The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1855-07-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

HISTORIC SOCIETY, LIVERPOOL.—In March, last year, the members of the two leading societies of Liverpool agreed to unite—as our readers know—for the purpose of forming a large and influential society, and the terms of union were generally agreed upon. In the course of the summer, however, delays occurred with one of the societies, supposed to arise from opposition do the part of its council. The Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, therefore, with equal spirit and forethought, took the enlarged position for itself. It extended its objects and operations from local and special to general,---classified its inquiries under the three general heads of Archaeology, Literature, and Science, appointing to each of these a committee of its council,—increased the annual sub•scription for resident members,—and gave to the members of the papers was engaged in investigating an extraordinary case, local societies and other selected gentlemen the privilege of joining, for a limited period, with entrance fee. We are glad to record the success of these vigorous measures. The first public act of the enlarged society took place exactly four weeks after, when its members entertained the whole of the British enrolled,Association as fhoorntohrearymembers, b Advancementtwelve woelf vSecioefnce thoseet aw hsoo had long been prominently connected with the association. The Faussett collection of Anglo-Saxon Antiquities was publicly exhibited on this occasion for the first time, and a lecture on the subject was read by Mr. Thomas Wright, which the Historic Society are printing with copious illustrations. The Seventh Session of the Society, or the first since its enlargement, has just closed, and a very useful and interesting session it has proved. The meetings, 21 in number, were held in St. George's-hall ; and 35 papers, of greater or less extent, were read. Of the meetings, 5 were devoted to archaeology, 6to literature, 6 to science, and 4to miscellaneous subjects. The members are now about 420 in number, and_the society is bound to furnish to each of them daniiatn4neuna;uanice. account of its proceedings and of DER MY BOys.—On Friday and Saturday the Borough. Co which resulted in a verdict of wilful murder being returned against two boys, about ten years of age, John Fitzpatrick a and Alfred Breen. Their victim was James Fleeson, a lad seven years of age. A boy named Hawkins said that the prisoners and the deceased, who lived in the same locality (Saltney-street), were playing together in some brick-fields, near the Leeds and Liverpool canal, ou Sunday, when a dispute arose between Fitzpatrick and the deceased. The former taking up a piece of crick, struck the deceased on the temple with it and knocked him down. He then struck Fleeson again while the latter was on the ground. Fleeson's hands and feet moved convulsively, but he did not resist or cry out, and appeared indeed insensible. Both the prisoners then seized the deceased, dragged him to the canal, and threw him in. The poor lad struggled for a few minutes, and then sank. A number of other boys were present at the time, and witnessed the occurrence; among them Hawkins, who said he would tell Fleeson's mother what had happened, and that he would inform his own father and mother also. It appears, however, that although the fact of the murder was known in the street where the boys lived, there was a sort of combination entered into to prevent the matter getting to the ears of the police, and it was with great difficulty the boy Hawkins could be induced to come forward and give evidence. When the prisoners were taken into custody, the father of Breen threatened one of the police-officers to ' rip him up." The body of 'Fleeson was found on Thursday morning, floating in the Stanley Dock, with which the canal is connected by locks ; and when the policeman who discovered it was taking it out, the father of the boy was passing and recopised the features of his murdered child. A surgeon gave evidence that the detcielase eaeduhseadorfecdeeaivtedh Itvwaso esveivdeernetlwyosuunffdsomintiotihi efmheamd drowning, but ha t. This evidence was given on Friday, and on Saturday the only fresh evidence was that of a woman named Mary Pratt, who said that she saw the prisoners and the deceased playing togetherthe face with a brick ; she also said that a man came up and separated them, but this Was deniedby the boy Hawki The jury returned a verdict of " Wilfuland deceased, murder" against both the prisoners, who were removed tt• • Kirkdale, where they will be detained till the assizes.