The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1846-03-17 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CHILD MURDER..—Margaret Stoker, aged 23, a simple-looking country girl, was tried before Mr. Just!ce Patteson, at the Durham Assizes, yesterday week. on en indictment charging her with the wilful murder of her female bastard child, aged 14 months, at Pittington Hall Garth, in November last, by drowning it. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Serjeant Wilkins, who attempted to prove that she was not conscious, at the time of her putting the child to death, that she was doing a wicked and an immoral act. It seemed that she was in a good deal of distress, owing to the father of the child having neglected to pay towards its maintenance, her step-mother having turned her out, and the overseers of the poor having refused to give her relief. The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of Guilty, with the strongest recommendation to mercy. His lordship pas= bed sentence of death. The t risnner was then removed from the bar, shrieking violently. DISSENSIONS AMONG THEJews.--A "disruption," aays a new religious paper called the Balance," has taken place among the Jews of London, which promises to be -productive of momentous results. It appears that for some time past a feeling has been growing up among the more enlightened and liberal of the English Jews that very great reform ought to be made in the ritual of the synagogue, and that they are not bound to abide by the interpretations given by the rabbis, but are at liberty to put their own construction on difficult passages. As a necessary consequence they repudiate the authority of the Talmud, and resolve to acknowledge no other standard of truth than the law and the prophets. The result has been, that great division, have occurred among the Jewjab congregations in the metropolis. A number of the seceders have opened a new synagogue for themselves in Burton-street. where they steadily meet for worship. Mr. Goldswid, and several of the most influential persons belonging to the Jewish persuasion, have joined the new sect." . _ _  The approaching Birmingham Triennial Musical Festival, which is fixed to take place in the last wet k of AugnAt next, is already beginning to excite the attention of the musical public, as one of the most prominent points of intertst of the present year. Her most gracious Majesty has bt en pleased to place herself at the head of the list of patrons, which is also honoured with the names of his Royal Highness Prince Albert and Her Majesty the Queen Dowager. We understand that the committee are indefatigable in making engagements and arrangements worthy of the occasion, and, amongst others, that they have confided the vrformances to the immedia'e directorship of Dr. F. Meudelsshon Bartholdy and M. Moscheles—musicians, whose learning and rare tact as conductors are good earnest that the determination to have the best music performed in the best possible manner, will be firmly carried out. A new work by Dr. F. Mendelssohn Baitholdy will form one of the leading features on the occasion ; and we trust to be able, ere long, to announce such a selection, both of music and executive talent, as will mark the forthcoming meeting as one of the most successful that has yet taken place.  March 17, fga