The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-10-04 00:00:00

A NOVEL CYCLING RACE.

On Monday a novel kind of cycling competition
took place on the Crystal Palace track at Sydenham.
The contestants were Mr. G. Lacy Hillier, ex-
amateur champion, and Major Thomas Knox
Holmes. The former gentleman rode a racing
bicycle and Major Holmes a tricycle. The con-
ditions were that Mr. Hillier, whose age is 28, had
to concede his opponent, who is 78 years old, a mile
for every year's difference in their respective ages
during a ten-hours' ride. The bicyclist had, there-
fore, to ride five miles an hour faster throughout
than the veteran tricycle rider. A start was made
shortly after eight a.m., and despite a high wind and
one or two sharp showers of rain, Hillier went along
very well, beating record time for from fifty-one to
fifty-four miles (inclusive). He indulged in two
rests, one of twenty-six minutes, and another of over
ten after this, whilst the veteran was only absent
from the path for a little over five minutes, and
eventually the major won, covering 115 miles 250
yards (without reckoning fifty miles allowed) to
Hillier's 156 miles 240 yards.

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The number of visitors to the Health Exhibition for
the week ending September 27 was 185,203; total since
the opening, 3,096,676.
The death is announced in Lisbon on Saturday of
Senor C. M. de Paiva Lopez Gams, the Brazilian
Minister to Portugal.
The traffic receipts of the Suez Canal on Friday
amounted to 170,000 fr., against 170,000 fr. on the corre,
sponding day last year.
A glass coach is being built for Emperor William,
so that he may attend manceuvres, parades, and other
public ceremonies in bad weather without being expased
to cold and wet.
A franchise demonstration at Wimbledon was marked
by a sad and fatal accident. Mr. E. Thurston Hollaisd,
the chairman of the Radical Association, was to hasve
presided, and met the procession on the common; but
just before taking his place at its head, he fell to the
ground, and almost immediately expired.
At Whitney, early on Saturday morning, an engineer
named Rose, who was ill-using his wife and about to
throw her down stairs, was shot by his son w:th a re-
volver. It took effect in his eye, and he died on Sunday.
The young man is in custody.
A friendly society's service was held atWindsor parish
church on Sunday afternoon. The members of the Odd
Fellows, Foresters, and other clubs wearing their regalia,
and accompanied by bands, marched from the Eton
Brocas to the church, the bells ringing merrily during
the procession. The sermon was preached by the
Rev. Canon Gee, the vicar, and the offertories will be
given to the Windsor Infirmary and St. Andrew's Hos-
pital, Clewer.
Lloyd's agent at Buenos Ayres telegraphed on Sunday
that the Easington (British steamer), which aarived at
Buenos Ayres on Saturday from Liverpool, took fire in
port and burnt to the water's edge. Was scuttled to ex-
tinguish fire. Her cargo consisted of 1600 tons of
general goods.
Loss OF LIFE AT SEA.—The Deal lugger Renown
arrived home on Saturday night and reported the loss
of two of her crew. When off Beachy Head the lugger
punt in boarding a vessel was capsized by a
heavy sea, and William Trott, Richard Hall,
and Simon Pritchard were precipitated into the
water. A boat was lowered from the vessel, but before
it could reach the spot Trott and Hall were drowned.
Pritchard was rescued, but not until be had been in the
water half an hour. Hall leaves a wife and family, and
Trott was the main support of a widowed mother.
A sad fatal bathing accident was witnessed at Fresh-
water Gate, Isle of Wight, on Sunday morning. While
the wind was blowing very hard from the south-west,
with a strong flood tide, heavy sea, and immense
breakers were running, a young gentleman, 21, the
only son of Colonel Archer, who has for a few weeks
been staying with his mother, an invalid, at The Glen,
Freshwater Bay, being an expert swimmer, attempted
to swim the breakers. After battling with them for some
time, he was observed from the shore to be in peril
and a boat was instantly launched, but it was unable to
reach him and he perished.
The screw steamer Glencoe, of Middlesbrough, 310
tons register, belonging to Bell Brothers, Middles-
brough, went ashore on Saturday morning at Plough
Seat, Holy Island, and it is expected to become a total
wreck. The vessel was built in 1807 at Middles-
brough.
Several of the Rentishl.7nions have taken contracts for
the supply of flour at prices lower than have ever been
known. In one instance the price per sack was 245. 6d.,
and in another 265. 6d.
False hair is expected to go up in price should the
war between France and China prove long and serious.
Most of the artificial locks now imported come from
China.

A Democratic barbecue was held last week at Shelby-
ville, Indiana, 40,000 persons attending. Tables were
set at which 6000 persons were fed at the same time.
Thirty oxen and sixty sheer were roasted, and waggon
loads of other eatables were also provided. Speeches
were delivered, and there was a torchlight procession in
the evening.
Penny savings banks have been introduced in Ceylon,
and the natives take kindly to the scheme, though they
are not generally a saving race.
Thz., Ameer of Afghanistan is suffering from a severe
attack of gout. The people of Kunar with their
families have deserted their homes owing to the levy of
taxes.

The police at Spa have paid visits at night to the
Casino and the Union Club there, as they were suspected
of permitting the playing of baccarat. At the Union
Club the players were surprised in the act, and the
stakes and implements of the game were seized.
The Russian camp at Mery is not placed at Koshihed
Khan Kala, but some distance on the bank of the river,
The traffic between Mery and Askabad is largely in-
creasing; high wages at Askabad are attracting the
border people to settle there.
Last week's receipts of cotton at all United States
ports were 118,000. bales; since Ist September, 257,000
bales. Week's exports to Great Britain, 31,000 bales;
ditto to Continent, 4000. Total since Ist September,
88,000 bales; stock at all ports, 226,000 bales; stock
at interior towns, 25,000 bales.

A Vienna telegram says: A shocking outrage is
reported from Clek, in the county of Arnd, Hungary.
The house of a well-to-do farmer, who happened to be
away from home, was entered at night by a band of
ruffians, who being interrupted in their search for
plunder by the farmer's wife, strangled her and after-
wards hanged the body to a tree. Three of the
murderers have been apprehended.

The cholera epidemie'llas already cost the Continent
over 41- millions of money by the absence of the
ordinary summer tourists. Switzerland is the greatest
sufferer, as this year her holiday harvest has been
almlst nil, owing to the dread both of infection and
quarantine.
Telegrams can now be posted in letter-boxes through-
out Germany, although the circulation is solely re-
stricted to the Empire itself. The message need simply
be written on ordinary paper, and endorsed, "Tele-
gram," and the tariff rate can either be attached in
postage-stamps or paid by the receiver.
The Queen has given instructions to the Minister of
Crathie to intimate from the pulpit that all outstanding
books belonging to the Royal Free Library at Balmoral
are to be returned at once, as it is her Majesty's inten-
tion to refurnish the library with new book's. The lib-
rary is an extensive and valuable one, and comprises
editions of all-the standard works in English literature.
In order to assist in developing the fresh water
fisheries of this country, the Council of the National
Fish Culture Association have determined to form an
establishment for the culture of river fish of all descrip-
tions, in addition to various species of trout, for the
purpose of stocking public waters.
Work on the Severn Tunnel has been going on for
more than eleven years, and in less than twelve
months this gigantic undertaking will be com-
pleted. The Severn Estuary is 21 miles wide where the
tunnel passes under. A tunnel of 41. miles was sanc-
tioned by Parliament, but the actual length of the
tunnel will be 7664 yards.
The death has been chronicled at Buenos Ayres of
Senor Nicholas Anchelena, who was probably the
richest farmer in the world. His property is said to
have consisted of 1710 square miles of land, 152,000
cows, and 500,000 sheep, together with a considerable
amount of house property in the city. The assets at
the time of his death were £2,400,000.
The following is a return of the quantity sf meat,
Ice., consumed in a year in a large London hotel:
87,0001b5. of beef, 19,0001b5. of mutton, 78001bs. of
lamb, 51,8771b5. of chicken, 20,0001b5. of butter, 28,000
dozens of eggs, and 68,000 quarts of milk.
From a Parliamentary return issued on Saturday it
appears that the total number of Martini-Henry rifles
in the hands of British troops is 225,619, of which
118,493 are distributed to Infantry of the Line, 89,177 ,
to the Militia, and 12,665 to Rifle Volunteers. The
number required to arm the remainder of the Volun-
teers would be 158,367, and there are 281,178 in store.
A Reuter's telegram from Lille states that a great
fire broke out at half-past three on Sunday afternoon in
the white lead manufactory of M. Faure. The local
fire brigade was called out, but had great difficulty in
mastering the conflagration, which threatened to assume
considerable proportions.
At a meeting of the Court of Aldermen, on Saturday,
it was resolved that the retention of the services of
Bartholomew Binns as public executioner for the City
of London should no longer be continued. Binns,
it will be remembered, was appointed to the post at
Mar wood's death.

Alderman Mellor, Mayor of Huddersfield, on Satur-
day afternoon opened a new public park for the town.
It consists of thirty acres, of which ten are to be used for
playground. The ground, which is centrally situated,
and cost £30,000, has been beautifully laid out under
the personal superintendence of the borough surveyor.
The proceedings commenced with luncheon given by
the Mayor, to a large number of local gentlemen, and
speeches were delivered, in which great stress was laid
upon the necessity for parks and open spaces in all
large towns. A procession was formed to the park,
and at the gates a gold key was presented to the Mayor,
who formally declared the park open.
A New York telegram states that the visible supply of
wheat on Sept. 26 was 22,400,000 bushels, as against
20,100,000 bushels the previous week. Visible supply
of Indian corn, 5,400,000 bushels, as against 5,700,000
bushels the previous week. The export clearances of
wheat for Europe during last week amounted to
1,130,000 bushels; the export clearances of Indian corn
for Europe duringthe previous week amounted to 250,000
bushels.

Fred. Morley, the well-known professional cricketer,
died at his residence, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts. on
Sunday morning. He had been ailing for a lona time
past, and played in but few games after his return
from Australia, which he visited with the Hon. Ivo
Bligh's team last year. The cause of death was cull-
gestion of the lungs, although he has been suffering
from dropsy of late. In his day he was about the best
fast bowler in England, and the news of his death will
be received with regret in cricket circles.
_

From the "St. Petersburg Herald" we learn that a
formidable Russian rival is in the field to the experi-
mental balloon at Meudon. Captain Kosztowitz is
building at Okhta a large cigar-shaped balloon, 200 ft.
in length and 80ft. in height, including the car, which
he has furnished with a screw and also with wings. He
considers that he will be able to take a crew of 16 men
and 2501 b. of ballast, at the rate of 40 German miles an
hour, and the experimental trip is expected to take
place early next month.
The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens,
Regent's-park, London, during last week included a
green monkey, a Ludio monkey from West Africa, pre-
sented by Mr, A. Bowden; an Australian fruit bat from
Australia; presented by Captain C. D. Long; a tawny
owl, British, presented by Miss H. Freeman ; a Coypu
rat, from South America, presented by Mr. Frank
Parish, F.Z. S. ; two black-billed tree ducks from Antigua,
West Indies, presented by Mr. C. Arthur Shand; a
black-cap, British, presemed by Mr. H. Keilich ; a
Spanish terrapin, South European, presented by Master
A. Brierly •, a horned lizard from California, presented
by Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, F.Z.S. ; an Indian python
from Ceylon ,Kesep tea
,by Mr. Alfred A. A. Dalmege,
F.R.G.S. ; a %mind monkey from India, two North
African jackals from Spain, deposited; tic° half-collared
turtle doves, two triangular-spotted pigeons, two bronze-
spotted doves, four harlequin quails, an Allen's por-
phyrio from West Africa, received on approval; a
Levaillant's Cynictis, three-long-fronted gerbilles born
in the gardens.--" Nature."

At W arrmgton on Sundhy night a man named George
Leyland as so savagely kicked by another man named
William Taylor that his depositions were taken.
At Southport on Monday, Charles Turvey, 16, was
charged with stealing a purse, containing £2 75., and
other articles, the property of the Rev. the Earl of
Mnlgrave. While his lordship was bathing the prisoner
was seen coming from his clressing-room with the purse
in his hand. Lord Mulgrave did not wish to press the
case, and the magistrates' taking into consideration the
prisoner's youth and that this was his first offence, im-
posed a fine of £5 and costs.
An inquest was held at Dover on Monday as to the
death of a private in the York and Lancashire Regi-
ment named Gallagher, who was found lying in a
trench 40ft. deep, near the Drop Redoubt, with his
neck broken. Gallagher, who had been in the service
fifteen years, and bore a good character, was one of the
men who last week received the Soudan medal. A
verdict in accordance with the evidence was returned.
A young man named Thomas Sheehan has met with
a shocking death. On Sunday nighc he was driving
from Ennis to Kilrush, and when passing a dangerous
and unprotected part of the road his horse swerved.
Sheehan got down from his car and went to the horse's
head, whereupon the animal jumped off the road into a
deep morass. Sheehan' who clung to the animal, was
literally buried beneath its weight, only his left knee
being visible above the surface. The horse was also
killed.
A family named M'Dennis, consisting of mother and
four children, were on Monday morning landed at
Queenstown in a most destitute condition from the
White Star steamer Celtic, from New York. Mrs.
INl‘Dennis stated that her husband accompanied them
to Boston last May, the family having availed them-
selves of the Government emigration scheme, but
while travelling on the Minnesota railway her husband
fell out of the carriage and was killed. Their passages
home were paid by the railway company.
A coroner's jury at Stonehouse, Devon, on Monday
returned a verdict of" Manslaughter" against a sailor-
boy, named Matthews, who is charged with having
caused the death of a comrade name!! Wilson, on board
her Majesty's brig Nautilus. Matthews for some un-
explained reason, struck Wilson. The latter offered to
"make it up" on the spot, but Matthews refused, and
the next day they fought. Wilson afterwards died of
extravasation of blood on the brain.

Alfred Powell, a young man between 17 and 18 years
of age, was charged on Monday at Mold Sessions with
an assault under the following peculiar circumstances:
Three or four weeks ago Powell, who is a labourer, was
conveying a Joao oi 'erns na c---
Kinnerton. Two boys were with him, and one, named
Thomas John Davies aged about eight years, was
swinging on the back of the cart. Powell struck the
boy on the head with the handle of a pike. Nothing
serious was anticipated, but in a few days inflammation
set in and the boy died. Powell was remanded on bail
to await the result of the coroner's inquiry.
At Dewsbury on Monday a fire occurred at an oil
store belonging to the Mirfield Colliery Company, and
did damage to the amount of £3OO. A policeman named
Shewan, and a man in the employ of the company
named Shires, were burned about the hands and face
through an explosion of paraffin while engaged in ex-
tinguishing the flames.
At the last Liverpool Assizes Miss Ann Houghton, of
Cronton, near Prescot, obtained a verdict for £250 for
breach of promise against Joseph Henry Haythorn-
waite farmer, near Burnley. The defendant having
failed to pay the damages, Miss Houghton, through her
solicitor, on Monday filed a petition in bankruptcy
against the defendant.
At the Rhondda Valley Police-court on Monday, two
young colliers named Edward Watking and John
Morgan Ford were remanded charged with the man-
slaughter of William Jenkins. Jenkins remonstrated
with the accused for illtreating a drunken man, and
struck one of them, whereupon they jumped upon him
and injured him so severely that his death ensued.
According to the " Samarski Gazette" there is
living in the town of Sysran an old man aged 127. His
age is "indubitably attested." He was wounded in the
Battle of Borodino and afterwards entered Paris with
the Allied Army. This aged veteran who is still in the
possession of his faculties now subsists on the pre-
carious charity of his neighbours.
On Monday morning, during the review of some
troops at Borne a corporal named Kuhne suddenly
stepped from the ranks and shot himself dead with his
revolver. He had previously been under arrest.
Nineteen actual shipwrecks were reported during the
past week, 13 being British ownsd, two French, one
Brazilian, one Italian, one Greek, and one Norwegian.
The total for the year is 1041, against 35 for correspond-
ing week of last year, when the total was 1412. Off the
United Kingdom six British vessels were lost and one
Ttalian, the latter sinking by collision. The lives
reported lost off Great Britain numbered 54, including
52 in her Majesty's ship Wasp, against 10 lives during
corresponding week of 1883.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
reading of the barometer last week was 29.83 in. The
mean temperature was 56.3 deg. and 0.3 deg. above the
average in the corresponding week of 20 years. The
mean showed an excess on Sunday and Friday, but
was below the average during the other days of the
week.
A fire took place on Monday night at Plas Ueha, a
farm at Ruabon, tenanted from Sir Watkin Williams
Wynn by Mr. Morris. About midnight several ricks -
were discovered to be on fire. Engines were speedily
brought from Wrexham and Ruabon, but water was
scarce, and seven large stacks of corn and hay were
burned. The fire is supposed to have been caused
A fisherman named Alexander Brodie, aged 21, was
drowned on Tuesday morning off Stonehaven. The
boat Alert was proceeding to the fishing grounds about
five o'clock under a stiff breeze, and Brodie went forward
to set the jib. Whilst so engaged a gust of wind filled
the sheets, knocking him overboard, and, before assist-
ance could be rendered, he had sunk.
At Manchester, on Tuesday, Sarah Syddle was com-
mitted for trial on a charge of wounding her sister-in-
law, Esther Syddle. The prisoner went to the house of
the latter and accused her of telling tales. The pro-
secutrix denied it; whereupon the prisoner seized a
large carving knife, and stabbed her on the left temple,
inflicting a very severe wound. She was proceeding to
further violence when she was dragged from the.
prosecutrix by the landlakr.
A terrible explosion of gas took place on Tuesday
night at the Csrk Lunatic Asylum. The cause has not
been discovered, but the Turkish bath, a commodious
chamber, became filled with gas, and an attendant
basing incautiously taken a light to .discover the leak
an explosion occurred, blowing off the roof and shatter-
ing the side walls. The greatest alarm was occasioned
amongst the inmates, and a considerable Lime was spent
in restoring order. Nobody was injured, not even the
attendant. - - .

The Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, speaking at
Northleach on Tuesday, said changes were said to be
imminent, the foundations were soon to be looked at,
and ancient institutions reconsidered; but he thought
that they should survive it all, and that the threatened
institutions would manage to exist in spite of what was
said against them.
The steamer Queen, which left Glasgow on Saturday
for Seville, has put back with her machinery disabled.
On getting into St. George's Channel she encountered
fearful weather, during which her boom broke loose
on the upper deck and severely injured one of the
crew.

The shipments of pig-iron from the Tees during
September have reached the satisfactory total of
89,751 tons. Of this quantity 34,643 tons were
despatched coastwise, mostly to Scotland, and 55,108
foreign, Germany, as usual, being the largest customer,
taking 21,036 tons.
bile John Westgarth, aged 68, a labourer employed
at the Consett Steel Works, was engaged on Tuesday
afternoon in steadying a large crane when casting.
steel, about 24cwt. fell upon his che.;t. He died in
about half-an-hour.
At Watford on Tuesday, William Smith, a milk
carrier and member of the Salvation Army, was sent to
prisoner for six weeks for embezzlement. The prisoner,
during his master's illness, received about £7 in small
bills for milk supplied which he had not accounted for.
When arrested a letter was found upon him, addressed
to General Booth, forwarding 10s. to the Salvation
Army Relief Fund.
At Waterford on Tuesday morning, eight of the crew
of the brigantine Renelta, bound from Liverpool to
Galway, were arrested on the charge of mutiny. It
appears from the statement of Captain M`Evoy that
while off Waterford Harbour the men refused to work,
and he had to run the vessel up to Passage East. The
men say that the vessel is not seaworthy.
At an early hour on Tuesday morning William
Frances, a werking man, living in Lupin-street, Birming-
ham, attempted to murder his wife by stabbing her in
the breast. The woman, who is dangerously wounded,
was carried to the General Hospital, and her husband.
was, arrested and afterwards taken before the magis-
trate and remanded.

On Tuesday evening an open boat sank in Belfast
Lough, off Carrickfergus. A steam tug at once pro-
ceeded to the aid of the three men who were on board,
but succeeded in saving one only, the other two being
drowned.
In London last week 2571 births and 1243 deaths were
registered, the former having been 56, and the latter
159, below the average numbers in the corresponding
periods of the last ten years. The annual death-rate
from all causes was 16.1 per thousand, and this was
lower thad had been recorded since September, 1851.
There were 10 deaths from smallpox, 12 from measles,
26 from scarlet fever, 14 from diphtheria, 15 from
whooping-cough, 90 from dysentery, and not one from
typhus.
"General" Booth, of the Salvation Army, laid the
foundation stone on Tuesday afternoon of a new had
in Coatbridge. There were several thousand persons
crowd were
clusteared away,othecer a hand-to-handemony,adwhi fight
tthhe
uci t
took place between the Salvationist and some roughs.
At the instance of Inspector Jones, two women,
named Hady and Stubbs, mother and daughter, were
charged at Burslem on Tuesday, with ill-treating and
torturing two cocks. The defendants dressed their
game bird with cayenne, and set it upon a neighbour's
cock. Both fought desperately for ten minutes, when
the neighbour's bird was almost killed by the effects of
the cayenne and exhaustion. The women were fined
1:0s., including costs.
_ _ .

,
The first in-stance of a married woman being adjudi-
cated bankrupt under the new actccurredatLiver-
pool on Tuesday, when a petition was presented against
Mrs. Joanna Jackson, wife of Mr. J. G. Jackson, trading
as Mrs. Jackson, as a ladies and children's outfitter in
Scotland-road, Liverpool, apart from her husband. The
debtor, who had been in business six years, attributed
her failure to the continued depression in trade: An
order of adjudication was granted.
The revenue returns to September 30 show that in
the last two quarters the receipts were £37,552,925,
being a decrease of i-1,390,598 as compared with the
receipts for the corresponding period of 1883. On the
the
for rtehyoe nyueea
year ding
coei pts
year
n9g5,9i0 Septemberosloss
ti
September 30, 1883. This net decrease consists of
£243,000 excise, £321,000 stamps, £2,452,000 property
and income tax, £1,235,228 miscellaneous and £93,682
in interest on advances, making a total of £4,349,910,
from which has to be deducted a total increase of
£554,000, corasisting of £184,000 customs, £4OOO land
tax, £ll,OOO house duty, and k 335,000 post and tele-
graph services.

I