Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-12 00:00:00

•
THE COALPIT CATASTROPHE AT
HANLEY.-THE FUNERAL. •

The last scene in this brief tragedy, says the Bir-
mingham Post, was enacted on -Wednesday afternoon,
when the bodies of seven of the men who were killed on
Saturday, at the " Big Pit," were interred at Northwood
Churchyard. The day was bitter cold, but this did-not
prevent people from all parts of ' the town and neigh-
bourhood from congregating near the churchyard to
witness the melancholy ceremony. At least 5,000
persons were assembled around the churchyard. The
bodies of the unfortunate men were brought to the
church, from their respective homes, about four o'clock,
and were met at the churchyard gate by the Rev. C. B.
Jackson, incumbent of the church, and the Rev. J. F.
Bonner, Earl Granville's chaplain, who headed the melan-
choly procession on their way into the church, reading
the funeral service, which, on account.of the associations
and circumstances of the occasion, sounded inteasely
impressive and thrilling. Following each coffin came
a long procession of the deceased's frienis, whose
faces were suffused with grief, and who appeared to
suffer-the greatest mental distress. As each coffin was
brought into the church it was laid in the centre aisle,
the whole of them extending almost the whole length
of the little church, and the friends and those who
formed part of the procession took their seats in .the
body of the church, almost filling the edifice. The
Rev. C. B. Jackson and the Rev. J. T. Bonner read
the funeral service with due solemnity and profound
silence, broken only by the sighs and sobs of those who
mourned," as without hope," for friends who had gone
from them for ever, and who had been called away in
such an awfully sudden manner. After the first por-
tion of the service had been read, the Rev. E. B. JaCk-
sOn addressed the sorrowing congregation for a short
time in appropriate and touching terms. The solemn
service was then continued, and the coffins were removed
into the churchyard, when they were interred, after
~which the congregation slowly and •silently dispersed.
The deceased•were all buried in light oak coffins pro-
vided by Earl Granville, and made on the works. On
each was a plate containing. the name, age, and date of
-death. • •

STRANGE COMPANIONS IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.-011
the evening of •Thursday last, one of our citizens,
accompanied by a male and female friend, entered a
second-class carriage, at the Canterbury Station; for the
purpose of proceeding to London: In the same car- .
riage, at one corner, sat a man, evidently under the
influence of drink. The train started, and.the strangers
began to .ch:ff each other, and then to quarrel. At
length the tipsy man took off his coat, turned up his
sleeves, and prepared to do battle with his antagonist,
who appeared to be in the same inood. This scene so
alarmed the female, that she went off in hysterics, and,
on reaching Wye, our citizen and his two companions
went into the,next carriage. Here-sat two dragoons—
a sergeant and a private; the former was enjoying
a nap in the corner, but the other was looking
wildly about him. The movements of this man were
most extraordinary and alarming. A few moments
after the newcomers had taken their places he plunged
his arm under the seat occupied by the sergeant, and
brought forth a forage bag. This he carefully exa-
mined, and at-length drew out a razor, whieh he opened
and proceeded to strop, to the terror of the other pas-
sengers,,who could not possibly imagine what the fellow
was ,going to do, his countenance being anything but
prepossessing, and his actions those of a maniac. Hav- •
iug well stropped the razor, he then helped himself to
a lump of bread and meat, which he cut with the razor,
and masticated with great rapidity. His hunger ap-
peased, the remainder of the meat and bread was de-
posited in the bag and the man again deliberately,
set about sharpening the dangerous instrument. At
this juncture the terror -of the female was extremely
painful to witness, while that of her companions was
hardly less intense, but there was-no. escape. For-
tunately, the light at the top of the carriage enabled
them to watch, with breathless silence, the extra-
ordinary mancenvres of their singular travelling col-
league but did not tend in the slightest -degree to
calm die intense excitement and fear which thoy had
produced. At length the sergeant awoke from his
slumbers, and no sooner did he open his eyes, than he
immediately grasped the dragoon by the thrdat, and
forcibly took the razor from his grasp, which he imme-
diately deposited,in a place of safety. The fact was then
elicited that the man who had been playing. such antics
with the razor was a maniac, that hey had been sent ,
from one of the transports in charge of the sergeant,
who was taking him to head-quarters, prior to his dis-
missal from the service. The passengers loudly com-
plained of the conduct of the sergeant, in having. gone
to sleep while having such a dangerous character under
his care, but he excused himself by saying that he had
been up with him the whole of the previous night, and
could not keep his eyes open any longer.—South Eastern
Gazette. • . •

Mn. RAILEY.—Mr. John S. Rarey has the honour
.to
announce to the nobility, clergy, gentry, and in-
habitants of Liverpool and vicinity that he has made
arrangements to give a practical and demonstrative
_Exhibition of his System of Subduing Wild and Vicious
Horses; on Tuesday, November 22f1d,: at Rengler's
Grand Cirque Variete, Dale-street, he having made
arrangements with Mr. Hengler for the' use of the same.
The' Cirque, which is capable of accommodating a large
number of persons, will be found to be admirably adapted
.for the occasion ; it is fitted up with reserved and other
seats, arranged in the best possible manner, with a
due regard to the comfort .and convenience of those
Ladies and Gentlemen who may honour Mr. -Rarey's
performance with their presence. The. System :
The almost universal verdict of approval with which the
excellence and humanity of Mr. Rarey's system of
taming horses has been greeted by the public press and
first horsemen of this and every other country he has
yet visited, renders it superfluous to enlarge upon the.,
• topic ; suffice it to say, as a conclusive proof of:the great
and marked interest it has excited in the highest quarters,
and also in the minds of all thinking and rational men;
he has had the honour of giving his representations be-
fore all the principal courts of Europe, wmuing from all
the great European powers the 'same high approbation
that he has received in this country.. Her Most Gracious
Majesty the Queen, upon witnessing *Mr. Rarey's perform-
ance, was so impressed by the novel, natural, and perfectly
humane manner in which the horse was treated, as to
command the repetition of Mr. Rarey's exhibition a
fourth time. The Character of Ali% Itarey's Evhibitions :
Unlike any exhibitions ever given to the public, there is
no prepared show, no display of tricks, but, on the con-
trary, it is a genuine demonstration of the triumph of in-
tellect over brute force. The entirely untrained horityin
its wild and most savage state, is brought before the
public without any preliminary preparation, not- even
the operator knowing what the character of his subject
will be until brought before him, thus imputing the
greatest_ interest .and originality to each performance, by
putting to the severest test the judgment and skill of
operator. Time Lecture,: Mr. Rain will, in the course of
his lecture, give his experience with some of the most
,notorious horses that he has yet -handled, giving a
description of the taming of Cruiser;, , lie will also
give-an-explanation of his former treatment, and its
effect upon his character, 'in comparison :with the
process adopted by him, plainly showing why he
was then savage and now tame, and bow the same •
result may be produced upon any-horse of like character.-
Mr. Rarey will also give a description.of the physical
and mental nature of the horse—contrasting the
brutal and inhuman system of " breaking," hitherto-
in vogue, with his, ownmore gentle, persuasive,
and intelligent method; gentle, because brute force is
utterly ignored—perSuasive, because the horse's reason
is appealed to-and intelligent, because the intellect is
cultivated, and thereby_expanded, giving to the horse
increased capacity to understand and enter into the
feelings of his master—man: To which appeal (if pro-
perly made) we have ample evidence to prove that the
horse
gained, he remains to the close of his life your firm friend
will respond ; for when once his affection is.
and faithfUl servant. Subject for Tuesday's Perfortn-
ance : Mr. Rarey has made arrangements for securing the
most vicious horse that can be found in Liverpool or its •
vicinity, but, at the same time,. he will be obliged to
any gentlemen who will kindly send to Lucas's. Reposi-
toryanjr information relative to savage horses they may
happpn to possess as the worst that can be found_ will,
be the most satisfactory to Mr. Rarey, and a fit subject
on Which to demonstrate his power of taming the ratlst
dangerous and vicious horse. Reserved seats, one gui-
nea; second seats, 15s. ; third seats, 7s. 6d. Tickets
can be taken, and seats secured, at Mine and Son's, 57,
Church-street. .

'
[ADVERTISE:P.I'67.]

FRIENDLY SOCIETY REVELATIONS.

A Inc, ting of the officers and friends of the Royal Philan-
thropic Society was held on konday night, at the office
of the society, Finch-street. The Secretary, in opening
the proceedings, said that the present meeting was
called to inquire into certain false and malicious state-
ments which had been circulated with the view of
injuring the society. Placards had emanated from
another society, and were two in number. The follow-
ing are the main facts of the first case as set forth in
the placard. Michael McHugh entered his father-in-law
as a menibc, of the Philanthropie Society ; and accord-
ing to the rules was entitled to the sum of in twenty-
six 'weeks from the time of his entrance. The father-
in-law diet on the very day twenty-six Weeks after he
had entered the society. The son-in-law thinking himself
entitled to the funeral allowance, made application to the
secretary, who told him that he was not entitled to the
alloivance, as his father-in-law was two da.ysehort of being
a half member. Such was the subject of thetrst document, •
to which was appended the son-in-law's mark. There;
was also a postscript to the effect that, after belonging
to the society for some twelve or thirteen years not-one
penny was received on the present occasion. The
secretary, after reading the Placard, proceeded to- ex-
plain how the Base really stood, which, he 'said, was as
follows :--The father-in-law, J. Hutt, was entered into
the society three years ago by his song and was again
entered by the daughter some twenty weeks previous to
his death. The claim of the son being a just one, was
paid, that of the daughter not being valid vas refused.
He produced the books of the society; by which
it was apparent that the twenta-eix weeks were
not completed at the time of Hutt's death. The.
second placard related to Barbara l'ir‘Coombe, and
bore her mark. It stated that the' society had
refused to pay a just claim of £l2, giving instead only
£6. Mrs. M'Coombe was present at the meeting,
and, 'in reply to the secretary, most distinctly de-
nied having affixed her mark to the document, and
added that tke one read to her was of quite a diffezent I
nature. The secretary said that by the entry made at
the time of the man's entrance Jiis age would, at his
death, be fifty, in which case 46 was the proper
allowance. aEven now, if sufficient evidence could be
brought to show that the man was, younger, he was
quite willing to pay the balance. He thought it was
most unjust and dishonest for any society to take advari.
tage of a woman's ignorance by making her sign that which
she did not believe. The placards having been published
he thought it bat justice to the society and the public
that the refutation should be published • also. ;He
thought that such infamous documents could only have
originated from spite, and' he would warn the public to
be on their guard against any society which had recourse
to such schemes for blackening, the character of an
honest society like the present. After some further dis-
cussion, a refutation of the placards was drawn up,
signed by Barbara M.Coombe ; after which the meeting
separated. nl6

•
A llEnsirr.—A correspondent of. the Wolverhamp-
ton Chronicle writes :—"A few miles from 'Stevenage,
and not more than 30 from the metropolis, there is a
living hermit. Visiting a friend ih the above locality,
not many days ago, I was invited to sec this extraordi-
nary character. Indeed; hermits are no common mortals
in the 19th century. I am familiar with hermits, as
most people. are, only by name. -I have doubted if ever
such beings existed, but to be told that such an one was
existing at a short distance _acted like electricity upon
my nerves. As I walked through some delightfulscenery
of various• tints and hues, amid' the 'falling leaves of
autumn, I came at last within sight of the spot which
had excited my curiosity. I had pictured to my mind a
venerable old man, with a beard as white as snow, a
massive girdle; and a pmftision of books,' and hour glass,
in a cell of picturesque beauty and neatness. Alas,
how soon I was to experience that imagination is one
thing, and reality another ' I shall not venture in fu.-.
tare to speculate upon objects so unearthly. At the
termination of the road a mansion of ;no ordinary size
met my view, but better and happier times had reigned
Within ; without, all was desolation and ruin • time, that
destroyer of all.things, had done its work here; every
inlet was barriCaded by the rude axe and hammer ; its
portals no mortals had 'passed for eleven long years;
the interior, which was once rich iii 'design and com-
fort, is now mouldering to- decay ; no cheering voice is
heard within its walls, only that of rats and vermin.
In tracing my steps to the scone of the hermit's
cell, which is situated at the back of the build-
ing, and looking through the wooden bars of a window
devoid of glass, I perceived .a dismal, black, and dirty
cellar, with an earth floor ; not one vestige of furniture,
except a wooden bench and a few bottles, with .the
remnants of a fire. It was with difficulty, by the faint
rays:of light -.adinitted into this loathsome den,_ that I
could trace a human forni clothed only in a horse-:rug,
leaving his arms, legs, and feet perfectly bare ; hii hair
was prodigiously long, with a beard tangled and matted/
On my addressing him he came forward with readi-
ness. I found him a gentlemen by education and birth,
and most courteous in his, manner ; he anxiously -in-
quired after several aristocratic families in' Staffordshire
and adjoining. counties. It is evident he had at one
period mixed' in the first circles, but the secret of his
desolate retirement is, and probably' ever will remain, a
mystery to his neighbours and tenantry, by whom he is
supplied with food (chiefly bread and milk). • Already
eleven weary winters has he passed in this dreary abode,
his only bed being two sheepskins, and his sole tom-
panions the yats, which may be seen passing to and fro
with all the ease of-perfect safety. During the whole of
his seclusion •he has strictly abstained from ablution;
consequently.bis countenance is perfectly black. 'How
much it is to be regretted that a man with such high
intellectual powers, in the prime of manhood, and
possessed with such ample meaus,.sh'ould spend his days
in filth and seclusion, in waste of time'and in misery !"

EXTRAORDINARY NARRATIVE.
.RUMOURED IN-
, FANTICIDE.—The•Tours journals state that a trial which
is to take place before tbe Court of Assizes of that city
in December is "exciting extraordinary; interest in all the'
departments of the Indre-et-Loire. A lady, whose
name begins with L—, and who is possessed of a
fortune of 400,000 f. or 500,000f.,' being separated from
her husband, has, since 1851, lived at Chinon with her
daughter, who is now about 16 years of age. She visited
in the best society of the town and neighbourhood, and
towards the end of last year brought out her daughter,
who is very pretty. The girl was thought rather fcirward
in her manners, but that demeanour was attributed to
the inconsiderateness of youth. Before long, however, it
became rumoured that she was very free with the coach-
man, and it was stated that the man himself had
boasted that ho was the lover of his young mistress, and
that she was about to become a mother. In January
last he disappeared, and Mdme. L— stated that she
.had been obliged to discharge him because he had had
the impudence to ask her daughter's hand in marriage.
The mother and daughter afterwards went into society as
usual, but they were the subject of much malevolent re-
mark. Things' continued in that state until August last,
when the commissary of police of the district received
several anonymous letters stating that in the night of the
29th July the young lady had been delivered of a child
alive, and that the little creature had been killed
by the young" lady's mother.. As on July. 31st the
mother and daughter had been seen going about
their house and grounds as usual, 'the commisssary
attached little importance to the letters; but he COlN-
munieated them to the public prosecutor, and the latter
deemed it right to question the lady. She indignantly
declared the statement unfounded, and, after some
hesitation, laid a complaint of a calumincus denuncia-
tion against the supposed author of the letters and
against her ex-coachman. But she was told that in
daughter should be examined by a medical man. She
when
rhdeenr tothseuppporhytstichieancomaplaifenwt it:hlv:ssneaefestesraryp
that
tnhteedr
consented, though with manifest repugnance, but
as she was ready to admit that
himself at her house she said that the examination
herwas daughteruneeess ar Yh
ad been delivered of a child, but
eb,oedeyin;
jet
csolalies
cdpie c rn
ceodotfli
that it was born dead, and that she burned the
violencedcionimgrahtierttelduodnbheecrombye
the coachmau. .She also said that she had been silent
on the subject of this-violence and had burned the body
of the :child, from a fear of scandal. On that both
mother and daughter were arrested. The young lady
at first told the same tale as the mother, but being
Pressed with questions she declared that no violence
had been used. by the coachman, and that the child was
not born dead, but had been killed by her mother before
being :burned. Since then, Madame L— has per-
sisted in her original story, and says that in contradict-
ing,it her daughter must be labouring under a halluci-
nation. Both mother and daughter are to be tried far
idea ticide,