The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-06-18 00:00:00

BRIO PORT.

A BYcYcut Curs has been organised here.
A BALagg of fotir.y awl useful articles in aid of the
funds .4 the Congregational Chapel wee formally
opened by the Mayor, Mr. H. Hounsall, at two o'clock
p.m on Wednesday.
Acorn:rt.—As a youth, named Robert Baker, in
company with some others, was playing with some
ropes attached to one of the yawls lying at the
harbour. at ...me distance from the groucd he suddenly
fell, alighting on his head. The shock at once
stunned him. Dr. Hay was Immediately sent for.
The poor fellow was taken to the Bridport Arms, and
In spite of every effort to arouse him remained uncon-
scious for hours. We are pleased to say the lad is in
a fair way of recovery.
raouo;
.Pozcz..b.—ltLoremthme y
remanded 'on Tuesday_ on •
chars, of stealing a gold watch belonging to Br. B
I nof the
no fur avideo rlreew" again brought op,
but i
I be wa• discharged

THE STOLEN GAINSBOROUGH.
Events succeed each other so rapidly in these days,
and now eensations are so continually cropping up,
that it must be • very important matter which can
become more than a oine days' wonder. 'The theft of
the celebrated Gainsburough portrait of the Duchess
of Devonshire was one of the sensations of May of
1876, but like most other sensations it had its day, and
gradually dropped out of the public mia& A
mysterious "peos oial" announcement in the agony
column of the Neto York Herald recalls the matter to
mind. It will be remembered that the picture, which
had been litcepiired by Maws. Agnew, at a oast of
£30,000 at auction, was on exhibition in New Bond.
street, London, when on 'ping into the gallery on the
morning of the 26th of May the keeper found that the
canvas had been cut clean out of the frame, and taken
away. No trace was afterwards found of the picture,
though several faise alarms were got up, and despite
the remit d of £l,OOO offered by Messrs. Agnew the
thief or thieves have remained undetected to this day.
The advertisement to which we have referred is as
follows:—" New York. Negotiations can be opened
for the restoration of the "Noble Lady" who
mysteriously disappeared from Old Bond-street in
1876. Address L. S. D., Herald Uptown office."
This certainly appears to refer to the mussing picture,
though a sight mistake is made in the name of the
street, and no doubt Messrs. Agnew's attention hae
been called to the matter. If so we shall probably
hear shortly whether there is any prospect 01 the
valuable work of art being restored to its owners, or
whether the advertisement is simply one of those
enigmas which are so often to be found in the agony
column of many of the newspapers of the day, and
particularly in three of America.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT A FUNERAL
Last Sunday the Rev. Bailey Wallace, vicar of
Morsel
to Church, DOW Whiteharee refused to bury a
child belonging Mr. Johnston, innkeeper, Parton.
The child (Bed on Thursday, and notice was given to
Mr. Wallace. Soveral friends had been written to
and asked to the funeral on Sunday, hut Mr. Wallace
wee inexorable, stating he would bury the child on
Saturday or Monday, but not on Sunday. Advice
was taken, and Mr. Wallacewee then informed that
the funeral would be at Moresby to see if the rev.
gentleman would carry out his throat not to inter the
body. As a disturbance was apprehended, the police
were communicated with, and several policemen
were present. The funeral cortqx arrived at Moresby
about four o'clock, and found the churchyard gates
and the church fastened. The coffin was lifted over
the gates, and it was then found that the grave which
had been opened for the child wee filled up. The Rev.
Mr. Wallace was now asked if he wm.M inter the
child. Hs refund miler Mr. Johnston would
apologias and withdraw the expression "queer
fellow" which Mr. JottnAon had previously mad
him. Mr. Johnston refused. Spades were sent for to
Moresby Hall, and the grave warn re-o,..ened, the Rev.
Mr. Wallace informing the man he was doing an
Biwa act, Johnston then told the man he would
made, ropes were borrowed, and the coffin was
lowered. Mr. Gibbs, a member of the Con-
gregational Church at Parton, obtained a chair,
and placing this against the wall outside the
stand between him and danger. The grave being
churchyard faced the grave and road the b
service. While all this was going on the crowd used
violent and uncomplimentary language towards Mr.
Wallace, and had the police not been praient it is
more than probable a serious disturbance would have
occurred. Afterwards the clergyman was hooted at
in the village, and scarcely anyone attended his
church at ni,ht. His refusal to bury the child on
the Sunday will be reported to the Bishop of Carlisle
by Mr. Johnston.