Northern Times. — 1857-07-18 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DETERMINED SUICIDE OF A LICENSED V-CTUAL:ER A determiird act of suicide was committed on Thursday morning by Mr. George Jones, proprietor of the Three Tuns Tavern, Great New-street, Fetter-lane, Fleet-street, London. The deceased, who was a single man, ha 4 in his employ two barmaids and a potman. Observing with surprise their masters non-appearance at his accustomed time on that morning, a search was made, and the unfortunate man was discovered banging over a tank, quite dead, and half his body in water. The tank was used to supply the clos-ets with water ; and being on a level with the first floor, some difficulty must have been experienced in reaching it. The deceased was much respected in the neighbourhood, and his untimely end is a source of much regret. He was conversing rationally up till nearly twelve on Wednesday night, and no reasonable motire suggests its alt' as to the cause of the suicide. PRESENTATION CF THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF LONDON TO THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE —lt a Court of Common Council, on Thursday, Mr. J. Anderton moved the following resolution, which being seconded, was carried unanimously :--'• That the freedom of this City be presented to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the cousin of our beloved Q Teen, and Commander-in-Chief of her Majesty's forces, as a testimony of the attachment to the Queen and Royal Family of the citizens -of London represented by this court, as a grateful recognition of the support his Royal Highnefs has given to the various public charities of the metropolis ; of the undaunted valour dis• pleyed by him in the late war in the Crimea ; and of the judicial energy and success with which he has conducted the military affairs of the empire since he has accepted the high and responsible office of Commander-in-Chief of the British army. That the freedom be presented with a sword, or some other tes'imonial, of the value of two hundred guineas." SHOCKING CRUELTY TO A Cann.—At the West Riding Court, on Thursday, a man named James Booth, a joiner, and Naomi Brook, one of the unfortunate class, were charged with consoint cruel treatment to the illegitimate child of the latter, apparently only one, though in reality three years old. Booth had been in the 4th West York Militia, but since his discharge, about two years ago, has been several times in the Idle workhouse. The female prisoner was also there with her child, but had been sent a month to prison for absconding with the workhouse dress on, and leaving her child behind her. For about two months this well-matched couple have endeavoured to pass as husband and wife, and succeeded in renting a small cottage near the Oddfellows' Hall, Idle. Since then their broils and quarrellings, even to the effusion of blood, have been incessant, and their presence in the neighbourhood a nuisance. Reports at the same time of their ill-usage to the child were current, and reached the ears of the authorities. On Sunday morning last they were, as usual, fighting, and constable Exley went to the house, and found that a regular bloody pugilistic encounter had taken place. The more than half-starved, cruelly kicked and beaten skeleton child, he also found seated, or laid from weakness, upon some damp straw in a earner. It was eventually taken to the workhouse, and, from information received, police-sergeant Slingsby subsequently apprehended both prisoners. Co3s`able Exley first gave a statement of the cruel usage to the child, which was corroborated by Ann Cannon and Betty Sutton. The mother was in the habit of lifting the child be one arm, flogging it severely, and throwing it upon the floor; she tossed it from one side of the house to the other, when her paramour would again kick it like a football to another part, and, leaving it upon the cold flags, tell it to lie there until it could come to him. One night he tossed it half naked from the bed, and it was compelled to remain upon the cold, damp flag until morning. By this ill treatment, continued for two months, the tiny, infant-like body of the three-year-old girl was one mass of bruises, and though greatly improved when in the court on Thursday, after five days of good treatment and proper food, marks of violence were still visible upon it. The unnatural mother and her reprobate paramour conducted themselves impudently in the dock, and being unable to deny the charge, she was committed for ten weeks, and he for three mClighs, to the House of Correction. with hard labour.