The Express.
London, England, 1868-08-13 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1868.

A BARONET'S SON CHARGED WITH ARSON.

At Chester Assizes yesterday, before Mr. Justice
Smith, Richard Charles Percy dethin, eldest son of Sir
Richard Gethin, Bart., was indicted for setting Are to a
certain part of a plantation called Ford-hiU Plantation,
the property of Robert Vyner, Esq.. at Bidston, on the
18th of May. The witnesses examined gave evidence a 4
follows:

William Bury, tollgate-keeper, and John Roberts,
lodge-keeper to Mr. Inman, both spoke to the pri-
soner passing through the tollgate about ton minutes to
4 on the afternoon in question, and going into the planta-
tion. They saw the plantation on tire in about half an
hour after;

David Jones and George 'Lindley spoke to prisoner
running away from the fire as they were hastening to it.
Police-constable Patrick Roche stated that on proceed-
ing to arrest the prisoner at his housa,on the day fol-
lowing the lire, the latter mid that he knew that the
officer bad come about the tire. Likewise that prisoner
denied having set the plantation on tire, and stated that
he saw two boys—one a sandy-haired boy with a white
jacket, and the other dressed in dark clothes—set fire to
the plantation.

John Walton, woodman to the prosecutor, deposed that
at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the 18th May there was
no person in the neighbourhood of the plantation.
In cross-examination by Mr. Giffard this witness stated
that two boys answering exactly to the description of the
boys spoken of by the prisoner had been convicted for
setting fire to the gorse near Didston lighthouse.
Ilis lordship hero stopped the case, remarking that the
boys would have had plenty of time to set both places on
fire, and directed the jury to find a verdict of acquittal.
The prisoner was consequently liberated.

LONDON AND SOUTH WBSTERN ReutWAY.
(THIB DAY)

This day the half-yearly meeting of shareholders
was held at the Waterloo Terminus; Mr. BUNGLE!) in the
chair.

The report having been taken as read,
The Crisrititsx, in moving its adoption, said that he
hoped the accounts and report would be considered
satisfactory. They were the only company in the me-
tropolis, he believed, that increased its dividend in
the past half-year. The question between capital
and revenue met with the greatest consideration, both
from the beard and the auditors, and they adjusted
as fairly as they could the interests of the present and
future. (Hear, hear.) The steel rails were now paid out
of revenue. The capital expenditure-this. year was only
38,000/., as compared with 139,0001. last year, being a
saving of 100,000/. The board would do all they could to
keep down the capital account. The works in progress
would, he hoped! be finished by next November, except
the Aldershot line ; and there was no intention of
engaging in any new works. The net revenue
for the half-year available for dividend was 166,0001., out
of which they propos& to distribute 18.5,0001., carrying
over 11,000/. This would give a dividend at the rate of 4
per cent per annum. The net increase of traffic in the
half-year was 22,6971. The Chairman proceeded to ex-
plain the different items of the expenditure account. He
was happy to say that there existed a good feeling between
them and the Brighton and the South Eastern
boards—(hear, hear)—and as a consequence of that
he hoped that the Charing-cross and Cannon-street sta-
tions would be accessible to passengers arriving at Water-
loo from all parts of the company's system. The company
was relasedfrom the obligation to make the Ilfracombe
Railway, and the parliamentary deposit had been released.
With regard to the future he thought their prospects were
good.
The motion having been seconded, the report was
adopted.

KENT COAST RAILWAY. (MIS DAY.)-The
22nd half-yearly meeting of this company was hel the
offices, Great Winchester-buildings, to-day, Mr. Harvey,
M.P., in the chair. The adoption of the report,
which has already been published, was moved by
the chairman, and, it having been duly seconded,,
Mr. Humphries moved as an amendment that a
committee of five shareholders unconnected with the
Chatham and Dover Company either as stock, preference,
or debenture holders, be appointed to consult with the
directors as to the present condition and future prospects
of the company, and as to the best way of extricating it
from its difficulties. The amendment was seconded
by Mr. Vincent, but rejected on a division, and the
motion affirming the report was agreed to. A special
meeting
'was afterwards held, at which a resolution was
adopted authorising the creation of a perpetual five per
cent, debenture stock in lieu of the existing terminable
debentures.

EAST LONDON BARB.—(Tula Day.}—At an ex-
traordinary meeting of this company, held to-day at the
London Tavern, Mr. C. S. Butler, M.P., presiding, the
following special resolutions, passed at the ordinary
general meeting of the shareholders, held on the 28th July,
1868, were confirmed :—let. That the name of the com-
pany henceforward be The London Bank (Limited). 2.
That the company mar at any time, by special resolution,
reduce its capital by diminishing the amount payable on
its shares, or otherwise, and that the regulations of the
company be altered accordingly. Mr. Seamen wanted to
know whether they would be acting within the strict letter
of the law in assuming the title of the London Bank,
seeing that the Bank of London was still in existence. The
Chairman stated that an eminent counsel, whose attention
bad been directed to matters connected with public com-
panies, had been consulted on the subject, and he enter-
tained no doubt as to the perfect legality of the new
title.

PRINCE ARTlitit AT MIDDLESBOROUOI7.—His
Royal Highness left Middlesborough about 2 a.m. 3.es-
tertlav, and was conveyed by special train to Darling-
ton. "He left by the 3.61 train for Scotland. His Royal
Highnees, it is understood, would have prolonged his visit
but for his anxiety to be on the moors at as early a
period as possible. He was at a ball at Marton Hall up
to the time of his departure. The entertainment was
given in a splendid pavilion erected on the lawn adjoining
Marton Hall, and alarge and fashionable company from
the North Riding of Yorkshire and the county of Durham
had assembled to meet the Prince.

The reit hews states that the Bishop of
Peterborough is dangerously ill ; that the Bishop of Beater
is so much m epoeeu as to occasion serious anxiety •• and
that the health of the Bishop of London, when he left re-
cently for the Continent, was by no means each as his
friends could desire.

The tenants of the Duke of Somerset, in Somer-
setahire, have received from Mr. H. B. resting, his
grace's steward, an intimation that at the ensuing elec-
tion in East Somerset, they may " plow themselves, and
exercise their own judgment as they think beet" with
regard to their votes.—BatA Chronicle.
AN INCIDENT FOR SwrserioN Novralerrs.—The
Temps of Paris relates the following curious case :
"About midnight on Monday Madame IP—, residing in
the Faubourg St. Antoine, proceeded to burn a large
packet of letters which, if discovered, would have revealed
a liaises which she carried on for some time. She placed
the letters in the gratv and then set fire to them. In a
short time a loud noise was heard accompanied by an oath,
and a tall thin man tumbled out of the chimney covered
from head to foot with soot. Madame P. was terrified and
shouted "Bobber" and " Help" at the top of her voice.
The man made for the door and sought to escape, but the
other lodgers were awake by this time, and stopped his
egress, continuing to shout " Robber," " robber.', It
happened curiously enough that the police were in the
house at the time engaged in pursuit of proof of
an adulterous liaison between two persons in an
upper story. They found the woman but not the
man. The latter who heard the police coming,
escaped up the chimney, and came down through
that of his neighbour. The police recognised the
man they were in search of. He no doubt intended to
return the way he came as soon as he felt sure that the
police had retired ; but the unexpected burning of the
love letters of Madame P— disturbed his arrangements,
and down he fell like an aerolite. The suspected parties
were arrested."

FAITH AND He tAN FRAILTY.—The West Sussex
Gazelle says that at the Brighton races on Wednesday a
party of nigger, were singing and playing in front of Lord
Fenian' and one of them came round collecting.
One of Lord ulett's party—Mr. Hiram Crawehaw—
gave him what he supposed to be a sovereign, telling him
that he bad no change, and that he wanted 19a. out of it.
The man moved away, but came back and said, "It's a
Frenchman," and on looking at the coin Mr. Crawahaw
saw that he had given the man a Napoleon in mistake for
a sovereign. Mr. Crawahaw then gave the man a
sovereign, and instead of giving him the change the man
made off. lie was on Friday, however, recognised by
Lady Paulett with the same party at Lewes races, and
was given into custody. The Brighton magistrates sent
him to prison for six we iks with hard lahowr.
NAIIONAL EXHIB!TION OF WORKS OF ART, AT
Lzsas, 1888.—Retern ndmi.ions:—Wednesdey, August
12—By season dada, 874; by p syment of 2s. 6d, esch,
838 ; 11, 1,712,