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    ¦ No. 390, September 12,1857.] THE LEADE...

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    Mukdek Neait Bilston.—An Inquest, Which ...

    Wilful Murder against Clare , who -was committed for triaL The . Royal Bbitish : Bank Trials . —The trial of the Hon . Mr . Stapleton , M . P . for Berwick , Mr . Humphrey Brown , late M . P . for Tewkesbury , Mr . Hugh limes Cameron , and the other persons who were arrested for the alleged frauds in connexion with the Royal British Bank , -will take place in the Court of Queen ' s Bench , Westminster Hall , on or about Monday , the 30 th of November . Lord Campbell will try the cases . Gakottb Robbery in a Beer-shop . — Henry Moore ,

    a ¦ well-dressed man , having the appearance of a farmer , but known to the police as a ' swell mobsman' who lies in wait to victimize countrymen in London , has been examined at the Southwark police-court on a charge of being concerned with two other men , not in custody , in garotting and robbing Simon Nelson , a German Jew , in a beer-shop in the " Waterloo-road , on the 29 th of last April . The landlord-was apprehended at the time under suspicion of having aided in the robbery ; but he was acquitted at the Central Criminal Court . Moore has been remanded .

    Robbeey bt a Youth . —Thomas Crosland , a youth of sixteen , living with his mother at Leeds , has been committed for trial on a charge of entering the warehouse of his employers , Messrs . De Silva and Co ., cloth merchants , and stealing 1107 . in notes , and a draft . The robbery was discovered late at night , and Mt . De Silva at once went with the police to the youth ' s residence , and arrested him in "bed . He at first denied the theft , but afterwards confessed it , and produced the money . Ilxustbious Cjumtnals for Australia . —Sir John Dean Paul , Strahan , Bates , Robson , Agar , Tester , 8 a . vrard ( alias Jem the Penman ) , together with the notorious swindler Redpath , are now on board the Nile convict ship , which vessel , about noon last Saturday , got under weigh from the Little Nore , made sail , and proceeded towards the Downs with a strong south-west wind .

    Suicide . — Mr . Wingfield , coffee-houae keeper , of ITarringdon-street , was found hanging in the cellar last Sunday morning . He had but a day or two before been discharged from prison on recognizances for ill-treating his wife , "when he returned home and began the same conduct again , even turning the whole family into the street . A fresh warrant was obtained and . left on his table ; and this , no doubt , caused him to destroy hima « lf . Alleged Child Mubdeb . —A . woman from the Hackney Union workhouse , named Maria Clarke , has been examined at the Worship-street police-court on suspicion of having drowned her illegitimate daughter in the Regent ' s Canal . About cine o ' clock in the

    morning , a police constable on duty in the Queen ' s-road , Dalston , perceived a crowd of persons assembled on the towing-path near the bridge , and was told by one of them that a little girl had fallen into the canal , and that her mother was gone to fetch the drags . Very shortly afterwards , the woman appeared , accompanied by the , keeper of the adjoining lock and by another woman , ' who presently drew out of the water the lifeless body of a female child , about eight years old , dressed in workhouse clothes . In reply to certain questions put to her by the policeman , the woman said that she and her child had been for some time past inmates of the Hackney workhouse , but that on the previous morninp ; ahe had obtained leave of absence in order that she

    might look out for a place , and she accordingly left the Union , accompanied by her daughter . As they were proceeding on their way together , the woman , according to her own statement , noticed a rent in her child's dress , and therefore sat down on some steps leading to the towing-path of the canal , in order to mend it . She speedily missed the child , and , after an unsuccessful search for her , she went to the house of her sister at Cambridge-heath , whero she remained during the night . On the following morning , she returned to the spot near the Regent ' s Canal where she had missed her daughter the previous day , and seeing , as she alleged , the child ' s bonnet floating on the water below the bridge , she proceeded to the lock-keopers , who ultimately succeeded in

    finding the body . The constable , however , took her into custody . A police sergeant in court stated to the magistrate , tliar , having been told what had occurred nt Dalston by the policeman who apprehended the woman , ho went to the houso of her sister , and learnt from her that at twelve o ' clock on the previous day , the child Was brought to her by Maria Clarke , who complained of their ill-treatment at the workhouse , and begged her to undertake the protection of the girl , which would afford her ( the mother ) an opportunity of entering into domestic service . Aa bIic was not in a condition to comply with the request , Clarke wont away with the child at si

    x o clock in the evening , expressing her intention to proceed , back to the workhouse ; but sho returned aloao 8 ome time after , and accounted for the absence of her oaughtor by stating that she hud accidentally lost her . Jhe weman abruptly left hor eister ' a house the next morning , and the latter saw no more of her until after » he woa in custody on the charge of murder . According to the statement of Mr . DriscoU , mnstcrof the Hackney workhouse , the woman bad frequently before absconded from tlie Union with her child , and had as often been brought back by tlie police , by whom she had been seen lingering near the Regent ' * Canal . Whom brought

    before the magistrate , she denied the charge against her-She was remanded for a week . Returning from Banishment . —A returned convict , of the name of John Frederick Mortlock , who was tried at the Lent Assizes in 1843 , and sentenced to twentyone years' transportation , for attempting to shoot his uncle , the Rev . Edmund Mortlock , of Christ ' s College , Cambridge , has been examined before the mayor of that town , at the Chesterton County Court , on a charge of being a convict unlawfully at large . Since Ms former conviction , he has resided for fifteen years at Norfolk Island , and also on ticket-of-leave at Tasmania ; and , while at the latter place , he received in 1854 a pardon from Government , on condition that he did not return

    to England until the full term of his transportation had expired . However , during his residence in tie colonies he amassed the sum of 4 : 61 ., which he transmitted from Tasmania to the Colonial-office in London , and , about a fortnight ago , he called at that department , where he gave the name of Morton , and asked for the money for Mortlock . This was refused him by the secretary ; in consequence of which he shortly afterwards wrote a threatening letter to that gentleman , in which he said that he would thrash everybody employed at the Colonialoffice . Measures were therefore taken for the apprehension of Mortlock , under the direction of the Secretary of State , and , after a diligent but unsuccessful search by Mr . Ellis , Governor of the Borough Gaol , who -was telegraphed for to London , the culprit was ultimately captured at his mother ' s house at Little Abingdon , by

    Captain Davies , Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire , and other officers . "When "brought before the Mayor of Cambridge , Mr . Ellis identified Mortlock as the same person who was given into his custody in November , 1842 , for having attempted to kill his uncle by firing a pistol at him . He is about forty-eight years of age . He stated that he had naturally felt very anxious to see his native country and relatives again , which was his only reason for returning to England , as he had no friends elsewhere . H e had resided for some time at Boulogne , and he thought it very hard that he could live at a place within twenty miles of Dover , and yet not be permitted to go to England , where he had some money belonging to him , which he came over to receive . He had intended to petition the Secretary of State to allow him to remain here . He -was fully committed for trial .

    Wounding A Child . —John Shae , a labouring man , has committed a murderous attack on a child , during a fit of drunkenness , and apparently without any motive . He was ftmnd in the streets last Saturday evening , so helplessly intoxicated that an excavator named Ball and took him home to his ( Balland ' s ) house , to keep him out of trouble . Ballaud then went to a public-house , and , while there , information was brought him that his little nephew , whom he had left asleep in the same room with Shee , had been attacked by the drunkard , and seriously

    wounded . He ran home , and found the child , who is seven years old , in the arras of a woman , and bleeding shockingly from the face and other parts . Shee was lying on the bed , which was soaked with blood ; and , on being questioned , leaped up and ran off . Balland pursued him , however , and a policeman secured him after a struggle , during which tlie knife was taken from him with which he had wounded , the little boy . It was covered with blood . The man has been remanded by the Worship-street magistrate , and the child is under the care of a surgeon .

    Charges of Bigamy . —George Meaden , a surgeon , living at Itatcliff-row , St . Luke's , was examined at the Clerkenwell police-office on a charge of unlawfully marrying a Mrs . Taylor while his wife was still living . Meaden , who was formerly a shoemaker , had been several times before the court and liberated on bail , when it transpired that he had married not less than three wives , all of whom wero living . His first wife attended on these occasions , but , as it was necessary that a certain witness then residing at Liverpool should likewise attend , in order to prove that she was the wife of Meadeu , the case was adjourned . Thia witness had since come to London , but the woman was not then to be found anywhere . A friend of Meadon stated to the

    magistrate that it had since been discovered that the first wife had married another Iiusbnnd , and was now living with him . Tlie solicitor of the accused asked for a further adjournment of the case , and requested that the bail might be doubled , as Meaden was suspected of an intention to abscond . Mr . Tyrwhitt consented to > a week ' s further remand , and added that , jf the necessary evidence were not then forthcoming , Meaden would be discharged . —A strange story of wholesale bigamy is told by the Alloa Advertiser , which says : — " In tho prison ot'Greenlaw there in at present a woman whose maiden name is Margaret M'Lean , but who

    married a land , or farm labourer , named HouliaUtn , residing near Dunso . Tho woman afterwards took to luraelf a second lmsband , named Philip , and she has been indicted to stand hor trial at tho ensuing Jedburgh Circuit Court , llouliston ( husband No . 1 ) atunds charged with the same crime in a more aggravated form , lie being alleged to have not fewer than three wives , all wlive , nnd mothers nnd children are said to be doing well . llm also stands his trial at next JcdburgU Circuit . I'hilip ( husband No . 2 ) ia reported to hnvo been married a second time , and it was on hearing of this murriiige that the woman M'Lean went in eearcli of her husband , but met

    an © facer of police instead . The man Philip is still at large . Eobbert by a ' Betttso Man . '—John Brooks , alias Baker , a well-dressed person , well known to the police as a member of the ? swell mob , ' and who descrifced himself as a ' betting , man , ' was charged at Lambeth on Tuesday with stealing in the dwelling-house of Mr . John Coleman , the King ' s Head , in Meeting-house-lane Feckam-rye , 200 ? . in gold , and five 51 . Bank of England notes . Mr . Coleman said that on Tuesday evening , the 1 st of the present month , he was robbed of two hundred sovereigns and five 57 . notes . The property -wa 3 in a drawer in his bedroom on the first floor , and was safe at six : o ' clock , but at half-past nine he discovered the

    drawer open and the whole of the money gone . A woman who lived opposite said she saw Brooks in a front room of Mr . Coleman's house a little after nine o ' clock , with a light in his hand . He was remanded for a week . Our Workhouse System . — Henry Marshall , a miserable , half-starved old man , was charged at the Southwark police-court on Monday with wandering about the streets at night , having no home to go to . About midnight last Saturday he went to the Bermondsey police-station , and told the inspector that he was starving , and without a home . A constable was then directed to take him to the Bernaondsey workhouse ; but the authorities refused to admit him or give him shelter . The case being evidently desperate , the policeman kindly gave him money out ' of his own pocket to

    buy food with , and he was then locked up in the stationhouse , where he was again supplied with food on the following day . Qn hearing these facts , Mr . Burcbam , the magistrate , said : — - " I have had occasion before to complain of the conduct of the authorities of Bermondsey workhouse—conduet which appears so brutal that it is a disgrace to humanity . They refuse to shelter tho casual poor , and the clerk of the guardians , who was heTe a few days ago , actually had the coolness to aak ' me to point out -the Act of Parliament which compelled th « m to do so . I have no doubt that they are the orders of the parish authorities which are so deliberately acted on . The destitute poor of Bermondsey are actually refused admission into a workhouse belonging to the parish , and driven to apply at another workhouse , wlere the authorities liave' better instincts of

    humanity than those in Bermondsey think proper to act upon , the consequence of which is that the burden ia thrown on those parishes unjustly . I have liere a case before me of a man without shelter and food , and in a state of starvation , being brutally thrust from the doors . He is then compelled to seek shelter at the station-house ,, where the constables , with great humanity , supply him with food from their own pockets . I wish to avoid as m uch as possible making any harsh observa tions on any individual , either in his private or public capacity ; but I must say the conduct of these parish authorities of Bermondsey is most discreditable and

    inhuman in the extreme . It is well known that persons seen wandering about and sleeping in the open streets may be taken up and sent to prison as roguea and vagabonds . The conduct of these parish authorities actually drives these poor people into the streets , so that they may be sent to prison , instead of being provided with food and shelter . I shall not convict in such a case ; therefore tke- prisoner is discharged . I must , however , remark , that the conduct of Mr . Rayner , the master of St . Olave's workhouse , ia quite different , as he generally admits many poor creatures refused by Bermondsey . This does infinite credit to hid humanity . "

    Extknsivk Swindling at Bkadford . —A young man , who has been Lrought up a stationer , and who is a cousin of the murderer "William Dove , of Leeds , and another young man named Andrew Bohnn , an Irishman , and described as a gentleman , were charged at the Bradford Borough Court-house , on Tuesday , with having through forged documents , purporting to have been written by Messrs . Newsome and Lennox , stationers , Leeds , and the responsible servants of the Low Moor Iron Company , swindled Messrs . Dale , Mr . Charles Stanfield , and Mr . Ma . wson , booksellers , out of various quantities of note paper and sheets of postage stamps . Dove had served his apprenticeship as a stationer with Messrs .

    Newsome and Lennox , of Leeds , and was subsequently an assistant to Mr . Stan field , who is also stamp distributor for the district , and was hence partly acquainted with his customers , and the way in which he transacted bubinesfl . After he and Bolinn had obtnined a certain amount of goods , suspicion was excited , and the two men were watched by the police and taken into custody . From their own confession , it appears they intended to operate largely upon some of the stuff houses in the town in the course of tlie present week . Both are old offendera , Do've lmving been alroady imprisoned for obtaining goods on false pretences , and Bohan under a conviction for felony . They wore committed for trial on the present charge .

    Siiootin « A Cmu ) . —A innn named William Minchin has been ocuminert on remand before tho Wolverliampton magistrates on n charge of shooting a little girl ubout ten yeara old . Tho child , who wau unable to appear at tho previous examination , now stated that she was returning homo one day from school in company with two other children , when she saw Minchin with a gun in liia linnd , seated on a atilo in some fields skirting a lane through which she had to pan * . Directly ho saw

    ¦ No. 390, September 12,1857.] The Leade...

    ¦ No . 390 , September 12 , 1857 . ] THE LEADEB . 873

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 12, 1857, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12091857/page/9/