The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-07-18 00:00:00

MALICIOUS INJURIES.

On Tuesday, in last week, at the Criminal Amine
of Jersey, a Frenchwoman, named Marie Josephine
llourdais, was charged with having wilfully injured
three valuable COWS and five heifers, by cutting off a
portion of their tails; and also with having destroyed
a crop if nearly an acre of potatoes by plucking up
the young plants. It appeared in evidence that the
prisoner had formerly lived in the service of the pro.
, secutor, Mr. Charles Syvret, of St. Men, aud that by
him she had been seduced, and had given birth to a
child. She went to France to be confined. She was
heard previous to her departure to declare that on her
return she would Is: revenged of the prosecute.
After her confinement she returned to Jersey and
entered the service of Mr. Jacques Syvret, a cousin of
the prosecutor. The cousins were not on the usn't
friendly terms, and it was while she was in the service
of her second master that the pris.sier committed the
act for which she was charged. When apprehended
she stated that she had been instigated to the com-
mission of the malicious act by her mistress, who had
lent her a knife and a pair of hoots for the occasion.
The animals were Bo much disfigured by the act of the
prisoner that they were rendered totally unfit for the
Fdiglish market, for which the prosecutor intended
them. The prisoner was found Guilty, and was
sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

Arendal, in Norway, has been devastated by a very
serious Me, which hair laid in ruins nearly a hundred
houses. The telegram does not state that there was any lees
of life.
In the Court of Probate, on Wednesday, an arrange
meld was come to het ivccri the parties in Stephens r. &arch
and others, which was a suit to estahliih the will end nine
codicils of the late S r Jane s South. astronomer. They
, were propounded by the plaintiff. Inc. stenhene, Q.C., no
ese.iutfar, and tire defendants were the brothers of the de-
ecrase.t. Format proof of the execution of the instruments
and the capacity of the te,tator liming been given, the pleas
put upon the record by the defendariti,, and which included
undue influence and Iran', wore withdrawn, and • verdict
I mud for the plaintiff. The court then pronounced for the
will and emlials.
Muri by, the anti-Popery lecturer, was apprehended
at 1301t011 011 Tlle,itlY night, aml a great deal of excitement
was manifested I y• the populace, is .Ili in favour of and against
him. The magistrates hail Issued an order prohibiting tae
lee urea which had been announcad. In order to be prepared
for whatever emergency may arise, the police of the town
hive beern reinforced by the addition of 15,/ men, all armed
Ii 11 .2 SC,..

ELECTION of a MONARCH in BERVIA.

The Pesth correspondent of The Times, describing
the cersmonies attending the election of a successor
to the recently murdered Prince Michael of Servia,
says
. _

The Skupchina ass not held in the town of Belgrade. An
open win den building, reminding cue strongly of the
sheds winch adorn some of the model farm. in England,
and under which they stack corn, was erected in a meadow,
or more properly a level piece of gr. quid. This meadow
lies in the valley of Topchidere, about 400 yards behind
the house which was the .favourite residence of old PeilltV
Miloch after lie had raised himself to power. lie built it
in len, before he was driven away, and on his return
in 15.50 he resided there, and there he died. It was
likewise to this house that the body of Ids son Michael seas
carried when brought oat of the wood where he was mur-
dered. From the barn erected for the Skupchina et.uld also
Ire seen the place in the woods where the murder was com-
mitted. Probably all those circumstances may have con-
tributed in the choice of the place for the Skupchina, and it
toast be admitted that the regency has in this respect dis-
played much tact. Oil waiving from Belgrade, by a bridle road
that passes all holstelry called the szerbski Gar, you reach an
ambience immediately above the valley of Topchidere Below
you are the public ardoli, on the lett hand a church sp re, a
little further, though partly In idea by the trees, the house
if Miloch mentioned above, and close to it a large white
building, the Convict eatablishment, which. as Oil will
remember, played so prominent a part in the Topchidere
tragedy, the actual murder hating been planned there. The
Question of having a convict establishment Lttaclied to a
princely park is, of course, a matter of taste. Old &Much,
perhaps, rather enjoyed the clouting of chains, but to a
European, whose nerves are probably more sensitive,
the sight of ho of these ruttims—of the best lot lie!,
mind you, ill the country—is not agreeable, and yiu
must likewise remember that these pleasure grounds
are the only resort for the inhabitants of Belgrade.
However, for the day when the Skulichina inet the
convicts were invisible. Above the principal entrance of the
barn hi question there were the arms of Set via and three
flags of the national colours. The interior was as modest,
not to my hare, as the exterior. Some wooden steps led tip
to a raised dais, which was the place appointed for the
principal personages, such as the members of the provisional
government, the metropolitan, the clergy,l and where, like-
wise, later In the,ceremooy, the young Prince Milan showed
himself to the people To the right of this was a railed
platform for the ministem, to the left the same for the
senators, and right and left of these places for tile eounds.
The centre of the building Sean divided iMo four sections of
beaches, on which the members of the Skumbitia sat
At about eight o'clock in the morning the proceedings began
by Mr. Ntarillovich, the president of the senate, and there-
ihre cihef of the provisional ._..overnment. reading to the
assembly the cause ;aid reasons for which they had been
edited togethee—vir, to elect a new prince. to grant a
civd list, and to appoint a regency. lie finished by pro-
posing to the assembly to elect Milan Obrenovich IV.
They ana vend by shouting that he was mince by here-
ditary right, that all they had to do was to proclaim his
accession, wineo they did amid loud cries of'' Zivio !" One of
the member. for Belgrade, carehernerovich. then that lied
the provisional goner 'intent for the manner they had acted
in the emergency. and craves permaision front the assembly
for another member ti be heard. Thereupon, a priest or
pope mounted the rostrum, and asked the assembly to vote
for the young prince as his civil list the same sum which hail
been granted to the " never-to-be forgotten Michael." One
s.ll, sturdy peasant. mounting on his seat, cried, " SIC
would rather give more than less," anti the proposal of
giving to the young prince the sonic sum as his predecessor
nod was approved. Then Marinovich said the assembly
must elect a regency daring the niitioriti of the prince,
on which one member proposed Colonel Milivoi Pit-
rovich Blarnavatz, the Minister of War, and one of
the members of the provisional governtnent ; he was im-
mediately accepted with acclamation. Another proposed
Rustic, formerly agent of Servia at Constantinople, and lie
was likewise approved. Then the assembly wag told to
choose a third to make up the number required by law ;
but they sail, " We have full confidence in the two see
have chosen ; let them therefore choose their twit colleague."
Ntarinovich explained that this would lie scarcely legol, and
that the assembly it-elf must choose all the three members
of the Regeney. On this the assembly shouted. " let the
two we have chosen propose some one, and we Will elect him."
Itistie then led forward Gavrilovich, and lie wus accepted.
Gavrilovich Was in lehi minister of finance. alai is reported
to he silent, acquiescing, and 'mimed, being now senator,
and at the head of a Merely imtitution In Belgrade. The
election of the regency being over, the three regents were
SWOell in by the metropolitan, who was is attendance,
Colonel Blaznavatz repeuting the oath in a clear, loud
voice, the other two being scarcely audible. Then the Skim-
china sang a solemn .• Rogaletta," an equivalent to " Loog
may they live," anti the metropolitan, in full robes, matie a
short speech, everyone in the assembly crossing himself.
Thus woe hashed, in less than an hour and a half, the
election of the mince, the granting of the civil list, and the
election of the regency. The Skupchina seemed hi very
good temper, shouting occasionally " Zivio," hr " Long life,"
the signal being given by a senator named Jeremiah, who,
iroin the platform oil which the seitators were,
waved his hat every time they were to shout. The
(rice being, elected and the regency appointed, tom
of the gendarmes who a ere patrolling outside the building
waved a white flag, on which the cannl,nn lalSteti urn Wane
heights above the convict establishment bed a solute.
Then the three members of the regency went out to Meet
the young prince, who was being brought to Topellidere in a
can nLe from Belgrade. lit almut half all hour he arrived,
preceded try atone cavalry. lie was dressed in the dare
green uniform of a colonel of artillery in the Servian army,
and was mounted on a quiet chesnut horse belonging to the
late prince. Close to him rode Colonel Blasnaratz, the chief
of the new regency. The young prime dismounted promptly,
fuel kissed -the hands of two or three archimandrites and
bishops who received lain at the door. Ile then e. tered
the building and iiiii wiled on the rostruin. As he
came in view of the assembly they shouted vociferously,
Sieto." The prince then said stew words, in allich
he thanked them for their allegiance to his family,
anti hoped they would not expect too much from Mil—.
a chat'. The metropolitan and attendants then went through
some teligiotis ceremony, after which the prince, 1110tilllilat
ilia horse, rode off, SteColllpallied by Colonel Blarney:dr anti
his escort, to inspect some battalions of militia who were
go:tiding the ground about the Skupchina. There was a
liirer military force present than seemed exactly necessary
to keep the .ground, lout members of the Skupchitia took it
all in good part, approving everything, event their own
shouting. The assemblage was mostly composed of peasants
seeming the not ional eodume ; ail under WaiSlCOat 11001:111g
up to tile top, a jacket of coar,e home-matle Bulgarian cloth,
baggy breeches of the same, and sandals c illenl " opankas
fez caps were itt strong force, some of them rather holly
dyed, as the dye had strined the hair a purple colon, Alter
iiisiiectihiil tile militia at Tmedilitere, the young prince role
back to town and inspected tire militia of Belgrade, and
afterwards attended at the Cathedral. All the troops took
the oath of allegiance to him.