The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-24 00:00:00

AN OLD GRUDGE SETTLED.

A chocking case of murder occurred at Barrow.upon-
Soar, Leicestershire, on Monday night. At that village ,
there resided a Dian named Knight, who obtained a 1
living as a carman between Leicester atm Louth-
borough. He had returned from his usual journey to I
Loughborough on Monday, and between eight and
nine o'clock went to the Lime Kiln Leerhouse, when
he saw • labourer, residing in that village, named
Perkins. As soon as Knight entered the house,
Perkins accused him of having said something about
him, and struck him a blow with his fit which felled
him to the ground. Perkins fell on him, the two
struggled together for a few minutes, and Knight was
only saved from serious injury by the interference of
the landlord. Knight then left the house to go home,
but he was soon followed by his assailant, who re-
marked to a man named Cooke that he Phould "pitch
into Tommy Knight." Perkins came tip with Knight
about 110 yarde from the beerhon se, when he at once
knocked him down, and while the poor fellow was on
the ground kicked him several times on the head.
Knight called for help, and the man Coke went up
and pulled Perkins off,Mit not until after he had again
kicked Knight three or four times on the head, causing
' him to call out 'The Lord have mercy on my soul!
I'm a dead nom!" Other persons were attracted to
the mot, and the injuted MAD, who was utterly unable
to move, was conveyed home. On his Arrival there he
called out " Mary !" to his wife three Unica, and died
in a few minutes.
Perkins, in the meantime, made his escape, hut he
was shortly afterwards arrested. He asked what he
was wanted for, and when told that it WAS for assault-
ing Knight, he said, "L's an old grudge, and I've
given it him. It's none, and can't be undone." The
police-constable took the prisoner to his house, and in
a minute or two a mewenger came to say that Knight
was dead. On hearing this Porkies said, "I didn't
mean to kill him, and I'm sorry he's dead. It's malice.
I've got into it, and I must get out of it the best way I
can."

DEMONSTRATIONS in LONDON in
FAVOUR of FRANCE and PEACE.
On Monday night,a crowded meeting of sympathizers
with France and peace was held at the New Hall
of Science in Old-street ; Mr. Austin Holyoake oc-
cupying the chair. In introducing Mr. Bracllangh,
at whose personal instance the meeting was called, the
Chairman observed that Englishmen were very fond of
fair play, and prone to interfere if they saw a man
struck when down. France woe down now. Accord-
ing to Jule. Favre she wished for peace and Prussia
evidently was not disposed to peace. a was with the
view of bringing the English public opinion to bear
upon Prussia that the present meeting had been called.
Mr. Rradlaugh stated that he had sent invitations
' to attend the meeting to Mr. Peter Taylor. M.P.
Mr. H.nry Richard, N.?., Mr. Gilpin, M.P., &Lel
Frofe,sor Bees!ey. The last named gentlanati had
tQlcgraphed his inability to attend, and his best wishes
for the eui:cese of the demonst. aka. Mr. Richard
had written, dating Ida letter horn the eltice d the
Peace Society, of which he is secretary, saying
"1 am glad to find any effort made in the direction of
peace at this critical moment. But lam doubtful, inm the
association of Professor Beesley with your movement,
whether you mean peace precisely In the same sense and by
the same mean. cc we do. I understand lie is distinctly to
favour of an armed intervention to promote peace, but we
have no faith in making peace by war."
. . .

- -
Mr. Bradlaugh made a very animated speech, the
burden of which was favourable to the epread ef
Republu idea. He enjoined Englishmen to be
wary of diplomacy playing tricks with England's
ame,particalarly as he had beard that Lord Uraaville

desired a restoration of the Empire in Fran,. The
speaker approved France payiug a full indemnity to
Prns.ia for the war, wbieh the ruler of France precipi.
tattd, and also the dismantling of Meta and Strasburg,
but even for this dismantling to be fair Yrniaia should
also dismantle her frontier garrison?. Ti.e annexe,.
tion of Alsace and Lorraine would cause endltsi strife,
and, therefore, ought not for a moment to be counten-
anced. (Cheers!)

Mr. emules Watts moved the following address to
Mr. Gladstone :
,To THE RIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTONE.

" Sir,—The undersigned moat earnestly and respectfully
appeal to you now to use the high °aloe you Gil, and the
great power with which the nation has intrusted you,
actively in favour of pence.
We submit that the English nation is immediately Inter
cited In preventing the further continuance of the terrible
war now &elating France, and we entreat you as Premier
of the nation to cast hit wcigi.t of English influet.ce In favour
of the making such • treaty of peace betweuu Germany and
Prance as roay, from the charaeter of lte stipulations, ho
durable, calculated to restore the prosperity of the great
lier.eanic and French peoples, and promotive of the geueral
peace of Europe.
- -

" We look with confidence to pout:oat, accepting tlo
ration now made by the Government temporarily charged
with the &tense of Franco that ' intone, divested of the
• hrond of the Empire,' • disuse awe all political conquest, all
violent propaganda, and has no other ambition than to re-
main miatrtas of herself, to develops her moral and material
force, and to work fraterootty with her neighbours for the
Progress of civilization, 'you will take the Initiative, with the
other great Powers, in the office of mediators between the
conquerors and the defeated. so that no stipulation dis-
honourable to the pm pie of Franco may Impede the signa-
ture elan immediate armistice.
"France .ka peace, Sir, and we join her in that prayer,
anti thus address you, believing that it will be to England's
lasting shame if every possible effort be not made to prevent
further carnage."

Mr. A. IL Cooper seconded the motion, which Wac
supported by Dr. Congreve, and carried with actin,.
motion.

An address to M. Jules Favre, congratulating him
on the downfall of di spotiem and the establishment of
a Republican ferm of government in France, was moved
by Mr. Wade, seconded by Mr. Truelove, and sup-
ported by Mr. Drake.
This was Unwise carried enthusiasticslly.

-
Other resolutions authorized the formation of a com-
mittee to live effect to the objects of the meeting, and
to organize other demonstrations until peace was se.
cured and France restored to her former elevated posi-
tion among nations.

TILE MEETING IN TRAFALGAR-SQUARE.
On Monday night, in Trafalgar-square, was held
what before-hand was called " a great Republic 4n
demonstration." to express sympathy towards the
French Republic. The great promise had a moot
miserable fulfilment, so far as obtaining the opinion of
Londoners went, for of all the imitations of the late
Reform League meetings ever held in the open space
surmounted by Nelson's Monument, not one has been
seen to (.001 this in noisy disorder.

The programme net forth that the meeting Wai to
Open at seven o'clock, to be formed of processions from
east, aouth, and north ; but at the time named the
space between the monument and the National 0 ollery
was already in the possession eta dense mass, chiefly
of the rough class. Flags were draped about the spot,
and in the semidarkness the flag of the Rbcl Repub-
licans and the national tricolour of France, both sur-
mounted by the cap of liberty, stood prominently out.
Mr. Merrituan, who had been appointed by the body
acting in the name of the Democracy of London ti
take the chair, or rather the position known as that of
chairman, tool his stand on the monument, and at
once proceeded to addrese the meeting, in the dark.
There was the greatest confusion prevalent, but still
he continued, and referred at very great length to a
visit he last week made to Paris. He describel him-
self as obliged to sneak about Paris, ashamed
to mention his country, for be felt diegraced
that England had not followe I the example
of America in recognizing the Republic. He de-
clarod that this recoguithin ought at once to follow, and
tiat the people should demand it, and he held that it
was a shame there should be any delay about this in
Government of which John Bright was a member,
and which contained a well-known friend of Mazzini.
Ile toll the people they were bound to raise their
voices and make the Government reccgnize the Re-
public, and in so doing, he said, they would be acting
as the friends of France and Germany alike, ito nmuch
as they would be tatting steps in the path of ; o-ace and
iin the nterests of humanity, Paris, he declared, roust
not be bombarded, and he gave as one precedent for
intervention the stoppage of the threatened bombard.
meat of Milan in 1848.

At this juncture in the speech the promised prom s-
sinus came into the square, with the additional noise
of bands playiog different tunes at the very top of their
power. The darkners was too great for much to be
sten but all the gatherings from the three industrial
quarters of London, with Italian Republicans added,
made little difference in the composition of the meeting
An attempt at illumination was, however, made, by
lighting some of the lamps need by cestermongers.
When order was again restored, Mr. Wade, a work-
ing man, was announced as the proposer of the tirst
molution
Teat this meeting Of the people of Lannon conerattilate
the people of France on having got rid of an Intolerable
despoilam, and on baviur established a Republican Govern.
moat : and calls upon the responsible Ministers of this
country to recognise toe French Republic without further
&day or hesitation."

He congratulated the meeting upon the great reed
g:orious spectacle they presented, and said they had
made a demonstration which w inlet resound through-
out Europe; and if the movement thus began were
kept up it would redound to the benefit of the
English people. It had been told the people of
this ciuntry that they '.ad nothing to do with the
Frencia people, FAG they had, for all Democracies had
but one purpose to serve—the interests of labour
(cheers) ; and they would chew that they could re-
cognize nat onalities—nationalitien which would be
founded rp gi United S,isteil et Republican Eorope.
(Cetera) Elie Government must re caguize the French
Republic. It was founded without blood, and had there.
fore a higher right to re cogniidon than the rule of the
blood-stained Louis Napoleon, which was recognised
at once by Lend Palmerston. With this Republic in
Europe and that over the Atlantis there might then
be hope for the working men of Eugland. (Cheers.)
He proceeded to say that Republica did not wart war
or standing armies; they ruled by "Right Divine,"
but they needed no mock plebiscites; and having Lie
broad basis of universal suffrage they desired the ad-
vance of the people.
Mr. Coffey neconded the resolution, and said if both
France and Germany had had Republican Govern-
ments this war would never have been ccmineoced.
He advocated Republican institutions as the moat
peaceable and the cheapest.
The resolution was then submitted to the meeting.
Alter a time the show of hands was taken, and the
resolution was declared to be carried.

Mr. Mottiehead propo.ied the following resolu•
tion

" That on the surrender of the Emperor and the flight cf
the Empress from l'arts, the French Itmplre ceased to exist,
A..d the cause of war having been terminated by the present
successes of the arms of Prim's, the further prosecution of
that war is a cruel outrage upon the French nation. And
this meeting calls upon the British Goren 'tient to protest
against the continued slaughter of French and Prussians,
arid a prolongation cf the misery and desolation wilier a
state of war entail,, and entreats the English Government
to employ their good offices In procuring an immediate
armistice in order that the belligerents may have thee and
opportunity for negotiations. And this meeting Is also of
opinion that If the Governments of France and Prussia cannot
settle the terms of permanent peace between themselves,
the questions in dispute should be referred to neutral
arbitration."

Mr. Stafford seconded this, and it WWI also carried.
Mr. Lees then read an address as from "The People
of London to the National Defence Committee and
People of France," and eignod and adopted at this
meeting. It was headed "Liberty ! Equality!
Fraternity
The confusion became very groat as this was finished
and a free fight Wail held between some of the roughs
and the Republicans, who were decked out in scarlet
gear. The address was declared to be adopted, am was
a resolution authorizing it to be sent to the French
Government, and the proceedings closed by a band
striving to play the " Mareeillaise," with which the
processionists marched away.