The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1841-06-18 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THOMAS'S CHURCH, LTHIATE.—Amongsi the numerous churches in this town and neighbourhood, which have been consecrated by the bishop during his recent visit, we ought not to omit to mention that of St. Thomas, Lydiate, in the parish of Halsall, one of the most extensive in this county, and in which additional accommodation has been so long wanted, there being no intermediate place of worship (belonging to the established church) betweeji Maghull and Halsall, a distance of six miles. The new church to which the patron of the living, R. B. B. H. Blundell, Esq., has contributed the munificent sum of £l,OOO, has been built at Lydiate-cross, which is nearly equi-distant between the two, and affords ample accommodation for the numerous inhabitants of Down-Holland, Haskane, and Lydiate, many of whom, owing to the great distance, were previously precluded from attending divine worship. The church is a plain handsome edifice, with a substantial tower, built of free-stone, and capable of accommodating five hundred persons, two hundred sittings being free. It was built by Messrs. S. Holme and Co., of this town, to whose liberality the inhabitants are indebted for many conveniences and improvements beyond what were stipulated for in the contract. Service has been performed in the church by license for some weeks, and we understand that all the pews have been let, and applications made for more than could be appropriated. A great number of the neighbouring clergy, gentry, and inhabitants, were present at the consecration, and after a sermon by the bishop, and a collection amounting to £22, a large party adjourned to a splendid collation at the residence of R. B. Smith, Esq., of Pygon's-hill, to whose indefatigable zeal in obtaining subscriptions, and activity in superintending the building, much of the success of the undertaking has been owing.  MuRDER.--An inquisition was taken on Tuesday, before Philip Finch Curry, Esq., and a respectable jury, for the purpose of investigating the circumstances which led to the death of William Crummer, aged 30, late of this borough. The deceased resided with his wife, Bridget Crummer, in Christian-court, Preston-street, where they kept a brothel. On Saturday night, about ten o'clock, James White (who was in custody before the coroner) went into the house of the deceased with a female, with whom he adjourned into an upper room. They were in the room some time, when a cry of " murder" was heard. Mrs. Crummer went up stairs, and desired the prisoner to come away. The woman within was heard to exclaim, " I will return you your sixpence, if you will let me go." The prisoner descended the stairs, and went to the kitchen, where the deceased was stripped, and was just about to step into bed. The prisoner made an attempt to strike Mrs. Crummer, when the deceased exclaimed, "Itis no manly act to strike a woman. The prisoner said, " 11l either strike her or you." The deceased said, "My good man, go about your business, no one here wants any conversation with you." Upon this, the prisoner stuck the deceased. The deceased pushed him, according to the evidence of the woman ; (according to the deposition of the deceased himself, he struck him.) The prisoner retired for a moment or two, when he returned, and was seen to draw something from his pocket ; he made a blow or push at the deceased, and a frightful wound was immediately visible in the stomach of the latter. The prisoner had, in fact, ripped open the 'belly of the deceased, whose bowels immediately fell out. The prisoner ran off, and was pursued by Mrs. Crummer, calling " murder." She caught him by'the skirts of his coat and held him till he was stopped by police-officer Gristenthwaite, who held him in custody. Mr. Cripps, a surgeon, was sent for, and he, assisted by Mr. Callon, sewed up the wound. Mr. Cripps described the wound as f great extent, and of a semicircular form. The cut was a clean one, and had evidently been made with a sharp instrument. The Bridewell-keeper deposed, that when he informed the prisoner on the following day that Crummer was dead, he exclaimed, " then lam an unfortunate man." Crummer died at five o'clock on Sunday afternoon, there having been no hope of his recovery from the first. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against James White.