The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-05 00:00:00

THR INCOME TAX

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—LAST NIGHT.
In answer to a question from Mr. CURRIE,
Sir R. PEEE said the honourable gentleman had correctly
stated what fell from him the other evening. (Hear, hear.)
He considered that he had proposed such an important
affair of finance—one so necessary to meet the exigencies
of the country, that if defeated on the question of an income
tax her Majesty's government (if, as he before said, they
were defeated on such an important measure) would have
no option. (Hear, hear.) It would decide the existence of
the present administration. (Hear, hear.) The adoption of
an income tax Alas necessary to carry into effect the other
resolutions relating to alterations in the tariff. (Hear, hear.)
With respect to the general alterations of the duties, he
should at present reserve himself, merely observing that
it was his anxious wish and desire to do justice,—
equal justice to all classes, commercial as well as agricul-
tural. (Hear.) In answer to the hon. gentleman he had to
say, that it was his firm intention to uphold and carry out
the general principles of the tariff which he had proposed to
the house. (Hear.) In the course of the discussion it was
probable slight modifications might be made in some articles
of duty, but he intended to abide by the general principle of
the proposals he had laid before the house. (Hear.)

SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH WESTERN

RAILWAY

SOUTHAMPTON, SATURDAY.—Great consternation pre-
vailed
here this morning, in consequence of its being reported
that a portion of the stupendous tunnel, near Warren Farm,
had fallen in just at the moment a train was passing beneath,
and that a ;great number of lives were sacrificed. I imme-
diately proceeded to the terminus of the railway, and after
waiting till one o'clock the seven o'clock down train from
London arrived, confirming, as far as the giving way of the
tunnel, the information. lc appears, however, that the acci-
dent happened soon after the seven o'clock train from South-
ampton had passed through, and that several workmen were
busily employed in it at the time. On the arrival of the
seven o'clock train from London at the tunnel, the passen-
gers were taken on to the next station in carriages, which
bad been prepared with the greatest promptitude by the rail-
way company. One of them told me that he went to a cot-
tage near where the accident happened,l'and there lay the dead
bodies of three remarkably fiue young fellows, much muti-
lated, and that workmen were at the time busily engaged in
digging• out a fourth. These are all the lives sacrificed at
present, but there are three or four more so severely injured,
that it is supposed they cannot recover. Mr. Dixon, the
:resident engineer to the line, was soon on the spot after the
occurrence, and rendered his valuable assistance in directing
the men employed in digging for the lifeless bodies of their
unfortunate fellow-workmen. I can state, on very good au-
thority, that the accident will not cause a greater delay than
ten days; and till it is repaired the passengers will have to be
conveyed a short distance in carriages.
The father of one of the unfortunates, John Gambell,
while suffering the greatest apparent agony, related the fol-
lowing facts :
He (Gambell) stated, that for the last month or six weeks
a soft Chalky substance was observed to drop freely from the
roof of the tunnel (the largest on the line, being upwards of
500 feet) and particularly about 30 feet from the mouth or
entrance, on the Winchester side, and within the last fort-
night the surface of the earth over this particular place was
found to wen way or slizlitly sinking, and it was then
'aisceirtaained that preildualoiberfiiiiiiation of tlielt mitre bor-
ing hadvbeertitadeiti this precise spot, to ascertain the depth
of soil, sled= tonla caused a fissure, which being filled in, was of
course by nauseam, so firm as that around it, and to this was
attributed :=ealpsi top and the dropping at the hot-
O-tittention of the engineer having
been drawn towards it;-littitt or ten men were set to work to
remove the pressure from above, and from that period until
yesterday morning, when the melancholy accident happened,
they were so employed. At the usual hour James Wat-
more, aged 58 years, his two sons, the one one 30 years and
the other 18, Charles NyB9, aged 20, James Allet, James
Batchelor, 19, Thomas Batchelor,2s, Daniel Laws, 23,William
Knight, 24, and John Garobell, went to work, and nothing
particular was observable in the cutting until ten minutes to
eight o'clock, when they were talking about going to break-
fast. At this moment, as poor Gambell describes it, the
place about them began to close in like a whirlpool, and Wet-
more, Nyas, Allett, and James Batchelor, were hurled into
an abyss beneath, of from 40 to 50 feet, the tunnel underneath
giving way to a distance of two lengths, as lie describes it, or
about 30 feet, and burying them in the immense mass of falling
material. Lows, T. Bachelor, Knight, and a son of Wat-
more, fell from a considerable height, and the two former
were so severely injured as to be cbliged to be removed to
Winchester Hospital, where they were promptly attended to
by Mr. Lightfoot,
onfacrputihescheeesdoufrgeo . Gambell states that he must
grasped
immediatelybble shared the fate of the four unfortunate men
hgwrhoehn
cinegiv;edbuststehviesregiving
t iwnetygetor deea
which, hhaidi
hung
he r
onnuit t
hfoersteuanffaot
scaffold-
ing
hesp
ibfneel ah dine, p
hist of
right4o feet,
e,e cheek,
stone in his fall, and was carriedy
and hands severely lacerated tthne
hisro ungnhme, atmaterial t
colt; icialcdrlinari leskDe-
von; where he at present lies.

WEST INDIA STEAM SHIPS.—The RouatWest India Mail
Company's steam-ship Medina atfived ohbouthampton on
Friday morning, about a quarter past eight o'clock. The Me-
dina brought home three passengers only, ooemnfedwihnoamiswthaes
the Hon. Capt. Cadogan, of the guards. The
second vessel only belonging to this compsury thata h
has yet
almas
brought the mails from the West India 1 ad she
not been detained at Nassau on the 3d, 10,041tave been here
ten days earlier. She left Havana on the lstallareh, and ar-
rived at Nassau on the 3d, where she was dalained in conse-
quence of the non-arrival of the inter-colonial mails. Left
Nassau on the 13th, and arrived at Bermuda:on the 19th,
which she left on the sante day, and was 14 days home to
Southampton. She did not call at Fayal. When the Medina
left Havana, it was reported that the' Dee, another of the
o.npany's steamers, was on shore at Turk's Island, but the
rumour was not credited.

mintipurtx trotiamott ornirANy
exmitoilhipoifir MfritititnYtfiVlMl

4PVEU V. BOLL

(Before Mr. Varon Gurney.)
This was an action brought by the plaintiff against th.e
fendant, as the originator and principal in the establishment
of the West Middlesex Insurance Association, to recover from
him the sum of £9OO, which she had paid to that company
for an annuity of £76 10s., and of which sum it was alleged
that she had been defrauded by the defendant ; and also that
the association had merely been got up for the purposes of

fraud.
Mr. Platt and Mr. Gurney were for the plaintiff, and Mr

Chambers for the defendant.
Mr. Platt, in opening the case, observed that in the year
1836 the defendant set on foot an establishment which was
called the West Middlesex Assurance Association, and from
which the public were to derive great advantages. ProspecL
tuses of a most alluring description were circulated, and in
the course of a short time sums to a very considerable
amount were deposited for the purchase of annuities. The
prospectuses set forth that the capital of the company was
£1,000,000, which had been raised by the sale of 20,000 shares
at £5O each ; and the names of fifteen persons, all bearing
the title of " Esquire," were duly advertised as directors ;
and it was further announced that the bankers were the Bank
of England, the Bank of Ireland, and the Western Bank 'of
Scotland. For about four years the concern appeared to be
going on' prosperously, and the annuities were regularly paid ;
but at the commencement of the last year the bubble burst,
and it was then ascertained that the whole was a fraudulent
scheme, concocted for the purpose of entrapping the unwary
and plundering them of all their property. It would be dis-
tinctly shown, that of the fifteen-directors announced in the
prospectuses, ten or twelve of the names were entirely fieti-
dons, and the others were persons in a very humble station
in life • that not only was there no capital whatever, but that
none Of the shares alleged to have been taken had ever been
paid for. The learned counsel, after alluding to the alluring
character of the prospectuses, concluded by saying that it was
evident the defendant at the time he commenced the under-
taking was aware that it would not be profitable—that he
embarked in it for the purpose of defrauding the unwary—
that the wlfnk scheme was founded in fraud, and for the ex-
press purge e- of applying to his own use the money invested
with the alleged company.
After some evidence to prove that the defendant was secre-
tary and principal in the company, Mr. W. Wilson was
called and said—l was one of the directors of the company
in question. When I first became connected with it 1 kept
a school in the Edgeware-road. I solicited employment as
clerk in the office. The defendant said I should be in the
office, and he at once placed my name in the list of direc-
tors. It was subsequently arranged that I should receieess.
per week for my services. I was only required to attend one.
day in the week ; that was on board days, for the purpose of
signing policies. 1 used to sign all the policies and annuity
deeds which were laid before me. A number of shares was
allotted to me when [ was appointed a director, but I never
paid anything for them. The company never had any capi-
tal that lam aware of. I continued to act as a director until
the breaking up of the concern. The defendant was secre-
tary.and manager nearly the whole of the time. I signed the
deed of partnership .previous to the opening of the office,
in 1836. Amongst the directors are the names of H. Alex-
ander, Esq., Bedford, Esq., It. Ayre, Esq., Hope, and
Fergusson, Esq. Ido not know any such persons, never
saw them at the board, or at any of the meetings. There
are also the names of W. Wilson, Esq.. and T. P. Price, in
the list. I am the person first alluded to as W. Wilson, Esq.
and T. P. Price, Esq. is a youth about 16 years of age, who
was employed in the office as writing clerk, and to go on
errands. A certain number of shares were allotted to each
of us, which of course we never paid for. The defendant
always paid me my salary ; he also paid all other persons
employed in the concern : it was agreed that I was to have
ss. a-week for signing the policies, &c., for the first year,
and Ios. a-week afterwards; After I had been a director for
two years I was promoted to the situation of clerk, at £75
per annum ; but still retained my seat at the board. For my
last year's services I received £3OO ; but that was after the
defendant left the concern. I received the letter produced
from the defendant ; it is in his handwriting. '
The following letter was then read I—
" Sir,—During the time of my secretaryship the following
sums were paid by me :—Knowles, £4,040; Mr. Williams,
£4,038 55.; Ditto, as solicitor for office business, £1,857 '4s ;
Mr. Hole, £7,857 ; ditto, on retiring, £lO,OOO, in manner
following: houses in Glocester-place, Surrey-street, and
Maida-hill ; to Hole, the freeholds, £8,900; total to Hole,
£26,257. I have the checks to prove the sums I have paid
to Knowles and Williams; therefore whosoever said I had
more than this is a liar, like unto Peter, who denied his Mas-
ter, and afterwards went and wept, or like unto Judas, who
betrayed his Master, and went afterwards and hanged him-
self. All that I have said or written I can prove.
" April 23, 1840. Yours, &c., " W. HOLE."
I insured my life in the concern for £lOO, and allowed dis-
count for present payment, and I received £93. I got the
money immediately after I insured; the defendant gave me

the amount.
Three checks for £5OO each were then put in, they were
signed " William Hole,". and made payable to Mr. Wil-
liams. One check was on the Bank of England, and the
others on the Western Bank-of Scotland. •
William Edward Taylor said,—l was one of the directors,
and was appointed when the association was first established;
previous to that period I was a journeyman locksmith and
bellhanger, and was in the employ of a Mr. Greathead. The
defendant married my wife's sister. I was applied to by the
defendant and Knowles to become a director. Was in the
habit of attending at the board on Fridays. I received 2s. 6d.
for each attendance for a year and a half. I afterwards re-
ceived a salary of £BO per annum, though I only attended as
a director to sign my name to policies. Knowles was chair-
man of thrdirectors. 1 was desired by the defendant to sign
my name. I signed all documents laid before me. It was
at first arranged that I should sign for three years, as Mr.
Williams was then to take my place ; but at the expiration of
that time he said I might as well continue signing, as it was
all the same.
Mr. Platt.—Did you receive any directions with respect to
your dress and appearance ?
Witness.—Oh, yes • we were to dress well, and were or-
dered to wear rings and jewellery.
Mr. Platt.—Did you do so?
Witness.—Yes; as the defendants gave rings to wear.
A paper in the defendant's handwriting was here read,
upon which was a memorandum, dated Sept. 13,1839, to the
following effect I—" Taylor fined for not having on_his ring."
The witness said they were often fined for a sithilar offence.
Cross-examined.—Many fines were levied and exacted. Was
ordered by the defendant to sign the documents.
Mr. Baron Gurney observed that the witness and his col-
leagues appeared to be the " directed," instead of the " di-
rectors."

Re-examined.—Knowles and Mr. Williams acted as sec-
retaries after the defendants left the concern. I had no sus-
picion that anything was wrong. I placed great reliance in
the defendant. Williams) Hole, Hustler, and the defen-
dant used to be in a private room together, except on board
days.

Joseph Packer, a law-stationer, stated that he was em-
ployed to engross the deed of the company, which was dated
26th September, 1837. Saw the first nine names on the list
of shareholders signed on that day. He was afterwards de-
sired to obtain other signatures to it. He did so during the
vacation of 1840. He applied to persons indiscriminately to
put their signatures to it, and it remained at his office for the
purpose. He was employed by Knowles and Williams. Re-
collects being at the company's office one morning when the
defendant and his wife were there. The post had just been
delivered, and be saw the defendant open some letters and
take some bank-notes from them. He made some observa-
tion to his wife ; believed the words were " look here." He
then put the notes into his pocket : and went away with his
wife. Whenever he got any persons fb sign the deed, a num-
ber of shares were always placed opposite their names.
Cross-examined.—Knowles married his (witness's) wife's
sister. Knowles employed him to engross the deed.
The deed creating the• company was then read, and it ap-
peared that the defendant was appointed secretary and ex
officio a director for life ; it tnrther stated that he was to be
allowed, besides his salary, 70 shares, and his wife, as a pro-
vision for her and for her absolute use and benefit, was to be
allowed 700 shares.
Another letter, of which the following is a copy, was then

put in

"France, Jan. 1, 1811

" Knowles,—Thou art a scoundrel, and thy son no better.
I shall print and publish all the by-laws and proceedings
which relate to any transactions which 1 had with the com-
pany, and expose your villainy to Mackenzie and others, and
I give you and your lying rascal of a b— notice, that if you
or he should dare to publish any slander relative to my cha-
racter, I shall instruct my solicitor to prosecute you, you
d—d perjured scoundrel—you base wretch ; swear against
your own handwriting? what! swear you never borrowed
any money cf me for the office ? Oh ! wicked wretch ; I
have your signature, and my solicitor has seen it. Base, base,
base ; hang thyself with your friend Williams. Truth.
" WILLIAM HOLE."
" P.S.—I have heard you have again plundered the office.
Oh! how many times, wretch ?
Addressed to " Mr. Thomas Knowles, 44, Cambridge-
terrace, Paddington, London."
This was the plaintiff's case.
Mr. Chambers then addressed the jury for the defendant.
He argued that there was no evidence to show that Hole had
not originated the speculation believing that it would be pro-
fitable to the public as well as to himself, and that the break-
ing up of the establishment was attributable to the miscon
duct of Knowles and Williams. And although he admitted
that it had been the occasion of great distress and misery,
yet the defendant was not responsil;le for it, and he ought
not to be ruined because tlit: speculation he had promoted
had not proved successful to t.Jose who embarked in it. The
learned counsel then pruc: ' .! iat some length to comment
upon the facts of the case, ,:aci concluded by stating that the
charge of fraud had not he-it proved, and that the defendant
was entitled to a verdict-.
Baron Gurney addrcsFe,' e jury, and said that the plain-
tiff in this action sought .ecover from the defendant a sum
of money of which he had, as was alleged, deprived her by
fritia nt MeltnYttlitved.that the- monerwas-ohtsined
by' fraud by the defenaant,' or by others acting in concert and
conspiracy with him, the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict.
The jury immediately returned a 'verdict for the plaintiff—
Darnages, £9OO. _

Elei,en- other actions of the same description were brought
against this defendant, for sums varying from £2,500 to £6O,
and all with a similar result.

The following are the receipts of railways for the past week
—that is to say, up to the date to which the respective re-
turns are made :—Birmingham, £14,112 ; Great Western,
£11,033; Brighton, £2,821 ' • South Western, £5,075; York
and North Midland, £1,669; Blackwall, £736; Edinburgh
and Glasgow, £1,628 ; Midland Counties, £2,316 ; North
Midland, £3,725; Great North of England, £1,067 ; Bit.;
mingham and Derby, £1,033 ; Northern and Eastern,
£1,266 ; Croyden, £320 •, Manchester and Birmingham,
£471 ; Eastern Counties, 876 ; Birmingham and Gloucester,
£1,547 ; and Hull and Selby, £953.
MURDER AVD SUICIDE.—On the morning of Thursday
last, the hamlet and vicinity of Kingswood, principally in-
habited by colliers, about two miles from this city, on the
Bath road, was thrown into the most appalling state of con-
sternation by the tragic occurrences which we have now the
painful duty of detailing. Amongst its inhabitants was a
man named Samuel Cook, between 40 and 50 years of age,
unmarried, and who resided with his sister, Edith Cook, said
to have been a few years older, in his own freehold cottage.
fBraumgaitulely, who formerly was a collier, had by industry and
realised a competency, and his income consisted
principallyof the rents of his own freehold cottages. His
hwere serious ; he was a regular attendant at the metho-
diasbtitcshapel ; perfectly sober, even to being a member of the
teetotal society ; and through life was considered to be of a
throat,mys
e' i I. disposition. On Thursday morning, shortly
the milk-man, Abraham Fry, came as
usual to the cottage with milk, when in passing through the
garden in front, he was struck with horror at beholding
little
Cook lying in a pool of blood, life quite
the body of Edith .
aftermost sevenkiildi Yo ' clock,
1 • 'di body.
which broke from iim they collected the
in-
voluntary cry
the cottage found Samuel
neighbours, entering
when, on e
extinct, and her head nearly severed from her An
hastly a wound on his own
CoOk on the floor, with nearly as ghastly
wretched man; who
was fast hurrying to eternity ,
and now I have murdered
barely strength to articu-
lateent for, and Mr. Biggs,
andha, e amurderedrazor
n mh his
siiasithiedarsd,g
on the spot ; he sewed
" Medical assistance was;
surgeon of 'Kingswood, was speed I y .
impulse of insanity,
unhappy victim of, we hope, some sudden
which have led to
died about nine o'clock. Of the causes .
thing that fully clears
up the wound and rendered every possible. attention, but the
this horrid perpetration, we can learn no
_.
the mystery hanging over it.—Bristol Journal

ittt MYAL, LIVAIIPtio

ind M 6"L'kraeift

4::ig qt.

the NORT.LIERN 1344te

THIS EVENING, TUESDAY, April sth,
A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

With the New Comedy of
THE PRISONER OF -WAR.
Both of which will be repeated everj, Evening. this Wea

First Price.—Lower Boxes, 4s. ; Upper Boxes, 3s. 6d.
Pit, 2s. 6d. ; Gallery, Is.
Second Price.—Lower Boxes, 2s. 6d. ; Upper Boxes, 2s
Pit, Is-. Gd.; Gallery, Gd.

ROYAL LIVER THEATRE, CHURCH-STREET

MASONIC CHARITY.

THIS DAY, (TUESDAY,) April 5, 1842,
Av DESIRE AND UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF
JOHN DRINKWATER, Esq., R.W.D.P. Grand Maste

AND Tril.

GRAND OFFICERS, MASTER MASONS,
AND

OTHER BRETHREN OF THE WESTERN DIVISION OF
LANCASHIRE.
THE Entire Receipts of the Evening will be appropriated
(without any deduction) in aid of the
FUND OF BENEVOLENCE,
For the Relief of Distressed Freemasons, their Widows, and
Orphans. The Entertainments will commence with
NAVAL- ENGAGEMENTS.
Brother HENRY Donn has kindly consented to sing
" PROSPER THE ART," the music by George Hargreaves,
the words by Brother James Stonehouse ; dedicated, by per-
mission, to his Royal Highness the Duke of SUSSEX, Grand
Master of the Order of Freemasons.
After which,
MILITARY PROMOTION.
To conclude with
ROBERT M ACAI RE.
The following will be the Prices of Admission for the above
benevolent purpose (on this occasion only) :—Boxes and
Stalls, 3s. (no Pit on this occasion) ; Second Price to Boxes
and Stalls, 25.; Gallery, h.—no Second Price.
Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be had (on and after
Thursday. the 30th instant) of Mr. J. FOGG, at the Box-
office, and of Mr. WALmsLEY, Bookseller, Church-street.