The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-09-23 00:00:00

PROTESTANT OPERATIVE MEETING.

A meeting of the above association was held at the Portico,
Newington, on Tuesday evening last. The room was thronged
long before eight o'clock. Mr. Crisp having been called to
the chair, congratulated his operative friends and brethren
who had met in such numbers, that their staunch and true
Protestant friend,' Mr. James Parker, had just entered the
room, and would shortly address them. H e also congratulated
tbem that their zeal in the good old cause of Protestant as-
cendancy was unabated. He thanked those who had taken
books and collected funds for supporting the operations of
the society. He could not help reminding them that they had
allowed a disgrace to come upon them, by quietly submitting
to a proposition made at a late meeting at the Amphitheatre,
to raise money to build a mass-house expressly for thr Jesu-
its. Did not every man present know that the Jesuits were
an illegal body? No Jesuit could honestly and legally remain
in this country unless registered ; still we find Mr.
Shiel saying, "he was assured that the re-establishment of
the society of Jesuits would tendmuch to accelerate the pro-
gress of Catholicity, which had only to be known to be em-
braced." And yet Mr. Shiel would not declare himself to
be a Jesuit. In fact, he did not know who did; otherwise,
humble individual as he was, if backed by the friends before
him, he would at once lay an information against them, whe-
ther priest or layman. Was it in the Gunpowder Plot, and
in every other plot against our glorious constitution, that the
Jesuits have been so very useful ?—for they have been at the
bottom of nearly every one of them. Was it for their use-
fulness that they were banished from France, Spain, Portu-
gal, Venice, Naples, England, and every ether country in
which they had been established ? No, it was for their dia-
bolical and infernal treachery. We were now pointed at by
our friends from all parts of the country, for our apathy on
this point; and it was time that we should be moving in the
matter. He would not, however, trespass further on their
time at present, but at once call upon Mr. James Parker.
Mr. PARKER expressed his great pleasure in meeting such
a body of his operative townsmen, for whom he felt the
greatest regard. It would ever be his wish to do all in ilia
power to support the Protestant cause, whether in or out of
the council. After giving a very animated description of the
late proceedings on the school question, Mr. Parker sat
down, trusting that as he had been so suddenly called upon,
they would excuse his few brief remarks.
The CHAIRMAN said, that perhaps an apology was due
from him for so suddenly calling upon Mr. Parker, hut he
was sure none of their friends present would now consider it
necessary, as they had heard such a truly sound Protestant
speech ; and as we were shortly to be called upon to replace
some of our town councillors, they could not do better than
take the specimen before them as a pattern.
Mr. GLEAVE then moved the following resolution :
"That the thanks of this meeting be presented to the Rev.
Joseph Baylee, for his firm, temperate, and Christian-like
letter, again accepting the challenge given by Dr. Butler to
meet the Protestant clergy in discussion., ' The speaker
dwelt at some length upon the various errors of the church
of Rome, and was exceedingly happy in some of his illustra-
tions. He plainly pointed out that there could be but a right
and a wrong, and no middle course ; but that Popery pro
pound a middle course in many of her articles.
Mr. MEREDITH seconded the resolution, commenting
upon the offence which his remarks at the late meeting had
given to the editor of the Mercury, but as he was not likely
to please the Mercury to-night whatever he did, he might as
well go at once to his work. Ile then gave a description of a
number of the most ridiculous traditions of the Church of
Rome, and challenged any Romanist present to gainsay their
belief in them. He also alluded to the runaway Dr. Butler,
who made a great fuss about challenging the Protestant
clergy to discussion, but when one of them came forward the
learned chamberlain declared him to be incompetent, or was
not himself forthcoming. The speaker again held up some
of the crosses, relics, and other idolatrous articles of the
Romish church.

Mr. BOURKE, of Achill, shortly addressed the meeting,
and

After a few brief remarks from the Chairman, the meeting
joined in the doxology, end separated.

POLICE COURT—WEDNasDAT

CURIOUS CASE-ALLEGED THEFT BY A POLICE-OFFICER.

William Dodd, an officer in the police-force of this town,
No. 491, was placed at the bar yesterday, charged with
having, while on duty, robbed a gentleman of his watch and
breast-pin.

Mr. bowling stated that the prisoner was accused of having,
while on duty, robbed a gentleman holding a respectable
situation in this town. The gentleman stated that he was
much intoxicated. He was taken to bridewell, where the
keeper of the station-house and the inspector, seeing that be
was a respectable person, desired the officers to pass him
home. An individual, who was said to be a respectable man,
saw the theft committed, and this was the only evidence that
could be brought forward, save the fact that the gentleman
bad lost his watch and pin, and that his watch-guard was
found on the ground in the vicinity of the spot where the
robbery was alleged to have been committed.
The prosecutor stated that he was out from eight till twelve
o'clock on Monday night last. He had no recollection of
what took place after he left the house at which he had been
drinking, at twelve o'clock, he was so much intoxicated. He
had with him a watch, which was attached by the guard pro-
duced. The guard had been cut. It had a gold clasp on it,
which had been taken off. He missed his watch next morn-
ing. It was a silver lever. He did not recollect being taken
home. He lost his breast-pin and ivory tables as well as his
watch.

Charles Davis, boatmaker, 3, Tyrer-street, stated that on
Monday night last he was at work, and he continued so till
close upon one o'clock on Tuesday morning. About one he
went to bed. He had been in bed a minute when he heard
a police-officer taking a drunken man. He knew him to be
a police-officer by his foot. He heard them pass the win-
dow and go down (fall) nearly at the back door, a little fur-
ther on. All was then quiet, so quiet that he suspected all
was not right. He heard the police-officer say, " Jack,
Jack," and make use of a tone indicative of some slight per-
plexity. Witness said to his wife, " All is not right," and
he got up and opened the window softly, when he saw the
police-officer going back a yard or so, and looking at some-
thing which he had in his hand, which he put in his coat
pocket. The officer then went to the man, who was on the
ground, caught hold of him, put his band into his pocket,
and took something out of, it which he put into his own
trousers pocket. He then began to :all the prostrate man
" Jack ;" told him to rise, and ssid it was a shame for him
to be lying there at that time in the morning. The officer
had the man's stock in his hand. He went to put it on,
when the man put out his arm and struck at the officer, say-
ing, " None of your nonsense." The officer said, " I only
want to put your stock on." He tried to get the man up,
but found it difficult he was so.tipsy, and he saw that the
officer was tipsy too. Not being able to get the man up, the
officer said, " D—n you, I'll leave you," and then he went
along by himself to go into Houghton-street. His back was
then towards witness. He stopped opposite next door to his
(witness's) house, took something from his pocket which he
looked at for a second or two, when he returned it to his
pocket. Witness did not see what It was. The officer then
met a girl at the corner, and said, `• Is it not time for you to
go home ?" He appeared familiar with her. He walked a
little with her, and whispered something to her a minute,
when the. girl went straight across to the man who was pros-
trate. The girl lifted his head up, and was in the act of
putting her hands into his pocket when witness called to
her. He said, " You had better leave that man alone, for the
police-officer has been ransacking his pockets, and he has
sent you to take the blame." She said if that were the case
she had better cut. She went away, and he saw nothing more
of her. The officer came down a minute after, and looked
towards the drunken man, but did not go near him. He
merely looked and returned back. About five minutes after
wards he again came towards the prostrate man, and asked
him to rise, calling him " Jack." He pulled him about, but
could not get him up. He did not call for any assistance,
but left him and went up Houghton.street. About five to
seven minutes afterwards he again came back. He was then
speaking to some one, but witness could not see who it was.
He again turned back, and again returned, and went to the
man and tried to get him up. He could not succeed. He
then struck his stick, and witness heard a stick answer in the
direction of Church-street. The officer did not reply imme-
diately, but struck again lightly some time after. There was
an answer again, and he again struck lightly, and his stick
sounded as if it were cracked. Two officers then came up
and asked him what was the matter. He said it was a drunken
man whom he had bad there this half hour, and he could not
stir him. One asked where he lived. The first officer said
he did not know. They then said they would take him to
bridewell. They did so. Another came up and spoke to one
who had remained, asking what was the matter. He replied
it was a drunken man. " Oh," said he, " they should have
.kept him till I came; I'd soon ha' sobered him." Witness
then spoke, saying, " the police-officer ought to ha' gone to
bridewell instead of the man, for he had rummaged his
pockets." Witness knew by the dress and stick that it was
an officer. Never saw him before. He had not a top-coat
or cape on. Saw his number and buttons, but could not
identify him by them. It was light : the moon gave a bright
light.
Richard Bradshaw, police-officer, stated that, on Monday
night last, he was on duty next beat' to the prisoner. He
was at the corner of the Haymarket when he heard a knock-
ing. lie answered it and ran. He heard the knock repeated.
As he passed the square, No. 499 stood there, and they
stopped a moment to ascertain the probable direction of the
signal. The knock was repeated, and they ran in the direc-
tion of Houghton-street and soon came up to where the pri-
soner was. Witness said, " What's up?" The prisoner re-
plied, ." A man drunk." " Where does he live?" asked
witness, " I don't know," said the prisoner. The man was
then seated on the foot-walk with his legs in the channel.
It was agreed that they should take him to bridewell.
Officer 504 assisting. They did not hear any person in
Tyrer-street. Witness did not see any person looking at the
window. It was very light. The moon was very briglot.
Police-officer 499 stated, that he heard the knocking of
the stick and met the last witness in the square as stated.
He remained in etyrer-street after the prisoner and the other
had gone with the man to bridewell, and he heard a voice
say, " The policeman ought to be taken to bridevvell himself,
for he has been rummaging the man's pockets." The man
who spoke said, a woman came afterwards and rummaged
them likewise, but he told her that the policeman had been
before her, upon which she said, " Then I'd better cut." He
said be bad been watching the policeman for half an hour.
Police-officer 308 deposed to having been sent to assist the
prisoner in taking the gentleman home. When they were
taking him into the house, the woman remarked that he had
lost his watch and his breast-pin. His pocket was examined
and his money was found there. Witness made some remark
to the prisoner to the effect that suspicion would probably
fall on him, but he repelled the notion, saying he never had
done such a thing,—never would. He said he would take
I witness to the spot where he found the man lying. He did
so, and there they found the guard-chain of the watch.
The gentleman said the guard was fastened by, a gold clasp
which had been torn off. _ . _

At the request of Mr. Davenport, who appeared for the
prisoner, the stick which the prisoner used was produced.
It was a sound stick. It was also proved by sufficent testi-
mony that the prisoner
was the woi se for liquor on the mor-
ning in question.
Mr. Davenport thought there was no evidence which affect-
ed the prisoner, as Davis did not identify him as the person
who committed the robbery. Mr. Davenport spoke of the
prisoner as possessing an excellent character.
The prisoner having been asked what he had to say, gave
an account of the mode in which he spent his time, showing
that, if his account could be relied on, and if he performed
his duty as it was laid down for him, he could not have been
at the spot named by Davis. He said he found the man
there and took off his stock and put it on again, after which
he knocked for assistance. _ . _

Mr. Rushton said he was of opinion that the prisoner must
be acquitted, and that he left the court without imputation.
Mr. Rushton said it was impossible that the prisoner could
have been at the spot at the time mentioned by Davis. if
the prisoner had been guilty he would never have taken the
officer to the very spot where he would find the watch-guasd
to furnish evidence 'against himself ; and moreover, if he had
robbed the man of his watch, he would never have left his
money in his pocket. There were other considerations which
induced him to believe that the prisoner was innocent.
The prisoner was discharged.

A scientific expedition, undertaken with the aid and under
the direction of the Academy of. Sciences of St. Petersburgh,
oR the point of leaving the Russian capital, on an exploration
of the extensive region of Siberia comprised between the
rivers Pjasida and Chatanga and the Icy Sea, which has never
yet been trodden by the foot of man. M. Widdendorf, a
professor of zoology in the university of Kiew, was to direct
the expedition, and had received for that purpose a gift of
13,000 rubles from the Emperor.