The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-12-06 00:00:00

THE BRIBERY PROSECUTIONS.

THI NISTINCIII.

Mr. Justine Denman. Mr. Justice Hawkins, and Mr.
Justice Bowen sat Us hence on Tuesday morning, and
the detendanta, who wee* convicted of corrupt practices
at elections during the last rummer Assizes, came up
for j ailment.
Mr. Justios Denman addrereed the defendants it
cussidarable length, and then peered the following
sentences :—Mesers. May and Melt, who were agents
In the Macclesfield election, were sentenced to nine
months' Imprisonment. In reference to the Sandwich
election, Mtwara. Edwards and Olds were each sentenced
to six months' imptisonmest. Three of the others,
who were publicans, Mackin', Rae, and Spears, and
also Wood, a farmer, were sentenced to three months'
imprisonment. The two otherv, who were boatmen,
were sentenced CI two months' imprisonment. The
Court also directed that all the defendants should be
treated as ordinary misdemeanants, and not as first-
clam misdasessaota.

THE DUTIES Of A PARISH CLERK.
A novel application was made to Bishop Clatighton
by a London rector, the Rev. J. L Fish, St. Margaret
Patten; Rood-lane, to adtaosish his parish clerk for
nonattendance at the early cella:y*l.ton of the Holy
Communion on Sundays rod at the week-day servici•a,
and for persistently taking his place in the choir. The
Archdeacon of Middlesex heard the cam on Monday.
The Bev. J. la Fish conducted his own case, and the
clerk, Mr. Fret, wadi represented by Mr. H.
parish clerk,
barrister. The Archdeacon laid down
that a parish clerk was not obliged to attend week-day
servic.s nor choir practicer, end the charge was, there.
fore, narrowed to two points—non-attendant* at the
early celebration", and sending a deputy without the
rector'. consent. The counsel for the defendant con-
tended that a parish clerk was only obliged to attend
the two full services on Sunday, and that the clerk's
desk having been removed (without a faculty) he was
entitled to a seat adjoin ffi that of the ociating
clergyman in the choir stalls. The Archdeacon dis-
missed ttre case, as he considered nothing bad been
proved to affect the clerk's position or to justify him in
serving the clerk with a monition. He expressed his
opinion that the words of the Act, " • sufficient
deputy," meant one approved by the rector, and that
It was the clerk's duty to atteed at all celebrations ef
the Holy Communion on Sunday, whether early or
alter morning service. The question of costs was
re•erved. This was the second or third case under the
Ant.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A LADY.
On Tuesday an inquiry wee resumed in the drawing-
roomat It, Beaufort-street, Chelsea, Wuching the de
of Mrs. Julia Guilum. aped 27, the wife of Mr. Robert
John Gallon). The evidenos given on the first occasion
was to the effect that deneand wee taken ill on the
night of Sunday. the 6th that., thet she vomited con-
siderably, got worse instead of better, and died OD the
following Friday morning. Bbs complained of pan in
tbebeek and stomach. —Mr. Kdward Crisp, MD, of
Beaufortstrvet, mede a p at-mortals axerni-
nation, and the symptoms were altoisther so inexplio•
able that be could not give a certificate of destb.—Dr.
Thomas fdevernon, Profemor of Jurisprudence at
Guy's Hospital, was called, and deposed that he
examined the contents of the stomach of dace/set In
the intestines be &tatted the preeence of strychnine.
Mr. K J. Guinan, the hitsd of the deceased,
said that the deceased bad • "shock" on the Saturday
preceding her death. After dinner his wife moved the
chair from bellied bin in play, and he fell and hurt
himself. She was frightened, and aftarwarda said that
the occurrence bed upset her. He believed that the
doctor must have given her the strychnine In the
medicine, but tie wee certain that shaper*? had any
sisis.—Dr. Crisp maid that he ha l no strychnine in bh
hones, and never admiaiatenod it to the damned
medicinally, or even prescribed it. Dr. Crisp added
that it was important to explain that ao symptoms of
strychnine poisoning occurred till the Thursday morn-
ing, the vomiting before that day might be eccouated
for by the condition of the aspired. The deosased's
eider dater nursed bar with every attention.—Miss
Elisabeth Taylor, residing at 293, Fulham-road,
Chelsea, devised that the deceased we. her sister. She
name to her on the Wednesday evening about half -par
eight. She saw some medicine given to this decreed—
about five closes in mil. Ons lot of medicine was made
up at. clunaist'a Her brother-in-law fetched it. She
believed deceased and her husband lived on affectionate
terms.—The Ciironer said that this wile a most
Important inve•tiljation for all parties, and a further
adjournment woe essential.—The enquiry was then
further adjourned.