The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-31 00:00:00

The aITERN'S TOURNEY to BALMORAL.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice, ar-
rived at Balmoral on Friday afternoon in last week.
The Royal train, which left Windsor at half-past Son
the previous night, oonsistpd of fourteen vehicles, the
saloon in which her Majesty travelled being in the
centre.' The route was via Reading, Oxford, Lea-
mington, Birmingham, and Carlisle. Larbert was
reuched at 8.36, and here there was a hart of nine
minutes. At all the stations en route, Perth excepted,
the public were strictly exclu.ded from the platforms
while the train was passing. At Perth the party
breakfasted at the refreshment- rooms, which were
decorated with flowers sent from the residences of
noblemen in the district. The train reached Ferry-hill
Station, Aberdeen, at 1 12, two minutes before the
advertised time; ;Among those who attended
to pay respect to her Majesty were the
convener and sherif of the county, the Lord
Provost and magistrates of Aberdeen, the chair-
man and deputy chairman of the Great North of
Scotland Railway, the chief constable of the city, and
the county and other officials. Mr. Badenoch
Nicholson and Mr. Littlejohn, directors of the
Caledonian Railway, travelled with the train from
Perth. When the train steamed into the station the
Queen stood up at oue of the windows of the saloon,
seeming to take much interest in the little crowd
assembled on the bank in front of the train. Her
Majesty remained standing until some letters were
brought to her. There was a touching and appro-
priate silence on the part of the spectators as the
train moved off, in striking contrast with the hearty
cheers which usually signal the departure of her
Majesty. Notwithstanding the silence which signified
the sympathy of the people on the first occasion the
Queen has appeared among them since the death of her
son, her Majesty and the Princess Beatrice bowed
graciously till they were out of sight. The journey
up Deeside was completed at 2.40. At Ballater her
majesty was received by a guard of honour of the 79th
(Cameron) Highlanders, under the command of
Captain Napier, Lieutenant Wolrige Gordon, and
Lieutenant Irving. Her Majesty and the Princess
Beatrice, taking their seats in an open carriage, then
went on to Balmoral along the north side of the river.
It was intended to proceed by the south side, which
is much more shelter•d, the weather being very warm,
but as a new bridge is being built across the Dee at
Ballater it was decided to take the north side. Bal-
moral was reached at 3.30.

CONVICTION OF AN INNOCENT MAN.
At the Central Criminal Court, John Willoughby,
a prisoner who was brought from Pentonville Prison,
where he is undergoing a sentence of eight years'
penal servitude, was indicted for stealing fowls.
This case was a rather remarkable one from the
circumstances connected with it. The prisoner was
tried in January last before Mr. Justice Hawkins for
wounding the owner of the fowls in question, it being
alleged that he was detected in the act by him, and
made a desperate attack on the prosecutor and
made his escape. Since his conviction, from
certain facts that transpired, it turned out that
the prisoner had been wrongfully convicted, and that
he was entirely innocent of the crime of which he
was convicted. This being the state of things it was
considered proper by the authorities that the prisoner
should be sent to take his trial for the fowl stealing,
in order that the whole matter might be inquired
into. A number of witnesses were now examined,
who proved clearly that the prosecutor on the charge
of wounding must have been mistaken in speaking to
the identity of the prisoner.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and Mr.
Poland remarked that there was no doubt there had
been a mistake on the previous trial, and that the
prisoner was wrongfully convicted.
The prisoner wished to know what recompense
he was to have for what he had suffered unjustly.
Mr. Justice Field said that he had no doubt the
matter would receive consideration in the proper
quarter.