The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-12-17 00:00:00

ON THE DYNAMITE.

At Bow-street Police-court on Monday Thomas
Callan and Michael Harkins were charged, on remand.
before Sir James Ingham, with conspiring together
to cause explosions to the danger of life and loss to
property. Mr. Poland and Mr. R. S. Wright, in-
structed by Sir A. K. Stephenson, the Hon. H. Cuffe'
and Mr. Pollard prosecuted. Mr. O'Brien defended.
Mr. O'Brien said again he complained of the way in
which he was refused permission to see his clients
alone in the Holloway Prison.
Mr. Poland said Mr. O'Brien had better read the
letter that had been sent from the Home Office. It
was to the effect that the Prison Commissioners had
reported that the visiting-room in Holloway had been
used on former occasions without any inconvenience
or complaint; but in order to remove the semblance
of a complaint, they had directed every facility to be
given for the interview. The warders were oat of
hearing. The only thing that could be put forward,
observed Mr. Poland, was that what had been done
in this case had been done in others. It was thought
right that there should be a wire partition, and that
for reasons he would not now state. It had been
found necessary in other cases. Mr. O'Brien could
talk to his clients and could receive from them in-
structions without any warders being able to hear.
There were sufficient reasons why the prisoners should
not be allowed to go into one room.
Several witnesses for the prosecution having been
examined, Leonard Clarence Brookes, clerk in the
Bank of England, stated that on the 18th of Novem-
ber a man presented four .£5 notes to be cashed. On
the back of one was was written " Thomas Callan, 24,
Baxter-road, Essex-road, Islington." The man was
taken to the sacretary's office and the notes were
cashed. Callan was the man who, presented the
notes. _ _ _

George C. Wicks, paying cashier at the London
Joint-Stock Bank, Princes-street, City, produced a
book containing a draft for £205 6s. 9d., drawn by
Drexel and Co., Philadelphia, on J. S. Morgan and
Co., in favour of Joseph Melville, dated the 11th of
June, 1887. He paid the draft in thirty-nine £5
Bank of England notes, and the rest in cash. He
also produced a draft for £330 drawn by Cantom and
",10., New York, on the German Bank, London, in
favour of Joseph Melville, and dated the Bth of June.
The entries followed each other, and were cashed con-
secutively. Cantom's draft was cashed with sixty-
six Lb Bank of England notes.
Mrs. Thursting, of 42, Gladstone-road, Southwark,
stated that in June last a man who gave the name of
Melville took a room at her house, and that among
those who came and saw him was Cohen, whom she
knew from a photograph.
Inspector Horsley, A division, stated that on the
4th of August last, while he was on duty at the
House of Commons, Police-constable Oram brought
him a card with the name of Joseph Melville on
it. It was one of the usual cards which had
to be filled up when a visitor wished to see
a member. The card was sent in to Mr. Joseph
Nolan, M.P. Mr. Nolan came out with the card in
hi., hand, and Melville and Mr. Nolan spoke together.
As they met, Harkins walked up from the St.
Stephen's entrance and joined Mr. Nolan and Mel-
ville. They all went to the lower waiting-hall. The
witness had =en the prisoner Harkins in the Central
Hall on several occasions previously, and at St.
Stephen's entrance leading to the Strangers' Gallery.
On the sth of August he saw Harkins and Melville
meet Mr. Nolan in the Central Hall, Melville having
again sent in a card as on the 4th. The three went
again into the lower waiting-hall. He afterwards saw
Mr. Nolan and Melville sitting on a seat on the
terrace. He saw in Mr. Nolan's hand that day a pink
order issued to any member applying for it. He
believed that on that occasion Mr. Nolan and Mel-
rille together till eleven o'clock, having met
six.
Colonel Majendie, Chief Inspector of Explosives,
Stated that on Sunday, the 20th of November, at the
Policeoffiee, Whitehall-place, he was shown a wooden
box containing a brownish-white material, something
like mortar. He subsequently found there was 201 b.
of it. He satisfied himself that it was a description of
dynamite. On the 21st of November he went with
Dr. Dupr6 to 24, Baxter-road, I-lington, where in
the back garden and the dustbin they found
similar dynamite. On the following day they went
again to the house, and in the two days about
21b. soz. of dynamite was collected from the
premises. They also went next door to No. 26,
and had the dust-bin sifted. He received 51b. Boz.
of dynamite, three or four ounces being found that
day in the dust-bin. There was 271 b. 13oz. alto-
gether. It was not English dynamite, nor any Euro-
pean dynamite with which he was acquainted.
He believed it to be American dynamite. A careful
examination of a box and portmanteau stated to belong
to Callan, and a portmanteau stated to belong to
Harkins, showed that they had contained this dyna-
mite. He gave in detail his reasons for stating that
it was dynamite of American manufacture. Mr.
Dupr6 gave corroborative evidence as to the dynamite.
Mr. Poland asked for a formal remand, as this was
the first day of the session of the Central Criminal
Court, so that the prisoners might be committed for
trial at the January session of that court. He should
ask for the committal of the prisoners under the 3rd
section of the Act of 1875, for being in possession of
explosive substances with intent to injure life and
destroy property.
Sir James Ingham said he thought that a prinzd
facie case had been made out to go before a jury. The
prisoners were formally remanded.

TERRIBLE SCENE ON SHIPBOARD.
PANIC AND PLUNDER.--FIFTY LIVES LOST,
A Smyrna telegram received at Vienna con-
tains details of a lamentable accident on board the
Asia Minor Company's steamer Bellona. The vessel,
which had 400 passengers, mostly Greeks, on board,
was not very long out from Salonica, and was near the
Island of Imbros in the Archipelago, when a dreadful
panic arose in consequence of an alarm of fire. The
alarm was a false one, but before this fact
could be brought home to the terrified passengers, a
general panic seized upon them, and a rush was made
for the boats. Before the captain and crew could
interfere the struggling and terror-stricken crowd
had scrambled into the boats and begun to lower
them. In doing so one of the boats overturned, pre-
cipitating its occupants, 47 in number, into the sea.
To make matters worse, a strong gale was blowing at
the time, and all attempts to rescue the helpless
victims in the water seems to have failed, the
efforts of the crew having apparently been impeded
by the terror-stricken mob on board. The
wheit of those who were in the capsized boat
were consequently drowned, while several persons
were crushed to death in the struggle that took place
for the boats. Eventually, by threats and persuasion,
the officers of the steamer succeeded in restoring zalm
among the terrified passengers. Judging from appoar-
ances it would seem that the alarm must have been
caused intentionally, as while the panic was at its
height a number of thieves, profiting by the general
donfusion burst open the door of the captain's cabin
and stole upwards of £2OOO, which they must have
known was locked up there.
ALLEGED ROBBERIES BY
DETECTIVES.
Great sensation was caused in Montreal on Sunday
by the arrest of two of the leading detective officers
of the city on a charge of having committed whole-
sale robberies extending over a period of several years.
The prisoners, who have long been trusted and re-
spected throughout the country, are also accused of
planning further robberies and burglaries on an
enormous scale. The revelations as to the details of
the robberies with which the two men are charged
are of a most sensational character.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND
PUGILISM.
At a well-known club in the West-End of London
the other day a somewhat unusual boxing entertain-
ment was given before a select and aristocratic com-
pany. Amongst others James Smith (champion of
Englatd) and Alfred Greenfield (ex-champion), and
Samuel Blacklock and R. Baxter, displayed their
skill with the gloves; bnt the principal interest
centred in the meeting of John Lawrence Sulliven,
the American, and J. Ashton. This pair had three
capital rounds, the hard-hitting tactics of the
A.merican champion, and the smart way in which he
recovered himself, being greatly admired. The
Prince of Wales was present, and was exceedingly
pleased with the display. Sullivan and his manager,
Mr. H. L. Phillips, were afterwards presented to his
Royal Highness, who congratulated the former on
his excellent display.