The Quarter Sessions of this Borough commenced on Monday last, before the worshipful Thomas CASE Esq. Mayor, James CLARKE Esq. Deputy Recorder and R GOLIGHTLY and W.W. CURRIE Bailiffs
The prisoners were not nearly so numerous as usual, and the nature of their offences, and the sentences of those who were convicted were so much of the usual kind tat we shall not trouble our readers with many particulars. We cannot, however, pass over in silence the suspicions which have existed as to some appearance of the blood-money system in this town.
It appears that in January last, three boys who had committed burglary in the house of Mr RIGBY, in Highfield-street, were apprehended through the agency of a publican, in that street, who had acted under the direction of Mr MILLER in affording some facilities to the boys for depositing the stolen property on is premises. The publican had overheard the boys, when drinking in his house, discoursing upon various robberies they had successfully effected; he contrived to get into conversation with them, in the course of which they showed great ability in the slang language. They requested him to “fence them a tattler” (buy a stolen watch) and they would be glad if he could take a few “stompers” (shoes). They were going to “make a crack” (break into a house) that night and should like to bring their goods into his yard, as their “fencing ken” (receiving house) was too distant, and he should go halves, if he would not “snitch” (inform). The robbery took place, and when the booty was brought in, the publican caused the apprehension of the offenders. Mr RIGBY and other witnesses were bound over to appear at the Lancaster Assizes, to which the boys were committed, for the burglary; but the suspicions which arose in the public mind from the circumstances of the publican acting under the direction of the police, induced several of the magistrates to institute a rigid inquiry into the business and to alter the commitment for burglary to that of felony, for conviction of which no reward is provided; and to enable the prisoners to bring evidence to the bar, of any inducements to crime from such a quarter, the trial was ordered to take place in Liverpool instead of Lancaster. No evidence to this effect appeared on the trial, and the publican distinctly swore that he had never eard that there was any reward for the apprehension of burglars. The boys were sentenced to twelve months imprisonment.
We are well satisfied that the inhabitants of this town will never submit to the introduction here, of a system which, in other places, has led to perjury and to the shedding of innocent blood, for the sake of money; and we have particular pleasure in being authorised to say, that the magistrates are determined to crush such a system on its very first approach,
The two young women who succeeded in robbing a house, some weeks ago by duping the servant woman, with the pretence of fortune telling, have, at these sessions, had their fortunes told, by the learned Recorder; who foretold, that, for the next six months, they would be kept in confinement in the house of correction
Caryl Williams www.old-liverpool.co.uk Old