The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-07 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

At Canterbury, on Monday, John R. Green, member
of the Ist Volunteer Battalion of the Buffs, was sum-

moned under the Volunteer Regulations At for pay-
ment of 308., the amount of the Government grant, he
having failed to attend the requisite number of drills
during the past volunteer year, and thereby failed to
become efficient. The prosecution was instituted by
Colonel Knocker, the commandant. The defendant was
ordered to pay 30s, and costs.
At the annual meeting of the Manchester Chamber
of Commerce the president, Mr. J. F. Hutton, said that
whilst the state of trade was still very unsatisfaiitory,
he saw no ground for the gloomy forebodings which
were sometimes indulged in. Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P.,
and Mr. W. H. Houldsworth, M.P., also agreed that we
might look for an improvement in trade during the next
three months, although the latter remarked that it was
never worse than at the present moment.
At the Bishop Auckland Police-court on Monday,
Christopher Marshall, tailor and 'busman, was charged
with assaulting Mr. Lougsta.ffe' grocer and 'busman, on
the 20th ult., and with setting fire to a haystack three
days later. Marshall went into Lon4staffe's shop while
drunk, wanted to fight, and in plunging about the shop
fell through the window. On the 23rd defendant was
seen to set fire to a haystack belonging to Longstaffe.
For the first offence he was ordered to pay the costs,
and on the charge of arson was committed for trial at
the assizes.
At Hull on Monday a man named Banas, master of a
keel, was charged before the stipendiary with exposing
his son, aged nine years, while suffering from small-
pox. The keel arrived at Hull with the boy on board
suffering from the disease, and he was removed to a
public-house. The direct result was stated to be that
twelve cases of small-pox were admitted into the Hull
Fever Hospital. The lad was affected towards the end
of October, and was not taken to the hospital till the
end of November, being exposed at places along the
river Trent. Here the disease spread, and one case
ended fatally. The defendant was fined 40s. and
costa. •
At Bury, Robert Creevey, late meter inspector at the
Corporation gasworks, has been committed for trial on
two charges of libel ag4nst John Burton, foreman at
the gasworks. It was alleged that the defendant had
issued placards charging Burton with having during the
past twelve yeais robbed the works of 300 tons of coke,
, and of having had his house :t.nd two conservatories
fitted up by Corporation workmen out of materials
belonging to the town. The same chargcs were, it was
stated, preferred about two years ago, and inqatred into
by the gas committee, who found them not
and the defendant was informed of this fact. Oreevey
asserted that he was not so informed, or he would have
given up the charge. He declined to apply for bail, and
was remo red in custody.
At an inquest at Manchester on Monday on the two
old people who died by suffocation from the fumes of a
coke fire, the daughter having been arrested on the
charge of causing their death, a verdict of "Accidental
death" was returned.
A girl, named Calle, seventeen years of age was at
the Liverpool Police-court, committed for trial on the
charge of embezzling money from her employer. She
was traced to Port Said, on her way to Australia.
Mr. Justice Chitty has decided, in a case affecting
the Birmingham and Lichfield Junction Railway Com-
pany, that promoters and Parliamentary agents are not
entitled to payment of their claims out of the money
deposited as a guarantee to Parliament that the under-
taking will be carried out.
The trial of the probate suit in which the will of the
late Mrs. Kate Bousfield, executed on the day of her
death, was opposed by the next-of-kin, terminated on
Monday, the jury finding in favour of the will pro-
pounded by Colonel Steble, M.P., and for which Mr.
Justice Butt accordingly pronounced judgment.
Sir Charles Dilke, speaking on Monday night in the
dis`rict which is to be formed into the new borough of
Hammersmith, alluded to some misunderstanding as
to his previous statement about the Conservative party,
and declared that what he did say was that at the next
general election the Conservative party would be a rival
Democratic party, soliciting the support of Democratic
constituencies on an essentially Democratic programme.
He then referred to the land question, which, he
pointed out, is now commanding great public attention.
He did not believe that Protection was likely to make
much way in this country, even among agricultural
labourers.
Colonel Stanley, M.P., spoke at Blackpool, on Mon-
day night, devoting his remarks mainly to condemn-
ing the views on the land question advanced by
Mr. Chamberlain. He also predicted that the Liberal
party would, when Parliament met, require a great deal
of persuasion or pressure to sanction the Government
plan for the settlement of Egyptian finance.
Major-General Newdigate, in presenting to the York
and Lancaster Regiment the Khedive's bronze cross for
services in the Soudan, alluded to the recent victories,
and remarked that nothing would give him greater
pleasure than to be ordered off to lend a helping hand
to those who were so gallantly fighting in the Desert.
Sir James Paget, in presenting the prizes gained at
the Army Medical School at Netley, urged that it would
be a benefit if the civil and military medical professions
were brought into closer connection.
A gathering of practical agriculturists on Monday
night, at the Farmers' Club, discussed the question of
farm rents. Whilst urging that a reduction of rents
was necessary, some of the speakers protested against
the system of letting farms by tender. One speaker
desired to see a Land Court established, but others pre-
ferred to leave landlords and tenants to make their own
terms.
Much attention is being paid on the Continent to the
military preparations which Italy is making. A corre-
spondent at Rome thinks that current events indicate
that there are ulterior objects, while at Paris it is con-
jectured that an early attempt will be made to occupy
Tripoli.
There was a very riotous scene on Monday at the
Sorbonne, on the occasion of M. Carro delivering a
lecture, partly of a political character. The students
hissed and shouted, and for a time prevented his speak-
ing. A renewal of the demonstration, which arose out
of the lecturer's controverting some of the opinions
held by the late Edmond About, is threatened.
The Nottingham Corporation, alter a stormy debate,
has generally approved of the Trent Navigation Bill for
purchasing the company's rights and the prevention of
floods. The cost will be £76,000.
An agriculturist named Slater, well known in the
district of Canterbury, was knocked down and killed on
the South Eastern Railway on Monday afternoon.
He was deaf and did not hear the approach of the
train.
About sixty yards of the wall of the new floating
dock at Penzance has given way, and the remainder of
its length so seriously damaged that it is feared it will
have to be rebuilt.
The body of a farmer named Body, who resided at
Huntspill, Somersetshire, has been found in the river
Parrett, near Bridgewater. He was missed nearly a
month ago after attending an entertainment, and it
is supposed that Ir must have fallen into the river on
his way home.
Sir Stafford Northcote, speaking at a Conservative
electoral meeting at Crediton on Saturday, controverted
some of the views ol Mr. Bright and Mr. Chamberlain cn
the subject of the landel interest and the agricultural
labourers, and maintained that the Liberal party had
done nothing to benefit them. On the other hand.
Lord Cairns's Settled Estates Act had worked well,
and any further propositions in the same direction
would be dealt with as fairly by a Conservative as by a
Liberal Government. Sir Stafford then alluded to the
distinguishing features of Conservatism, and touched
on the connection of Church and State, the payment
of members, and the foreign and Colonial policy of
Ministers.
Mr. Goschen addressed a meeting of the electors of
Edinburgh on Saturday evening, chiefly upon the
political topics that he considered would call for early
attention in a Parliament returned by the new electorate.
He sold he was in favour of making land more easily
saleable; of imposing Many new needs, which were
partly sanitary and partly civic, upon local authorities.
and of transferring the duty of licensing to the local
authority.

11) Dablin on Saturday an important ease was decides
in the Probate Court concerning the will of Jame!
Gornan, who left about £400,000, of which about
£250,000 was bequeathed to Roman Catholic charities
The jury stopped the case and found for the will.
An explosion occurred early on Sunday morning ii
Grand-street, New York, damaging the woodwork of
the windows in front of a dry-goods store. The polies
state that dynamite was used in the explosion, and
attribute its authorship to some of the employes in the
store who are at present on strike.
The Council of the Guild of St. Matthew have
adopted and are circulating a petition to the House of
Commons in which they "pray that in every ease and
under all circumstances in which an oath is now, or
hereafter may be, lawfully required or authorised, the
opti n of a solemn declaration or affirmation may be
enacted in lieu of such oath."
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint
the Rev. Edward King, D.D., Canon of Christchurch,
and Regius Professor of Pastoral Theology in the Uni•
versity of Oxford, to the See of Lincoln, which Bishop
Wordsworth resigns; and the Very Rev. E. H.
Biskersteth, Dean of Gloucester, to the See of Exeter,
in succession to Bishop Temple, translated to London.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has approved of the
proposal to create a bishopric of Fiji, but has, at the
same time, disclaimed any intention to interfere with
the Wesleyan mission, or to proselytise natives whoare
already converted to Christianity.
Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., addressed the members of
the Darlington Junior Liberal Club on Saturday. Re-
ferring to the great extension of the franchise which
had taken place as the result of recent legislation, he
expressed the utmost faith in the capacity of his fellow-
countrymen rightly to use their new privileges, and a
belief that the changes would be productive of great
and lasting benefit to the nation.
A shocking murder of a wife was perpetrated at the
south end of Liverpool on Saturday night. On return-
ing from market the wife of a labourer named Calvert
was struck and kicked about the body by her husband.
The woman was enceinte, and within a quarter of an
hour after removal to the hospital died of hemorrhage.
William and Jane Carr, husband and wife, were at
Hastings Police-court on Saturday, committed for trial
on a charge of manslaughter in respect of the death of
a male child, aged four years. The man is a stoker at
the gas works, and the woman is stepmother to the
deceased child. The evidence of several witnesses
showed systematic ill-treatment and starvation -of the
little boy. A large crowd assembled outside the police-
court and attempted to wreak their vengeance upon the
prisoners.
Three murders are reported to have been committed
some days ago at a solitary mansion in the Depart-
ment of the Aube, in France. The murderers, two of
whom have been arrested, stole a large number of cer-
tificates of English and Russian Government Stock.

A singular accident is reported from Vienna, where,
during a fancy ball, the roof of the hall of the Musik-
verein was found to be on fire. The gentlemen present
succeeded in removing all the ladies without causing
panic. 'MA roof was entirely destroyed.
The inner wall of Greve De Lecq Harbour, at Jersey,
has been washed away by the high tide, and the harbour
is consequently unsafe for shipping.
A severe encounter between a band of salmon
poachers and the police took place on Monday night in
a tributary of the Suir river, liilmacthomas, county
Waterford. Sergeant Degnar and party were attacked
by the poachers, who threw them into the river. The
poachers, who were disguised, escaped.
The first serious opposition which the sheriff's officers
have met in county Limerick was encountered on Tues-
day, when two bailiffs were proceeding to make a seizure
on the farm of a man named Monaghan, residipg at
Billerane, were attacked with pitchforks, and had to fly
for their lives.
On Tuesday morning a man, aged about 25 years,
shot himself dead in a room in the Temperance Hotel,
Buchanan-street, Glasgow. Several of the hotel people,
on hearing the report of firearms, ran to the room
whence the noise proceeded, and found him lying dead
on the floor, with a revolver by his side.
At the Glamorganshire Assizes, Mr. Justice .Smith
drew attention to the marked diminution of 'crime that
had taken place throughout the country during recent
years pointing out that the convictions involving penal
servitude were now 1150 fewer than was the crfse twenty
years ago, this favourable result having -taken plate in
the face of a greatly increased population. •
On Tuesday morning at Strubby, Lincolnshire, the
shepherd of Mr. Ailsby found two dogs, chasing the
sheep in the fold where 163 sheep were enclosed, 70 of
which were on the point of lambing. Ele•veziesi,es Were
found dead, some being drowned in i ditch, and oth€ rs
evidently worried to death. The owner assesses the
damage at £3OO.
At the adjourned inquest at Colchester on Tuesday,
on the body of the child Annie Thompson aged—five
months, who was killed by her mother striking her on
the head with a hatchet, the jury returned n verdict of
"Wilful murder" against the mother. The woman will
not be tried because she has been certified to be insane,
and removed under the Home Secretary's warrant to
Broadmoor Asylum.

A sad fatality has just occurred at St. Radigand's-
road, Buckland, Dover. A fortnight ago a young man
named Gilhan was taken ill and died on the following
Saturday of inflammation of the lungs. On the day of
his funeral his mother was taken suddenly ill and died
the same night, and the husband died on the evening of
her funeral. The two last deaths are attributed to
grief for the death of the son.
Mr. Richard Davies,M.P., addressing his constituents
at Llangefni, said he felt convinced that the remarkable
election which was looked for next year would result in
a grand Liberal victory. As a shipowner he was in
favour of Mr. Chamberlain's Merchant Shipping Bill.
Mr. Rathboile, M.P., also spoke, addressing himself, to
the question of Education in Wales. He maintained
that in point of Government grants the principality
should be on an equality with Scotland. -
A daring robbery was committed at the residence of
Mr. R. Hemming, Bentley. Manor, Redditch, oki Mondity
-14*, when jewellery to the value of £6OO was stolen.
urgn 'iv's gained access to the ladies' dressing-room
0...
by means of pfacjct aglinst
_the window, and
as the family were at dinner were enaored-. carry on
their work undisturbed. Information was given tO the
Bromsgrove police, but up to the present time no clue
to the thieves has been obtained.
Addressing his constituents at South Shields, Mr.
Stevenson, M.P., expressed approval of equal electoral
districts, with one member for each district. Ile top-
demned the Fair Trade theory. Farmers, he saidtwere
no doubt suffering greatly at present, but a tax on
corn would be no remedy. The right cure would be a
reform of the land laws, in respect of which they wanted
a radical change. With regard to Egypt, he hoped
that the "rescue and retire policy" would be persigted
in by the Government, and that public opinion would
not force any other.
Mr. H. H. Fowler, MT., 'Under Secretary of State,
speaking at Wolverhampton, said that one of the first
questions to be dealt with by the new Parliament would
be the Land Laws. The law had hitherto discouraged
the multiplication of proprietors of land, and treated
limited ownership on the largest scale as the perfeCticin
of modernised feudalism. He held that a true'rhil-
servative policy would not wish to exclude the masse
of the population from ownership of the soil. The in-
stitutions, the property, and the progress of a toiletry
were safer when the owners of Jandeould be counted by
millions rather than by hundreds.
On Tuesday, at Rugby Police-court, Frederick Charles.
Hallam, respectably connected, was chawd with em-
bezzling £99 10s., the property of MessrA. Paekwood and
Sons, provision merchants Rugby. The prisoner had
been sent to the bank with £134, of which he paid .in
£.34 10s. only, and falsified the pass•book to make it
appear that he had paid in the whole amount. Ete ab-
sconded, and was apprehended on board the steamer
Germanic at Liverpool, having taken his pa7sage..to
America. In consequence of the prisoner's previous
good character the prosecutors desired to withdraw the
charge; but the magistrate refused the application, and
the prisoner was committed for trial. '
Mr. Pendarves Vivian, M.P. speaking at CambOrlie,
said that he never knew trade so bad as durini last
year, but this, he thought, was the natural result pf the
inflation of 10 or 12 years ago, and he reminded those
who clamoured for protection that America with all her
protection was now in a worse commercial position than •
Eneand. It was above all necessary that those engaged
in trade should see that it was not hampered by
sive railway rates. It was certain that the companies
who were going to ask Parliament for power to impose
a higher tariff would have to satisfy them in every.
respect that it would not be against the public weal:
He abhorred anything like an agreement between the.
railway companies, because generally it operated 'ad-
versely to public interests. " •
The Earl of Suffolk presided on Tuesday at a qpn,ncii
meeting of the members of the Associated Chambers of
Agriculture, at which resolutions were carried Urging
the Privy Council to establish uniformity of procedure
and regulation in cases of cattle disease, calling oil thb.
Government to readjust the beer duty so that it should
not exceed that which was levied on malt, and
oppose and petition against the railway bills now 'prd-
moted by nine railway companies, threatening an in-
crease of railway rates.
The Duke of Westminster has laid the foundatidu '-
stone of a new museum and school of art for Ohergter;"
for which he has given a portion of the site, and has ,•.•
subscribed £4OOO. .
In the Divorce Court Sir James Hannen has given
judgment on the motion of Mrs. Weldon for a writ scf..„
attachment to issue against her husband. The -judge.:
came to the conclusion that the recent Act of Parlia-
ment applied, and the writ could not go, but he ordered
Captain Weldon to pay all the costs incurred in the
cause.
At the Central Criminal Court, London, on Tuesday,
E. J. Moodie, who was charged with assaulting .&
Wilkinson, the matter having reference it was alleged,
to trade society disputes, was convicted of a common't
assault, and ordered to be discharged on entering:into::
£2O recognisances to keep the peace towards Wilkinson
stiad Mr. Kingdom for twelve months. Several prisoners.
were convicted of uttering counterfeit coin, and were •
sentenced to terms of from -eight to five years' penal
. _

'servitude.
The revenue received from April lat to the 31et-«

ult. amo-un—t-s—to-18-8,4-9-2,650, or -£1,815,940 km than-6,
the £70,307,990 received in the corresponding period of
the previous financial year. The expenditure has been ==
£70,699,861, being £658,492 less than the expenditure. •
for the similar period of 18834. The balanced on the
31st ult. amounted to £3,824,558, and on Pebrnary 2,
1884, were £5,298,209.
The Rev. H. Lea_c_h,yicarnf St. Peter's, Ilensington.o •

at the first general meeti,pag*lf
park-gardens, presided
the Church Property Defence Association on Tu
which was largely attended by clerical and lay patrons -
of benefices, Resolutions *ere passed expressing cliti:•" •
satisfaction at the Church Patronage Bills and the re-
commendations of the committee thereon, and objecting"'
to the prohibition or restriction of the transfers of.' -
church- ptoperty- without equitable compensati'n.• r"
combination to protect the interests of • patroni3 arsilt:"
also agreed to be necessam
An application was. made to Mr. Justice Pearson in .
theahancery. Divisioi Of theiligh Court of. Justice, on •
Tuesday, that the Silverfield estate, near Chester, miit
be purchased out of the estate of the late Mr. Hudson •
who was the manufacturer of the "Extract of SotCri:"
He had purchased the estate and paid 10 per cent. or,il
the price, having also directed his solicitor to bailie this'', •
eouveyanc_e to the applicant, his son, Robert Williani. t.
Mr. Justice Pearson regretted that henould not make 1*.d...
the declaration asked for, as the gift had not been cornlete,d when the father died.