The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-12 00:00:00

A GRAVE DIGGER BURIED ALIVE.--At the Isitn.gton

Cemetery, adjoining that of St. Pancras, one of the
grave-diggers, a young man, had been directed by the
superintendent to prepare a grave, and he had taken
the usual precautions of putting in boards and struts
to keep up the sides and-ends of the excavation as he
dug down. He had reached to a depth of about 15
feet, and was at the bottom still at work when some
of the other men at work in the vicinity heard a crash,
and on going to the spot it was found that the whole
of the sides of the grave had fallen in, burying the
poor fellow at the bottom, who had thus actually dug
his own grave. Several men were soon on the spot,
and set to work to extricate the man, but in con.
sequence of the state of the ground nearly six hours •
elapsed before the dead body was extricated.
THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE.—The annual ex-
penditure for wages of servants and guardians of the
Royal Courts of Justice after that building becomes
fully occupied has been officially estimated at £lO,OOO.
—Solicitor's Journal.

A SINGULAR ACCIDENT.—In London, on Monday,
Mr. W. Carter held an inquiry at St. Thomas's
Hospital, as to the death of Charles William Medbury.
It appears that in December last the deceased was
endeavouring to break a champagne bottle with
large pronged fork, when one of the prongs penetrated
his boot and one of his toes. The wound healed, but
he became so depressed that ultimately he was ad.
mitted to the hospital. Mr. Bristow Carpenter, one
of the house surgeons, said soon after the deceased was
admitted spasmodic contraction of the muscles took
place. There was a slight punctured wound on one
of the small toes of the right foot. The wound healed 4
but the patient gradually got worse, and died from
lockjaw. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from
lockjaw."

SEATING FATALITY. —A fatal accident has happened
to Mr. Willoughby Lowndos, Hertford College,
Oxford. It appears that on the afternoon of Tues-
day, the 25th ult., he went out skating on Morecambe
Bay, and at about seven o'clock in the evening was
seen skating towarde Grange, a village on the shore,
Nothing more has been heard of him, but after a
diligent search of a week's duration one of his gloves
and his pocket-handkerchief were picked up near a
deep pool in the bay. It is supposed that he must
have been drowned and that his body had been carried
out to sea by the tide. lie was fine promising young
man of one and twenty, and was greatly beloved by
all who knew him.

THREATENING LETTERS SENT TO MR. GLADSTONE.
—The Daily News of Tuesday said :—" A statement
is current in some quarters describing with eircura-
stance the postal delivery at the Premier's ofiloial
residence of letters and packets containing ?xplosice
material. Nothing is known of these
.parcels in Down-
ing-street. Every morning's post bring& te Mr. Glad-
stone a considerable number of threatening letters;
but this is an experience to which the right hon.
gentleman has been subject for many years, the
number rising and falling in curious regularity with the
measure of excitement of current politics. The letters
are invariably thrown in the fire, generally without
being read."
SUICIDE or A MAN UNKNOWN.—The coroner for
the Sittingbourne district of Kent, held an inquest at
the Faversham Union Workhouse on Tuesday, on the
body of a man unknown, who had shot himself with
a revolver. A young man, named Clackett, who was
walking from Sittingbourne to Faversham on Sunday
afternoon, found the man lying unconscious in
diteh, shot through the head. By his side was a re-
volver. The deceased was removed to the Faversham
Union Werkhouse, where he died on Monday even-
ing. He never recovered consciousness. A paper
was found upon him, upon which was written, "My
own act." He wore a black cloth jacket and brown
troneers, and was apparently about fifty years of age.
Upon his right arm was tattooed the figure of a ship
under full sail; noon his left arm an anchor, and
upon his left leg, the letters "NCB." He had a pair
of spectacles and 3d. in his pockets. The jury found
that the deceased had committed suicide.
Tma LAW'S FORMALITIES.—When Zebulon Vance
was Governor of North Carolina he was talking with
an English gentleman in reference to legal formalifiee
in English and American courts, and remarked that
while there was less red-tapeism with us, there were
certain forms that were adhered to with great
tenacity. "Don't go away with the notion that we
discard forms. Judge sir, is as great a stickler
for forms as any man in your country. One day a
soldier who had been battered considerably in the war
was brought in as s witness. The judge told him to
hold up his right hand. Can't do it, sir,' iald the
man. Why not ? " Got a shot in that arm, sir.
Then hold up your left.' The man said he had got a
shot in that arm, too. Then,' said the judge, sternly,
you must hold up your leg. No man can he sworn,
air, in this- court 1.)-y law unless he holds up some-
thing.' "—" Editor's Drawer," in ariarpeses Mcoglay
Magazine.
PIGEON-SHOOTING MATCH FOR £4OO.—A pigeon.
shooting match for £2OO a site took place on Monday
at the Club Ground, Hendon, between Dr. Carver,
the American Champion, and Mr. Scott, the English
Champion. The conditions of the match were that
each man was to shoot at 100 pigeons at a rise of
30 yards, the weight of shot being lioz, The weather
throughout was most unfavourable, though possibly
the heavy snow that fell during the early part of the
match had the effect of making the birds slower in
flying. After, however, the snow stopped there wail
a strong north-east wind blowing, rendering tha
fingers very cold. The shooting comnaenoed at
twenty minutes before two o'clock, the betting
being slightly in favour of Mr. Scott, 11 to 10
being offered on him. The men fired alter-
nately, Mr. Scott missing 2 birds in his first
10 shots and Dr. Carver only 1. In the second
10 Mr. Scott again killed 8, while Dr. Carver
only killed 4, Mr. Scott t4us getting 3 birds ahead.
In the next 10 Dr. Carver killed 9, and Mr. Scott
only 5, Dr. Carver having Ito the good. In the next
10 Mr. Scott only missed 2 and Dr, Carver. 3, the com-
petitors thus becoming equal. In the next 10 shots
Dr. Carver killed 7 to Mr. Scott's 8, when the interval
took place. Mr. Scott being 1 bird to the good out ok
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interval the shooting was not quite so good, both Dr.
Carver and Mr. Scott missing 6 in their first 10. In
the next Dr. Carver killed 7 to Mr. Scott's 5, then 8
to Mr. Scott's 5, then 5 to Mr. Scott's 7, and in the
last 10 7 to Mr. Scott's 5, Dr, Carver thus winning the
matekby 4 birde, out of hie 100, while Mr.
SCOtt only killed 6%