The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-05-14 00:00:00

4d. per sheet of 16 pages; to the Government at
Assuming each volume to consist of 60 sheets, the
pion per volume (less the binding) will be 20s. ti the
pubhc, 15t. to the Government. It would be very
convenient to the public it they could be upon the
name footing as the Government in regard to the
" promulgation" of the statutes ; the higher price
charged to the public tends to make the statutes a
sealed book.
AVOIDING THE CONENVIPTION.--A. curious case
has been lately occupying the attention of the Prussian
law courts, which from the novelty of the charges pre-
ferred egainst the defendants deserves a pawing notice.
Six brothers of the name of Dieckhoff, residing in dif-
ferent parts of Prussia, were charged with the offence
of fraudulently aiding and abetting young men to evade
military service. The two remarkable 'pints; which
transpired in the course of the trial were the extensive
scale of the organisation for this purpose, and the
marvellous skill erinced by the accused in carrying cut
their unlawful practices. The planithey adopted was to
produce artificially symptoms of disease, amounting to
disqualification, on the young men bound to serve, and
this they appear to have done so successfully as to have
taken in many army doctors in different pasta of the
kingdom. 'Thus palpitation of the heart was induce,l
I y dieing the reluctant warrior with strong coffee ant
Burgundy wine, or by canning him to smoke tobacco,
strengthened by schnaps ( hemorrhage was imitated by
pig's blood mixed with vinegar ; various sores stew
imitated by the stings of bees, for which purporso
August Dieckholt always had with him a small boy
tilled with these insects the eyes Were touched with
caustic to make the eight defective, and enlargement
of the pupils caused by striking them with atropin.
One of the brothers was besides aarged with having
represented himself a, a Governmeut Commissions x
for the receipt of the necessary sums for przrchaaing Ors
privilege of freedom from military service ; and Gine
between duping the doctors and the recruits, GM seem
to have realised a handsome fortune.
A Pious NEGRO.—The following is from dr,
".Editor's Drawer," in Harper's New Monthly Maga.

zinc :
There used to be a pious old negro fir Rotten named
Cmsar, and he was hi the habit of preying vi loudly as ti
heard by many of the neighbours. On toning for the lagh.t
his petition invariably was : ° Lord, send dy angel for ob,
Cteur—old Csesar always ready." One evening two of hi:.
neighbours, good Men, but sometimes bored by his "SOW,
thought they would try him on. They took position at hibi
door, and when the usual petition was made that "the Lori
would send the angel," ole Omar being always ready, thcl
knocked loudly et the door. "Who der?" said the darkeY•
" rhe angel of the Lord, come for old Omar," was the replY•
Out wen; the light, a scrambling into bed was heard, inet
then in trembling voice, that same old uncle said, °Ho
due !go way I Ole Crowe bin dead dis ten year !"
MATRIMONIAL CHARCES.—(From the Manch c;-
ter .E.caminer):—
"An English gentleman 291, in business, who hex abo
small private means, Umiak,ua to marry—As this is a gen nit, o
a lvertisement, none hut bon& fide answers need be .005 to.
C 11. W., Post-office, Bradford.'
" A gentleman, aged 25, of very good family and fair pro-
spects, wishes to corres;,ond with a young lady of education
and independent means, with a view to marriage; strictly
boni fide —Addrew (in the first instance), enclosing carte,
Cantab, Post-office, Harpurhey, Manchester."
Wanted, by widower ;honk fide), swell brought-up and
educated young lady or widow, between 24 and 30, to takc
charge of his private establishment and small family of ill,
three provided for, with a view to matrimony state means.
—Address A. S. W., Post Office, Cheetham Rill."
"A gentleman, having £6OO in cash, about emigrating to a
pleasant part Of America, would like to marry • lade who
would not object to accompany him. A healthy, inlitlettio
servant girl, from 18 to 24, of good character and pleaso,
appearance not objected to —Address,"
SHIP STRUCK By LIGHTNINO.—In mid-ocean
on the 18th of April the ship flunnas Freeman, Cap-
tain Charles Owen, which had left New Orleans thir-
teen days before, was struck by a thunderbolt, whicli
made a hole about two feet square on the port side oft
the veasel. Soon after the shock, which prostrated se
on board, the vessel was found to be on fire. The hosts
were got ready for leaving the ship in case of necessity,
but every effort was made to keep down the fire. At
midnight the ship was on fire at all parts, the pitch
frying out of the seams on deck. Early in the mortis-
ing the brig Omega, of tdney, C. 8., Captain K,rr,
from Cienfuegos, was signalled, and, promptly respond-
ing, took off the ship's company, including two ladies—
the wife and daughter of the captain. On the 20th
Captain Laird, of the Dacian, Paw, it is supposed, the
ship still horning in latitude 37 7 North, and Isingi-
tude 7015 West.
CURE YOR SEA-SICHNEES.—So many staffer, says
the Seientilic Review, from this disagreeable malady, then
it will give general satisfaction to learn that a con-
trivance for diminishing oscillation of vessels has beers
invented. It consist' in sopporting a hollow frame
of wood, iron, or other gni* able naa.erial, on pivots
affixed to pillars or supports in any suitable part of the
vessel. Inside this frame andsupported by other pivoto
placed on two of the arms thereof (the axial line of these
said pivots being at right angles tothe axial line of those
before mentioned), is suspended a circular couch or
sofa, the sectional form of which is that of a hemis-
phere or basin, the said frame and couch being so sum
pended in relation to each other and to the vessel that
oscillation is reduced to a minimum, thus preventing
the unpleasant feeling consequent on the rolling and
other movements of a vessel at sea.
ANOTHER STILF.—Y es another style ! This
time it iou otolc—of doing the hair; a while since it
was a gait—the "Alexandra limp," which had caught
tine tleefiniz fancy of all the charming young ladies,
for whom Judy has no maternal an affection. It is
called, we are told, "The Cleopatra." Toe hair is
brushed high r if the forehead, and braideil low on the
neck, surmounted by a large imitation snake, which
ii
coiled around the head. Is not thin sweetly pretty?
Such a style as this is, of course, simply a-door-able !
—Judy.
A DUEL PREVENTED.—The Newcastle detec-
tives have succeeded in preventing a duel, which wtar
arranged to take place between two Danes, on the
Town Moor, at eight o'clock on Sunday morning. Tine
principals in the intended duel were attended on the
ground by five of their countrymen and a Swede.
Fifteen paces were mark.d out, and the weapons (two
pi.tols), ready capped, had been produced, when the
officers arrived. Abe cause of the quarrel was a love
affair. Tile officers took possession of the pistols, and
pot the names of all concerned. One of the seconds
alleged that though the principals were in earnest the
rest were not, and that the weapons were only loaded
with powder and wax balls.
A MAN's REASON—We can never feel tho
"Electoral Diaabilities " of Women a hardship while
we have so much doubt about their Electoral Abilities.
Punch.

- ---
MOTHERLY AFFLCTION. A few days ago a
singular instance of motherly love was brought under
the notice of the She! field magistrates. The mother of
a lad who stood charged with pooketspicking had
come all the way from America to him the moment
she heard he was in custody h. re, and she now pro-
duced a return ticket for recrossing the Atlantic the
moment her unworthy son got liberty. Under the
circumstances the chief constable was instructed to
liberate the prisoner on finding the story told by the
mothsr was accurate.
ANOTH ER DF.AT a FROM HYDROPHOBIA.—AH
inquest he, been held at the General Hospital, Not-
tingham. fn ti”.l.,siy of John Pinder. a boy fourteen
years oh ate. Oa the Wednesday after Christmas Day
the decefi,ial was cooking a piece of meat before the
fire, aid his cousin, a little girl, wad sitting near with
a back and tan terrier deg on her lap. The dog tried
to get at the meat, when deceased pushed it back. The
animal at once flew at the deceased and bit him in the
face. The wound was burnt with caustic, and appeared
to be getting better. A few days ago, however, he was
seiz-fl with hydrophobia, and taken to the hospital,
where he died. The surgeon described the boy's suffer-
ings as comparatively light A verdict to the effect
that the deceased had died from the bite of a dog wise
returned.

A 'NOUGAT FOB A TOEER.—A man may
properly be said to have been drinking like a fish, when
he finds that he has taken enough to make his head
swim.—Punch.

PROPOSED LAW ON SEQUESTRATION. The
Bishop of Winchester's Bill, now before the House of
Lords, proposes to abolish sequestration of the protitd
of a benefice for debt, and provides in lieu thereof that
ca debtors
„ditor, summons
ando.defa may a be
iny
payombetnaitnted he bdy a j
ebtorudingamyeinit,,
adjudged bankrupt. If he fails to obtain his order of
discharge within a certain period, and a representation
to that effect shall be made to the Bishop by the Judge
having cognizance of the bankruptcy, it is to oe lav ful
for the Bishop, after giving the bankrupt sufficient
opportunity of showing reason to the contrary, sum-
marily and without further process to declare that the
bankrupt has forfeited his benefice. An appeal may
be made to the Archbishop, who is to confirm or annul
this decision as to him shall appear just and proper. The
judgment of the Bishop, if not annulled, is to be pub-
lished in the Gazette, and the benefice will become void,
and the patron may present thereto. .
SNAKE-BITE CURED BE THE APPLICATION OF A
CO.VL OE FIRE—Dr. Perkins writes to the Galveston
Medical Journal :—A young man, eighteen years of
age, was bitten by a very large rattlesnake (5 feet
long) on the arm, above the elbow. A coal of fire was
applied a short time after he was bitten. I 88W tigli
two hours after the accident, when he appeared very
much prostrated, and was vomiting every few minuted
—pulse very small and frequent, complaining constantly
of the burn, which was severe. I gave him freely of
diluted alcohol. Ills recovery was rapid, and the swel-
ling in the arm slight. The question now is, did the
fire do any good? I think it did not only by deetri y-
ing the virus, to a considerable extent, but also ty pro-
ducinc a local incapacity in the veins and absorbent
vessels to perform their functions. I think, in all pro
bability. he would have died befor the alcohol vas
given, if the fire had not been applied.
QUESTIONS TO BE DECIDED. When Lord
Hartlimere died recently, it was assumed that his son,
Mr. Benniker•Major, would at once resign his seat for
East Suffolk. The delay in proceeding to a new
election is connected with a curious question. It
appears that when a vacancy occurs in the House of
Commons owing to a member succeeding to the other
House, no writ can issue until such member proves his
right so to succeed. It is sail to be the opinion of uu st
competent authorities that it would be in the power of
an eccentric or cantankerous person to delay the issue
of the writ, and so far disfranchise his late constituency
for the remainder of the term of that Parliament.
Another question which has never been settled is,
whether a member having a prinuf facie right to a
peerage, but not having proved such right, may or may
not sit and vote in the House of Commons. If these
questions
oughttloasree
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theehl tßeCirr°t. r:CliiiPiktrhuPlE:ll:Mcs FOR. iEnl ill"wtT Ihl
Bombay
defendingm.Oyi the
High
Court, was committed for contempt by the Judge, Sir
Charles Sargent. At tbe close of the case the Judge
said—Mr. Anetey, I committed yen in order to rnsin-
tain peace and quietness in tie Court. That r bj.ct
has been attained, and there is no occasion for detaining
you further, and you may therefore consider yourself
discharged and the matter at an end. To this Mr.
Anstey replied—lt shill not and with me, and then
quitted the aunt,