The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-29 00:00:00

THE TRAGEDY AT BUCKHLIRST-BILL.

LATEST PARTICULARS.—(THIS DAY.)
STRANGE SCENE.
BUCITHURST.HILL, MuNate.
The young girl, Matilda Griggs, has become
worse, in consequence, it is stated, of being thrown into •
state of excitement by some proceedings which took place
yesterday. It appears that large crowds of persons con.
gregated in front of the house, and number of them re-
quested to be allowed to see the young woman. In nearly
every case the request was refused ; but notwithstanding
Dr. Flornoile strict injunctions that the patient should be
kept perfectly quiet, two or three of her relatives, who
had some a considerable distance to see her, were
allowed to see her. The noise of the crowd outside ap.
peered to excite the garl, and during the day she became
very ill. Dr. Horne hill issued a written order strictly
prohibiting any person, on any pretence whatever, going
near the house without having first obt.ined from him
• written order. If the notice be not attended with amis.
factory results, the magistrates and the police will aid the
medical gentleman in his endeavours.
On Saturday night Mrs. Watkins, the mother of the
prisoner, called upon the girl, and with the permission of
the doctor she remained up with her the whole night, and
she offered, it is stated, to remain with the patient night
and day ; but her offer will not be accepted.
The prisoner has been visited by his brother, and said
to him, pointing to the priaon dreier, " What do you think
iof me nmy new uniform r. He has given a full account
of his walk through Epping Forest after he left the girl its
the field. He Nays, " When I was running away I heard her
crying and I thought of returning to her, but then I thoeMt
that the crying would soon stop, and I ran on. I bad
sense enough not to go along the road for fear I might
meet some one, so I ran across the fields. When I got to
the Forest I felt as ff I was walking in my slneP, and I
was startled several times for everything I saw 111
I was walking along looked like a policeman or
somebody else. Whet I got to High Dealt I
laid down on the grass under some trees. lout
before I was going to sleep I took a packet of
oxalic acid out of my pocket. It was so long. (The prisoner
described it as being about from two to three inches long.)
I put the end of it into my mouth, and bit it. It bee n% to
boil in my mouth, and then I took another bite, but that
boiled. I tried • third bite, and then I thought,
' This is worse than being hanged.' I then went
to sleep for about three hours, and when I got
to Epping it was 2 o'clock." A person asked
the prisoner if he did not think that the devil was sear
him when he attacked the girl, but the only reply he gave
was a smile. He asked the prison warders why they had
taken away his handkerchief, and when he was told, "For
fear you should hang yourself," be rid, " I would rather
leave the hanging of me to others."

WESLEYAN METHODIST MISSIONS.
(THIS DAY.)

The annual meeting of the members of this asso-
ciation was held at Exeter Hall this day, the Loan Marog
in the chair. The meetilfatewas very numerously attended,
the large ball being completely filled.
The tiscairrxer read e report, which stated that since
the last anniversary 27 missionaries and 12 wives of mis-
sionaries have been sent out. After deducting losses from
deaths and other causes, there remained a net increase of
2,300 in the number of members of the society in the various
missions. The report then gave detailed accounts of the
operations of the missions in different parts of the world.
The home receipts for the year were 109,2881.165. 6d., and
the foreign receipts 38,8511. 18a. 3d., making a total of
148,1401. 14s. 9d. The payments amounted to 147,6811. 18e.,
so that the income of the year covered the expenditure,
and left a small balance towards the reduction of the debt;
but the regular receipts had this year been supplemented
by donations to the amount of 7,0001., and by the repay.
merit of 3,3551. advanced to chapel. Apart from these
extraordinary helps, the income would have fallen at least
9000/. short of the expenditure, and in order to maintain
the new miseioes in Italy, Hankow, and Bengal, as well
as the other missions, it will be necessary to raise the
income of the society to at least 150,0001.
The Rev. W. ARTHUR, M.A., the president of the con-
ference, moved the first resolution, adopting the report,
thealdully acknowledging the measure and prosperity,
both spiritual and financial, which has marked the past
year, and again devoutly commending the work and agents
of the society to the care and blessing of Almighty God.
This was seconded by the Rev. PETKR il'Osaa, of Be!.
ton, and supported by the Rev. CHARLES GAIMIT, of
Rochdale.

The 141 v. Robert Spence Hardy, the Rev. Robert Joie;
of Dublin, and the Rev. Dr. M'C'osh also addressed the
meeting in support of the objects of the society.

The ex-King of Hanover passed through Cahill
on Saturday, says the Temps, on his way to London.

It appears from official documents that in 1864
there were in France in every 10,000 marriages no Tele
than 167 between relations. This proportion has been
constantly increasing since 1861, when it was only in
10,000. The average term of life in France was as high as
38.2 years in 1860, but it has since fallen to 37.7 ; in 1861
it was 37.2, the lowest figure since 1847. In France the
percentage of men who cannot read is 27.88 ; that of
women 41.45, the general average being 34.66. There ban,
however, been a great improvement in this respect since
1835, when the proportion was 39.92 per cent. The Mi.
provement is greater in the country than in the towns.
" EMANCIPATION DAY" AT WAsHINOTHN. —The
coloured demonstration to-day (April 17) in commemors.
Lion of their en.ancipation, was quite remarkable. The
city. seemed transformed into the capital of some great
African nation. The streets were truly darkened with
manses of respectable coloured folks, male and female,
well dressed, well behaved, and enthusiastic. The female
American citizens of African descent turned into the
open air in tremendous abundance, and looked as happy
and proud as the fairest ladies of New York on a grand
Gday of the famous Seventh Regiment, National
uard. In fact, a spectacle was presented to astonish the
bitterest enemies of the poor African. Among Southerners
who viewed the demonstration were some who bad to con.
fess that Samba showed himself to-day in a favourable
aspect, and that he is to be a power in the land for the
future. In the procession were banners, flogs, bands of
music, companies of Zouaves, mounted marshals with gay
regalia, hundred' of horsemen, stages and carriages. Is many
cases a white man was beheld driving a stage-load el
fashiceably.dressed coloured genimen. The procreation went
through the principal streets, and cheered loudly in
front of the Herald, Tribune, and Cincinnati annescreiel
offices and Willard's Hotel. Thus far I have only beard
of one little occurrence of an unplethant nature during
the demonstration. When the procession was passing the
corner of Fourteenth and F streets, a white man, having a
horse and cart, attempted to drive through the mom;
mass of shouting Africans. He was immediately driven beck
by indignant coloured people, amid derisive shouts and the
laughter of both whites and blacks. Every time he essayed
to drive through his efforts were attended with the
same result, and for a while there seemed a proba-
bility of a repetition of the scenes in New York
during the last St. Patrick's procession; but the peaceful
interposition of some white people of good sense nipped
the riot In the bud. Among the distinguished people who
reviewed the procession were President Johnson, at the
White House, and Governor Sharkey, of Mississippi, from
the steps of Willard's Hotel. A proof of democracy in the
cabinet was given by Secretary McCulloch yesterday, who
was coolly asked by one of the coloured messengers of his
office for the loan of his horse, in order that his sable sr
plicant might figure in the procession of to-day as use of
the marshals. The secretary promptly granted the request,
remarking that he thought it wouldn't hurt the horse.—
Nem York Herald.
MIL PEABODY AT HIS BIRTHPLACE. —The Ameri•
can papers report a reception given to Mr. George res•
body, at Danvers, Massachusetts, his birthplace. Twelve
hundred scholars from the various schools of the town
were formed in procession, and marched through venoms
streets of the place about noon, heisted by • band GI
music, and received Mr. Peabody at the large universalist
church, which was crammed to overflowing. Closing 5
brief address to the children, Mr. Peabody sal —I
have but little advice to give you. Your parents
and teachers are much better qualified to judge
of your needs of that kind ; but it is safe to
say—Endeavour oonstantly to practice the virtues of truth,
honesty, punctuality, and fidelity in the sliecharge "
duty. Be kind to all, especially to your schoolmates.
Beware of the vices of envy and jealeusv, and remember
that there is room enough in the world. for every one le
perform well his part and gain distinction without die.
paraging others. Cherish the habit of looking at the
merits rather than the faults of your companions, sof
cultivate the Christian virtues of forbearance sod forgive.
ness. Do all this and you will find your reward eves in
this world and a still greater in that which is to come.
Farewell.
FEARFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT. —SHIELDS, SATES-
DAv SlOHT.—Another alarming accident has just °cord
on the Tynemouth branch of the North• Eastern Railway!
which has caused great consternation among the crowds of
people who travel on the line on a Saturday night. Tbe
7 o'clock train from Newcastle to Tynemoutls, and heatill
laden with passengers, was running between the Hordes
and Percy Main stations, when a terrible cr.uili was hoed
among the third-class carriages, followed by load saran.
ing and shouting. As soon as the train was stopped it sos
found that it had been struck by a lifeboat, being .04
from Blyth to Lonslon projecting over a goods MIA
palming up which had canted away a Limp iron and sinashal
In some of 'the woodwork of the carriages. Two Pe'll
had been struck by the iron splinters, and they appemee
to be dying The train was brought with all despatch to
North Shields, and the injured persons were teken to IN.
Scott's surgery in a cab. They proved to be Ellen smith,
the wife of a hawker, living at South Shields, and Elizabeth
Knight, a little girt 12 years of age, slaughter of a black-
smith in Chnrch-street, North Shields. Mrs. Smith is
labouring under a concussion of the brain, and there W
some hopes of her rve. But the poor little girls
skull is fractured, and she is not likely to live until the
morning.