The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-04-22 00:00:00

TB E STOUR BRIDGE OBSERVER.

Mr. Prescott said he was a churchwarden.

Mr. Collis asked if the subs ribers would be
satisfied by receiving a printed circular. Cries of
"Yes, yes."
Mr. King said that a printed circular wonld be
sent to them.

MT. Collis then withdrew his proposition.

The Chairman said the next business was o
elt ct fit and proper persons to serve the office of
churchwardens. The minister nominated one and
the other was nominated by the people, and he
bad great pleasure in nominating Mr. Charles
King as his warden—(great cheering).
. Mr. Prescott said that the minister had nb right
to nominate any one at all—(loud laughter)—a
view of the law which was met with loud cries of
derision: He saiel he was going to move an
amendment. It was perfectly true that the late
Mr. Craufurd had, since the abolition of church
rates, been allowed "by courtesy" to select a
churchwarden; but, so far as the legal right went,
he submitted the Rector had no right to select a
churchwarden. (Handing a paper to the Roctor)
he submitted that amendnient on his own appoint-
ment. '

The Rector said he refused to put this—(cheers).
He considered it was not legal. He was perfectly
willing to stand and maintain his right to appoint
a churchwarden, and he would take all the
respousibility on himself—(cheers).
Mr. Collis proposed that Mr. Gainsborough
Harward be the people's warden which was
seconded by several persons, and cries of "No
Prescott. We have had enough of hitu"—(great
cheering).
Mr. Prescott objected to Mr. Hayward on
account of something that occurred some time
ago.

Mr. Collis said Mr. Harwsrd had been chuck-
warden before and was a fit and proper person—
(cheers).
The Chairman said if Mr. Harwaid was dis-
qualified it was open to any ratepayer to propose
any other person. Had any ratepayer any oue
else to propose?

Mr. Pre-scott said he had been proposed.
The Chairman said he had not heard it.
Mr. Prescott askei.Cox if he had not proposed
him?
Mr. Cox said of course he had.
A Voice: Not seconded.

Mr. Prescott: Oh, yes it was.
A good deal of confusion here ensued which
ended in James Cox proposing and William Evans
seconding Mr. Prescott.
I number of persons cried out that Evans was
not a ratepayer of Oldswinford.
Mr. Prescott: It does not matter.. Mr. Stringer
was not a ratepayer. Cries of " Yes, yes," and
" Mr. Stringer pays his rates without being sum-
moned "—(much laughter and uproar).
John Hill then stood up and said he would
scondMr. Prescott.

The Chairman said he should now put it to the
meeting, but should put the • amendment first and
he asked all those who were in favour of Mr.
Prescott to hold up there hands. A good number
held up both hands. Uproar and cries of "They
are holding up both hands."_ _

Mr. Prescott: Hold up hands again and only
one hand. There appeared a considerable diminu-
tion.

The Chairman: All those who are in favour of
Mr. Harward hold up hands. A large number of
hands were held up, apparently a large majority,
but the Chairman declared the show of hands in
favour of Mr. Peescott.

Mr. Collis then demanded a poll in favour of
Mr. Harward.

hem, and, if possible to put a stop to the pro
eedings going on at the church—(cheers and
hisses).
The Vicar: This meeting is not called to hear
Mr. Corbett make speeches.
Mr, Corbett : The parishioners are driven from
the,c hurch , and—

,The Vicar (leaving the- chair) : I dissolve the
meet in,.
Mr. 'Corbett : You can dissolve it, and the
gentlemen here can Raton ,or not as they please.
I have not---

The Vicar: This schoolrodant is private property,
and the meeting is at an end'
Mr. Corbett : You won't shut my mouth.
Things are going on at the church which are a
disgrace to the minister and the parish (applause).
The meeting then broke up, hut the discussion
was prolonged in the road outside.
THE POLLING AT OLDSWINFORD.

The poll, as to the choice of peoples' warden, took
place yesterday at the schools. The Rev. H.
Downing presided, and opened the poll at 9 o'clock
a.m , and it remained open till 4 in the afternoon.
At that hour there had been 301 votes polled for Mr.
Harward, and 6 for Mr. Prescott, and the rector de-
clared the former duly elected. A vote of thanks
was 'awed to the rector for the manner,in which he
had discharged his duties, Mr. W. B. Colll moving
it, and Mr. B. Wood, seconding it. The rector
briefly replied, and the proceedings closed.

and had, of course, been refused desired the witnes
to stop for a little time. His lordship then rose
from the chair, and walk quietly up and down the
room in a melancholy and reflective manner.
With great suddenness he then dashed at the
door, opened it, and, rushed out, closed it after
him. Witness followed as fast as he could, but
Was only in time to see his lordship grasp the ban-
nisters, and vault‘or roll over them, hanging for
an inStSnt, and then dropping down the well stair-
case from the second floor landing to the hall be-
neath. Decending the stairs rapidly, witness
I raised his head, and found him Insensible. He
11 summoned the butler and a female servant, and
they sent instantly for Dr. Clark. Witness said
he had not the least doubt that the act was
intentional, as deceased had often told him he
wanted to die. When Lord Lyttelton asked wit-
ness to give him the razor he answered "No, my
lord, I cannot." In the decided opinion of witness,
Lord Lyttleton was deranged.
Dr. Andrew Clark, who had known Lord Lyt-
telton for ten years, said he had attended him
latterly for melancholia. Both witnes and Dr.
Munro, had agreed that it was necessary to have
a watchful attendant, and Barnes was engeged
from the institution at Clapton. Witness was
summoned to the house on Tuesday, and found
the deceased in the arms of his attendant, quite
insensible. Seeing that the injuries were such as
required surgical treatment, witness immediately
sent for Sir James Paget. The deceased lingered
in an unconscious state of eighteen hours, and
died very early on Wednesday morning, of fainting
of the heart, which organ had never recovered its
fiction after the injuries caused by the fall. The
mental disease, which in the past month had
developed largely, nad existed—without delusions
of any kind, but in the simplest phase of
melancholia—for some years. In the last few
weeks of his life Lord Lyttleton was decidedly in-
sane. _ _ _ _ _ •__

Sutton Howe, butler to the deceased, said he was
carrying a cup of coffee upstairs to his lordship
when he saw him fall. In several particulars
this witnees confirmed other points of the evidence.
After a short summing up by the Coroner, the
jury deliberated for a few minutes, and then re-
turned a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound
mind."

_
PRESENTATION TO MR. JOHN HUGHES.

On Thursday evening a number of the Licen'Sed
Victuallers of the town and neighbourhood dined
t pgether at Mr. H. Roweliff's, the Chequers, on
the occasion of a presentation to Mr. John Hughes,
landlord of the Star Inn, High Street.

The chair was occupied by-Mr. J. Edwards, of
the Eagle Vaults, and the vice-chair by Mr. H.
Pagett, of the Angel. The usual loyal and
patriotic toasts having been drunk, •
The Chairman said they were all well aware of
the object they had in meeting together that even-
ing, and that was to preFent their friend Mr. John
Hughes with a testimonial, as a mark of esteem
and respect towards him for the many services he
had rendered to the Society. He considered Mr.
Hughes was a very particular friend to the Society
and had always taken a great interest in their wel-
fare and lad done all he could for the benefit and
improvement of the Society. He (the speaker)
was sorry they had not got an older person than
himself in the chair, but as he was chairman that
evening nothing could give him greater pleasure
than presenting their old and esteemed member
with some token of their regard to him for the
very many services Mr. Hughes had rendered the
Society. The Chairman then called upon Mr. G.
Bowkett, the secretary, to read the following ad-
dress :