The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-11-27 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQ U1132*
—.0.-- .
Yesterday evening an iediaidtiOS-IPal bald 'beton
Thos. Higgs, Esq. on the body of a respetabli looking
gentleman, unknown, who on Sunday tokght bad walkedl
into the Thames, near Essex Wharf, off a passage leading
from the stairs to the river. Four accidents of a similar
nature, two of them attended with fatal consequences,
have occurred, within the last two years, occasioned by
the want of a bar or gate ; the pavement of the court
ends abruptly on the edge of the water, and a few feet
above it.
The first witness called, was Mr. Wm. Holmes, of the
firm of Soulsby, Holmes, and Co. coal-merchants. He
stated that on Sunday night while in bed, be beard cries
as of some persons in distress, and went to the window
which overlooked his wharf, but could not see any thing.
The watchman then cried the hour of the night, and the
deceased again shouted very loudly for assistance in a
smothered tone of voice. The watchman sprang his rat-
tle, and alarmed the neighbourhood. Witness got up
and called his servant, who procured a light, but the
wind blew it out. More assistance was sent for, as wit-
ness being unwell was obliged to keep within the house.
Nathaniel Young, a lighterman at the wharf, said,
that yesterday morning, about twenty minutes put one
o'clock, he was called up, and instantly repaired to the
spot with drags. He continued to march for the deceased
till two, when he went home, but returned again at fix,
and found the body about 20 or 30 yards from the place
where it bad fallen in, which was at the bottom of Essex-
steps, leading from Essex-street. There was no spy arsnce
of violence about his person; the deceased is apparently
about 45 years of age, and of respectable appearance :
be is dressed in • pepper acrd salt surtout coat, blue
pantaloons, and waistcoat of the same colour, with gilt
buttons. His boots are laced up in front, and he has a
flannel waistcoat and drawers next the skin, nearly
new. His pocket-handkerchief is marked R. N., N 0.6,
and his shirt R. N. No. i. He is about 5 feet 7 inches
in height, and has the appearance of a respectable man.
There was found on his person ss. in silver, a pen-knife,
and pencil-case, and an old-fashioned watch, maker's
name, " Charles Edmonds, Liverpool, No. 1914," to
which is attached a steel chain, and a metal seal and key.
There being no other evidence, the Jury went to
view the dangerous place where the accident occurred,
ind on their return expressed their wonder anti indig-
nation that some security had not been placed to pre-
vent accidents which might so easily occur, particu-
larly after the many accidents that had already hap-
pened. It was suggested to address the Lord Mayor
on the subject. and by their verdict, to express the
surprise they felt at no security being made.
After some further consideration, they returned a
verdict to the following effect:— Accidentally drowned,
.occasioned by culpable neglect, there being no fence or
bar to prevent accidents.
[PROM vita MANCHESTER GUARDIAN.] I
An inquest was held on Wednesday, at the Spruill
Eagle Inn, in Salford. on the body of John Laverty.'
who was mortally wounded with a penknife, by Wile
Liam Carr, the son of a respectable coachnsaker in Ail
town.—As our Reporter was not permitted by the Co"
roner to remain in the inquest room (of which we shall
speak presently), we cannotAgiee a detailed account of
the proceedings there, and neeettr eftent. our
with relating such facts as we seal i collect in other
- • .*3 -. : .
quarters.
It appears that Mr. Cur was standing witt afethaln
of doubtful character, in a passage leading oat of
Miller's-lane. Green-gate, Salford, when the deceased,
accompanied by two other lads, came by, and. being
informed by another person at the end of the street,
that there was a couple in' the passage, the deceased,
one of the boys who was with him, and their informant
went into the passage, and demanded from Carr the
payment'of a fine, which is. we understand, frequent-
' ly required by fellows in the street, from persons de-
tected in equivocal situations. . This Carr refused to
pay ; a short altercation, and, we are informed, a blow
or two ensued between him and the deceased, but with
whom the blows originated we could. not learn. Carr,
however, pulled out a penknife. told the deceased se-
veral times he would stab him if he did not desist; and
at length, but bow it did not appear, the deceased was
wounded by the knife in his left breast. The de-
ceased fell immediately, exclaiming that he was stab
bed, but being raised by the boy who was with him,
he staggered as far as the house to which he was
going (about 30 yards), and died in a few minutes
after reaching it ; the knife, as afterwards appeared,
having penetrated an inch into his heart. Though
Mr. Carr might easily have effected his escape, he did
not attempt it, but called for the watch. and seized a
boy who was near the spot, charging him, the deceas-
ed, and another persOn,
.with an attempt to rob him.
On being questioned, be immediately avowed that he
bad stabbed the deceased, bat said it was in his own
defence. When taken into custody he made no resist-
ance. There wag; we understood, no evidence adduced
at the inquest to fix Carr as the persea who stabbed •
the deceased, except his own declarations. Twelve of
the Jury, who were, as usual iti 'such cases sixteen in
number, returned a verdiakf manslaughter. .
With respect to the charieter of Laverty, we have
heard various statements ; but we are credibly infertile;
ed that he had worked tine years' for Messrs. WWI-
- and Kennedy, and was the chief support of i
widowed mother. He was IS years old. •
Our Coroner has, in this case, taken a liberly'with
the la** in excluding the public from the inquest-
room. He knows than an. inqttett io (we hope it will
always continue) an open Court ; and yet' we are in-
formed he has aishmed the power of fircibly'expelling
from it persons who had as much right ti!ere'lis him
silt'. Afut that-other persons were also eielnded, it
might have been presumed ther. Mr. 5111de's objection
to thecontintianie in the Ugliest-room of the gentle.'
man who attended fot us arose 'hone *al' kfica that hi,
was abußt tepublish the evidence given; iliich Judge
Bayley; in his late charge to the Grand' Jay at Lim.
Casteroritvelred far out of his may to praboaacii, on
the authority of the King's Benet (hoVribt"Ott:thillr
reasbn or common sense); an illegia-praetia-IIV
next iihidest of public interest.vrhick ocettra;eiie
'iniast on our sir
'it quinces. ' '
- ' '

The Apsatity
irate Tiverton *spir,let.
pries. also are yr'
1.4 Meat prupurti.•

:THE -BTATPWIAN:

• POI. ICE.
Ocnnuott..—The neighbourhood of Bennett's-
hill, Doctors' Cotnmons, was all in an uproar abou t
nine o'clock on Sunday Whin, in consequence of an
alarm of thieves; two men were seen making their
escape in great haste out of the house of Mr. Hill, a
green-grocer ; the cry of " stop thief" was immediate-
ly raised, and a general pursuit took place as far as
Ludgate-bill, where two men, supposed to be the
thieves, were overtaken, and brought back in custody.
On inquiry, it appeared, that while Mr. Cox, a lodger
of Mr. Hill's, with his wife and child, were dressing
for church, two fellows broke forcibly in through the
window and made the best of their way down stairs.
It turned out that the Excise officers having received
information of an illicit distillery being carried on at
No. 10, Bennett's-hill, were watching near the spot,
and the door happening to be opened, they rushed in,
the knot of distillers dispersed in all directions, and
two of them finding no other means of escape, bad
broke in through Mr. Cox's window, the premises
being adjoining.
The two men taken were brought before Mr. Alder-
man Cox at this Justice Room, yesterday ; they gave
their names Samuel and John Peppard, father and
son, and Mr. Longhorn, a solicitor, attended on their
behalf.
Charles Land, an Exciseman, stated, that in conse-
quence of information received, he, and a brother of-
ficer entered the house, and found in the loft a still,
capable of holding 150 gallons, a large quantity of
low nines, and a tub of wash ready for working.
There was some wash in the still which was warm, as
if it bad lately been at work. He and his partner
could identify the two prisoners as being on the pre-
mises, and the being on the premises where there was
a private still, rendered persons amenable under the
Statute.
, Mr. Longhorn inquired under what statute the of-
ficers acted ? _ _ _

Land requested time to go to the Excise-office, to
furnish himself wilb the law upon the subject.
This was allowed, and on his return lie shook his
head and said, he feared he was done this time. On
looking into the statute be found, that the persons
must be seen in the still room to make them liable,
and the fact was, that he and his partner bad seen the
prisoners on the pre•oises, but not in the still room.—
T his put an end to the case, as far as the Excise was
concerned.
Mr. Alderman Cox thought there was still a charge
against the prisoners, for breaking into the adjoining
house ; but after some discussion they were discharged.
flow-svaxm—A respectable-looking man, of the
name of White, appeared at this office yesterday with
his solicitor, before Sir RICHARD BIRNIC, and com-
plained that he was in the custody of one of the
'Bow-street men, who bad arrested him on Sunday
week upon a warrant for a misdemeanour, which had
been issued at the Mansion-house, and backed by one
of the Magistrates of this office. He also stated that
the officer had arrested him in Surrey.
Sir Rictiano Blame said that he would not inter-
fere in the case. It appeared to him, that all the par-
ties had laid themselves open to an action for false im-
prisonment, in arresting a man for a misdemeanour
-on a Sunday. The only cases in which such an ar-
rest was justifiable were those of murder, robbery. and
breaches of the peace under peculiar circumstances.
The officer was also anwarranted in apprehending the
`defendant in Surrey.
'Mr. White observed, that there was not the slightest
pretext for charging him with the tommiesion of any
offence Irhatever ; but it was a device which the other
party had recourse to for the purpose of having an op.
portunity, upon his being taken before the Lord
Mayor, of executing a writ which they bad issued
against him, and out of the way of which he was an-
xious to remain for a short time, as he expected money
in the course of a fortnight. by which he would be
enabled to discharge the debt; bat if before then he
were thrown into prison, lie should be ruined.
Sir R. Blame replied, that be saw clearly it was a
trick to effect the execution of a writ ; and he should
certainly notice the part which the officer had taken
in it.
The officer said that the complainant had applied at
Bow-street for a person to apprehend the defendant,
and having the warrant backed by Mr. Halls, he ac-
companied him ; and the defendant was pointed out to
him by the complainant.
Mr. White asked if he was not justified in refusing
to accompany the officer ?
The Officer said that he would take him to the Man-
sion-house, and deliver him up there.
Sir RICHARD BIRNIE defined to give Mr. White
any advice in the case. In Lis opinion he was illegally
in custody.
Mr. White said, that in that case, be would not ac-
company the officer to the Mansion-house, as he
knew there were persons there to execute the writ
upon him. He accordingly, putting on his hat, walked
out of the office.
At a subsequent period of the day, the complainant's
solicitor came to the office and stated that he ender-
; stood Sir Richard Birnie had discharged Mr. White
in the morning.
Bit. Rased( n replied, that he bad done no-such
thing. He bad declined all interference in the business.
But, he should certainly discharge the office! who had

arrested him.: •. ~.
i The solicitor,ohserved, in jitstifiention of the officer,
that one of the worthy magistrires,hadt'nformed him,
that he might, apprehend a jean' on Sunday, under a
'warrant fur # midenteanottr. .
iSir ftiFnam littwis replied, that be thought it
teiOrt4ll4os3hskt any of the magis:rates had pronuunced
#eyipcit opinion., Here the matte; rested.?
'A man of the mune, of Keit; wlik,,,Sir ArctiAtcp 13111
Ny1_1041.14, hid.liee, vest tioaidesemii the Syreflry
isw
of 5 tiitets.Qtfii - fur sOuatt Anse p kit. coPpleally wall 0 t
letws,-
,inft . 114 for Akinspiwiew with the King.
ca-tu tkr .pes;inday, incr:ll#ld some piglet*.
ii.lVl.lll ow, Oliffl., io whieh he stated 014 te.had
late
.y.ary.p.agosety,eicaped being poisoned ; 'snit Wan
itill 'in consume-km(os4y of itia..nfti from the nutiiii-
rrspne who were
:conspiring! so
40 a deeper root, he said,. .than

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