The Express.
London, England, 1868-12-24 00:00:00

TWO INIUBE BROTHERS.

Two melancholy oases of insanity were reported
to Head Constable Hicks, of Scotch-street station, Ar-
magh, on Saturday evening last. Two brothers named
Lavish residing in Tyra, within two miles of the city of
Armagh, it appeared went out of their minds
simultaneously, and had betimes very violent, so much
so, indeed, that apprehensions were entertained for
some time, lest serious injuries might be indicted by
them upon their parents. Before the arrival of the
constabulary, a
clergyman proceeded to the house to
pacify and prevent, if possible, the brothers committing
personal violence upon the inmates of the house. One
was armed with a sword, and the other with a loaded
gun, and they had their parents locked up in the barn,
seemingly with the intention of killing them. The
clergyman, with great difficulty, fortunately succeeded
in getting the 'fun discharged while in the hands of the
lunatic, but immediately was compelled to escape for
his life, in consequence of the treatment he was about
to receive. The constabulary, on their arrival, some-
time after, found the house illuminated with candles,
and one of the unfortunate men with a sword, which
he was blandishing about in a frightful manner. The
other brother was not then to be found. Dr. Savage, who
accompanied the constabulary, on going forward to
soothe the poor fellow, with whom he was acquainted,
was rather roughly handled by him. At the moment,
however, the constabulary succeeded in arresting and
handcuffing him, and had him conveyed to the police-bar-
racks, and thence, after the usual formalities, to the
Armagh Asylum. About 12 o'clock on the same
evening, Bead-Constable Hicks, with a number of his
men, returned to the house to take the -other brother
into custody. This time they found him engaged in
wheeling stones in the neighbourhood of his residence,
now-and-again stopping and striking two large stones
together in his bands, and making a terrible noise,
which was heard at a great distance. The house was
still illuminated, and the mother had by this time got
away. Head-Constable Hicks directed his men to con-
ceal themselves behind a hedge adjacent to the pre-
mises, and while the lunatic would be passing to rush
suddenly upon him and arrest him. This plan proved
ccmpletely succesful. He was brought to the barracks,
and on Sunday evening placed in the asylum also. In the
meantime his brother had escaped from the institution.
Be occupied a room three stories from the ground. He
was pursued by the keepers, who found him at ahowie in
the neighbourhood of his home, with no clothing upon
him but his shirt, and lodged him again in the asylum.—
Northern Whig.

The House of Commons will adjourn on the
22th of December to Tuesday, the 18th of February, for
the despatch of business. 'The Howie of Lords, which
stands adjourned to Thursday, the 1 lth of February, will
be adjourned on that day to Tuesday, the 16th of Fe-
bruary.
The vacancy in the Court of Chancery ooca-
sioned by the elevation of Sir W. P. Wood to the woolsack
has been filled up by the appointment of Sir (3. M. (}iffard
to the office of Lord Just= of Appeal in Ohanosey.
W. M. James, a Queen's counsel at the Ch=soellar, and
who for several years has held the ethos of or
of the Duchy of Lancaster, succeeds Sir G. M. Giffard as
Vice-Chancellor. Further, Mr. Wickens, of theat
bar, who for many years has been one of the two o=
representing the crown in charity caseelLnemeeelmets Mr.
James as Vice-Chancellor of the Duchy of
A new congregational church has just 'been
opened at Soothes. In the list of oontrlutors the name
of Mr. B. Morley appears for 2501.
STATISTICS or ST. PAITL'S CATIEEDRAL.—The
total cost of the erection of St. Paul's Cathedral was
747,9641. 2e. 9d. The palisade of cast iron round the edi-
fice in the churchyard, 6ft. fin. in height, with the seven
beautiful gates (there being 2,600 balustrades, weighing
together 200 tons 811 be.), cost at 6d. per lb., 11,2021. 6e.
The execution by Fiance Bird, the eminent sculptor, in
the tymFanum of the pediment over the western entrance
of the representation of the " Conversion of St. Pa*"
cost 6501. ; and the figure of Queen Anne in the open
space in front, which was the work of the same artist,
was awed I.IBW. The contract for the organ, which
was built by Bernard Schmidt (better known as Father
Smith), was 2,00 W. exclusive of its case. The great bell,
which was cast in 1709, cost 6271.
_ita and the smaller bell,
tuned to a " fifth "of the great ball, 2431. 15s. 6d. The
clock cost 3001., and the enrichments of the choir a con-
siderable sum, but the exact amount is not stated. The
celtbiated Orbiting Gibbons, the master sculptor of
George 1., in 1712, executed this beautiful work, which
deserves the most minute inspection.—City Press.
Tax LLTZ 017 TRACIE AT ABIRDANI.—Thomas
Morris, charged with attempting to blow up the house of
Mr. Richard Richards, farmer, at Camden+, on the sth
inst., ten persona being in the house at the time, was
Draught up on Tuesday at the Aberdare Police-court, be-
fore Mr. J. C. Fowler and Mr. B. H. Bhp. The prisoner
who had Cdr,adlyburt from head to foot by the ex-
ploding which I,iiemosharrut throagh tie dairy
window and eat fire to, was y wrapped up, and his
features were almost in ' . He was also unable
to stand, and was permitted to recline in the (look. The
inquiry was conducted in private, it deemed NIKO.
tial to the ends of justice that the which im-
plicated several others, should not be psi The
prisoner was charged with stealing four casks of powder
and with feloniously committing damage with intent to
murder. After hearing salient evidence, the bench re-
ssanded the prisoner for a week.
Bgiuous LairDiimP.—On the new South-Eastern
line of railway, termed the Charing-cross and Tonbridge
Direct Line, between the latter and Hildenborough
there is =immense embankmentplace , composed peinospally of
• blue clay, which was dug outs the Mead naareven-
oaks. In consequence of the heavy and continual fall
of rain, this blue clay seems to have been reduced to •
spongy substance, and early on Tuesday morning a
, landslip occurred on the ' up " side of the line,
the Embankment from place known as the
Barleycorn-bride to the Hildenborough station, which
is a very conmderable distance, giving way. Fortu-
nately the slip was discovered before any train ap-
proached, or there must have been • serious accident. The
company's servant. were soon upon the spot, and means
were at once taken to stay the further giving of the
embankment, and the " down" line being left quite finn
the traffic was not materially interfered with. Facing
points were placed so as to run the trains from one line
of metals to the other, and a pilot engine and every train,
and brought them on to the station. A number of men
have been daily and nightly engaged, making a townie-
bon by means of wood faggots, layers of chalk, Molars,
concrete, and other things, and by to-dait is expected
that the damaged line will be secure and In full working
order.
LONDON GINZRAL 011111131/8 CORTANY (Lt-
myna) —The Mafia receipts for the week ending Deo. 20
were 9,964,.