The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-01-04 00:00:00

Oar lronbon torrespubtst,

We ueera right to et-to that tee de not g eli titeeo
•lentify ourselves with our Correspondent's ophdolh.]

We must at this dull sessrn, politically regarded, be
grateful for small mercies in the shape of political tit
bits ; and a very small item of news is that in a letter
from Mr. Gladstone to the chairman (if a Liberal As-
sociation. Referring to the extension of the county fran-
chise, the Premier has no doubt that the subject will be
duly considered by the Government) when the public
mind in ripe for the same. No doubt of it. "But
when will that be? say the bells of Stepury." THB
extension is now earnestly advocated by an increasing
number of politicians, and thaw by no means of one
school only, and the question sooner or later will un-
doubtedly press for solution. Among other politi -al
items—not of news, but of rumour—there are reports
of probable changes in the personnel of Government,
but they do not assume each definite shape as to invite
comment.

Trade is rather dull here, but this may be fully ac-
counted for by the period of the year. From all that
I can learn on the subject the trade of the United
Kingdom pnerally bas been tleti.'edly healthy and
active throughout the year 1872, and I hope that we
may have an equally prosperous year in the one now
orumencing.

Many people are just now engaged in the trouble-
some but necessary proem, of " taking stock." There
Is such a thing, I suppose, as taking stock of
our moral position, though it must be rather diffi-
cult, and the results cannot be very certain. A
correspondent of The Times forwards a valuable con-
tribution enabling us to take Ntock, with some approach
to accuracy, of the state of crime in the United Statee,
and really the result is somewhat .lepressing when we
would rather believe in the moral progress of the
world. America is certainly in advance of its in edu-
cation, and yet without overweeniag national pride, we
cannot rei,t the conclusion that she has also obtained
"a bad preeminence" in crime. From this corres-
pondence it appears that in many parts of the States
assassination is frequent, and that it is very leniently
dealt with by judges and juries. Murderers are let
off again and again, and are emboldened by impunity.
The levier crimes abound. The cities are said to
swarm with pickpockets and the clubs we call
garotters. But the most prominent feature of the
American social condition is the amazing frequency
and amount of fraud, embezzlement and con.pirsey in
all the institutions, public offices, municipal corpra-
tions, railway and other companies throughout the
whole Union." This indeed is a sad and dark sketch,
and the facts adduced till up the outline with sombre
colours. We often complain of the inefficiency and
inequality of our own laws, but both in our laws them.
selves and in their administration we are certainly in
advance of our Americsn cou.ins.

The remarks of the Lord Chancellor on the National
Deposit Friendly Society and on the Oddfellows' and
Foresters' Societies deserve the earnest consideration
of Working Men. The efforts of the working classes to
provide for the future are worthy of high praise, and
there is no doubt that these great Friendly Societies
have done an imtneose amount of good; but still it is
worthy of consideration whether there is not a great
deal of money invested in these societies that is lying
idle and unproductive—whether, in fact, the members
of the Oddfellows' and Foresters' associations do no
pay more than there is any °caution for. Ido not say
that there is, and no one should say it without
thoroughly examining the subject; but Lord Selborne
says so, and this is presumably after having inquired
into the matter.

The feeling gains ground that the sentence of twelve
months' imprisonment passed upon the five gas stoker
convicted of conspiracy is somewhat heavier than they
deserve. That they deserve to be punished is certain,
and some penalty for their offence is not only desirable
go far as the men themselves are concerned, but as a
warning to others. But still—considering that other
men were quite as bad as thaw; that the Judge on the
trial allowed their counsel one day only to prepare the
defence; that the jury recommended them to mercy;
and that the imprisoned stokers are men whose con-
duct has otherwise been good—a year's incarceration
seems rather more than is necessary. Meetings have
already been held on the subject, and memorials have
been or will be presented to the Home Secretary to
Induce him to recommend their pardon. I much
doubt whether Mr. Brace will go so far as this, nor,
indeed, would the public desire this; but I think a
mitigation of the penalty to six, or even ts three
months, would meet the public approbation.

We are accustomed at this time of the year to
earnest and affecting appeals for charity for the relief
of some of the many ills that flesh is heir to. But
here is an appeal founded on a heartrending want.
Mr. Frank Buckland, writing about the baby hip-
potamus, plaintively Wks, "Will nobody give him
an ivory or India rubber ring?" Here is a case of
real distress ! We have murders and suicides to claim
our sorrowful interest? we have sad tales of dis-
tress, and even now and then a story of some
poor wretch that is starved to death. But then he is
only a pauper whom nobody owns; whereas this baby
hippopotamus is very valuable property, and le we
must be minutely informed how "he allows Prescott,
the keeper, to tiikle his ears" (as if a man mightn't
tickle his own ears if he lilies); how "he opens his
great mouth quite wide, and delights in having
his gums rubbed ;" and a great deal more. The
only wonder is that a daily bulletin is not
kilned. Mr. Buckland is sorry to say that the baby
rhinocieros is dead. And so are I, though I shall not
put on mourning, my only consolation being that we
shall now be spared some gushing writingon his progress
towards the youth of rhinoceros-hood that we should
otherwise have had.
Policemen are in extraordinary request just now,
and in a way that visitors from the country, whose
name is Legion, will well understand. Some of our
guardians of public order may be seen in that condi-
tion which is hyperbolically described as bothered out
of theirlives, consequent on a number of wayfarers
all at once asking their way to a ch zen different
places. Much of this might be obviated by carrying
out a suggestion which I find in the Cau Press, that
Indicators should be placed in certain centres of
traffic pointing out the leading streets, &c., to
which such and such a street leads. Not a
bad ides, and let me add to this that our
country friends might oblige im Londoners in a similar
style. In fact, indicators are rose iaportant to us in
the country than they would be to country people in
London, fol in the latter there are plenty of human
Indicators to be found, whereas in outlying country dis-
tricts the unhappy stranger may sometimes wait half
an hour or more at a spot where two or three roads
converge, and where he knows not which one to take,
before any biped indicator makes his appearance.
There ham beer,' in immense deal of discussion about
the weather during the last few weeks, and of late the
discussion has turned upon the prayer for fine weather,
which prayer the Archbishop of Canterbury recom-
mends. It is very interesting, therefore, to note some
objections to this, urged by writers who, without say-
ing a word against prayer in itself, dispute the desira-
bility of its object in the present instance. Mr. Bailey
Denton, a high authority on draining and cultivating
land, says that the present excess of rainfall is just
what ITSS wanted to restore the balance of our water
supply, which the droughts of recent years had greatly
and disadvantageously disturbed. He further urges
that the general health of the country is highly satis-
factory, and that this is owing to the cleansing effects
of heavy rainfalls, while it is not at all impossible that
the same benefit will follow the thorough washing of
the land. Another correspondent disputes the rainfall
being excessive in a general point of view, twits the
Primate with expecting sunshine being vouchsafed in one
parish and not in another, and says that the prayer
for fine weather was written at a time when men
thought rain was a mere watering-pot, and thought
not of its sanitary influences; while another urges that
the mild, wet weather has been the means of saving
thousands of human lives, and reverently adds,
"surely this is a case where we might say, Ist God's
will, and not ours, be done." So that it isevident that
there an two sides to the question, and that if a con-
tinuous rainfall has its drawbacks and discomforts, it
also has its great advantages.

SHOPS VERSUS STORES."
"New bond-street" writes to The Times
:
Pray employ your powerful pan and tell those mem-
bers of the aristocracy who take their ready money to
the stores bow gladly the tradespeople would feel to
ripply them on the same terms, and the trade then
would look on the Civil Sends* stores rather as a
blessing than an eviL
How many of the Upper Ten leave their accounts
unpaid month after month, some for one, others for
two years, and perhaps even longer than that? Let
any one look over the Mdance-sheete of the Civil Ser-
vice, Arld they will see enormous !salaries pocketed by
the chief members, who have very little to do with the
working of the businese.
The real profit and advantage to the Civil Service is
that they give no credit, and it is a well known fact
that the Isege and well-established boneee, who have ,ii-
tained a d&erveil reputation because they sell gie,il
articles at email pront• awl ready money only, '41.,
more Patiisfa,••ory ha'ance at the year's end than tie me
rereons who put on large profits became they are com-
pelled from cirenm-tances to give long credit to certain
metulwr f the nobility. •
Point out, therefore, to snch of the nobility expeeially
• tow unjusi they are to a large body of men who are, in
fact, the greatest contributors to all local and Govern-
m-nt taxes, who in times of Chortle Iv, & and diffi-
culties have always come forwar4 to sip wet the
State, and from whom are enrolled the greAeMt IIIIM•
IVY of Volunteers. Induce the Upper Ten to deal
fairly with us in this particular. You will thus benefit
them se well as the trading community, and receive the
Waked all fairdealing tradesman,

THE MURDER IN GREAT CORAM-
STREET, LONDON.

The action taken by the police, under the manage-
ment of Superintendent Thomson, has invol .red tele-
graphic communication with 300 chiefs or agents of
101 l e throughout the United Kingdom, giving a brief
statement of the facts of the murder and a description
of the person who is supposed to have committed
the crime. Upon this later and most important head
the sole testimony is that of the greengrocer and of a
servant-girl, who believed they saw him ;nor has any
particle of information come to light which tends to
give the slightest trace of the direction taken by the
murderer after he left the vicinity of Great Coram-
street on the morning of the 24th. From the fart
of the shops and places of business being closed
on Christmas-day, the streets would be free from the
traffic that prevails on a week-day morning at seven
o'clock ; but it is difficult to believe that the man could
have traversed any considerable distance through the
metropolis, even on that liay and at that hour, with-
out attracting at least ordinary observation from any
one who chanced to meet him. Any Pnch person
giving information to the police would, of course, be
entitled to at least a share in the reward offered by the
Government if anything they communicated led to the
capture of the murderer.
NO suspicion whatever is entertained that the mur-
derer had 'key accomplice, in the active sense of the
term, the only intention of the clause in the notice on
this head being to induce any one who may have any
knowledge hearing on the mime, or on the identity of
the murderer, to come forward and make known the
tics. as far as they are able to do so. There is not the
slightest reason to believe that the murderer has com-
mitted suicide, nor would it appear that any informs•
tion has been received to warrant the supposition that
he has already left the country from any of the accus-
tomed orts of embarkation. Telegrams weresent in the
first instance to the home ports, calling the particular
attention ,if the police authorities to the description
of the suspected man. A number of letters that were
found in the room occupied by the deceased have been
carefully read by the superintendent in charge of the
came, but nothing occurs in any of them to indicate that
the man who committed the murder was acquainted
with his victim, or at all known to her before their casual
meeting in Russell-square.
On Sunday many persons passed through Great
Coratn-street to see the house where the fearful crime
was committed. It is a large building, in no wise
different from the respectable-looking houses which
form that pert of the street nearest to Russell-square

MONDAY MORNING.

Up to a late hour last night no information had
arrived at the chief London Police Offices as to the
arrest of any person charged with the murder in Great
Corametrert. The charge of the affair has been kept
in the hands of the Divisional Police—that is to Eay,
the special services of the Scotland-yard Detective
Fore have not been called in—and this seems to show
that the Divisional Police are not without hope of
bringing their inquiry te a succeeaful issue, as other-
wi.e the aid of the experts would be considered indis-
pensable.
That there is some clue to the murderer, the follow-
ing °finial notice will show. This is 1114 follows

° Whereas Harriet linshwell, aged 25, wee found with her
throat cut at No 12, Oreat Coram-street, finssell-square, on
the 25th inst. The murder Is supposed to have been com-
mitted by a man et the following description, who was seen
In company with the deceased on the evening of the 11th,
and to leave the house at seven a m. on the 25th :—Age 25,
height 5 It. 9 In , complexion swarthy. red spots on face,
black heir, no whisker* or moustache, hut not strived
for two or three days, stout build ; dress, dark, tight-
awn cost, dark billycock has, a foreigner (supposed
Gorman). One hundred p ,unds reward will be paid
by oiler Majesty's Governmmt to any rerson who dial'
give such Information and evidence as shall lead to the dis-
covery .d the murderer ; and the Secretory of State for the
Home Department will advise the grant if tier Mejesty's
most precious pardon to any accomplice, not being the per-
son who actually committed the murder, who shall give each
evidence as shall lead to a like result. Information to be
given to Superintend< nt Thomson, Po'ice-station, Bow-street,
London, or at any of the metropolitan police-stations. "K.
Y. W. Henderson, the Cu:nmissioner of Police ol the Me-
tropolis."
-

The murderer appears te have taken what little
portable property be found in the woman's room, tor
the following articles are reported as missing :—A red
morocco purse, with red elastic band; a pair of jet
earrings between one and two inches long, approximate
value 55. ' • a small routol jet brooch, size of a florin,
female head, with maws in centre; and • pawn ticket
for flee pairs of lady's drawers, pledged with T. F.
Cloud, 7, Wilmot street, Brunswick-square, on the
24th hod, for 51., in the name of Jane Wright.

TUBIDAY.
It was generally reported in town yesterday that a
passenger bound by the (lreat Eastern route for Rot-
terdam had been arrested at Harwich. This proves to
be untrue, for up to last &ght at a late hour no arrest
had been made. The fact is that Harwich, se well as
the other ports, ia strictly weeched, and among the
mass of information, anonymous and 1 pen, forwarded
to Mr. Superintendent Thomson, who, as the chief of
the Bow street Division, has charge of the matter, was
a statement that a pereon answering the description of
the murderer had gone that way out of England. Un-
less the man got from Great C, cam-street to Shoreditoh
on the morning of the murder in half an hour, and
went off at once, he could not have got away by this
route, for by Christmas night a watch was set upon
every station and port.
TM- ugh an arrest has not yet been made, the police
are not without hope, and it is evideitt that the clues
are being strengthened hour by hour. It is now ascer-
tained that the woman, when she left her lodging on
Christmas-eve at ten o'clock, went direct to the Al.
kambra in Leicester-square. The police have evidence
of this, and they have farther evidence as to the
woman's further movements in the company of "the"
man before the arrival of the pair in Great Coram street
How this is known may be told, as its telling will not
interfere with the ends of justice or obstruct the police
in their inquiries. The police have found two bar-
maids who knew the murdered woman, and they went
in an omnibus with her from the Regent's circus, Pic-
civility, to Hunter street, and with her was a man. She
descended at the corner of Hunter-street, her "friend"
with her. They described the man who was with her,
and the deocription they give tallies exactly with that
given by other informant., only that their details are
more precise. The description given of the man by
these two barmaids is the more valuable from being
made by persons who, in their vocation, are in the
habit of observing persons in many various classes.

Mention has been made of the mass of information
in the hands of the police. As a matter of fact, evi-
dence has been offered affecting different persons suffi-
cient to have justified several arreete, if the Bow-street
police had acted upon the principle of singling ut a
culprit and then fitting the circumstances to his case.
The Bow-street police have patiently investigated
several cases of foreigrers answering the description
given who were out on Christmas Eve, and in all cases
they were satisfied that the mutterer was not among
those who have been thus indicated to them up to last
nici'lhte police have directed their attention to the facts
relative to the women's "friends," in order to ardor-
taM whether it was likely, sufficient motive existing,
that the hand which struck her was that of corms one
whom she well knew and who desired her removal—
such, for instance, as the person who made her periodi-
cal payments, as she had mtated. This person, Mr.
Superintendent Thomson has ascertained, is thousands
of miles away, and for the present this seems to have
been a brutal murder for mere plunder.
At the Bow-etreet Police-court, the magistrate was
waited upon in his private room by the second usher,
who said that a person wished to obtain his advice
under the following circumstances :—The applicant, a
rasp ctahle woman, alleged that she had adopted the
child of the poor woman who was recently murdered in
Great Comm street. The child Yeas given overt° the ap-
plicant at the age of three months, and she receive t 50.
week for its support for some time. During the last boar
years Ached learnt to like the child, and had adopted it
entirely, receiving nothing whatever towards its main-
tenancy. Some time ba,k sh• reluctantly allowed the
chili to visit its mother, at her request. In the mean-
while the mother had been murdered, and the appli-
cant called upon the landlady at Great Coram-street,
and asked to have the child given up to her. This, it
was alleged, the landlady refused to do, in spite of the
child's entreaties to gp,, until the debts of the deceased
had be-n settled. The Magistrate said be had no
power to interfere, but he advised the applicant to
apply to the brother of the deceased. This meenase
was conveyed by Short to the woman, who retired in
appareat disapj ointment.

On Tursday, the remains of the unfortunate woman
who wan murdered in Great Coram-striet on Clariit-
mas Day, were interred in Brompton Cemetery.

WZDNEMDAY.

The police, acting under Mr. Superintendent Thom.
eon, have obtained more particulars, and it appears
that they know nearly all the details of the murdered
woman's movements on the night of the 24th. As stated
previously the woman left Great Coram-street ehortly
before ten o'clock on Tuesday, and went to the
Alhambra Theatre. Before she started she borrowed
a ehiliing of her fellow-lodger. The deceased is
supposed to have walked to the Alhambra, and the
police are earnestly searching for information as to her
movements there. She was dressed in a manner to
attract attention, wearing a black silk dress, black
velvet jacket, and a dark green brigand hat, with a
red' feather. She was next seen at Regent-circus at
12.25, waiting for the omnibus, and she then rode to
the corner which leads to Hunter street with her mur-
derer, in the last Islington and Brompton omnibus,
In which there were seven passengers. Two of
them, who are barmaids, and who knew her, spoke
to her. These have come forward. Nene of the other
seven passengers have yet given any information, and
the police are biking to some of them to aid the cause
of justice by volunteering their testimony. The con-
ductor of the omnibus has made a statement. It is
apparent from this that the time stated by the land-
lady at the inquest as that at which the deceased came
horns is inaccurate, she having stated that it was a
little after midnight, when it must have been one o'clock
or later, if the pair waited, SI the deceased told the
landlady they did, to hear the "waits."