The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-12-13 00:00:00

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A LUNATIC.

The Lunacy Commissioners have been requested by
the Greenwich Board of Guardians to investigate the
circumstances in connection with the death of
Thomas Southard, aged 37, a plasterer, of 2,
Hateliffe-strect, Greenwich, who died last week in
the Kent County Lunatic Asylum, at Barming-heath,
Maidstone, from injuries which he had received in an
unknown manner, the post-mortem examination re-
vealing that his chest bone had been broken and nine of
his ribs fractured. The clerk to the Greenwich Board
of Guardians had laid the following particulars before
the Commissioners: In consequence of the extraordi-
nary manner in which the deceased behaved at his
own house on the 6th of November he was taken
into custody by the police, strapped on a stretcher,
and conveyed to Greenwich Infirmary, and from this
institution he was, by order of the medical authori-
ties, removed to the County Asylum. He behaved in
such a manner that he was confined in a straight
jacket and put in the padded room. The deceased,
who did not complain of any injury, died in the
asylum last week. Dr. Davis, the medical super-
intendent of the asylum, made a post - mortein
examination, and found that death had resulted
from the injuries above mentioned, and gave
his opinion at the inquest, that the in-
juries, which could not have been self-
inflicted, were the result of direct violence
to which the deceased had been subjected be-
fore his admission to the asylum. In answer to ques-
tions as to how the injuries were sustained, Dr. Davis
said he supposed that the deceased had been knocked
down and then knelt on, and that this having snapped
the chest bone, it had when it sprung back broken the
ribs attached to it. The relieving officer for Green-
wich had reported that he had made every inquiry
and could not ascertain that the deceased had sus-
tained any injuries prior to his admission to the
asylum. The verdict of the jury at the inquest held
on the death of deceased was "That he died from
inflammation of the lungs, accelerated by the injuries
he had received, but how or by .whom they were in-
flicted there was no evidence to show.

SCENE—NURSERY. —Old family nurse, yellow and
wrinkled, to Miss Grace, aged seven, who is dressed
ready for children's party: " Ah, my dear, I was as
pretty as you, and had a skin like a lily when I was
your age." Miss Grace: "Oh, had you, nurse; then
it must have been like a Lent lily ! "—Moonshine.
A RUN ON THE REVEREND.—Scene: Our new
Curate's Lodgings.—Fair Caller: "You see, I wanted
to work Mr. Chasuble a pair of slippers, and I thought
you might lend me one of his old shoes, to get the
size." Curate's Landlady: "Law, Miss! the shoes is
all a-given out four days ago, and it was only yester-
day morning a lady, as had heer'd his shoes was all
bespoke, came here a-imploring of me to let her mea-
sure the wet marks on the reverend gentleman's bath-
room immedjiately he had gone out! "—Judy.

AN IRISH VIEW OF THE EXTENDED ,
istelianerms Intelligent%
FRANCHISE. EME, FOREIGN, AND COLOIk IL.
A Dublin Correspondent writes: "The great boon
of an extended franchise, which is to confer untold
benefits upon the people, is received here with aipi
parently a listless indifference, which would be very
disappointing to the donors, after all they have done
and suffered to secure it, if they were actuated by no
higher motive than a desire to win popularity in Ire.
land. Never was there a political measure of such
magnitude, unsettling the constitutional system of the
nation, and effecting a revolution of so sweeping and
startling, a character that its advocates would have
shrunk from it in alarm only a few years ago, which
has nevertheless excited so little interest in this
country. If it had not been for the agitation
which was caused by the demand of the Lords to see
the Redistribution Bill by which the new franchise
is to be worked out, the legislation which has
imposed so much labour upon the Imperial Par-
liament, and kept the Government so long in anxiety
and turmoil, would have attracted even less attention.
Even the excitement which appeared to be at boiling
heat at the other side of the Channel was looked at
from this side as if it were only superficial and arti-
ficial, having no more depth and reality than blazing
spirit on the surface of water. The mass of the people
for whose benfit the measure is intended do not seem
as yet to realise its importance. When they have
once had a taste of the electoral power which it will
confer, and find out that in future they will be able
to control Parliamentary representation in their own
interest, hitherto ignored or neglected, they will, there
can be little doubt, avail themselves fully of the fran-
chise, even though they feel no gratitude to the
British Government for conceding it. The agri-
cultural labourers may be expected to -play an im-
portant part in future elections. But they are un-
educated and unorganised, except as helpers of the
tenant farmers in their leagues, and a§ yet are wanting
in the independent spirit and resolution which are es-
sential to insure success in a movement to redress even
admitted grievances. They will soon learn, however, it
is remarkable that there has been no demonstration on
their part in support of the Bill, though indirectly its
importance has been recognised in connection with
the agitation for an amendment of the Labourers Act.
Few of the popular papers have any comments upon
the passing of the Franchise Bill, but the Seats Bill
is a subject of much curiosity and. concern. The
boroughs whose Parliamentary influence is to be
effaced are submitting to their fate with wonderful
resignation. Hardly a cry is heard from them, but
the constituencies which are to receive an accession
of representative strength are in high spirits, and are
discussing the probable arrangements for carrying
out the measure and its political effects. In Ulster,
and especially in the group of counties around Bel-
fast, the scheme is regarded by the Conservatives
with mingled satisfaction and apprehension. It is
predicted that the influence of the Liberal party. in
Ulster will be extinguished, and that the Conser-
vatives will also seriously suffer; but the Liberal
organs, remembering that such prophecies are not
new, are content to abide the issue."

Tan WIDOW OF BALFE.—The Queen has been
pleased to grant a pension of £BO a year from the Civil
List to Madame Balfe, widow of Michael William Balfe,
in t ecognition of his musical distinction.

EToX' COLLEGE._Saturday was Founders Day at
Eton College, but the anniversary, in consequence of
the recent death of the Rev. G. R. Dupuis, the late vice-
provost, was not observed by the authorities.
CAPTURE OF A SLAVE Duow.—Her Majesty's sloop
Osprey has captured a slave dhow. Upon seeing the
English war vessel the slave dealers threw a number, of
the slaves overboard, of whom six were drowned. The
slave trade is brisk on the coast of Zanzibar at the
present time.
WATER FROM ()HALL—A party of gentlemen in-
terested in the water supply of the country visited, on
Saturday, the "tunnels in the chalk " at the Goldstone
Bottom Waterworks at Brighton. The town is sup-
plied by water obtained from the chalk tunnels.
AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN.---The following
are the average prices of British corn for last week, as
received from the inspectors and officers of Excise:
Wheat, 30s. 10d. ; barley, 31s. 2d.; oats, 19s. 2d. per
imperial qr. Corresponding week last year: Wheat,
405.; barley, 325. 3d.; oats, 19s. 7d.
PICTURE SALE.—On Saturday Messrs. Christie sold at
their rooms the pictures belonging to the late Mr.
William Russell, Accountant-General to the Court of
Chancery, the sale being remarkable owing to the pur-
chase by the National Gallery authorities of the por-
trait of Mary Wolstonecraft (Mrs. Godwin), by J. Opie,.
R.A., for 220 guineas.
THE PANIC AT GLAsoow.—James Turner, the man in
custody charged with raising an alarm of fire at the
Star lheatre, Glasgow, and so causing a panic by which
14 persons were killed and as many injured, has been
liberated by order of the Crown counsel in respect of
insufficient evidence to establish a charge of culpable
homicide on which he had been committed for trial.
The statement of witnesses as to the locality in the
theatre in which the cry of "Fire !" was first raised
were most conflicting.
MAILS TO IRELAND.—On Saturday morning the Post-
master General received a deputation from the City of
Londonderry, who were accompanied by several mem-
bers of Parliament, to urge that the mails should be
accelerated to Londonderry and the North-West of
Ireland, which at present was 24 hours behind Belfast
with its Continental mails. It was pointed out that
the merchants of Belfast had the refusal of an order
before tho-e of Londonderry could reply. The deputa-
tion had relied upon having justice done them by Mr.
Fawcett, and they especially commented upon, the fact
that the law-abiding people of the North were worse
treated than the noisy and clamorous people of the
South of Ireland. Mr. Shaw-Lefevre said they were
negotiating with the Great Northern Railway of Ire-
land, and they hoped to be able to give them what they
dssired—viz., power to answer the letters the same day
that they were received.
ARREST or NIHILISTS. Intelligence from St.
Petersburg states that on the night of the 4th inst. 12
Nihilsts-10 men and two women—were surprised by
the police and arrested in one of the restaurants of the
capital. More than 40 arrests were made last week in
St. Petersburg. All the prisoners were conveyed to the
cif adel, owing to want of room in the House of .Deten-
tion.
THE CLAIMANT.—A piece o china plate bearing the,
name " Tichborne " in black t ters waz dug up near
the Canterbury barracks a short time ago, and being
secured by an admirer of the Claimant, was a few days
ago forwarded to him. In acknowledging the relic on
behalf of her father, the Claimant's daughter (who
signed herself Agnes Tichborne) stated that the plate
belonged to her father at Stoneyhurst College. Atten-
tion is, however, called to the fact that many years
back a dinner service called "The Tichborne service"
was sold by a Canterbury tradesman, each piece of
which had upon it the word" Tichborne," encircled by
a wreath. The pattern is now out of sale but several
persons possess more or less complete sets, marking
of which exactly corresponds with the " Stoneyhurst
relic."

SOMNAMBULISM.—A strange case of somnambulism
has just occurred at Ashford, where a young woman.
named Post performed a curious feat. The girl, who
-
was living in service, was heard by her master and mis-
tress to leave her bedroom early in the morning and
go out by the side door. It turned out afterwards that
the girl had been dreaming that she was to leave her
situation. While still sleeping she got up, packed all
her things, locked her box, and walked away fully
dressed, but quite unconscious, in the direction of her -
home, a few miles from the town. She remained in
that condition until she reached Godinton-park-gate,
where she stumbled against a stone, and became con-
scious of what she was doing. The girl arrived home
in a very agitated condition.
THE LATE DUKE OF ALDANY.—A fine portrait of the
late Duke of Albany has just been presented by her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Albany to the Board of
Management of the Chelsea Hospital for Women to be
hung in the board-room. The late duke was much In-
terested in the work of the hospital, and it was only a
few months before his death that he, with the Duchess,
opened the new building of 63 beds in the Fulham-road,
and named a floor" The Albany."
PRINCESS FREDERICA OF HANOVER.—On Saturday
evening a series of Saturday Popular Concerts was in-
augurated at the Peckham Public-hall, Rye-lane, when
the Princess Frederica of Hanover, accompanied by her
husband, Baron Von Pawell Rammingen. attended.
The concerts are under the direction of Mr. Clement
Hoey. Sir Julius Benedict had been announced to
conduct, but he was unavoidably prevented from attend-
ing.

LOCKED us' rt.T A SAFE.—Early on Friday forenoon
last week a workman while engaged at the construction
of a large fireproof strongroom in new offices being
ereeted for Messrs. Cobb Brothers, Dundee, entered
the innermost recess of the safe. He unfortunately
pushed back the door, which is f tted with a self•acting
lock, the result being that he was closely imprisoned.
The key of the door was in Birmingham, where the
makers of the safe have their headquarters, and the
workman remained a prisoner till Saturday at midday,
when the key, which had been telegraphed for, arrived
by train from Birmingham. Luckily for the workman,
there was an aperture in the door, through which Fol.
visions were supplied to him during his involuntary
confinement.

THE, PRINCESS OF TANJORE.—The petition which Mr.
M.D. Kavanagh, LL.D.. barrister-at-law, has drawn to
present to the Earl of Kimberley on behalf of his client;
her Highness the Princess of Tanjore, to increase her
stipend, is being numerously signed by members of the-
Houses of Lords and Commons. Lord. Napier and Et-
trick, writing to the learned counsel, says: "The an-
nexation of the state of Tanjore may have been one of
questionable political morality. Ido not defend it in'
principle. I regard it as an irrevocable act of public
policy. The family have consequently the strongest
claim on the indulgence and generosity of the Govern-
ment."

Mn. CHAMBERLAIN ON MUNICIPAL Pouncs.—Mr.
Chamberlain, replying to a resolution forwarded to him
by the Glasgow Liberal Six Hundred, writes as follows:
"It is an advantage to the Liberal cause in Birmingham
to make the municipal contests political. A better
class of candidates for the Town Council is got. It
politics are excluded the contest will be fought on per-
sonal and petty issues. A Conservative in Imperial
politics is likely to stand still in municipal politics. A.
Liberal will be mcze useful in the Town Council than a
Tory."