The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-10-15 00:00:00

EXAMINATION OF THE MITCHELSTOWN
MiGISTRATE.

Captain Seagrave, resident magistrate in temporary
charge at Mitchelstown on the occasion of the riot,
has given evidence before the Coroner. 'He described
the occurrences of the day so far as he witnessed
them; and- in the course of cross-examination Sis id he
should not have ordered the constables to fire from
the windows unless the barracks or the lives of the
men were in danger. The deposition of Constable
Leahy, who is still suffering from the injuries he re-
ceived, was afterwards, taken. He gave an account
of thp terrible maltreatment to which he had been
subjected, and said .he believed he would have been
killed if the shots had not been fired.

THE ENNIS MOONLIGHTERS COMMITTED.

Calhnan, the informer, has been again called before
the resident magistrate at Ennis in support of the
prosecution of the seven Moonlighters who are
charged with the wilful murder of Head-constable
Whelan, and his cross-examination was concluded.
Three constables who were present when the affray
took place were alio examined, and the magistrate
intimated that he should remit the case for trial at
the Clare Assizes.

THE CHARGE AGAINST CAPT. pLIINKETT.

At the Mitchelstown Petty Seed One, Captain
Plunkett, resident magistrate, was Charged wits
trespassing with an armed force on the private gardens
of Dean O'Regan, on the 24th ult., on which day Mi.
O'Brien, M.P., followed by a large crowd, was visiting
the plaintiff at his house. The case was dismissed on
the ground that the word " wilful " was Omitted from
the summons, which did not, therefore, bring the
matter within the terms of the Jurisdiction Act.

THE SUPPRESSED BRANCHES OF THE
NATIONAL -LEA.GTJE.

Meetings of suppressed branches of the National
League took place on Sunday at Mitchelstown, Mill.
street, Maeroom, Carriganima, and other places.
Reference was made at some of them to the greatly.
increased interest shown in the meetings since the
suppression of the branches. Country people, it was
said, were boginning to flock to them from many
miles round.

WAR OFFICE SCANDALS IN
FRANCE.
SAD END OF A BRILLIANT CAREER.
General Caffarel, one of the headquarters' staff at
the French M;nistry of War, and a soldier of some
distinction, has been put on the retired list, and com-
pelled to quit active service. All sorts of rumours
have been current as to the cause of the compulsory
retirement of a general officer occupying one of the
most important posts on the staff. Some said that
General Caffarel trafficked in decorations, while
others went so far as to hint darkly that he had some-
thing to da with the premature disclosures relative to
the mobilisation. Neither of these rumours (says a
Paris correspondent) is correct. The general had
been simply living beyond his means' and his creditors
came down upon him. He had two households
to keep up, and for some time complaints as to
his private irregularities and pecuniary embarrass-
ments have been sent in either to the Ministry
of War or the Parquet. General Caffarel had no
opportunity to traffic in decorations but he was at
liberty to use his influence to obtain them for civilians.
The General is 53 years old. He was made a knight
of the Legion of Honour after the Crimea, and an
officer after the campaign in Italy. In 1834 he
became a brigadier-general, and was appointed assis-
tant military secretary at head-quarters in March,
1887. Before that he had been chief of the staff at
Orleans. He has badly ended a brilliant career.