The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-10-30 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS,

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

The principal article of the new French Education
Bill, which enacts the secularisation of all the Com-
munal elementary schools, was passed by the Chamber
on Saturday by 353 votes to 181.
The Indian Government are negotiating with the
Shan Chiefs,with a view to induce them to acknowledge
British authority in their country, although it is. not pro-
posed to interfere actively in the affairs of their
States.

A Liberal demonstration was held at St. Neot's,
Hunts, on Tuesday evening, the occasion being the pre-
sentation to Mr. T. Coote, jun. , late M.P. for South
Hunts, of a handsome silver epergne, weighing 1400 z.,
in commemoration of his victory in November, 1885,
and of his contest in July, 1886. The testimonial
was subscribed for by 1100 Liberals of South Hunts,
and was accompanied by an illuminated address.
A serious accident occurred at a shooting party on
Tuesday at Sandford Wood, near Kingsclere, when Mr.
F. Steer, 21, son of Mr. A. Steer, of Norwood, was shot
dead. It appears that one of the gentlemen, Mr. Ball,
contractor, of Chiswick, was picking up a bird which
had been shot when something caught the trigger, and
the young man was shot dead.
A fire broke out on Tuesday at Gisbourn•park, near
Clithero, the seat of Lord Ribblesdale. At noon flames
were discovered in a beriroom which was being aired.
The fire spread quickly, but the workmen on the estate
worked heartily, and the flames were subdued in an
hour. Tho damage amounted to about £5OO, and is
covered by insurance._
. _ _

At Glasgow on Tuesday afternoon two children,
cousins, named William Pollock and Clara Black, each
aged about two years, found a bottle containing vitriol
on a staircase at their house in William-street,
Glasgow. They swallowed the liquid and suffered
extreme agony. Clara Black died within a short time
at the hospital.
In accordance with the wishes of the late Sir Edward
Kerrison, his widow has offered to transfer to the
chairman and magistrates of Suffolk the reformatory
buildings and land at Morndon, to be retained as a
County Reformatory School, for which purpose Sir
Edward bought the property 30 years ago.

The Ware of the-late Mr. Moritz Fischer, who died
recently from injuries sustained on the Metro-
politan Railway, were on Tuesday before Mr. Justice
North, who, on being informed that a dispute had
arisen in regard to goods belonging to the deceased,
appointed a receiver, but declined to grant an injunc-
tion restraining a relative and a creditor from dealing
with the estate, _ _ _

Edwin Murray, who was concerned with Kerr,
Benson, and others in the Goncourt and Turf frauds,
on Tuesday brought an action against the " Times" for
libel in publishing and commenting on a "police
caution" issued after he came out of prison,warning the
public against "a gang of notorious convicts and others
operating from Switzerland." The plaintiff asserted
that the business of issuing circulars offering watches
for sale was genuine, but in cross-examination he
admitted having been concerned with many swindles.
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, but with
only a farthing damages, and Mr. Justice Denman
refused to allow the plaintiff his costs.
The suit which has been brought to revoke the will
of the late Mr. Thomas Holloway was mentioned on
Tuesday to Mr. Justice Butt, who was asked, but re-
fused, to direct the firm of solicitors who prepared the
will to pay the costs incurred by the plaintiff, Mrs.
Caroline Young, in delaying the production of the testa-
mentary documents.
At the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, a man
named Knight was convicted of feloniously receiving
a quantity of property the produce of various bur--
glaries. He was sentenced to five years' penal servi-
tude.

Two men named Strahan and Heath were charged
at the Middlesex Sessions on Tuesday with a shop
robbery. They were convicted, wheteupon Strahau
rushed upon Heath, who had been transferred to the
witness-box, seized him by the throat, and tried to
strangle him, but was pulled away by the officials of the
Court. Strahan was sentenced to 12 months' imprison-
ment, and Heath to three, but the latter, consequent
on some favourable information by a police-sergeast,
was released.

Lord Stanley of Preston, the President of the Board
of Trade, was entertained by the Lord Mayor at the
Mansion House on Tuesday evening. Lord Charles
Beresford responded for the Navy, in reply to "The
Health of the Guest of the Evening," Lord Stanley
referred to several matters having reference to the
trade of the country.
The Birmingham Liberal Association on Tuesday
night presented Mr. Schnadhorst with an address, on
his resigning its presidency to reside in London, ex-
pressing esteem for his character, and gratitude for his
services to the Liberals in Birmingham and throughout
the country. In reply, he said he was saddened by the
thought that his connection with their work in the
town was to cease. _ _ _

A conference of landlords and clergymen was held on
Tuesday at Cheater, for the purpose of inducing
Churchmen to take united action to meet the anti.
tithe rent-charge agitation. Lord Harlech presided.
Resolutions were passed in support of the object of the
meeting. One of them was that an appeal should be
made to the country generally on behalf of the clergy
whose circumstances require immediate help.
The receipts on account of revenue from April 1,
1886, when there was a balance of £5,625,944, to
October 23, 1886, were £43,622,521, against £43,137,888
In the corresponding period of the preceding financial
year, which began with a balance of £4,993,207. The
net expenditure was £50,228,298, against £52,303,531
to the same date in the previous year. The Treasury
balances on Oct. 23, 1886, amounted to 4240,741, and
at the same date in 1885, to 12,025,469.
At the Salford Hundred Court of Quarter Session,
on Tuesday, a man named Alexander Radcliff, who
stated that he was a member of
,etie Salvation Army,
and was sorry for what he had dune, was sentenced to
five years' penal servitude and seven years' police
supervision for stealing a watch and articles of wearing
apparel at Oldham on the 2nd inst.
The Czar has issued an Order of the Day to his army
and navy on the occasion of the unveiling of the Russo-
Turkish War Memorial. His Majesty trusts in their
unswerving devotion and is proud of their deeds of
glory.
A mission is about to start from Burmah for the
Shan States to interview the Woen Tho Tsawbwa, who
is said to have 10,000 soldiers in his strongly defended
capital.
The annual Conference of the National Conservative
Union was opened on Tuesday at Bradford. Mr.
Ashmead-Bartlett, M.P., presided, and was supported
by many members of Parliament, about 800 delegates
being present. Lord Londesborough was elected
President for the ensuing year. On the motion of Mr.
G. Curzon, M.P., the Conference adcpted a resolution
accepting Imperial Federation as an article of °onset-
vative faith. A motion in support of Women's Suf.
!rage was warmly discussed, and shelved by a vote in
favour of the previous question.
- At Wolverhampton Quarter Sessions, on Tuesday, a
young fellow named Thomas Collins, with a number of
aliases, who described himself as a scene painter, but
whom the Recorder described as a pest to society, was
sent to penal servitude for seven years for stealing a
threatrical wardrobe, the property of Miss Violet Mel-
rose. It appeared from a long list of previous empiric.
tions produced that the prisoner had been in the habit
of pillaging the boxes of actors and actresses at concert
halls where he was engaged, and disposing of the con-
tents at pawnshops.
A body of detectives at Birmingham made a raid on
Tuesday afternoon on three public-houses, where they
saw a large number of persons who were, it is alleged,
engaged in making bets. The detectives seized between
£3uo and £4OO in coin and a large quantity of betting.
books, cards, and papers.
Some successful experiments were made on Tuesday
at Garrison Point, Sheerness, with the new Brennan
torpedo. A first-class torpedo vessel with a small
target in tow was despatched out of Sheerness Harbour
at tun speed when the torpedo was discharged from
Garrison Point Fort by Mr. Brennan and successfully
steered towards the target, striking it as it was moving
past at a speed of about 16 knots an hour.
The "Western Mail "announces the resignation of
Mr. H. 0. Jones, the stipendiary magistrate for Cardiff,
and chairman of the Glamorganshire Quarter Sessions.
He bad held the appointment, which is worth El7OO f , or
27 years.
At Bolton on Monday Daniel Parkinson was com-
mitted for trial, charged with bigamy. It is alleged
that, previous to contracting the second marriage, he
pointed out to the young woman whom he married his
first wife at Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester, but that
this did not prevent the wedding taking place.
An application has been made to the Home Secretary
to reduce or quash the sentence passed at Luton on
I Saturday upon three boys, aged 10, 11, and 12 respec-
tively, who were claarged with robbing tills. They were
, ordered to be imprisoned for 15 days, and then to be
detained for three years in a reformatory.
e, The Grimsby smack John Birmingham has brought
Into that port the crew of the German brig Neptunus,
ten in number. The smack fell in with the brig in the
North Sea on the morning of the 20th inst., and the
latter went down the same afternoon. The Neptunus
was bound from Dundee to Christiana, coal laden. a.
heavy sea was running at the time.
Mr. Frank Boult, of Hereford-road, East-end,
Finchley, was at the Highgate Police-court on Monday
sentenced to pay costs amounting to 17s. for being the
owner of a dangerous dog which was not kept under
proper control. The dog had bitten a boy who was
leaving the next house to that occupied by the defend.
ant, who declined a suggestion from the Bench to make
the boy some compensation.
I At Plymouth on Monday her Majesty's training brig
'Nautilus went ashore on the east side of Drake's
Island. She fired a distress gun. and private and
Government tugs went to her assistance and cleared
her in an hour. It is stated that the gear got foul of a
gun whilst the main yard was being swang, and that
there was no time to wear ship.
An inquest was held at Bridgwater on Monday on
the body of Captain James Anderson, master of the
Swedish brig Bore who committed suicide in his cabin
by shooting himself in the head with a revolver. It
was stated that he had been very depressed for some
days about business and also a matrimonial disap.
pointment in Sweden. A verdict of "Suicide whil,t
temporarily insane" was returned.
A fire broke out early on Monday morning on board
the National Line steamer Queen, which arrived in the
Mersey on Saturday from New York, and was berthed
in the Alexandra Dock. Steam fire-engines from 13,00t1e
and Liverpool were speedily in attendance, but it was
some hours before they succeeded in extinguishing the
flames. The steamer had a large cargo of cotton,
lubricating oils, and miscellaneous articles on board.
The damage is understood to be covered by insurance.
Pulteneytown Royal Hotel, Wick, was burned to the
ground early on Monday morning. The flames spread
so quickly that there was no chance of subduing them.
The inhabitants of the back portions of the hotel and
of the adjoining houses had to escape by the upper
windows, only partially dressed.
Thatch House Tavere, Tweedmouth, was destroyed
by fire during Sunday night The cause of the fire,
which originated at the back of the house, is unknown.
The premises were fully insured.
The ship Owen, from London, has been wrecked off
Cape Churchill. All on board were saved.
The commission of inquiry into the Belfast riots,
which commenced its sittings on the 4th inst, brought
its proceedings to a close on Monday.
Mr. Sclater-Booth. M.P., presided on Monday at the
annual meeting of the Poor Law officers of the South--
Eastern district, held at the Society of Arts, Adelphi,
and in his opening address contended that the Poor.
law system should not be sacrificed to the local govern-
ment in the counties. A resolution was passed declaring
that out-door relief being the chief cause of pauperism
should receive the urgent attention of guardians, with
the object of reducing it to a minimum.
An inquest was held on Monday as to the death of
Mr. J. R. O'Hara, an elderly man and a merchant's
clerk, who was found in a dying state and with a large
wound on his head in a tunnel on the Metropolitan
District Railway. The evidence failed to explain the
circumstances, and the jury returned an open verdict.
Orders have been received at Windsor Castle to pre-
pare for the reception of the Court by Friday, Nov. 5.
The return of the Queen and Royal Family will take
place on the following Saturday morning.
It was announced onZlonday at a meeting of North-
ampton Liberals that the Government do not intend
to pursue the suit against Mr. Bradlaugh for sitting
and voting in the House of Commons before taking
the oath.
Sir Reginald Hanson, Lord Mayor-elect, was on
Monday presented by the Recorder of the City to the
Lord Chanci-llor, who formally conveyed her Majesty's
acceptance of Sir Reginald es Lord Mayor.
Sentence of five years' penal servitude and police
super% ision• was at the Middlesex Sessions, London,
passed on Monday on a man named Hogan, for stealing
£167 belonging to Mr. G. F. Buckingham, landlord of
the Crown and Seven Stars public-house, Tower.hill.
A memorial is about to be erected in Durham Cathe-
dral to the officers and men of the 2nd Battalion
Durham Light Infantry who fell in Egypt during the
late hostilities. Each man in both the Ist and 2nd
Battalions will contribute a day's pay towards the cost
of the memorial. The colours of the 2nd Battalion
will be presented to the ecclesiastical authorities at
Durham on the return of the regiment.
The steamer Dawdon, Captain Thompson, arrived at
Sunderland on Monday and reported having run down
the echooner Irene, of Hull, in the south-west reach of
the Thames at two o'clock on Sunday morning. The
Irene sank, and the master was drowned, the re-
mainder of the crew climbing on board the Dawdon,
by which they were conveyed to Sunderland.