The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-10-30 00:00:00

SATURDAY, OCT. 30, 1880.

MAMMOTH GOURDS.—This has been a season °f
urd
mammoth gourds and vegetable marrows. Ag°
is mentioned in the Gardeners' Chronicle willed
measured Oft. 4th. in circumference, and weigh„ea
1301 b. In 1834 Lord Ructhey's gardener grew °'"
which weighed 2121 b. In 1861 a pumpkin was grown
at Orleans which scaled 2421 b., and measured 10ft.
in circumference. A vegetable marrow was gr°wll„„
this year at Hawkhurst which weighed 661 b. It
grown upon a heap of stable manure and Prue"
rubbish mixed.

PRICE OF CATTEE.—CattIe are cheap this autumn,
though retail meat prices remain high (says the
Graphic). The supplies of home grass-fed beasts has
been good, while importations have been by no rneal
insignificant. Good young cows are to be purchase" ,
for £l5, sometimes for £l4, while the patient breeder I
may secure fine yearlings for £9, and capital two-year: '
olds for £5 more. Roots are plentiful, oilcake is neb
dear, and straw, if not cheap, has been far dearer in -
some recent years. Thus the purchase and winter '
keep of cattle ought to be made to pay a fair per ,
centage on the breeder's outlay.
A FINE RIDE.—Our Australian youth are justlY
famous for their equestrianism, and the annals of tha
past contain many records of great feats being Pel..; '
formed in the shape of long rides; but we question 1'
i
any will surpass the feat performed by Mr. Thomas .
Strickland on Friday, the Bth inst. He was at Car:,
°oar, where he had been delivering some cattle, an";
received a telegram in the morning, informing him 01
an accident to his brother, and implying that he
in a dangerous condition. He could not start tint?
about 12.20 p.m. when he commenced his journeY te ,
I
Forbes, riding his own horse as far as Canowindra, '
thirty-five miles. Here he procured a fresh horsed
which took him to Eugowra, twenty-three miles, an
at the last-named place he got a fresh steed, which
took him into Forbes, which place he reached at sht
o'clock, thus having accomplished a journey of eightY-
three miles, with three horses, in the wonderful time
of five hours and forty minutes, or, including stoppagead
at the rate of 14i miles an hour. Considering he l'3l i
to wait at each place some time while he change" ,
horses' he must have travelled fully sixteen miles aa
hour all through.—Sidney Mail.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS' DEFINITION.
Work"—Flogging.--Punch.
ill
SMALL FEET OF CHINESE WOMEN.—A correspond e
informs us (says the Graphic) that the following is the
authentic Chinese tradition concerning the origin of
I
this custom. He says: "Near Choofowhyen I visited,
the tomb of an ancient king called 'Chew
The old ruins of his capital are still to be seen. lie
lived 8.0 1197. He wile a great tyrant, and had lb :
wife, called Ta Rya, wll5 was a greater despot than,
her husband. She was very beautiful, but had clubbea '
feet, and to disguise this disfigurement she boil
them up in small shoes, with fillets of ribbon roan
them. The ladies of her Court followed this fashict -
which is the origin of cramping the women's fee'
throughout China to this day. His minister, Venvang,
was much respected; he died, and his second son -
Vuvang overthrew the tyrant Chew Rung, and slevi, ~I
the Empress Takya. This tomb is a simple mound gl
earth, with a temple in honour of his memory near.
Two Comrrs PREDICTED.—Two ms.gnificent comets
are prognosticated for next year by an Indian writer,
who, according to the Times of India, announces that
these heavenly bodies will be visible from April 1 to
June 12, will stretch across one-fourth of the heaven
that they occupy 2,025 years in their revolution, sal
that they eclipse the brilliancy of the midday sun, so,"
"form the Original Light of Creation the ligtt wit'
which the Genesis of the World opened, thus fulfillini
all prophecy, and settling Biblical chronology beYanu
dispute." ,
QUITE TRUE. Little Girl (about five years,:
Mamma, can't anyone marry more than three times '
—Mamma. I don't know, my dear; but why do yo
ask? Little Girl. Because the clergyman alwaYe
says in the chnrch, "For the third and last time.
Judy.

p

" Creutl

NATIONAL INSURAME.—At Northampton the lion:
C. R. Spencer, M.P., has presided at a meetiseff,
which the Rev. •W. L. Blackley, rector of North
Walsham, spoke On the subject of national insurance*
The hon. member said that the scheme might be eon"
sidered by some to be Utopian, but it was 001 Y
scoffers who said so. The scheme was one which
served the careful consideration of all who wish'
well to their country, 'and who felt the burden of the
poor rates most. Its adoption would ensure the mere
general practice of prudence, and make people 1121're
independent and desirous of supporting themselvess
Apart from its pecuniary advantages, a scheme wit'
such a grand object deserved the support of all classes
of the community.
A DAINTY DlSH.—Tipsy shrimps form a most dainti
and highly esteemed dish in China. The creatures •
are put in a covered vial filled with wine, and will
the top is taken off the shrimps begin to jump ou
wildly, giving the eaters ample opportunities for show'
ing their dexterity with chopsticks, by catching the
tempting morsels in the air.—Talking of Chinese
dainties, by the way, black cats are considered the
best eating, and a, pair of black cat's eyes in sauce conl"
mends a high price.
IMPROVED TRAVELLING.—Scene : Remote Seas',
Station. Girl: "Stay, Maggie, that's no the place!
Maggie (trying to step into the tender) : "Oh,
do fine for me. It's far better than the carrier's cart!
—Funny Folks, •
FISHING BY ELECTRIOITY.—At the Berlin Fisherl
Exhibition was shown a curious instrument wherebY
rod and line fishing could be carried on while the
angler was engaged otherwise than in watching Or I,
line and holding the rod. The slightest bite of a fit.
is sufficient to affect the fixings of the machines!'
which the rod is set, whereupon, by electricity, tialei
line, hook, and fish are jerked up, and a small be'
warns the angler that the fish is caught.
6a Tine ROSE HARVEST IN ROUM Pt/1 111
ELIA.—In a,
the rose harvest is reported to have been an eves&
ingly abundant one this year, the value of the
yield exceeding, it is estimated, a million francs. Isni
richest harvest of late years, heweyer, was in 181
when 300,000 metikals, or about 3,300 lb., of attar es,
roses, of the value of 932,017 fr., was exported Ws,
Philippopolis alone. About three-quarters of t,';‘,
whole amount of attar of roses produced in Rourael";
comes from the Ka.zanlik district, and the remainina
quarter from the country round Eski Zaghra
Philippopolis. The attar is principally exported tea
France, Austria America, and Germany Engler', '
obtaining what she requires from India. The Frenc'
scent manufacturers and especially the Parisian, blis
ss,'
the finest qualities of attar, paying from fourteen
twenty-two piastres per metikal, or from fifteen tfi
twenty-five shillings per ounce; while the sec°
qualities are mostly sent to Russia and Austria.. ,
"Mr HEART'S IN THE HIGHLANDS.”—A sporting #
friend of ours has recently been observed to be the
very first to quit the oonvivial board for the pueposee
of "joining the ladies." Being urged to explain,sb
replies that, being this year unavoidably prevented
from enjeying his favourite sport, he can thus at es"
events see the dears talking.—Judy,
GUTTER CHILDREN IN PARIS. From a report
recently furnished to the Prefect of the Seine by t“;
Bureau de "Assistance Publique, it appears thew
during the past year 1,672 children, deserted or fleeing
no home, were brought up by the police, of whorl!
1,033 were charged with being beggars and vagabonds+
and of this number 80 were girls. It is signifioal'
that only 124 were given up to their parents lu3
friends, the large majority being presumably on the
streets as professional gamins. Out of 219;t/'
children, between 6 and 14 years of age, living
Paris, there are about 7,000 who attend no Bobo°,
It is somewhat singular that, with the exception
D oh
the hospital in the Rue enfert-Rochereau,
administration does not possess a single crag"
orphanage, or any other establishment for the receg. 3
tion of children, either municipal or departmental;
The report concludes with the statement that eael
year 600 children are sent into the provinces O
placed with different employers, who give the'''s,
elementary instruction and teach them a trade.
DIPLOMACY.—Nurse (to Professional Friend makbig
a call).—" 'Well, Nuss,' sez he, 'igh and 'pity like,
he sez, What do you think ? ' sez he. ' Doctor,'
quite differenshial, I se, I'm quite of your Opinion.,
I sez. And I'm of the same way of thinking, Nun
see he. And so 'we settles it."—Professional Frien
(much interested) : "Lor' ! And wot woe his Opinilt
now? "—Nurse : Bless yer 'art, my dear Creetur,
course he never hadn't given none ! "—Punch.
HINTS ABOUT POULTRY.—The Graphic says: "A
American farming contemporary calls attention vt;
the neglect of poultry by English farmers, and e0,i11,4
out that whether an exclusive devotion to notuv"
rearing be profitable or no, farmers can certairilykeef
a considerable number of fowls at scarcely any
The writer thinks that their health is best consul
by distributing them thinly over the farm lands, •
he quotes an example in Cumberland, where on;
farm of 1,200 acres, about the same number of fow
are very profitably and cheaply kept. Certainly f
fowl to the acre does not seem a very heavy matter
breeding, yet there probably are nothing like eiBll4's
million fowls kept in England. The fowl omnibus; Fs"
be stationed in different fields, and wheeled front
to the other seems an excellent idea, and the
„tofr,
find their way to it at night wi m
"s eearOm— • P 4, ,
sa gacitY."
• Si
AN ITALIAN CAPTIVE BALLOON.—At the Natloll.o s
Exhibition to be opened at Milan next year there w.ih
be a captive balloon, on the model of the one wbles -
was so successful in Paris in 1878. It will meas'isr;
not less than 180 ft, in circumference, 84ft. in heir
and contain 15,000 cubic feet of gas. To it wi14,17/
attached a safe and solid car, capable of oontaint
seats for at least eight persons. A steam engine iS
regulate the ascent and descent, and it will rise t°l ,
height of about 900 ft., affording a splendid viOvisell
Milan and the plains of Lombardy. The balloon 'II,
be constructed at Milan, M, Henri Beudet, the vie 4.
known and experienced aeronaut, having been sell'
for to direct the work.
,
DRESS REFORM.—" Yolande " writes to the 04054'
—ln answer to the letter on Dress Reform. which - 4
peered on Oct. 9, suggesting the adoption of Turlass •
trousers for ladies' wear, may I suggest to my eellesv
countrywomen, before flying to such an extreme wear
sure, the adoption of the style of skirt nnivePel
worn now by ladies on the Continent, This skirl ;0 •
short, well clears the ground, is net tied beck, entir
full in width, thus leaving the limbs quite free
walking. Having lately returned from abroad; I =
nt
struck with the soery spectacle Englishwomen pre
in their narrow, tied-back, tight slcirts, so unbecon3o,l;
so inconvenient. I repeat, therefore, my suggest&e•
of the copying of our sex over the Channel in tu`;
present style of day skirt, before trying eueli •
treme style as the Turkish trouser.
JP'
CARDINAL PAICIA'S WILL—The teetamensarY
positions of she late Cardinal Pacca have caused
trenme surprise among his relations. It was expected
to
that he would have left his fortune to his brothers; se
whom he was tenderly attached. But to these tos
testator bequeaths nothing except some trifling tolseililsi -
of remembrance. To his servants be left six raoest-70
wages to each. The rest of his property he WI" tAg
the family, prelatura, that is to say, to the first of W.--
relations who happens to adopt the Church as -
fession. Failing such a person, and until such
heritor arises, the yearly profits of his estate'
enjoyed by the eldest nephew of the deceased,
soon as any other nephew or descendant of a
shall take holy orders and become a priest, he sl
entitled to the property of the cardinal.
perty is now worth about 29,000 fr. a year, an
soon be increased in value.

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DREADFUL MURDER OF A CHILD
AT ACTON.
Friday evening in last week, a shocking murder of a
''uziu was discoved at Acton, near London. The circum-
stances show that the victim was first violated and then
Murdered with a table knife. The following particulars are
liven
The victim, Ada Shepherd, was a little girj living
With her father, Mr. John Shepherd (who for test years
1,3-5 carried on the business of a house decorator, in
"wper-road, near the North London Railway litation,
Acton), and her stepmother. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd
Went to London to ,complete the transaction and invest
built,
proceeds of the sale of a house he had recently
"'lilt, and to make some visits to friends, and Ada
Was left at home, together with a man named
George Pavey, a painter, who had for some months
been employed by Mr. Shepherd in his business,
and was on Friday commissioned to do some
Work in an underground workshop, and, if neces-
sarY, assist the child in looking after the house. This
child tooktwo younger sisters to school in the morning;
,and again after dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd leav-
'lig for London in the interim. At two o'clock the
.child was seen returning from taking her younger sisters
"3 school, and she was not afterwards seen alive out-
side Herbert-villa,, where she lived. Some time after-
Wards the milkman knocked, but the summons was
l'iPt acknowledged ; and two workmen at about three
(I)\iplock also knocked, and did not receive any answer.
c't long after this, a boy employed at the adjacent oil
,sand eolourman's, in Churchfield-road, saw Pavey in
zirkbeck-road, which leads to the Uxbridge-road and is
Parallel with the North London Railway. The younger
girls went home from school at four o'clock,
pt unaccom-
anied by their sister Ada, who should have fetched
them, and they, too, knocked at Herbert-villa, but
11°b°d37 came, and d as they were cold and wet, they
ed, and were taken into a neighbour's house
al their father and mother returned. On the return
?f Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd by the 6.35 train, the
lormer opened the door with his key, and, not seeing
84137 light, walked forward into the kitchen and
Ilearly fell over the body of his daugthter. He could feel
Per 1-,ing _
on the floor, and put his hand unconsciously
o
int
th, a stream of blood. Scarcely knowing what to
he went out of the house and across the road
:"'° a house where he obtained a match, and return-
sl.lg and striking a light, he and Mrs. Shepherd were
'°lllfied to see the body of Ada, with legs and one
Ilrna extended, and the face turned on one side, on the
nearthrug before the fireplace. The face was lightly
flc'vered with a pocket-handkerchief, and blood was
sc't,wing from her clothes. With a startled cry Mrs.
kk'icikerd rushed out of the house, while Mr.
'T'enherd, as soon as he had recovered self-posses-
len, sent for the police, a doctor being also fetched.
earch was at once made for Pavey, but he had gone.
~.I4spectors Smith and Savage, of the local police,
mere soon engaged in investigating the affair,
alld Dr. Murrell, of Churchfield-road, also promptly
rived. An ordinary new white-handled table-knife
tas found covered with a cloth on the dresser close
bt The handle was smeared with blood, and the
14cle had recently been sharpened. A cursory ex-
!Plination being made by Dr. Murrell, he declared
'flat the girl had received her death-wound from
t stab of the knife in the throat, which appeared
have severed the jugular vein and carotid
T'er,Y, and brought on death from loss of blood.
nrtner examination made it clear that the girl
'Lad also been violated. At first he thought she had
teesived a blow on the bridge of the nose, which
17°111d have rendered her insensible and caused the
.._6lvollen and bloodshot appearance of the eyes, which
erned ready to start from the head; but a further
I,43lnination induced the doctor to say that this might
ave arisen from other causes, such as the pressure of
44 arra or hand across the face, which certainly bore
60Ine traces of the kind. There were several small
nunds or stabs about the neck, as if caused by the
rflt of some sharp instrument, such as the knife re-
erred to but quite insignificant as compared with the
inclandnearest the back of the neck, of three or four inches
h length, through which the knife or other weapon
t}Bl4l been thrust, passing through the flesh of the
l'oat- Dr. Murrell came to the conclusion, after
king a later examination and from the surrounding
4trcurastances, that the girl fainted from the violence
1C received, and that she was stabbed afterwards.
~
indication of some pressure on the face VMS such
it would result from a man's arm being placed upon
and it would seem probable that the victim of the
rurderer's outrage and attack did faint or become
lablaensible, as two persons occupying the adjoining
11se heard no scream or sound of any kind, except
6 banging of the passage-door.
to mid-day on Saturday all clue as to the where-
onts of the suspected murderer seemed to be lost. A
48covery was then made by the detectives placed in
a:rge of the case that relatives of the man resided in
;2:lghton, and the Brighton police authorities were
`,nnediately communicated with. As a result a
answering in some respects to the description
rv,ell was arrested, but on inquiry was found not
COe Paysy. The accurate description of the man
aich Mr. Shepherd was able to supply to the Criminal
Ovestigation Department was at once furnished to
the poliee•stations and workhouses in the metropo-
b"au district; and as it was known that no money had
:311 taken and that Pavey had not received his
Zeek's: wages, it was supposed that unless he pos-
--ed money enough to go to Brighton-he would be
Vobably wandering about in the neighbourhood of
°ndon. On Sunday a man answering in every re-
-Bpect to the description of Pavey presented himself at
t''s Hendon Workhouse for admission. The police
''.ivere sent for and the man was arrested. He con-
!!'ssed that he was Pavey, and was subsequently posi-
!4,y_ely identified as the labourer, Pavey, left in charge
of Ur. Shepherd's house.

beZne./Zfonday• at the Hammersmith Police-court,
up r4.•__,shell, George Payey, a painter, was brought
Shen,-B,l‘yuY, charged with the wilful murder of Ada,
hed r aged ten years, the daughter of John Shep-
roadf ,
Aa
Ldecorator, carrying on business in Cowper-
Mr
',pat -UPerintendent Eccles, of the X division,
cued the case on behalf of the police, and it was
I.,:"anged that just sufficient evidence should be taken
r' Warrant a remand, in order to enable the witnesses
1,0 attend the inquest.
ileThe Prisoner was placed in the dock shortly before
ven- h
cl n He had a juvenile appearance, as he was ea , aved. He placed a low-crowned hat on the
°elc• and listened attentively to the evidence.
...The father of the deceased was sworn. He was
.rilleh affected, and gave his evidence in a low voice.
e kintinsaid : The prisoner worked for me. I left him
•
g in my yard on Friday morning while I went
YlWi -‘‘
raY wife to Norwood Junction to see her
:other. I left at half-past eleven in the morn-
i.,llg. and told the prisoner to give an eye to the
trace. I returned home with my wife at half-past six
hh the evening. I found the place in darkness, and I
tOuglit I had gone to the wrong house. I opened
at'e door with a-latch-key, and the first thing I came
rZ°B5 Was my daughter, lying in the kitchen. She
o,uld have been eleven years old in December next.
found her in front of the fireplace lying on her
,
With a handkerchief over her head. I ran first
ti);°F3B the road for matches. When I come back I lit
•i
iaB. She was lying under the gas n front of the
"Place
Anr• Shell: How far from the fireplace ?—Witness :
--"uout three feet.
O,Mr. Sheil : Was she dead at that time ?—Witness:
/es- When I pulled the handkerchief off her
ere could see her throat cut. There were no signs
struggle. A gentleman fetched the doctor and
~,,iled the police.
1,1„"..aie being all the evidence with respect to the find-
of the deceased, Mr. Eccles suggested that the
lie"4"r should be questioned as to the state in which
rciurTeund his bedroom after the discovery of the
r,
saat,illie witness, Mr. Shepherd, in answer to questions,
bed 1-!_e Went upstairs and found the door of the back
rc°M broken open. His wife had the key of the
titiT• Ile kept a wooden box in the room unlocked. A
the box was kept locked, but he found that it
left been broken open with a screwdriver. He had not
that
ue laY money in the till. The prisoner was awawareto y had sold a house and knew that he was going
r1e,,,4-,ondon to settle the sale. He heard the wit-
WC„ a,a'd his wife talking about it, and asked him
set;" e returned home on Thursday
thB if the sale was
t tect,
1, The witness replied " Yes," and told him
pouid"e had received a cheque for the house. He
ot say whether the prisoner was
Wol aware that he 1-I°lleY in the till but he had been with him
g all over the house, which was not finished
4.6' fie took possession of it. He left the hu child Ada
i'e hi the house He had three younger children,
tweivtheY were at school. They returned home at
e, and returned to school at two o'clock.
il,,Lr• Shea inquired where he found the children.
Ritt,'le ;Witness said with Mrs. Wales, in Milton-road,
h 4..T.°4tijtek of his house. When the children returned
gleY knocked, but could not get in.
pies Prisoner was then asked whether he wished to
eeeaVanY questions to the witness, but as he was pro-
8. t 0 make a statement the magistrate stopped
and told him to ask questions.
ne Prisoner (to the witness) : You say you told
I.,Yhou had a cheque ?—The witness: Yes. .
k ° Prisoner : You never told me you had one,
,pisr• Shiel : That is not a question.
tile Prisoner : I have nothing else to say.
%1,2..• Clement Frederick Fenn Murrell, a surgeon, of
lieil"..rehfield-road, Acton, said he was called to the
/thee at twenty minutes to seven. He was fetched
tiee,„Went immediately. In the kitchen he found the
hee.i.t4ht_di Whom he hi2,d known before, lying on the
4a14). l'"g• He examined her at ohce. and found a
Umerthcised wound on the right side of the th throat,
angle of the jaw. Onthe left side, near the
?,elew :'here were two cuts, one near the chin, and
9401, 't a penetrating wound, which had gone right
the throat, from left to right. The wounds
=Aflicted with a knife an inch broad.
1(114:1'40r Smith produced a white-handled table-
which lir, Murrell looked at, and said the
.7,4 US were caused by one of the same kind.
attnawer to further questions the witness said the
kter f 4.4 been dead between three and four hours;
41'Pa''reee V?" livid, swollen, and considerably bruised,
ta.gi Caned by strong pressure. He proceeded
t„Seaorrhua4
„the Rvire islyid.ence of a further examination showing that
" been violated. The cause of death was
• age- from the penetrating wound in the
a•
ctor Smith said he found the knife, which ap-
ffelift,„t,° have dry blood upon it, lying on the dresser.
i•
n`,;:itije deceased's left hand and found underneath
:ere 7,;,"ung, thimble and three hazel nuts. There
• •—tne nutshells o'n the floor. There were not
beee6lg)lB of a strug,l i the
kitchen • nothing had
ete (lieturbe I Th°ee donor of. the back.' bedroom up-
Theraheenc.o
the wooden hcoc pened by forcing it with the shoulder.
floor. was opened, and its contents were on
48. s
"rlour found the screwdriver in the back
"whsta irs
pector
*111101:437 night
Sav,age deposed thatat eleven o'clock on
the
nhe was at Paddingtor! Police-station,
L 1,744 el'wr brolglit therew
with
aud ,an kerchief, which a a
th
.//e
B_,
,•• Was found on the face of the murdered
Ore, ma, That is my handkerchief, I put it
kllowuothie then showed him the knife. Prisoner said,
Prisoner said,
about that.' When the charge was

read over to him, he said, " Yes ; very well." He then
examined his clothes and found spots and smears of
blood upon them. Witness said, 'Do you see these
spots of blood on your shirt and trousers? They will
be used in evidence against you." The prisoner looked
at the shirt and said, " Yes."
Mr. Shell remanded the prisoner for a week.
The prisoner was removed without saying a word.