The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-08 00:00:00

TERRIBLE CALAMITY AT A MAN-
CHESTER MUSIC HALL.

A calamity of a very terrible character occurred in
Manchester on Friday-night, in last week. A music-
hall in 'Victoria-street, frequented by the lower classes,
and known throughout Lancashire as "Ben Lang's"
was the scene of the sad event.
A benefit performance was announced to come off
there on that evt fling, and the attendance was very
large. Whilst toe performance was proceeding, a
number of boys who were in the pit stood up on the
benches, and to bay e themselves from falling they laid
hold of a gas pendant. The weight upon the pendant
moved it !row its place, and led to on escape of gas.
So soon as the smell of the gas spread, the cry of
"Fire" was raised. In an instant the whole audience
was in a most dreadful @tate of alarm; the screams of
the women and the younger men and boys were
frightful. A simultaneous rush was made to the
staircase, and every one pressed with mad eagerness to
escape from the fate which they thought was threat-
ening them. 13ut the fact was that they rushed from
catty into danger. The crowding of othe stairs, and
the struggling of those who could reach them, was
such that they gave way, and a large number of human
beings were precipitated to the stone floor at the
bottom. As soon as possitne men were at work
removing those on the top of the living mass eager to
get at men and women who lay underneath shrieking
piteously for help. No fewer than twenty-three were
taken up dead, A number more were injured con-
siderably, and thirteen of them were carded to the
Royal Infirmary. Eleven of these injured persons were
males and two females. The dead were abet ear ried to the
Infirmary. A body of police were in attendance soon
after the accident, and, besides keeping order outside,
where an immense crowd hail of course assembled, they
gave great assistance to the injured, and to those who
had fallen with the stairs, but managed to escape with-
out much hurt.
. .

When the dreadful oixourrence became known,
thousands floiled to the scene of the calamity, anxious
to ascertain the fate of relatives and friends who were
known to be present.
A boy who was suffering from concussion of the
brain died on Sunday night, making in all twenty four.

The following is slightly condensed from the account
given by the correspondent of a London con.
temporary :

A more careful investigation at the Royal infirmary on
Friday night, resulted iu the announcement that the number
of dead was twenty-three, twenty of whom were boys and
young men, one was a woman about forty years of age, and
two were girls of twelve.
All through the night an anxious crowd remained outside
the infirmary, and when, by about eight o'clock on Saturday
morning, a large number had been admitted, all the bodies
were Identified.

The names of the dead are as follows Joseph Johnson,
nl3 years of age, Edward Kirby, Thomas Keane, John
311'anim 16 , James Makin, William Ramsden, William
llaxendale, Andrew Battle (IS , Samuel Poole 20', Robert
Von 17', Thomas Long IT. Jen ninth Malone ,20 , sawyer,
Edward Price 17 , smith, Caroline Carlisle 12., Scrub Jones
12, John Reynelda 17j, William Cardwell 16. John
Jeuminga (13), Edward Brennan (13 , John Iltindries
13, hawker, Betty Struthers, tharlea Kehoe IC Thomas
England .13.
The injured were about the same number, Ind some of
them, after being attended to by the junior house surgeon,
went home. Twelve remained in the infirmary. ('be twelve
detained, to quote the words of Mr. Theodore Fennell. the
house surgeon of the infirmary, were "within half a minute
of death." They were all but suffocated, and but for the
promptest action on tine part of the hospital officials, it would
have been my painful duty to append a mulch longer list if
hillel" than I. at present ascertained. A *Mil., 35. and
two little girls 12 years of age, are the only females included
In this list. The others are all factory youths, whose nee
range trona 12 to 21. It is remarkable that not a limb was
found broken. Death in every instance was produced from
sheer suffocation.

the dead had been, lii most instances, suffocated, but
many mere much disfigured, apparently from having been
trodden upon, and the clothes of most of the unfortunate
sufferers, at the best betokening that the wearers had been
among the poorest of the street Arabs. were torn to shreds.
. .

T he- inquest was opened- on Satu yes ne
the bodies had been vi, wed, and the evidence of one polite-
Man had been taken, was adjourned to the 12th inst.
The Victoria Music Hall is built upon the left bank of the
Irwell, and abuts upon the Victoria Bridge across that
stream. The building is about 70 feet in height, but its
appearance is very mean, and the only entrance being •
narrow passage, which seems to a stranger to lead to a small
tobacconist's shop, many pennons might pass the place
withoolt being made aware, by any external appearances,
that it was the nightly resort of thousands of the population
of Manchester. Entering the passage referred to we come to
the pay-place, from behind which two staircases ascend, the
one on the right tos the pit of the hall, and that on the left to
the gallery, It is obvious at the flrst glance that the pas-
sage of even a hundred persons through the narrow avenue
before the pay-place Is reached, most lie a work of
considerable difficulty ; but here the passage forks,
the difficulty becomes infinitely greater, We are
now concerned niece immediately with the gallery stain,
shire they were the scene of the deplorable calamity.
these stairs, which are enclosed by solid walls on each
side, are approached by a stone passage, short and narrow.
Arrived at the end of the stone passage, the visitor would
see before bins a short flight of stone steps, and at right
angles from it another flight of some ta enty steep wooden
stain, latent with iron plat.. Along the middle of this
wooden staircase an Inn rail was erected, and firmly
encased with plat. and strong screws; and this divided the
stairway into two parts. Five or six stairs having been
climbed, with the aid of the iron rail, the visitor, if he took
the right-hand side, would find the steps taking an acute
turn to the right, and leading thence direct to the gallery.
At the angle of the stairs there was scarcely room for a
child's foot, and it would hardly have been possible for any
person to descend with safety, unless he clutched the
dividing rail The stairway was shout five feet wile, the
stairs were extremely narrow, and, as if to increase the
perils of the place, they were, tone have stated, faced with
iron. A more ooincult and dangerous; stidra ay it would be
bird to find; and it seems almost incredible that serimus
accidents were toot of constant occurrence moon it. It is
swat a flight as it a °lad be dangerous to attempt to run
doe n ruttier the most favourable eirounstances. At the
first landing, the visitor would are a long covered pamage in
trued of hint This passage ran under the gallery, and com-
municated with the gangway at the other end of the hall,
which gave access to the gallery on that siole, Just at the
top of the stairo was an entrance to the gallery, which was
of the same character as 'he principal stairway. Looking
up, the visitor would see the siole of a sort of well staircase,
which continued to the top gallery. There was an iron
gate, with spiked top, midway up this ascent, to prevent the •
boss who had paid their pennies getting into the higher
la fowl seats below them.
The passage to the right, from the main entrance, gives, as
we have said, entrance to the pit. The steps aro much easier,
and there is, perhaps, upon the whole taut much to complain
of with regard too this stairway. Arrived in the pit, the
visitor would see the whole character of the building—an
oblong pit, fille. i with stout benches, a small orchestra and stage
in front, and on three sides of the hall wooden galleries rising
in two tiers. The place was absolutely filthy from the accumu-
lation of dirty sawdust, Ac. Over the stage, at an elevatian of
thirty feet, was a small gallery, which, trona the care that had
I-eon taken tin fence its ith iron railings, we should conclude
was mainly the resort of boys. On the left side of the stage,
and slightly elevated, was a sort of platform, on wlikh five
of the usual nwashes were placed. It was at this spot that
the panic which ended so disastrously had its odigin. our
ll...notion of the hall will not have impressed our readers
with a high °Pillion of either the entertainment or the
mtlience. Suffice it to say, that each was apparently woithy
of the other. We believe that admission to the most select
circles in this place of resort could be hail for the low charge
.4 threepence. An extract from the programme for Friday
night will Meow the kind of attractions that were offend.
l he evening hail bean set apart for the benefit of Mr. and
Mrs. Clifford probate. name Brown , duettists ; and those
accompltsheti artist. had prepared what they doubless knew
would he a very attractive Mil of fare. A silvermounted
" butter-cooler " was offered for competition by amateur
singers, and two "silver" cups were to be given away—one to
the " best " and the other to the " mord " comic singer. It
was an original thought which induced the. Clifford to stipu-
late that the singer should in each instance carry a live goose
under his arm during the some. This incredible absurdity
was actually enacted. It w ros hollowed by a race in sacks across
the stage. But 4,nly one step intervened between this
gr. destine comedy and the blackest tragedy. Whilst the sack
race was got. grin, the laughter and etc:lament rose to their
hi2inest, anti in order the better to enjoy this spectacle, the
Os a ipoints of the benches near the stage stood up.n the seats
and the rails supporting the hack. The pressure was no
great that three of the benches gave way, and the sound of
breaking wood caused a momentary panic. Several boys,
feeling the benches giving way, seized a gas pendant banging
above them from beneath the floor of the first gallery to
sustain themselves, although the fall would mot have been
more than three feet. The pentler t, of course, gave way,
and there was a rush of gas into the place. One of the
manager's servants ran to the place, and proinnptly plugged
lip the pipe, sshibot the men anol boys who had caused the
mischief were struggling amidst the In oken benches. Some-
body jumped from the first bench on to the stage, and the
o-oncussion knockeol out one of the burners in the footlights,
and the flame leaped up above the shade. The same man
who hail plugged the other pipe dwelled out the flame with
lois cap and waa adjusting thelnirner, w hen a cry of "Fire !"
was raised by some person, as he says, in the gallery facing
the stage. That cry, a bother rallied in a real panic or from
a wicked desire to create a disturbance—and there are several
pet sons who take the latter view—instantly created the
wildest terror amongst the audience. Cliffoord tame upon
the stage, and assured the people that there was 110 danger;
and the crowd in the pit, seeing the real cause of the alarm,
sat down again. It was far otherwise with the unfor-
tunate occupants of the galleries. The cry was raised
that the place Was on fire beneath their feet, and one
nmol, eimultanemis rash was maole too the staircase,
which was the only means of cgoess for tone thousand
panie-strleken, frenzied persons. Those at the further
end of the gallery rushed down the gangway, and into the
towered pastorate we have described. At the end Id this
passage they encountered a similar rush of people from the
other gallery, and the consequences may be imagined.
Hundred- of young men, Imys, girls, and womm, were
struagling fiercely in their blind haste to rush down a stair-
case which most men would shrink from under ordinary oar
eumatances. The shriese and groans of tnose wino fell were
speedily silenced by the fall of fresh victims, who were
thrust down the steps by the enormous pressure of the masa
behind. Seven boys were knocked down 111111 killed in tine
covered passage, and the well of the staircase was almost
Instantly filled with about fifty human beings, so ho were
ebsolutely Jammed tightly into the horrible place. The
centre rail was torn from its fastening, anti several persons
who were not killed upon the spot received serious injuries
my falling upon the edge of the rail. Whilst thus dreadful
mile was being enacted, the craned in the covered pasaage
o tattinually augmented until that place, too, was packed
tightly with people, many of whom were standieg, although
they knew it not, upon corpses. The people in the pit heard ,
the noise of the rushing crowd and the cries of the injured,
and they deserted the place instantly. Then the tidings were
carried outside, tooth loy the crowd of survivors anti by persons
who ran to the windows, broke theni, and shrieked for aid,
the polite entered the place and began to clear the passage,
Imt so tightly was the mass of Mulles jammed together
that those at the bottom could not Inc moved. Going ,
through the pit to the top of the staircase the police and .
the manager's servants eradually cleared the place.
Thirty-seven persoms—yomtlis annul girls, and one woman
were packed and heaped upon one another In the narrow
space at the foot of the stairs, not above six feet square, and
tweittyothree of them were dead, whilst nearly all the reit
were sufferieg grievously. The woman Strothers bad
fallen moll her head, NISI her feet were seen sticking up
through the ghastly heap. The pollee found that they could
not get the body up without removing nearly all t lie rest, no
tightly was the unfortunate women's head wedg. it between
the bodies at the bottom. Two little girls of tn a. years
were close to this W°lllllll, and they had, apparently, been
killed instantly. Most of the dead hod been suffocated, and
the blomly foam which had oozed from mouth and nostril,
and the distortions of countenance which their desperate
efforts for life had left, rendered their faces horrible to
tehold. 'I he police did their oluty well, and they were ably
mended by the willing trowol.
Meantime, whilst the dreadful scene was being enacted
nohow, • number of young men anti lads had made an ex-
traordinary escape from the building in sway we shall pro-
ceed to narrate. At the back of the topmost gallery, and
overlooking the river, at an elevati 111 l of eighty feet, was a
small window. Several young men maddened by the belief
that escape below was cut off by fire, ran to this window and
Make it. Fifteen feet below them was the slated roof of a
house, one side of which sloped at a fearful angle to the
river, and the other looked towards other and lower
roofs, on which a safe footing could be had, whilst et
the corner of the lowest there rose a long ladder, which
had been placed there by souse workmen. I he pros-
pect of escape which this presented was speedily availed of
It Was hound that a small chimney was standing just below
the window, and the frantic fellows sprang from the win-
dow, in succession, upon the top of this chimney, thence On
to the roof, and along the lower roofs to the ladder, by
which they reached the grout& The thminey, which
was old and tottering, speedily fell to pieces, and the
has, el the crowd sprang claw ken the window on

_ .
we teed buckets of water over their heads as a restore.
tive, but with very bed effect, and it became necessary
to report their conditinn tothe authorities. Monsignor
Randi inquired into the case, and it was then discovered
that the supposed culprits were Italian gentleman
travelling for pleasure."
COMPENSATION FOR THE Loss OF A FATHER.—
An action was, on Saturday, brought at the York
Amizen against the North-Eastern Railway Company
to recover compensation for the death of Mr. 1). Scott,
agent to Major Stapylton, who was killed on the
defendant's line on the 23rd itif April last, in conse-
quence of a collision at heck elf. The negligence of
the defendants' was admitted, and they 'said intecourt
£3OO, and the only question was whether Mr. Scott's
life was worth more to bin wife and family or not. At
the time of his death Mr. Scott had ten children, who
were of ages varying from 13 to 37, nearly all of whom
were more or less dependent upon him, and his place
was said to be worth about £3OO a-year. The jury
teturned a verdict for the plaintiff for 1:270, in addi-
non to the £3OO paid into court.
A REVISED SENTENCL—Gunner Benjamin Sheldon,
of No. 3 battery 22nd brigade, was tried lately
by court-martial at Lucluiow, for having murdered one
Elijah Wall, by shooting him with a carbine, and was
found guilty and sentenced to he hanged. This gen-
trine of the court was afterwards "revoked," but the
"revised sentence" wan also to the effect that the un-
fortunate man should be hanged. The " sentence "
and the "revised sentence" are as follow
:
Sentence—" The court sentence the prisoner, No. 334,
Gunner Benjamin Sheldon, of the 3rd battery, 2:!nd brigade,
Royal Artillery, to suffer death by being hanged " Revised
sentence—. The court, having attentively considered the
ohaenations of the revising officer. and the whole of the pro-
ceedings, do now revoke their former sentence, and now
sentence the prisoner No. 334, Gunner Benjamin Sheldon, of
the 3rd lottery. 32nd brigade. Royal Artillery, to suffer death
I,y being hanged by the neck until he he dead."
The virtue of the "revision" seems to be in the
words "by the neck until he be dead." The sentence
was confirmed by Sir W. R. Mansfield, and approved
by the Governor-General in council.
CHARGE OF BIGAMY.— On Mondav, John Balm-
ford, a railway pointsman, was brought before the
Wakefield magistrates on a charge of bigamy. On the
11th of April, 1862 the prisoner married at 'Manches-
ter Cathedral, a Bradford girl named Ruth France.
After living together for over a year, they separated, it
being intimated that an agreement was drawn up be-
tween them whereby each bound themselves not ever
to trouble the other again. Coming to Wakefield in
11464, he made the acquaintance of a woman named
Harriet Fisher, and, after a short courtship, married
her at the register office in April of that year. Ten
months after marriage the prisoner began to ill-treat
Fisher, and the parted from him twice, and is now
living apart from him. On Wednesday week the
prisoner's first wife called upon her and offered to
free her from Balmford. She had never made any
claim upon him, and she thought herself better able
to keep herself and child than he was to keep himself.
There was no issue by the tint wife. The prisoner
was committed for trial.
A STRANGE CAREER.-- -An inquest has been
held at the West London Union, touching the death
of Thomas Edward Higge, anti which revealed the
history of a strange life and sad death. He was a
jeweller, 30 years oil, and was an atheist, but four
years ago became a Puseyite. According to one of
the witnesses lie said once he had become no infused
that he could hardly make out what watt right, to
which the witness replied, "You meet work. Prayer
Will never find you eating and drinking." Mr. Groves,
of Birmingham, said that the deceased, who WM his
brother-in-law, had been a very eccentric man for the
last three years. He had lost a great deal of pro-
perty. He lost a len containing a quantity of jewels.
That excited him, and despeelency set in, during
which he wrote the following :—"I am in such a
fearful position that I fear I shall do something des-
perate. If anything should happen to me will you see
that my property is given to my mother. have
been mad these two years, and all the mistakes that
have been nnule by me are due to insanity, Good
bye." The deceaserl poisoned himself with prussic
acid. It transpired in evidence that he had spent over
£5,000 in a very short time, and had at one time kept
his carriage. The Jury returned a verdict of " Tem-
porary insanity."
Wno is LORD RIGLAW 9—Next to the Americans
we are indebted to our French neighbours for the most
delicious bits of gossip concerning the being, doings,
and sayings of the English nobility. The latest im-
portation from Paris of this tieseriptitin is an interest.
mg anecdote about Lord " Riglaw," a nobleman
hitlterte unknown to fame, and about whom Loth Dod
al el I b.brett have maliciously conspired to withhold all
information. "The English," says a French paper,
"are no better off than ourselves. Such is the heat in
London, where the streets are even wider than our
own, that apoplexy is there, wi to speak, quite all
epidemic. Last Sunday Lord Iliglaw, a sporteman
and dandy, was seen crossing Hyde-park in his shirt
sleeves and carrying his coat on arm. Shocking!
This fact was announced next day in the papers.
Lord Riglaw is much censured, but hence beeemee a
celebrity.
DROWNED W HILL: BATM.!. G.—On SattlidaV two
persons were drowned while bathing in South Devon.
A youth named Shillabeer was bathing in the Dart,
near Tobin, when he got into one of the deep pits
with which the river abstuntle, and perished. Several
workmen were bathing at Tertputy while a heavy sea
was rooting, anti one of the party, Eli Burn, got out
tf his depth, and being unable to swim was rapidly
carried away into deeper water, and drowned be-
fore assistance was at hand.
GOLDFIELDS IN lICSSI AN AMERICA. —The occu-
pation of Alaska. or Russian America, by the Vnited
States has speedily been followed by reports of rich
gold discoveries. A party of explorers started some
time back from the State of Oregon for the Skena
River, in Alaska, and were subsequently stated to
have been list in a schooner in Queen Charlotte's+
Sound ; but the American Consul at Victoria,
Vanceuver's Island, now announces their safety, and
adds that they are alleged to have found a rich gold-
field on the Twine River, where they were picking up
the metal in lumps ; else, that the report was believed
in Sitka, and that every available water craft was
being brought into requisition to convey adventurer§
to the spot.
Tug LATH SIR BeNJA3IIg GUINNESS.—The
personal property sif Sir Benjamin Guinness has been
sWern under £1,110,000. 11,, leavn his estates in
slaytt and Galway to hit eldest son, Sir Arthur ; his
eetate. in Keiry, Limerick, and Kilkenny, and !
4:20,000, to Isis secend eon, a captain in the lot Life
Guards ; his estates in Duldin, and his town house to
his youngest son, Edward CeeiL He leaves £30,000 ,
to lie invested er the sole anti exclusive use of lis •
daughter the HOD. Mr:. Plunkett. There area number
of legacies tt relative++ awl friends, varying fntm 1:3,000
to small annuities, The brewery is left to the eldest
and youngest sons ; and if one if them should retire
from it, he is to receive from the other £30,000, and
half the value of the ittock. These two wins are the
residuary legatees. Should the estate bequests fail
from want of issue, the property is to go to Trinity
College. the interest to be expended in maintenance of
Protestant students 14 all denominations, Arians and
Socinians excepted. There are no charitable bequests.
SAD ACCIDLNT IN PARIS.—We read with con-
cern that "there was a fall on the Bourse to-day."—
Punch.
A NARROW Etuang.--In consequeince of an
article—entitles! "Th. Epilvie," which appeared in
Lti Litertr of July 27, and wool " Odvsse Beret,"
M. .Tecker demanded sati.factiou from the author by
arms, Belgium having been selected as the place of
meeting. The duel occured at six o'clock last Saturday
evening, near the skirt of the Forest of Soignies and
the avenue which leads to Waterloo. The seconds of
M. Beret were MM. Leon Cahun and Ulric de
Fonvielle; theme of M. js cker were MM. Morineau
and Salon They fought with pistols ; the combatants
were placed at a distance if '25 peen, and at the word
given by the seconds beth fired. M. Barot was lot
in the region of the abdomen, hut by a singular piece
of luck the hall was turned :wide by a buttstn, and was
afterwards found in the waistcoat pocket- He suffered
lit coneequence Indy a severe contusion, which is not
like'y to have ally serious consequences. Owing to
the skill and care of Dr. Feigneaux, M. Beret was
able to return to Paris on Saturday morning with his
friends.
LONGFELL,W.—No poet has been more used by
English composers than Longfellow (says the Gentle-
maw Magazine). His hearty Saxon English worth§
seem better adapted for music than those of any
writer. The fact of hie name having become no
familiar in this country is mainly owing to the nume-
rous settings of his shorter It must came him
no little surprise to see, if he ever does see them, the
different versions that have appeared of some of his
most pipular stanzas. Hie boat have been mines of
wealth to our musiesellere and booksellers, and a
source of delight to every lover of English literature.
THE WORST PLACs. IN THIRSTY WEAIIIER.—
Taplow.--Punch.
A FATAL FALL AT FLAMBOROUGH HEAD.—A
party of young men, three in number, took a boat
from BrUilington Quay to Flamborough-head, on
Monday, and, after enjoying every pleasant excursion,
one of them attempted to climb the high and pre
cipitous rocks which skirt the sea in that part. After
ascending some distance, he became unnerves!, and
News unable either to ascend further or descend. lie
called for his companions to come to his assintance, but
scarcely had lie done no than he lost his hold and fell
upon Ids head from a height of about 150 feet. He
received such injuries as caused his death in about
fourteen htturs, anti was never conscious after hie fa&
He was twenty years tlf age, and was the non if Mr.
Peniston, goods agent at the Marsh-lane Station of
the North-Eastern Railway Company at Leeds.
A FISHING MATCH. —The Nottingham E.,prigA
gives an account of what is described 11,4 an "All
England fiehing match." There were 75 corn; tethers,
and the spot selected to fish in was the Navigation-
which forms a it thin of the river 'frent, and is
situated about one mile and a half from Newark. The
first prize was E. 3, the second 4:2, amid the third El,
besides which 48 minor prizes were give , connisting
of fishing rods, +tr. The names of the winners and
weights caught were :- lot prize, Stubbs, Notting-
ham, 1011 s. 6oz. ; 2n4, Wheelhouse, Nottingham,
7lii. See ; 3rd, Relshaw, :Nottingham, 711,. Soz.
As
the two latter caught the game weight they clividesL
Fifty-three others "weighted in," and to 48 1.4 them
prizes were awarded.
ROYAL NEWSAGENTS in not often that
kings and chiefs open uews-staUs ; but here is an
inetsnce. Mr. C Bannezman, of Sie-ra Leone,
Wined, on the 27th ult., a new series of the IVcat
African Herald, and at the end of his prospectus
tells his readers that his paper MI 11C had of,
among other agentis Ahqua,i, King of Winnebah ;
at Jella Coffee, of Tay, the chief of that ilace ; and
in Aquapim, Aksm Crolse, Dinkireh W.nish, Faetee,
and Demteas•i Dem push, of the kings amid chiefs of
the,e places. Tee kings and cbiefe are cautioned
mainst giving erAlit.—sulaseribt is must pty in ad-
vance.

lightning caused a double-barrelled gun to explode,
broke the glass of the clock, and melted the pendulum
years sienb
yutnldfeeeosrp :.:,thatnodf
weight. Another case of the effect of lightning has
the latter
taken place at Pont Saint Martin, Loire-Inferieure.
tfeAohi
eighteen,
young
r ni4
leaningn art
were
setuidlw-kt
town
e electrich t h fluid,e hadan
d
taken shelter from a storm.
OLD PUNISHMENTS FOR DISHONEST TRADESMEN.
—The Lancet quotes from "Memorials of London" a
variety of quaint punishments inflicted during the
middle ages upon London tradesmen for selling food
deficient in weight and of evil quality. In 1311 a
baker was imprisoned for offering putrid bread for
sale ; and in 1316 two bakers were drawn on hurdles
through the streets of the metropolis and pilloried for
using false weights. In 1319 William tipelyng was
fixed in Vie pillory, whilst the putr'd carcasses of two
bullocks found in his shop were burnt under his nose;
and in 1348 two similar punishments for similar crimes
are recorded against delinquent butchers. r • ,-,
suggests that penalties of like severity might be
advantageously inflicted in the pressent day in those
who use false weights and who sell unwholesome
fisL
ANOTHER GUN ACCIDENT.—A singular but
shocking gun accident is reported. The Eev. Thomas
Lloyd, rural dean and justice of the peeve for the
county of Cardigan, Gilfachwen, near Llandyssul,
who had been suffering from ill health for some time
past, was sitting in an invalid chair in his library
when suddenly the report of a gun was heard. The
servant maid, who first ran into the noun, gave a
scream and rushed out again, anti met Mrs. Lloyd in
the passage. The latter, upon entering Om room,
instantly fainted away. When assistance arrived, it
was found that two guns had been placed in a corner
if the room on the pre, ions day by the sons of the
deceased. It is supposed that the leg of the chair on
which the deceased was sitting came in contact with
one, which instantly exploded, the contents entering
the hack part of deceased's head, and causing instan-
taneous death.
TIIE NEw POEM ASCRIBED TO MlLTON.—Visi-
tors to the British Museum who are interested in the
new poem of our great Puritan poet, discovered by
Professor Morley, may see this now celebrated manu-
script and judge for themselves as to the caligraphy
and signature attached to the poem. The look in
which it is contained has lisetn made a "select"
one, and may be seen in Case XII. of "Books
with Autographs," in the King's Library. It is
among other celebrated autographs, and is placed next
a istpy of Aratus's Phenomena, printed in Paris in
1559, which contains on the fly-leaf an acknowledged
signature of our great poet. "Jo. Milton. "
REMEMBER THE NASIES.—Thg Gazette an-
nounces that Drummer Magner and Private Bergin
are spoken of by Lientenant-lieneral Lord Napier as
"the first men in Magdala." Field-Marshal Punch
begs to add that be considers them also amoNst the
first men in England. Punch.
THE CATTLE AND THE DROUGHT.—The effect
of the drought upon our cattle trade is becoming
serious. According to an agricultural contemporary
the present season has been a most unfortunate one
for the breeders of live stock. The great heat has
caused a heavy deficiency in the supply of water.
while the failure of grates and of the green crops has
almost prevented animals from being kept in condition
at all. The scorched state of the country has caused
great difficulty to breeders and graziers, the result of
which has been that the stock has been forced to
market in a premature and half-fat condition. Very
large numbers of sheep have been on sale, having
been forenl to market in consequence of the want of
pasture and water. The quality of most breeds has
been inferior. The large quantities of stock now
being forced to market in consequence of the pro-
tracted drought will have a serious effect upon our
future supply of food, and serious apprehensions are
beginning to be expressed on the subject. The hay
crop has turned out a failure, and the turnips, man-
golds, &c., show very little prospects of any remu-
nerative return. The supply of animal food for the
winter is, therefore, likely to be only moderate.
A FAMILY HINT.—A newspaper correspondent
writes :
it nlay be of some use to those who air now suffering from
the high price of bread to know the result it my two days'
baking for may family of twelve. The quantity of flour con-
sumed was 27111 i , and the weight of bread pnallueed 4411, ,
thus giving me eleven 411,. loaves actual weight , the coat of
which, calculated at 46s per sack if flour id Sselb , is exactly
i 1 per loaf, to which must be added firing, shout 3.1. or 4d.,
makilig the cost as nearly as possible 41. I may ad,' that
nothing s hatever is pot into the bread except the flour and
yeast—no potatoes or other stuff "—so that it is perfectly
sweet antlnnoist at the end of the three days, which time it
takes us to consume the 44111.
INF I.I7ENCE OF A BAD EXAMPLE.-- -TWO strange
cases of suicide have just occurred at Milan. A
woman named Antonia Cozzi, thirty years of age, the
wife of a coffee-house keeper, precipitated herself from
the front of the cathredral, anti watt killed instantly.
A young moan of eighteen, a lithographer, who hap-
pened to be naming at the moment, immediately
entered the building, saying he wished to see the spot
from which she hail thrown herself, and exclaiming -
" There is a woman who has freed herself from all
annoyance!" he ascended the tower. Having written
a few lines to his brothers in the stone parapet with a
pencil, he jumped off, and, ot course, met a sudden
death. In falling he knocked down and seriously in-
jured a Prussian major, Count Henckel, who was pass
ine at tlie time, and who was obliged to be taken to
the hospital w ith several eevere bruises and a rib
broken. Hopes are entertained that his life is not
endangered.
PA NIC ON TIIF, BRIGHTON WEST Pi ER.—Last
Sunday night there was a fortunate escape at Brighton
from a calamity' similar to that at Manchester. The
West Pier was crowded is ith about 5,000 people, and
a large proportion of them were on the outer "heal,"
listening to the band. A squall of wind canned the
bead to sway and vibrate a little, when a knot of
women took the alarm, and raised a my that the pier
WaS falling. The great body of the promenaders at
once rushed for the shore cud, the stamping and run-
ning catmints the structure to sway in a really alanning
way. FortUnately the pier niaster at the tint indica-
tion of alarm, threw all the gates pen, anti thus the
crowd escaped with little or no damage except to wear-
ing apparel While it lasted the scene was one of
great excitement. The Seeretary to the Pier Company
states that the direebus have, since the panic, caused
a careful survey of the pier to be made; that not the
slightest strain lir displacement has been found ;and
that they confidently believe that the structure is in
every way perfectly secure. The directors have been
informed by their engineer that the construction of
the pier is not ujon the principle of absolute rigidity,
but provides for deflection, as essential to the security
of such a structure.
ALLEGED CRUELTY ON SHIPBOARD. —The ship
.Arran, of Greenock, satled for Quebec at the beginning of
last April, and shortly after sailing :seven boy stowaways
were diecovered on board. Till sea-sickness overcame
them the lads do not appear to have been ill-used, but
afterwards, and during the voyage, they are said to
have been subjected to the most cruel treatment. Six
of the lads, who were miserably clash, two of them
being barefoot, were left upon a detached field s 4 ice
near the Newfoundland coast, and told to walk to
land, the only provisions given them being a biscuit
each. Four of the poor fellows were picked up in a
' wretched, frostbitten condition by a passing boat, but
it is believed the other two perished The master and
I niate have been arrested at Greenock, when they
narrowly escaped rough treatment at the hands of a
mob. They have been remanded by the magistrates.
DISGRACEFUL FRACAS IItTWEEN VOLUNTEERS.
—A Liverpool paper publishes the following : -
On Saturday, about midnight, as police-constable Lawson
was on duty at the junction of Manchester-street with
Whitechapel, his attention was attracted by a crowd of people
who appeared in great excitement. On proceeding to the
spot be found several 1111.111 of the 64th L.R. V. the Irish
Brigade) with their belts hi their hands in the act of attack-
ing several persons in plain clothes, who, it was afterw arils
ascertained, belonged to tie 1211, A.V. The parties were
separated, and a stick having been taken Inan one of the
pemons in plain clothes, the combatants and the crowd dis-
persed. The fend between these corps become a serious mat-
ter, anti it is feared will lead to a terrible collision some day,
unless means are immediately taken to prevent it, for on, of
the Irish Brigade declared that his manrades were deter-
mined to have satisfaction for what occurred at Kensington
the other evening.
Nsw ii.miLs.—" As green as grass" is a trite
simile, and usually a true one. But wire it altered
in this baking weather to "as yellow as grass," the
change would certainly ,not be without a colourable
reason.—Punch.
CURIOUS CALCULATION.—A painstaking genius
in London, whilst walking last Saturday night from
the Westminster-road end of the New-cut to the
Boroutffi end, of Union-street, from twenty minutes to
nine till twenty minutes past ten, counted the noses of
customere at the following rate. There were :-- In public
liollfies (men 619, women, 288 i, 907; at the butchers,
76; grocers, 68; cheesemongers, 61; linenshapers, 50 ,•
greengrocers, 47; bakers, 44; oilshops, 35 ; boot and
shoe shops, 22; bullocks' check shops. 19 ; clothiers,
14; tobacconists, 14; corn-merchants, 7; chemists, 7:
hat and cap shops, 5; picture shops, 5; watchmakers
and jewellers, 2 -476 ; excess of visitors to public'
houses, 43L
PETTiCOATS AND PERILS.—WhiIe the foolish
fashion lasts of wearing such long dresses as are now
connnonly in vogue, it really is quite dang,erans to
walk behind a lady. In this way many an unlucky
wight has been bruised both black and blue by being
puoldenly tripped up and tumbling on the pavement.
For the sake of public safety, wnere ladies moist do
congregate, the common railway caution should in
future be placarded - "Beware of (he Trains ! ' At
night, when ladies walk to cabs or carriages from the
opera or theatre, they should caiTy a red lamp MlS-
perdled at their back, by way of danger signal, to warn
near-sighted people from following them too closely and
tumbling down thereby. —Punch
HEALTH OF THE EMPEROR OF THE FRF.NCII.—
'rhe Emperor Napoleon, it is announced from Morn-
finds himself in perfectly good health under
the thermal treatment. His 51ajeety is out in the
open air a long time daily, monietimes on foot, and
sometimes in a char-a-banc. A letter from that place
says:—
The preatest simplicity exists in the relations between the
chief of the State and the people hero His Majesty, in
going, out, is accompanied by a few friends rather than a
Saila, and is often accosted with a respectful familiarity,
here by a child approaching to offer him a bunch fli fin-era;
farther on by at, invalided soldier presenting a petition ;
and, in another place, a manufacturer invites his Majesty to
inspect his establishment, or a cure comes to speak of the
watds of his parish. Everything that might ta considered of
an official character ban lumen laid aside, awl there is no
ceremonial or etiquette. Never has the Sovereign anywhele
been in closer contact with he people.
AN AMUSING MisTAKE.—A Correspondent ci
•
Ithe Cork Constitution says : - - " During this month three
strangers, 'bearded like yards,' appeared in the little
town of Donersile. Though not unearthly, they were
very mysterions looking. They had books are' maps
' and photographic apparatus. The village inn received
the wanderers, and they seemed lei.y and well 'plea:tied ;
but who were they, and what slid they want? The
CASUALTIES BY LIGHTNING.—ID the village of fair of Cabimiee Was not near, and even it it were
Courpignac Charento-Inferieure, France, a few days nigh at hand, the company seemed to know as little
ago, the electric fluid fell on the house of a cattle of horse-flesh as Dr. Johnson did of old, and,
dealer named (Mame% and injured six persons. The like him, would be as likely to plea-1, questioned
daughter if the proprietor had her clothes burnt, and es to the pints of the animal, 'ignorance, :„Tetse
received such a shock as to cause grave anxiety. The ignorance.' Their movements attracted the notice