The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-04 00:00:00

MYSTERIOUS CASE OF ROBBERY.

Emilia Fitzwilliam, a very stout woman, aged 32, and
Emilia Marshall, aged 13, were placed at the bar of the
Police-court, on Saturday. Emilia Fitzwilliam keeps a tavern,
in another name, in Smithfield-street.--Mr. Dowling said,
the circumstances of the case were somewhat extraordinary.
The little girl was in custody because she had carried off and
concealed a cloak and bonnet, which formed a link in the
testimony. On the evening of the 14th. a man, who was
then unknown, was found dead in Dublin-street. An in-
quisition was taken on the case, and a verdict was returned
that the deceased Died by the visitation of God. On the
preceding day, (Friday last,) two persons, both of whom were
brothers of the unfortunate person alluded to, had arrived in
Liverpool, and had made such statements as led to an inquiry,
when it was shown, that the deceased left Manchester on the
4th ult. to come to Liverpool ; that he had some property in
his possession, which had not since been heard of; and that
he was seen last in the company of the elder prisoner.--Mr.
Andrew M'Arthur said, he was brother to the deceased. lie
had, since he came to Liverpool, seen a box and a pencil-case
which belonged to his brother. It appeared, from the further
statements of this witness, that his brother left Sheffield on
the 14th ult., and that he set off from Manchester for Liver.
pool by the two o'clock train, with the intention of proceed-
ing to Glasgow by the Princess Royal. He had with him
twenty-eight sovereigns in gold, thirty shillings in silver, and
a large carpet bag very full of clothes. As Mr. M'Arthur
did not hear from his brother, he wrote to Glasgow, and
found that he had not arrived either by the Princess Royal
or by either of the other boats. Soon after he saw, in a Li-
verpool newspaper, that a man bad been found dead in Dub-
lin-street. He wrote to the police here, and received such

information as induced him to come over. He had applied
to see the clothes of the deceased man, but was told that
he could not be permitted to see them.—Police-officer Ma-
guire said, he had seen the Beadle, and that functionary
informed him, that the man was buried in his clothes.—
Mr. Berwick, who keeps a spirit-vault near the Clarence
Dock, stated, that, at half-past six o'clock on the evening of
the 14th December, a man, accompanied by a stout female,
whom he believed to be the elder prisoner, was in his vaults.
He.heard the woman call him Matt, and ask him to pay for
the liquor. She had on a light-coloured bonnet and a plaid
cloak.—Barrow, a constable, who was on duty at the Cla-
rence Dock Gate, stated, that, about half-past six o'clock on
the evening of the 14th, a very stout woman, resembling the
prisoner, accompanied a man, who asked him at what time
the Scotch boats went. The man asked particularly after
the Princess Royal. Witness saw the individual who was
found dead in Dublin-street, and the person to whom he now
alluded was very like him. The stout woman wore a light-
coloured bonnet, like that produced, and a plaid cloak. She
went away .with him and beckoned him towards Berwick's
vaults, where he seemed reluctant to gO, but whither he fol-
lowed her. It appeared, from the testirnony.of police-officer
Maguire, that the prisoner has associated with thieves ; and,
further, that, when about to quit her house on his summons,
the little girl brought down a cloak, which the prisoner de-
sired her to take up again.—JamesHarvey deposed, that he
was at the house when the woman was taken away. He re-
mained for the purpose of watching the property. He saw
the little girl carry away a bundle. He watched her. She
took it to some distance, till she entered a house, into which
he followed her, and asked her-what she had in the bundle.
She said it was a cloak, belonging to a sister of the woman
who kept the house, and told other stories, all of which
turned out to be utterly false. Ultimately, the cloak, in
which a light-coloured cane bonnet was wrapped, was found
by officer M'Comb, under some bricks, where it had been
concealed by the little girl. The prisoners were put down to
await the arrival of the Beadle. Shortly after live o'clock,
as the further evidence necessary had not arrived, Mr. Rush-
ton ordered the prisoners to be put forward. The little girl,
Emilia Marshall, was discharged. The elder prisoner, Emilia
Fitzwilliam, was remanded, Mr. Rushton observing, that the
case was too important and, at present, too much clouded
with mystery, for him to discharge her without a thorough
investigation of the circumstances. The deceased individual
had considerable property in his possession when he set out
for Liverpool, and here he was last seen in her company.
Yesterday, the prisoner was again placed at the bar. A
young female, named Dorothy Hayes, a servant at Mrs. Hes-
keth's public-house, in Tithebarn-street, said she had seen
the body of the deceased (which had been exhumed) in the
workhouse. At dusk one night three weeks ago, the de-
ceased came in a cab or omnibus to their house, and asked
for Mrs. Marshall—the prisoner—whe formerly lived at that
house. Witness told him she did not live there ; but she
shewed the man the street in which her house was, and he
went towards it. At that time he had nothing with him.
Ellen Rush, another servant at the same place, made a similar
statement, adding, that the deceased treated the coachman
to a glass of ale; and that she did not hear him say that his
luggage was on board one of the Glasgow packets. Archi-
bald Balfour, the coroner's beadle, said he remembered the
inquest being held upon the person found dead in Dublin-st.,
on the 15th or 16th ult. The verdict was—died by the visi-
tation of God, owing to disease of the heart. The jury viewed
the body, which was then lying in the dead house, near Can-
ning Dock. The body was then dressed in the usual body-
clo..hes ; a dark grey coat on, another coat, and striped
waistcoat. After the verdict was returned, as was usual in
cases of this sort, he kept the body for some time, in order
to give time for it to be claimed ; and whatever was found
upon it be handed over to the parish authorities. He did so
in this case. The parish officers then got eitherthe coroner's
or the registrar's certificate, the body was then delivered up
to them for interment, and he (the beadle) had nothing more
to do with it, inasmuch as it had passed altogether out of
his custody. When the body of the deceased was delivered
by him to the parish authorities, it was clad as he had de-
scribed it ; no property was found upon it. A post mortem
examination was made by Mr. George Wood, the house sur-
geon of the Workhouse.

The Sexton of the Poor's Burial Ground was then put
forward to give his testimony. Mr. Rushton told him that
this was an enquiry into a felony which had been committed,
and he must be cautioned. He was not bound to criminate
himself. Any thing that he might say in this examination
might hereafter be used against him ; therefore, he must
understand that no man was bound to criminate himself.

The Sexton was about saying something when it was repre-
sented to the magistrates that the driver of the caravan in
which the body was conveyed from the dead-house, was able
to give evidence that might be of importance. The case was
then adjourned for a few hours.

Sborily after the assault cases were disposed of, the pri-
soner was again placed at the bar, and a police-officer, who
had been on duty on the 21st ult., was called, with a view to
eliciting some facts relative to the identity of the body, from
the dress or otherwise. All, however, that he was enabled
to state was, that the keys of the dead-house were kept at
the central station, and that though he then saw a body in
the dead-house, he did not take particular notice of the dress.
Thomas Spencer, an old man, was then called. lie stated
that he was employed as driver of the cart or hearse that
conveyed the body to the pa►ish burying ground- He re-
membered receiving the body. It was that of a very big
man. When he saw it at the ground it had, he thought, no
coat at all on ; but he never took much notice, as he was
always anxious to get the bodies there as soon as he could.
If a body did not reach the ground until after the perform-
ance of the burial service of the day, it was immediately put
into the grave direct from the hearse, and the service was
read over it next day. The lid of the deceased's coffin was
not fastened down ; for the deceased was a large man, and
the body had swollen so that the lid would not go on. He
took the body into the dead-house at the ground, assisted by
a man who helped him on such occasions. They took nothing
from the body of the deceasod, and delivered him to the
sexton.

A Police-officer who had seen the body on the same morn-
ing (yesterday), said that it was lying on the back, and that
it had no top or other coat on, and no shoes or stockings,
but merely a shirt, a vest, and a pair of trowsers.
Mr. Dowdall, governor of the Workhouse, said that he
had had a conversation on Saturday with the brother of the
deceased, and had given directions to go to the burying-
ground to see the body. He (witness) had received a com-
munication from the sexton, who said he had been very un-
easy in his mind, and that he had taken the coat from the
body, and sold it to a person whom he did not know. In re-
ply to questions by Mr. Rushton, he stated that in common
graves at the poor's burying ground, from 340 to 350 bodies
were deposited.*
Mr. Rushton said that bodies received under such circum-
stances ought to be deposited in grave clothes, and the dress
they were brought in preserved and ticketed. It appeared
that the deceased had valuable clothes on, which had been
taken by the sexton and sold to a stranger—he knew not
whom. It was a niaterial point in the administration ofjus-
tice, that proper regard should be had to the interment of
parties thus found dead, and the preservation of their ap-
parel. He then directed Mr. D. to lay the case as regarded
the sexton before the churchwardens, that they might proceed
as they thought most proper. He repeated, that in such
cases the body ought, he considered, to be stripped, and the
clothes carefully ticketed with date when aad where the body
was found, the result of the inquest, and other prominent
factS. Addressing the prisoner, he then said that circum-
stances led him to entertain serious suspicions against her.
The deceased, it appeared, had considerable property in
money, as well as, probably, in luggage. The last person
with whom he was seen alive was the prisoner. It appeared
he had afterwards been stripped. A plaid cloak and bonnet,
worn by the prisoner at the time, and of which she had
divested herself, were afterwards found hidden under some
rubbish. The evidence was not, however, sufficiently strong
to justify her detention, and she was accordingly discharged.
Mr. Dowling here intimated to the magistrate that the de-
ceased's brother wi,bed to say something relative to the state
in which he found the body at the burying ground.
The brother, a well-dressed, respectable-looking man, said
that he found the deceased buried in what he considered a
most indecent manner. On being urged to explain, he en-
tered into some painful particulars, upon which we need not
dilate. His dress consisted merely of the shirt, waistcoat,
and trowsers, both in great disorder and indecent, and no
endeavour had been made even to lay the body straight. He
found in the pocket of the vest a collar, marked with the let-
ter W, which, had proper use been made of it, might have
led earlier to his identity. lie added, that he was anxious to
inter the body respectably, and wished an order to remove it
for that purpose.
Mr. Rushton said that lie would not, he apprehended,
comply, without the permission of the bishop. tie should,
however, make such a representation as might result in the
desired object, and he doubted not would prevent a recur-
rence of such a spoliation of the dead as that which they had
just heard. Mr. 'A. Hodgson concurred in Mr. Rushton's
views, and the deceased's brother, who was deeply affected
throughout, left the court.

* We cannot help thinking that the system of burial as
here stated (and of whiCh we have before beard), ought to
be amended. The poor have their feelings as well as the
rich, and there are none more Christian, or more allied to
humanity, than of respect for the dead.—Ed. Stand.

We understand that Mr. Thesiger has been prevailed on
to take the place of Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, as leading advo-
cate of the rights of literature and science in the House of
Commons, and that he has for some time been preparing a
new bill for the further extension of copyright, which, how-
ever, will be found extremely different in detail from the
sergeant's. It is well known that Sir James Graham took
all along a warm interest in the sergeant's measures on this
subject ; and there can be no doubt that Mr. Thesiger will
have the advantage, not only of the Home Secretary's sup-
port, but of his preliminary advice and direction. We may,
therefore, hope to see the discussion brought to a satisfac-
tory conclusion in the course of next session. Indeed, Mr.
Talfourd's bill would have been carried two years ago but
for the dogged pertinacity of Joseph Hume and Mr. War-
burton, of Bridport celebrity—two ornaments of which Par-
liament has, for the present at least, got rid.—John Bull.
A FRENCH HEROINE.—Jean Louis Vial, a native of La-
champ Raphael, in the arrondissement of Privas, a deserter
from the 53d regiment of the line, was arrested on the 17th
ult. by the gendarmerie of Villeneuve de Berg. Marie Vial,
his sister, servant in a house in St. Maurice d'lbie, and his
younger brother, being informed of the circumstance, de-
manded and obtained permission to accompany him as far as
the prisons of Aubenas, whither he was to be conducted.
When arrived at that place, Vial and his brother and sister
asked for something to eat and drink. The turnkey supplied
them with what they wanted. During his absence Marie
hastily stripped herself, and exchanged clothes with the de-
serter. The critical moment arrived, arid Vial, whom the
turnkey took for his sister, went out of the prison with his
brother as easily us possible, feigning to dry his tears with
his pocket-handkerchief. Marie, in order to give time to
her brother to escape, passed 24 hours in confinement with-
out saying a word. On the guard presenting themselves to
transfer the deserter to the prison to Privas, she broke silence,
and acquainted them with the stratagem she had used. The
gendarmes, grievously disappointed, retired to report the
escape of the deserter; and it is hardly necessary to state that
Marie was immediately set at liberty. The authorities are
still in pursuit of Vial.—French Paper.

STATE AND PROSPECTS OF THE COTTON

MARKET,

The circular of the Cotton Brokers' Association for the
year 1841, which is now before us, affords us an opportunity
of offering a few remarks upon the present condition and
future prospects of this important branch of manufacture.
Before entering upon these, however, we shall endeavour to
bring before our readers, in a succinct form, the principal
facts and figures which that valuable document presents to
our notice.

The total import of cotton into the United Kingdom
during the past year has been 1,341,659 bales, against
1,600,408 imported in 18-10, shewing a decrease in 1811 of
258,740 bales. The stock in the ports on the 31st-Dee. 1849
was 464,G50, and on the 31st Dec. 1841, 539,630 ; being an
increase in the stock o❑ hand of 75,610 bales. It is estima-
ted, however, that, as a set•oil' to this increase of stock in
the ports, the quantity at present held by " the trade " is

less by 40 or 50,000 bales than at a corresponding period in
the past year. The deliveries for consumption have been
1,146,720 bales, or an average of 22,052 bales per week
against 24,724 in 1840. This, on the face of it, is a failing
off in the consumption of 2i72 bales per week, or 101 per
cent. Taking into consideration, however, the diminution
above mentioned in the stock held by the trade, the con-
sumption is estimated to have been 23,000 bales per week,
being a decrease of 1724 bales from that of 1840, but an in-
crease of 2640 bales upon tliat of 1839, which is stated, how-
ever, in the circular, we submit erroneously, at only 1300.
The imports into the port of Liverpool dUring the year 1841
been 1,161,949 against 1,416,2
a considerable decrease

port on the 31st Dec. 1811 w

3 in the year preeed

The stock on
429,830 bales aj

[land in our

ainst 366,141

at a corresponding period in 1810, being an increase of
63,689 bales held in Liverpool.
The features which have most strongly marked the tran-
sactions of the cotton-market during the past year have been
the gloom and monotony which have pervaded it throughout,
and the almost total absence of extensive fluctuation in prices,
which, with one or two trifling checks, have kept steadily
declining, to the extent of -V. per lb. for " ordinary" Ame-
rican, and -id. for " middling" and better qualities. Long-
stapled cotton, of all descriptions, has been of dull sale al-
most from the beginning of the year to the end, owing, as
the circular informs us, to the want of demand for the finer
numbers of yarn. Sea Islands, after sustaining a temporary
rise in January, owing to reports of a failing crop, declined
afterwards to the extent of 441 b. per lb. from their highest
point, or nd. in the year; Egyptians have fallen 3d. per lb.,
and all sorts of Brazil arc lid. per lb. lower, the demand for

neither one description nor the other having amounted to
" briskness "at any period of the year. In East India cot-
tons, however, the transactions have been unusually heavy.
The imports of Surats, owing to the stoppage of the markets
of China and the increased production of the article in India,
have exceeded those of last year by upwards of 50,000 bales ;
and the consequent reduction in price below their relative
value has brought them largely into consumption, the deli-
veries to the trade during the last five months having ave-
raged 3,000 bales per week.
Upon this statement of the transactions of the year, the
writers of the circular remark that " there have been former
years where the fluctuations have been more marked and
more sudden—when commercial credit has been more se-
verely shaken, and when the pressure upon classes and upon

individuals has been equally and perhaps more intense ;but
for magnitude of losses—not in one but in all branches—for
depreciation of fixed capital, and for the extent and duration
of suffering, there is no parallel to be found. Of the
causes of this state of things, that which lies nearest the
surface is"—the italics are our own—" the mischievous faci-
lity for raising money afforded for some time past by
joint stock banks, by which mills and machinery to a
vast extent have been prematurely called into existence,
and the production of every species of manufacture
stimulated ix a most extravagant manner. To these
causes may be added the financial embarrassments of the
United States, the interruption of the China trade, and the
long train of evils consequent upon a succession of insuffici-
ent harvests." So far, the association of cotton brokers,
comprising amongst their body the most influential and in-
telligent portion of the trade, of every shade of party, appear
to be agreed ; and we recommend their opinion to the seri-
ous consideration of the " League" politicians, who so per-
tinaciously deny that over-production or the misconduct of
the joint stock banks, or any thing, in fact, but the want of
their own favourite nostrum, have had any part in causing
the existing distressed condition of the manufacturers of this
district.

We feel bound, however, to state, that whilst the associa-
tion at large appear to agree upon these as the immediate
predisposing causes of the peculiar position of the trade
which is under their notice, there are individuals amongst
their body who lean to the impreSsion that the evils under
which they labour are attributable to the " narrow and ex-
clusive policy" of our commercial tariff; and who look for-
ward " to our manufactures resuming their wonted activity,
and after awhile regaining their lost ascendancy" only from
the adoption of a more " liberal" system—from the adop-
tion, in short, of a system of free trade in grain. Amongst
the members of such an association it is natural that there
should be a portion entertaining these opinions. But it is
gratifying, nevertheless, to observe that a commercial body,
so important from the vast and intimate knowledge which
they must possess, of the workings of the present system in
the cotton manufacturing districts, and of such unimpeacha-
ble respectability, are prepared, although differing with each
other upon the general commercial policy which is best fitted
to advance the permanent interests, not only of their own
trade, but that of the entire kingdom, to admit the existence
and the mischievous tendencies of that reckless and unpro-
vident over-production, fostered by the facilities afforded by
joint stock banks, which we have ever maintained as the
giant evil which has produced the great bulk of our present
commercial suffering.
With respect to the prospects of the trade generally for the
present year, the association affords us little information,
restricting themselves entirely into an expression of opinion
with respect to the probable prices of the raw material.
These, they anticipate, are not likely to sustain any material
advance during the year. From a crop of American last year
amounting to 1,635,000 bales, Great Britain received 902,500
bales; and with a crop this year ostini ?act! to be from
1,900.000 to 2,000,000 bales, and a still increased supply of
East India cotton, a great quantity of which is known to be
already on the way, the supply is considered to be large
enough to keep clown any speculative operations for higher
prices. Adding to these facts, or rather probabilities, the
fact that a stock equal to nearly six months consumption is
already in the country, they arrive at the conclusion that the
existing low prices are not only fully justified, but that an
apprehension may reasonably be entertained that they will
fall even lower still before the close of the year.

However desirable it may be that this anticipation should
be realized, in part at least, and that the raw material should
not be advanced above its just value by speculative operations,
as has been too much the case during the past few years, we
must confess that we are scarcely assured that such will not
be the case during the present year. The stock on hand is
certainly large, and the prospect of the next crop very flat-
tering; but we are satisfied that the ability to consume is also
increased, and that a few weeks active operations hi trade will
speedily overtake the increased supply. Were this all, how-
ever, we should not anticipate anything beyond a steady de-
mand at steady rates ; and this expectation, taking into con-
sideration the certain prospect of a decreased growth being
the result of the unremunerative prices of the past year, there
is certainly full warrant for. We have still our fears, how-
ever, that the spirit of speculation may, on the occasion of a
revival of commercial demand, obtrude itself upon our mar-
kets fur the raw material, transferring the benefit, to which
the home manufacturer is entitled, to the foreign grower ;
and knowing, as we do, how vast an amount of our past suf-
ferings is to be attributed to the effect of the high prices
extorted from us for their cotton during our recent
years of over production, by the jobbing, kite-flying
speculators of the United States, and the small portion
of benefit which has come back to us, in those years, in the
shape of increased demand for our manufactured pro-
ducts, we cannot resist the opportunity of cautioning
our friends in the cotton-manufacturing districts against
being drawn into the encouragement of any materially
increased demands upon them for the staple material of their
manufacture. " Steady" must be the word for the future,
if we do not wish to see another more disastrous return to the
state of ruin and suffering out of which we are just emerging.