The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-01-27 00:00:00

THE STATESITAX

MEETING OF THE JOURNEYMEN SILK
WEAVERS.
—"ow—

Oa Saturday evening a meeting of the Journeymen
Silk Weavers was held, ptirsuant to adjournment, at the
Red Lion, Phenix Street, Spit*!fields, to receive from their
Committee, a final answer from the employers, as to the
present disputes relative to the prices of labour. The meet-
ing was very numerously attended, and Mr. Baker, the Se-
cretary to the Committee, detailed the result of the inter-
views which they had had with several masters, and read
three letters from different masters. A considerable dis-
cussion then took place, which ended In the adoption of a
resolution, that the Committee should cease their functions
and that the journeymen should assemble again on next
Saturday night, to receive from the Committee an account
of %he expences incurred. As far as we understood the
discussion, it appears that only one article of not very
great importance now remains in dispute, between the
masters and journeymen, and that as to this article, they
are likely to come to a speedy agreement.

SCOTLAND.-COUKT OF SESSION.

SUPPOSED MURDER OP A MOTHER
AND CHILD.
(saost THE LEEDS DIMILCORY.)
Knaresbro', Monday, Jan. 19.
•
An investigation into a most mysterious occurrence
has occnpied the attention of the neighbouring magistracy
for the last ten days. A young woman of the name of
Mary Gill, and her child, have suddenly disappeared from
this place, and under circumstances which base excited
a strong suspicion that they have been most foully mur-
dered.

These circumstances appearing to criminate Mr. Henry
Calverley, a substantial farmer, residing at Belmont Farm,
about .t mile from Knaresbro', he was apprehended about
ten days ago, and has undergone three several examina-
tions. These•examinations have been private, the magis-
trates having excluded all persons whatever, but the par-
ties immediately concerned—an exclusion which was ex-
tended to a professional gentleman who wished to attend
on behalf of the prisoner. As it was understood that the
final examination would take place this day, our reporter
attendcd for the,purpose of taking notes of the proceedings
hut after a conference with Sir William Ingilby, which led
to a discussion among the magistrates, he was informed
that they had determined that the examination should be
private; and that as all applications for admittance on th-
previous examinations bad been refused, it was determined
that the same rule should be observed on the present
occasion. The magistrates present at the examination
to-day were Sir William Ingilby, Bart. W. F. 1.. Scott,
and John Williams, Eire. Having been prevented by
this &chino of tfiemagistrates from availing ourselves of
the best soutce of information, the hearing with our own
ears the deposition; of the different witnesses, we have eu•
deavoured to supply this defect by diligent and imps:Cal
inquiry upon the spot, and we present the following out-
line ofthis most singular case, as the substance of the in-
formation we have collected.

Mr. Henry Calverley. the person against whom this s -
rions charge is made, is near fifty years of age, a married
man, the father of a large family, and is said to be of
rather Fenurions habits. Mary thll, a young unmarried
woman, about 27 years of age. lived as a domestic servant
in the.prisoner's family in the year 18272. She quitted his
service in the month of September, in the lame year, being
then in an advanced state of pregnancy; and at the close
of that, or the beginning of the following year, she wss
delivered of a daughter. No order of filiation was sought
fur by Mary Gill, and the prisoner disclaims having had
any connexion whatever with her, hnt evidence was given
to show, that lie had from time to time psid her money fur
the maintenance of the child, and it was surmised that he►
applications for money had latterly become importunate.
The child remained with her mother, who seemed much
attached to it, in lodgings at Knaresborough, until Sa-
turday, the 4th of October last, in the afternoon of which
day Mary Gill returned to her lodgings without the child,
which she was known to have taken eith her, apparently
in the greatest distress o! mind. On being questioned as
to the rause of her distress, she stated that she bad met
Mr. Calverley, (the prisoner) in Belmont Wood, by ap-
pointment, who told her that he would provide a nurse for
her child, and would have it well taken care of ; and that
upon these assurances she had delivered the child to him,
hut that as soon as he had received it, lie had folded it in
his great coat, and run off, leaving her in the middle of the
wood ; she also stated, that she gave him a bundle of childs
clothes. The persons to whom Mary Gill made this
disclosure blamed her for her conduct, and advised her to
go to him, and insist up•an having the child delivered to
her. She complied, or professed to comply with this ad•
vice, and on her return said she had seen Calverley, who
told her that he had sent the child to Leeds, but in order to
satisfy her anxiety on the subject, she should go and
see it.

It will be obvious to our readers, that this pert of the
case rests on the declarations of Mary Gill, which, upon
trial, could not be given in evidence against the prisoner,
but it was proved by other evidence, that she had applied
to a person to take bee to Leeds on the Bth of October in
his waggon, and that she had subsequently called upon
him, and told him that she would not go in his waggon,
as the father of the child would take her himself, In the
afternoon of the Bth of October, this ill-fated young wo-
man left her lodgings, far the purpose. as was supposed. of
going to Leeds, but she never returned. She was seen,
however. towards evening of the following day. at the
edge of Belmont wood, in company with the prisoner, and
this was the last time that she %sas ever seep; bat other
witnesses speak to the hearing her voice in the wood, and
also the voice of the prisoner. A few days after the sup-
posed departure of Wary Gill for beetle, a letter was re-
ceived, bearing the mark of the Leeds post-office, pile-
porting to be, written by her, which stated that she bad
got a good place at Leeds, that her child was well taken
rare of, and that she would come over to see them at
Cristmas. This letter put to rest all further enquiry with
respect to her, and it was not until Christmas had passed
over without the promised visit being paid, that any sus-
picions were entertaiued on the subject. This letter.
there is now every reason to believe, was written by the
prisoner at his own house, taken to Leeds, anti put into the
post-office there by himself. lie was proved to have been
to Leeds on the day the letter was put into the post-office;
it was written upon a sheet of paper precisely similar to
some that was found in the prisoner's house, and the hand
writing was sworn to be the prisoner's. This seems a
prove place for sta•ing, that on the 9th of October, a
bundle of child's do lies was found by a boy, near a hay-
stack, at the edge of B. ltuditt Woad, and which appeared
to have been originally thrust into the hay, end to have
been rooted out by the swine, which have been sworn
to as the very t lothe., taken aeay by the mother, before
she left her lodgings with the chill. A carving-knife
was also found is Belmont Wood a few days after, but
it has not yet been identified as havieg belonged to the
prisoner.
The prisoner said very little tinting the examination—
and merely denied having any conuexion with Msry Gill
of knowing what had become of her. Two witness-s were
examined on behalf of the poisoner; the first was a person
of the same of who had been many years husbandry
servant to lihn. He stated on his examination that he bad
Sewn Mary Gilt in Harrogate•lane, about a fortnight before
Martinmas, which would be a month after she was missing;
bet there was each evident marks of prevarication in the
Meaner in whielt he gave his testimony, that the magis-
trates threatened to commit him for perjury: upon which
he distinctly admitted that what he had before stated was
false, that ha had nut seen Wary Gill. and had been in.
dined by the promises of his master to swear that be bal.
Faith Stephenson was called to corrolxim, e the evidence

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
BgTTING AT TATTERSALL'.-J*g. 26.

•
DDLESWORTH.-1 t to 4agst Reformer--9 to 2 agst Pru-
dence—ll to it apt Quadrille-7 to I opt Dog Carlos-8 to
agst Cressida—l4 to I agst Lyrae's,. •

OAKS.—Nothing done.

DZREY.-5 to 1 eget Swiss-7 to 1 apt Reformer-11 to 1
agst Agnes-15 to 1 apt Osmond-16 to 1 apt Ridicule—l 6
to 1 apt Cressida-17 to I apt Don Carina—SO to 1 agst
Norly Burly—tait to 1 agst skim Colt-23 to 1 agar Jessy-415
to 1 agst Bess-26 to i agst Cydnus-30 to 1 agst Dactyle-60
to 1 agst Charcoal.

DoscArm ST. Lactic-10 to 1 agst Altisitinen-19 to 1
agst Swiss-17 to 1 agst Miller of Nlagsfield-.17 to 1 agst
Rosanne-20 to 1 sprat Ringlet-22 to l agst 11oadane-22
tot agst Miss Cranfield.

GREAT FOOT RACE.—A match for one bindred pounds
a-side, was made last Monday night, at Rochdale, between
Ashton and Halton, td be run the first Thursday after the
York Spring Meeting in the present year, twice round
Doncaster Race-ground.

William Jackson of Newsham, is twitched against
James Metcalf, to run one mile over Catterick-Bridge
Race Course, on the 6th of April next, for one hundred
pounds each.

Last week, a superfine scarlet frock coat faced with blue,
blue waistcoat, and hat with a gold band and cockade,
were presented ►o Walter Wright, the driver of the suit

coach from Belford to Unnbar; by some gentlemen of
Berwick and the n.ighbourhowl, as a token of their appro-
bation of his uniform civility, attention, and sobriety ever
since the intabishinent of that mode of conveying letters.
Till within the last two years his drive was from Belford .
to Berwick and back, chiefly in the night. lie has driven

the mail upwards of 400,0►04 miles, lo times the circum-
ference of the earth, an is still a hale man, likely to con-
tinue his lab ter for yearn to cont...

. -
MILANCIIOLT AVD FATAL. ACCI DV:T.—A few days since
the Kee. Mr. F..skert, a young man, and Mr. Tanner who
occupies New Place Farm, io the Parish of King's Nymp-
ton, in this county, were out for a day's sporting; for
so•ne purpose in the course of which, they got into a boat,
which unfortunately was driven to a wear-head, and upset,
by which all three of them were thrown into the water.
The Rev. M•. Foskett. being an expert swimmer, got on
shore, as also did Mr Tanner. 'Hie Rev. Oentlematt

siring the young man their companion was missing, im-
mcli dived for him, and brought him to the surface
of the water—he could not bring him on shore, no resist-
ance was at baud, and he was obliged to let him sink ;
again he dived and brought the unfortunate man to
the surface of the water, no assistance could be rote-

dered, and the unfortunate gentleman exhausted by his
exertions to save a fellow creature sank with the body to
rise no more. Mr. Foskett is Curate of George Nympton.
—Begley's Exeter News.
ALARMING FIRE.—On Saturday morning, between the
hours of nine and ten o'clock, a fire broke out in the polio•
meter, in Dutton-street, Croomerostrert, which at first ex-
cited very considerable apprehensions amongst the inhabi-
tants of the surrounding houses, from the idea that the
flames might possibly communicate to the inflammable air
in the reservoir and pipes, which in such case, would pro-
duce an explosion that nousscertainivdesolate the surround-
ing premises, to an almost immeasurable extent. The Ire
originated in an upper apartment, where it is presumed
that a small portion of the coontmatoble fluid had collected.
and one of the workmen having incautiously introduced s
lighted flambeaux or link, the gas immediately ignited, a
partial explosion followed, which injured that part of the
the roof, and communicated to the wood works, which.
from their extreme dryness, readily took fire. Several en-
gines were instantly procured, and the threatened danger
was averted, without the premises having sustained any
material injury.
On Saturday night. a quarrel took place between t*o
lads at the foot of Ilcolborn-hill. They Comfit two or three
rounds, but owing to the ol orkness of the night it was
not 'observed that one of them was armed with a pen-
knife, and at every blow he either stabbed or cut his antago-
nist, till, at length, covered with blood, he was taken into
the grocer's shop at the corner of Fi-ld-lane, and the young
assassin made his escape. None of the wound', we learn,
are dangerous.
HUMANITY SnocKCD.—lna yet., contiguous to a barn
at Alciston, in the occupation of Mr. lil.tker, the body of
a new born female infant was, on S.turday se'noight, dis-
covered just in time to save it from being wholly devoured
by tome hogs who tyrre grunting over it, and leAd ate away
booth its hands before it was snatched front them. It ex-
hibited no marks of manual violence, and the prevailing
opinion in consequence was, that it WAS born alive, and
left to perish under a tuft of straw (which the swine I at
turned up) by its unnatural mother, supposed to he of the
tramping tribe, as a woman of that descrip•ion, on pass-
ing through Glynole Turnpike Gate, on Co- road :o
ton, in the company of others, on the day alosoce-mentionad,
was heard to say,—" I cannot go much further"—meaning
that labour pains were at hand. The Coroner's Jury,
after taking R View of the body, retorted their verdict—
Found dead, bit how, or by what means the deceased .

rause by her death is nut known to the Jurors.—(Junes
Advertiser)

On Satmr.lay a man, who had been committed for Pteal-
inz wheat at Warminster, effected his escape while on his
way to Fisherton !reel. The two constables were rather
economical, and having hired a horse between them, they
agreed to " ride and tie." When arrived at Burden's-

1301, the prisoner refined to walk, and, complaining of
bring tired, it was agreed that he should mount the hJrai.
and ride the three remaining miles. lie hail no sooner
mounted the horse tlrin he set off at full gallop, and has

never since been beard of.

Jon,' LONG begs leave reaps:Wally to inform those
Noblemen and Gentlemen who hare honoured him with

their patronage, that his new Hotel in Bond Street has
been finished two months, and to prevent the possibility of
the house bring damp, he has had fires in all the rooms
doy and night since it was finished ; he is therefore quite
satisfied that the whole premises are thoroughly aired.
Joun Loso begs permission further to add, that he has
fitted up his Hotel with every convenience and elegance
that can be expected, and that the greatest attention will
he paid to every part of his business, and he 11.0t,,s
self that his very extensive Stock of Wines, Lives r• and
Spirits which he has been collecting, with the greatest este
and attention for several years. will leisure him the appro-
bation of the Noblemen •

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