The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1854-06-06 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

STABBING CASES.—On Wednesday, three separate cases of assault by stabbing were brought under notice of the police magistrate. The first was that of Jane Ann Riggings, an elderly woman of forbidding aspect, who was charged with stabbing Bridget McKown, a married woman, who lived in the same court with the prisoner, Chisenhale-street, and about noon ou Tuesday the prisoner rushed out of her house, brandishing two knives, which she sharpened before the prosecutrix, and told her she " would have her life," and at the same time stabbed her several times in the face. Complainant tried to get under the prisoner's arms, to avoid the blows, when the latter threw away the knives and beat her severely all over her body. The complainant was taken to the dispensary, where her wounds were dressed; and the prisoner was taken into custody. The complainant presented a shocking appearance in court, from the number of stabs she had received, no less than four in different parts of her face, and two on her wrists, and she was so weak as to be hardly able to give her evidence. The prisoner did not deny the charge, but stated that the complainant had been calling her bad names for the last two or three years. It transpired that the prisoner had lived with the complainant's husband for two years, but that he had lately gone back to live with his wife. Higgings was committed for trial at the assizes. The next case was of a still more serious character. A dissipated-looking fellow, named John Gillap, a journeyman tailor, was charged with deliberately cutting the throat of Ann Barlow, an unfortuuate, who lived in Johnson-street, on Tuesday afternoon. The victim of his atrocity was in such a dangerous state at the Northern Hospital that she could not appear, and the case had to be adjourned. It appears that the prisoner deliberately knocked the woman down, and taking from his pocket a, knife, drew it across her throat, and was within a hair's breath of severing the jugular vein. At the moment of the occurrence the thoroughfare was crowded with people; but the ruffian had executed his demoniac purpose with such promptitude and coolness, that no individual, though many witnessed it, could prevent the murderous assault. The officer on duty instantly pursued the fellow, and after a struggle succeeded in arresting him. The prisoner and the wounded female had been cohabiting together for some time, and a quarrel originated between them in the house, when the female rushed out, and the revolting assault above related ensued. In the other case the parties were sailors. Robert Bloom, a tall, athletic seaman, charged another seaman named George Brown with stabbing him. They were both in a dancing-room, in Sparling-street, on Saturday night, Bloom dancing in company with a female. Brown tried to trip him up several times, and a quarrel ensued. The female induced Bloom to leave the house, but while he wa.s walking up the street, Brown ran after him, and with a pocket-knife stabbed him under the left ear. Bloom knocked the prisoner down, but soon became very weak from loss of blood, and was taken to the Southern Hospital. The female wrested the knife from Brown, and gave it to the complainant. The house-surgeon of the Southern Hospital said that the complainant had received an incised wound four inches long, extending from the ear to the lower jaw, and there were symptoms of erysipelas, which, if it ensued, might terminate the case fatally. The prisoner was committed for trial.