The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-11-20 00:00:00

EPITOME OF NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

An old man named William Cook was burned to
death at Southsea whilst reading in bed.
Eight persons have been buried by a landslip near
limbrun, in the South of France.
By a fire at a house in Grigg•street, Portsmouth, a
feeble cA man, who slept on the ground fiber, was
burned to death.

Another arrest of Anarchists has taken place at
Frankfort•on-the-Maine.

Burglars broke into the Theatre Royal, Sundetland,
the other night, and made off with jewellery and other
articles belonging to several actors, to the value of about
£4O.

Further details of the floods in Southern Europe
state that the railway line between Genoa and Venti•
miglia has suffered so severely that it will take more
than a month before it can be opened.
The Earl of Enniskillen died at his residence,
Florence-court, county Fermansgh. He is succeeded
by his eldest son, Viscount Cole, who represented
Enniskillen in the Parliament of 1880.

The North of England Seamen's and Firemen's
Friendly Society at North and South Shields have
passed resolutions asking the shipowners to pay the
same rate of wages on the Tyne as are paid at other
ports.
The Royal Commission on the Land Acts formed two
courts at Killarney to expedite the business there.
Lords Cowper and Milltown acted as the respective
chairmen. Witnesses were examined as to the com-
bination to resist the enforcement of legal obligations,
and as to what extent a general desire existed among
tenants to avail themselves of the provisions of the Act.
A carman, who pleaded ignorance of London regula-
tions, as he was fresh from the country, in reply to a
charge of obstruction, was let off with a fine of 2s. at
the City Summons Court. He expressed surprise at the
result thus: "Two bob for that ! I'll have to go
without grub to-day for that."
Alfred William Ayres, an engineer, of 28, Campden.
street, Notting-hill-gate, cut his throat with a razor.
He exclaimed to his landlord," Go away, Dad," and
fell dead on the floor. A letter, apparently written by
a lady, was found in his room. Jealousy is supposed to
be the cause.
Captain Corning, of the steamer Iberia, which arrived
In the Clyde on T esday, from Huelva, reports having
experienced stormy weather during her passage, and
that on the 12th inst. she fell in with the barque Anna-
belle, of Banff, sicking in the Bay of Biscay. Not-
withstanding the storm, Captain Corning launched a
boat and su ceeded in rescuing a crew of 10. The
mate and carpenter of the lbcria were severely injured.
The county police at Blackburn have taken charge of
the clothing of the man burnt to death at 13eetham,
for the purpose of submitting them to scientific exami-
nation There is no direct evidence as yet forthcoming,
but the verdict returned of wilful murder against some
person unknown is based on indirect evidence, and
there is little doubt that during a drunken spree some
companions of the man threw paraffin oil over him and
set him en fire.

A debate took place at the Liverpool Select Vestry on
Tuesday on a resolution that it was desirable upon the
first practical opportunity, that a lady should be
appointed as a member of the vestry. It was urged that
there were a number of matters connected with paro-
chial administration with which women could deal
better than men—such as cutting out dresses, laundry
work, &c. On a division, however, the resolution was
lost by a large majority.
Mr. H. D. Eaton, M P., addressed a meeting of Con-
servatives at Coventry on Tuesday night. Referring
to the programme for the next session as foreshadowed
by Lord Randolph Churchill at Dartford, he remarked
that before the business of the House of Commons
could be effectually carried or, the question of proce-
dure would have to be settled. While he should be
willing to support measures to remedy the evil of ob-
struction, he should at the same time be most careful
that the rights of individual members were not unduly
infringed.

"Witham Bean, farmer and tenant of the Duke of
Richmond and Gordon, was brought before the sheriff
at Aberdeen on Tuesdhy, charged with breach of inter-
dict. It was stated that Bean, who disappeared when
the case was first called, had been apprehended. His
effects were sequestrated for the rent of 1885, amount.
big to £383, and notwithstanding that sequestration
the defendant, it is alleged, sold a number of cattle,
horses, and sheep, and failed to give the proceeds of the
sale to the landlord. He had indeed sent a cheque to
the factor for the duke for £164, but there
were no funds. He subsequently sent a cheque for
£4OO covering this, but again there were no funds. The
sheriff said he looked upon the case as a serious one,
and he should like time to consider hew he should dis-
pose of it.
L.At the Norwich Assizes on Tuesday Mr. Justice Field
passed sentence of death upon Elizabeth Hamlinton.
34, a dressmaker, who was found guilty of the murdei
of her illegitimate female child, three weeks old. The
prisoner was confined in Oulton Woikhouse, which she
left on Oct. 16. On the same night, while waiting for
a train at Fakenham Station, she threx the child into
the river. The jury recommended the unfortunate
woman to mercy, and the judge, promised to forward
the recommendation to the proper quarter. The
prisoner, on hearing the sentence, moaned and fainted,
and had to be assisted from the dock.

At the Bedford Assizes on Tuesday Alfred Hitch,
31, labourer, was charged before Mr. Justice Grantham
with the wilful mur -er of °bade 4 Plumridge, near Uz.
bridge, on August 26 The body was not found for two
days after the murder was committed. There was
comparatively little evideuce against the prisoner but
his own statement. He was cefended, at the request
If the judge by Mr. Trevor White. The jury returned
a verdict of guilty, and strongly recommended the
prisoner to mercy. Sentence of death was pro.
nounced.

The producers of soda crystal on the Tyre on Tues•
day decided to restrict the production of soda by 20
per cent.
A woman at eamhorne, after having been confined to
her bed for 20 years, got up early on Tuesday morning,
threw herself into a well, and was drowned.

A conference of licensed victuallers, attended by
delegates from all parts of Wales, and by a deputation
from the London societies was held on Tuesday at
Merthyr. Resolutions for the repeal of the Welsh
Sunday Closing Act, and appointing delegates to
interview members of the Government, were passed.
An expedition, under the direction of James Fry, a
diver of Tynemouth, is leaving England for the West
Coast of Africa to engage in the recover; of a large
amount ot specie and other valuables which have been
lying sunk for some time. A steamer has been chartered
and filled with all necessary appliances for carrying on
the operations.
At Liverpool Assizes James Mellor, 67, a blacksmith,
was indicted for the murder of his wife and sister-in-
law at Lytham, on the 2nd inst. Evidence of the
insanity of the prisoner was given, and the jury having
found him to be insane, Mr. Justice Day ordered him
to be detained in an asylum during -her Majesty 'a
pleasure.
On Monday, in London, was offered for sale the
freehold of No. 69, Chespside, which covers an area of
396 superficial feet. The property realised £14,050,
which is equal to 1:35 9s. Gd. per square foot, or
£1,545,291 an acre.
An estate, 78 acres in extent, has been handed over
to the Recreation Grounds Committee of the Leeds
Corporation, to be laid out as a recreation ground for
the East-end of Leeds

A Berlin correspondent reports that a miiitary
council was held in St. Petersburg on Sunday to discuss
and determine the future of the Bulgarian army
organisat ion.
M. Beernaert, the Prime Minister, laid on the table
of the Belgian House of Representatives a bill for the
conversion of the Public Debt. He proposes to redu- e
the interest from four, as it now stands, to three and a
half per cent.
The Queen held an investiture at Windsor on Tues-
day, when a large number of persons received the
insignia of the various classes of the order of the Bath,
St Michael and St. George, the Star of India, and the
Indian Empire.
Mr. Goschen finally declined the invitation, addressed
co him by the leaders of the party, to become the
Liberal candidate for Brighton.
For persistently annoying Mrs. Kennedy, the wife of
tbe ex-High Sheriff of Dublin, Alfred Usher, formerly
an officer in the army, was brought up at the police.
court in that city on Tuesday, and sentenced to a
month's imprisonment.
John Hawkins, the man who lately gave himself up
to the police, confessing that nine years ago he mur-
dered a fellow-soldier at Windsor, was brought up at
the Thames Police-court on Tuesday. It was proved
that he had been frequently convicted for fraudulent
enlistment. The magistrate now declined to credit his
present confession, and discharged him.
Donald Maguire, a medical man, was convicted at the
Middlesex Sessions on Tuesday of assaulting his
domestic servant, and was sentenced to a year's im-
prisonment.
Sir Charles and Lady Lowther were on Tuesday fined
£lO each for not attending as witnesses in a case at the
Wakefield County Court. Subpcenas had been ser
upon them at Wilton Castle, near ltedcar, and conduct
money supplied them. They, however, did n: c appear,
and it was stated in explanation that they are both
over 80 years of age, that Sir Charles is totally blind,
and that Lady Lowther is very deaf,

William Hammersley, 21, a notorious shopbreakert
who has been several times convicted at Nottingham
and other places, was charged at Leicester on Monday,
with breaking into the house of Thomas Nutting, and
stealing several pounds' worth of property. Nutting,
who was sentenced last week to 20 years' penal servi.
tude for burglary, was a companion of Hammerslo9
and when Nutting's friends were absent at the trial
Hammersley perpetrated the robbery. He was com-
mitted for trial at the assizes.
At Rowley, whilst two:chartermasters, named Daniel •
and Dan Gill, father and son, were inspecting the
workings, with naked light', at Warren's Half Colliery,
an explosion of gas occurred, and both men were
shockingly injured.
An unmarried lady, named Jessie Susan Look, 37, of
Dorchester, fell over the High Tor Rock at Matlock
Bath, sustaining injuries which an hour later termi-
nated fatally.
A fire broke out on Moaday on Lord Salisbury 's estate,
Great Hadham. A boy in a house upset a paraffin lamp, ,
and in a few moments the building was in flames, which
spread to an adjoining cottage: The fire raged for
several hours, the property being completely destroyed.
Six whales were seen in the English Channel on
Monday morning half a mile off Sandgate.
The Corporation of New Romney have resolved to
make an experiment in the granting of allotments to
agricultural labourers. It has been decided to set aside
acres of land, 20 perches to be allotted to each ap
plicant.

The Canterbury Fishing Protection Association have
decided to restock the River Stour with young trout,
so Ai to provide better sport for apglere next semon.
It proposed to purchase a stock ox the Loch Leven
trout.
The Rev. George Brown, who was appointed vicar of
London by the Queen in 1840, died on Saturday. 'The
value of the living is £3OO a year.
Th Buckrose election petition is fixed for tri lat
Driffield on the 6th December, before Baron Pollock Laid
Mr. Justice Smith.

The rivet-makers in the Staffordshire districts who
turned out on strike a week ago for an advance of
wages resumed work on Monday at the old rates.
Near Listowel the other night a police patrol met a
man named Scanlan carrying a gun. He fired at the
police, and they attempted to swim across the river;
but,
.after it desperate struggle in the water, Scanlan
was arrestod.
A miner named William Furze, aged 19, while at
work in the, Levant Mine, Penzance, 1000 feet below
the bed of the ocean, was hastily warned to avoid an
impending blast of a lode, and in moving away he
fell to the bottom of a 70 feet hole and broke h:.l
neck.

Alderman R. Renner, Deputy Mayor of Queen.
borough, WkB found dead in bed on Monday morning.
At Marlbwough.street Police-court, London Samuel
Schneider, of Cross-street, Soho, was fined 10s. and
costs for assaulting Isaac Julius, of 13, Broad-street, by
cutting off the end of the latter's moustache, of which
he was very proud, and which a moment before tut
been pronounced "very nice" by a lady.
The Agricultural Deputies have addressed to tho
Government a protest against the continuation of the
prohibition to import French cattle into England.
They say that the disease has disappeared long since,
and the prohibition is unnecessary and prejudicial to
their interests.

It is stated that the Council of the Liberty and
Property Defence League have resolved to extend their
operations among the working classes in order to
counteract the influence of the Socialists.

In the annual report of the Commissioner in charge •
of the Woods and Royal Forests, it is stated that the
continued depression in agriculture and the stagnation
in mining enterprise have considerably affected the
Crown revenues, and rendered it necessary to grant
allowances and reductions of rent to many of the Crown
tenants of both lands and mines Nevertheless, the
net payments into the Exchequer had been maintained
during the past year at the same slmi as during each of
the four previous years.
The Prince of Wales received at Sandringham on
Monday two large deputations of London workmen,
who thanked his Royal Highness for his successful
efforts in enabling the artisans of the metropolis to
attend the Exhibition at a cheap rate of admission.
Addresses were presented from the London Trades
Council and the London Working Men's Association;
and the Prince in his replies referred to the extra-
ordinary success which had attended the scheme, more
than a million persons having been benefited by it. The
members cf the two deputations were introduced to the
Princess of Wales and the young Princesses, and after
being entertained at luncheon, were shown over the
hall and estate, ar d returned to town in the evening by
special trains.
While the Lords of the Admiralty were on a visit to
Haulbowline on Monday for t'te purpose of inspecting
the new naval docks in prop; ss there, a deputation
from Queenstown waited upon them, pray ing that tho
original plan may not be departed from, and that the
second dry dock may be constructed as at first pro,
posed, so that a large number of workmen may not be
thrown out of employment. Lord George Hamilton, in
reply, said the works at present determined on would
provide for the continuance in employment for at least
another year of those now engaged, and as there were
signs of revival of trade he hoped the country would
rise from the depression from which it had long suf-
fered.

Dr. Tindal Robinson on Monday night accepted the
invitation of the Brighton Conservatives to be the
candidate of the party for the existing vacancy in the
representation of the borough. In his address he
avows himself a progressive Conservative, in entire
sympathy with the views recently enunciated by Lord
Randolph Churchill and the Marquis of Salisbury.
Four thousand children it is estimated, were refused
admission to Board Schools throughout the metro-
polis on Monday on the ground that their fees had not
been paid.
Josiah Brett, horse trainer, and Alfred Laloubere,
otherwise Count Laloubere, were tried at Liverpool
Assizes, on Monday, on the charge of conspiring, with
a third person, who has absconded, to defraud the clerk
of the course and the stewards of Kelso Steeplechases
of large sums of money. The fr,.ud consisted in enterd
ing and running as a maiden a horse which had, in
fact, won many races. Both were found guilty, and
Brett was sentenced to a year's sod Laloubere to three
month's imprisonment.

Speaking at Hoxne, Mr. Arch said that the Agricul•
tural Labourers' Union would soon be engaged in
drawing up a political programme, and the first item
in it would be renewed confidence in the "Grand Old
Man" and Home Rule for Ireland. The nest election
would be a savage fight, and the Tories would come
down with a crtoh.

The death is announced of M. Textoris, the "den"' of
Paris stockbrokers, at the advanced age of 88. M. Tex-
tons was well-known in the London financial circle of
the last generation. He bad lately retired from active
business, and died at his chateau in Burgundy.
M:. Sexton, M.P., has addressed a letter to the Post.
mast r-General, asking that the Transatlantic mail
steamers shall continue to call at Queenstown until the
Irish representatives have an opportunity of expressiog
their opinions and eliciting the judgment of the House
of Commons.

The Rev. e. Shaw, of Dundee, has received a letter
from Sir Henry Ponsonby, stating that the Queen will
be happy to give a donation of £l5 to the memorial to
King Alexander 111. of Scotland, to be erected on the
spot where the King was killed, between Kinghorn and
Burntialand, in Fife.

An agitation is being promoted in Halifax against
the action of the Canadian Government in subsidising
ocean mail steamers having their terminus in American
territory. A deputation has left for Ottawa to ask the
Government only to grant a subsidy to steamers making
Halifax and St John their winter termini instead of
Halifax and Portland.

At a meeting ot the Executive Commissioners for the
Colonial Exhibition, a resolution has bsen passed
unanimously.,that a committee be appointed to prepare
an address and receive subscriptions from th 3 commis-
sioners and secretaries of the Colonial and Indian
Exhibition, to provide a piece of plate for presentation
to Sir Phi:ip Cur,liffe Owen' as a testimonial ot the
high appreciation entertained of his invaluable cervices
in connection with the Eyhihition