Current:

Northern Star (1837-1852), 11th January 1845, Edition 1 of 4, Page 6, Untitled Article

Page 6
Page 6
6 of 8

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • &ttfeent& <®ffim«& $wtnwitf& &c
  • Text (4)
  • 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.

      Untitled Article

      '" TEE CHAMBERS' PHILOSOPHY REFUTED . LABOUE PLEADING ITS OWN CA 0 SE . THE EMPLOYER AXD EMPLOTED . A FAMILIAR DIALOGUE . —PABT T . OldBo bin and Richard Jackson visit Shoddy JIaU ty special invitation , and are received by Afr . Smith m his itudv . , Smith-Well , Kobin , I am glad to see y ou at Shoddy Hall . Sit down , you seem tired 1 would ¦ willingly have sent the gig foryou . How do you do , Jackson ? Sit down . r « io .+: ff Robin . —Thank re , Mr . Smith , I beeVa _ little stiffish . Ihaven'tWasfaras't"COMMOV for now two score years . Aye , it ' s mow than that let mo see . It was't time when rich folk frightenedpoor folk out of their senses with "He ' s a coming ! " and " They ' re a coming '' .

      ;„ ___ , _ „ - _„ „ . Smith . —Who ia "he , " and who are "they , " Ro-Robin . —Why , God bless thy life ! don't thou know ? ¦ ff hv , Boney and the French , to be sure . Well , that time , when rich folk frightened poor folk , and stole all the land—ecod , much the same as mesmerised like , and folk were expecting to be eat up 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 , eeod , sure enough , minister got vote , and squire got common , and poor folks' cows got't road , and poor folk got't bag . Butay , Jlr . 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

      onions , we'll have that first . Smith . —Xo , 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 , Tn my honour , I should likes very much to hear about the " common . " Where was the " common , " Robin ? _ Robin . —Where was " common ! " Why , bless my life , here , maister Smith , here ; where thou callest "ShoddyHall . " Boes ' ntknow " common ? " Why , I thought every child in Riding knew " common . " All reet and left , up away to bastile and barracks , was all common . And the folk in Devil's Dust would

      haveacow , 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 . Ay , bless my old limbs ! I 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 hill , laughing ready to crack his sides ; and first lad as would put his 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 nark tolet folk walk in , after thev

      havestole all'tland that folk used to go to andlindeows on . Blcan mj life , I never sec such a change ] Cut 1 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 . " Eeod , trespassing on folks own land ! and ' combination" of "dogs , " and " man traps , " and " spring guns" to frighten folk off ! That ' s combination , maister Smith ! Be ' nt that combination , and waren't it combination of law and soldien , —and parson was sent down here just at that time , to preach up obedience to thelaws , —thatinclosed common 2

      Smith . —Well , Robin , but let ' s Lave common first , and combination after . Robin . — Ecod , thou 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 1 tell thee more , maister Smith ; if it wern't for damned soldiers , and parson Skinflint , they'd never inclosed common i for every stone they'd lay 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 , soldiers took to building , and parish were taxed for building barracks and paying soldiers ; and score after score was huns and

      transported and imprisoned : and at last almost all folk lad to sell cow to pay lawyer Grind , and lawyer Squeeze that come over from York and settled here as soon as ever the row began ; and , ecod , they broke our hearts and swallowed up cows and all , aiid now the son of one of them is mayor , and t ' other owns all tolls of market , and is manager of bank . Aye , deareeme , many * s the honest man was hung and transported over't ould 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 indiscriminately 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 . " Robin . —Well , with all my heart , and thou'Jt begin . _ Smith . —Well , Robin , my opinion of " combinations" and "trade unions" is firstly , that they are illegal , and always end disastrously for the working classes . Secondly , that every failure but places them more at the mercy of their masters . Thirdly , that ihey force persons to remain idle who would be willing to work if they were allowed : and now , if you'll give

      me leave , I'll read an article from Chambers' Edln' burgh Journal entitled " Strikes—their Statistics , " in which an account is given of the rise , progress , result , and melancholy consequences of two of the greatest strikes on record—that of the Preston Spinners in ISifli—37 , and of the Glasgow Cotton Spinners inlS 37 . 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 , has the inevitable tendency of setting

      masters 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 finn of Sharp , Roberts , and Go . ; an invention which resulted from a strike that took place in Manchester in the same year . Another objection that I have io " strikes , " as well as to all legal interference in questions of wages is , that no parties can possibly be as good judges of what can be paid as those who lave to pay them . Again , they lead to idleness and dissolute habits , which cannot be conquered or got rid of even after the struggle has terminated . I have man ? more objections which I shall reserve , if those

      that I have already urged should fail to convince you of the impracticability , the folly , and indeed the ¦ jr iekedness 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 , Iniay say , without a single exception , as by such patriots and philanthropists as the Messrs . Chambers '; of Edinburgh ; and the great O'Couiiell , who have in the dearest 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 sav on their behalf ?

      Robin . —Xay , maister Smith , you are not opposed to all combinations . Smith . —Yea , but I am , Robin . Robin . —Well now , maister Smith , I'll show vou that the only fair combination in the whole world is a combination of the working classes to keep up the price of their labour ; and I'll show you more too , that if it wern't for all the illegal and cursed combinations of all other classes sectionally and unitedly to keep down wage , that there never would be such a thing heard of as a combination of the working classes to keep up wage . So you see , maister Smith , that like everything else they ' re first drove to do the 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 I Why , combination of all the devils out of hell to keep down wage of poor folk , and keep up 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 Kings of France , of Russia , of Saxony , and Belgium , and them there Gannan Princes that swarms here like lice , and all as come over here to see our Queen ; ecod , it ' s not lor love of her , but to see how they can combine to keep wage up , by keeping poor folk ' s wage down . What be they but combination ? And , then ,

      what be all them there bishops and parsons , as call themselves trustees for their successors , and as " can't take less" than such and such wage , because it ' s a duty they owe to them tliat come after them to give them up all property unimpaired ? What's them ? and parsons that call themselves trustees , and suck the blud 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 lazy , ignorant barbarians ? "What ' stheni there , but combinations of big 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 is . That ' s the tax that presses upon you , andupon us all . Robin . —Ecod , it ' s Jiwrt of the sort , lt * 3 low wage , and too many looking for a job , that presses on us all ; and folk taking " and enclosing land that

      Untitled Article

      was intended for all . And ecod , maister Smith ttufy didn't press hard on thee , for iunr bought common with them round thy neck . Then there ' s commons—what ' s them but combination ? Then there ' s ministers—cabinet ministers—what bee ' s tliem hut combination ? Then there bee ' s officers in the army and navy , and soldiere and sailors—what be them but combination ? Aye , ecod , and thou sayest that law can do nowt to keep up wages j 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 , ana 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 Stayeley 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 ? ? . _ » _ a . 1 i iciousthat

      Smith . —Well , Robin , that ' s very susp — certainly does look like combination . Robin . —Well then , there ' s maister Quill tells a story —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-officer 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 atDoneaster , and see how whenhc put out a big board , telling folkttiat he'd post their carriages at Is . 3 d . a mile instead of Is . Cd ., didn't all the innkeepers all along theline of road , meet , andgive orders to postboys not to drive folk or stop at Greyhound ? And was nt landlord broke and sold up ? and warn t that combination , maister Smith ? , „ . Smith . —Upon my honour it looks very like it , Robin . .-... ..

      _ Rohm . —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 giving him good character like , wi' some damned private mark that ' s down agin him i' every overseer ' s

      book ; and when he tjoes for job , " 0 , thy master gives thecgood 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 sec 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 compote . Robin . —Nay , nowt of sort . It ' 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 a year I ' m told , to the Chancellor , and £ C , 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 It say that the law can t interfere to keep np wage . I'll tell thee , maister Smith , if them there folk hadn't a slice of representation themselves , the law would lot them compete too ; so the law combines for them . So as poor folk havn't a slice of the representation , they ' r e 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 sec 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 the strikes originating from combination ?

      Robin . —Why , maister Smith , there s the rub . Ecod , the objection is not to the princi p le 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 bless my life , just take up that there rubbish of Chambers' , and only see how every one line in it gives lie to t ' other . Why . Mi * . Smith , its all a pack of stuff , paid for by mafsters , 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 Boulton hard by got for doing same work ? And then doesn't that damned fine Chambers prove the maisters wrong and the men reet ? Smith . —How so—how so , Robin ?

      Robin . —How so ! how so !! Why didn't maisters offer men ten per cent , increase ; and yet it didn't come up to Bolton . So that for years theie here maisters i' Preston , that talk of rising and / ailing wi' the times , were robbing the hands of sixteen per cent . ; wasn't it time for 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 stay ; but when 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 mnisters complained , and maisters 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 woidd be conqueror . And that's the next twist workies will take ; if they be wise they'll "fight the battle , " aa '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 every one for himself , and one bidding against the other—aye , dearee me , deareeme , 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- have heard of another strike . And see how thorn devils of maistere would cut maistor Roberts ' throat because be fought the law agin' them . Aye , my God Almighty , it all trades in England would put themselves under that there chap , and just let the pride of England , our Yorkshire chap , the greatest fellow that ever went into the house for working men , young Dimcombe , fight battle in the house , ave , my God , what a position they'd soon put trades

      Smith . —Well but , Robin , 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 maisters do combine as a body : and I'll prove it out of Chambers'own mouth . When the hands returned , 200 of the best men 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 was full , 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 wore wrong , and the men reet , when tliey offered them an increase of 3 s . 4 d . a week to go back to 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 to substitute that there thing for their labour . Ecud , you'd make angels of them , maister Smith * , but I tell thee , that if every man in England was at work tor sixpence a day to-morrow , and no strikes or combinations , the inventive genius would still go on , to sec how poor devils could be made"to work for five-pence . Kay , nay , maister Smith—it ' s not necessity—its avarice and love of gain—one cutting against the other , and poor folk scrambling for 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 whcntlicv cot upper hand of the poor devils .

      Smith . —Why , upon my honour , Robin , you really have piit a new construction upon it . Robin . —Nay , nowt ot' the sort . I have taken maister Chambers' own construction . Smith . —Well , Robin , what I mean is , that you have certainly put it in a new light to me , for assu « redly you have convicted the nw-ster . ! and justified the men . And now what haW you to say in justfication of the Glasgow Cotton Spinner * ? Robin . —Why , maister Smith , if Preston men were reet , Glasaow folk were twice a 3 reet ; and now you shall henivwhy . Ecod , to read that there stuff of Chambers ' , one would think that operatives could live like princes , and that they held out for seven-

      Untitled Article

      teen week for wages that maisters couldn't afford to gi &nith ^ yrtK-V ^ ' -c ^^ )^^ - ^^ sioXt any man must come to who reads Chamb 6 Robb-Nav , but , maister Smith , did ' st read the tr $ anil read the ease put out by the committee of Glasgow Spinners ? . ... , IS ^ lfcma SSgS g p rove that they were only earning 18 s . a week : and so faVfromthestkebeingtokecpup or getan advance of " age , the strike were to resist a reduction ot 15 per ce nt ., or near three shillings a week m wage ; and when the hands offered to come back athe end of twelve dayseven for the reduction oflSpex cent .

      , maistm thoughras they bad them down they'd trample upon them ; and then they refused to take them back without a reduction of 3 o , 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 oft at test ; and then in twelve days , when things had altered , and when they thought they had poor devils down , thev wanted to rob them of 20 , 26 , and 35 per cent besides the fifteen ? And then that there Sheriff Alison and his humbugging speech , that Chambers' speak 9 of—what does it all show , but that starvation made folk 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 then see , aftcralong ' trial , what jury 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 , all the press of country , and Chambers that writes , ecod , for what lie calls ' * the honourable aristocracy of labour ; " and that there great O'Conncll , ecod , the biggest enemy ever working man saw saw in this world . Robm ?

      Smith . —What ! What do you mean , I mean the great Liberator . Robin . —Ecod , thou may'st call him what thou likest—but I call hint thedamncd ' st humbug that ever poor folk saw . Ecod , he ' d put down Trades Unions , 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 . Smith . —Well , Robin , you really astonish me . Robin . —Well but , maister 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 sack . Bless my heart , they ' re just as much tools as my ould awl—aye , ecod , and like the ould awl , they must work for maister .

      Smith . —Well , Robin , upon my honour , you have given me quite an insight into -the feelings and opinions of the 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 ; andnowjustscehow 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 are 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'ltget it cheap as thou can , and if poor devil of

      shopkeeper is hard up for rent , he 11 sell aa cheap as he can . I tell you , maister Smith , Scotch 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 let them not rob folk , and make them so poor that , eeod , they must work for whatever maisters like to give , or die of hunger , or go into the infernal bastile , 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 bastile , 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 ; and look ye here at t ' other side , ecod , the parish church . O , my God ! to think of soldiers andparson taking't common , and poor folk put in bastile 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 heaa reels when I think of olden times , when folk were eared 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 \ ipon the old common . Now , Robin , as to the question of law , how would you protect labour by law 9 Don't you think that would be impossible ? Robin . —Yes , I do think that it would be impossible to expect that laws made "by masters could protect labour for poor folk that have nowt to do with laws but to obey them . " ( To be continued . )

      Untitled Article

      The Game Laavs . —It appeal's 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 prison are committed for offences against the most disgraceful of our penal laws . The magistrates have it in contemplation to enlarge the present gaols , or build newonesatan enormous expense to the county . 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 would be then found for all that will in future be committed for other offences . It is far better , and would be a move satisfactory mode of procuring prison room , at least to the ' ratepayers , particularly the agricultural portion of them . —Hampshire Independent ,

      The Accident ox the Newcastle AnnriCovpusLE Railway . —Through the active exertions oi'the committee of directors appointed to superintend the works in progress on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway , seconded by the unremitting labour of the 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 avch 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 dowri ' some of the superincumbent earth , and stopped the passagc .

      Execution of Two Murderers at Liverpool . — Iurkdale , Saturday . —George Evans and Thomas Stew , the 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 Nautwich , in Cheshire , and his parents are said to be decent working people . -His education awneara to have been very scanty . The

      crime for which he has suffered is the murder of Alice Nolan , a young woman to whom'l ie was engaged to be manned . Manchester was also tho scene of this tragedy . Both the prisoners made a voluntary confession of their guilt to the chaplain several days befor e their execution , and on Friday afternoon each reiterated a declaration of its truth . That of Evans was very short . JIg said lie had had a quarrel with Mrs . Mi ' llcn , the day before the murder , about 6 s ,, which he owed her . Ho had written to his father for some money , and his letter had not been answered , and Mrs . Milieu taunted him with it . But it was not that which made him kill her ; something came across his raind , and he killed her with several blows of tho life-pveservei 1 . Stew ling given a . more circumstantial account . "I , Thomas Stew ,

      voluntarily make this statement to Mr . Appleton , the chaplain : —I courted Alice Is olan for a little more than four months . Shu was as decent a young woman as any one would wish to keen company with , and I thought we should have lived comfortably together . About a month before her death I made her a promise to marry her in five 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 together in heaven . 1 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

      heen in the habit of doing , and when we reached a bank , the name of which 1 forget , very near to her Jiouso , wo stood to talk together as we had usually 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 loft Stephen Bill ' s through drinking on Saturdays , and not looking after my horses on Sundays ; but I gdt another place on Wednesday last : but it docs not suit me so well as Stephen ' s place , for it will not bo so constant an employ , ' She said , ' Well , then , you must do as well as you can ' I then said , 'I am very badly vexed that I should have left the last place , and that I cannot put tiiin"S forward as I could wish to do . ' She said , ' Give me a kiss , ' and I put my arm round her neck and gave

      Untitled Article

      her one . She said , ' Shall we meet againat Solly's on Monday night ? ' meaning Mrs . Shepherds . I said still with my arm round her neck , ho , I hope we shall meet in heaven next . ' Then I drew the razor across her throat , upon which she exclauncd , 'Oh my love , Tom ! ' Then I left her , and ^ walked at my usual p ace across a corner of tho bank , along Georee-atreet , 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 cot 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 at with thbld rifrom

      chair in which I s e oopoung my neck I remembered no nwe until I saw my two brothers abrading 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 their own request , they attended the usual morning service in the chapel . After partalcing 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 the funeral service , followed by the governor . Next came Stew , but with his face hid in

      walking with a firm step , a . handkerchief . Evans followed , walking erect , his eyes closed , and apparently engaged in prayer : he appeared to be not in 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 having been performed by the executioner , he led 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 tho conclusion of the funeral service the drop fell . Evans struggled convulsively for some time . Stew ceased to exist instantaneously . The wound in his neck burst 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 .

      Melascholy Accident . —A most melancholy accident , attended with the loss of 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 Phoenix-park , and the low road to the Strawberry-beds and Lucan , &c . The Commissioners of Woods and Forests , in their late extensive improvements in the Phoenix-parkj 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 the 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 and Castlenock . The usuiilprccciution 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 of the glen , and about 100 yards from it were the houses , the inmates of which fell victims . It would appear that the masonary work of the sewer gave way , and the great body of water rapidly filled the lower glen , as it is stated , to the height of seven or eight feet ; the opening in the wall being quite insufficient to let off the 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 , the chief support of one poor family , were drowned . In the strawberry garden , at the 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 wag so great that the water burst its way up into the road , breaking the arch of the culvert . An officer , whom we understand to be Mr . De Lancy . of the 1 st Royal Dragoons , who was riding along 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 of the Liffey , at the opposite side of the 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 , &o ., were all destroyed belonging these poor people , and a scene of more unqualified misery than their wretched dwellings presented could not be imagined .

      Discovery op 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 having 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 actively 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 , the actual spot being a wood called" Young Wood , " wliich abuts on a crossroad leading , from Uxbridge to the town of Ilickmansworth , 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 about five foot 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 aparty of poachers , who were on that evi » dence ) convicted . The name of the murdered youth was John Brill , and the circumstances as 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 10 th of February , 1837 , Brill left Ids father ' s house about a quarter past 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 the hedge of " Young Wood , " and directed that , after he had finished doing so , ho should then watch some 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 the wood , but no trace of him could be discovered . On Friday morning , the lTth , Mr . Churchill ' s men were sent out in various directions , but they all returned without any intelligence respecting the

      unfortunate lad . On the Saturday the search was again renewed , but with no better success , and on Sunday morning a large body of villagers joined in the search , 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 of the wood , where he was lying on his back quite dead . His clothes were in disorder , and his face was covered with dirt , as . if he had been rolled in the decayed leaves with which the spot was covered . On examining the body the mark of a severe blow was discovered under the right ear , which was considerably swollen , and from which a quantity of blood had issued . About six yards behind him the billhook which he was using had been found , and on a hedge , iiist above him . was lm

      cap , which had apparently been caught by the fniv . e as he fell . There were also marks on the leaves fo :-live or six yards , as if ho had staggered as he Ml . On lifting him up—although every joint of hiB body was stiff and rigid—his 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-houso , about 500 yards from the entrance of the ^ wood , where , on the following Wednesday , an inquest was held on the body by Mr . T . Stirling , tho late coroner for the western division of Middlesex , when , after a lengthened investigation , tho jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown . " Charles Brav , Charles Lamb , and Thomas Lavender , jun ., labourers , were subsequently apprehended on suspicion , but

      discharged alter a lengthened investigation , in which nothing conclusive was proved against them . After the prisoners were discharged and their handcuffs removed , Bray begged a favour of the magistrates , which -was , that he might be permitted to see the body of the murdered youth , saying it would give him pleasure , as he had suffered a good deal through him . Most probably he demanded this test by way of impressing the bystanders with a notion of his innocence , there being a superstition among the uneducated classes that the blood of the murdered person will burst out if the murderer approaches tho bodv The request was granted . All the three prisoners !

      were taken into the room in which the bod y was lvin ^ and : < fter looking at it for some minutes they m ' crefy asserted their innocence and retired . From that time , notwithstanding every possible exertion lia » been used by tho local authorities to trace tho actual murderer , the matter has remained in abeyance until the present time without even any reward being offered in the case . The intense interest excited at the time of the murder , has however boon revived by the receipt on the day before Christmas-day , by Sir M " . Wiseman . Bait ., of a letter , from which we ' givc the following extract : — " House of Correction , Coldbath-fieldB , Dec . 23 , 1844 . Sir , —A voluntary deck-

      Untitled Article

      ration has this day been made tome ^ api ™ named George Sibley , the J ^ . '&JftgZ SSSSSSSSffii ^ tdd Wm SiK that about a fcrtdjgt Ww gf comm ittal , one afternoon between four andfiveockick , when on their road from Rickmansworth to HarebcW , rS years since he ( Lamb ) had lulled a lad j vxwi John Brill , in Mr . Churchill ' s wood at Kraslip ; that Sruck the lad with a stick , and when he lay upon fhc g ? ound he took the lad ' s caP « mf hung it on a trPP to make it appear that he had fallen out Of the Ke- and that he left the lad ' a billhook and glove y ' bgnear the body . Sibley ^^^ floTit had warned him that if he said any hing about t * 2 %££ tt&& ^^ ^ g ^ ilb ^ ^ SSu ?^ ck ? w W , - « . mn . n . nnd Mr . Dajniall , magistrates ,

      before whom , on the 28 th of December , an examination of Sillevtook place in the House of Correction , when he repeated the statement given in the above letter . Charies Lamb , who treated the matter ^ "ical ^ difference , on the deposition being pomp f ^ j d , « All thestatementmade by George Sibley isu ™ . Here the matter stands for the present ; but the magistrates of the county are tak ng every necessary means , for the prosecution of this most important inquiry . Condemned Comviotb at Staword . -Sxaf . ford , c . ™« av MnnsiHo—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 execute d this morning , at eight o ' clock , postponing the carrying out of the lawful sentence ot death until Saturday , the 25 th instant . The * cause of this ofhcial interference is said to be some point of law connected with the trial of the 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 case the extreme sentence will most certainly be carried into effect .

      Fires at Hackney and Dei-iford . — . Two fires happened on Sunday , at Hackney and Deptford . The former originated in the lower part ot the premises of Mr . Fraser , cheesemonger , Oxford-place , Hackney-road , and scarcely was there time tor 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 is calculated at about £ 800 . The fire at Deptford consumed part of the dwelling-house attached to the Royal Admiral brewery , , belonging to Mr . Fan * . 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 , nnd Thomas Smith , who had charge of Mr . Dover ' s coal-wharf , at the Basin , were proceeding , about half-past six o ' clock , towards Laiithony 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 . Hie 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 Stoke . — On Monday morning a rumour was circulated that a robbery had been committed at the shop of Mr . R . Lindley , boolcaellcr and sub-distributov of stamps . The robbery wasnrsfcdiscorcred 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 casement 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 . The wood had been chiselled away from the door-post of the door on tho cellar stairs , and the holt pushed back . The box stanle of the shon inner door was also torn off , and

      the alarm-bell behind the front door had shared the same fate , and was lying on the counter , the door itself being unfastened , so that it would appear the thief or thieves made their exit that way to the street . Tlie shop drawers had the 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 the course of the day a placard was issued , giving particulars of the property missing . It is stated to have consisted of near £ Y 00 in money , and £ 115 worth of plate ami jewellery . The description of cash is , "Half Bank of England notes to the amount of £ C 5 ; 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 £ 0 S 7 . The followiua : is the list of

      plate and jewellery : — " A ease containing seventeen valuable gold wedding rings , and thirty gentlemen ' s fancy ditto , bestudded with diamonds ; six steel chains , three German silver ditto , twenty-four German 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 neck-chains , pair of bracelets , five dozen shawl pins , four dozen pair of coat links , two silver corals ; two dozen silver penholdcrs , splendid dessert case with silver knife , fork , 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 valuable assortment of silver pencil cases , desk seals , tooth-picks , scissors and sheaths , vlnegarets , 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 . brcguet chains ami seals , studs , lockets , p ins , microscope , eye-glasses , and a quantity of knives , &c ., " the whole valued at £ 115 cost price . The csislibox containing the money had been left overnight 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 pollce v no clue iias yet buen discovered to the 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 . 13 , Broadc , Esq ., to whom it was taken , and by him restored to Mr . Lindley . The lock of the box had been forced . —North Staffordshire Mereurti .

      Singular Coach Accident . —On Monday last the Salopian ( from the Lion Inn , Shrewsbury ) met with a singular accident on its road between ShifFual 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 he lieheld , to his utter astonishment and dismay , about thirty yards distant , the hind seat of the coach in the middle of the road , with four of the passengers on the ground . One passenger ( Mr . Ward , of

      Crockton , 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 soas , was on his way to a hunt meeting , and , passing by tho spot , promptly rendered every assistance to Mr . Ward and his Mow-suftcrers . The coach immediately drove on to Wolverhampton , and the guard dispatched without loss 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 ,

      The Yarmouth Murder .. —Last November an account of a barbarous murder at Yarmouth , of a respectable woman named Mrs . Candler , appeared in the Star . Since then many parties have been appreliomlod on suspicion of being the perpetrators , and almost daily examinations have been held before the magistrates , and ultimately sufficient evidence appeared to bo obtained against four men named Samuel Yarham , James Mapes , James Hall , and Robert Royal , all men of doubtful character , belongin" to the town , On Friday last their final examinations wore new before a full bench of magistrates at the gaol , and the following evidence was given : —William Johnson , police-constable , stated , that while on dutv on Tuesday , November 19 , he was trvinir the fin ™

      and wmdow-shutters in Howard-street , and he found Mrs . Candler ' s door unlocked . He went in , and observed that all the goods were in proper order ; he rapped on the counter ami 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 deacf He immediately gave the alarm , and the mayor , the coroner , and several other parties , were sent tor , 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 ¦ witnessj and wont directly to the spot described the situation of the body . Witness added that

      ho asked the pnsonor Yarham , who lived next door to tho deceased , whether he hail 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 put , and could have heard the slightest noise it made in Mrs . Caiidler's house . The witness ( Wijlanieut ) went on to say that the deceased ' s bodv wis under the counter with her throat cut , a-tablc-b'Mo covered with blood was near her , and a piece of rono across her arms . —Lydia-Cozens , servant to the niur ' dcred woman , said , on Thursday , the 14 th of Nov 1 sawMrs . Candler put a quantity oi' pence and half pence into os . papers . She tied them up , and wrote her name upon the papers . The one produced is in

      Untitled Article

      her handwriting . ' I remember ^ Saturday , i ^? 16 . I was in the shop till eleven , o'clock at-jjj Mrs . Candler shook some canary seed from the Z now produced . The knife now produced was he < J S , I . nnd was nsed for the purpose . ot cutting jg Kienerally lay on a plate Behind the countor . 'g had ¦ Heard some . ' natesonthe Sunday . n-ght a 11 ( l sj posed some persons had been in he ^ shop . On ^ aW morning Samuel Yarham came in and aj "Jiffyou hear any more orthe noise ? " Sll ^ sheU not heard any more , but she . hadW j ^ than she liked ; she had heard footsteps in the C and in the yard , and voices She kept her gofoj ; silver in two purses , one shorter than the other , off imtfiMUKhaviiM ! been examined . theprisoner Ya ,. ! , « : ' ^ -. i ^ fW - I mncmberrSatupday . ^

      made the Mowing statement , during which he ^ ™ ry pale :-On the 18 th of November Last , I ail ( fi wife lived at Mr . Catchpole's . She was hoj keeper . Mr . Catchpole went out to dine that day at a public dinner . ( The prisoner , after stating 50 n [' particulars of no importance as to the tune be „ £ up stairs to see his wife , who was ill , and had rC to bed , went on to say ) :-When I camo down ^ ' into the hall I heard as it there were two or tC people walking in Mrs . Candler's shop . I thought it very unusual at that time of night . I put the caii , i |» down in the hall , and went to Mrs . Candler ' s , ] ' ° and knocked , but no one answered . 1 hen I tried to open it . I could see there was a light in the sW and that there was something against the fanli ght T could see the light at each end of it . I thought it answered

      very strange that nobody , as I was certain I had heard somebody . I came from Mrs . Candlcr ' j door through our pa « sage into the yard . 1 could see a light there . It was not in the back room , but j the shop . I could not reach Mrs . Candler ' s sitting . * ooni . I took a splint or stick from behind the clock , witli wliich 1 reached out and tapped at th e window , but nobody answered . I then came through the passage te Mrs . Candler ' s front door . I sa-v 4 man going across the street , just off the pavement and I saw another man coming out of Mrs . Candler ' g shop door , and he pulled the door to , but something prevented its shutting close , and he put his hand up to put something away to enable him to shut tho door . I saw the man was Royal . I said to him " Royal , what are you up to here ? " He then said , " Go vou alongJigger" or some such a name , to a

      , , man who was going across the street ; and lie said to me < 'B—t you , if you say anything , III serve you the same . " I said , " What do you mean ? T ! i 6 other man said he either had got or would be after it . A man and woman were standing at the corner ot 1 / onchen ' s , the baker ' s shop , when Jigger went up tliia row and a man and woman followed . I asked Koyal where the woman was ( meaning Mrs Candler ) Ue said he had not seen her . I said , I thought she W 85 not at home . He paused for a moment or two , and then said he had knocked her down behind the coun . ter I said , " Good God ! you have not killed the woman ? " He said , no , he did not think . ho had killed her but he had left her there . He put his hand into his pocket , and offered me a sovereign . 1 told him T would not take it . He said , Don t blow up

      an old plavfellow , and you shall have a share when we dole . " He then followed the other party up Honchen's-row . It struck me that they had done something amiss , and I took my candle and went into Mrs . Candler ' s shop . I did not see anything . I looked over the right-hand side counter , and ] saw nothin" - there . I went across the shop tc the other counter , and looked over it , and there I saw the body lyinf or sitting , and I saw a wound in her r . otk . I then came out of the shop , and when out of the shop I put my light out . I pulled the door to , and finding it would not shut , I put my candlestick down on tho stepping of Mrs . Candler ' s door , and put something away that was across the top of the door . I pulled tliedoor to , and I went again into my own house . This is all I know and have to say . It was entirely

      from Royal ' s intimidation that 1 Hid not make n lenown 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 had ever seen him 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 , ot Jigger . " The man so called had a bundle . He was not dressed as he is now . He had on a velveteen or fustian jacket . ( Here , Hall was desired to put on his jacket and cap . ) Yarham then said , that is the jacket , and that is the man . He had a bundle under his arm when he went across the street , but I don't know if it was a handkerchief or not . The third man I don't know . He appeared to be a man of my 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 a distant part of the town , from ten to one o ' clock on the night in question . A similar defence was made for Mapes and Hall . No witnesses were called for Yarham . The inquiry ended about , five o'clock on Friday evening , when the prisoners Itoyal , Hall , and Mapes were committed for the murder , and Yarham as an accessory . after the fact . Fatal Accident . —On Friday afternoon , about 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 , now fitting in the third dock at Chatham . It appears that the unfortunate man was standing on a stage suspended by-ropos , ldiicb

      not hanging perpendicular at the time , causal the stage to tilt , whereby he fell into the dock , a depth of nearly thirty feet , his head coming in contact with the edge of the stone 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 necessary to forward him to Melville Hospital . On the removal of the hair from the head the back was found to be completely shattered , Dr . Rae extracting upwards of a dozen pieces of bone , leaving a . piece of hone in the head of about four inches in diameter . The poor fellow ' s sufferings tenninated 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-ycar as a pension for life . Shocking Murder . —A man and his wife weVft tried at Cologne a few days ago , on a cluirgc of having murdered a young girl , who had beeif confided to them by her parents to work out a debt , which they had contracted to the man and woman in question . Tho poor girl having offended her employers , they attempted to bury her alive , but not having succeeded in the attempt beat her until she expired . The man was condemned to imprisonment with hard labour for life , tho woman to two years '

      imprisonment . Highway Robbery anv > Muhder near Liveki'OOL . — Liverpool , Saturday , Jan . i . —Scarce have the two murderers condemned at our last assizes expiated by their deaths the dreadful crimes they committed than we arc again horrified by the details of another and equally barbarous murder , committed in the vicinity of Roclcferry , Cheshire . It appears tlict tlie unfortunate victim of this atrocity , a Mr . Thomas Peacop , of the firm of T . and II . Goldingand Co ., Roekferry left his place of business at nine o ' clock on Tuesday night last , rather later than usual , for his loiUriiuJS , which are situated at Bebington Pasture , a small village , distant nearly half n mile , with the sum oi" eight pounds , consisting of two sovereigns , live pounds iu silver wrapped up in paper , and about twenty-one

      shillings tied up in a small bag , ou his person . HiC whole of the money he p laced in the same pocket . Air . Peacop was known to be in the habit of taking with him every night the proceeds of the Business ot tho day , and on the night in question , on leaving I'i 3 shop , lie observed a tall man , dressed in dark clothes , standing at the corner of the street . He was proceeding along a lonesome road ,, in the direction of his lodgings , when the same man joined him , anil they walked side by side , for some little distance , together . When they had gone about 250 yards tVoni Derby-house , and were within 200 yards of Mr . Scott ' s cottage , which leads into the Rock-park , two men suddenly jumped from a plantation and made their appearance on the footpath . Tho follow who was accompanying Mr . Peacop gave a whistle , aiul instantly the two others sprang upon Mr . J ' caeop , and felled him to the ground with a violent blow on the side of the head from a heavy

      stick or club . While down they struck him several 6 tWblows , and rifled his pockets of the 31 ,-j . in . ? ' ! ver which the little bag contained , but in dicir hurry and confusion loft the remaining £ 7 l . chind thenh At tho time a gentleman , named K «> yzicr , who lives at the Pasture , vaa going home iVosii ^ lloekfcrry , and hearing the noise , lie ran to tlic ?!'"' and iound Mr . Peacop weltering in his blow ! »» & a , ground , and two follows over ' him , one in the art ot rifling his pockets , and the other attemptiif . us li " thought , to strangle him . Mr . Keyzier immediately cried out , " Halloa ! what are you up to ? " ami attempted to drag one of the fellows off , but lie Il ! ld scarcely uttered tho exclamation and made the attempt when he received , from tho hand of a tl » party , who had hitherto remained concealed in lllC hedge of the plantation , hut who was , in all piw bility , the same fellow who had accompanied Mi . 1 '<¦¦•* cop up the road , a violent blow on the riir-t umm

      wiuch caused a deep wound and a prolu « iiu * <« Wood . Mr . Keyzier , notwithstanding the i-ii tniv f 1 the injury , struggled resolutely with the telu • «* ° struck him the blow ; but fearing that Mr . i ' &ff was by this time strangled , and that , single-hanM he would have no chance in the hands of " throe $ « » darmg ruffians , he made the best of his w » v ' •> 5 ! f ' lers piiblic-hotisc , called the Farmer ' s Im ; , ;\ t ^ Pasture , where he informed the inmates of wl . at W ? occurring . Instantly Mr . Butler , together v . itli j'f ostler , George Itaane , and a man named John \ -K -., wuin ^ t , J 7 UUIU , . UIU . 1 11 UMI Ut * iui ;» . l «""•¦¦ - 1

      worth , armed with pokers and other weapons , - -a' 11 down the road , but in the interim the ftU . " "' * li : l ' made their escape . Mr . Peacop had ecoiwf * ' - ™\ t fractures and injuries on the head , and biv- ; if . i ; ei ! I 1 - l » sl : it half-past seven o clook this niorriiii : ;" - - ' Rr-yzicr is rapidly recovering . A man of i ! i (> 'i ; lJ '' of Jones was arrested on suspicion of havi'i : ' " \ , concerned in the murder , but avo believe the •* ' ' ' - ^ j against him is very trifling , and that the m ; ir > l >*^ have hiiLcrto succeeded in eluding tho viyihiiicc" - tho police .

      &Ttfeent& &Lt;®Ffim«& $Wtnwitf& &C

      &ttfeent& <® ffim « & $ wtnwitf& &c

      Untitled Article

      THE MO ^ THERy STAR . r

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 11, 1845, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1297/page/6/