The Northern Daily Times. — 1856-02-21 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CASE OF ALLEGED MURDER IN CHISENHALE-STREET.  ARREST OF TWO PERSONS.  Yesterday morning, at an early hour, the body of a man was discovered in Chisenhale-street, and from the circumstances connected with the affair, and the facts since elicited by the police, there remains little doubt that foul play has been resorted to, and that the man has met his death by the hands of assassins. The inhabitants of the locality of Chisenhale and Clement-streets, Vauxhall-road, &c., appeared in a state of great consternation through yesterday, in consequence of the discovery. The facts are these :—Abont four o'clock in the morning the body of a man, apparently a mate or master of a vessel, whose name is not at present known, was found in a passage running from Wright's-buildings to Vauxhall.. road, the passage being known as " Bagging" passage. The body was nearly naked, and there was a small peculiar muffler twisted round the neck. There were marks on the neck which left no doubt that death was caused by strangulation. The body was removed to the dead house, and the police at once proceeded to make some inquiry into the mystery, and, as will be seen, they succeeded in arresting two persons named James Carr and James Wall, under the circumstances stated hereafter. Detectives Laycock, Grisenthwaite, and Wilson, proceeded to the neighbourhood, and at once commenced an investigation, the result of which was the arrest of two young men, who were dressed as sailors, hut are known to the police as " black bailers," that is, fellows who live by " duffing" about-the docks and exist in any way they can, chiefly in a dishonest manner, by swindling and otherwise plundering sailors, countrymen,and simpletons. The officers hid some difficulty in tracing the prisoners as they had only been described by a female named Sarah Brennan. It would appear that the female saw the deceased sitting on the steps of a house in Chisenhalet twelve o'clock the previous night. He was then intoxicated, and site tried to get him up, but failed. Just at this moment, two persons, dressed as sailors. came up, and after looking a moment at the man, took him under each arm, saying " hallo! shipmate, come along." They then took him into the passage, where she heard great struggling, but she did not follow them, as at first she imagined they were comrades and that the deceased was struggling, being in drink. She at last heard heavy breathing, in the passage, and when the alarm was given of the body being found, she mentioned these facts, and this led to the arrest of the prisoners. The deceased was dressed when taken into the passage, but when the body was found, the trowsers and shirt only were on it. The pockets of the trousers were turned inside out. It is not at present known whether or not the deceased had any money. It is said, he had been seen at an earlier period of the evening, in company with a female, in a public-house, in Vauxhall-road, but this is uncertain. The prisoners were brought to the central station, where the officers placed them between several other persons, dressed in the same sort of clothes. They then sent for the female, Brennan, who instantly picked the two prisoners out as the persons who had taken the deceased into the passage. They were then searched, but lest, at this moment, the result of that might prejudice the cause of the prisoners we refrain from stating the particulars. We may however, add, that the case is very strong in suspicion indeed. We believe, also, that one of the officers will state that one of the prisoners had made a change in his personal appearance between twelve o'clock at night and the time of his arrest. The prisoners were taken, pro forma, before the magistrates yesterday afternoon, and then remanded to this day, when the case will be fully investigated before the Coroner. Although in possession of other facts and details connected with this serious and mysterious case, we, for obvious reasons, do not publish any more, until these matters transpire publicly. Since the above was written, we understand it has been ascertained that the name of the deceased was James House, about forty or forty-five years of age, and that he was a seafaring man, and a native of Bristol. He boarded at the house of Mr. John Boles, No. 16, Denison-street, and left that place at eleven o'clock, on Monday night, well clothed.  Itreet. ab