The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-01 00:00:00

IMPEMAL PARLIAMENT...I

AMMIN•

THE MURDERS IN AUSTRALIA.
•
A full statement of the particulars relating to the
The MOWN of Continent reassembled on May 27, after the murder of Mr. W. P. Walker on the Paratuatta river,
Whitauntide holidays Australia, has just been received by his friends at
on the motion of Mr. Monk, the Alteration of Diocesan Leamington.
Boundaries Dill teas rswd a Met time. The body was discovered in the water, near the
"iir. G. Onslow presented a petition from Inhabitants ot shore of the river, at Five Dock, a few miles from
the Isle of Wight, which he moved should be read by the
I,e dlam Ferry, about four o'clock in the afternoon of
clerk at the table. the document was accordingly read by "
tithe effect that the pentioners were the 19th of March last, by a posse tit policemen under
the clerk, and it was
Informed that Thomas Castro, other. is Arthur Orion, other- sergeant Dawson, who had gone up the river from
wise Sir R. C. IS Tiehberue, Bart, was to be prosecuted for Sydney for the purpose of 'dragging. The body was
forgery and perjury by the Crown, and that they, therefore, found in about 4th. of water, the head being down,
prayed the Howie to take due precaution that no h advautage apparently in the mud, and the feet upwards. On lay-
shall be afforded to the Crown prosecution whic is not in big hold of the feet and attempting to raise the body,
like manner afforded to the defeedant. they found a large square stone, 1501 b. weight, tied to
Mr. Bouverie wished to ask the right hon. baronet, the
the neck with a piece of strong cord. The lardy was
member for Devoushire, a question of which he had given
him notice. It appeared that the right hon. baronet the taken down to Sydney and landed at the Circular
week before last wade a speech at Exeter in which lie was re- Quay, where it was carefully examined by Dr. Hamil-
ported to have ueed the following expressions with regard ton. On clearing away the dirt from the head, he
the CoMMilfaiOn at Washington . discovered seven holes, apparently caused by a blow
o Why I say our position personally has been one of great with some sharp-pointed weapon, like a pick. The
delicacy aud embarrassment is ttwo questions have been character and locality of the wounds justity the theory
raised, one the personal question as to what was the wider-
f
standing between the Commissioners at all events, and per-
o the police that the deceased was attacked from
haps between the two Governments, at the time the treaty behind, and rendered totally insensible by thy first
was coneluded ; the otlur as to the general merits of the blow.
question which has been raised w ith regard to what are called The inquest on the body was opened before the City
consequental Damages, or the Indirect Claims. Now with Coroner, at the " Ohrerver Taverm" on the day follow-
regard
thC to the persoual question I will only say this—that wo, ing ita discovery, and was continued for sevend days.
e ominlasiouere. were disti nc tly responsi bl e for ha ving
It was proved that the deceased had only been in
represented to the Governmeat that we understood a pronibse
to be given that these claim were not to be put forward, and Sydney about three weeks, during which time he had
were sot to be submitted to arbitration." been lodging at Mrs. Stevenson's Registry-office,
lie wished to ask whether that was an authentic statement. bridge-street. On the 4th of March he answered the
and, if so, what was the understanding respecting this affair following advertisement, which appeared that day in
which the right hon. gentkman mentioned in that speech, the Sydney Morning Herald :
what were the circumstances under which it was come to, „ •
and with whom *as it come to' Clerk wasted; active, inteltgent, for country store.
Sir S. Northeote said the right hon. gentleman had given Liberal salary to competent person. T.Y.C., Herald."
him notice of this question, and the hon. baronet the On searching his boxes after the body had been re-
nu ether for North Wilts had also given him notice o 'a covered, the police came upon a draught copy of
eimilar one. With regard to the quotation from his speech the application. In it he begged to bring himself
which the right hon. gentleman hail read, he could only gay
that it was q milder the
uite correctly reported. He thought it right , notice of the advertiser' stating he had
to say what he did for tiffs reason—he had just seen an been many years employed in a st,lre, both in hog-
announcement that the despatch of Mr. Fish, of the 16th land and the colony, and hoped he might be allowed an
April, was published in America. and would shortly be pub. interview andsubtuit testimonials before the vacancy was
balled in this country, ami it appeared to him that from filled. On the 13th of March he received an answer
that dispatch, any person reading it roust biter thfit the from a person signitig himself " Arthur J. Nort,m,"
claim for consequential damages had been formally pre-
sented to the Commissioners at Washington, and that stating that he had been appointed at a salary of 30a.
they made no objection to it. He, as one of the Commis- a week and to live in the house, and notifying that a
stoners, thought it was not right to allow such an imply.- Mr. James would conclude the arrangements with him
Mon to go abroad, and he took the first opportunity of con- at the "Royal' Hotel, and explain why Mr. Norton
train:tins it (cheers.) He made use of the expressions could not see him. Deceased went to the " Royal" Hotel,
which he did without any previous concert with any and there saw a boy named Walter, who said Mr.
one In order 0 state on hi own authority that that James could not be seem as he was indisposed, but he
was net, at all evente, the view which the Commissioners
took of the matter. With regard to the other question, he gave him a letter from James, representing Mr.thought the right hon. gentleman and the House would Nortan a place as situate in the Bathurst distnct.
see that he was in a very delicate position (cheers). Ile was This letter Mr. Walker showed to a Mr. Evans, a
one of the Commissioners, and, although he felt himself en- watchmaker in George.street, who told him to take it
titled to speak as he did at Exeter, he did not think he to the police, for he believed it was not an honest
nhould be
did Washi
Metaled in
witrunit an tall the G
Reins tutu a full acc,unt of what they transaction. lf, however, he was resolved to go, he
at ngton invion from overn-
ment and c nuounication wills hie brother Commissioners, had better leave all his valuables behind him. Another
especially with Lord Ripon, who was now absent from town friend, named Charles Edwarle, who had lived with
in attendance upon her Majesty (hear, hear.) him at Mrs. Stevenson's Registry- office, gave him similar
SIC. Bouverie asked whether the understanding, referred to advice, and said he though it very strange the advertiser
In Ms speech was immediately comenunicatedtoher Majesty's should want him to go down the Paramatta eiver
Government by the Commissioners. (Cries of "No, no-) to a situation purporting to be in the Bathurst district.
SUE Northeote f I think I min answer the right hen. gen- The deceased appears to have bad a presentiment of
tleman if he will give notice of the question, evil, for on the way to Paramatta-wharf, on the after'
St r. Disraeli, after expressing surprise that the Govern- noon of the 13th, he said to Mrs. Stevenson's son, who
meat had not made a voluntary statement, put sorne ques- accomparu t •,,..
him and helped to carry his box, that if
tiuns as to the present position of the negotiationa. Re-
calling the circumstances under which the Prime Minister he did not return on the following Tlaurbd a y they must
had appealed to the House before the recess to refrain from conclude something had happened. He also pulled out
discussing the question, he peinted out that the sacrifice the his watch, and showing it to the lad, observed, " You
House then made at the earnest entreaty of the Government, can swear that I had my watch and chain on inc."
and which he at the time entirely approved, was ren- When they met the prisoners Nichols and Lester at
dered u•eless
ftby the publication of the Suppleminvitiiigental Article the wharf, he asked the lad if he thought it was all
a few days aer. anis ill the United States. Mr.
Gladstone to give some explanation of the circumstances right. It was shown that the boat was hired by Lester
Under which this had occurred, he asked him whether it about 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 13th inst., from
was true that the Senate had accepted the Supplemental Mr. George Buckley, of Buckley's Wharf, Kent-street,
Article with modifications, whether the Government ostensibly hoc the purpose of fishing. He did not return
was in possession of those modifications, and also it until 7 o'clock next morning, when Nichols the other
whether Parliament would have an opportunity of prisoner, was with him, Upon the mainsail and ropes
expressing an opinion on the Supplemental Article before ,_
the Queen was advised to ratify it. Reminding the House tnere were splashes.of blood.
further that the time for presenting our arguments to the The prisoner Nichols was taken Into custody by
Arbitrators would expire on the 15th of Julie, he asked Mr. Detective Elliott, at the Auction Mart of Messrs.
Gladstone to state what precautions he bad taken to pre- Lister and Grisdale, Pittstreet, whither he had gone
vent the Arbitration failing if we did not present our argu- to receive the proceeds of some articles belonging to
menta in time ; er, on thendirect Claims If did ese
other hand, to preserve us from
the murdered men. Bridges and Walker. He said he
being committed to the I we prnt
them. had had the things' from a man who lived up in the
Mr. GI relator e said that with reference to the appeal made by Surrey Hills, but could not give his name. Charged
the Goverement to the House of commons before the hods with the murder of Walker, he said, "it is a complete
days, it was founded upon consideratious of general prudence, mystery to me' Elliott. It will be solved in time."
and in making it the motive was, in his mind, that the pub- A large mark, believed to ben blood stain, was upon
lication of it would be injurious in America lie was his trousers. I.ester was apprehended by Detective
Dot simprised, however, tliat they should have felt mort4- Camphiu at the shop of Mr. Moss, jeweller, Hay-
nostion at the matter having been so shortly afterwards
divulged by the Government of the V nited States, but i market, attempting to sell the watch presented to Mr.
the grimed* on which the English Government made Walker by the church at Amphitheatre. He said
the appeal was that the Article was of a confidential nature, Nichols had given him the watch, but declined to say
and he cold,' lint consider that they were to blase for anything to the charge.
its having loom mode public. The Ankh, had been figreCkl I Before leaving his home in the afternoon of the 13th
to by the Senate with curtain amendments in its terms, and
the Cabinet had met mid discu tibia t Mr they had Mr. Walker sit de a remarkalde entry in his private
not yet disposed of the questions raised. The modifications diary, commencing with these words, " Things to be
proposed by the Senate had not been made public in done as soon as vossible after this abominable con-
America , they were regarded as emintential, and oould not spiracy is settled. ' He then directs £3O to be sent to I
with prudence be published in this country. Ile thought his mother at Bristol, a present if clothing aml articles
It woul4 be permature to take into consideration the pro- of jewellry to a Mr. Owen in the Isle of Wight, and
whit,t
ceedingh s at G
sly had in hand with respect l eneva before they had conelu
the
ded the business
the remainder tif his money to be invested. in the name
ey are to supplemen-
tary engagement. The Goveniment, however, were fully of an uncle at ThistoL Lester was found wearing
aware ot the element of time in this matter. Ile would not some of his clothes.
enter into the question of the arbitrates being able to deal Two witnesses were called who had answered ad-
with the question of time, because the necessary power could vertisements in the Herald, and had seen Nichols, who
be gifts nto them by the agreements of both Governments, asked them many suspicious questions such as what
oral until they were sure that they could uot deal with the lug age they had, how long they had been in the
question without an enlargement . f time, it would be -0. " -; they in
premature 0 81.. n. Ila t .
t di • the i.tt 4. tier Majesty's Govern. colony, were tney in debt, and did they require
ment would, however, lose no time in makieg their reply to pecuniary advances? Both were poor men, and nest
the Commissioners of the United States Government. day they got letters from Nichols stating that their
Mr. Gunman withed to know whether the modifications in services would not be required, as the old clerk was
the Article would be submitted to Parliament before any remaining. The pieces of rope used to fasten the
decision was come to upon them. The right hon. gentleman i stones to Bridges and Walker were both of the same
had
r.
Glad ne not said anytsa dhing
th on
posed with
that
ns pt us ill point. texture. They were also tied in the same fashirm. The
Mstoe caioro were
reference to an article which, if agreed to, would from a handwriting in the manuscript copy of the ad vertise-
treaty between the two c mart.. and therefore he would ment at the Herald office was proved to be Nichols
prefer to answer the question when it was put upon the The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder "
paper by the right hen, gentleman, the member for Bucking- against both prisoners.
hamehire. ' ' There is great indignation against the prisoners in
th the Feuian
tu rept), to Sir G. Jenkinsprisonerson, Mr. Gladstone contradiainnesliected
thee oh,ny, and on removing them from the jury-room
e renort that are to be . ;
and Mr. Otway RIO Mr. Mundella gave inftice of questions the police had great difficulty in preserving them from
with regard to the transportatiou to this country of deatione the violence of a crowd of nearly 2,000 people. Rope.
French Communists. . were called for, to hang them on the spot. Both have
The Howie spent the rest of the evening in Committee el ' been repeatedly convicted. Nichols, who is a fine'
Supply on the Navy Estimates, and the following votes were , looking fellow, has conducted himself with stolid in.
agreed to : - difference, but Lester, who is a diminutive young man
A 174,824 Coastguard and Naval Reserve. of 19, has manifested great nervousness.
A 978.953 Dockyard, at Home and Abroad.
£68,344 Victualling Yards at Home and Abroad. RAM
Medical Establishments.
£18,728 Marine Divisions.
£6711311 Military Pensions and Allowances.
£309,185 Civil Pensh in.
£156,700 Conveyance of Troops.
The vote for the dockymds at home and abroad was ills.
Mussed at some length, and an amendment by Mr. Rylands to
reduce it by £lOO,OOO fwhich 'was not pressed to a division),
afforded an opportunity to the members of present rind
former Boards to tight over again the oil battles as to re-
ductions in the dockyards, the respective merits of their
shipbuilding programmes, and other controverted points.
The other votes led to nothing more important 114111 the
usual desultory criticism
The other Orders of the day were disposed of, and the
House adjourned at a quarter to 2 o'clock.

In the House of Commons, May 23, Mr. Candlish, on be-
half of Mr. Seely, gave notice that he would bring forward
his motion respecting the Admiralty on that day month.
Mr. O'Conor, for the o*Conor Don, stated that on the 25th
Jane, he would call attention to the state of the Queen's
Colleges in Ireland.
Mr. (touches, replying to Mr. Holmes, said that it WAS in- '
tended to convect the dock) ard at Chatham with the railway
system of the country, but no final result of the negotiations
which had taken place had been arrived at.
Lord Enfield, in reply to Mr. Mundella, said that her Ma-
jesty's Government bad been, and still were, in active cor-
respondence with the rrench Government on the subject of
the depdrtation of political prisoners from France to this
country. There would be no unnecessary delay in presenting
the papers to Parliament.
Mr. Disraeli repeated his inquiry whether the Government
intended to submit the oupplementary Trea y to the consi-
deration of Pathan, at previous to its ratification. In ex-
planation of his motives for making a suggestion which
seemed to question an ancient and salutary prerogative
of the Crown, Mr. Disraeli pointed out that this was an ex.
ceptional case; first, because the Treaty had not been nego-
tiated by the Queen's ordinary diplom ,tic representatives,
but by a High Commission, of which the principal members
were taken from both Houses, and secondly, because a new
mode of conducting negotiations had sprung up by the
means of " understandings" instead of precige diplomatic
documents. This practice ought to he checked, and he saw
no other way than by their bringing the matter under the
control of Parliament.
Mr. Gladstone admitted that the question needed no
apology, though he demurred to Mr. Disraeli's reasons for
putting it, maintaining that the Government had always do.
dined to place their arguments on the basis of an under-
standing. It was intended to follow the course taken with
the Treaty last year, and If a Supplemental Article were
agreed to it would be laid bet .re Parliament as soon as it
was received here signed, without waiting for the exchange
of ratification.
• •

Mr. Bouverie asked the Prime Minister whether our Com-
missioners at Washington had communicated to the Govern-
ment that they had come to an n derstanding with the
American Commissioners, and that a promise was given not
to bring the Indlect Claims into arbitration.
Mr Gladstone repeated that the Government had not
rested their contention on understandings, hut on precise
statements, which were clearly set forth in the correspon-
dence laid before Parliament. Consemently to go bask at
this moment nn what might have been the precise terms of
any understandis.g would be premature and impolitic.
Mr. Couverie remarked that tins slid not answer his ques-
tion, which was, whether the on lerstanding had been coin.
municated lathe Government, net what were its terms.

On the enstommy motion for adjourning over the "Derby
Day" being made by fir. Gladstone, Mr. Hughes carried out
his threat of last year by opposing it. fie justified himself
by the recent refusal of the lloum to allow its Bornniittees
Riot to sit until two o'clock on Agcelmsb,fl Day, alla asked
why a deference denied to a festival of the Church should
be paid to the British Turf. On this institution Mr. Hughes
bestow eil Wilbe string abuse, derionncing in an the parent of
a system of gambling the most corrupt and corrupting that
ever coned a country.

Mr. Locke pointed out that all the Committees had ad-
journed over the day, and there was, therefore, no analogy
between this case and the Ascension Day vote.
Colonel Beresford and Mr. Beresford Hope also deprecated
• departure from the ordinary custom, and
Mr. Gladstone thought that, however much the House
might reprobate the ruinously vicious abuses which occasion-
ally disgraced a noble, manly, and historical national sport,
It could hardly take notice of them in this way. Besides,
the holyday was valued by many who did not cave for the
race.

On a division, the motion for adjournment was carried by
212 to SS.

Mr. NI itusdale drew attention to the early period lined for
the Autumn Manieuvms, which he contented was most it,
convenient and injorious both to the farmers and the
labourers, ant he 1114./Ved in resolution declaring that the
selection of the period of the hsi vest will interfere with the
processes 4if agriculture mei inflict grave pecuniary hard-
ships on both cultii atom ant labourers.
Mr. Read, in seconding the motion, expressed a decided
opinion that thelharvest this) ear would not be over by the hint
of August, awl complained also of the inaduquate payment of
the Militia.
Mr. Cardwell, in opposing the motion, maintained that
the War Unice bad chosen the period most convenient and
most likely to be attei :led with fine weather. but
Mr. Cardwell agreed to •n ider c:o •-• •
the insist convenient prrnol, and to his
Mon when he brought hi the itecemsary bill. Mr. Pint...late,
however, was still for pit log Lis motion to a di'.
eventually he withdrew it, in deference to an appeal from
Mr. Disraeli. who thought curb a cow,. VCOUId th!
dlaeour-
teens 3tioer Mr. CardWell's promise.
After ionic other business had been-disposed of, the iioll6o
woo counted out at 10 minutes to 1 o'clock.

In alluding to the sari:ill-pox epidemic in London,
the Registrar-General, in his usual return. states that the
fatal cases which in the two I.l,Vielle weeks had lieen 39 and
64, were again 51 last week, of whirl, 19 recurred in the
special small pox hospitals, against 15 and 32 in the two pre-
coedit-1g weeks. Out of those instltutlons, ft deaths were re-
ferred to this disease in Poplar, & in Bow, 4 In West Hackney,
and 1 In Chelsea North-east sub-districts.