The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1856-01-29 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DINNER TO THE CRIMEAN CORRESPONDENT OF " THE TIMES."—A very gratifying meeting took place at the London Tavern, on Saturday, when a dinner was given to Mr. William Russell, the Times' correspondent in the Crimea, by about 50 of his friends, to which number were added a few friend more or less connected with literature and art, The meeting was  strictly social, and, therefore, of course, I have nothing to say of the proceedings, except that, as a journalist, I could not but feel that the press itself, as an institution of the country, was honoured in the person of a gentleman, whose celebrity rests solely and nobly on his having done his duty as a newspaper writer. General Sir De Lacy Evans was present ; and were it permitted to record his tribute to Mr. Russell's services, it would be most pleasant to me. Let me say, too, that a well-merited courtesy was paid to Mr. Woods, the accomplished correspondent of the Morning Herald, who was invited to be present. Society was very well represented in the muster Which appeared upon this occasion. One story, which I heard 'of General Shirley, I will add- During one of the assaults, the general's eyes became choked up with the dust, which the terrible bombardment brought in clouds from Sebastopol. He sat down in a hole, where a shell had burst, to rub this dust out. Some Irishmen, hurrying past him to the attack, took it into their heads that he was weeping, and bawled out, " Don't cry, general dear, but stop there—sure we're going to take the place for ye !"—Correspondent of the ifeeerness Courier. MunnEn.—The Exeter police apprehended, on Thursday, a woman, named Mary Weeks, on suspicion of having mur'dered her son. It appears that a few days ago the body of a fine boy, aged about four years, was found in the Exe river, 'near Starcross. A black apron was tied tightly around its face and head, and there were indications that the poor child had been foully murdered. Information was forwarded 'to the Secretary of State, who immediately offered a reward of £5O to any person who would give information about the child. During the past week a person residing in Exeter has communicated with the police, 'and the result is that the woman Weeks, who left Exeter on Wednesday for Plymouth, has been apprehended. She appears to have lived as servant in two or three public-houses in the city, and had an illegitimate child of the same age,4ind having similar appearances as the murdered boy. The <child was kept by a person in Exe-lane until a few days ago, vhen, in consequence of her refusal to keep it any longer, Weeks came and took her boy away, and said she would send it 'home to her mother, who 'resides at Sticklepath, near Okehampton. One night, at nine o'clock, a woman resembling the prisoner was seen, apparentlyweeping, standing near the river Exe, and a child's frock and another article of wearing apparel were subsequently found near the spot. It is, therefore, suspected that the boy was thrown into the river Exe, at 'Exeter, and that the black apron was tied round its face and'head to prevent its making any alarm and to facilitate its death, and that the body wascarried down by the current to the spot.near Starcross, where it was -discovered.