The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-08-09 00:00:00

ANOTHER WILL FORGERY

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Ann Bevan, 44, and Catharine Williams, 30, were indicted
for having forged a will, purporting to be that of John Kenny,
of Liverpool, mariner, with intent to defraud the represen-
tatives of the said John Kenny. .

AeDr Oe d
LuPnnue
undefended.
nded.
e.
sappeared for the prosecution. The pri-
soners
w
ADOLPRLS stated the facts, which were briefly as
follow :—John Kenny, a seamarson board the Superb, for
Port Adelaide, New Holland, sailed on the 21st of July,
1840, and died during the return voyage in August, 1841.
Messrs. Claypole were the owners, and had a balance of
wages due to him in their hands. n the 18th of February,
1842, the prisoner, Bevan, went to Lie Rev. John Hermann
Stafford and produced a will made in favour of Margaret
Dawson, swearing that she was that person, and received
probate as executrix. On the 26th of March the prisoner,
Williams, took the probate to Mr. Charles Hesketh Hill,
clerk to Mr. Clare, Solicitor, Liverpool, and represented her-
self to be Margaret Dawson. She then went to Mr. Charles
Townley Pover, clerk to Messrs. Claypole, for the money,
and was told that it had been paid to Mr. John Gardon, the
uncle of deceased. Mr. Gardon, on hearing of the applica-
tion, went to the alleged residence of Margaret Dawson, No.
2, Jones's-buildings, Birkett-street, where he saw Williams,
who represented herself to be that person, and said the child
she had in her arms was his nephew's, that it was eight
months old, had been born on the 16th; July, that she had
known him two years, and that he was a Scotsman, when he
was never in Liverpool until June last, and remained only
till the 21st July, and was a native of Harwich. Williams,
when before the magistrates, stated that the will had been
brought to her by Mrs. Burns, who had instructed her what
to say and do. George Kewley, mate of the Superb on the
return voyage, proved the death of the deceased. Mr. Ellis,
the magistrates' clerk, proved the depositions. The pri-
soner, Williams, received an excellent character.

The jury found the prisoner guilty.
ANOTHER FORGERY OF A SEAMAN'S WILL

Thomas Burns, 45, was indicted for having, at Liverpool,
feloniously forged, and in another count feloniously offered
and uttered a certain forged will and testament, purporting
to be the last will and testament of one George Dunn, with
intent to defraud the representatives of the said George
Dunn.

Mr. ADOLPHUS was also engaged for this prosecution.
The case was very similar to the two former. Dunn was
a seaman on board the ship Emma, the owners of which
were Messrs. Edward Halton and others, and sailed on the
Ist of August, 1840, for the coast of Africa. He died on
the sth of January, 1841, on the return voyage, and on the
vessel arriving the prisoner went to the Rev. Mr. Stafford,
as the executor, and obtained probate in the name of Thos.
Jones. He was not, however, successful in obtaining the
money, as it had been previously paid to Ellen Dunn, the
mother of the deceased. The names of the witnesses to the
forged will were John Burns and George Williams.
The prisoner said he had done it in order to get the sum
of twenty-eight shillings owing to him by the deceased; and
that during twenty-four years' residence in Liverpool he had
borne an excellent character, having served Mr. Rathbone,
Sir Joshua Walmsley, and the first men in the town, and
never having defrauded any body of a sixpence.
The jury immediately found him guilty.
All the prisoners were then placed at the bar for judgment.
His LORDSHIP observed that he hoped these inquiries
would be of some service. The frauds which weak-minded
persons were led to commit by others of greater cunning
were easily proved, and almost impossible of success. Burns
appeared to be connected with all the transactions. He had
been convicted of forgery, and had admitted that he did it
to get money that was owing to him, but jf lie bad done so
this would have been a fraud upon the mother of Dunn,
who was entitled to the property. The offence was of the
most serious character, and it was necessary that he should
be made a public example. The sentence of the court was
that he should be transported beyond the seas for the period
of fifteen years. With respect to the females he did not
mean to pass a severe sentence upon them ; it was through
their weakness they had been led to commit these mean and
wretched frauds which were committed by the aid of perjury.
The sentence upon each of them was that they be impri-
soned and kept to bard labour for six calendar months.
THROWING VITRIOL.

Alice Carron, a married woman, of about thirty-three
years old, with an infant in her arms, pleaded guilty to an
indictment, charging her with having thrown a quantity of
vitriol over her husband, doing him grievous bodily harm.
Mr. WlLiciNs said the woman had been in an agony of
grief ever since the unfortunate occurrence. Her husband
was present in court, and willing to admit that he had driven
her almost to madness by his conduct, and treated her with
great cruelty. The vitriol had not been got for the purpose,
but had been some time in the house for the cleaning of
rusty metal.
The JUDGE remarked that it was thrown when her hus-
band was asleep. _

Mr. Wi LKINS suggested that he was in a state of intoxica-
tion, and would sooner be asleep than if sober. He had
struck his wife one blow on this occasion, and had often be-
fore beat her severely.

The husband said that she had always been a faithful and
affectionate wife to him, though he had used her very ill.
He should be happy if he were to live with her again, and
the children were quite lost for want of her attention.
The JUDGE said he would take time to consider the sen-
tence.

MANSLAUGHTER AT LIVERPOOL.
William Smith was indicted for having killed and slain
Eliza May.

Mr. HUlton was for the prosecution, and Mr. Hampsion
for the prisoner.

--
The deceased was a loose woman, very drunken and quar-
relsome, and had just come from prison on the 28th of April.
At nine o'clock she was passing along Preston-street, where
and he struck her 011 the neck with the knife,
the the prisoner was making a small boat with a knife. She as-
carotid artery.. She died almost immediately.
guilty.
The JUDGE cautioned hm against ever using a knife in
the same manner again, and sentenced him to seven days'
severings a uTI
ht as-
saulted di t him,
imprisonment
yirniefound the prisorier
i

STABBING AT LIVERPOOL

John Carney, a rough-looking man, aged about 22, was
indicted for cutting and stabbing James Graham, with intents
to maim, disable, or do him some grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Hulton was for the prosecution; the prisoner was
undefended.
The prosecutor, who is a labouring man, stated, that he
was in Dale-street on the morning of Sunday, the 17th of
July, at a quarter-past six o'clock, when the prisoner passed
and spoke to him. Be replied, and a scuffle ensued, when
the prisoner struck the prosecutor with a knife, inflicting
two wounds on his person, one in the belly and another in
the chest.
The surgeon said they were very slight, and the prosecutor
was able to go to his work in three days.
The prisoner said he had been drinking at a house in 'the
neighbourhood, and was in the act of cutting some tobacco,
when the prosecutor attempted to take his ale from before

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ran out, fie followed, and the proseantor LtpPeked him
down by the parapet and kicked, him, when he infliotpd the

wounds in self-defence.
Witnesses were called on both sides.
The counsel for the prosecution suggested that there had
been two different squabbles.
Verdict—Guilty of common assault, acquitting him of the
felonious attempt. Sentence—Twelve months' imprison-
ment and hard labour; the first week solitary, the week at
the end of the first six weeks solitary, and the last week

solitary

STABBING AT LIVERPOOL

John Martin, 25, a man of colour, was indicted for having
cut and stabbed James Donohoe, with intent to maim, dis-
figure, or do him some bodily harm.

-Mr: Holland was for the'proseeution
undefended.

The prisoner was

The offence was committed about eleven o'clock on the
night of the 13th of May, in Vauxhall-road. The prisoner
was taking a handkerchief from two females, when the pro-
secutor interfered. A quarrel ensued. Some blows were
struck; and the prisoner drew a knife and inflicted wounds
upon the prosecutor's left cheek and nose, on the left hand,
and in the belly. The prosecutor remained at the Northern
Hospital twelve days.
The prisoner said he took the handkerchief because the
women had taken one of his, and he had been severely ill-
treated by the prosecutor and others who were with him.
Verdict—guilty. Sentence—eighteen months' imprison-
ment.