The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-16 00:00:00

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After twenty-four years' service, Inspector John Egan
has been appointed Chief Inspector of the City Police
Force, succeeding the late Inspector Tillcock in that
position.
We are assured from America that the flat-nosed,
kindly-headed negro is passing away, and becoming
(as the Atlanta Constitution puts it) "an unknown
race."

Umbrella borrowers, who always forget their obliga-
tions to return the rain protector, should take warning.
()Le of them at Hamilton, Canada, has just been sent
to gaol for a year.
Mrs. Mullins was the principal witness in a Pittsburg
law suit against a German named Scholer. He had a
terrible revenge. He murdered her in the presence of
her little children.

Englishmen arriving at the German frontier by wa3;
of France will not require to have their passports vised
by the German Embassy in Paris, the vise of the Ger-
man Embassy in London sufficing.
A Coatbridge man named Cooper was watching a
crane being placed in position. The chain of the crane
suddenly broke, and the jib of the machine struck the
man on the head, killing him instantly.
The Maharajah Holkar is said to be tired of mis-
governing his people. He is stated to anticipate the
appointment of a Regency, composed of his mother,
another relative, and one of his chief Ministers.
Judge Gresham is one of the candidates for the
American Presidency. One of his journalistic sup-
porters gravely informs his readers that "he is, in a
quiet way, one of the best poker players in the country."
The city of St. Louis possesses an ordinance making
it a misdemeanour, punishable by a fine of not less than
50 dols. nor more than 500 dols., for any telephone
company operating to charge more than 50 dols. per
annum for telephone service.
The buildings and grounds of the Caterham Asylum
for Imbeciles cover 155 acres. There are 2019 inmates
—945 males and 1074 females. Out of the number
upwards of 500 are epileptics. One of the inmates is a
Waterloo veteran of 97.

A Kentucky tragedy. A Mrs. Brooks, of Maysville,
was escorted home by a young man. The woman's
husband met them in the yard, and they quarrelled,
when the wife struck her husband in the neck with a
butcher's knife, causing his death.
Lord Brassey has a scheme by which he believes we
could facilitate the construction of fast warships with-
out adding to the public charge. He would lessen con-
siderably the expenditure on ships not effective for war
or for the better protection of trade.
Mrs. Langtry is becoming an American landed pro-
prietor and farmer. She has purchased, in California,
a magnificent farm of 4500 acres, of which 1500 are
planted in wheat. The estate is to be called Sandring-
ham, in honour of the Prince of Wales.

The total membership of the Wesleyan New Con-
nexion is 30,379, with 4996 probationers. The Sunday
School: returns show a total of 11,321 teachers, 85,772
scholars, and an increase of 651 teachers and scholars
who are in church membership. . . _ _ .

Lee Pope was a wealthy young stockman of Laredo,
Texas. He quarrelled with Juan Rosales, a saloon-
keeper, about the payment for drinks. They drew
revolvers and fired upon each other. Pope was shot
through the heart, and Rosales was hit in the abdomen,
and died a few hours later. '

Foreign princes cannot hold definite rank in the
Prusiian Army. Thus the appointment of the Duke of
Edinburgh as a Prussian Infantry General is charac-
terised by the Standard correspondent at Berlin as "a
severe rebuke to the wretched clique who lately ven-
tured to call in question his Royal Highness's right of
succession in SAxe-Coburg-Gotha."
A Yankee traveller in Saxony received an invitation
to one of the Court balls. He arrived late, and,
putting his hands in his pockets, sauntered around,
until he reached the top of the room. When he got
there he made straight for the King of Saxony, and,
holding out his hand in the most affable way, ex-
claimed, " Wal, and how do you do, King ? Guess
you don't dance. eh ? " The Emperor Frederick tells
this story.

The Queen has appointed a Royal
_Commission "to
inquire into the civil and professional administration
of the Naval and Military Departments, and the rela-
tion of those departments to each other and to the
Tre--s-ary ; and to report what changes in the existing
syst`..en would tend to efficiency and economy in the
public service." The commissioners, whose names
appeared in Tuesday night's London Gazette, are the
Marquis of Hartington, Lord Randolph Churchill, Lord
Revelstoke, Mr. W. H. Smith, Mr. Campbell-Banner-
man, Sir Richard Temple, Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick
W. Richards, Lieut.-General Henry Brackenbury, and
Mr. Thomas Henry Ismay.
Last week the death-rate in London again declined
and was only 14.9 per thousand, a lower rate than in
any week since September last.
Between the Ist of April and the 9th instant the
Exchequer receipts amounted to £16,005,369 as com-
pared with £16,369,787 in the corresponding period of
the last Enancial year ; and the expenditure to
£16,559,570 as against £15,362,662. On Saturday last
the Treasury balances stood at £3,478,597, and on the
same date last year at £3,875,671.
The eight young men who are ^charged with being
concerned in the murder of Joseph Rumbold in
Regent's Park were again brought before the magis-
trate at Marlborough-street on Tuesday, when, after
additional evidence had been given, they were com-
mitted for trial.

In the Court of Appeal, on Tuesday, was tried the
appeal of Butler against the decision of Mr. Justice
Manisty in "Butler v. The Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire Railway Company." Plaintiff had lost
his return ticket on their line, and, not being able to
produce it, was forcibly removed from the carriage. Mr.
Justice Manisty had decided in favour of the company.
The Master of the Rolls, in delivering judgment, said
that whether the conditions that a passenger must show
his ticket when asked were reasonable or not, his
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breach of this portion of his contract did not give the
company the right to take him by the throat and eject
him. The judgment of Mr. Justice Manisty was
reversed, and judgment given for plaintiff for £25, with
all costs.

In the Queen's Bench Division on Tuesday, Mr.
John Ward, theatrical agent, sued the printers and
publishers of the Star for damages for alleged libel in
publishing a letter by Mrs. Langworthy. After hear-
ing the evidence of the plaintiff, and of Mrs. Lang-
worthy for the defendant, the jury found a verdict for
the defendant.
The majority of 113 by which the Government were
defeated on Mr. Jennings's resolution on Tuesday
night, was constituted, quite irrespective of party ties,
of Gladstonians, Liberal Unionists, and Conservatives.
Mr. Childers voted with the Government in the
minority of 94; while Mr. E. Beckett, Mr. Byron
Reed, Mr. Bartley, and a considerable number of other
Conservatives were in the majority. After the an-
nouncement of the numbers, which were received
with loud cheers by the Opposition, a cry of "Resign"
was raised from the Irish benches and created much
laughter.
Tenders for Treasury Bills to the amount of
£1,500,000 will be received at the Bank of England on
the 22nd inst. at one o'clock. The bills willbe dated the
28th inst., and will be payable at three or six months
after date, at the option of the persons tendering.
A memorial, the cost of which is to be defrayed en-
tirely by officers of the Royal Engineers, is in course
of construction at Rochester. The memorial consists
of three large stained-glass windows, to be placed in
Rochester Cathedral. At the same time an additional
memorial to the officers and men of the Royal Engi-
neers who fell in the Peninsular and Waterloo cam-
paigns, to consist of four stained-glass windows in the
south transept of the cathedral. The cost of this me-
morial likewise is to be borne by the corps. The dedi-
cation ceremony will take place during next month.
The Duke of Cambridge, Viscount VVolseley, and other
distinguished officers have accepted invitations to be
present.
On Tuesday the Marquis of Ripon distributed the
prizes at the Wedgwood Institute, Burslem, to the suc-
cessful students of the Burslem High School for Girls.
In the course of his address he alluded .to the marked
progress made of late years in female education, and
rejoiced to think how great had been that progress,
and thought much still remained to be done. Although
there were now careers opened to women which were
closed to them in past years, he held that there was no
mental inequality between 'women and men, but it was
necessary, as they proceeded in the matter of female
education, to mark that the foremost object of educa-
tion was not to Make learned women, .bat true and good
women. - • -
The depositions have been taken at Bradford of
William Marshall, an inmate of the workhouse, who is
in a critical state, having been murderously assaulted
by another pauper named Sanderson. During a
quarrel in the sleeping ward Sanderson dragged
Marshall out of bed and beat his head savagely against
the floor.
The death, at the age of 83, is announced of Sir
Alfred Power, K.C.8., who for nearly 50 years was
employed in the public service, first as a Factory Com-
missioner (1833), and in the following year as an
assistant Poor Law Commissioner. In 1849 he wab
appointed Chief Commissioner of the Irish Poor Law,
alld from 1872 to 1879 he was Vice-President of the
Local Government Board for Ireland. In 1873 he
was created a K.C.B. in reward for his long official
service.
The Admiralty have decided that the mobilisation
of the fleet shall take place between the 20th and the
24th of this month, the commanders of marine divisions
having been ordered to have such marines as have been
told off for service with the fleet ready by that date.
No orders have been sent to the dockyards, but it is
understood in the navy that the 23rd inst. will be the
date selected for the commissioning of the ships to
take part in the manceuvres. Arrangements are being
made in view of orders being received to this effect.
The Earl of Clanwilliam, Sir George Greville Welles-
ley, and Sir Frederick Charles Arthur Stephenson have
by a Royal Warrant been appointed Commissioners of
the Patriotic Fund.
Mr. Bright is now gaining strength slowly but
surely.
Two children, while playing on one of the quays at
Cork on Tuesday night, fell into the river Lee. Mr. W.
J. Lane, M.P., who witnessed the occurrence, jumped
in to their assistance, and though the current was
strong, owing to the recent heavy rains, he succeeded
in bringing both children safely ashore.
A rainfall which is unprecedented has swept over
Parsonstown, King's County. Rain fell for 48 hours,
and was succeeded by floods. Thousands of acres of
fallow meadow have been destroyed, and the loss to
farmers in the low-lying districts is most disastrous.
A parliamentary return was published on Tuesday
morning showing the number of officers in the navy
who, during the last 15 years, have commuted their
pensions. The totals are: Whole pensions, 630; par-
tial pensions, 45.
The Birmingham police have just captured a woman
named Alice Jackson, who has been evading the detec-
tives in a remarkable manner during the last few days.
She absconded from Birmingham, taking with her a
quantity of jewellery, and was traced to a place called
Linmore, in Herefordshire, whither a police superin-
tendent went to arrest her. She was in bed at the
time, and to escape arrest jumped out of the bedroom
window in her nightdress, with a child three months'
old in her arms. She reached a neighbouring wood,
where she hid herself for nearly two days, though the
wood was scoured by the police. Having come out of
the wood, she procured some clothes and walked to
Birmingham, where she was arrested onTuesday. The
child was unhurt,