Liscard Petty Sessions

(Before Thomas Bouch and Charles Holland Esqrs.)

Violent Assault At Egremont -- A married woman named Ruth Pagh was brought up on warrant, charging her with having on the 18th of June, committed a violent assault upon her sister-in-law, at Egremont. From the statement of the complainant, and the evidence of Mr. Barnett, who witnessed the assault, it appeared that defendant had inflicted a serious blow upon complainant while she was in a delicate state of health. The case having been proved, the defendant was ordered to pay 7s. 6d. costs.

Wanton And Outrageous Cruelty To A Horse At New Brighton -- A young man of rather stylish appearance, his person being bedecked with a profusion of massice jewellery, who gave his name as Henry Heyman, living at No. 1, Great George's Square, Liverpool. was charged by Police Constable 99, with having on the previous evening wantonly and cruelly ill-used a horse at New Brighton, by stabbing it with a knife. The policeman deposed that he was in duty on Sunday evening on the Sands, near the Red Noses, at New Brighton, when he saw the prisoner with a horse. He was for some time apparently rubbing it with sand. He went up to him and found the horse had got two deep wounds. Having seen the prisoner throw something away, he searched and found a pair of gloves all covered with blood, which the prisoner admitted belonged to him, and which he said were of no further use as they were dirty. The prisoner admitted he had inflicted the wounds upon the horse with a knife, which the officer found in his possession, and which were deposed to be of considerable depth. The knife was produced, and was marked by blood stains nearly up to the handle. The magistrates remarked it was a very cruel and barbarous case, and were debating as to the punishment they should inflict, on of them urging that the prisoner should be sent to the gaol and whipped. At this point the father of the youth stepped forward, and expressed regret for the occurrence, and after some further consideration the magistrates ordered the prisoner to pay the costs of the proceedings (£1 5s. 6d.), and at the same time severely admonished the youth.

Fighting At Seacombe -- A young man of respectable appearance, who gave his name, Captain William Rowlands, of Liverpool, appeared to answer a second summons taken against him for fighting in the streets at Seacombe, on Sunday night, the 15th of June, with another man named Hadfield, and whose case had been previously adjudicated upon. This case was also before the court at the last sitting, but the defendant left the court before it was called on, leaving some person present to answer the charge. This party, when the case was called, stated that the defendant had gone away on important and pressing business. The police proved that he was in an adjacent public house at the time. The magistrates made some strong remarks upon the fraud, and instructed the police to make inquiries for the culprit. The charge against the prisoner, the magistrates, from the evidence adduced by the police, considered to have been proved, and ordered him to pay eleven shillings costs.

Drunk And Disorderly -- A youth apparently not more than about fifteen years of age called Robert Dean, son of Robert Dean of Wallasey, was charged with being drunk and disorderly on Saturday night the 19th of July, at Seacombe. The case was proved, and he was fined 5s. with an intimation that if brought up again he would be sent to gaol and whipped.

Plying For The Hire Of A Horse Without A License -- Robert Upton, a well-known character, living at Wallasey, was charged with plying for the hire of a horse at New Brighton, without having a license from the Wallasey Commissioners of the Local Board. The defendant alleged he had a licence, and produced a receipt for 5s., but it turned out that that amount had been paid on a requisition for a license to let for hire two asses, but from the explanation of T.K Uassill, Esq., the clerk to the board, even that had been refused by the board on account of the notoriously bad character of the defendant. Inspector Rowbottom read a list of no less than seventeen occasions that the prisoner had been before the court for one offence and another, after which the magistrates inflicted a fine of ten shillings and costs, in all 19s. 6d., and in default of payment to go to gaol. The prisoner was then locked up.

Keeping Open A Public House At Unlawful Hours -- Elizabeth Robinson Porter appeared to answer a summons for having on Sunday, the 6th of July, had her house, the Stanley Arms Hotel, at Seacombe, open at five minutes to one o'clock on Sunday morning the 6th inst., contrary to law. The Police deposed that on the day in question they went into the house and found eight men therein, five of whom had glasses before them, and one of whom drank from his glass in the presence of the Police. The men present were not travellers, but residents in the immediate neighbourhood. Mr. Michael Charlton, father of defendant, stepped forward, and explained that the men had entered the house some time before twelve o'clock on Saturday night, and had been repeatedly requested to leave, but could not be got out. He positively swore that no drink had been supplied to any of them after twelve o'clock. The previous character of the house being unblemished, the magistrates accepted the explanation, and dismissed the case on payment of costs.

Dog Fighting At Seacombe On Sundays -- George Jones, a labourer at Liscard, appeared to answer a summons for having been guilty of inviting two dogs to fight in the streets of Seacombe on Sunday the 15th of July, at eleven o'clock in the evening. The evidence in support of the charge having been given by the Police, a man named Wilson who said he was a labourer employed in the Canada Works at Birkenhead, was called as a witness for the defendant. He alleged that he lived in Wallasey, and was in a public house with the defendant and heard two dogs fighting, and that when they got into the street defendant found his dog was one of them. He denied that defendant had set his dog on to fight. The Magistrates however plainly told this witness they did not believe his story, and ordered the defendant to pay 5s. 6d. and costs.

Ill Using His Wife -- John Dickson, a fisherman living at Liscard, appeared to answer a summons for ill-using his wife. The wife said she did not wish to press the charge, and the presiding magistrate, Charles Holland, Esq. said he was aware she did not as the summons had been taken out on his instigation. It appeared the defendant was a kind husband when sober, but that latterly he had given way very much to drink, and when in that state he abused his wife. He had a strong lesson read to him, and was told that if he was brought up again, he would be sent to Chester Castle for six months.

Upton Again -- George Upton, a brother of Robert Upton, whose case it reported above, was charged with being drunk and disorderly on the 22nd of July, on the Sands of New Brighton, and also with using abusive language in the presence of some ladies. He was fined 5s. 6d.

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