The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-04-03 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

FRIGHTFUL SUICIDE.

A maiden lady of the name of Lance, about 60
years of age, occupying a small house in East-street,
cut her throat with a common ewe-knife, between
the hours of seven and eight on Saturday morning
last. It appears that the mind of the deceased hail
been in a very excited, if not insaue state, for some
considerable time previous to her committing the
rash act. On the morning of the day named, she
rose somewhat earlier than usual, and was observed
bending out of her window and looking up and
down the street with more than usual excitement of
manner. Immediately on effecting her suicidal
object she rushed, staggering, from her own house, a
horrid spectacle, and, having reached the window of
a near neighbour, looked through, pointed to her
throat, and staggered back again into her own home,
and dropped exhausted on the floor. Nlessrs. Daniel,
surgeons, were promptly in attendance and skilfully
administered that aid which the urgent nature of
the case required. The effectual manner, however,
in which the deceased had accomplished her dread-
ful purpose, rendered all surgical skill abortive, and
death ensued in a few hours after the rash act had
been committed. This circumstance has naturally
created a very painful sensation lime, and as the
deceased was a member of an old resident family
in this town, and was well known, the sad event
is generally and deeply deplored. A jury was on-
panelled on the afternoon of Saturday, and our new
coroner, W. H. Atkinson, Eaq., instituted his first
official inquiry as to the cause of death in relation to
, the most horrible event that has taken place in
I Blimilford for many years. The medical testimony
I was clear and satisfactory as to the wilful cause of
' death, and furnished other details as to the self-
inflicted injuries, which left no room for doubt as
to the determined character of the act. Very little
other evidence was necessary to prove to the
piStil-
faction of the jury that the deceased was labouring
lunder the influence of temporary insanity when she
i destroyed herself.

VESTRY MEETING.
The notice of business to be transacted called to.
gether a number of respectable ratepayers of the
town on Thursday last. The Rev. W. Harts, the
rector, presided during the early part of the proceed-
ings, and on his vacatingthe chair Mr. H. Fisher was
duly appointed to succeed him. The first business
to lie coneidertal was, the nomination of overseers
to succeed those going out of office. A hat of per-
sons eligible was laid before the meeting, at the top
of which were the names of Mr. John Hodges and
Mr. W. A. Kendall, and as this hat was passed
by the meeting, we presume the magistrates will fol-
low the usual course, and appoint the two gentle-
men 313 Overieers for the coming year whose names .
we have given above. A long conversation then
ensued as to the appointment of a committee to
assist the overseers in revising the rateable value of
the whole property liable to be assessed. The con-
sideration of this important matter appeared to have
been suggested to the meeting, by the facts that a
large number of newly-built houses hail been added
to the town since a revision of the rate had
I taken place,and, likewise, that there were modes of
I sub-letting being carried out, which allowed property•
owners wilfully to evade the payment of the rates.
In accordance with these facts a resolution was
! framed and carried, appointing a committee of rate-
payers to assist the overseers in revising the rate, and
preventing, if possible, an evasion of it. The names
• of the gentlemen appointed as a committee are as
' follows :—Mr. Pond, Mr. A. S. Hodges, Mr.
James Green, Mr. Kent, Mr. C. Henville, Mr.
S. Hicks, Mr. H. Durden. Mr. Williams, and Mr.
IFlower.
The accounts of the Highway Surveyor and the
appointment of that officer for the ensuing year, WAS
the next business. Mr. Day, the surveyor, handed
' in his accounts, which, after being duly scrutinized
and compared, were passed; • small balance standing
to the credit of the pariah. Mr. Day then announced
to the meeting that liii services, as surveyor, would
cease unless the parish consented to pay him .C 5 more
than be had hitherto received, to allow him to pay
another person for making out and collecting the
rates. Mr. Day having been requested to withdraw
for a short time, the meeting proceeded to consider
the most dimmable course to pursue. The efficient
and economical manner in which thc surveyor had
performed the duties of his office was admitted by all
present; but, as the demands on the parish purse
will be greater for the ensuing year than usual,
i.and as it was thought the duties of the office were
.not badly paid for by the salary at present received,
the meeting decided on not adding to it the amount
asked. The surveyor ultimately consented to meet
the strongly expressed request of the meeting to con-
I tinue to hold office.
I The financial report of the Burial Board was then
read. The working expenses were at present greatly
in excess of income, and the meeting was therefore
asked to recommend the Board to make an order on
the overseers for .CISO to meet balance of debt in-
curred up to present time, and to provide for working
I expenses fiir the current year ending March, IS6I.
i This amount, added to the part principal to be repaid '
and interest that will become due, will make the
whole amount required by the Burial Board from poor
' I rates during the next twelvemonths, upwards of £4OO.
The recommendation of the meeting asked for was
I. readily granted, as the account showed that only Aliso-
; lutely necessary expenses had been incurred by the
! Board.
' The report of the Nuisance Removal Committee
I , was then taken into consideration. It appeared
i from the report that a large number of long stand-
' ing nuisances had been either abated or wholly
removed. The expenses incurred by the parish in
I carrying out the objects of the committee were, with
;I the exception of the secretary's salary, comparatively
, I nil. The great public good quietly effected by this
, I committee cannot he too highly prized. Such an

easy and effective mode of correcting local nuisances,
is not only of considerable immediate benefit to the
town, but such local machinery being in operation,
would go far to prevent the ruinous Health of Towns
Acts from being enforced were any epidemic to
break out, and bring the town under the notice of
Government. The sale of the old workhouse, though
not on the notice paper, was the next business
brought before the meeting, and a resolution recom•
mending the Guardians to sell the property for the
,C 1,200 offered, WM unanimously passed.

Tamexe A Sel Let-ruitr..—Mrs. Theobald gave a
second address on Thursday evening last, at the
Townhall. Her audience was numerous, but there
was a noticeable falling off in the number of the re-
spectable inhabitants of the town. Though the
conpany was remarkably deficient in middle-class
material, we never saw one made up of social ele-
ments more likely to be benefited by the style and
matter of such a lecturer as Mrs. Theobald. There
were plenty of boys and girls present, whose age
was about to ripen into youth And belonging to
that class in which parental coot rol ceases at a much
earlier time of life than in any ouier. Their fathers
and mothers were present too, and the domestic
scenes of wretchedness thrillingly and dramatically
related by Mrs. Theobald must have pictured with
fidelity to many of them the sad experiences of their
personal and family history. Mrs. Theobald gave a
special evening to the working classes on Saturday
last, and as the time selected for the address was
opportune, we trust her success in making teetotal
converts was as great, if not greater, than on previous
occasions.

Emu CORP2I.-It has been told us that it is
contemplated by the members of the corps to present
a sword as a token of este.= to G. Nlansel Esq.,
their captain. This seems like beginnin early, and
from what we know of the estimable of
the gentleman to whom the presentation is to be
made, and the probability that the longer continn•

ance of the relation between him and the men he
commands will lead to higher appreciations of his
worth, we cannot conceive that any part of the
equipments of an officer will he left to be given, sup.
p. sing the liberality of the corps ekes not abate en
its intensity. We believe Mr. Farquharson has in.
vited the corps to luncheon at Langtin-house on the
day they make their first appearance
.in uniform.
The very capital dinners he bac given to the
Yeomanry Corps on past oecessoos, lead us to suppose
that the palate anticipations of many o !the pledged
teetotal friends who are among the varied number,
%ill only have a shade of passing regret cioss their
minds when the choice vintages from tire Langton
cellars are circulating around them. SN'e fear that
there will be broken pledges, unless Mr. nkrquilarion
invites Mrs. Theobald to strengthen the ritsolves of
her friends with teetotal stimulants, whilni those of
alcohol are making their comrades look cheenly
around them.