The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-17 00:00:00

AN ELOPEMENT FRUSTRATED.

A romantic affair was investigated before the
Borough magistrates at Newport (Mon.) on Monday,
William John Eskdale, jun , partner in the firm of
Messrs. Dowson and Eskdale Bros., founders,
although married, with one ohild, formed an illicit
connection with a young woman named Price, and
determined to elope with her. He secured berths in
a London ship bound for New Zealand, and had got
away to London with a number of trunks. Two or
three hours before the two had arranged to leave
Newport on Saturday night, his partner, Mr. Thomas
Dowson, had him arrested on a charge of stealing
tools. The accounts have since been gone into, and
prosecuting solicitor stated that at least one sum, which
was shown to have been paid into the bank by the
prisoner, had not been received, therefore he could
not say what precise charges would be made. Pri-
soner's intentions were revealed in a curious manner.
He wrote to Messrs. Sewall and Crowther, Cockspur-
street, London, to secure the berths for New Zealand.
This letter was blotted on a new blotting pad at the
office, and Mr. Dowson having to do writing after-
wards, noticed some words which aroused suspicion.
He cut out the uppermost leaf and deciphered the
whole letter.

"What is sine die, Bill ? " "Why, sign he wont
live, you booby. Thought every fool knew that."
When man lies the devil laughs.
" Speakin' of productive soil," said the man from
Dakota, "the half has not been told. A few weeks
ago my wife said, 'Why, John, I blieve you'se took
to growin' again: I measured myself, an' I hope
Gabriel 'll miss me at the final roundup if I Jambi%
grown six inches in two weeks. I couldn't account
for it for some time, till at last / tumbled to the fact
that thar war boles in my boots, and the infdpal
soil gct in thar, an' done Its irosk.w...Datroit-Free.
Press

THE SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST
A CLERGYMAN.
The inquiry into the charges of drunkenness, &e.,
brought against the Rev. John Davies, of Presteign,
curate, has been concluded at Presteign, before the
Chancellor of the diocese and five other commissioners.
At the conclusion of the case for the prosecutor, Mr.
Corner, for the defendant, intimated that he had
twentyrfive witnesses to call if necessary. The com-
missioners retired, and on resuming the learned
Chancellor said that two of the charges had been
withdrawn, but it would perhaps be more satisfactory
to hear the evidence for the defence as to the
other charges, excepting the charges of drunken-
ness in his lodgings, which had not been proved
against Mr. Davies, but had been denied by the
only witnesses promoter called. Mr. Corner then
s_poke for the defence, attributing the whole of the
charges to malice on the part of the promoter, be-
cause defendant had married his daughter against
his will. A number of witnesses were cued and
negatived the testimony of the promoter's witnesses,
all saying that they had found Mr. Davies a consistent
and sober Christian clergyman ever since he had come
to the place. Eventually the inquiry was brought to
an abrupt termination after the solicitors on both
sides had consulted by the Rev. J. Davies being called
and denying the whole of the charges upon oath. He
was not cross-examined. Dr. Tristram then declared
that tl'e commissioners considered Mr. Davies had
completely confuted the whole of the allegations mad(
against him. The result was received with enthu-
siastic cheering, and the rev, gentleman and Mrs.
r;pQ ware drawn in a carriage from the court to
their lodgings.