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Leader (1850-1860), 27th February 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 8, 200 THE LEADER. [No. 414, February 27,18...

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      200 The Leader. [No. 414, February 27,18...

      200 THE LEADER . [ No . 414 , February 27 , 1858 .

      Our Civilization. Central Criminal Court...

      OUR CIVILIZATION . CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT . This court resumed it 3 sittings on Monday morning , when James Moulton , a salesman , was charged with , the manslaughter of Christopher Wright . Both were inmates of St . Olave ' s Union Workhouse , and on the 6 th of February Moulton was teasing Wright by calling him a Yorkshireman , a name to which he had a great objection . They fought , but afterwards shook hands , and sat down to supper . In the course of the meal , Wright , who was previously paralyzed , fell down in a fit , from which he never recovered . The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty .

      ..... Harry Williams , a labouring lad of fifteen , was tried for firing a pistol at Mr . Beale Frederick French , under circumstances already related in these columns . Mr . French was seriously hurt . There appears to have been not the smallest motive for the act ; but the boy ' s mother said her son was rather eccentric ( though of a kind disposition ) , was fond of fire-arms , and had had some ' words' with her on the morning in question . He was found Guilty , and sentenced to hard labour for two

      years . The trial of Mr . Edward Auchmuty Glover for misdemeanour has been again postponed , on account of the accused being ill . It is now fixed for the first Wednesday of the April session . Alfred Feist , late master of the Newington workhoure , surrendered on Wednesday to take his trial on a charge of misdemeanour . It will be recollected that he was examined recently at one of the police-ofiices _ in connexion with the disposal of dead bodies of the paupers in the workhouse to medical men , for anatomical purposes . One of the chief witnesses now produced against him was a Mr . Hogg , an undertaker in St . George ' sroad , Southwark , who deposed that the body of a certain female pauper for which he had provided a shell was

      changed by the order of Mr . Feist ; another body was substituted , which the relatives of the woman followed to the grave under the belief that they were attending the remains of the person in whom they were interested j and the corpse of the woman was disposed of for dissection . Hogg had refused to answer any questions unless a promise were given him that he should not be prosecuted . On this ground , and for the further reason that he ( Hogg ) had an inducement for sending the bodies to the hospital himself , inasmuch as in that case he got more highly paid , the counsel for the defence urged the jury not to credit the undertaker ' s evidence . Several persons , moreover , gave Feist a good character ; but the evidence of Hogg was corroborated by other witnesses ,

      and a verdict of Guilty was consequently recorded . The jury then said , they were anxious to express their regret that , owing to the promise that was made to him by the guardians , the man Hogg had not been placed in the dock with the defendant . Mr . Robinson ( who appeared for the prosecution ) said that the guardians felt bound to adhere to their agreement , and probably the promise would not have been made if it had not been felt that there would possibly have been a difficulty in making out the case without the information which was derived from this person . No sentence was passed on Feist , who was allowed to be at large on his procuring sureties to appear and receive judgment in case the questions of law that are reserved should be decided against him .

      George Richard Ratcliffe , a youth of nineteen , was tried on Tuesday on a charge of uttering a forged cheque for 30 / ., with intent to defraud the London Joint-Stock Bank . He was clerk in the service of Messrs . Mockford and Mesnard , merchants in Thamesstreet , and part of his duty was to fill up the cheques of the firm , keep the cash account , and bring back the pass-book at certain intervals from the banker ' s . A cheque for 30 / . was paid by the bank on the 19 th of January ; but none had been issued at that date by the prosecutors . There were several very suspicious circumstances against the prisoner ; but , strange to say , the alleged forged cheque could not be discovered , and the case therefore broke down . Accordingly there was no option for tho jury but to return a verdict of Not Guilty . The youth has since been tried on the technical charge of stealing a piece of paper , found Guilty , and sentenced to two years' imprisonment .

      Henry Edward Legge , a , young man of gentlemanly appearance , surrendered to take his trial upon an Indictment , which charged that he , being in the service of her Majesty as paymaster of tho 2 nd Regiment of Royal West Surrey Militia , received in that capacity several large Bums of money on the public account , and that lie embezzled a aum of 1800 / ., a portion of tho moneys so received . A largo amount of evidence was received , but ifc-rfalled-to , e 8 tebUaU . AUo ~ oUttrgO | ja ^^^ tliermore that the accounts woro very imperfectly kept . Tho accused was therefore Acquitted .

      Tin An Fob Ahson.—Rntlior A Singular Tri...

      Tin An fob Ahson . —Rntlior a singular trial for arson enmo on at tho Lancaster Spring Assizes on Friday wools , before Mr . Baron Martin . George Thwaitcs was indicted ¦ with Jamoa Iloldon for sotting ( lro to a cotton mill at Buxton belonging to the first named . Holden pleaded Guilty , and , having turned approver , was put into tho

      witness-box . He had been employed m . the mill , and was treated with more kindness than the other hands , owing it was said , to Thwaites having an improper intimacy with the man ' s sister . The mill was burnt down on the 9 th of November , and Holden swore that he had been bribed by his employer to bring about the conflagration , which he did . The building was insured for 26 * 70 / ., on which 2334 / . were paid after the fire . The evidence of the approver was not sufficiently confirmed , and Thwaites was acquitted amidst some demonstrations of applause . Wife-Beating . —Henry Handon , a man described as a stable helperwas charged last Saturday at the

      West-, minster police-court with a savage attack on his wife . Having had a quarrel with her , he threw her on the bed , and beat her about the head and body , after which he struck her across the hip with a large poker . A few davs later , he repeated this conduct , and , jumping on her , fractured her ribs . He was sent to prison , with hard labour , for six months . The Murder of a Boy near Nottingham . —A man , at present under confinement in the Nottingham Lunatic Asy lum , has confessed to having killed the boy Atkinson , who was found murdered in Nottingham Forest last November . The boy who was in company with Atkinson at the time he was decoyed away states that

      the lunatic very much resembles the man who induced Atkinson to go with him . Murder neab Faisnborough . —A quarrel arose last Saturday night at the . village of Cove , near Farnborough , among a number of young men of the agricultural class who had attended a club meeting , and afterwards adjourned to a tavern . Two of them fought for some time , and at length one stabbed the other in the abdomen with a knife . The injured man died at three o ' clock the following morning . The assassin and two other men were arrested .

      Highway Robbery . —An Irish pig-drover , named Pindar , got into conversation last Saturday afternoon , at Nottingham market , with three men respecting some purchases they wished , to make . He agreed to ride with them to Derby in a vehicle they had got with them , and they left the town about half-past five . When they had driven about a mile , they suddenly sprang upon Pindar , who was somewhat intoxicated , cut out his pockets , which contained from 30 / . to 40 / ., threw him out of the vehicle , and drove quickly away . Two of the thieves have been apprehended .

      Attacks on the Police by Foreigners . —A Russian , of the name of Michael Sitkoe , has attempted to stab a police constable in Whitechapel , and has likewise ferociously attacked several other officers , severely injuring one of them . In these assaults he was aided by many of his countrymen . The policeman was on duty in Wentworth-street , between one and two o ' clock on Monday morning , when he saw a nuntber of foreigners in a very excited state , one of whom was brandishing a broom . As they were very noisy , and caused a great disturbance , he endeavoured to quiet them ; but , as it appeared , from what he could understand from them , that they had been at the meeting in Hyde Park on the previous day , and had been ill-used there , he suffered them to proceed on their way , and left them . Very

      shortly afterwards , however , he was met by a woman , who begged him to come into Commercial-street ; and , on his arrival there , he saw a furious riot going forward , and a policeman defending himself with his staff against a mob of foreigners who were fiercely attacking him in a body . These outrages , it appears , were entirely caused by tho constable quietly telling them to go peaceably home , when he saw them conducting themselves in a VQry noisy and improper manner in tho streets , and insulting the passers-by . When the former policeman reached the spot where the strife was going on , the accused , who seemed to take the most active part in the fray , drew a large and formidable dagger-knife , and made

      a thrust with it at the officer ' s breast , but his aim was fortunately prevented from taking its intended effect by the latter making a dexterous leap on one side . Being thus foiled in his attempt , the ruffian and his comrades ran down a court , in which some of thorn live , and from the windows of their houses they flung several large stones and brickbats at the police , one of which struck their sergeant , and seriously hurt liini . Tho chief offender was finally subdued and captured by a body of policemen , after making a fierce resistance , during which ho fought and kicked desperately . He waa subsequently brought before the Worship-street magistrate , and remanded .

      Tun Scotch Marriaoe Law . —A very extraordinary case of bigamy waa tried at the Carlisle Spring Assizes on Tuesday . Mary Simpson Carruthora , a handsome woman , about thirty-six years of age , was indicted for marrying again while her first husband was still alive . In Mayj | 18 U 8 , she had been driven in a gig to Surk follbTr , oyer ^ Gr ¥ tmPbTTdgo 7 ~ froW ^ Carruthers , a butcher of Carlisle . Slio was then only sixteen years of age , and in tho presence of the driver , u man named Moore , she was married by < Tunpt Boattio , tho daughter of tho tollbur-keopor , according to tho law of Scotland . This event took place at two o ' clock in tho morning , and tho cross-examination elicited that a groat deal of frolic and joking was going on at tho time , Carruthers saving they had coma to bo married , and

      Janet Beat tie saying she could soon manage that for them , making them join hands , and asking them if they were single and willing to be married . The questions being answered in the affirmative , Janet Beat tie declared them to be lawfully married . It would appear that the girl lived with Carruthers about a month , and they then parted . She looked upon the ceremony as a mere joke , and , believing herself single , had married a man named Wilson . Carruthers died about four years ago , and Wilson , after living with the accused nineteen years , desired to get rid of her and marry another woman . He therefore instituted this prosecution . The woman was found Guilty , but set free on her own recognizances not

      to annoy Wilson . Murder in the Haymarkex . —Eliza Tobin , a woman of light character , has been murdered at No . 8 , Arundelcourt , Haymarket . About half-past two o ' clock on Thursday morning , she was accompanied to her lodgings by a man . She had in her possession a large amount of money , a gold watch and cbain , and other property . The man left the house about half-past five o ' clock ; at half-past eight , some of the inmates knocked at the woman ' s door , and , receiving no answer , went in . The poor creature was then found lying dead in bed , face downwards , with her hands behind her . She had been strangled or suffocated , and there were evidences of a le taken

      violent strugghaving place . The murderer is known to be a German , and the police are on his track . Murder in Cumberland . —Jacob Skelton has been tried at the Carlisle Assizes on a charge of murdering an old man of eighty-five , named Irwin , at Hay ton , on Christmas Day , as he was going to a prayer meeting early in the morning . The facts appeared in this paper at the time . The prosecution alleged that the prisoner had an ill feeling towards the old man , and expected some money at his death . The counsel for the defence suggested that Irwin had been knocked down and run over by a horse ; and the evidence , which was purely circumstantial , was not considered by the jury sufficient to warrant a conviction . Skelton was therefore acquitted . This verdict excited expressions of disapproval in court , and it was necessary to keep Skelton in gaol during the night , to save him from the mob .

      Gatejeuings From The Law And Police Cour...

      GATEJEUINGS FROM THE LAW AND POLICE COURTS . An action for breach of promise of marriage has been tried in the Court of Common Pleas . Miss Appleton , the plaintiff , is the daughter of a tradesman , and Mr . Morse , the defendant ^ is tho landlord of the Chester Arms , in Bunhill-row . There were no very remarkable features in the case , which exhibited only the ordinary amount of heartlessness on the part of the man . Morse is five-and-forty ; and he appears also to have paid attentions to a Miss Wells , a barmaid , jwho had 500 / Ultimately , however , he married neither Miss Appleton , nor Miss Wells , but a Mrs . Sandal , the employer of the latter , and a moneyed person about fifty years of age . The whole affair was a matter of sordid calculation ; but Mr . Morse has had to pay damages to the extent of 3001 . for his preference of the widow .- —Another action of the same kind has been tried at the Spring Assizes

      at Lancaster . In this case the quarrel , between the lovers arose out of the mother of the young lady engaging a servant for her daughter at 12 / . a year , in anticipation of the marriage . The suitor said he thought this was an unwarrantable assumption on the part of the lady ' s mother ; that he was not a gentleman ; and thut he could not pay such a sum as 12 / . per annum for a servant . The lady retorted satirically , and after a time the match was broken off . The same amount of damages was given in this as in the preceding case . Previous to the reception of the evidence , an immense mass of letters from the gentleman was brought forward by the counsel for the prosecution ; on seeing which , Mr . Justice Bylos asked , in a tone of despair , " Is that tho correspondence on one sido only ? " Tho answer in tho affirmative caused loud laughter in court . Only n selection , however , was road . The epistles woro very long-, and woro written in a melancholy and devotional

      strain . Cases of great hardship arc arising under the new arrangement with respect to French passports , by which it is necessary first of all to obtuin a testimony as to respectability of a magistrate , who , however , will not grant it unless the applicant is personally known to him . In one instance , a young girl who had been living aa lady ' s-maid with a family at present residing in Franco , and who had been sent for by her mistress , applied for tho magisterial certificate ; but , being a perfect stranger to tho court , and having no friends in London personally

      acquainted with any of its officials , her application was reluctantly refused . She urged that the Emporor of tho Fronch could hardly live in foar of being assassinated by ' a " la'dy ' fl-mald *}~ but"tho"mag ! stTate-had ^ no-diaoret » onary power , and tho girl has probably been compellod to abandon her Journey , although » ho said she hud taken her railway ticket In tho morning , not dreaming of such an obstuclo being raised . On Tuesday , a lady applied to tlio Southwark magistrate for a recommendation to tho Foreign Office for tho necessary ponniwiou to visit Paris . Her husband , an Englishman , is living thoro , and wishes her to join him . Tho magistrate , however ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 27, 1858, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27021858/page/8/