The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-02 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

An old Irishwoman, aged 107, is living at Airdrie.
There was not a single criminal case for trial at the
Enniskillen Assizes.

Lord Chief Justice Giffard has riled that a barrister
cannot recover his fees.

Several eearches for arms were made in Cork on
Saturday, but without success.

During & recent trial in the Tale of Man the jury
were addressed by coluieel and Judge for a period 0129 hours
65 minutes.

An Admiralty order has just been issued to supply
the Royal Navy with Hymns Ancient and Modern," at tho
eurprimingly low rate of one penny per copy.

- - - _
Rumour aeserte that the Duke of Edinburgh will
give to the world, in print, his travels round the world,
when hie Royal ilighnees returns.
After vieiting Bombay, the Duke of Edinburgh
proceeded to NisOras, where he met with a very euthusiastic
reception.

The Irish nationalimt prere made full ure of their
lisrt unrestrained opportunity to abuse the Government on
Saturday In one long shriek against the Coereion Bill.

Mr. Jesse Banning, a pianoforte tuner, residing in
Liverpool. has obtained £6OO from the London and North
Western Railwsy Company as compensation for injuries re-
ceived on the Company. line in September last.

- -
M. Paul de Cassagnac, crowded in court the other
day at Tours, obtained space by saying to the gentleman
who preued his right side, " 'fake care, sir, you are sitting
upon my revolver !"

A farmer, named John Bruce, and two of his la-
bourers, were on Friday, digging a trench on a farm near
Aberdeen. They had excavated ton depth of ISft., when the
sides of the trench collapsed; the three men were buried In
the earth, and all were killed.

It is said that three of the partners of a leading
mercantile firm, carrying on trade in Du',lin, were taken 11l
while absent on businew—one In St. Helena, another in
London, and the third in the south of Ireland; and all three
were interred on the same day.
A quarrel terninst:d thus one day last week, in
Paris, to the amusement of the spectators:—" Monsieur, you
shall give me satisfaction." Reply (amidst a peal of laughter)
" Monsieur, I cannot. I am a member of the Society for
Protecting Animals."

The Clonmel Chronkle says that Mr. William
Molony, of Thurles, some three or four months since offered
his tenants long leases of their holdings, which was all they
required previously; but strange to say, very few have taken
advantage of the kind offer of their landlord.

A mixed jury of men and women, at midnight on
Sunday, says the Kew York Times of the lath lust., returned
a verdict of manslaughter in the first degree in the Cowie
murder case, Wyoming Territory, after three or tour days
incarceration. The ladles were very much fatigued.
- -

AL the San Donato sale fabulonz price; have been
given for some of the art treasures. A porcelain plate, de-
corated by DroUlna, put up at 150 f., was purchased at
3.600 t. and the celebrated Itohan service of old SCvres, for
which 150,0006 was asked, was bought in at 225,040 t., and a
silver watch fetched 2,250 f.

A St. Peter+burg hairdresser has commenced a suit
for the purpose of obtainuig from one of his patrons she slim
of 5,000 roubles (S 00 for chignons and false hair. Another
Russian lady in high circles is the defendant in an action for
the recovery of the cost of the same costumes. The milli-
ner's bill is 10,000 roubles (41,600).

At the Liverpool Aasizes, Mr. Justice Willes decided
that a master could not be held responsible for an accident
happening to one of his workmen in consequence of the in-
Security of a scaffolding erected by other of his workmen
unless Ms attention had been called to the defect before the
accident.

• The arm correspondent of the New York World
asserts that Napoleon sank on the sth September, under the
operating knife of the surgeon, Ricord, that hie death has
been kept secret in order to avoid disturbance, and that an
imitation Emperor has since been provided.

The subject of abolishing imprisonment for debt was
discussed in the States the Parliament) of the Island of
Jersey lest week, and by a unanimous vote the preamble of
a bill was passed, declaring the propoaal a desirable one.
There was, however, a strong feeling to protect the interest
of the trading community against dishonest debtors.
Mr. Maguire, M.P., has written to decline a public
compliment which has been offered to him lor his opposition
to the Land Bill. Be is of opinion that although many of
the provisions of the bill are faulty, other. are of great
value. lie disclaim. all sympathy with licence and violence
but designates the Coercion Bill st. a measure striking at the
liberty of the press and freedom of opinion.
"The Genial Showman" will be the title of a new
work by Mr. Edward P. Minden. It will be published in a
few days, and will be a description of American life from a
point of view seldom taken by travellers—that of an (Liner/sot
showman. It will also detail Mr. Ilingston's experience. at
the Salt Lake, and he a biography of the into Arteruus Ward,
with whom the author visited the Mormons.
" As a specimen of the way bills are trumped up,
where the State is expected to pay, It may be mentioned that
the claims now before the appropriate Anettibly Committee
for expenses of lawyers' fees and et ceteras in the case of the
Impeachment of Captain John Acts, a poor house superin-
tendent In Rensselaer County, foots up the sum of 30,000
dols."—Neto lurk Tribune.

O'Keefe. one of the liberated Fenian convicts, has
issued an address " to the Irish inhabitants of America," in
which he warns his compatriots that it is the merest folly
to attempt to scare England by " threats of military
violence." The thing to be done is to destroy the linen trade
of Ulster if the political prisoners are not net free.

It is stated that as the Princess of Wales and Lady
Down were driving the other day from viewing the meet of
the Fitswilliam hounds at Catworth guide-post, a country-
man approached the pony-carriage, and, addressing her
Royal ['winless, said, "Please, mien. he you the Princess I"
The Princess smilingly gave him an affirmative answer.
- - - - -

- -
Mr. Joseph Payne, for manyyears Deputy•Aasistant
Judge at the Wattles. Sessions, died on Tuesday morning,
after an Illness of a few hours' duration. The learned gentle-
mm., who wes seventy-three p.m.. of age, had prodded in
his court on the previous day. The immediate cause of Mt.
Payne's death was an attack of apoplexy.

Two youths connected with the tailoring department
of the Roman Catholic Reformatory, at Whltwick, quarrelled
with each other on Saturday, w hen one of them Patrick
Lawley, picked up • pair of schaors and stabbed his an-
tsgionist in the abdomen. The poor fellow, whose name is
Franzis 31'Ewen, rapidly sank and died the same night.
A new idea in connexion with "duet and disease'
has been broached in a recent lecture by Mr. liloshatn, the
lecturer on chemistry to the Deivatment of Artillery Studies.
Ile suggests that the committee on ex plosive, abandoning
gumeotton, should collect the germs 41 small-pox, out
similar malignant diseases on cotton or other dust-c illecting
substances, and load shells with them. We should then hear
of an enemy dislodged from his position by a volley of typhus,
or a few rounds of Asiatic cholera !

At Kirkcaldy, on Saturday, the body of a man
named Mitchell was discovered in the wetdock. On the body
being esainined, a large wound, apparently made with some
sharp instrument was discovered behind the right Oil. A
large quantity of blood was also observed on the quay, and a
woman living in the neighbourhood states that she heard a
scuffle late the previous night on the quay. It Is supposed
that the murderers had thrown their victim Into the dock to
make it appear that he had stumbled into the water.

- -
The other morning, at a draper'e in Liverpool, a
gentleman was leaving the premises, but instead of taking
egress by the doorway, he inadvertently stepped into one of
the windows, which was empty at the time for the purpose
of being re-dressed, and before any of the astonished sales.
men could interfere, the unlucky visitor had made his way
Into the street, through a very large thick plate-glass window.
Fortunately the only injury he received was a cut on the left
cheek