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Leader (1850-1860), 31st July 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 8

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      The Stockport Riots. Tiie Inquiry Before...

      Hulme , they were willing to take any evidence they aright have to offer in their defence . Mr . Gibson reserved the defence on behalf of his clients . The court was adjourned till Wednesday , when other witnesses were heard , and Royle and Rhodes were discharged .

      724 The Leader. [Satum^Ay,

      724 THE LEADER . [ _Satum _^ ay ,

      Captain Aaron Smith; Or, A "Capital Coac...

      CAPTAIN AARON SMITH ; OR , A " CAPITAL COACHMAN . " Captain Aaeon Smith , of 8 , Stafford-street , Piccadilly , described _as'having commanded his own ships , but living at present aa a private gentleman , was summoned before Alderman Humphery , charged with the following assault upon an omnibus-driver : — George Hoby , driver , No . 4014 , on one of the city Atlas omnibuses , running between London-bridge Railwaystation and St . John's Wood , said : On Monday week last , the 19 th of July , I was driving up Holborn-hill . Captain Smith was driving a four-wheeled phaeton before me at a very slow pace . I asked him to go on or pull on one side , as the road was very slippery . He stood up in the phaeton , and asked me if I was speaking to him , and then , giving the reins to his friend , he commenced layin g on to me with the horsewhip . I asked him why he did it , and he then drew up his vehicle to my left , and said , " D—n your eyes , I'll tell you what I did ' it for . " I called for the police , when he repeated the same violent expression , and said , " I'll give you police , " and he layed into me again with the horsewhip . I ' m a good whip myself , but from the manner in which he used his , I think he must be a capital coachman . ( Laughter . ) He then drew the phaeton round into Bartlett ' s-buildings , and I followed to ask for his name and address . He then offered to fight me , but I refused , and he struck mo , and , kicking up my hat , said , " Take that , you d d English dog ; " and from that I thought he was a Frenchman , but his appearance is not like one . ( Laughter . ) He promised to give the policeman his name and address , so I drove on , and took out a summons against him . Cross-examined by Captain Smith : I might have run against your phaeton , but not until you stopped . I did not call you a tailor ; nor did I offer to thrash you ; I did not attempt to strike you with my whip , for you twitched it out of my hand when you first began horsewhipping me .

      Mr . J . Egan , a merchant , of 24 , Abchurch-lane , said : I was on the outside of the omnibus , seated on the box by the side of the driver . I heard the driver ask the defendant ( Captain Smith ) to go on or pull on one side . Captain Smith pulled up suddenly , and the pole of the omnibus touched the iron-work of the phaeton behind , and merely turned the box seat over . Captain Smith immediately stood up , and threatened to horsewhip the driver ; upon which I advised him to be careful in what he did , as he might strike those he did not wish to touch . He then said " Oh , you d —• scoundrel , I'll horsewhip the whole lot of you , " there being at that time several other gentlemen on the box beside myself . He then pulled a little on one side , and struck at the driver repeatedly with his whip . He then pulled round to the near side of the road , and again applied the whip about the driver ' s head and face in a very violent manner . Cross-examined by Captain Smith : I am accustomed to drive . I am sure the driver did not attempt to pass you ; and if he had , ( here would not have been room . He did not strike your vehicle until you drew up , and then very slight ly . Mr . Cecil Harvey corroborated the testimony of ( he last witness and the complainant , and added that it was he that advised the latter to get down and obtain tin ; Captain ' s _liiimo and address . Air . Alexander Stuart , of Cambridge-square , gave evidence to the same effect , and added , that it wan the most savage attack , on the part of Cuptniii Smith , he had over _witnessed .

      Alderman ifumphery observed that , a . _s far us he could nee , the Captain appeared to have treated ( lie driver a . s though lie wiia ono of the men under his command . Captain Smith nai ' d the . Alderman had jio ( , heard the whole of the ease , yet- - Alderman ll . iiniphcry said , certainly not ; he Mas not giving his decision , but . only an opinion upon I _. he evidence an it ( lien . stood , and he was now prepared to hear Captain Smith in his defence . Captain Smith then said that the driver of the omnibus twice : struck the p haeton before he ((' apt ain Si nil h ) stopped or took any notice of it , and Mien he certainly did threaten to _hoi \ sc \ v ! iip him if he did it again . lie heard some chatting going on among the gentlemen on the box at his expense . lie also heard them advising the driver to get . down and give him ((' aptain Smith ) a _thrashing , as he was only a . tailor , lie ( Captain Smith ) then asked the gentlemen to come down , and offered to thrash any one of them , whereupon the driver got down and followed him into Hart lell _' _s-buildings . He ( hen struck ( lie driver , who called out , like ; a cur as he was , and t ; aid , " ( Hi , I did not come down to _fight . Captain Smith then said , " Did you not ? I ) - ¦ n your eyes , then , what brought you down at . nil ? Your place ; is up there" ( pointing to ( lie omnibus ) . lie further alleged , that although ho had nppljed ( he whip iih the complainant' staled , it' could not hurl , much , as il was only a mnall phaeton whip -a mere rat ' s tail . JV 1 r . Robert Tall , of < irove-eol lag *; , lliLinpslead , was then called for ( lie defence , and coiilirmed I . he statement . made by the Captain , and at ( he same time corroborated many of ( he facls mentioned liy the Complainant . lie also saw the parties sparring in Harriott ' s ¦ buildings , but could not describe exactly what look place , as lie was _hoiho distance off at the time . Alderman Mumphery said it waH a very wanton and unprovoked assault , and if the case wero Hent to the _hch-Hioiis the consequences to Captain Smith might be very _weiiouu . . However , in thin instance it was Iun intention to fine him 40 s . for the Assault , and order him to be mulct in

      Captain Aaron Smith; Or, A "Capital Coac...

      the expenses of 6 s . for two summonses , 5 s . for the driver s loss of time , and 2 s . for the damage to his hat ; all of which were immediately paid by Captain Smith , who said he only regretted one of the gentlemen on the omnibus did not come down instead of the driver , for they encouraged him ( the driver ) to commit a most shameful and cowardly attack upon him ( Captain Smith ) . Alderman Humphery reminded Captain Smith that the witnesses for the complainant were all gentlemen of the highest respectability , and ought not , therefore , to be spoken of so lightly as Cnptain Smith had done . Captain . Smith said , ' 'they might be gentlemen , but he very much doubted it , " and he then left the court , but , so far from being dissatisfied with the decision , on reaching the outside of the court entrance he expressed himself to the effect that he fully expected to have been fined 101 ., but at all events ( the ' law limiting the penalty to 51 . ) ho had 31 . to spend , and concluded by cordially inviting the driver to adjourn with him to a neighbouring tavern to partake of a friendly glass with him—an honour which the complainant prudently declined , fearing , with the Captain ' s excitable temperament , and having come off , as he said , " so cheaply , " that _another breach of the peace might occur .

      " Mr. Montague Tigg" Redivivus. The Case...

      " MR . MONTAGUE TIGG" REDIVIVUS . The case of the Australian Gold Mining and Emigration Company , which was mentioned in last week's Leader , was again "brought hefore Sir Robert Carden on Saturday , on which occasion Lord Kilvvorth , Mr . Rush ton Reed , and Major Hawkes , who were named in the prospectus as directors , as well as Mr . Dawson , who was named as solicitor to the Company , were present ; and all of them denied having any knowledge of the affair . Henry Graham Montague and C . Julius Tripe , who had acted as clerks for the Company , were charged with having defrauded several persons of sums of money . John Jones , a farmer , stated that , being desirous to emigrate , his notice had been attracted by advertisement at No . 6 , _Austinfriars , and he had accordingly applied to Tripe , who had engaged to procure him a passage for 221 . He had been to see the Camilla , the first mate of which vessel had t old him that the ship had been looked at by the Company . He afterwards paid a deposit of 11 _£ . to Tripe , and took a receipt for the sum . He had seen a bill of the Company promising medical attendance , a pint of porter a day , and a bottle of wine every week during the voyage . He had sometimes expressed suspicions , but had always been told by Tripe , " It ' s all right . " He had once inquired about the members of the Company , and had been told that " there was a company , and they sat on Tuesdays and Fridays . "

      A lad , named James Abraham Thome , had been engaged by Tripe as a clerk . He said he bad never written letters calling the directors together . Since he had been engaged the Company had had three offices . A great many persons had called at the offices about shipping , but he had never seen or heard of Lord Kilwortli . In reply to Sir Robert Carden , he said ho had never taken cash to the Commercial Bank of London ( the bank named in the prospectus ) , and he did not think any one else from the office had ever been there . Sir Robert Carden said it hud been ascertained that they never hud had a shilling at that bank . The alderman read a prospectus , which was without a list of directors , and he said it was very probable that the prospectus containing- the names was kept for those who wen ; likely to become dupes ; while the other might be circulated in sill cases with impunity . Another lad , named Denhain , had been engaged as a clerk . He had never received his wages , _suul there was owing to him 17 / . or 18 / . Me had frequently seen passengers come to the ollice , and pay down their money . Me had himself seen WO I . or 40 / . paid at a time , and had heard many clamouring for their money . Those who complained generally had their money hack from Tripe and Montague . the shibrokers

      A clerk' of Messrs . Willis and Co ., . pto the . ship (!( O ) iill <( , stated that he had had some negotiations with Tripe and Montague , with a view to their chartering the Camilla , but no arrangement was effected . No person was ever authorized , on behalf of the Australian (» old Mining and Kinigrufion Company , to engage passengers on boa I'd the Cuniillii . Another charge was made against , Tripe by James ( lowland , who had applied at the offices of the Company fora passage for his nephew to Australia . Me had been fold by Tripe that , I , hey had a , very nice ship bound for Australia , called the Med ' _tcis . lie wished to keep his money till _[\ _m vessel was ready , but Tripe ; said he must , pay at , once , or ( lie place would not , be kepi ,. He accordingly paid _[)! ., being half the price of a , steerage _passage ; being at the same time assured , ( hat . if the vessel did not , sail t _. he money would lie returned . The broker to t , he ship Afrdiai . i proved thai Tripe had no authority to engage passengers for that vessel . The receipt for tho til . had been signed by Tripe lor the

      " Mr. Montague Tigg" Redivivus. The Case...

      charterers . He said he had had a long negotiation with Montague as to chartering the vessel , but that it had been broken off for want of a guarantee . Sir Robert Carden considered that no cases could be proved with greater clearness than those we have above related . He should commit the prisoners for trial at the conclusion of the next day's examination . He declared that all whose names had appeared upon the prospect us as directors were completely exonerated from imputat ion or suspicion . The prisoners were remanded for a week .

      A Tragedy Op " Remorse." An Irish Pedlar...

      A TRAGEDY OP " REMORSE . " An Irish pedlar , named Christopher Smith , has been arrested , accused of murdering George Bush , in December last , at Priston , a village near Bath . Smith , when apprehended by Mr . Hughes , chief of the Bath police said he should make a clean confession of it , and then told Mr . Hughes as follows : — the houseand at the time

      " I was at public- , _selling lucifers and other little things . I had half a pint of beer and I saw the man I murdered pull out his purse , which tempted me . I followed him from the public-house until he went two or three fields over a stile , and when he got seventy or eighty yards , I tripped him up with my foot . He fell on the back of his head , and called out ' Murder ' very loudly , and said to me , ' Do you want to murder me ?' I replied to him 'Yes . ' The prisoner , then looking at his arms , said , ' I was then much stronger and more active than I am now , and I held him a few minutes , and drew my knife across his throat two or three times , and he never moved afterwards . There was not much struggling , as it was soon over . I knelt on him , and when I was on him the blood came over me , and I tore up some grass and stuffed it into the cut . I then took , his purse , but did not get more than seven or eight shillings . I thought he had more , or it would not have happened . I am sorry for it . It was a cold-blooded deed , and one of the worst murders that ever was done . I slept in a cart-house that night , and in barns and under haystacks ever since ; but whereever I was I could not rest , as I saw the man . It was a dreadful thing to have on the mind , and I am perfectly prepared to die for it . "

      Smith was brought before the magistrates at Bath , on Saturday , on which occasion the following evidence was brought forward . Two persons proved that they found the body ly ing near a footpath in a field , on the morning after the murder . One described it as having the throat cut from ear to ear , the wound being stuffed with grass . The pockets were turned inside out , apparently by a hand with blood upon it . George Bush had been seen at the " Ring of Bells" public-hou . se , at Priston , on the night before ; one man saw him put his hand into his pocket , and heard money rattle . The landlady saw there on the same evening a man whom she thought was Smith .

      A servant said that a man came to the house of her master , at Priston , on the day of the murder , with a basket of needles , pins , and laces . She knew him well by sight , and identified Smith as the man . A labourer had seen a man , whom he believed to be the prisoner , about eight o ' clock on the morning after the murder , sitting on a bank by the road-side , near the " King of Bells / ' wiping his shoes with a piece of paper . Ann Batemnii saw the prisoner about ton o ' clock on the same morning , on the road from Priston , about a mile and a half nearer to Bath than the place where he was seen by the last witness . A woman was with . , and was doing something to the front of his shirt , upon which _f lie witness saw some spots of blood . Sho stopped to nee wliut wiih going on , and the woman said •—¦ " What the devil are you looking at ?" A surgeon stated , that the throat was cut from ear to ear , the wound going through to the spine . He thought , this wound must , have taken several cuts from a sharp instrument to produce it . This witness examined the hands of the prisoner , and found the scar of a cut on the ; fore-finger of the left hand . Hughes hero stilted that the prisoner had fold him that ho hud got , his finger bit in holding back the head of the victim .

      As the magistrates were consulting whether they should rail more witnesses , ( he prisoner called out , — " You have evidence enough , gent lemon , to hang twenty men , without having any more . " Me said he had nothing more to say . He was committed for I rial for t _. ho Wilful Murder of ( _Jeorge Hash .

      (Mil Li) Ml Mm) Kks. A Woman, Named Loui...

      ( Mil LI ) Ml MM ) _KKS . A woman , named Louisa Walhorn , was tried on Friday week at the Dorchester assizes for the wilful murder of her child . Mary Ann Slieppieke , who admitted , on cross examination , t _. haf , her past life had been decidedly " incorrect" in various particulars , stated that Walborn had come l . o live al , her house early in the present year , being at , thai , lime pregnant . About ten weeks after thai , time the primmer was easily delivered of > i nil ° male child . She was left alone with her infant . In about half an hour Sheppick , being in an _adjoining

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 31, 1852, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31071852/page/8/