The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-30 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS;

Resolutions protesting against the imprisonment of
Mr. Dillon and calling for the release of political victims
in Ireland were passed at meetings held at North
Islington, Stratford, Westminster, and other places on
Saturday.
A demonstration against the policy of the Govern-
ment took place on Peckham-rye on Sunday afternoon,
and was attended by several thousand persons. There
were four platforms, and the speakers included Mr. C.
Graham, M.P., Mr. Sheehy, M.P., and the Rev.
Stewart Headlam. Resolutions were adopted denounc-
ing the " Balfourian system of government in Ireland,"
demanding the immediate release of Mr. Dillon and
other imprisoned patriots, and calling for an alteration
of the Local Government Bill so as to include direct
representation by one vote, and the control of the
police by the ceunty council, who should also be the
licensing authority.
The Duke of Cambrttlge and other members of the
Royal Family, together with members of the Cabinet,
Ambassadors, and other gentlemen of distinction,
attended a service, in memory of the late German Em-
peror, held on Sunday in the Chapel of the German
Embassy in London.
A Calcutta correspondent telegraphs that an expedi-
tion will probably be sent against the Agror tribes in
the autumn; but a definite decision has not yet been
arrived at.
. A startling condition of things was alleged at Chat-
ham Police-court on Tuesday. A little boy, named
Wilson, was charged with stealing ball-cartridges from
the battery at Fort Amherst, and in the course of the
case it was stated that lads habitually steal into the
mazagine and search with lighted candles for car-
tridges. Wilson was discharged on account of his youth,
but the magistrate suggested that means should be
taken to find the other boys implicated.
Sitting at Worship-street Police-court on Tuesday,
Mr. Bushby sentenced Annie Hooper, a basket-maker,
to three months' hard labour for assaulting her son, a
boy of twelve, by biting him.
In London last week the death-rate was 14.5 per
thousand, as compared with 14.9 and 141 in the two
preceding weeks.
Between the Ist of April and the 23rd instant the
Exchequer receipts amounted to £18,792,380 as com-
pared with £18,873,709 in the corresponding period of
the last financial year ; and the expenditure to
£17,985,921 as against £17,220.371. On Saturday last
thelTreasury balances amounted to £4,838,105, and on the
same date last year to £4,607,664.
Lieutenant-General Smyth and his staff having
arrived at Durban from Capetown, left on Wednesday
for Zululand, where, according to the latest intelligence,
the troubles appear to be on the increase. The troops
and police remain on the defensive pending the
General's arrival. Usibepu and his family, and those of
his followers who were wounded in the conflict withthe
Usutus last Saturday, have been brought into the
British camp at Nkonjeni, _ _

Speaking at Ealing -on Tuesday night, Lord Ge trge
Hamilton said that he and Mr. Stanhope were ready to
be judged by their deeds. One of the primary
functions of the Conservative party was to see that the
army and navy were maintained in a thoroughly satis-
factory condition, and his object was to bring about
that result with as little cost as possible. He did not
pretend that the navy had yet attained the proper
standard of efficiency, but rapid progress was being
made in that direction. In a fortnight they would
have a naval force mobilised at Portsmouth and Port-
land of upwards of 20 ironclads.
_ . - .

A courageous rescue from drowning was effected at
Fermoy on Monday by a lad named John Sheehan.
He and Edwin Burniwere walking along the river bank,
when a child of a butcher named Hanan fell into the
river. Burns at once leaped after it, but being unable
to swim both he and the child would have been drowned
but for Sheehan, who pluckily plunged in, and with
great risk to himself rescued Burns and the child.
Lord Wolseley was further examined before the
Select Committee of the House of Commons on the
Army Estimates on Tuesday, and advocated the system
of promotion by selection rather than by seniority.
Mr. Blundell Maple, M.P., continued his evidence
before the Select Committee of the House of Lords on
the Sweating System on Tuesday, and further traversed
or explained the statements made by previous witnesses
reflecting on the character of his firm. He reiterated
his belief that there existed a conspiracy to damage the
firm by connecting it with the sweating system, and
though he could not allege specific acts of bribery or
corruption, one of the witnesses had been in the pay of
Mr. Arnold White.

The eviction of Hugh Mooney took place on Tuesday
near Rathdrum. The tenant owed three years' rent at
£l4B per year, which the landlord offered to reduce to
£B5 and accept £lOO for arrears. The tenant offered
£7O per year, and the notice was consequently served.
About 300 persons, including priests, were present.
One hundred constables, a resident magistrate, and
seven emergency men were in attendance. The house
was strongly barricaded. The emergency men forced
several doors, but were beaten back with boiling water,
lime, and eggs. An upper window was eventually
entered, and the eight men inside were arrested. The
prisoners refused to give or allow bail to be given for
them. Several exciting scenes passed between the
priests and the police and magistrates, and at one time
a rupture was threatened. A meeting denonncing the
eviction was held.
The Queen has consented to become patron of the
movement for celebrating the Tercentenary of the
defeat of the Spanish Armada. This her Majesty has
done after communiationa had passed with the Spanish
Governmeni.

The sale o her Majesty's yearlings at Ilampfon
Court paddocks on Saturday by Messrs. Tattersall was
most successful. Twenty-six lots realised 12,33.5
guineas, the average being 4741 guineas.
The Court of Appeal on Saturday gave judgment in
favour of the Cape Copper Mining Company, who de-
sired that a mandamus should be directed to the Special
Income Tax Commissioners for the issue of an order on
the Treasury to repay the company certain sums
overpaid for income-tax in three years. The Commis-
sioners had declined to grant an order for more than
one year's excess of payments.
An occurrence of a peculiarly revolting nature has
just taken place in the vicinity of Woodford. Ater the
murder of the bailiff Finlay, two years ago, fhe
National League endeavoured, by threats and intimida-
tion, to compel a man named Whaley to resign his
situation as gamekeeper to Sir Henry Burke. This he
refused to do, and he was consequently boycotted, and
for some months it was found necessary to protect his
house by police patrols. Notwithstanding Sir Henry
Burke's recent settle,ment with his tenants the boy-
cotting of Whaley continued until the old man's per.
secutions and sufferings were ended last week in death.
None of the neighbours entered the house of mourning,
and no word of sympathy was addressed to the rela-
tives. The funeral took place at two o'clock in the
morning, and was attended by only the dead man's
wife, their son and daughter, and four policemen. Two
or three nights afterwards the coffin was dug up and
placed standing on its head leaning against the wall
of the graveyard. Finlay's grave was also for some time
guarded by police, as was that of Whelan, another boy-
cotted man. The precaution was omitted in the case
of Whaley, and his enemies took advantage of the fact,
and offered this shocking insult to the body of the
deceased man.

A distressing accident occurred on Saturday evening
at Matlock Bridge, by which two lives were lost. A
young man named William Smith, and Miss Annie
Knowles, a pupil teacher at Eaysley School, were in a
small skiff on the Derwent, the lady rowing and her
companion steering, when one of the sculls slipped
overboard. Both of them reached to regain it, and the
boat overturned. Their cries for help were heard, but
a boat a little further up the river, unfortunately,
grounded, and was unable to render aid. Within a
quarter of an hour the young lady was recovered, and
taken to an hotel, where everything was done to restore
animation. She partially regained consciousness but
death ensued. Dragging operations were carried on
for several hours, and shortly after midnight the body
of Smith was recovered. - - -

_
The foundatione-stone of a new Conservative club
and Primrose League Habitation for Hornsey was laid
on Saturday evening by Mrs. Gilbert Robins, in the
presence of a very large gathering of local members of
the party, including Mr. H. C. Stephens, M.P. for the
Division, the Rev. J. Jeakes (the rector), Mr. Gilbert
Robins (chairman of the company promoting the under-
taking), Mr. W. Wood, &c. Mr. Stephens, in the
course of a speech subsequent to the ceremony, took
occasion to allude to the political situation, and stated
confidently that any minor differences which might
have lately arisen and been industriously fomented,
mainly in respect of the Local Government Bill, in this
Conservative and Unionist ranks, had entirely dis-
appeared. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Stephens,
and also to Mrs. Gilbert Robins, for her part in the
ceremony.

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