The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-31 00:00:00

REMARKABLE VIADUCTS;

What willbe the highest viaduct in the New World
Ii theme now being made (and near completion) for
the New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railroad
over the Kinzua Creek, four miles from Alton, in
kl'Kean county, at a height of 2,100 ft. above the sea
level.

This work of art, designed by Messrs. Barnes and
Pugsley, will have a total length of 2,051 ft between
the abutments, and a height of 301 ft, between the
level of the rail and the bed of the river. The line is
supported on 20 straight piers of wrought ironwork,
61ft. apart. The construction requires nearly
4,000,0001 b. of iron and 7,000 yards of masonry, and
the cost is about 300,000 dole.
This bridge, exceeding by 601 t. in height the Niagara
Suspension Bridge and by 45ft. the Portage Railroad
Bridge, was recently stated by the Scientific American
to be "the highest in the world." But this title
rightly belongs to the railway viaduct of Garabit, in
France, now being erected over a river. The locality
Is in the department of Cantal. This bridge, planned
by MM. Banby and Boyer and constructed by M.
Eiffel, has a total length of I,BBolt, and near the
middle of the great centre arch (which is the most re-
markable feature) the height from the bed of the river
to the rail is 41.3 ft. A good idea of the height is given
In La Nature, where it is shown.that Notre Dame with
the Vendome Column placed on the top of its towers
would clear the arch. The viaduct was begun in 1881
and it is to be completed next year. It is estimated to
cost about 3,000,0001.

•
-liirtmch statistician has been at the trouble to
calculate that 80 millions of pine are manufactured
daily in Esrutrizde, and that the annual "consumption "
tam
of e.u4ide 20 sailliarda 200 millione.

CHARGE of DISTURBING the CONGRE-
GATION at ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.
In London, on-Monday, at the Mansion House,
George Campion, 38, well dressed, who described him-
self as an inventor of agricultural implements, and as
of 17, Devonshire•square, London, was brought before
Alderman Sir Thomas 0 wden, charged with
maliciously disturbing the congregation at St. Paul's
Cathedral on Saturday afternoon last, and with wil-
fully breaking the ornaments on the Communion table,
the property of the Dean and Chapter.

Mr: J. B. Lee, Chapter Clerk of St. Paul's and
Registrar of the Diocese of London, appeared for the
prosecution; the prisoner was not defended by counsel.
The case created great interest, and many of the
cathedral dignitaries were pxesent.—We take the fol.
lowing report of the case from The Times of Tues-
day :
Mr. Lee, in opening the case, said he appeared on
behalf of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's in re-
ference to an outrage which took place in the cathedral
on the afternoon of Saturday last during the celebra-
tion of Divine service, He was instructed that the
prisoner, who was a member of the congregation,
seemed to have separated himself from the body of
the church, stepped over the ropes separating the
nave from the choir, put on his hat, and ran up to the
altar at a very fast pace: He then jumped upon the
Communion table, tore down the ornamental cross
and two candlesticks, and dashed them with great vio-
lence to the ground. He was immediately seized by some
of the officials and given into custody. The Dean and
Chapter felt that an outrage of that kind could not be
passed over, but were not animated by any ill feelings
towards the accused. They wished simply to mark
their sense of the outrage by asking, if the offence was
proved, that some punishment should be imposed
upon him. The proceedings were taken under the
Act 23 and 24 Vic., cap. 32, sec. 2, the provisions of
which related to the case. The prisoner was charged,
first with disturbing the congregation, and secondly
with wilful damage. The Chapter would not press
the second charge, but they desired to proceed against
the prisoner for wilful and outrageous conduct and
disturbing the congregation daring Divine service.
Fortunately no panic was created in the cathedral,
which was surprising. The matter might have been
very serious, considering the number of the congrega-
tion present in the cathedral at the time. The Dean
and Chapter, if the case was proved, would ask the
Court to inflict such punishment as it should think fit,
They desired that it might be some punishment which
would reach the prisoner, and reach him as a fine
would not.

Canon Gregory deposed that he was present on Saturday
at the afternoon service in the cathedral. They had just
commenced singing the anthem, which would be about
half-past four o'clock, when, upon looking up from his book,
he saw the prisoner racing up the choir as hard as he could
run. Witness instantly ran out of his stall, thinking the
accused was a madman, who was bent upon doing some mis-
chief at the east end of the church. As witness ran up after
him, he saw the prisoner leap upon the Communion table,
seize the cross, which had been there for some 12 or lb
years, and dash it down to the ground as hard as he could.
The prisoner then dashed down one candlestick to his right
hand and another to his left. He also began to throw down
some vases containing flowers. At that time several gentle-
men had reached the Communion table. There were more
than 1,090 persons in the cathedral at the time. Upon the
gentlemen reaching the Communion table, the prisoner
said, "I surrender, I surrender," and he then jumped down
from the altar, and began crying "Protestants to the
rescue I " which made the witness afraid that there would
be a panic in the cathedral. They did their beat to stop the
prisoner's cries, and they took him without violence into
the aisle of the choir, sent for a policeman, and gave him in
charge. _ " -•-

Re-plying to Sir Thomas Owden, Canon Gregory said there
was nothing new or unusual on the Communion table, there
being substantially the same ornaments upon the altar as
there had been for the last thirty or forty years, with the
exception that a larger cross was placed there twelve or
fifteen years ago.
Sir Thomas Owden said that whatever the service was, the
prisoner had no right to disturb it.
- • - - - -

Canon Gregory added that he perhaps ought to mention
that the organist not knowing what was the matter, stopped
the service for a few minutes owing to the noise. The fear
of a panic among the congregation was then still greater, and
the service was resumed.

Sir Thomas Owden asked the prisoner whether he had any
question to put to the witness.
Mr. M.'Clure asked Sir Thomas to adjourn the case, as the
prisoner had no solicitor there, and they wished to have one
to defend him.
The prisoner said this was a question concerning the
honour of God, and he preferred His help to that of any
human being ; he preferred rather to conduct his own de-
fence.

Sir Thomas Owden : Then, have you any question to ask f
—The prisoner replied that a letter was sent to him in his
cell on Sunday, stating that his wife was almost heartbroken,
and his little boy that day brought him word in prison that
she did not expect to recover. All that, of course, made him
unable properly to conduct his case ; but, at the same time,
with the help of God, he would try to go on under those
adverse circumstances.
The Alderman asked 11,1 r. Lee whether he would object to
his adjourning the case until Tuesday, and then the pri-
soner would have an opportunity of getting a medical certi-
ficate as to his wife's health. If there was no objection he
would adjourn the case and allow the prisoner in two
sureties in £.50 each.

Mr. Lee asked what would be the object of a certificate as
to his wife's health.

Sir Thomas Owden replied that they had heard that the
prisoner's wife was ill, and if she was seriously 111 he would
not like to deprive him of an opportunity of seeing her.,
Mr. M'Clure said he saw the prisoner's wife on Sunday,
and she was then very ill and prostrate. He would appeal
on public grounds for an adjournment. If there was no
solicitor engaged in the case the prisoner would labour
under a great disadvantage.'
Sir Thomas Owden : The prisoner knows what he is about.
There is no reason to suppose that he is insane or that he
has not a perfect intellect. If he chooses to use his intellect
in this way, he must put up with the consequences.
- - - - - -

Replying to the prisoner, Canon Gregory said: I first saw
you when you were running up the choir with your hat on.
The prisoner: Why did I call out, "Protestants to the
rescue? "—Canon Gregory: You know why better than I do.
I cannot tell you why.

The prisoner: Was it not because you were thrusting your
pockethandkerchief down my throat to choke me ?—Canon
Gregory: No; I was simply trying to prevent you making a
noise to frighten the congregation. I pulled my pocket-
handkerchief out and placed it before your mouth. I had
no intention to choke you.

The prisoner: Did I not call out "Protestanta to the
rescue" after you had forced your handkerchief into
my mouth 7—Canon Gregory: No, I believe it was before.
The prisoner: What purpose did the crowd have in view
in dragging me down the stone steps into what I thought
was a dungeon.

Bit Thomas Owden : Was there a crowd round him ?
Canon Gregory: Not more than eight or ten persons, and
we took him dowl . the stone steps at the south-east end of
the Cathedral, through the entrance through which the
Princess of Wales and the holders of tickets entered to hear
Bach's "Passion Music." We took him out that way, think-
ing that it was much better than taking him through the
Cathedral.
The prisoner: Why were the ornaments placed on what
you call the altar, by which I, as a Protestant, call the com-
munion table?
Canon Gregory (to tjle Alderman) : Am I obliged to answer
that question?
Bir Thomas Owden said he thought not.
Canon Gregory: I should be very pleased to go into All
these matters, but it is useless burdening the case with
subjects which are irrelevant.
- •

The prisoner: It is very necessary that I should have these
ornaments described.

Sir Thomas Owden : I am not going into the Ritualistic
practices of this or any other church. It is your action that
is in question, and you have no right to go into a Protestant
church, a Roman Catholic church, or a Jewish synagogue,
or any other place of worship to create a disturbance. Any
question you ask must be relevant to the charge before the
Court.
The prisoner (to Canon Gregory): Are those candles not
lighted on certain occasions when they are not required for
purposes of giving light?
Sir Thomas Owden said that also had nothing to do with
the question before him. The prisoner: But they are
perfectly illegal ornaments to place in a Protestant cathedral,
and I have a perfect right to enquire whether their use is
legal or illegal.
Sir Thomas Owden : Then go to a court of law. If you
have any complaints as to ornaments or service in a church
in your own parish, you must take legal proceeding.,,and
take your chance.—The prisoner: Then do you refuse to
allow me to inquire as to their illegality?

Sir Thomas Owden : As I have told you before, you have
no right to go to this or any other place of worship is disturb
the congregation. You are not avian at liberty to disturb the
Salvation Army in the public streets. —The prisoner: Then,
as I am not allowed to cross-examine the witness as to these
things, I have done.
When called upon for his defence the prisoner mixt he
must in the first place, protest against the charge being
altered.
Mr. Gresham, the chief clerk, said the prisoner was
charged with maliciously disturbing the congregation at
St. Paul's Cathedral, and that charge had not been altered.
Secondly, the prisoner was charged with wilfully breaking
certain ornaments on the altar, but the prosecution did not
offer any evidence with respect to that charge.
The prisoner asserted that he had not been guilty of any
offence against the law.
The Alderman said be would read the Act of Parliament
pLisoner and it would save him a great deal of
trouble.—lhe prisoner: I should like to go on with my de-
fence without interruption.

Sir Thomas Owden: But you say you have committed no
offence, and I desire to put you right.—The prisoner: But I
am pleading my own defence, and I must ask to be allowed
to proceed with it. I feel that my cause is the Lord's, and
that I may safely trust all to Ills Almighty keeping. He has
said :—" The time shall come when they shall deliver you up
to be afflicted. See that ye be not troubled, for all these
things must come to pan. For many shall come in my name
Baying 'I am Christ."
Sir Thomas Owden said he had read that many years ago
and it was no use reading it again.—The prisoner continuing,
"And ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my
sake. Then shall they lead you up and deliver you up, but
take no thought before hand what ye shall speak, neither do
ye premeditate; but whatsoever shall be given you in that
hour speak ye, for it is no; ye that speak, but the Holy
Ghost,
The prisoner: As a defendant before a British Court of
Justice, I have a right to give my defence in as complete a
manner as I can, and I must respectfully ask you to give me
that liberty. I wish to call your attention to some letters I
wrote last week.
Sir Thomas Owden: Do you want to prove that you are
insane, then 4—Prisoner: No, I want to state matters which
have led up to this.
Sir Thomas Owden said nothing could lead up to it. It was
the prisoner's own act and deed, and it he had been per-
suaded to do it he must take the consequences, as it was his
own illegal act.—The prisoner said he did not hesitate to say
that he was not persuaded by anyone. It was his own act,
and he only wanted liberty to state his defence clearly and
without interruption.
Sir Thomas Owden said he could not allow the prisoner to
go on with a parcel of nonsense.—The prisoner: Then I
must forego that part of my defence, although it will pre-
judice my case very much. It is this fatal, soul-destroying
Jesuitical spirit of idolatry—
Sir Thomas Owden: No, I must decline to take that. I
am not here to be preached to; I am here to carry out the
law only.—The prisoner: If you stop me carrying out my
defence, and will not allow me to state the reasons why I
did the act, I cannot have justice done me.
Si; Thomas Owdln : You had no right to commit the act,
and you can give no reason to justify it.—The prisoner:
I have a right to make a statement in defence why I did it.
Sir Thomas Owden: You have no right to go into a place
of worship, whether Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, a
meeting of the Salvation Army, or even a gathering of
Bradlaughites, to interfere with them or disturb the pro-
ceedings.—The prisoner: As an Englishman and a lover of
my country and my God, I have a right to protest against
Popish and idolatrous ornaments being placed ma Protestant
place of worship (Applause. That is my ground of
defence, and iii am not allowed to state it I must abide by
your decision. Ritualism has ruined me, and is bringing
destruction upon the country.
The Alderman observed that what Ritualism had to do
with the prisoner in polntOf tritde he oould not for a
moment conceive.—The prisoner said it had to do with him,
as it had to do with us all, for God made nations as well as
individuals.
Tha Al4etman saklhe 4lslike4 likualtsm quite much es

the prisoner himself, but he would not go into a church
where it was practised. He was in that court, however, to
carry out the law, and he must do it.—The prisoner: When
the Government refuses to stop idolatry it is necessary for
some one to call public attention to the frightful evil pre-
vailing. My whole defence is as to idolatry, and if lam not
allowed to state it I must leave the matter in your hands.
Sir Thomas Owden : You have rendered yourself liable to
a penalty of not exceeding £5, or, in the discretion of the
Court, imprisonment for any period not exceeding two
months.—The prisoner Will you permit me to make one
statement, as I am not allowed to make any defence, which
I think would have amply justified the act?
Sir Thomas Owden : No, I cannot take any justification.
—The prisoner said in that case he must leave himself In the
hands of the Court, hoping it would take into consideration
the state of his wife's health. But for her sake he would
not object to receive any punishment which the law might
inflict. This, however, he would say, that he would promise
not to do the act again, as that one public act was quite
sufficient.

Sir Thomas Owden : Then you will promise not to go there
again or to any other church and disturb the congregation I—.
The prisoner: I will promise that.

_
Sir Thomas Owden : Then I will impose a fine instead of
sending you to prison. You must pay a flue of £5, or in
default one month's imprisonment.
The prisoner said he had no money to !pay the fine, and
must go to prison.
The fine, however, was subsequently paid by a friend of the
prisoner's.