biglam/hmd_newspapers huggingface dataset:
The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-17

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

XII communication' must be authenticated by the Name
sod Address of the writer, not nee...wily for public
cation, but as a r2llerlntee for good fsith Those who
do not wish iheir names to be published should, in
addition, lr pt 00004(10 phone.
Commoniralinin for tire h Mine may 'be addressed to 91,
11101-010E01. nr to the Branch Office,
'I! lIOMKII, PSIS Imi, 1211,13LEY 11oTH.
we shall feel obliged by all Our.* who fsvoor no with
Communications or Advertisempota writing on one
Rid. "1 tile P.P. eniy, and Bantling them as early le
the week Si poseible.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

THE FREEDOM OF THE SUBJECT
IN FRANCE.

M. Jules Faure, In the Corps Legislatif. In Purl., the other
day, referring to the freedom of the subject in France, and
to sh,,w that it atood below other counts iee, gave the follow-
ing instance of the working of the law as it at present
stands:— .

On the 29th of September, 17, a young lady belong- !
ing to a respectable family in Paris, a painter by pro-
'canon, who had gone to Brittany for a holiday, was
visiting the picturesque little village of St. Anne
&Auras,. Suddenly an old woman in rags threw herself
on her knees before her and called her daughter. The
young lady passed on without noticing her, but • !
gendarme happened to be on the spot, and, the woman !
having appealed to him to arrest "her daughter," he im-
mediately did so, and took her to the jugs de pair., who
called upon her to produce her papers (1.e., a passport
or certificate of birth). She had not taken her "papers"
with her, but although the landlord of the hotel where
she had put up, and to whom she was perfectly
well known, offered to go bail for her respecta-
bility, the jugs de pail refused to listen to him, and
actually sent thin young person to gaoL Two days
later, her "papers," which she had written for to Paris,
came to hand--but the jugs de pain refused even to
look at them, and ordered that she should be walked oft
to ',orient (a distance of 15 miles) between two gen-
darmes! She had fortunately some money left in her
pocket, and was able to pay for a carriage to perform
the journey. Arrived at Lorient, she was taken before
the juge d'inetniction. Do you suppose he instantly
released her? Nothing of the kind. He subjected her
to a long interrogatory, and again consigned her to
gaol. It wax only three days later that she was set at
liberty, decisive pro.fs having arrived that she wax a
moat respectable person, a ilistinguishell artist, and
had obtained a prize at the International Exhibition of
Painting, then open. You Unify, perhaps, she ob-
tained reilrein. She tried, and I tried for her. She
was simply laughed at, and told she had better let the
matter rest. This is one instance. I might quote
many others, and I think myself justified in asserting
that indindual freedom in France is a more mockery,
and such it will remain until your laws guaranteeing it
are revised.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

-CRADLEY.

TEE LATE CHAliali Or MALICIOUS DAMAGE TO A ]
Ileum—At the Worcestershire Sessions, eu Tuesday ,
lent, before R. P. Amphlett. 4 C., 31. P., Chairman,
Charles Gros.% a lalwarty (on bail), was indicted for
unlawfully conimAring wilful damage and injury to a '
certain ilwellin; hoose and outbuildindi at Cradley, on I
the let March last, the property of Isaao Parkes Bloomer, 1
and of which the prisouer was in possession the damage
beinu to an amount exceeding g 3 Mr. Jell prosecuted, '
and Mr. Streeten defended. The prosecutor lee builder, '
residing at Colley Gate, Zradley, and the prisoner was a '
carter tesiding near. The prosecutor stated that lie paid
ksome money, about £22, on account of some land for
pawner, and told him he was to work it out. Prosecn.
tor agreed to build a house and other buildings on the ,
' 1 incl into which pet inner went in pos+ess'oa. A deed
i handed is) was executed, which was in fact a mortgage 1
deed on the whole property for LIN. A suhaerpent
i mortgage deed was executed on the 2nd December, i rape-
I isrring the firfit mortgage to ono Attwood, son. Prose.
1 cutor qsve ino.,,tion, on the Brit An riot to Mr 1-Imer
I t 0 give notice to priIIOSST that he should recall the inanny
SA which in had lent on mortgage. This notice was
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

AN ALLIGATOR ON THE STAGE.

An amusing episode a l'improviate took place, the
other clay, on the capacious stage of Niblo's Theatre,
New York, where the Lydia Thompson lendesque
troupe were assembled for music rehearsal in connexion
with their present piece, "The Forty Thieve," It
must be premised that two gentlemen, friends of
Messrs. Jarrett and Palmer, the lessees, had gone
some time before on a sporting expedition to Florida,
and had apprised their friends at Nibhi's, by letter,
that they had forwarded to them, by express, a box of
the natural products of the country which they were
exploring in search of game. Accordingly, when the
doorkeeper at Nibhis announced, at the rehearsal above
mentioned, that a box had arrived from Florida for
Jarrett sad Palmer from these gentlemen, it was or-
dered to be brought on the stage, that the English
blondes might see something of the natural products
of Florida. It was an ordinary deal box, and as one
of the carpenter's gang knelt down to pry it open,
speculation became rife as to its contents. lip went
the lid, and out popped a gay and festive alhgator,
four or five feet long, with a very fine dental develop-
ment, and an undulating tail of truly vigorous aspect.
The scene that ensued baffles all description. Before
the traditional twinkling of an eye, the stage was
clear. There was never such a rapid orchestral move-
ment executed as by the Niblo's band on this occasion.
The alligator then took a business tour round the
stage, anti eventually the master carpenter, cheered )n
by the supplicating blondes in the flies, forced the brute
into his lox again, where he wan immediately nailed
down, and the rehearsal proceeded. Messrs. Jarrett
and Palmer took a solemn vow never to open any more
boxes containing the natural products of 1 lorida,
without first exactly knowing what the products are.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

The POPE and ARCHBISHOP MANNING.

A pastoral from Archbishop Manning was read in
all the Roman Catholic churches throughout London
last Sunday, in which he said :

" The eleventh of April, the second Sunday after Easter.
would he the fiftieth anniversary of the day on which his
Holiness, the Stwereign Pontiff, offered for the first time the
holy sacrifice of the meas. The clergy and laity of many
nations had resolved to unite their prayers on that day of
our Holy Father's jubilee for the intentions which he has
most at heart and also to make to his Holiness offerings of
various kinds in testimony of their devotedness and affec-
tion." Then follows a letter from the Pipe, in which his
Holiness states that he will, "Grant in the Lord a plenary
Indulgence and remission of all their sins to all and each of
the Christian faithful of either sea who, on the eleventh day
of the month of April in this year, being truly penitent, and
having confessed their sins and received the Holy Communion,
shall, while present at the holy sacrifice of the mass in some
church or oratory, pour forth their 00111 supplications to
God for the conversion of sinners, for the propagation of the
Catholic faith, and for the peace and triumph of the Roman
Church ; and this indulgence may also he applied to the souls
of the faithful of Christ who, united to God by charity, have
passed away from this life."

Archbishop Manning has appointed a collection to be
made for the Pope on the second Sunday after Easter
at all the services in the public churches and chapels of
the diocese, and also in convents and schools and other
establishments. A subscription has already been
opened in England, entitled "I he Pope's Jubilee Com-
memoration Fond," to which the Duke of Norfolk has
subscribed 1:200. The Earl of Denbigh, Lords Petre
and Castlerosse, and Mr. Monsen, Under-Secretary of
State for the Colonies, are also subscribers.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

IT . BIRD,

PHOTOGRAPHIC AR I T. STOURBETT,GE,

f lEGS to inform ti e 1`,.1.re that be takes
r Persons atss
• '‘ lin Ep of Six or
uensof every sW.t
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

ANOTHER MURDER IN TIPPERARY.

A farmer named Topham, living at lloffana, thirteen
miles from Clonmel, has been shot ilead on his own
farm. The body was found the following morning
with two bullet-holes through the head. No satisfac-
tory explanation of the cause of enmity has yet been
received, and it is only conjectured that it was con-
nected with some dispute about the possession of land.
It h. stated that Mr. Topham purchased some time ago
piece of land in the Landed Estates Court and had
notices served that lie intended to raise the rents. He
was a relmetable farmer, about forty years of age, and
was generally esteemed in the neighbourhood. The
particulars, so fax as they can be gleaned, are as
follows t

On Monday evening in last week, about seven o'clock, he
left his house, and proceeded to that of his brothar-in law
Mr. Martin Fitzgerald, about hall • mile distant, to make
some arrangements about work to be done next day. At
nine o'clock lie left to return home, and Fitzgerald accom-
panied Min across one of his fields and then lefc him. His
family supposed, I,llen he did not conie home at the expected
hour, that he had topped for the night with his brother-in.
law, aid were not concerned about his return until next
morning. Inquiries were then set on foot and at
eight o'clock a man and boy, who were sent to look
for him, found Ws body lying shockingly muti-
lated inn ditch near the house of a man named Feehan.
There were two gunshot wounds on the head—in fact, his
left ear and Jaw were blown through his skull, and it in sup-
posed that the weapon rise I for his destruct • must have
been heavily charged with slugs, and tirosh quite close to
him. There was also a small gunshot wound over the temple,
throngh which it is th.oight ono of the bullets passed out.
His truce. were shattered as if he hail held up Ins hands to
avert his fate. Ile was a Protestant, but was married to •
Homan Catholic, and allowed his wife and his 'WO chibben
to attend MM. The occurrence has created great surprise
in the lomtlity where Mr. Topham and his relations were
popular.

The inquest on the holly of Mr Topham, has resulte I in a
verdict of wilful murder against *,,me person or per*ons
unknown The evidence elven threw ten I 211 on the molly*,
of the an 111;411 The eirowar Hip tiled to the popolabon of
the *baffle! to'' raise their hands ag•tillw the natir, lerer, thee
evil-doers mizht be hunted a.m. an I the prep rity .4 the
conntry no hot r interfered wbh. it was ete.ugit ' Inc mini)
to brine afflictions npon the bind to iIIWO human life taken
In so brutal and reckless a manner"
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

THE GATHIIRST MURDER.

The shocking murder of a I,ttle girl named Annie lion ghton
at Dathurst, near Wigan, 1,. December last, will Inc fresh iii
the me ~,,, ries it our readers, and it will not be forgotien
that the exertions of the police to discover tile murderer
have hitherto heen unsuccessful. That they have not given
up the search, however, may he gathered from the following ,
placard which has been tossed this week by Mr. Superin-
tendent Ellison :
.£lOO Reward.— Further information regarding the
murder of Annie Houghton, aged 12, at At:Ulm-A-
lta I, Orrell, bear Wigan, who AVM murdered at her
father's house during the absence of Ler patents, ltv
S .me person or persons unknown, between 11.tlf.1'a-t aix
and liolf-past seven, on the evening if the 15th Decem-
her, Mit At the time .1 the murders silver Geneva,
watch. of which the following is • description, was
stolen front the house : Ni,. 424, white silver dial, with
gold c. mitre and yellow figures in old Engliuli; tine
spring of the back mow iii weak, and a slight *hake
will cause the case to fly open. A reward of £lOO,
namely, 1:50 by Her Majesty's lb-merlin:tent and £5O by
Mr. Joseph Roper, will be paid to any person who
shall give mi. It information and evidence as shall lead
to the ditcovery and conviction of the murderer or
murderers, anti the Secrets:7 of State will advice the
grant of Her .Majesty's gracious psrdon to any &mom.
plMe, not being the actual murderer, who shall give
such evidence as shall lead to the above result. Infor-
mation to be given to the chief constable, county police
office, Preston; to Mr Edison, superintendent of the
eountv p nice. Pemberton, ne Wigan ;Or at /113 V ol
tine Ik•i c statioto in the county of lontemtter. 'By
urd,r uf tinis CLUJ Constable.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

AGAPEMONES.

In an action, tried at the Leeds assizes on Monday, it
was contended by Mr. Price, Q.C., that to charge a
man with having anything to do with an acapemone
was libellous. The action was brought by Mr. Isaac
Ironside, if Sheffield. a gentleman well known in connec-
tion with Mr. David Urquhart and the Foreign Affair.
Committees." The editor ot the Sheffield Independepit
bad inserted an article in his paper commenting upon
some correspondence which had passed between the
board of guardians and Mr. Ironside. Mr. Ironside
wanted the guardians to let him a piece of land, which
they refused to do, and the editor complained that the
correspondence was not produced at a meeting of the
guardians when the reporters were present. In his
article, the editor asked, as it talked about as if it
was a nice family party, and was anything mentioned
as to the possibility of the land being wanted for an
acapemone? " The learned counsel for the plain-
tiff referred to a jud,lment of Lord Justic4,
Knight Bruce, in the case of a person named
Thomas the keeper of an agapemoue, in which
a bill had been tiled for the custody of an infant;
and it Was decided that Thomas Was an unfit person to
have the custody of the infant. The judge : " Is an
agapemone always the same?" Mr. Price "Always;
they are unchangeable and unchanged. They are in
the state they will remain in for ever and ever, and
they have arrived at a state so perfect that they re-
quire no alternations of bliss." In this state (counsel
added) the inuendo WM that Mr. Ironside wanted the
land for the purpose of founding and forming an insti-
tution which would be noxious and displeasing to so-
ciety. The jury could only judge of the opinion con-
veyed by the words of the libel by considering what
was the opinion generally entertained with regard to
such establishments, and whether it Was not a eenti-
ment of disgust. The judge ; "The word, I believe,

le Lot, in the dictionary ? Mr. rierend : Oh, yes,
m in
y lord. ft sane 'The abode of l m ove—harony and
love.'" Mr. Overend, for the defendant, contended
that the plaintiff had thoroughly misconstrued the
Language in question, and that no One for a moment
seriously supposed that he intended ipening an agape.
more. The jury returned a verdict ;for the de-
fendant.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

VICISSITUDES OF FORTUNE.

An inquest has been held at Ashton-under-Lyne
tqvin the body of an old man named Edward Siglay,
at which some painful facts were elicited. It appeared
that the deceased, who was seventy-eight years of age,
aud was a very feeble old man, went to a Conservative
tea party in Ashton, on Monday evening, and after-
wards called at a public-house close by. Here he re-
mained until about nine o'clock, drinking several
glaanws of liquor, and left about that hour for his home,
some half-mile distant. Next morning he was found
dead, in a pool of water, but his head was not im-
mersed, and be had evidently been starved to death.
A verdict to this effect was returned.

-
A correspondenc of the Mel:held Telegraph says :—The
life of this old gentleman certainly demonstrates the
fickleness of fortune, and illustrates moat strikingly
the aphorism that "Riches take to themselves wings
and fly sway." The deceased was horn a poor man,
but by dint of perseverance, assisted by natural genius,
he became the richest and neat extensive contractor in
the neiglibourhoml. He built the large and handsome
town hall .4 Ashton-under-Lyne, and many large
works of real architectural beauty were contracted for
and designed by him. Ho also executed a large part
lif the contract of the great water-works of the Man-
chester Corporation at Woodhead, and undertook the
making of a portion of the reservoirs of Loch Katrine,
in Scotland. In short, he owned a considerable for-
tune, and built a residence at Ashton. However,
owing to extravagance, and his own indiscretion, the
deceased had of lata years been reduced almost to ab-
solute penury, and for some time has lived in a small
cot behind the villa residence he once occupied.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10


THE LYE.

HEARTLESS D3SEUTI,SI.—M tho Petty Sessions, at
Stourbridge. yesteril iv, Charles Robins, of the Lyo, was
summohed by Mr. Ilarratt, Rolievingmtileer, for allowing
his wife to become chargeable to the p irish. Defendant
did nat. appear. Mr. Barrett said that the defendant heti
a wife and five children, who were in the most destitute
condition. They had not a bed in the house, neithi r
have they had one for the last eleven years ; and the
whole of the family slept in one room, with a little straw
on the floor. He had often visited the house and Imuti
the wife inn most disgusting state of nudity, having no.
thing to cover herself with. He bad often relieved them.
The man was a good workman. but refused to work. and
never kept a job more than two days. He hal offered
him work, hut he bad refused to do it, and refaool
to
keep his wife and family. Same of the children were in
the Union, and the wife had become chargeable at a cost
of 4s per week. The Beach made an order for defend-
ant to pay 4s per week, and costs.
SERIOUS ACCIDEST.—On Thursday morning last, a
serious accident occurred to a young man named John
Green, at the Hayes. It appears Green was at work in
Messrs. Fisher and Co.'s pits, at the Hayes, and, whilst
BO engaged, a quantity of coal fell upon him, fracturing
his collar hone and crushing his ribs. The unfortunate
man is doing as well as can be expected.

•-- - -
CRADLEY HEATH.
THE LATE CriAnciE OF OBTAINING PIGS BY FALSE
PRETENCES.—iiit the Worcestershire Sessions, on Tues-
day last, before Mr. R. P. Amphlett, Q C., M.P., Thomas
Nlntlen 126), pig dealer, was charged with obtaining, by
false pretences, two pigs from Jeremiah Brown, and also
two pigs from Thomas Parsons, on the fidth of March
last, at Rowley Regis, with intent to defraud them of the
same.—Mr. Godson prosecuted ; the prisoner was node-
fended.—The full particulars of this case appeared in
our columns last week, but for the benefit of those who
may out have read it, we will give a short stlintnary of it.
Prosecutor bought the two pigs at Stourbridge market,
which he gave to a man to drive home. The man took
them with others, and left the wrong ones at a house
directed by prosecutor where he was to leave his pigs.
The drover also took Brown's pigs to another man.
Prisoner heard of the mistake, and attempted to change
the pigs and give each man his right ones. With this
pretence he got the pigs from Brown, and went and sold
them to a Min for £-1 ss. It, however, turned out that
there was but one indictment, as prisoner got the pigs
from Parsons legally. Prisoner made no defence, fur-
ther than sayiug he was commissioned to sell the pigs.
—The inry found prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced
I to six months' hard labour.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

MEETING OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

The half-yearly conference was held, on Sunday, at
the Music.hall. Store-street, London, Brother Char-
rington, president of the European mimion, occupied
the chair, supported by • number of priests and elders.
The proceedings were opened by singing and prayer.
Brother Farnborough, president of the Deptford,
Woolwich, and Whitechapel districts, gave an en.
cour.ging account of the good work going on. The
"estate" generally were prospering, though it had
been found necessary to lop off 60111 P unhealthy mem-
ber,. Brother John Hardy, of the Western districts,
said the Latter-day work was in a better condition
t,an it had been for years. Brother Lyman, president
of the London conference, in laying before the mem-
bers the half-yearly report stated there were 8
branches, 104 elders, 38 priests, 23 teachers, and 30
deacons. During the Rix months 102 niembers had
been cut off, 10 died, 34 baptised; the total number of
members were 915, inclusive of officers. There had
«ern but little emigration. The financial account
stated that the tithing fund receipts amounted to
£BB his., of which £44 had been sent to Liverpool,
and about 1:18 spent in conferences. The mission
fund amounted to 1:100. Of this 4;62 had been spent
in engaging balls and 08 by the elders, Tne emi-
gration deposits amounted to 4;348 12s. ; portions of
which had been withdrawn by members under tempo-
rary difficulties. The total millected during the half.
year amounted to £534 2s. 104.

The usual votes were then taken, pledging the mem-
bers to sustaio Brigham Young as elder, seer, revelator,
sod prophet, over the entire family of "saints," with
B. Wells for h's counsellor; also the quorum of the
twelve apostles, with the minor officers.
Elder Gibbs. president of the Cheltenham confer-
ence ; Elder Noble, of Newcastle, and others ad-
dressed the meeting, which kept up throughout the
day.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

A CONGREGATION OF SPIRITS.

The New York Herald gives an account of a singular
gathering of spiritualists at the Everett Rooms, in
New York, on the 21st ult. Dr. Fairfield, a "a re-
markable" trance speaker, was the star advertised to
address the assemblage. The reading of the Scrip-
tures was dispensed with, and in its place the remark-
able doctor, after haring very solemnly taken up a
position behind the desk, announced that he would
read a spirit poem by Edgar Allen Poe. This
spirituous poetry must have been in rather small
spiritual type, for the Doctor was enabled to read
off some eight or ten verses from the palm of
his hand without turning over. Some more music
from the tame piano, and the speaker said he was de-
llghted to see is, large and full an audience, and felt
flattered at their presence ; but he was more glad to see
an innumerable host of disembodied spirits which,
though not visible to the carnal eye, were seen by him.
Wherever spiritualists were gathered together ti • preach
and hear the gospel, there these happy spirits were,
and they were now waiting in that room to hear him
speak. Dr. Fairfield took as his text the words "Con-
sider whot I say ; and the Lord give thee understanding
in all things." II Timothy, ii. 7. The speaker then
commenced to discourse, but although his delis cry was
very rapid his language WWI so much chosen as to be
almost unintelligible. "The main idea," says the re-
porter, "was that Spiritualism meant upwards and
onwards and everything else downwards and back-
wards."
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-10

THE SIAMESE TWINS.

Mr. Henry lee has written the following thoughtful and
kindly letter in band and Water, which we reprint with
muck pleasure :
The "Siamese Twins" have asked me to contradict
a statement quoted from an American journal by 0110
of our correspindents five weeks ago, that "one of
their medical examiners tied a ligature named the
connecting band so as to prevent the circulation
through it, and that in consequence the smaller of the
two fainted away and lost all consciousness, and there
were symptoms that the same effect would follow on
the other." The Twins say that no such experiment
has been tried on them, and that the a iove, which was
published as "a fact," is, in the contrary, pure
tiotion. I take this opportmity of offering a frill ly
hint to some newspaper reporters who (thoughtlessly,
perhaps, and without any intention of wounding the
feelings of two worthy men deserving sympathy
rather than insult) allow themselves to write as if
the subjects of their conversation had no 1110 re sen-
sibility than a couple f the wax iumgen in Madame
Tussaud's exhibition. I know that the coarse, flippant,
and unfeeling remarks upon the T ins, which recently
appeared in a London daily paper, were read by them
and by their relatives with pale arid indignation. Some
of their visitors appear to forget that their peculiar con-
genital bodily malf,rnia, ion is unaccompanied by any
deformity of mind. Messrs. Chang and Eng Bunker are
intelligent, wellinfoimed, and coneciehtions men. kindly
and genial in disposition, yet exhibiting in conversation
a self- posnmeaion and firmness of demeanour which repel
offensive familiarity. Many an Englishman who thiuks
himself entitled to it has less claim than they to
the name of "gentleman." They have brought
up their families carefully and religiously and
their children behave towards them with perfect
filial obedience and respect, and evidently regard
them with the most devoted affection. That
these two brothers have, under such unfavourable cir-
cumetancen, supported theinselve s for twenty-nine
years by thsir ,IWII industry as farmers, each of them
maintaining and educating well a large family, and yet
gradually acquiring an estate on which about fifty
people were employed by them, is a sufficient proof
that they possess great decision of character and no
ordinary talents. Unhappily, they sustained such
serious losses during the late war between the Nor-
thern and Southern States of America that they are
obliged, at the age of fifty-eight yearn, to exhibit them-
selves again, to retrieve, if possible, their fallen for-
tunes, and to enable them to provide for their families.
As public characters they are, of course, liable to the
most free and open criticism. They are grateful when
that criticism is friendly ; but in a contrary cane there
is no occasion to hurt their feelings by ingeniously
camel allusions and wanton jeers.