The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-12 00:00:00

SUICIDE OF A BENEFIT SOCIETY'S DE-
FAULTING SECRETARY.-(THIS DAY.)

This morning at half-past 8 o'clock great conster-
nation was caused in the neighbourhood of Kennington-
perk by the self-destruction of an elderly man named
Thomas Farmer, carrying on business us a glass-
bottle dealer at No. 25, Thomas-street, at the
back of the park. The deceased had been
for many years pest connected with several building and
other benefit societies, and from his respectable position
in life had been appointed to various offices of trust and
responsibility. Amongst other positions he held was that
of secretary to the Loyal United Friends' Gift Fund, Lodge
31, held at Mr. Henry Greenfield's, the Lamb and Hare
Tavern, Lower Kennington.lano. For some time past there
had been suspicions in the minds of the trustees of that
fond that all was not correct with the money, and the
result was that an examination of the books was
made, and it was found that there were defal-
cations to the extent of about 701. The trustees
communicated with the deceased upon the sub-
ject, and he made several proposals for the refunding
of the money, which he admitted he had appropriated.
No arrangement having been come to, however, the
trustees determined to take proceedings against the de-
mand. A summons was applied for and granted, being made
returnable yesterday y) at Lambeth police-
court. The defendant, however, did not appear,
and • warrant was Vaned for hie arrest. On the
officer proceeding this morning to execute it, he
was answered at the door by a female member of the
family, and whilst in conversation with her, a loud report
of firearms proceeded from the rear of the house, and the
deceased was found lying in a pool of blood with his head
and face in • moat horrible state. By his side was
lying • double-barrelled gun, with which the
deceased had shot himself by discharging one of the
barrels in his mouth. The second barrel was loaded with
ball and the nipple was capped. Medical aid was at once
called in, but it was announced that death must have been
instantaneous.

We (Briuliton Guardian) were pleased to learn,
on inquiry last night, that our respected senior member,
Mr. James White, had so far recovered from his reoent
taut* of illness, mtes the care of lit. Tatham, that it
was expected be would be able to leave his bed today
(Wednesday). This announcement will, we are Pure, be
received with general satisfaction.
Lone Ilitoutruao. —We are authorised to state
that Lord Brougham has not enjoyed butter health in
every respect during the last eighteen months than be is
doing now. He rises every morning punctually at eight
o'clock, makes • hearty breakfast at nine, drives from
eleven to one, and then has lunch. He again takes ear-
riage exercise from two to half-past five, and at six sits
down to dinner, and eats with evident appetite and relish.
At eight o'clock be retires to bed, and will sleep ten hours,
or even more, uninterruptedly.—Penrith Pups.
lietaroe. —The Solicitor-General left Reston
for London yesterday morning. Mr. Henry Rogers, soli-
citor, and leader of the liberals in the borough, hea ac-
ceded to a regaiation to stand. He bee issued an address
and begun an active canvass.
THE IsONIX/N GAS QUIRTION. —The Daily Noes
sketches the results of the iuvestigations of the parlia-
mentary committees which have sat upon this subject
with the view of providing an equitable arrangement of
the matters in dispute between the companies and the
comper's, and reminds the former that the but words
of the committee of 1567 were a warning to improve
the season of respite granted to them in the
recess which terminator to-day. In that report the com-
mittee recommended that " unless terms satisfactory for
the consumer min be arranged with the companies, the
Beard of Trade should abstain from the introduction of
any other measure like tho Metropolis Gas hill, 1867.
Unless the companies are prepared during the recess to
consent to such an arrangement, your committee think
that every facility should be afforded to the local autho-
rities of the metropolis in the session of Beta, for the in-
troduction of an independent supply.' And it is from
this point that the comp:mica have to take up the matter.
They have given notice of • bill which provider for the
fusion of their neveml interests, and thus for a reduction
of their expenditure ; it remains to be seen what conces-
sions they are prepared to make to the consumer.
A STREET OCTRACE.—" H. C.," of 8, Lancaster-
villas, Notting hill, writes to the Tisres:—" Lest night a
gentleman, now au tenets of my present lodgings at
Nottiug-hill, Hr. M'Keown, she well-known bullion
merchant of Fenchurch-street, was the victim of one of
those attacks which have become the order of the
day as well as the night. He was returning about
half-past le a.m. from the Monday Popular Concerts at
James's-hall. and having reached the sited some on.
iiniehed houses iii Lancaster-road, was accosted (according
to the prevailing device) by a woman, whom he summarily
repulsed. No sooner had he done so than be was seised be-
hind and before, evidently by two men, a third appearing
almost simultaneously to assist. He was lifted bodily off
his feet, and carried out of the highway among the mud MI
snorter of the unfinished buildings, and there he was robbed
of a gold eye-glass, and left almond smothered with dirt.
Rut the remarkable fact is to come. Although he was
brutally knocked about on the eyes and face (the marks of
which to-day are most significant of extreme violence), he
lost nothing but that eye-glass ; whereas be had upon him
nearly 100/. worth of property, including • large diamond
ring, a gold chain, worth at least ten guineas, 1111,1 • watch
worth probably twice as much, together with a silver card-
case. A locket, probably dropped in the scuffle, bas been
found this morning in the mud. The police are in hopes
of gaining • clue to this singular assault by means of the
eye-glam. One of the miscreants was • coloured man.
They were all, however, probably new at their business,
for they spent so long in assailing Mr. M'Keown that they
lost nearly all their booty."
NARROW ESCAPE 01, A FAMILY FROM POISONING.
—A serious mistake which, happily, has not been attended
with fatal results, occurred on Sunday morning to the•
family of John M'Keown, residing in Colin-street,
Falls-read. The circumstances are briefly as follow :
—On Saturday evening, Mrs. DirKtrawn sent one of the
children oat to • neighbouring whop for a package of
tasking powder. The child returned with the supposed
baking powder, • portion of which was at onto used in
the manufacture of some bread. On Sunday morn.
ing two of the children were going out to chapel,
and, previous to their doing so, they end two other
children and the tether and mother partook of the
bread. In chapel the children were taken very ill, and on
hurrying home they found the rest of the family suffer-
ing from similar pains. which at owe indicated that they
had partaken of sonic poison. Dn. M'Crea end Rea were
sent for ; and, on their arrival, they applied proper reme-
dies for the recovery of the sufferers. -In this they were
successful, and in u short time they were all out of danger.
On examining the package, it was found to be tartar-emetic,
which • little girl in the grocer's shop hail given in mistake
for biking powder.— Nest/sera Whip.
A PROLIFIC HUNDEED.—Chesterton continues
to Abe distinguished among the rural districts of East
Anglia, probably above all the rural districts of the
United Kingdom, for the fruitfulness of iu inhabitants.
We have had occasion to call attention to this, remark-
able fact before, but the testimony supplied by the
last quarterly return of the Registrar-General is more
than usually telling. From his figures it appears that
whereas the marriage-rate in Chesterton compared with
the marriage-rate at Bury Si. Edmund's is as 16 to 15. the
birth-rate at the two places is as 49 to 24. Or compering
Chesterton district with the borough of Cambridge, the
marriage-rate io tae borough is to that in the adjoining
district as 25 to 16, hut the birth-rate only as 45 to 49. In
the same way it might be shown roughly that if Ipswich
were as fruitful a locality as this portion of the fens, its
return of births last quarter ought to have been about 800
instead of 330.—Bury Pat.
New CHANCERY EROGLATION.—A new regula-
tion will take effect to-day at the Rolls Chambers, and as
" law and equity" are to be fused may be e tended to the
other chambers. The Master of the Rolls will ore cases at
3.30 o'clock in which counsel do not appear,counsel
at 4.15, and afterwards the first list.
VAGABONDAGE IN SPAIN. —The Spanish Chamber
of Deputies have passed a bill wino* voiabandegy. It
declares that the following persons will be regarded as
vagabonds :—" 1. Persons though even wanted and living
in fixed habitations who do not possess some property,
who have no profession, trade, or occupation, and no
legitimate or known means of existence. 2. Persons
in any employment or business constituting the sale means
of living who do not habitually follow it up. 3. Penises
without sufficient means who frequent gambling hawse or
other suspected plaints " At 18 years of age the vagabond
is to be under the surveillance of the polite. Alcove that
age he will be Imprisoned for a lee/ or short peeled, are
cording to circumstances.