The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-05-03 00:00:00

. . . ~.
charges of having decoyed away, little children, and robbed
them of their clothes. Margaret Blair, wife of a provision-
dealer in Scotland-road, said that on Saturday evenin4, her
daughter, two years and a half old, went out, and was shortly
afterwards found totally denuded. She identified some of the
clothes produced.—Mary Dobbs, a married woman, residing
in Maddock-street, said that some days ago her little boy,

aged two and a half years, was stripped in a similar way. She
also identified some of the articles. William WE:night, a

tailor, proved that his boy, aged three and a half years was
stripped of his frock, boots, &c., and claimed those produced.
—Mr. M'Pherson, pawnbroker, said he had received some
of the bundles in pledge. Codstable M`Guire said, that hav-
ing received information of the robbery on Saturday night,
he suspected and apprehended the prisoner, and found a
frock a frock and pinafore, spoken to, in her hand. In tak-
ing her along, she endeavoured to throw something away,
which turned out to be part of a child's dress, in which he
found ten pawn-tickets for similar articles, by which he dis-
covered the other two complainants. The prisoner was com-
mitted for trial. The prisoner, it appeared in every case, had
decoyed the children into bye-places, and there effected her
object in the most artful manner.
- -

THEFT FROM A PUBLIC-HOUSE.—A man named James
Wynn, was yesterday charged at the Police-court with steal-
ing a hat from a public-house. It appeared that on Satur-
day morning fortnight, the prisoner went into a public-house
in Williamson-street, kept by a person named Benson, and
called for a glass of ale. Mr. Benson's son was the only
male person in the house. After sitting some time he went
away, but soon afterwards returned, and again sat down.
The complainant fell asleep, and on awaking, found the pri-
soner was gone, and hed left his own worthless hat and taken
complainant's. Six teaspoons and two brass candlesticks
were also missed out of a cupboard. The complainant saw
the prisoner on Saturday, near the bottom of Lord-street,
and recognised his own hat on his head, took him into cus-
tody. The prisoner claimed the hat found upon him, and
stoutly denied that hat found by complainant as the one left,
was his, requesting to try it on. He put it on the crown of
his head, and said it was evident that it was far too small.

One of the officers, however, gave it a slight tap, and it sunk
to his eyes,—exciting no little laughter in the court. He was
committed for trial.

GRATIFYING TRAIT IN THE CHARACTER OF A YOUNG
PEER, AND AWFUL RADICAL DISAPTOINTMENT.—A some-
what singular and highly gratifying circumstance has just
come to our ears, upon authority in which we place full con-
fidence, with respect to the present Marquis of Hertford. It
has always been boasted by the Romish party In Ireland that
the heir to that title was a " liberal;" and it has been more
than hinted that he was even a Romanist. Accordingly,
upon the death of the late Marquis and his accession to the
title and Irish estates, it was fully calculated that, from the

influence of the heir, at least six seats—amongst which were
the two for Belfast—would be secured to the " liberal"
cause. Against the present members for Belfast, Messrs.
Emerson,Tennant and Johnson, it is perhaps known to our
. .

readers that a petition is pending ; and shortly after the
death of the late Marquis, a deputation, composed of some
of the busiest radicals of that town, came to London in the
frill expectation of receiving the countenance and the "sinews
of war" for the prosecution of the petition from the
" liberal," if not popish, young peer. The gentlemen in
question were received with great courtesy, and after being
informed that his lordship would consider the subject of
their mission and communicate with them through his stew-
ard, returned elated with their success. Judge, then, of the
dismay excited amongst the radicals of Belfast by the intel-
ligence, just made public, that the subject had received the
required consideration, and that his lordship's steward had
been directed to pay over the sum of £2OO, and more, if re-
quired, to the committee of the sitting conservative mem-
bers, Messrs. Tennant and Johnston!
A FORGED WlLL.—Sarah Atkiuston, Margaret Megraw,
Thomas Barnes, and Jane Barnes were placed before Mr.
Rushton, on Friday last, charged with having been concerned
in forging a will. It appeared, that, on the 28th of Febru-
ary, 1811, Robert Wilson, a mariner, sailed from this port,
in the barque Peru, for Africa. According to the ship's book,
he died on the 16th October, 1841. He had due to him, as
wages, £l4 ss. 6d., which the owners, Messrs. Harrison and
Co., had paid over to Mr. Hurry, at the Custom-house. The
prisoner Margaret Megraw, with another woman, called upon
Mr. Hurry with the probate of a will dated Ist March, 1841,
(the day after the deceased left Liverpool,) and claimed the
money. According to this document, Wilson had bequeathed
his wages and all his worldly goods to Margaret Megraw.
Meanwhile, the mate of the Peru had informed Mary Anne
Taylor, a woman with whom the deceased had always lodged,
when in port, for twelve years past, and to whom he owed a
sum of money, that Wilson's dying request was, that his
wages should be paid over to her. She accordingly called on
Mr. Hurry, presented her account, and claimed the money.
There she found Margaret Megraw, who said she had had a
child by the deceased, and he had left her his last will. Mr.
Hurry, finding there was a dispute, would pay neither party,
upon which Mrs. Taylor gave information to Mr. Dowling,
who caused the parties above-named to be apprehended.
Messrs. Harrison and Co.'s clerk said he had frequently seen
the prisoner Barnes about the office, inquiring respecting
seamen's wages. It appeared, that the deceased was at Mrs.
Taylor's up to the day of his departure, and that her husband
went on board with him to see him off. The prisoners were
remanded.

FRAUD BY A DISCARDED CONSTABLE.—Robert Barton,
formerly a constable belonging to the office of the Commis-
sioner of Police, but who was some time since discharged,
was placed before Mr. Rushton, on Saturday last, charged
with having obtained a certain sum of money from Mary
Fouchard, wife of David Fouchard, by falsely representing
himself as an officer of police. It appeared from the evi-
dence, that Mr. Edward Wilkinson, a grocer, of 13, William-
son-street, employed David Fouchard, early in February last,
to repair a musical box. Fouchard, who appears to be in in-
digent circumstances, pledged the box for twenty shillings,
but immediately wrote to Wilkinson, informing him that he
had done so. The parties had an interview, and Fouchard
begged Wilkinson not to proceed against him. He gave
up the duplicate and promised to redeem the box, upon
which Wilkinson promised, in his turn, to forego any pro-
ceedings. The money, however, was not forthcoming at the
time expected. Wilkinson went to a public-house kept by a
Mr. Mitchell, where he mentioned the case. Barton, who
was present, stated that the magistrates could not interfere,
because of the promise which had been made, but he under-
took to get the money. On the 7th of April last he called
at the shop at which Fouchard worked in London-road. He
said to Fouchard, " I want to speak to you." Fouchard
followed him out. Barton said, "lam an officer sent from
the Town-hall. I have a warrant against you for pledging a
musical box belonging to Mr. Wilkinson." Fouchard re-
plied, that, if that was the case, be must comply. He beg-
ged, however, that Barton would accompany him home, that
he might inform his wife that be was going to gaol. TO this

Barton acceded. They went to FoucliardYs residence, where
Barton produced what purported to be a warrant, and read
it over to them. The poor woman was greatly distressed and
wept exceedingly. Barton at length appeared to relent, and
said he would not execute the warrant then, if they would
promise to have the money ready by six o'clock the following

evening.. He was thanked and the promise was made, bill
the poor people were unable to perform it. He called the
next night, when Mrs. Fouchard was again greatly distressed.
He then offered to take the money by instalments at stated
periods, and an agreement was drawn up and signed to that
effect. Fouchard was to pay twenty sbillings_to release the
box, one shilling for interest, and five shillings. for the war-
rant, which, it is needless to say, was not in existence. The
first instalment was to be ten shillings, but, on the appointed
day, nine shillings was the utmost that could be raised. Mrs.
Fouchard was about to take this to Mr. Wilkinson, when she
was intercepted by Barton, who told her that Mr. Wilkinson
would not take the money from her, but he would from him.
The other instalments could not be got ready when due, and
J3arton called very frequently for them. At last the poor
people paid all, when they were surprised by an application
from Mr. Wilkinson for a balance of 125., Barton having
given him only 9s. of the 265. which he had received. As
Mr. Wilkinson declared he should make Fouchard pay the
balance, Mrs. Fouchard went to Bridewell and asked for
Barton. 'She was answered by Isaac Hartley, one of the
turnkeys at Bridewell, that there was no officer bearing that
name. Mrs. Fouchard told Hartley what had occurred;
upon which he went out and apprehended Barton near the
Sessions-house. Mr. Rushton expressed himself glad that
the case had been brought before him, as he was afraid that
these practices had been rather prevalent about that court.
Barton was committed for trial at the next sessions.
IMPORTANT INVENTION IN PROPELLING STEAM-BOATS.
—On Thursday last, a trial was made on the river, of Mr.
Edward Finch's patent propeller, which was eminently suc-
cessful. A small steamer, called the Lapwing, of 45 tons
burthen and 18-horse power, has been constructed at the
well-known engineering esatalishment of Mr, Rigby, at
Hawarden, for the purpose of trying the merits of Mr.
Finch's invention. We are informed that, in coming round
to Liverpool, although so small a vessel, she performed some
part of the trip at the rate of 12 miles per hour. After
steaming in the river for some time, where she was an ob-
ject of much interest to the old craftsmen and a large num-
ber of spectators, she sailed away with a number of gentle-
men on board to the North-west Lightship, and returned to
Liverpool, by way of the Formby Channel, between 7 and
Bin the evening. The trip convinced all parties that this
novel invention will be of great importance, and, when fully
developed, of general application to sailing vessels as well as
to steam-packets. The Lapwing left the port on Friday, for
Hawarden, where further experiments are about being made
to make her still more efficient. The invention appears a
very simple contrivance. The paddle-boxes are still pre-
served, but, instead of paddle-wheels, two plates are applied,
the broadest parts of which are at their extreme ends, fixed
obliquely
at an angle of 40 degrees, one on each side of the
vessel, at the ends of the paddle-shaft. These plates, or pro-
paenililors, are made of wrought iron, and appear very strong
in the°compact, and about 11' feet long and 3 feet 6 inches wide
twice broadest parts. They are entirely out of the water
in the revolution of the paddle-shaft, when the engine
is on her centres, and have the deepest hold of the water
They thus act like
when the engineis
oars,at
c stroke,ults;
no
or
baat its
wgreatest
created,power
and the disagreeable beating of the paddle-boards on the
water, and consequent vibration of the vessel, is avoided.

FELONIOUSLY RECEIVING MEN'S `CAGES.—At the Po-
lice-court yesterday, a boy, named William Richards, was
charged with having received £3 from Messrs. Wilson, ship-
wrights, as the wages of two journeymen shipwrights in their
employ, for a week's work, for which he produced an account
which he receipted. He had also received another sum in a
'similar way at Mr. hoyden's, shipbuilder. The parties to
whom it was due had not authorised him to receive it, nor
did they know him. He said that he was employed to get
it in each instance by another person, who promised him 6d.
for his trouble. He was committed for trial.
PROPOSED JUNIOR. CLUB HOUSE.—Last night a crowded
meeting was held in the Billiard-room, Newington, lately
erected by the Arcade Company, for the purpose of taking
into consideration the propriety of adopting measures to
establish, fur the accommodation of the middle classes of
society, an institution to be called, the Junior Club House.
Mr. Griffith, master of the Atheneum Rooms, was called to
the chair, and he entered at considerable length" into the de-
tails of the projected club ' • he also pointed out the necessity
for such an institution. His explanations were heard with
great attention, and at the close of them, his diligence and
perseverance in this matter elicited general applause. It was
eventually resolved that the intended club should be formed,
on a somewhat extensive scale, and that it should consist of
a given number of shares, of £3 or L 5 each (the number and
amount to be fixed hereafter). A provisional committee was
appointed to carry out the resolutions, and to report their
proceedings to a general meeting, to be held on Monday even-
ing next. The business of the meeting being over, a vote of
thanks-was presented to Mr. Griffith, and the proceedings
terminated.

SERIOUS CHARGE OF STABBING BY A FFMALE.—A
respectably-dressed and good-looking young woman, named
Harriet Barnett, was yesterday placed before Mr. Rushton,
charged with stabbing in sundry parts of the face a woman
named Ann Payton. The complainant appeared in court
with her cheeks and forehead almost covered with plasters.
It appeared from the evidence that the complainant and the
prisoner lived next door to each other in Meadow-street, and
were slightly acquainted. On Sunday morning, about half-
past onp o'clock, both of them having been out for some
time, the complainant, on her return, saw the prisoner, and
remarked that she had got home before her. On this, pri-
soner seized her by the hair of the head, assaulted her, and
finally, as if intending to take her life, stabbed her several
times in the face with a small toilet knife. Mr. Laycock,
surgeon of the Dispensary, soon afterwards dressed the
wounds, which were .five cr six in number. He stated that
they were severe, but, from the part where they were in-
flicted, not such as to endanger life. The prisoner said
nothing in her defence. She was committed for trial.
CHARGE OF MUTINY ON BOARD OF A VESSEL.—At
the police-court, yesterday, four seamen—John Dodge,
Lawrence Brown, Charles Jarvis, and John Thompson, were
placed at the bar on a charge of mutinous conduct on board
the ship Minerva, Captain White, while she was lying at the
foreign port of Savannah. The prisoners had all been brought
home in the ship in irons, the captain having determined, on
the advice of the consignees at Savannah, Messrs. Lowe and
Co., and other friends, to prosecute them. The following
are the principal facts of the case, as derived from the state-
ments of the captain and others, and the documentary evi-
dence produced :—The ship proceeded hence to Savannah
with a cargo. The only one of the prisoners who had gone
with her was Thompson, who was second mate. She was
discharged and took in a valuable cargo for this port. While
at Savannah the three other prisoners were engaged as part
of the crew, and received some advance of wages. She was
ready to sail on her homeward voyage on the Ist of March, but
when the captain wanted the assistance of all hands to weigh
anchor the prisoners refused to do so. The prisoner Jarvis
said with an oath that he would not, and the captain collared
him, whereupon he put himself in an attitude to strike ; but
the captain seized a handspike, and said he would down any
one who struck him, and the prisoner desisted. Jarvis and
the others afterwards assisted to set sail, but delay having ta-
ken place through their conduct, the opportunity to proceed
to sea was lost, the tide being then on the ebb. The prisoners
did not do their duty that day in other respects, appearing to
be drunk ; but the captain was of opinion that they only
feigned drunkenness. When he was pondering on the quar-
ter-deck what course to take with men so unruly, the crew
who had been working, but whom the ringleaders had ren-
dered more or less disaffected. came aft to him in a body. A.
man named Jones (not in custody) was the principal spokes-
man. He said what had happened was the effect ot drink, and
hoped the captain would say nothing about it. It was agreed to
overlook the matter, as they said they would do their duty
in future. Next morning the anchor was weighed, and the
ship dropped down the river a little way, all hands being at
work. They again dropped anchor, as they could not get
out that day. On the following morning, and when the pilot
and chief officer gave orders to set sail, after some demur the
prisoner and the others set the sails, but did not get up the an-
chor. Thompson, the three prisoners, and some others came
aft, to speak to witness, who asked them why they did not
man the windlass. They said—" We will not go with the
vessel." The captain asked them why? and they said the ship
was not seaworthy. It was the first time they had said so. The
captain said she was perfectly seaworthy, and in better con-
dition than when she left Liverpool. He ordered them to
the windlass, but they refused. Not considering himself
justified in compelling them to go to sea with the vessel after
hearing their complaint, and finding they would not go vo-
luntarily, he returned to the town, applied to the English
consul and the consignees, and a regular survey was held of the
vessel. (He produced the original certificate of survey to
the court, from which it appeared that the vessel had been
inspected by competent persons, so far as that could be done,
and that she was quite seaworthy. It bore the consulate and
port-warden's seals.) After this all the crew agreed to go
with the ship, save the prisoners and a few others. The cap-
tain then applied to the consignees for their advice, and, as
they thought the malcontents would probably do their duty
when they got outside, he again proceeded with the vessel
down the river. They had a bar to cross, which they could
not do without tacking. The prisoners refused to work, and
the ship, being consequently short-handed, missed stays, and
it was necessary to drop anchor to keep her from going on a
bank. When they had again to weigh. the prisoners refused
to assist. It was got up, by his own help and that of the
pilot, but, as the prisoners still refused to work, it had to be
let go again, and he sent a statement of the facts to the con-
signees. They in consequence had a protest made out, and
the consul and they sent other men on board to supply the
place of the prisoners, the latter advising the captain to
bring the prisoners home for trial. The constables came on
board, and put the prisoners in irons, and so restrained, they
were brought to this port. Mr. Rushton, after a patient
hearing of the case, said that the conduct of the prison-
ers had been most improper, and through it the ship and
cargo had been exposed to great danger; but it had not been
such as to render them amenable under the statute to snp-
press mutiny. The only approach, indeed, to mutiny was
the act of Jarvis in threatening to strike the captain, but
that might be provoked by his being seized by the collar.
Mr. Davenport, who appeared for the captain, called the at-
tention of the court to the statute of 11th and 12th William
111, as to causing or endeavouring to cause revolt on board
the ship. The Court said, that that act related only to
piracy, as the wilfully giving over the vessel or cargo to a
pirate or an enemy. He read a portion of a statute applying
to the present case, the proper punishment of which was the
forfeiture of wages, not the bringing of the parties home in
irons as felon. They had committed no act, in refusing to pro-
ceed with the vessel, that brought them within the statute for
mutiny. He was of opinion that the captain had been badly
advised, and that advice proceeded from the consignees and
others, not from the British Consul. He was sorry for him,
as he no doubt did everything, as he himself thought, for the
best

It would have been wiser to have looked merely to

the safety of the ship, and to have landed them. They Were
punishable under another form. but not for felony. Address-
ing the prisoners he said—" Your conduct has been most
improper and even disgraceful. You have been brought here
under restrainnt, by an overstretch of authority; but for
what you have suffered you have yourselves to blame. You
are now discharged."

RAILWAY TRAFFIC.—The following calculation of the
last weekly returns of 39 railways, 1,391 miles in length,
will, we believe, be of interest :—Number of passengers on
25 railways, 240,811, consequently the total for the week
must be about 400,000. The receipts for passengers on 38
railways, £01,955 10s. 2d. ; ditto for goods on 31 railways,
£19,455 12s. 9d. ; total, £81,441 2s. l ld. This is an aver-
age of £5B 10s. per mile per week. The traffic, therefore,
is certainlo at the rate of more than £3,000,000 a year, and
carrying 15,000,000 of passengers.—Railway Magazine.

The contemplated marriage between the Earl of Bective,
eldest son of the Marquis of Headfort, and Miss Thompson,
daughter of Alderman Thompson, M.P. for Westmorland,
is fixed to take place the second week in July. The youthful
bride elect year,
of the noble lord is in her 18th and will
ultimatelyinherit one of the largest fortunes in the kingdom
in real
and personal property, as the whole of the alderman's
extensive estates in Surrey, Westmorland, and Glamorgan-
shire, will be settled npon her. His lordship will not com-
plete his 20th year until November next. His mother, the
late Marchioness of Headfort, was daughter of Sir John
Stevenson, the celebrated composer.
MANSION-HOUSE, LoNnoN.--70nSo apaturdpaeyar,ed to be in
a poorwo-
dmeaenp wo-
man,
affliction,n me d Eleanorw aiwaited
Annup o Preston,n the Lord
for the purpose
of craving his lordship's assistance in her most deplorable
extremity. The applicant had, she said, resided in the family
of the Rev. J. Lowry, of Omagh, in the county of Tyrone,
in Ireland, for fifteen years, and had, by great economy
during that period, and for some time previously, contrived
to save the sum of £750, which was transmitted to her from
the bank at Armagh, through Messrs.
i Spooner and Att-
wood's house, and which she received n one note of £5OO,
one note of £2OO, and one of £5O. Being determined to
place the whole of the money in the English funds, she
deposited them in her pocket, enclosed in
pocket-
book, and got into an omnibus at Hammers.mith, where
she resides, for the sole purpose of calling upon a
banker in the city to purchase the stock, When she
was about to leave the omnibus, however, she discovered
that her clothes had been cut, and her pocket-book stolen.
As soon as she was able after the shock, she called at the
banking-house of Messrs. Spooner and .A..ttwood,who informed
her of the number of the notes, and which she forthwith com-
municated to the Bank of England ; but she heard no intel-
ligence of their presentation until the 18th ultimo, when she
was told that the £5OO was in the bands of Mr. Butt, the
bullion-dealer, in Cheapside, who received it from a house
in Paris, where it was changed a few days before. She also
learned that the other notes of which she had been robbed
were changed in Paris ; but no hopes were held out to the
poor applicant of the restoration of her property.