On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (4)
-
ration has this day been made to me by a...
-
IHE CHAMBERS* PHILOSOPHY REFUTED. tABOUf...
-
&tttimtf& ©ffeutt& £wau*0te, fcr
-
Tnfc Game Laws.—It appears from the cale...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Ration Has This Day Been Made To Me By A...
__^__ ¦ " _"" - _[ _•'• - _' - - " _^" _^ £ . 1
Ihe Chambers* Philosophy Refuted. Tabouf...
IHE CHAMBERS * PHILOSOPHY REFUTED . tABOUft PLEADING ITS _OTOT CAUSE . THE EMPLOYER ANT ) EMPLOYED . - A TAXLU & k DIALOGUE . —PART V . ( fid Robin and Richard Jackson tisit Shoddy _SaOly special invitation , and are received by Mr . Snath _zn Ms study . - ¦ - . Smith . —Well , Robin , I am glad to see yon at Shoddy Hall . Sit down , yon seem tired . 1 would willingly have sent the gig foryou . Hotr do yon do , Jackson ? Sit down . . _ , , ru v ,. _ Robm .-Thank ye , Mr . _Smifh , I becVa . litfle stiff . Jan . Ihavcn'thccnas far as't" COMMON" for now twoseore years . Aye , it ' ? more than that Let me see It was't time when rich folk frightenedpoor folk out of their senses with "He ' s a coming ! " and " They ' re a coming ! "
_, _, - _Smitfc—Tvhois "he , " and who are "they , ' Rohin ? Rohin . —Why , God bless thy life ! don'tthouknow ? "Why , Boney and the French , to he sure . Well , that time , when rich folkfri ghtened poor folk , and stole all the land—ecod , much the same as mesmerised like , and folk were expecting to be eat np every minute ; but they let lords and squires tak' the land ; but , ecod , they'll na give it back again . This was all Common , then , _maister Smith . Common for poor folk i * Devil ' s Dust to keep cow on . But . ecod , squire
Gambler represented the Riding then , and Billy Pitt was hard pushed to keep in wi' squire , a good dodger ; and folks say that when minister axed squire for vote , Squire axed minister for " common ; " and , ecod , sure enough , minister got vote , and squire got common , and poor folks ' _cowBgot't road , and poorfolkgot't bag . Butay , Mr . Smith , it would take too long to tell thee all about the rows and riots about _inclosure of common ; so , as Richard Jackson tells me that you and I be met to talk about combination and trades Unions , we'll have that first .
Smith . —No , no , Robin . I ' m master of my time ; and if you and Jackson have nothing better to do , you'll stop and have a bit of dinner with me , and , upon my honour , I should like very much to hear all about the " common . " "Where was the " common , " Robin ? m Robin . — "Where was "common ! " "Why , bless my life , here , maister Smith , here ; where thou callest " ShoddyHafiY' Does ' nt know " common i" Why , I thought every child in Riding knew " common . " All rect and left , up away to Dastale and barracks , was all common . And the folk in Devil ' s Dust would
nave a cow , or donkey , or horse , on common—and they'd play cricket , and have running matches , and wrestling , and all sorts of games in summer time . Jly , Hess my old limbs 11 remember when lads and lasses would lose work in the evening , and meet at market-house to run up the common : ecod , but thou'd think that they were so many young stags : and old Squire would be at top of the bill , laughing read y to crack Ms sides : and first lad aa would put Ms hand on Squire ' s right foot , he'd get a sixpence ; and first lass as would put her hand on left foot , would get another sixpence ; but , ecod , now folk think it a great thing to purchase a bit of park to let folk walk in , after they
_havestole all't land that folk used to go to andhadcows on . Bless my life , I never see such a change . ' But I did stare this morning , when I seed at one turn of common , "Beware of dogs ; " then in another place , "Man traps and spring guns set here ; " and then , "Any person trespassing on these premises will be prosecuted according to law . " Ecod , trespassing on folks own land ! and " combination" of " dogs , " and " man traps , " and " spring guns" to frighten folic off ! That ' s combination , maister Smith ! Be ' nt that combination , and waren't it combination of law and soldiers , —and parson was sent down here just at that time , to preach up obedience to thelaws , —that inclosed common ?
Smith . —Well , Robin , but let ' s have common first , and combination after . Robin . — Ecod , thon shalt have both together . Combination inclosed common , and , ecod , want of common made folks in Devil ' s Dust combine to see how they ' re to get a substitute for loss of cow . And I tell thee more , maister Smith ; ifitwern't for damned soldiers , and parson Skinflint , they'd never inclosed _commoni for every atone they'd Jay at night would be down before morning ; and then they built barrack < at one end , and church at t ' other ; and when masons wouldn't build wall , Boldiers took to building , and parish were taxed for building barracks and paying soldiers ; and score after score was hum ? and
transported and imprisoned : andatlart almost all folk had to . sell cow to pay lawyer Grind , and lawyer Squeeze that come over from Tork and settled here as soon as ever the row began ; and , ecod , they broke our hcarte and swallowed up cows and all , and now the son of one of them is mayor , and t ' other owns all tolls of market , and i » manager of bank . Aye , _dearee me , many ' _s the honest man was hung and transported over 'tould common . . Smith . —Well but , - Robin , just see the present fertile state of the old common , compared with what it must have been when people turned out their cows _mdiserimihately to brouse about . See now how much more it produces ?
Robin . —Ecod , but who has it now , maister Smith ? What satisfaction is it to poor folk to see fine field of corn that they can ' t touch , and to see fine field with other folks cows , and big board telling them not to trespass ? , Smith . —Well now , Robin , I ' ve heard all about the common , and let us have a word about " combination" and trades unions . " Eobin . —WeB , with aU my heart , and thou'lt begin . " . "Smith . —Well , Robin , my opinion of " combinations" and "trade unions" is firstly , that they are illegal , and always end disastrously for tho working classes . Secondly , that every failure but places them more at the mercy of their masters . Thirdly , that theyforce persons to remain idle who would be willing to work if they were allowed ; and now , if you'll give
me leave , Til read an article from Chambers' Edinburgh" Journal entitled " Strikes—their Statistics , " in wMch an account is given of the rise , progress , result , and melancholy consequences of two ofthe greatest strikes on record—that of the Preston Spinners in 1836—37 , and ofthe Glasgow Cotton Spinners in 1837 . Robin . —Thank ye , maister Smith , I ' ve read it all . Smith . —Well , Robin , I am glad to hear it , and that will considerably limit my exposure of the evil consequences of "trades unions , " combinations , " and "strikes . " Independently of my general objections before stated , 1 may urge that any attempt of the working classes to force up wages by strikes , or otherwise , Las the inevitable tendency of setting
_masteri upon the improvement of machinery and the Invention of new machines as a subititue for manual labour . I may instance the " self-acting mule " invented by Mr . Roberts , of Manchester , of the firm of Sharp , Roberts , and Co . ; an invention which resulted from a strike that took place in Manchester in the same year . Another objection that I have to " strikes , " as well as to all legal interference in questions of wages is , that no parties can possibl y be as good _judges of what can be paid as those who have to pay them . Again , they lead to idleness and dissolute habits , which cannot be conquered or got rid of even after the straggle has terminated . I have many more objections which I shall reserve , if those
that i nave already urged should rail to convince you of the impracticability , the folly , and indeed the wickedness of endeavouring to fly in the face of those upon whom alone the working classes must depend for the means of existence . And even if my arguments should fail to convince you , I am strengthened as well by the whole press of the country , Imay say , without a single exception , as by such patriots and philanthropists as the Messrs . Chambers '; of Edinburgh ; and the great O'Connell , who have _ in the clearest manner exposed the injustice of combination , and in the boldest manner resisted its pernicious influence . Now , Robin , you see I am opposed to combinations of all sorts , and what have you say on their
behalf ? Robin . —Nay , maister Smith , you are not opposed to all combinations . Smith . —Tea , hut I am , Robin . Robin . —Well now , maister Smith , m show you that th _» only fair combination in the whole world is & combination of the working classes to keep up the price of their labour ; and Til show you more too , that ifitwern't for all the illegal and cursed combinations of all other classes 8 _« ctionally and unitedly to keep down wage , that there never would be such a thing neard of as a combination of the working daises to keep up wage . So you see , maister Smith , that like everything else they ' re first drove to do ihe deed , and then , eeod , they ' re lashed for doing it .
Smith . "Well , but , Robin , who drives them ? What combination ever was there , except the combination of workmen , to keep up wages ? Robin . —What combination ! Why , combination of all the devils out of hell to keep down wage of poor fidk , and keep np their own wage . Smith . —Well , but who are they , Robin ? Robin . —Who are they ? "Why , just see here , maister Smith . What ' s all them there Sings of France , of Russia , of Saxony , and Belgium , and them thero Garman Princes that swarms here like lice , and all as come over here to see our Queen ; ecod , If 8 not for love of her , but to see how they can _combine to heep wage up , by heepingpoor folk ' s wage down . What be they but combination ? And , then , what be all them there bishops and parsons , as call
themselves trustees for then * successors , and as " can't take less" than such and such wage , because it ' s a duty they owe to them that come alter them to give them up all property unimpaired ? What ' s them ? and parsons that call themselves trustees , and suck the bind out of poor folk , and swallow up all that ' s for poor folk to live upon , and take all that ' s to educate poor folk , and then call them bay , ignorant barbarians ? What ' sthemthere butcombinationsufbig devils to keep up their wage ? What ' s House of Lords , but combination of landlords to keep up their wage by making folk pay more for bread ? Smith . —Ay , ay , Robin ; there it iB . That ' s the tax that presses upon yon , and upon us all . Robin . —Ecod , it ' s nowt of the sort . It ' s low wage , and too many looking for a job , that presses on us all ; and folk taking and enclosing land that
Ihe Chambers* Philosophy Refuted. Tabouf...
_«» _;« t « idpd _fbr all . And ecod , maister Smith , _S _iS _prSfard onthee , for thou bought XS 2 _^™^ th _l _£ e * n . round thy neck . Then there's _SSStSLit to but _Combination ? Then there's ministers—cabinet ministers—what , bees them but combination ? Then there bee ' s officers in the army and navy , and soldiers and sailors- —what be them but combination ? Aye , ecod , and thou gayest that law can do nowt to keep up wages ; see how it regulates t ' wage of all them there . Aye , and how it regulates t _' price of soldiers and
sailors' food and clothing ; aye , ecod , and gives them a retiring salary into the bargain , when they are too old for butchers . And then look at lawyers and barristers ; hain't they combination ? Aye , ecod , there was poor Jem Staveley offered maister Swindle a sovereign to defend him at sessions t ' other day ; but he said he must have t ' other shilling , as brother barrister wouldn't dine wi' him , or speak to him , if he wrought under price . What be that but combination , maister Smith ? And mightn't Swindle do poor folk ' s job just as well for a pound as a guinea ?
Smith . —Well , Robin , thatfs very suspicious—that certainly does look like combination . Robin . —Well then , _there'smaister Quill tellsastory —mind I don't believe it though—as how he sent in a bill of costs to maister Crust , baker , and how maister Crust objected , and how he sent it up to him they call taxing-oflicer in London , and how he put £ 26 odd on to Mr . Quill ' s bill , because it was charged under-rate , like . Ben't that combination ? Smith . —Well , go on , Robin . Robin . —Well , see poor devil as keptthe Greyhound atDoncaster , and _seeliow whenho put out a big board , telling folk that he'd post their carriages at Is . 3 d . a mile instead of Is . 6 a ., didn't all the innkeepers all along _theline of road , meet , and give orders to postboys not to drive folk or stop at Greyhound ? And was ' nt landlord broke and sold up ? and . warn't that combinationmaister Smith ?
, Smith . —Upon my honour it looks very like it , Robin . Robin . —Then look at bankers of Devil ' s Dust : if "Union" charges five per cent , on bills , "the National , " "the Provincial , " "the District , " "the York County , " and , ecod , one and all jump up ; ben't that combination ? And then see masters of Devil's Dust ; thou say ' st they don't combine , but all for themselves see how they can reduce wage ; for they can manage better , and rob folk better , each for himself . But what dost thou call " quittance" papers , and dismissals , for looking crooked , or being of any political society but their own ; branding a poor fellow and _tavinff him good character like , wi' some damned
private mark that's down agin him r every overseer s book ; and when he goes for job , " 0 , th y master gives thee good character , but there ' s no opening for thee ;" ben't that the . rascalist and deceitfulest combination that man can think of ? And ben't it enough to force poor devil to take work at any wage folk please to offer ? Then see butchers , and bakers , and shopkeepers , and all folk ; be ' nt they combined ? And then see here , maister Smith , competition is a great word with thy order . 0 , thou sayest wage must be regulated by " competition . Smith . — ' Well , what fairer mode of regulating wage , Robin ? Robin . —Well , but ben't it fair for all ?
Smith . —Yes , to be sure , and all do compete . Robin . —Nay , nowt of sort . If s only the poor folk that ' s allowed to compete again each other . Why , God bless my life , look ye ; maister Swaddle has £ 500 a year for being clerk to Poor Law Guardians , and many ' s the better man i' Devil ' s Dust that would be glad to . take the job for a hundred . And then look at Tory and "Whig folk when they ' re in : they'll give , God knows howmuch , £ 14 , 000 ayearl ' m told , tothe Chancellor , and £ 6 , 000 a year to a Judge , and £ 2 , 000 and £ 3 , 000 a year to folk for doing nothing . And , ecod , if other folk were allowed to compete , all jobs would be done for less than half of what the law gives them .
And yet thou'lt say that the law can't interfere to keep up wage . I'll tell thee , maister Smith , if them there folk hadn't a slice of representation themselves , the law would letthem compete too ; so the law combines for them . So as poor folk havn't a shoe of the representation , they ' re obliged to combine again law . Smith . —Well , upon my honour , Robin , upon the general principle of combination , you are most clear and lucid . I really never did see the question in the same light before . But then , Robin , how do you account in detail for the many failures and the evil effects produced by tho strikes originating from combination ? '
Robin ;— -Why , maister Smith , there s the rub . Ecod , the objection is not to the principle of strikes ; the objection is to their failure . But is it wonderful that a combination of poor devils , with all living on them and watching of them , and ready to pounce on them , should fail , when they are opposed by all them there combinations I've mentioned ? Smith . —Well , really , Robin , ' pon my honour , there ' s much in what you say . But now , to come closer to the question , what have you to offer in reply to the Messrs . Chambers' very clear and lucid
illustration of the injustice of the strikes of Preston and Glasgow ? Robin . —Injustice ! why , God _blcsa my life , just take up that there rubbish of Chambers ' , and only see how every one line in it give 3 lie to t ' other . Why . Air . Smith , its all a pack of staff , paid for by maisters , to make working folk thankful like for what employers choose to give ' em , and timid like in their own power to do owt for themselves . Why , what did spinners in Preston ax for , but same wage as men in Boulten hard by got for doing same work ! And then doesn't that damned fine Chambers prove the maisters wron _? and the men reet ?
Smith . —How so—how so , Robin ? Robin . —How se ! how so !! Why didn't maisters offer men ten per cent , increase ; and yet it didn't come up to Bolton . So that ibr years these here maisters i' Preston , that talk of rising and falling wi' the times , were robbing the hands of sixteen per cent . ; wasn't it timefor poor folk to look for justice for themselves ? And , ecod , maister Smith , if trade got a fall , wage would go wi' it , and there it would 6 tay ; but whe » it got up , some maisters in other parts put on a bit ; but Preston maisters kept on't screw ; and then _^ Bolton maisters complained , and Ashton maisters complained , and niaisters throughout complained , that they couldn't compete with them : so that Preston folk were left to fight the battle alone ; and
the devil mend all the operatives of Lancashire for every reduction that ' s come sin ' , for if they'd stood by the poor fellows in Preston , that they put in front of't battle , there would have been no more reductions . A few days out , and good cheer coming in , a little from all to keep the heart up in the "turn-out , " and , ecod , labour would be conqueror . And that ' s the next twist workies will take ; if they be wise they'll "fight the battle , " as't old Duke would say , with a small compact army ; and they'll draw supplies from every quarter of the labouring world . O , my God of heaven , if poor folk would only be wise as their oppressors , and just manage tactics
like them , and not all go scrambling * evory one for himself , and one bidding against the other—aye , dearee me , dearee me , if all folk that never were in work had supported that there dare-devil , lawyer Roberts , and his poor black colliers , ecod , we'd never havo heard of another strike . And see how them devils of maisters would cut maister Roberts ' throat because he fought the law agin' them . Aye , my God Almighty , if all trades in England would put themselves under that there chap , and just let the pride of England , our Yorkshire chap , tho greatest fellow that ever went into the house for working men , young Duncombe , fight battle in the house , aye , my God , what a position they ' d soon put trades
Smith . —Well but , Rohm , you ' re blinking Preston and Glasgow . Robin . —Nay _. Mr . Smith , I showed thee _thatPreston men were reet , and had justice on their side , and the maisters were tyrants ; and now I'll shew thee that niaisters do combine as a body : and I'll prove it out of Chambers ' own mouth . When the hands returned , 200 of thebestmen in the trade were refused work again , because they stood out like Britons '; and all the maisters entered into a combination to refuse work to any of the hands that couldn't pledge themselves never to belong to Any union again , Wasn't that a combination ? and , agin ' , the laws , too , that sanctions combination . And then , maister Smith , tho' scores de ' ed of starvation , and workhouse
wasfuU , there was no violence , and a score of poor girls turned prostitutes ; and now tell me who killed folk ? Who , made bad women of poor girls ? And who robbed the poor , and the shopkeepers , and them that had to pay increased poor rates ? Who robbed them , I say , but the maisters ? That proved that they were wrong , and the men reet , when they offered them an increase of 3 s . 4 d . a week to go bac & io work . And then , maister Smith , you talk of the inventive genius of Mr . Roberts , that forced him to make that there " self-acting mule ; " and you'd make folk believe that it was necessity that compelled the maisters tosubstitute that . there thing for their labour . Ecod , you'd make angels , of them , maister Smith ; but I tell thee , that if every mnn in England was at work for
sixpence a day to-morrow , and no strikes or combinations , the inventive genius would still go on , to see how poor _dcvilscould be made to work for five-pence . Nay , nay , maister Smith—it ' s not necessity—its avarice and love of gain—one cutting against the other , and poor folk scramblingfor owt they can getthat governs the labour market . And now , maister Smith , dost think I have answered maister Chambers upon't Preston strike , and shown that maisters were wrong , and that they entered into combination when they got upper hand of the poor devils . Smith . —Why , upon my honour , Robin , you really
have put a new construction upon it . Robin . —Nay , nowt of the sort . I have taken maister Chambers' own construction . Smith . —Well , Robin , what I mean is , that yon have certainly put it in a new light to me , for assuredly you have convicted the masters and __ justified the men . And now what have you to say in justfication ofthe Glasgow Cotton Spinners ? Robin . —Why , maister Smith , if Preston men were reet , Glasgow folk were twice as reet ; and now you shall hear why . Ecod , to read that there stuff of Chambers ' , one would think that operatives could live like princes , and that the * held out for seven-
Ihe Chambers* Philosophy Refuted. Tabouf...
teen week for wages that maisters couldn't afford to give . ' ¦ . ¦ ' , Smith . —Well , Robin , certainly that ' s the conclusion that any man must come to who reads _chambers'tract . _- ¦ ¦'¦¦ , ¦¦ ..., '•¦" . ' ' .:. Robin . —Nay , but , maister Smith , did ' st read the trial , and read the case put out by the committee of Glasgow Spinners ? ., ,. ; _, Smith . —No , Robin , I certainly did not . Robin . —Well then , maister Smith , the Chambers ' say thatspinners wereearning 32 s . aweek : and the men prove that they were only earning 18 s . a week : and so far from the strike being to keep up or get an advance of . wage , the strike were to resist a reduction of 15 ner cent ., or near three shillings a week in wage ;
and when the hands offered to come back at the end of twelve days , even for the reduction of 15 per cent ., maisters thought as they had them down they d trample upon them ; , and then they refused to take them back without a reduction of 35 , 40 , and even 50 per cent . ; and hands said they would rather starve ; and they were reet and just . See here , maister Smith—mustn't maisters be wrong when they thought 15 per cent , was enough to take off at first ; and then in twelve days , when things had altered , and when they thought they had poor devils down , they wanted to rob them of 20 , 25 , and 35 per cent _, besides the fifteen ? And then that there Sheriff Alison and his humbugging speech , that Chambers' sneaks of—what does it all show , but that
starvation made fo lk wicked ; and that he thinks that the bad trade and commercial panic , under which he says country were reeling , should be met by a reduction of wages . Ecod , maister Smith , poor folk were reeling from panic as well as rich folk . And thensec , after along trial , whatjury folks saidwhy seven out of fifteen said spinners were innocent , and eight in fifteen said they were guilty . But , ecod , that there Chambers is worse nor whole fifteen , judge , and Sheriff Alison into the bargain . And no wonder that judge , and sheriffs , and all the press of country , and Chambers that writes , ecod , for what he calls ' the honourable aristocracy of labour \ " and that there ereat O'Connell , ecod , the biggest enemy
ever workingman saw saw in this world . Smith . —What ! What do you mean , Robin ? ; I mean the great Liberator . Robin . —Eeod , thou may ' _st call him what thou _likest-but I call him tho damned'st humbug that ever poor folk saw . Ecod , he'd put down Trades UnionB , that folk might send all brass into his purse . Ecod , he's no friend to owt that will teach folk how to do good for themselves . _~ : ,. '"" ' "' Smnh . —Wen , ' Robin , vou reall _y astonishme . ' Robin . —Well but , _maiBter Smith , thou _see ' st now that all them there newspaper fellows , and sheriffs , and judges , and Chambers , and that there O'Connell , that live by talking for the middle classes , they must all back them , or they'll get jack . Bless my heart , they ' re just as much tools as my ould awl—aye , ecod , and like thc ould awl , they must work for
maiBter . Smith . —Well , Robin , upon my honour ; you have given me quite an insight into the feelings and opinions ofthe working classes ; but I assure you I thought that those men were your leaders . Robin . —Leaders be ! damned ! What we want is law to lead ourselves ! And now , maister Smith , I think I have settled the question ' of the Glasgow strike ; and now just see how I deal with thy objections . Thou say ' st that strikes always fail . Ecod , and so will an army without arms always fail against an army with arms . And then thou say ' st that maisters arc the only judges of wages that poor folks ought to get , as they pay them . Ecod , maister Smith , if thou go to shop and ax price of article ,
thou'lt get it cheap as thou can , and if poor devil of shopkeeper is hard up for rent , he'll sell as cheap as he can . I tell you , maister Smith , Seotch folks say , " get a thing as cheap as thou can , and if thou can get it for nothing so much the better . " Then , maister Smith , what I say is , let maisters get labour as cheap as they can—but lot them not rob folk , and make them so poor that , ecod , they must work for whatever maisters like to give , or die of hunger , or go into the infernal _bastiie , and leave home and family and all . Ecod , old as I am , I would rather go to America to-morrow , than go into the damned bastiie , built where my cow used to " graze . Look ye here , maister Smith—damn it , I see it from thy window . There , maister Smith , close up by the barrack ; andlook ye here at t ' other side , ecod , theparish church . 0 , my God ! to think of soldiers andparson taking't common , and noor folk out in bastiie built on their own land !
Ah , my God , I must go , maister Smith , I must go—I can't stand it . Ecod , but my . old head reels when I think of olden times , when folk were cared for , because they were worth summat ; but , ecod , now , when machinery does all folk ' s work , nobody cares nowt about them . Smith . —Well stay , Robin , stay . I ,. confess that you have good reason to feel excited : but let us prosecute our inquiry ; and as the greatest things ; must have a _beginning , perhaps your information may be the means of originating that beginning , even upon thc old common . Now , Robin , as to the question of law , how would you protect labour by . law ? Don't you think that would be impossible ? Rohin . —Yes , I do think that it would be impossible to expect that laws made V by masters could protect labour for poor folk that have nowt to do with laws but to obey them . " . ( To be continued . )
&Tttimtf& ©Ffeutt& £Wau*0te, Fcr
_& _tttimtf & _© _ffeutt _& £ wau * 0 te , _fcr
Tnfc Game Laws.—It Appears From The Cale...
Tnfc Game Laws . —It appears from the calendar laid before the magistrate at the quarter sessions for the county , that there are no fewer than forty-six persons confined in the county gaol for poaching . The total number of males confined is but 175 , so that we find more than one-fourth of the whole number now in p rison are committedfor offences against tho most disgraceful of our penal laws . The magistrates have it in contemplation to enlargo the present gaols , or build newonesat an enormous expensetothecounty . Would it not be better to petition the Legislature to abolish the Game Laws ? Remove from the county bridewell the prisoners committed under those horrible laws , and sufficient room woidd be then found for all that will in future , be committed for other offences . It is far better , and would be a more satisfactoiy mode of procuring prison room , at least to the ratepayers , particularly the agricultural portion of them . —Eampshire Independent .
The Accident on the Newcastle and . Carlisle Railway . —Through the active exertions ofthe committee of directors appointed to superintend the works in progress on the Newcastkv and Carlisle Railway , seconded by the unremitting labour ofthe contractors and men employed , the tunnel at Corbridge , which fell in a few days ago , has been reopened , so that waggons drawn by horses ' are now enabled to pass through it . The enlargement of the tunnel is a work of considerable skill , a drift above it being to be driven , by which the wider arch is made before the old one is removed . In shifting some of the machinery by the contractor ' s men a hole was unluckily made through the present roof before the new one was finished , which let downjsome of tho superincumbent earth , and stopped the passage .
Execution op Two Murderers at Liverpool . — Ljrkdale , Satuitoay . —George Evans and Thomas Stew , th e former twenty years of age , and the latter twenty-one , have just terminated their earthly career by an ignominious death upon the scaffold . Evans was the son of poor but honest and respectable parents , residing at Bristol . He was bred a mechanic Bad company , however , and a roving disposition , led him from his father ' s house ; he gave himself up to loose habits , idleness , and intoxication , until at last he was prompted to commit , at Manchester , one of the foulest murders ever recorded . Of the other culprit , Thomas Stew , little is known . He was a native of Nantwich , Cheshire , and his parents are said to be decent working people . His
education appears to have been very scanty . The crime for which he has suffered is the murder of Alice Nolan , a young woman to whom he was engaged to be married . Manchester was also the scene of _thlstragedy . Both the prisoners made a voluntary confession of their guilt to tho chaplain Beveral days before their execution , and on Friday afternoon each reiterated a declaration of its truth . That of Evans was very short . He Baid he had had a quarrel with Mrs . Mulen , the day before the murder , about 6 s ., which he owed her . He had . written to his father for some money , and his letter had not been answered , and Mrs . Millen taunted him with it . But it was not that which made him kill her ; something came across b » mind , and he killed her with several
blows of the life-preserver . Stew has given a more circumstantial account . "I , Thomas Stew , voluntarily make this statement to Air . Appleton , the chaplain : —I courted Alice Nolan for a little more than four months . She was as decent a young woman as any one would wish to keep company with , and I thought we should have lived comfortably together . About a month before her death I made her a promise to many her in fire weeks ( the wedding-day was to have been the Sunday after the day on which she died ); but could not keep my word in consequence of getting into bad company and spending all that I had . As , therefore , we could not live together on earth , I thought we might be happy W ether in heaven . I borrowed a razor , as appeared on my trial , to take her life and my own . With this razor
in my pocket i took her on her way home as I had been in the habit of doing , and when we reached a bank , the name of which I forget , very near to her house , we stood to talk together as we had usuall y done before . She asked me if I was going to do what I had promised ( namely , to marry her ) ? I answered , 'No , I cannot , for I have been drinking very hard ; I have left Stephen Bill ' s through drinking on Saturdays , and not looking after myhorsef on Sundays ; but I got another place on Wednesday last ; but it does not suit me so well as Stephen ' s place , for it will not be so constant an employ , ' She said , * Well , then , you must do as well as you oan . ' I then said ,. 'I am very badly vexed that I should have left the last place , and that I cannot put _things forward as I could wish to ] do . ' She said , ' Give me a kiss , ' and I put my arm round her neck and gave
Tnfc Game Laws.—It Appears From The Cale...
her one . She said , ' Shall we meet again at Sally ' s on -Monday night ? ' meaning Mrs . Shepherd ' s . I said still . with my arm round her neck , ' No ; I hope we shall meet in heaven next . ' Then I drew the razor across her _^ throat , upon which she exclaimed , Oh , my love , Tom . ! ' Then I left her , and walked at my usual pace across a corner of the bank , along George-street , and down Brewery-street , and so along the several streets to "Mrs . Shepherd ' s . Down the entry , about half a yard from the door , I went down on my knees , and I said , ' I hope she is in heaven , and that I shall soon meet her there . ' I then drew the razor across my throat , after which I got up and fell against the door , which flew open , and I fell down into the house . Somebody picked
me up , but I could not tell who , and put me in a chair , in which I sat with the Wood pouring from my neck . I remembered no more until I saw my two brothers standing over my bed in the Manchester Infirmary . " . On Friday morning , Calcraft , the executioner from London , arrived , and dispelled every hope , if any still existed , of a remission of the sentence of , death . During the whole of Friday night both prisoners were engaged in religious devotion . Towards morning , however , both the prisoners lay down for a couple of hours , and slept soundly . At seven o clock , at then- own request , they attended the usual morning service in the chapel . After partaking of a slight breakfast , they repaired at eleven o ' clock to the chapel , where the sacrament was administered to them . The procession left the chapel precisely at twelve o ' clock . The chaplain , in his surplice , walked in front reading tho funeral
service , followed by the governor . Next camo Stew , walking with a firm step , but with his face hid in a handlcerchief . Evans followed , walking erect , his eyes closed , and apparently engaged in prayer : he appeared to be not m the least discomposed . They ascended the stairs leading to the press-room in the same composed and firm manner , and took their seats in view of the scaffold . The process of pinioning taring been performed by the executioner , he lea Evans to the scaffold , where , after the rope was adjusted , Stew was also led . Not the least symptom of agitation was displayed by Evans . Stew was somewhat affected . The chaplain followed the culprits to the scaffold , and at the conclusion of the funeral service the drop fell , Evans struggled convulsively for some time . Stew ceased to exist instantaneously . The wound in his neck buret open , and the blood trickled down upon his shirt . Blood also burst from the nose of Evans , and stained the cap which was
drawn over his face . Melakcholt Accident . —A most melancholy accident , attended with the loss or the lives of four children , took place on Saturday evening , about four o ' clock , at the little hamlet of Knockmaroon , which lies contiguous to the southern and western boundary wall of the _Phosnix-park , and the low road ? tothe Strawberry-beds and Lucan , & c . The Commissioners of Woods and Forests , in their late extensive improvements in thc Ph « _mx-park constructed a new road at the back of the Royal Hibernian Military School , through what is familiarly known as the Furry-glen , about midway from the summit level of the ground to that of tho valley alongside the river Liffey . The place was so romantically beautiful in
its aspect that it was resolved to add to its appearance by forming the upper part of the glen into an artificial lake , nature having' provided a supply of water by a rivulet which ran along / emptying itself into the Liffey ; and formed the boundary between the parishes of Chapel Izod arid Castlenock . The usual precaution for permitting the overflow of the lake to pass away was provided by means of a sewer . The boundary wall of the park was at the bottom ef the glen , and about 100 yards from it were the houses , the inmates of which ; fell victims . It would appear that the masonary work ofthe sewer gave way , and the great body of water rapidly filled tho lower ' glen , as iVis stated , to the height of seven or eight feet ; the opening in the wall being quite _insiifiicienttoletoffthe
rush of water , its weight soon bore down about twenty or thirty feet of the wall , and an overwhelming flood swept into the houses , and in a few minutes , before any human help could be afforded , four children , and a cow , tho chief support of one poor family , were drowned . In the strawperry garden , at thc back of the house , stood a rick of hay , and this was earned off into the culvert which crossed the Knockmaroon-road , and served as the passage for the rivulet into the Liffey . The obstruction was so great that the water burst its way up into the road , breaking the arch of the culvert . An officer , wliom we understand to be Mr . De Lancy . of the 1 st Royal Dragoons , who was riding alon < j the road , with
intrepid humanity rode into the water and succeeded in rescuing an aged woman and three children from destruction . A poor helpless man named Mullen , by trade a smith , living on the bank ofthe Liffey , at the opposite side ofthe road , had his house and furniture all wrecked and destroyed . A respectable tradesman named Butler had his furniture destroyed . It was to the courage , . decision , and humanity of Mr . De Lancy that this man owes the preservation of his mother ' s and children ' s lives . The furniture , bedclothes , store of potatoes , firing ,. & c , were all destroyed belonging these poor people , and a scene of more unqualified misery than their wretched dwellings presented could not be imagined .
Discovery OF a Supposed Murder . —During the last fortnight an extraordinary degree of excitement nas prevailed throughout the extreme western and north-western portions of the county of Middlesex , in consequence of its haying become known , that some information relative to the perpetrator of a murder committed under very mysterious circumstances about eight years since had been received by the local magistrates , who have ever since been activel y _engaged m furthering the ends of justice , and entering into a searching investigation into the matter . The scene of the crime is situate in the rural and retired parish of Ruislip , about four miles north of the town of Uxbridge , tho actual spot being a wood called '' Young Wood , " which abuts on a crossroad loading . from
Uxbridge to the town of Rickmaiisworth , in Hertfordshire , and about midway between those towns , which with another wood adjoining it , called " Mad Bessy , " consists of about 130 acres , the whole of which is covered by a thick underwood ab _« ut five feet high , through which there are no paths , with the exception of blind paths or hares' tracks , and which is altogether a place well adapted for the perpetration of any atrocious crime without the chance of immediate detection . The object for which the murder was committed was at the time considered to have been revenge , the unfortunate youth , who was only fifteen years of age , having shortly before given evidence against a party of poachers , who were on that evidence ' eonvieted . The name of tho murdered youth was
John Brill , aad the circumstances _R 3 they appeared in evidence , were as follows ;—John Brill was the son of a labouring man , living in the village of Ruislip , and was in the employ of Mr . C . Churchill , an extensive farmer in that parish . On the morning of Thursday , the ICth of February _, 183 ? , Brill left his father ' s house about a quarter fast six o ' clock , and proceeded to work on the farm of his master , who about ten o ' clock set him to fill up some gaps in tho hodge of " Young Wood , " and directed that , after he had finished doing so , he ehoidd then watch somo poles which had been cut in the wood . Not returning to the farm in the evening , as was his custom , a search was in consequence instituted with lanterns in tho wood , but no trace of him could be discovered .
On Inday morning , the 17 th , Mr . Churchill ' s men wero sent out in various directions , but they all returned without any intelligence respecting the unfortunate lad . On the Saturday thc search was again renewed , but with no better success , and oh Sunday morning a large body of villagers joined in _thesearch , when ; about noon , the ill-fated youth was discovered by a man named James Lavender ( the father of one of the men who it was alleged had threatened his life ) , in a hollow in a remote part ofthe wood , where he was l ying on his back quite dead . His clothes were in disorder , and his faco was covered with dirt , as if he had been rolled in the decayed leaves with which the spot was covered . On examining the bod y the mark of a severe , blow was discovered under the
nght ear , which was considerabl y swollen , and from which a quantity of blood had issued . About six yards behind him tho billhook , which ho was using had been found , and en a hedge , just above him , was his cap , which had apparently been caught by the furze as he fell . Thero were also marks on thc leaves for five or six yards , as if he had staggered as he fell . On lifting him up—although every joint of his body was stiff and rigid—hia neck was found to be remarkably lax , and indicated every appearance of having been broken . The body was then conveyed to the Six Bells _pnblic-house , about 500 yards from the entrance of the _^ wood , where , on tho following Wednesday , an inquest was held on the body by Mr . T . Stirling , the late coroner ,. for the western division of
Middlesex , when , alter . a lengthened investigation , the jury returned a verdict of " Wilfulmurder against some porson or persons unknown . " Charles Bray , Charles Lamb , and ThomasXavender , jun ., labourers _^ were subsequently apprehended on suspicion , but _diicharged after a lengthened _investigation , in which nothing conclusive was proved against them . After tho prisoners wero discharged and their handcuffs removed , Bray begged a favour of tho magistrates , which was , that he might be permitted to see the body ofthe murdered youth , saying it _woald give him S _leasure , as he had suffered a good deal through him . lost probably he demanded this test by way of impressing the bystanders with a notion of Ids
inno-• enoo , there being a superstition among the uneducated classes that the blood of the murdered person will burst out if tho murderer _approaohoa the body . The request was granted . All the three prisoners were taken into the room in which the body was lying , and after looking fct it for some minutes they merely assorted their innocence and retired . From that time , notwithstanding every possible exertion has been used bv the local authorities to trace the actual murderer , the matter has remained in abeyance until the present time without oven any reward being offered in the case . The intense interest excited at the time of the murder , has however been revived , by tho receipt on the dav before Christmas-day , by Six W . Wiseman , Bart ., of a letter , from which we give the following extract : — " House of Correction , Coldbath-fields , Dec . 23 , 1844 . Sir , —A voluntary decla-
Tnfc Game Laws.—It Appears From The Cale...
ration has this day been made to me by a prisoner named George Sibley , the younger , who was committed to this prison b y you on the 14 th ot _. October last , to the effect that Charles Lamb , also a prisoner , committed by you on the Hthof October last , had told him ( Sibley ) that about a fortnight : before their committal , one afternoon between four andfive o clock , when on their road from Rickmansworth to Hareheld , a few years * since he ( Lamb ) had killed a lad , rtamed John Brill , in Mr . Churchill ' s wood at Ruishp ; that hestruck the lad with a stick , and when he lay upon the ground he took the lad ' s cap and hung it on a tree , to make it appear that he had fallen out ol the tree ; and that he left the lad ' s billhook _andtfove Ivine near the body . Sibley says , that Charles Lamb - _* _-r _^ _, „ hv ft nri ; onG 1
had warned him that if he said anything about it it should be the worse for-him . ' Sibley made the same communication to the chief warder yesterday , asking him , if he gave _thei information , whether he should get his liberty . " . This letter brought to town Sir W . Wiseman , and Mi-. Dagriall , magistrates , before whom , on the 28 th of December , an examination of Sibley took place in the House of Correction , when he repeated the statement given in the above letter . Charles Lamb , who treated the matter with stoical indifference , on the deposition being completed , said , " Ah the statement made by George Sibley is untrue . Here the matter stands tor the present ; but the magistrates of the county are taking every _^ necessary means for the prosecution of this most important
inquiry . CoSMMNEn _COKVICTB AI _SlATFORD . —STAFFORD , Saturday Mokning . —Late last evening a respite was received by Mr . Brutton , the governor of the county gaol , from Sir James Graham , for the youthful convicts Downing and Pows , who were to have been executed this morning , at eight o clock , postponing the carrying out ofthe lawful sentence of death until Saturday , the 25 th instant . The cause ol this official interference is said to be some point of law connected with the trial ofthe convicts which is reserved for the consideration of the judges . Mr . Justice Coltman is of opinion that it cannot be sustained , and should not that be the ease the extreme sentence will most certainly be carried into effect .
Fires at Hackney and Deptford . —Two fires happened on Sunday , at Hackney and Deptford . The former originated in the lower part of the premises of Mr . Eraser , cheesemonger , Oxford-place , Hackney-road , and scarcely was there time for the inmates to effect an escape before the whole house burst into-flames ; at one period , so'far had the flames reached , that the destruction of the entire row of houses appeared inevitable . The loss iscalcu . lated at about £ 800 . Thefireat Deptford consumed part of the dwelling-house attached to the Royal Admiral brewery , ; belonging to Mr . Farr . Among the property destroyed were Bank of England notes to a considerable amount , and , the numbers being unknown , they will be totally lost to the owner .
Most . Deplorable Accident . —Yesterday evening a most disastrous- accident occurred at Llanthony Bridge , near this city . As Mr . George Dover , coal merchant , Cheltenham , and Thomas Smith , who had charge of Mr . Dover ' s coal-wharf , at the Basin , were proceeding , about half-past six o ' clock , towards Lanthony Bridge , intending to cross it , owing to the darkness of the night , they missed their way , and stepping to the one side , fell from the canal wall into the water . A heavy plunge and a cry alarmed the neighbours , who promptly lent assistance , and , dark as it was , succeeded in . rescuing Mr . Dover whilst in life , but his companion was not so fortunate . The drag had , to be employed , and several minutes elapsed before the body was brought to land , but too late to save the life of the unfortunate man . He has left a wife and family to deplore their loss . —Gloucester Chronicle .
Extensive Robbery at Stoee . — On Monday morning a rumour was circulated that a robbery had been committed at thc shop of Mr . R . Lindley , bookseller and sub-distributor of stamps . The robbery was first discovered by Mr . Lindley ' s female servant , who , on coming down stairs , " perceived the staple of the lock on the inner door , of the shop had been wrenched off . She instantly called Mr . Lindley , who communicated with the police . Inspector Armstrong , and subsequently Major Macknight , inspected the premises . The grid under the front shop window had been removed , and the easement in the cellar window beneath the grid opened , for which purpose a pane opposite the handle had been taken out , as well as another pane opposite the bolt below . Tho wood had been chiselled away from the door-post of the door on
the cellar stairs , and the bolt pushed back , "he box staple of the shop inner door was also torn off , and the alarm-bell behind the front door had shared the same fate , and was lying on thc counter , the door itself being unfastened , so that it would appear the thief or thieves made their exit that way to the street . The shop drawers had tho appearance of having been rummaged , and a quantity , of paper had been abstracted from a table-drawer , in the parlour , and thrown in confusion about the floor . In tin ? course of the day . a placard was issued , giving particulars of the property missing . It is stated to have consisted of near £ 700 in money , and £ 115 worth of plate and jewellery . The description of cash is , "Half Batik of England notes to the amount of £ 65 : and a
quantity of gold and silver coin and Bank of England notes—gold , £ 120 ; silver , about £ 2 10 s . ; and Bank of England notes to the amount of £ 500 " —making a total of more than' £ 687- The following is the list of plate and jewellery : — " A case containing seventeen ; valuable gold wedding rings , and thirty gentlemen ' s fancy ditto , bestudded with diamonds ; six steel chains , three German silver ditto , twenty-four Ger- ' man silver guards , ten large ditto , four solid gold ditto , six gilt ditto , twelve silver ditto ; thirteen silk cord purses two silver knives , splendid jet necklace , with brooch and bottle ; two jet neok-chains , pair of bracelets , five dozen shawl pins , four dozen pair of coat links , two silver corals ; two dozen silver penholders , splendid dessert case with silver knifefork
, , and spoon ; lady ' s companion , containing a silver thimble and scissors , ' with case , & c . ; eighteen silver thimbles , two silver butter knives , three fruit ditto , three silver pickle forks , three silver caddy shells ; a most vaiuabfe assortment of silver pencil case 3 , desk seals , tooth-picks , scissors and sheaths , _vinegarets , watch-hooks , _keys buckles , studs , tops and bottoms of purses , hand pins , chains , and small pins ; gold brooches , and a great variety of bosom ditto ; gold cuff breguet chains and seals , studs , lockets , pins , microscope , eye-glasses , and a quantity of knives , Ac , " the whole valued at £ 115 cost price . The
cashbox contaming tho money had been left overmght in a compartment on the inner side of the shop counter ; the plate and jewellery in a show-glass on the counter , where they were usuall y kept , and which had been wrenched . open . Notwithstanding the most active efforts of the police , no clue has yet been discovered tothe perpetrator or perpetrators of this serious robbery . The cash-box was found the same morning near some trees which skirt tho carriage road from Stoke to Fenton Manor House , the residence of P . B . Broade , Esq ., to whom it was taken , and by him restored to Mr . Lindley . The look ofthe box had been forced . —North Staffordshire Mercury .
Singular , Coach Accident . —On Monday last the Salopian ( irom the Lion Inn , Shrewsbury ) met with a singular accident on its road between Shiffnal and Wolverhampton . The coach was proceeding at its usual pace , when the guard , who was seated on the top of the luggage , speaking to the driver , heard a sudden crash , and on turning his head round ho _beii-i' _f utter Astonishment and dismay , about thirty yards distant , the hind seat of the coach in the middle ofthe road , with four of thc passengers on the ground . One passenger ( Mr . Wardof
Crock-, , ton , near Shrewsbury ) was taken up insensible , and the other individuals were more or less bruised . Fortunately at the time a medical gentleman , accompanied by his sons , was on Ms way to a hunt meeting , and , passing by the spot , promptly rendered everv assistance to Mr . Ward and his fellow-sufferers . The coach immediately drove on to Wolverhampton , and the guard dispatched without los 3 of time a chaise for the four passengers , who were carefully attended to , and we are happy to say are now doing well . — Birmingham Journal .
Tub TjLiutotmi M . uiuraR . « -Last November an account of a barbarous inurder at Yarmouth , of a respectable woman named Mrs . Candler , appeared in the Star . Since then many parties have been apprehended on suspicion of being the perpetrators , and almost daily examinations have been held before the magistrates , and ultimately sufficient evidence appeared to be obtained against four men named Samuel Yavham , James Mapes , James Hall , and Robert Royal , all men of doubtfid character , belonging to the town . On Friday last their final examinations were neld before a full bench of magistrates at the gaol , and tho following evidence was given;—William Johnson , police-constable , stated , that while on duty on Tuesday , November 19 , he was _trvintr the doors
t ? _™ _lldow-sbuttera m Howard-street , and he found Mrs . Candler ' s door unlocked . He went in , and observed that all the goods wero in proper order ; he rapped on the counter and called , but no person answered . He looked about the premises for some time , and at length he saw the body of Mrs . Candler lyin _* under the counter with her throat cut , quite dead ! He immediately gave the alarm , and the mayor , the coroner and several other parties , were sent for , and soon arrived upon the spot . —Police-constable Waller corroborated the evidence of the last witness . —Sergeant Willament , who had received information from the last witness , and went directl y to the spot , described the situation ofthe body . . Witness added that
he asked the prisoner Yarham , who lived nextdoorto the deceased , whether he had heard any noise in deceased _s house . _^ Yarham said he had not / and added it was strange that if any noise had been made , he had not heard it , for he was sitting up for his master who was out and could have hear 5 the sli ghtest noiae if made m Mrs . Candler ' s house . Tho witness ( Willament ) went on to say that the deceased ' s body was under the counter with her throat cut , a table-knife covered with blood was near her , and a piece of rone across her arms . —Lydia Coiens , servant to the _miu--dercd woman , said , on Thursday , the 14 th of Nov I saw Mrs . Candler put a quantity of pence and halfpence into 5 s . papers . She tied them up , and wrote her name upon the papers . The one produced is in
Tnfc Game Laws.—It Appears From The Cale...
her handwriting , _^ remember batnrday , No _^; : r 16 . I was in the shop till eleven o ' clock at * S Mrs . Candler shook some canary seed from « JW howproduced . _Theknifenowproaucedwas _CX pertv , ' and was used for the purpose of cuttfn W _* and generally lay on _» plate behind the count _^ _ofo _! had heard some noises _^ n the _^ unday night , _^ _^ posed some persons had been m her shop . On _k _$ D Say . morning Samuel Yarhanv came in and _aggj « Did you hear any more of the noise ? " She S she had not-heard any more , but she : had heard _mS than she liked ; she _^ ad heard footsteps m th fig and in the yard ; and voices . _^ She kept her gold _S silver in two purses , one shorter'than the other . otQw witnesses having been examined _^ _theprisoner htCZ made the following statement , during which he _^ _Wrv « _nlA : —On the 18 th of November last , _r , _^^ her handwriting _^^ _Nor _^^
, wife lived at _* Mr . Catchpole ' a ¦ She was l " _^ keeper . Mr . Catchpole went out to dine that d »»»» at a public dinner . ( The prisoner , after _stathjg _^ particulars of no importance as to the time h e _" up stairs to see his wife , who was ill , and had _^ , to bed , went on to say ) :-When I came down _^\ ll into the hall I heard as if there were two or thr _« r « people walking in Mrs . Candler ' s shop . I thought _Mjj very unusual at that time of night . ¦ _"¦ I put the _candltdl down in the hall , and went to Mrs . Candler ' s uo _^ and Mocked , but no one answered . Then I tried to _tt open it . I could see there was a light in the % _\^ and that there was something against the fanli ght , yj could see the light at each end of it . I thought a _j
very strange that nobody answered , as I was certakui I had heard somebody . I came from Mrs Candi er > door through our passage into the yard . 1 could so _<« o < a lig ht there . It was not in the back room , but _ija the shop . I could not reach Mrs . - Candler s _sittWig , room . I took a splint or stick from behind 46 clock , with which I reached out and tapped at _tlmht window , but nobody answered . I then came _through the passage to Mrs .. Candler ' s front door . I g , 9 { man going across the street , just off the _pavement and I saw another man coming out of Mrs . Candler _^ shop door , and he pulled the door to , but _somethingm prevented its shutting close , and he put his _handoc up to put something away to enable him to shut _theb _< door .- I saw the-man was Royal . I said to bmm
'' Royal , what are you up to here ? " He then saidjid , " Go you along , Jigger , " or some such a name , tog ) man who was going across the street ; and he said tote me , "B—t you ,-if you say anything , I'll _serrere you the same . " I said , " What do you mean ? ' 'flielie other man saidhe either had _^ otor would be afterit . hi , man and woman were standing at the corner of _Hoa « _a « chen ' s , the baker ' s shop , when Jigger w » nt up thjgij row , and a man and woman followed . I asked Rojala ] where the woman was ( meaning Mrs . Candler . ) fl _^ said he had not seen her . I said , -1 thought she _wasa not at home . He paused for a moment or two , and d then said he had knocked her down behind the _comj , | , ter . I said , " Good God ! you have riot killed fte « woman V He said , no , he did not think he _hadi l
killed her , but he hadleft herthere . He puthis _hand i into his pocket , and offered me a sovereign . 1 fold J him I would not take' it . He said , " Don't blow up _p an old playfellow , and you shall have a share when 1 we dole . He then followed the other party _nu ) Honchen ' s-row . ' ¦ It struck me that they had done _i something amiss , and I took my candle and weutt into Mrs . Candler ' s shop , . _^ i did not see anything , . I looked over the right-hafiPside counter , and I sxw r nothing there . I went across the shop tt tho other > counter , and looked over it , and there I saw the bod y _> lying or sitting , and I saw a wound in her neck . 1 j then came out ofthe shop , and when out ofthe shop i I put my light out . I pulled the door to , and finding ¦ it would not shut , I put my candlestick down on the
stepping of Mrs . Candler ' s door , and put soinethina away that was across the top of the door . I pulled the door to , and I went again into myown house . This is all I know and have to say . It was entirel y from Royal ' s intimidation that I did not make it known before . I had not spoken to Royal for ten years before . The other man I did not know at alL I don't know that I Lid ever seen hini before . That is all I have to say . Cross-examined by Mr . Preston : I have every reason to believe the prisoner Hall to be the man that Royal called " Jockey , or Jigger . " The man so called had a bundle . He wag not dressed as he is now . He had on a velveteen or fustian jacket . ( Here Hall was desired to put oa hia jacket and cap . ) Yarham then said , that is tha
jacket , andtbatis theman . . He had a bundle under hia arm when he went across the street , but I don's know if it was a handkerchief or not / Tho third man I don't know . He appeared to be a man of ray own height , but I do not know who he was . —Royal ' s attorney called several witnesses to prove an alibi . by showing that he ( Royal ) was in their company at ¦ _i / distant part ofthe town , from ten to oho o ' clock on the night in question . A similar defence was ma < to for Mapes and Hall . No witnesses were called for Yarham . The inquiry ' ended about five o ' clock on Friday evening , when the prisoners Royal , Hall , and Mapes were committed for the inurder , and Yarham as an accessory after the fact . Fatal Accidbht . —On Friday afternoon , aboui
three o ' clock , an accident , which has proved fatal , occurred to a shipwright named James Atchison , whilst employed at the stern of her Majesty ' s ship Comus , 18 guns , how ; fit _. ting in the third dock at Chatham . It appears that the unfortunate man was standing on a stage suspended by ropes , which not hanging _perpendioalar at the time , cause ! th _« stage to tilt , whereby he fell into the dock , a depth of nearly thirty feet , his head coming in contact with the edge of tho Btone steps . When picked up he was insensible , and blood was flowing copiously from the head : the other parts of his body appeared to have received severe injury . He was immediately conveyed to the surgery , but owing to the extent of the injuries , it was found _ftoceMftW to
forward him to Melville ' Hospital . On the removal of tho hair from the head the back was found to bs completel y shattered , Dr . Rae extracting upwards of a dozen pieces of bone , leaving a piece of bone _ia the head of about four Inches in diameter . The poor fellow ' s sufferings terminated at three o ' clock on Saturday morning last . The deceased was about sixty years of age , and had been in the dockyard upwards of thirty years . He has left a widow and six children . The widow will receive £ 12 _a-vear W a pension for life . Shocking _Mukdbh . —A man and his wife wel » tried at Cologne a few days ago , on a charge ol having murdered a young girl , who had been confided to thom b y her parents to work out a debt , which they had contracted to the man and woman »
question . The poor girl having offended her employers , they attempted to bury her alive , but not having succeeded in tho attempt beat her until she expired . The man waa condemned to imprisonment withhard labour for life , the woman to two yours ' imprisonment . ' Highway . Robbtot a _* d Murder niak _LivsRrooLrf-Liverpool , Saturday , Jax . 4 . —Scarce have the two murderers condemned at our last assizes expiated by their deaths the dreadful crimes they committed than we are again horrified ; by the details of another and equally barbarous murder , committed in the vicinity o Rockferrv , Cheshire . It appears that the unfortunate victim of this atrooitv , a Mr . Thomas Peacop , ofthe firm of T . and H . Golding and Co ., Rockferry , left his place of business at nine o ' clock on Tuesday
night last , rather later than usual , for his _lodgings , which are situated at Bebington Pasture , a small village , distant nearly half a mile , with the sum of eight pounds , consisting of two sovereigns , fivo _poumhTin silver wrapped up in paper , and about twenty-onfl shillings tied up in a small bag , on his person . ' Tho whole of the money he placed in the same pocket . Mr . Peacop was known to be in the habit of taking with him every night the proceeds of the business or the day , and on the ni ht in question , on leaving hid shop , he observed a tall man , dressed in dark clothe * , standing at the corner of the street . He was proceeding along a lonesome road , in the direction oi h ' a lodgings , when thc same man joined him , and they walked side by side , for some little distance , toe _» _-
uv « . _Wnan _thfty had gone about 250 yards from Derby-house , and were within 200 yards of Mr , Scott ' s cottage , which leads into the Rock-park , _tws men suddenly jumped from a plantation and mad * their appearance on the footpath . Tho _fsllow whs was accompanying Mr . Peacop gave a whistle , and instantly the two others sprang upon Mr . _Po » _- cop , and felled him to the ground with a violent blow on the side of the head from a heavy s _?? cmb - " _Wh 31 e down _aey struclt 1 " ™ - several other blows , and rifled his pockets of tho 21 s . in sit vcr which the little bag contained , but in their hurry and confusion left the remaining .- £ 7 behind them . At the time a gentleman , named _Kevzifty who lives at the Pasture , was going home from tl *
Rockferry , hearing the noise , he ran to tho spot and found Mr . Peacop Aveltering in his blood ontl * ground , and two fellows over him , one in the act of rifling his pockets , and the other attempting , as hfl thought , to strangle him . Mr . Keyzier _hnmcdiatelJ cried out , " Halloa ! what are you up to V and _attempted to drag one of the fellows off , but he had scarcely uttered the exclamation and made the _attempt when he received , from the hand of a thin party , who had hitherto remained concealed in tl * hedge of the plantation , but who was , in all probability , the samefellowwhohadaccompanied Mr . Ptfr copi . up the road , a violent blow on the right temp _^ which caused a deep , wound and a profuse flow ° » Wood . Mr .. Keyzier , notwithstanding tho nature ol the injury , _^ struggled resolutely with the fellow _i * struck him the blow : butfearincr that . Mr . FeacoJ
was by this time strangled , and that , sing _le-handed lie would have no ehanee ia the hands of three sucB daring ruffians , he made the beat of his way to Bf lers public-house , called the Fanner ' s Inn , at t » Pasture ; where he informed the inmates of what _Wg occumng . ' Instantly Mr . Butler , together with _W ostler , George Deane , and a man named John un _* worth , armed with pokers and other weapons , _saUie _* down the road , but in the interim the fellows m niade their escape . Mr . Peacop had received sevew fractures and injuries on the head , and breatlieJ _W last at half-past seven o ' clook this morning . _M * Keyzier is rapidly recovering . A man of the nan * of Jones was arrested on suspicion of having hew concerned in the murder , but wc believe the _evitknw against him is very trifling , and that the murderew have hitherto succeeded in eluding the vigilance !* the police .
-
-
Citation
-
Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 11, 1845, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_11011845/page/6/
-