Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-20 00:00:00

NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.

RAILWAY AFFAIRS.

HE OLDHAM, ASHTON,. AND GUIDE BRIDGE RAIL-
7.—On Monday, the Oldham borough magistrates were
engaged some time in hearing cases of occupiers of pro-
perty in Sheepwashcs Valley, Oldham, who had been sum-
moned before them so that they might decide on the amount
of compensation the Oldham. Ashton. and (;nida Rriamn

Railway Company ou
takii

_ ght to pay to the tenants upon
immediate possession of the land over which the in-
tended new line of rails will run. In the case of Mr.
Joseph Brooks, farmer, the company offered £6 10s. as com-
.• • . . •

pensation tor ins right in 3a. 27p. of land ; in the case of
Messrs. John and Isaiah Brooks, £2O 14s. was offered as a
compensation for their right in 6a. 3r. 25p. ; in the case of
Francis Richards, £9 1 ls. was offered as comnpnsation for

-r-
-,
his right in la. 2r. 11p., and £2 for damage by trespassing;
and in the case of John Hibbert, £3 ls. was offered as com-
pensation for his right in la. 2r. 35p. The magistrates
awarded J. Brooks £8 10s. ; J. and I. Brooks, £23 ; F.
Richards, £l3 1 ls.; and J. Hibbert, £3 16s. The railway
company will pay the expenses.
LEEDS, BRADFORD, AND HALIFAX JUNCTION RAILWAY.

of the shareholders and direc-
tors of the above line was held at the offices of the company,
Great Northern Station, Bradford, on Monday ; E. Akroyd,
Esq., presided. For some years the position i)f the
station at the upper end of Wakefield-road has been

n extraor

unary meetim'

such, from the steep ascent, as to be a great annoyance
to parties travelling, and many in consequence have
preferred the much longer, but more easily accessible, Mid-
land line, and for a year or two negotiations between the
directors and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company
have been pending relative to the formation and adop-
tion of some plan by which trains from Leeds, in-
stead of running into the present Great Northern Sta-

tion, might run- into that Of the Lancashire and York-
shire Company more to the centre of the town. The
scheme was finally matured, and a bill was brought into the
House of Commons for power to construct a short branch
from the platform of the Bowling Station into that of the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Company. That bill has duly
passed the House of Commons, and the approval of the
shareholders to the scheme was now required, before the
bill was carried into the House of Lords, seeking powers to
enable them to carry the scheme as proposed Into operation
The cost of the branch, it was stated, would amo
£40,000, which, with a mortgage of £13,000, t

upon the works, would be raised by preference. The ground
which the whole would cover was calcalated to be about
five acres. The Chairman, in moving that the proposed
extension be acceded to, congratulated the shareholders on
the prospective benefit which would accrue to the line from
its adoption. Mr. William Brayshaw seconded the resolu-
tion, which was unanimously carried.

COUNTY COURT.-YESTERDAY

(BEFORE W. A. MULTON, JUDGE.)
CLAIM FOR A REPORTER'S FEE.—BURNS V. WEBB.—
The plaintiff in this case is a reporter in the Northern Daily
Times, and the defendant is an insurance agent carrying on
business in Church-lane, Liverpool. The action was brought

Hime appeared for the

plaintiff

Mr. Hime, in o'

case, stated the circumstances out of which the action arose,
which were these :—For some time previous to June last,
there was considerable agitation in the township of Tran-

mere in reference to the -adoption of the local government
act. Meetings were held. at which the matter was discussed.

The adoption of the act was opposed by a large number of

was the defendant, who took an active part in the proceed-
ing that were taken for the purpose of effecting that object.
After several meetings had been held, a Dr. Gorst was ap-
pointed by government for the purpose of having the votes
of the ratepayers taken on the question. The defendant
and Dr. Gorst acted together in this matter, and after a
scrutiny of the votes was taken, Mr. Eddowes petitioned the

government to institute an inquiry into the conduct of Dr
r`f 1 • 1

charges against D. Gorst, amounting at least to a charge
of improperly conducting the voting. The result was

that a &-overnment inspector was sea down. Previous
to the inspector coming down, Mr. Webb called on Mr.
Willmer, who was the proprietor of the Northern Daily
Times, but which has since passed out of his hands, for the

purpose of getting a reporter to take full notes of the evi-
dence. According to instructions left by Mr. Webb at the
office, the plaintiff was sent to the enquiry, and took full
notes of the evidence during three days ; and on the fourth

the'plaintiff engaged a substitilte to attend at the inquiry.
A full report was taken ; and he (Mr. Hime) would produce
evidence which he considered would prove that the plaintiff

had been retained by the defendant, and that a guinea per
day was the usual fee for attendance ; it was not required by
the defendant that the notes should be transcribed. The

plaintiff being sworn, stated that on the morning of the 3rd
of June last, he was instructed to go over to the inquiry in
question, and to see Mr. Jevons, the attorney, as full notes
were wanted on the side on which he was engaged. He
A) I saw Mr. Jevons, and spqke to him on the subject. He said

which Mr. Jevons was engaged. Mr. Jevons assented, and
said that he understood that there was a gentleman coming
from the Northern Daily Times office. The plaintiff then
said he was from the paper, when Mr. Jevons intimated
that it would be all right, anal that he would tell him (the
plaintiff) afterwards whether the notes were to
be transcribed. He accordingly took full notes for the
three days, and on ti
The defendant told I

ay provic

from subscription, and that he considered the plaintiff's
claim too high. Under the circumstances the plaintiff
agreed to take a little off the bill. The plaintiff was told to
call again in a few days when the defendant would en-
deavour to settle it. The plaintiff called again, several
times, but no money was offered him by the defendant.
In reply to the defendant, the plaintiff admitted that he
had not seen Mr. Webb on the subject until after the in-

quiry, and after having communicated with Mr. Jevons as
to navmpnt. Mr Jovnrici

Called on Mr. Willmer to know whether he was going to
send a reporter to the inquiry, and if so he would allow him
something like half a guinea or a guinea for taking a full
report. Mr. George Wright, reporter for the Mercury, was
then called. He said he sad been engaged at this inquiry
to take a full report, and he was engaged by Mr. Gill, the
solicitor on the other side. His charge was a guinea each
attendance. Mr. Webb engaged him on one occasion to
furnish a more lengthened report than appeared in the
paper, of a meeting that had reference to the adoption of
the ,oeal Act. He was paid for that by Mr. Webb. A
guinea a-day was the usual charge for attendance. He told
Mr. Webb so in a conversation which he had with him on
the subject of the plaintiff's bill. Mr. Charles Willmer was
next called. He refused to give any evidence for 55., the
amount accompanying the summons, contending that he had
a right to 10s. Mr. Willmer's pecuniary desire, however,
was soon satisfied by the plaintiff paying the other ss. He
was then sworn, and said he recollected Mr. Webb calling
at his office. Mr. Webb inquired whether he (the witness)
intended to send a reporter to the inquiry at Tran-
mere. He said he should. Mr. Webster then asked
him if he would publish a full report, and he said that would
depend altogether upon what took place. Mr. Webb then
said they would probably require a full report. He told Mr.
Webb that that was a part of the business with which he
did not interfere, and that it was a matter between the re-
porter and themselves. Mr. Williams was in company with
Mr. Webb. He said the reporter would go to the meeting,
and if they required him to do anything they would have
an opportunity of making arrangements with him, but that
he would be no party to it. Mr. 'Webb then left directions
for the reporter to see Mr. Jevons, who would be at the
inquiry. He had not seen Mr. Webb since on the business.
In reply to Mr. Webb, the witness stated that the defen-
dant had mentioned a guinea or half a guinea ; but he, the
witness, stated distinctly that he had nothing to do with
any private arrangements between them and the reporter.
He communicated to Mr. M'Carthy, who was at the
head of the reporting department, what Mr. Webb had
stated about the guinea or half-guinea. Mr. Justin
M'Carthy was called, and said he remembered telling Mr.
Burns to go over to the inquiry in question ; and as he had
been directed by Mr. Willmer, he told him to see Mr.
Jevons, as a 'gentleman had called who wished full notes
taken. He knew nothing of any arrangement. He was
not told that a guinea or half a guinea was offered. The
regular charge was a guinea for attendance, and then there
was an additional fee for writing out. The defendant said
he had repeatedly stated that he would not give more than
a guinea, and that he had arranged, with Mr. Willmer that

the reporter should see him befoi-e he went across to Tran-
mere; but if he should not have time, if he saw Mr. Jevons,
it would be all right. He (the defendant) told Mr. Jevons
that he was going to Mr. Willmer's to get a reporter,
for which he would not mind giving a guinea
or half a guinea. His impression was, that the reporters
were the servants of Mr. Willmer, and were paid by him
for what they did. In reply to Mr. Hime; the defendant
stated that he had not spoken to Mr. Jevons respecting the
reporter after being told by Mr. Willmer that he would have
nothing to do with any private arrangement with the re-
porter. There was no subscription-list. Mr. Perry was
giving £25, and he (the defendant) would also give some-
thing. He paid Mr. Wright out of his own pocket. Mr. Hime
then contended that the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict.
The Judge said that the defendant seemed to have taken
particular care that he should not be liable for more than a
guinea ; but whether he was liable for more or not he (His
Honour) had an opinion as to other parties being also liable.
He was not, however, called upon to express that opinion.
A verdict was returned for £2 12s.

A Mississippi editor calls us an " old pirate." If he were
to use such language to our face, he might find us a free-
boater---Prentice.

PRIVILEGED OMNIBUSES AT RAILWAY STATIONS.-A long
examination of witnesses and long speeches of legal gentlemen
took place on Monday, at the Southwark Police-court,
respecting the alleged trespass of the City Atlas omnibuses
within the premises of the South-Eastern Railway Company
at London-bridge. It appeared that the railway company
only grant the privilege of standing within the railway
station enclosure to those omnibuses the proprietors of which
pay Is. a week for the privilege. The City Atlas omnibuses
are not so privileged, but it was contended that the station
is a place of public resort, and that it is no trespass for the
omnibuses to remain there for the public convenience. The
magistrate took time to consider the case before giving a
decision.

A STONE IN A HORSE'S BODY.—Mr. Miller Upright's
black horse, which bore the herald in the Foresters'
pageant on Monday week, was taken ill on the Thursday
Wowing, and was sent to Mr. Austin's horse infirmary, St.
Sidwell's, where it died on Wednesday last. Mr. Austin
opened the body, and discovered in one of the main ducts of
the viscera an enormous stone, dark, oval and smooth, appa-
rently of a sandy nature, but very hard. The stone weighs
261-lbs., and is about the size of a man's hat. This enor-
mous mass is on view at the Dolphin Inn, and it is intended
to send it to the Museum of the College
London. of Surgeoms,

THE ENAM QUESTION.—The new Governor of Madras,
Sir Charles Trevelyan, has boldly grappled with the vexed
question of enam, or rent free lands, The number of estates
•deneminated enams amounts to 30,000, most of them being
"der three acres in extent. 'Fifty years' possession will
give a prescriptive right to a title to a perpetual freehold.
In cases where lands are held on the tenure of performing
certain services, those services will be commutable into an
annual quit rent, whieh may be redeemed by a single sum.
It is to be regretted that an inquiry should have been
directed ineo the validity of the original grant, an inquiry
which cannot be prosecuted without creating much irrita-
tion, and the consumption of much time and. money. The
better plan would have been to confirm the present holders
in their possessions, and to have required the payment of a
moderate succession tax. We rejoice, however, that the
scheme of wholesale redemption has been abandoned.—
Morning Star,

THE COURT.

OSBORNE July 18.—The Queen and Prince Consort and
the royal family walked and drove in the grounds this

morning.
Her Royal Highness t

Since her return- to 'Berlin from Eng:l7nd her Royal
TlllOO 441 1,T4 not Ti.-, _ _ •ITT• 11 • 1-

ilignitess Like rfliWess r reaericWilliam has not appeared
much in public ; but on Friday morning, in company with
her royal consort, the princess passed through Berlin on the
T 6 1 1 6 1 •

At the consecration of a church i'rh

the ceremony their royal highnesses

messes were present

Anon 01

the adjacent castle of Sehonhausen, and afterwards returned
to Potsdam.

__....___-

THE LATE RAILWAY

ACCIDENT IN

SCOTLAND

railway accident on the Caledonian Railway
•

We have

which it would appear that the 7 30 p.m. y train from
Greenock, which was an extremely heavy one, being filled

with excursionists who had left the town for the purpose of
enjoying the fair holiday, on reaching the Bishopton Tun-
nel, was subjected to a great diminution of its speed, owing,
it is stated, to its great weight and the slipperiness of the
rai-

s; and it was just about to emerge from the tunnel, when
a goods train, which had left Greenock some twenty minutes
after, dashed into it, smashing several of the passenger
carriages. The collision was so 1- ' -
the passengers were pitched out

to the line in all directions, sustaining, several of them,
very severe injuries. Very shortly before the collision
occurred the passenger train had left the Lanffbank station.

and it was then a-good deal behind time, and the goods'
train nearly due. Both trains were immediately stopped,

wing to the de

3ove-mentioneC