The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-18 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Viscountess Parker was on her way home from the
East, when she died at sea on the 4th inst.
Vice-Admiral Sir William Hewett, K.C.8., V.C.,
K.C.5.1., will take the place of Sir Frederick Richards,
K.C.8., on the Board of Admiralty.
Lord Selkirk died on Saturday morning at his resi-
dence, St. Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbright, after an illness of
three weeks' duration.
Prince George of Wales arrived at Portsmouth from
London on Sunday afternoon, and was received by
Admiral Homby. His Royal Highness at once pro-
ceeded to his quarters on board her Majesty's ship
Excellent. _ _

Mr. Surr William Duncan, of Horsforth Hall, Hors-
forth, has accepted an invitation to stand as Conserva-
tive candidate for the newly-formed Pudsey division in
Yorkshire.

Colonel Henry Platt, of Gordding, Bangorehas con-
sented to stand as Conservative candidate for the
Northern division of Clarnarvonshire,
The fourteen crofters who were imprisoned at
Portree, charged with defcrcing Sheriff Officer Grant
when attempting to serve writs of eviction, have been
liberated on bail.
The southern mountainous districts of Spain were
visited by an earthquake again on Saturday. Some
houses were damaged, and some celebrated sulphur
springs ceased to flow for a time.
As the result of the recent inquiry ordered by the
Horse Guards, it has been ascertained that the actual
number of men belonging to all branches of the British
army in the United Kingdom that could be despatched
on foreign service is 52,672.
An inquest was held at Shrewsbury on the body of
a clergyman, who was found shot through the heart
with a rewolver. He was identified as the Rev. F. G.
Burder, Vicar of Lee, Brockhurst. The same evening
as he committed suicide deceased purchased a revolver
from Mr. Ebrall, gunsmith, Shrewsbury. A letter in
his poeket asked the forgiveness of his father and
sisters, and said life had been intolerable to him. A
verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane" was
returned.
Lady Selborne, wife of the Lord Chancellor, has died
at the family residence, Portland-place, London, from
congestion of the lungs. The Lord Chancellor and all
the members of the family were with her. Lady Sri-
borne, who was the eldest surviving daughter of
William, eighth Earl Waldegrave, was born in 1821,
and married, in 1848, the Lord Chancellor (then Mr.
Bounden Palmer). She leaves issue four daughters—
Lady Laura, married to the Bishop of Southwell ; Lady
Mary, married to her cousin Lord Waldegrave ; Lady
Sophia, unmarried; Lady Wilfreda, married to Mr.
George Tourney Biddulph; and an only son, Lord
Wolmer, married to Lady Maud Cecil, eldest daughter
of Lord Salisbury.
A publican named Ellson, formerly employed as
engine driver, was on Saturday charged on reenand at
Chester with deserting from the Royal Engineers. The
defendant enlisted to go to Souakim as an engine
driver, and took an oath before the magistrate in the
usual form at Crewe, whence he proceeded to Chatham.
Finding himself treated as a recruit for the army, and
not as a civilian employed by the Government to work
at his own trade, he returned to Chester. His solicitor
holds that he was tricked into his present position. The
case was iurther remanded for a week.
The stranding of the Russian barque Etna, laden
with wood and bound for Bordeaux, on Lemon Sand,
was reported a few days ago. She afterwards drove off
the Sand, with loss of rudder and water-logged. Five
of the crew were taken off by a Yarmouth smack, and
landed at Yarmouth, but the captain and five others
refused to leave. Tugs were sent from Yarmouth in search
of her, but when found they still refused all help. The
vessel subsequently drove ashore at Sheringham, but as
no one was on board it is supposed the six men were
drowned.
A clergyman earned Hudson, who lives at Wanstead,
was charged on Saturday at the Stratford Police-court
with having published a defamatory libel upon the
Committee of the Merchant Seamen's Orphanage at
Snaresbrook. The defendant had offered a reward of
ten pounds for evidence "relative to girls brought up in
the asylum" which would lead to the prosecution of the
committee. He had also written to the Queen, who is
patroness of the institution, and this has led to an in-
quiry being instituted by the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty. Mr. Hudson was committed for trial.
Less than a thousand of the working classes re-
sponded to the appeal of the "Social Democratic
Federation" to meet on the Embankment on Sunday
afternoon, and march to Hyde-park, to demand, among
other things, a reduction in the hours of labour and the
provision by the State of work for the unemployed.
When the speakers ascended the three platforms in
the park the crowd had increased to about ten thousand
persons. None of the recognised leaders of the work-
ing classes appeared on the platforms from which
identical resolutions were put, the tone a the speeches
being indicated by the hope expressed by one of the
chairmen that forty thousand men armed with rifles
would march into the park and enforce their rights
At an early hour on Tuesday morning a tire was a.
covered in the Liverpool-road, Islington, and before it
could be extinguished a woman 72 years of age was
burnt to death.
Mr. Bryce, M.P., speaking at a Liberal meeting at
Limehouse on Tuesday night, said that however averse
to a war with Russia ihis country might be, she would
be found prepared for one both in her military and
naval resources, as well as in the energetic spirit of
the people and the consciousness of right with which
they would draw the sword.
The Queen's Bench Division on Tuesday made the
rule absolute for a writ of certiorari, removing the
trial of the prisoner Dredge, charged with the wilful
murder of Inspector Simmons at Romford, from the
Chelmsford Assizes to the Central Criminal Court.
In London last week 2473 births and 1859 deaths
were registered. The latter included 36 from small-
pox, 70 from measles, 15 from diphtheria, 55 from
whooping cough, and 16 from dysentery. The deaths
referred to diseases of the respiratory organs, which
had been 448 and 478 in the two preceding weeks,
further rose last week to 512, and exceeded the cor-
rected average by 2.
Dr. Frankland, in his report for March, states that
the. Thames water sent out by the Chelsea, West
Middlesex, Southwark, Grand Junction, and Lambeth
Companies contained, oc the whole, less organic matter
than in either on the previous months of the present
year, the amount being small for this season. All the
samples were clear and bright. The water drawn from
the Lea contained slightly more organic matter than in
the previous months.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
reading of the barometer last week was 29•36 in. The
mean temperature was 41-9 deg., and 4.9 deg. below the
average in the corresponding week of 20 years. The
mean was considerably below the average on each day
of the week, the coldest day being Friday. Rain fell
on two days. The duration of registered height sun-
shine was 10-5 hours, against 17.1 hours at Glynde-
place, Lewes.
Mr. Benbow, the engineer of one of the steamers in
which the rescue of General Gordon was attempted,
arrived in London on Tuesday. Mr. Benbow was
engineer of the steamer on which Lord Charles
Beresford performed his deeds of gallantry on the
Upper Nile; and among his friends he is popularly
known as "the man who mended the boiler." He
has come to this country in response to an official tele-
gram.
District meetings of operatives on the wages ques-
tion were held in Oldham on Tuesday. The employers
have proposed five per cent. reduction in the opera-
tives' wages, including spinners and card-room hands,
because of the state of trade, which is very depressed
and is becoming worse through the uncertainty as to
the Afghan crisis. The operatives, at their meeting in
Reck-street School, determined not to submit to any
reduction. A resolution to this effect was carried, the
operatives saying they preferred stopping a month, two
months, or even three months, to having a reduction
or have short time.
--- - _

Lady Brassey, in opening a Junior Liberal Conver-
sazione at Hastings, said it was rather against her
principle to interest herself in politics except at elec-
tion times, when it was the duty of all to fight for their
colours, but she felt convinced that in Hastings there
was a balance in favour of the Liberals. If they sank
their little differences she was sure they would be suc-
cessful. Her husband was busy at the Admiralty,
making preparations for the defence of their country,
and, whatever alarmists might say, she was sure if Eng-
land was attacked every one would be found ready to

fight in her defence. -
A fire broke out on Tuesday in the extensive premises
of Mr. William Steven, Clyde-street, and Washington-
street, Glasgow. The building is 100 ft. long, 70ft.
broad, and four storeys high, and contained a large
quantity of general produce, including 600 barrels of
resin, which the fire entirely destroyed. One of the
walls of the building fell against a neighbouring house,
the inhabitants of -which fled. On the top floor was
the store of Mr. Alexander Cross, seed merchant, which
was also consumed. The total damage is said to be
about £BOOO.
John Taylor, a joiner, on Tuesday went to the Sun
Iron Works, King-street, Oldham, and asked to see the
proprietor, Mr. William Whittaker, with whom he
formerly had business relations. Willi-taker refused to
speak to him, whereupon Taylor drew a revolver from
his pocket and fired twice, one of the bullets entering
Mr. Whittaker's neck, and coming out at the mouth.
Taylor was at once arrested.
The offer of Mr. Joseph Crosland, a local banker and
manufacturer, to give .5000 in aid of the foundation of
a free library for Huddersfield, not having been accepted
by the Corporation, who also declined the offer of Sir
John Ramsden to give, rent free, a suite of rooms for
ten years for the same purpose, the former gentleman
has now given £lOOO to the Huddersfield Infirmary,
expressing a wish that it should be used in establishing
a children's ward which is greatly needed at that Inst.
tution.
The tenant farmers on the Devonshire Estates of the
Duke of Bedford have been informed of his Grace's
intention to remit, at the forthcoming audit, 50 per
cent, of their half-year's rent, due Lady-day last.
The Archdeacon of Gloucester urges the extension of
the power of the clergy to lease their glebes to 99 years,
so as to promote peasant farming.
' The people of Sheffield were much alarmed a few
weeks ago by the fact that almost every night a
burglary was committed. Eventually a man named
Dennis Carey was arrested, and most of the robberies
were traced to him. At the Town Hall on Tuesday six
charges of burglary and house breaking were proved
against him, and on each he was committed to the
assizes for trial.
At a meeting of West Yorkshire coal owners held at
Leeds on Tuesday, at which representatives from all
collieries where men are on strike, as well as a deputa-
tion of the South Yorkshire coal owners, were present,
it was resolved not to re-open the pits except at a re-
duction in wages of 10 per cent.
Mr. Darlington, Government auditor, gave an im-
portant decision at Manchester, on Monday. Nearly
all the local authorities keep their bank interest funds
apart, regarding them as not belonging to the rate-
payers. An agitation has been raised in Manchester
to get the interest included in the common fund, and
Mr. Darlington decided that this ought to be done.. In
accordance with this decision he surcharged the
members of the Chorlton Board of Guardians £157 for
illegal payments out of interest in. one-year,.- •


SATURDAY, APRIL 18 iB5

Mr. Wm. Hind, manager of the York Union Bank a
Pickering, has been sentenced to six months' innoris°4:o
ment for having embezzled money belonging t° "_,,
Banking Company. Three charges were preferreu
against the accused, who pleaded guilty.
The Swansea police are making raids on the drinking
clubs which have been started in the district since the
passing of the Sunday Closing Act. On Monday tha
Town Clerk prosecuted the keeper of the Brynmelyn
Club, in the Waunwen or northern suburb. It was
proved that the licensing laws were constantly con-
travened, and a penalty of £25 and costs was imposed.
The body of a man, supposed to be a tourist crossing
the mountains, has been discovered at the foot of a
huge rock between Ferndale and blardy,
Glamorgan
shire, in a terribly mutilated condition. He apPO
ears
to have fallen over the rock, a distance of about 10-

feet. bank
At Dudley, on Monday, Joseph Smyfh, 44. -- •
porter, was charged with stealing £5O from the 1311;
mingham, Dudley, and District Banking CompanY-
was alleged that he substituted copper money for silvet
in paper packets, and so purloined the amount nate°
in the charge. He was committed for trial.
With the advent of a small army of swell inobsnie!
from England and Scotland during the Royal 'visit'
number of whom are already undergoing terms
prisomnent, the Dublin police have discovered
number of forged £lO Bank of England notes have be_e_A
put into circulation. On Saturday night a well-dresn
man tendered one of these notes at a public-house au'
was given into custody.
The Miners on strike at Denaby Main Collieries, Oil
Sheffield, resolved on Monday to appeal to the fro
Secretary. Thirty-five families have been evicted frorers
the houses of the company, and upwards of 100 ra°di,
are daily expecting to be turned out. It was a
tion of their employment that they should °cruel'
houses, and their ejectment; they contend, is to noer''
them into submission.
The Yorkshire Miners' Conference at BarnsleY r 6"
solved to continue to resist the 10 per can
redueti.
llan
It was reported that a levy of 2s. per week per ranil
imposed at these pits which are working had been
responded to. At one pit alone over £2O had bee,
collected. The conference resolved that non-iltula-
men should be relieved out of money collected, nOt jr
association funds. r WAS
Roderick James M'Donald, 25, a letter cart W-9
sentenced at the Leeds Sessions, on Monday. tn
prisonment for twelve months for having at differ%
times detained over 500 letters. The prisone,r,
whose house the letters were found, had neglecri to
deliver them in consequence of what was describe'
his lazy habits.
At the concert of Her Majesty's Theatre on Sattird:l,
night a number of national anthems were perforrs •
and "God Save the Queen" was received with a litirr;
cane of applause, which was renewed when the orches
struck up" Rule Britannia." An attempt had previa:b.;
been made to play the Russian national anthem,l3ll.,th
audience greeting the flag that was displayed yoll,e
tremendous volley of groans; the opening notes of t'cio
air were drowned in the uproar that ensued, alld t
attempt was abandoned
Information reached Cambridge on Sunday that,„,tchel
Rev. Henry Jehn Hetham, M.A., until lately „Ic
Master of Trinity College, had another para y 0 1 tic 'B'
on Thursday afternoon, and died within an hour, a '—
Remo. beef)
The Welfare, fishing-lugger, of Eyemouth, has - he
totally lost South of Eyemouth Harbour. Four of
tl,
crew were saved by the Eyemouth life-saving Well'
but three were drowned. vr•
At the West of Scotland Amateur Sports, • .0
George, the famous runner, made his last appearaneetillo
Scotland on Saturday afternoon, when he ran for wo
Muir Challenge Cup, which he had carried off on
consecutive occasions. He ran the mile race splearliw'
and won easily.
Mr. James D. Fish, the President of the l'a",ffor
Marine Bank of New York, which failed last Yetpon
a large amount, was on Saturday found guiltY,:-aasl•
twelve counts in an indictment charging him wit'
versation and fraud. it that
Information has been received in New Yer- io
the State of Honduras has joined San Salvador of
the campaign against Guatemala. The forces 111,
the allies are marching upon the city of Guatelffiaos.
and are being welcomed by the peonle as they adleiii
At the Bradford Bankruptcy Court, a petitieoste,
bankruptcy has been filed on behalf of John. Sit,le
Stansfield and Fred Stansfield, trading under the 8 'Yd.
and title of James Ellis and Co., Borough Mills/ 13. 1.41 i.•
ford, as corn millers and flour merchants.
ties amount to £60,000, of which about £40,000 1.
_ _

secured. g the
On Monday, at an inquest on Rachael Th0,335-' +he
victim of the Clears murder, it was stated that after .i$
crime was discovered the husband said he heard raento.,
the house during the night, and got up to go (1,,,°,a
stairs, but his wife prevented him, and the' lCst
scuffle. Subsequently Thomas expressed anxie"
he should be charged with attempted suicide. Wbes
asked whether he desired to attend the inquest, Th.)Ttl''s
said he wished to go home to see after his farm. ritfo
jury immediately returned a verdict of
murder" against. him. til
A poaching affray took place on Sunday on es
Sunderlandwick estate, near Driffield. Tbe night, 'cols
very dark, and Constables Craig and 'Yeoman 01 rei
East Riding Police, were secreted in some leti'
bushes, when they heard footsteps, and turning °,4
their lanterns they saw two poachers. The latter fft
tr
and the constables went in hoc pursuit. Craig,
an exciting chase, captured Benjamin Arnold, of Dr'
field, a notorious poacher, who was armed with stoneS•
The other man escaped. Poachers' implen3entB were
left behind.
Thomas A. G. Earl, 19, gunner in the Royal Horse
Artillery, stationed at Woolh, was killed at'theNorth!
Kent Station. Gravesend, on Sunilay night. He had
been to visit his parents there,
and was waiting on th 2
platform to return by the 10.18 up train. Just be.f.T:
the train came in it is thought he dropped sometn;
on the line. He jumped down, but his spur cati,,by.ne,
the edge of the platform and he fell flat on to the Li $
and the train coming in ran over him. He died '—
few minutes.
At the Cambridge Borough Sessions, on 11°1),(1111/1
before Mr. J. R. Bulwer, Q.C., M.P., Recorder,
Harrod, 47, who had twice previously suffered sevosia
years' penal servitude, pleaded guilty th stealing gtus
watch, chain, and other articles, valued at £2O, from i$
rooms of Mr. Frank Perkins, at Trinity College, ~4
February last, and was sentenced to ten years' Petlie
servitude. An Islington jeweller was cautioned 11 $4
Recorder in respect to his dealings'with the prisoner
to part of the stolen property.
At the Dover Police-court on Monday, the borof%a
magistrates sentenced a girl named Ibbott, wir iltbe
recently been in service in the Strand, London, lehsrd
full penalty of three months' imprisonment it—hich
labour, for stealing a postal order from a letter wijere
had been posted in the Royal Oak Hotel, Dover. lc
she was employed. The letter was pasted by one ,e',ol
waiters in the post-box in the hotel, and was adare'oo
to his wife, at Mile-etid, London. The prisoner7o
pleaded guilty, succeeded 'in extracting the letter 'llls
the box and replaced it, after taking out the orderk•paiio
proprietor of the hotel said a letter containing a eiPlaci
for £lOO was recently lost from the tame box, at tlse
laot been traced. The case was also taken uP
Post Office authorities.