The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-03-04 00:00:00

Nzw PATurnx..lt.
.7mongst the plitfillti Sealed last month
Williams, of !big town, for certain

r, C.

provemonts in the making and moulding of bricks, artificial
fuel, and other substances. One to H. F. Broadwood, Esq.
of London, for an improvement in that part of a piano-forte
harpsichord, or other the like instrument commonly called
the name- board ; and one to Adderley Wilic(:cks Sleigh.
K.T.S., of Manchester, captain in her most faithful majesty's
service, for a certain method or certain methods of effecting
and forming sheltered floating harbours of safety, by the em-
ployment £f certain buoyant sea barriers, applicable thereto,
and which said improvements are also applicable to and
useful for the formation of breakwaters, fioating bridges,
lighthouses, and beacons ; the protection of pier-heads, em-
bankments, and for other similar purposes.
•

PRESCRIBING - CHILD KILLED
BY AN OVER Dose OF NARCOTIC POISON.—On Monday
an inquest was held before P. F. Curry, Esq., coroner for
this borough, on view of the body of Emma Cain, an infant
of three months old. Jane Cain, wife of Matthew Cain, and
mother of the deceased, said, they lived in Gillon-place,
Duckenfield-street. On Thursday last the deceased was not
very well, and had been so for a week, her bowels being a
little disordered ; and she went to the shop of Mr. O'Gor-
man, a druggist, in Brownlow-hill, and asked for a penny-
worth of paregoric, which he gave her. She asked him what
quantity she should give, and told him the child's age. He
said she might give her ten drops, or from that to twenty.
She gave her about half a tea-spoonful, which she put into a
cup. She did not drop it, but poured it out. Next day the
deceased did not appear to be any better, and remained so up
to Saturday aright, when she gave her the remainder of the
paregoric, and she fell asleep. She slept a little more than
an hour, and when she awoke she gave her the breast. She
fell asleep again, and about eight the same night witness ob-
served a change in the deceased, and became alarmed, and
took her to Mr. King, who keeps a druggist's shop in Brown-
low-hill, who gave her some medicine, but she gradually got
worse until seven o'clock on Sunday morning, when she died.
Mr. Burrows was called to the deceased, and remained with
her about three hours before she died, and used such means
to recover her as he considered proper. but without avail.
The deceased was a healthy child.—Mr. John Burrows, sur-
geon, said he was called to deceased on Sundayenorning, and
found her labouring under stertorous breathing, and evidently
suffering from some narcotic. He used every means to re-
store her, but without avail, and she died the same morning,
he had no doubt from the effects of narcotic. He considered
twenty drops of narcotic too strong for a child of the age of
the deceased, but did not think that quantity would produce
death. He thought a large dose• must have been given.—.
Thomas Dobson Walker, an apprentice to Mr. O'Gorman,
said he had been about two years and a half with him. lie
remembered the mother coming to the shop, and asking
for a pennyworth of paregoric. Miss O'Gorman served
her. The paregoric was put into a cup. He was asked
what quantity was to be given to the child, and he
told her from ten to twenty drops. There was about
two drachms given to her.—The Coroner, in addressing
•the jury, said it was a lamentable fact that a great num-
ber of children lost their lives by druggists taking upon
themselves to prescribe for them. If children were' ill, as
in this case, with griping, it would be' well for mothers in
the first instance to give them a little castor oil, and, if that
had not the desired effect, to call in a medical man. If they
had not the means of paying, they might readily find profes-
sional assistance gratuitously at one or other of the charities;
besides which, there were many private practitioners always
willing to give their aid to the necessitous. He knew of no
means of putting a stop to the practice of druggists prescri-
bing dangerous medicines, but the efforts of the. press in
cautioning them not to do so themselves or through their
servants. They had, indeed, no more right to do so than
any one ptesent in that room. He then alluded to several
cases of fatality which had fallen within his jurisdiction, and
particularly to a recent oie in which a person had called at a
Mr. Sheldon's, a druggist, and Mrs. Sheldon had prescribed
60 drops of laudanum for a child! Druggists were autho-
rised to sell medicines, but not to prescribe the quantity to
be given, which few of them understood. There could be
no doubt but death was in this instance caused by the admi-
nistration of a narcotic poison in too great quantities; but
the mother, whose act it was, was alor.e legally responsible,
and he could not see how the jury could meet the case other-
wise than by a verdict of " chance-medley " against her,
which he explained to be only a shade removed from " man-
slaughter."—The jury, finding they had no power in this case
to inflict a penalty, returned a verdict accordingly of "chance
medley" against the mother, adding a presentment expressive
of their just indignation at the conduct of the druggist. One
of the jury said, that if the case could have been legally
brought home to the latter, he for one should have stood out
fur a verdict of manslaughterl against him.—Mr. Burrows
expressed a wish that something would be legislatively done
to put a stop to the practice, inasmuch as he and his profes-
sional brethren were frequently called on in the most painful
cases arising. out of it, and generally found their efforts to
restore the sufferers unavailing.—The Coroner concurred ;
and, after he had addressed a few kindly words to the be-
reaved mother, who had doubtless acted from ignorance, the
parties left the court.
SMUGGLING.—Thomas Boyer, an old man, was placed at
the bar of the Police-court, on Tuesday, charged with having
conveyed certain cigars, &c., from the New York packet
ship Sheridan. Police-officer No, 77, stated that the pri-
soner was carrying the trunk produced in a cart from the
packet-ship Sheridan. He went to him, and asked him what
it contained. He replied that it contained clothes, and that
it had been passed by the Custom-house officer. He (the
police-officer) requested him to open it, but he refused. say-
ing it was all right, and pointing to the customs' mark on it.
There were certain initials..on it indicating that it had been
passed by the titlewaiter an board, but he (the officer) was
not satisfied, and he requested that the trunk might be
opened for his inspection. The custom-house officer came
from the ship and told him that he must be satisfied, for it
was all right. The steward of the Sheridan also told him the
same ; but he told them in return that he would not be satis-
fied unless the box were opened for him to examine the con-
tents. This was refused, upon which he took the box into
his custody, and conveyed it to the police station, where it
was opened by Mr. Superintendent Quick. John Bellingo-
ley, the tidewaiter who had spoken to the officer, said when
he examined the trunk it contained only a few articles of
'wearing apparel. Mr. Quick said the trunk when opened
was found to contain 10lbs. of cigars, 11 bottles of brandy,
and three parcels of tea. The captain of the Sheridan said
the steward had absconded. He had never seen the cigars
before. The brandy and tea lied probably been stolen from
the stores. Mr. Rushton remanded both the prisoner and
the custom-house officer until this day, (Friday,) to enable
him to lay the evidence before the Board of Customs.
CHARGE OF EMBEZLEMENT.—James Brown, a respecta-
ble-looking,,young man, was placed before Mr. Rushton, on
Saturday last, charged with having embezzled certain moneys'
belonging to Mr. Timothy Gibbins, nail manufacturer. It
appeared, from the evidence, that the prisoner was a clerk in
the service of Mr. Gibbins, and that he had collected from
Messrs. Garnett and Bibby, who dealt with Mr. Gibbins,
two sums amounting to £27 3s. 6c1., and from Messrs.
Troughton and Lyon £2-1. Mr. Wardle, who appeared for
the prisoner, asked Mr. Gibbins if steps had not been taken
to compromise the matter. Mr. Gibbins replied, "No ;"
but he had received a letter from the prisoner. Mr. War-
dle : " Produce that letter." Mr. Gibbins handed a letter to
the magistrate, saying it contained an admission of the crime.
Mr. Wardle : "In consequence of that letter did you not
communicate with your attorney ?" Mr. Gibbins: "No,
not till after." Mr. Wardle : " Was it not arranzed that
you were to have a mortgage on certain property of his in
Cheshire?" Mr. Gibbins " No:" 'Mr. Wardle : " Re-
collect that I have a gentleman by me who was preSent in the
attorney's office when the arrangement was made. Was
there no arrangement made fora mortgage?" Mr. Gibbins :
" No." Mr. Wardle. " Was not a copy of a will left with
your attorney for the purpose of satisfying him as to the title
to the property ?" Mr. Gibbins : " Yes : it remains there
still." Mr. Wardle: " And was the will left for the
purpose of proving the title to the property ?" Mr. Gibbins :
"I am not aware." Mr. Wardle : What was the sum
which he was to pay you ?" Mr. GibbonS : " One hundred
and twenty pounds." Mr. Wardle : " Was that all ?" Mr.
Gibbins : " Yes." Mr. Wardle : " Why, sir, is the sum not
named in the letter ? Did you not ask for £l3B ?" Mr.
Gibbins : " Yes ; but—" Mr. Rushton : " You have a right
to explain anything you think proper." Mr. Gibbins : " The
officer and I were put to certain expenses in going to Green-
ock and Glasgow to endeavour to find the prisoner, and I
charged these expenses." Mr. Wardle : " You required
£l2O from the prisoner to satisfy you for the money which
you said he held, and the remainder for expenses." Mr.
Gibbins : " Yes." Mr. Rushton : " Did you claim for the
whole as a debt ?" Mr. Gibbins "No." Mr. Rushton
e' In what shape did you claim this money ?" Mr. Gibbins:
" His wife called frequently at my office, and begged that I
would not proceed. I told her that I could do nothing in it ;
that 1 was determined to prosecute him. She called so many
times, and his mother called also, that, at last, I told them
to go to my attorney, and see if they could say something
satisfactory." Mr. Rushton : " Was the application an
offer of money, and a request for forgiveness?" Mr. Gib-
bins : `.` Yes." Mr. Rushton : " And you referred them to
the attorney ?" Mr. Gibbins : " Yes. ' Mr. Rushton :
" And did anything further take place I', " No." Mr.
Rushton : " How came the will in possession of your attor-
ney ?" Mr. Gibbins : " They had consulted with him."
Mr. Rushton : " In consequence of what took place at his
office, had you consented to the mortgage?" Mr. Gibbins
" Not myself." Mr: Rushton : " Had you authorized your
attorney to do so." Mr. Gibbins "Yes." Mr. Rushton
ordered the prisoner to be, discharged, exhorting him to be
careful as to his future conduct, as he had escaped merely
through the course adopted by Mr. Gibbins.
AINSWORTH'S MAGAZINE FOR MARCH.—If No. 1. had
a brilliant start, the present Number .will ensure this new
Periodical a triumphant march. There is in it every element
of success and long life. Mr. Ainsworth's story of the
" Miser's Daughter" will, perhaps, become more universally
attractive than any of his already popular romances. These
chapters bring new characters in scenes of astonishing vivid-
ness and power, which Cruikshank has illustrated with un-
exampled effect. The Abbey-Cloister scene is very fine, and
the other steel engraving teenis with character. Another
distinguished novelist, Mr. G. P. R. James, has opened in
this work a Romance of the Reign of King John, called
" The Fight of the Fiddlers ;" it will rank with the most
popular of his fictiop,s. But what shall we• say to the ac-
count of Strawberry Hill, which occupies many pages, and
boasts Ten Illustrations? Happy Horace Walpole! Al-
though his far-famed retreat be doomed to the hammer, and
will speedily disappear, he must look down with delight upon
this delineation of its riches, beauties, and wonders. All
must read this, whether they visit the scene or not. This
• Number is rich in varieties, from its Proverbial Philosophy,.
by Mr. M. F. Tuper, to the broad farce of the Virginny
Pirate, by Uncle Sam. Captain Medwin has an amusing
Chapter on Beards Mr. W. F. Ainsworth, a startling ad-
venture on the Banks of the Euphrates.; Miss Pardoe, a
whimsical contest relative to a Sofa at. Sea ; Mr. Oilier, a
curious story of a Gravedigger. There are verses by Leman
Blanchard, C.S., John Oxenford, and others. At the Li-
brary Table we hear discussions on Music, the Theatres, and
the genius of Tony Johannot. The Lady's Page is aptly
followed by the " Gentleman's Tiger," who, as drawn by
Cruikshank, must become a prodigious favourite. The
Number is first-rate hr all respects.
A GANG OF PICKPOCKETS.—At the police-office on Tues-
day last, five ill-looking fellows, who gave their names Wm.
Thompson, James Lynch, George Thomas, Thomas Rawson,
and Joseph Jackson, were placed at the bar, charged with
having picked the pocket of Mary Orme. Mrs: Orme
stated, that about half-past six o'clock she was passing along
Oldhall-street from the house of a friend whom she had
been visiting, When a young man passed her, and told her to
take care, for she was well watched. She did not under-
stand what was meant, and took no notice of what was said.
She observed, however, that there were several men about.
Shortly afterwards another came to her, and told her that
her pocket was picked. She felt iu her pocket, and missed
her purse, containing a sovereign and a half, some silver,
and a ring set with crystals. She had seen the prisoner
Lynch push past her. She knew him because he was pock-
marked, and he wore a black and red handkerchief. Wm.
Thomas, tailor, stated that he saw the complainant and
another lady passing along Oldhall-street. His,attention
was attracted by several men, eight or ten, who pressed be-
hind her in a cluster. He saw the pock-marked man (Lynch)
lift up the corner of her shawl. He (witness) passed her
e
and told her she was watched, and he then fell behind.
Lynch also fell behind, and asked him what he was looking
at. at. He did not choose to answer, but went away to look
for a policeman. He saw Lynch put his hand into the com-
as
tpol a i
covernan t ' s
hi
orne k. et
1,1 andc tubl ed others
swear
the c
tlnouus
mttehbreee dr
p.
rrounds9pno irn e
.George
Thomas, as being one of
Maguire apprehended the prisoner; he knew them to be
desperate thieves. Lynch and Thomas were committed for
trial, and the others were liberated with an admonition from
Mr. Rushton, either to amend their ways or leave Liverpool,
as the eyes of the officers were upon them,

DRUGGISTS.-A NOTIIER