to the shop
close by the dock, where witness worked, and said that a
man had been found in the dock. He went to the spot, and
saw three or four men pulling the body to the other end.
He knew it to be that of the man he had before noticed, as
stated. Deceased was taken to Mr. Booth's public-house.
When witness first
,saw him he was walking very slow, and
holding his head down.

Hannah Thorp, who lives at the Potteries, close to the
dock, said, that about a quarter past four o'clock on Satur-
day afternoon, her son, a boy, came home to her, and told
her be had found a hat on the brink of the water with a sand
stone in it ; an 4 that he had also seen something black in the
water. She went out with him. He pointed out the place
to her, and she also saw something dark coloured, upon
which she called three men from a fiat, who brought a rope
and a boat-hook. They got it up partly, and saw it was the
body of a man. It was taken out and carried to a • public-
house. She observed no marks of violence on the body.
Robert Brereton, shipwright, said, he was working at a
fiat there. He heard some boys shouting that a hat had
been found, but paid no attention to that. Some time after-
wards a woman came to them, and said she thought she saw
something in the water. He went with two other men, and
he took a boat-hook, and while one of the men held his
jacket, he succeeded in bringing up the body of a man, with
.the head uppermost. A rope was put round it, and it was
carried to the station-house, Mr. Booth's. There is a path-
way close by the dock, leading to a slip for boats going to
Rock Ferry. Persons might accidentally fall in from it, in
going to the slip. No means were used to restore animation,
as the body was quite cold when it was taken out of the
water. Witness knew the deceased, for whom he had
worked. He was about 35 or 36 years of age. Witness and
his fellow-workmen first saw the deceased, between two and
three o'clock, walking past the dock; and knowing that
Jackson's yard close by was to be let, witness asked his
comrades if they did not think he was looking out for it for
a building-yard, for which it was a suitable place. There
was also a part of the dock wall which had given way, near
the spot where the body was found. Two tons of stones had
given way, and the ground was in such a state that if a per-
son happened to slip in whilst walking along the path, he
must inevitably have fallen into the water. The water was
eight feet deep.

The Coroner here enquired of Mr. Booth, who kept the
receiiing-house for the reception of persons taken out of the
water, why the usual means were not in this case resorted to
to restore suspended animation.

Mr. Booth said he was always ready and active in doing
so, whenever there was any chance of its being of any avail.
He had found, however, that in this case the body had been
in the water from a quarter-past four until five o'clock, and
he considered that there was, therefore, no hope.
The Coroner said it was always proper to make every effort,
as instances had been known in which parties had been re-
stored after being immersed a much longer time than that
stated.

Jane Milieu, being called, said—l am housemaid in the
house of deceased. He was a married man, and has left a
widow and six children. The deceased left borne at half-past
twelve on Saturday. We were not aware at the time that he
bed gone out. The dinner was quite ready. Between six
and seven o'clock, information was brought that he had been
found drowned. He was very low all the morning, and did
not speak much. Witness did not know of any embarrass-
ment in the affairs of the deceased to affect his mind.
A gentleman, who stated he was employed as clerk to the
deceased, who had only commenced business about six
months ago, said that no idea of his being embarrassed could
be entertained.

The Coroner said he did not see any necessity for further
inquiry on that point, for they had no evidence whatever of
an act of self destruction. It had, however, been distinctly
sworn that there was a dangerous path in the immediate
proximity of the spot where the body was found, on passing
which, any one whose foot might slip would inevitably fall
into the water, and thus be accidentally drowned. The re-
mark made, too, by the men wbo knew the deceased, that he
was, probably, looking after a building yard, went to amount
for his being near the spot, if that were considered material.
Taking the whole of the circumstances, the jury could, he
thought, come to no other verdict than that which the testi-
mony given bore out,—namely, that the deceased was found
drowned, but how he got into the water there was no evidence
to show.

The jury almost instantly returned a verdict to that effect.
Mr. Curry highly commended the humane and prompt
conduct of the men who had got out the body, and ordered
such remuneration as he had power to award.

Buortz Es.—A magnificent collection of bronzes is now
exhibiting for sale at Messrs Promoli and Hausburg's Bazaar.
The lovers of the fine arts should inspect them. They are well
worth the attention of the virtuoso.

AMPHITHEATRE.—It will be noticed that the American
Equestrians will prolong their stay until Friday next. Those
who have not yet seen them must lose no time. They are
the most original artistes we have seen for some time. They
have had two or three additions lately in the shape of riders
and voltigeurs.

THE FUNDS : SATURDAY EVENING.---The result of the
offers for the Canada debentures transpired this morning;
and it was made known that Mr. Maubert was the sole
purchaser at the high price of £lOB. The rumour that he
had previously offered £lO7 Ils. appears to be a true one,
and also that that was yesterday the highest price tendered.
This the government would not accept, as the sealed paper
placed in the hands of the Governor and Deputy Governor
of the Bank of England, and referred to in the announce-
ment, declared £lOB to be the lowest price. The biddings
were not re-opened, but Mr. Maubert's offer being the
highest, he was allowed the option of taking the loan at the
government price if he pleased, to which terms he acceded.
The, arrangement between our government and the Canada
Company is, that the latter shall pay 5 per cent. on the loan,
of which government guarantees four to the creditor, the re-
maining one, as well as the whole premium of eight, being
set aside to form a sinking fund, which will thus immediately
have £24,000 to begin with. As some doubt has arisen as to
the extension of the government guarantee beyond the twenty
years, and with respect to the redemption of the loan, it may
be as well to observe, that the general interpretation of the
law is, that the government is not bound to redeem at all,
but in case of non-redemption in twenty years, is bound to
continue the guarantee of the payment of interest, even if
the redemption should be postponed for an indefinite period.
The new feature in the English Stock market was the intro-
duction of the Canada debentures to the notice of the public.
In one bargain they were done at 4 premium, and in another
it is reported 1 premium was paid for small amount. Con-
sols closed fiat at 93+ to 4; Three per Cents. Reduced left
off at 944 to 4; Exchequer-bills, 50s. to 525. premium ; Bank
Stock, 171 to 173 ; and Three-apq-a-Half per Cents. Re-
duced, 101 to 4. In foreign securities, Spanish Actives were
quoted 184 to 19 ; the New Three per Cents.. 24'4 to Por-
tuguese Five per Cents., 314 to 39; Ditto, Three per Cents.,
23 to ; Mexican, 311 to ; Ditto, Deferred, 9to ; Dutch
Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 524 to 4; Ditto, Five per Cents.,
100/ to 14 ; Danish, 84 to ; Colombian, 211 to;; Brazilian,
694 to 4 ; and Belgian, 102 to 4.