The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1877-01-12 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

AND A SOLICITOR. Some further proceeding, were taken in the City Pollee-court, Blanchester, ou the 4th lust., in the extraordinary ease of a charge of attempted murder of a Welsh girl by administering a drug to her. On Jan. let, the Key. Father Jackson, of the Church of the Holy Name, Manchester, was charged with the offence, and the case was dismissed, arid on the 4th, Mr. George Shippey, solicitor, who was uuablo to appear Oh that day, and was under arrest in his bedroom, surrendered at the court. The police had previously being withdrawn from Ha house, and on the case been called, the solicitor for the police offered no evidence. Mr. Shippey'. counsel demanded that the cue thould begone Into, but the magistrates permitted the police to withdraw ! from it.— Mr. Taylor, barri,ter, then applied for a warrant for perjury against the girl Morris, who alleged that she had had a poisoncee drug administered to bee by Shippey at his office, and Father Jackson had afterwards dragged her thiough the street to a neighbouring house whilst she was unconscious, it was stated ' that in Jenuary, 1873. a bill in Chancery eat tied by Messrs. Attwood, solicitors, Aberystwith, on behalf of the children of a woman named Morris. One of the children living in the Horne of the Good Shepherd, In Blanchester, the authorities of that place applied, to Mr. Shippey, on her behalf, and the further conduct of the lase was entrusted to him. The girl Josepinue Morrie, against whom the appliesdm fora summons for perjury was now made, wan taken to Mr. Shippey by the matron of the home to which she had been emit by the nagistrates when brought before them on a charge of soliciting prostitution in the public streets. On one occasion when she was at hie office Father Jackesu called. and Mr. Shippey, knowing that ebe was livieg a loose life, requested the reverend gentleman to %peek to her shout her conduct, and he did so. This was the only occasion on which Father Jackson eaw her until he was arrested and taken to bee bedside. On the day on which she alleged that the attempted murder took platse she did call at Mr. Shippey's office to commit him about matters is Which he was acting for her, ' and at her request the clerk wee sent out of the room, and the interview was private. it was given in evidence that she was only in the office three minutes. That when she left nothbut was the matter with her; and it was proved that she did not return to the ofFee, which Mr. Shippey left shortly after her visit. He drove to his father in•law's in a cab, and never again bet the house uutil after he was arrested. Mt, Shippey was put into the box, and be deoied on his oath that he administered anything to the girl; and other evideDoe waa given to show that the story told by hew in her depositions taken when she was sepposed to he dying, and her teetimoey lathe police court, were false. The magistrates grassed the warrant, the Stipendiary rernarkipg that the great difficulty of the prosecution would be in r,.eard to the plea of hysteria, from which elle sees said to be euffering when she told her story. and tinder the Influence of which the counsel for Fatima Jackson on the previous hearing, aced that she had invented the whole story.