The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-04 00:00:00

REVISION OF TilE MUNICIPAL LISTS.

The Court for the revision of the list of burgesses for this
borough, was opened on Saturday morning, at ten o'clock,
at the Sessions-house, Chapel-street, before J. S. Leigh,
Esq., the mayor, and Thomas Carson, and John Yates'
jun., Esqrs., assessors. Mr, Wright and Mr. 'Moss ap-
peared as solicitors for the conservatives; and Mr. Snow-
ball and Mr. Bury for the radicals. The list was taken in
successive wards, as set . forth in the placards previously
published. It was agreed in the outset that all persons who
had preferred claims, or were objected to, should prove their
respective occupancies, and the payment of their rates by
themselves, or some authorised agent, and that the mere
statement by the overseers, taken from their books, that
the
rates had been paid, should be received only in corroboration
of the allegation of the parties to that effect, and should not
of itself he deemed sufficient proof. This was, we presume,
agreed upon with a view the better to detect cases in which
the money had been paid bona fide by the parties themselves-
It was proposed by Mr. Snowball, some time afterwards,
that this rule should be made public, especially as the names
of the parties would only be called twice. This was ob-
jected to by the Mayor and Mr. Carson, on the ground that
it was not the business of the court to publish their deci-
sions ; but it was remarked the reporters for the press, who
were present, would doubtless make it known. The pro-
ceedings throughout the day were of little or no interest.
The claims and objections of wards 1,2, and 3 were gone
through with, and the court rose shortly before six o'clock.
Yesterday morning, at nine o'clock, the proceedings were
resumed ; commencing with ward No. 4, (St. Paul's,) and
next in rotation with the numbers consecutively—nanaely.
Exchange-street, Castle-street, St. Peter's, &c. It was
stated by placard that the claims would be taken first, and
next the objections in each ward, after which the second
calling over of the lists for each of them, and that the canal%
of each name the second time should be final; so that each
should be finished, both as regarded claims and objec-
tions, before another was proceeded with. Mr. Snowball
only appeared for the radicals, and Mr. Moss for the conser-
vatives. The cases generally througnout the day were not of
any peculiar interest. The total number of objections lodged
by the conservatives was 1087. and those by the radicals 5E32.
On the name of John Glover being called, (of St. Paul
Ward,) his wife answered, and said that the last taxes paid
were paid by her husband himaelf, to whom she had given
the money. She had on several other occasions within the
last three years paid the rates herself. An objection was
raised on the ground that it might be assumed that the money
was gOt elsewhere, and not earned by the party, and it ar
peared in a precisely similar case, the name of a Snowball
been struck off the list on Saturday. Both Mr.
and Mr. Moss argued in favour of the rate being allowed, as
they considered the presumption was (in the absence of evi-
dence to the contrary) that the requirements of the law bad
been fulfilled. Mr. Yates was of the same opinion, but
thought the court, to be consistent, should strike out
the name. Finally, however, the court agreed that the
case should stand postponed for further consideration. It
afterwards appeared that two similar cases had been before
the court on Saturday.
Towards the close of the proceedings for the day, a great
number of the objections were withdrawn on both sides,
eluding nearly all in Exchange Ward but 35, and all in
Castle-street Ward. By five o'clock yesterday afternoon,
seven wards in all had been disposed of, namely, on Satur-
day, Everton, Scotland, and Vauxhall Wards ; and yester-
day, St. Paul's, Exchange, Castle-street, and St. Peter's.
Pitt-street was then commenced with. It was then announ-
ced, that in Abercromby Ward and West Derby all the ob-
jections were withdrawn, also all in St. Ann's but 20. 13
Toxteth Ward no arrangements were come to, nor were ex-
pected. These will be taken on Wednesday, at the close.

REVISION OF THE LIST FOR THE SOUTHERN DIVISIOS
OF THE COUNTY.—The court for the revision of the voters
for the southern division of this couuty commenced yester-
day, in the Grand Jury Room, in the Sessions-house, before
William Gray, Esq., barrister. The proceedings were wholly
without interest, and we did not observe a dozen of persons
in the court at any time during the day.

FINAL EXXMINATION AND COMMITTAL OF
DORAN, FOR ARSON.

The further examination of witnesses in the case of Doran
did not come on until about twenty minutes past four o'clock
on Friday last. From one o'clock the court was crowded to
excess, by parties evidently most anxious to hear the re-
maining evidence, and hear the decision of the bench, inas-
much as the greater part had to remain standing, and many
of them most incommodiously and even painfully crushed in
the passages and entrances. The bench, both front and back,
was almost equally thronged by the elite, including a number
of magistrates, councillors, and others.
Mr. Dowling, Commissioner of Police, conducted the cal
against the prisoner (as on the previous examinations), and
Mr. Snowball (also as before) appeared in his behalf.
Mary Beckett, a rather coarse-looking young woman, was
first called by Mr. Dowling, and being sworn said :—I a
servant to Mr. Bushell, who resides next door to the prisoner's
house. On Friday, (the day of the fire,) saw some fur'
ture removed from the prisoner's house in a float. I had
occasion to go to the prisoner's house on Monday. I wen'
there twice that day. On the first occasion in the morning.
I found nobody in the house, and went away. The second
time, in the afternoon, when I went there, on an errand for
my mistress, I looked into the house. I saw no furniture in
it whatever. The first time I went I was in the two places'
the kitchen (as it is called) in which they lived, and the par-
lour. There was no furniture in either place. The second
time I saw Mrs. Doran and a man in the shop. I spoke to
her, and asked when she was going to bring her furniture
back, Mr. Doran replied, but we did not hear the witness.
The witness was cross-examined by Mr. James : She said'
when I first went there, there was nothing to be seen but the
bare walls and the grates. I took notice of the grate in the
i
parlour, on the left band side of the door, which opene,,
against it. I was surprised that I saw no furniture, an
took notice of the grate. When I came out I mentioned it
to my mistress. I have been in the room before, once 0.1.
twice. The parlour and kitchen doors were opposite to each
other, and both open. I did not go into the room. The
front door was open, and the parlour door too. When
saw nobody I cams out. The fireplace in the parlour is in a '
corner on the left, and the door opens against the fireplace.
I swear there is a fireplace unless lam very mistaken. firm e
puzzled by your questions. I do not swear there is a 1;
place in the parlour. I did not go into it. I cannot sts:7,_:
there was nothing behind the door which 1 did not gee.
witness was here put down, and
Mr. Whitty, head constable, was called, and stated to
questions from Mr. Rushton—l was on Monday night last,
in the neighbourhood of the first fire. I heard the alarm 01
the second fire, when I was about 50 yards up Neptune-
, street. To the best of my recollection and belief it was then,
about half-past nine, or twenty minutes to ten o'clock, or at
least thereabouts. I ran directly to the bottom of Formby'
street, to give directions relative to the new fire, and as I V"'
there the hose were taken into the cooperage, behind where
the new fire was. I got No. 8 engine up, and soon after
directed the men to play. Getting the engine up and t°
work did not occupy more than ten minutes. It would have
been done sooner, but the men had mistaken the distance;
and had not brought enough of hose. No. 2 engine was g°:
up in about two minutes after, from Formby-street, and was
also set to work immediately. I found some men knocking
down some of the wooden buildings near the fire, but finding
one of the engines (No. 8) playing well and effectually o
extinguish the flames, I made them desist. I saw Inspector
Bibby at the fire.
Mr. Rushton stated that Mr. Whitty had been adlea
merely to corroborate former witnesses as to the precise dine
when the fire broke out.
Mr. Whitty was cross-examined by Mr. James as to big
precise knowledge of the time, but his replies were through'
out satisfactory and corroborative. The fire that night was
subdued by ten o'clock or ten minutes past, so far as relate.
to the flames, though the embers continued to burn a cone.l:,
derable time. Mr. James went into several inquiries as
the time required to take the engines to the spot, and get
them to work after the alarm was given ; but these Alr•
Whitty also answered, giving explanations of the time in
removing the engines and hose to the spot, which, though in
all only about ten minutes, he felt mortified, at the motuent,
was so long. He had also looked at his watch, on which be
could depend.
Mr. M'Fadzen, timekeeper of the enginemen, &c., (though
not connected with them officially that night,) stated that be
was with Mr. Whitty when the alarm reached him, and was
sent to look for the best site from which the engines cow'
play, while Mr. W. went and brought them up. He cert.('
borated Mr. Whitty in every respect as related to the One
of the alarm, the time occupied in getting the engines t°
work, &c.
These being all the witnesses whom it was thought nece6;
sary to bring up against the prisoner, Mr. Rushton we„
about to make some remarks on the evidence and to delire'
his decision on the case, when it was intimated to him, by
Mr. James, that he had some witnesses for the defence.'"
Mr. Rushton said he was not aware of that circumstance'
and would willingly hear them.—Mr. James then called
Joseph Murgatroyd.—Witness said he was a tailor, live
in Mann-street, Toxteth Park, and was employed as chec'`‘i
taker at the Amphitheatre. Be had been sent for an
examined by Mr. Dowling.
Mr. Rushton, stopping the examination for a moment, said
that Mr. Dowling had seen the witness, who had concurred
in what others had stated, in some respects, with regard t,
the prisoner being at the theatre at ten o'clock on Mond%
night. He appeared to intimate that further evidence
that point was not necessary.
Mr. Dowling said that he thought a mistake existed in gr.
Rusbton's mind as to what he (Mr. D.) bad stated as to tbl
hour named, and Mr. Rushton stated that the witness shoal
P
be heard.
Murgatroyd was then further examined.--He said tlll
about ten o'clock on Monday night, he beard the watchmen'
rattles, giving the alarm of fire. He went to the door, to 85'
certain where the fire was, and saw three men standing t
gether. One of them said that the fire was where the ofp
fire had taken place, and that Doran, who had a place there,
was inside the theatre. and he wouhl call him. Doran (11,1,
we understood the witness) was called, and came out astt',",
another man. Witness said the prisoner was the man who
came out, but he had not seen him before, nor did he noticehim when he went in. He was the only check-taker there. Ile
told him, on his asking for a check, that lie would know bi".,
again. He said this on account of the fire, as he did not. eO,;
pest him back. If he had come out before that time he wool"
have given him a check.
Mr. James said he had other witnesses to call to the saint
effect, but he would not trouble the court by calling them.„
Mr. Rushton then stated, at great length, the groan'''
tie
upon which he found it his duty to commit the prisoner-
entered at great length into a review of the whole of the eyli
deuce, arguing the matter, on the whole, very strongly again.lo
the prisoner, from his own impressions, and reproaching 1d
strong terms the conduct of several of the witnesses who be
given testimony contradictory of that against him, and when:
he considered guilty of the grossest perjury. He, howee.j
after quoting considerable portions of the evidence, appeate,
to admit that some doubt hung around the case, from (as Oa
understood him) the alibi attempted to be proved ; an
leaving the matter to the investigation and decision of a high',
tribunal, he concluded by committing the prisoner, for trio.'
at the assizes, for wilfully setting fire to his premises, in";
mating that, from the circumstances of the case, the prison%
might be admitted to bail, himself in £2OO and three suretie
in £lOO each, with 48 hours' notice of bail.

IGNORANCE AND CRIME.—In the course of his address°
the members of the Salford Lyceum, the other evening, gra:
Brotherton, M.P., observed that it was an astounding fact;
that the cost of prosecutions and the maintenance of fel°
in this county, for the last twenty-one years, amounted t,
£1,111,462, or £52,926 a year. The cost of prisoners at the
New Bailey, during the same period, was upwards of .£200,01"
The county rate, payable by the township of Salford, in a"i
dition to supporting its own police, amounted to upwards °f
£2,000 a year. These facts showed, that something necessary
i
was to be done in the way of mpr, anent. If princto
would not move men, if benevolence din not melt their hearts'
a calculation of interest might prabablv induce them to SO
their aid to the instruction of the. people.—Manchestert
Guardian.—[Perfectly true, Mr. Joseph Brotherton
f theln
cd
people" must not be of the kin
thatwlic
h"instructionl
"liberalism," e
rais o
m,
district has merely secular education been communicate ,
more freely than in this one question. In none do mechanics
institutes, news-rooms, and other similar fountains of cheer
knowledge more abound; and here we have the result,
crime, and fifty-two thousand per annum squandered in pro;
secutions ! Ton have succeeded in teaching " the peoeb
to read the Northern Star and the penny trash with v'Ply
the world is weekly nauseated, and the public reaping the
reward.—En. L. S.]