The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1845-08-26 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CUSTOM-HOUSE  ROBBRRY.  William Matthews, aged 28, pleaded guilty to stealing £3OO. the property of Elias Arnaud, collector of customs. Mr. Wilkins hoped his Lordship would take a merciful view of the case. The prisoner bad borne a most excellent chNracter, and could have obtained £BOO as readily as £3OO. When he received the money lie was intoxicated, and on coming to his senses he immediately returned the whole amount, except about £5. which he had spent. The learned counsel turn called W. B. Hughes, Esq., M.P., and the Rev. T. Thomas, rector of Llanlodin, who had known the prisoner ten years, and gave him an excellent character. His lordship said he would pass sentence on Monday morning.  IMURDIER ON THE HIGII SNAS  George Will, 26, captain of the brig Challenge, was charged with the wilful murder of Ben Jonson, on the 2d of May last. _  Mr. Brandt and Mr. Patchett conducted the prosecution; and Mr. Wilkins and Mr. James the defence. William Angus, cooper and seaman of the brig Challenge, said that he joined the ship on the coast of Africa, and came home in her. On the 11th o' February they shipped a seaman, named Ben Jonson, a Krooman. Ho waa about 28 or 30 years of age. On the night of the Ist of May, I was 'n the captain's watch, from twelve to four o'clock; there were also in the watch, Henry Holmes, the second male, William Lyons, an apprentice, and the deceased. About half-past two o'clock the deceased was sitting at the top of the companion ladder ; he appeared to be asleep. I was sitting on the starboard side, where the man at the wheel stands. I saw the deceased fall down stairs; I heard him strike twice in falling. The captain called out from the cabin, " What is that noise ?" The second mate thereupon went down stairs, and called to me to come and pull Ben Jonson up. When I reached the companion, I found Jonson coming up by himself. I laid hold of his collar, and asked why he had fallen down ; he rested his arm upon the top of the companion, and said, " 1 have been too much sleepy." I told him to go and lie down alongside of the grating on the larboard side, and he did so. The captain and second mate then came upon deck, and the captain said, " Where is that fellow now ?" I showed him, and the prisoner got a rope and gave Ben a slap wiih it. The deceased whirled himself right round, and tried to get forward ; the captain caught him by the back of the jacket and pulled him down on the deck, and commenced beating him with the rope, and kicking him with his feet at the same t me, for ten minutes or quarter of an hour. I could see what was going on ; the moon was not out, but it was not very dark, and there was a light in the binnacle. Seeing the punishment going on I went away to the starboard side of the quarter deck, for I could not stand it any longer. I heard the prisoner say, " d-n that rope, it is too light to make him rise," and he reached his hand over the grating and got a canoe paddle, with which he commenced beating the deceased, until it was broken. (The piece was here produced with marks of blood on it.) The prisoner hit him on every part whenever he could get a blow at him for three or four minutes. The captain then told me to haul the deceased out of the round-house and pour a bucket of water on him, which I did. The deceased was lying with his face downwards, and blood was flowing from his face or mouth. I heard a gurgling noise in his throat, and when the captain gave the first blow with the rope the deceased gave a groan, but he never spoke afterwards. After the heating the deceased made a snoring noise, and the captain said, " If you lie there snoring I'll give you some more of it." I was relieved at four and did not come on deck again until eight o'clock. The deceased was then lying at the windlass, and was then dead. Shortly after eight, the captain and Kitson, the chiefmate, came on deck, and the captain asked Kitson if he heard the noise in the night. Kitson said he did, and the captain asked how Ben felt after his beating ; witness replied that he supposed Ben was dead by that time. About a quarter past twelve the deceased was thrown overboard Cross-examined by Mr.