The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-04 00:00:00

lIARROWLNG SCENE AT A. 14 ICE
ACCIDENT.

At the inquest held at Wallaton, near Nottingham, on
the bodies of George, aged 13, and Benjamin, aged'll,
sons of Mr. John Matthews, park-keeper to Mr. Akroyd,
of Wollaton Hall, who were drowned while sliding
on a pond near that place ,on Thursday, the fol-
lowing thrilling narrative of the occurrence was given by a
boy named John Clark. After speaking of their going upon
the ice and sliding, he proceeded :—"Just as I got off
the ice into the field I heard some one calling. I saw
one of them in the water, and directly after, when I got
near to them, I saw both striking their arms about. I
got a rail which was lying close to me, and pushed it to'
them; one end rested on the ice, and the other was in my
hands. George got hold of it first, and then Benjamin cried
out 'Oh, dear,' and I said to him, Lay hold of George,'
and he did so. George let go of the rail several times, but
lie came up again with Benjamin holding him, and he.
got hold of the rail again. This lasted a quarter of
an hour. Twice I pulled George partly on the ice, all
his body being out of the water and one leg, but Benjamin
having hold of him pulled him in again. At last.Georg,e
said, I can bold on no longer, and wish you good-1-re.'
They both then went down, but came up again,' and
George caught hold of the rail. Benjamin then said,
Can yofi save us?' I replied, I don't think I can.'
Benjamin then said, Good bye; I shall have to go.' (The
witness here burst into tears, as did several of the jury-
men.) Both of them began to pray, and they went down.
They rose again, but were unable to take hold of the rail,
and they were drowned. I was calling for help all the
time, but no one came." Tho jury returned a verdict of
accidental death.

OBJECTING TO A .MINISTER IN SCOTLAND,

The Presbytery of Stirling met on Tuesday in the parish
church of Alloa for the purpose of examining witnesses in
connection with the diiputed settlement of Mr.Gunn,Dol-
lar, in the parish of Alloa. It may not he without interest
(says the Globe) to the Sothron parsons, who, on pre-
sentation, enter securely into possession of their snug
benefices, to hear the ordeal to which their North-
ern fellow-workers are exposed ere they enter into
enjoyment of the loaves and fishes presented them. Sup-
pose a patron of a belefice north of the Tweed present a
minister with such benefice who is for any reason
obnoxious to the congregation, an investigation of the
reasons for such unpopularity is commonly made before the
Presbytery assembled under the presidency of a moderator.
If they ratify the objections, the patron usually rescinds his
presentation. It is obvious that when it is open to any
of the congregation to lodge, an objection against a
preacher, it is woo to the preacher if ho be not merely
omniscient and all-powerful in the expression of his omni-
science, but also if he fail to convince the congregation of
these capacities. Apparently the first lesson taught us
by Mr. Gunn's case is to avoid all technicalities in your
sermon, and to keep to theology. The first ob-
jection made against the preacher by one witness was
the following sentence :—" Open any single vein in your
body and you will bleed to death." The surgeon to the
parish flock objected_that this sentence which occurred in
Mr. Gunn's trial sermon was incorrect, though it
might have been true, he candidly added, if asserted of
an artery. This was the only point in the sermon
which the rising man of science could remember.
The next objector stated that Mr. Gunn's discourses
were " cold, barren, and unattractive." He had
difficulty in " following" the minister, added to
which he thought that Mr. Gunn was very dogmatic and
self-conceited in his manner. The next objector, the
brewer of the flock, deposed that he objected to Mr.
Gann's pronunciation, the like of which he had only
heard upon the stage, and there only in what he
would call the " walking gentleman " part. The
worthy brewer was followed
.by a weaver, who
objected that Mr. Gunn's words were, in a manner,
" thrown at him," and that ho would actually sooner
walk in the fields than listen to Mr. Gunn. Perhaps the
funniest eaten of objections stated was that by Mr. John
Page, commission agent, who could scarcely trust himself
to look Mr. Gunn in the face, because it (Mr. Gunn's
face) appeared to him to undergo such changes. It
was " contorted," and he did not like to look at it.
Mr. Page was sorry to say he did not get any edifi-
cation from Mr. Gunn's trial discourses. He even
thought that Mr. Gunn acted an unmanly part in
preaching there at all. Mr. Baillie, boot and shoe maker,
objected that Mr. Gunn, instead of "making a run" up the
step of the pulpit, crept up "twofold" almost, and there
was a law in nature against a minister's approaching a
pulpit in any way he liked. It is difficult to know whether
one's feelings of pity should be the most sincere for the
congregation that is doomed to " sit under" such a minister
as Mr. Gunn, or for the minister who has the pastoral
charge over such critical souls as these!

THE DANGEROUS CLASSES IN NEW YORK,

-We-have heard a good deal respecting the insecurity of
life ane property in New York, and it now appears that
the citizens of the Empire City are determined to
find a remedy for its proverbial lawlessness.
The 2 leto York Herald, of the 23rd ult., gives
an account of the formation of a vigilance
committee. The originators of the scheme were encouraged
to remember that in San Francisco 3,500 determined
citizens effectively combined and finally rid that onco
lawless city of all the thieves and vagabonds by whom it
was governed. The first intimation the public had of
such a measure being in contemplation was through a
card in the Herald from Mr. Charles Van Dusen, offer-
ing the sum of 50,000 dollars to establish a vigilance
committee in Now York. Secrecy being essen-
tially necessary to a successful organisation of the
proposed illegal society, it was determined by those
gentlemen who first moved in the matter to begin by
forming an organisation on the model of the Knights of
the Golden Circle, with grips and passwords, and a name of
sufficient ambiguityto hide its character from the uninitiated.
The Herald, however, contrived, through the indiscretion
of one of the conspirators to obtain a report of what took
place at the first meeting. There were about fifty people
in the room, all masked and all dressed alike. There were
no writing materials on the table nor anywhere in the
room. The first business in order was the calling of the
roll by the secretary, who checked off as each gentleman
present made answer. No names were mentioned,
each member being known and recognised by his
number on the roll. The preliminary business
having been disposed of, the chairman, a tall military man
name unknown, rose and said there could be no doubt of
the necessity of their organisation. "Every effort has been
made by honest Republicans and honest Democrats alike to
rescue the city from the control of the villains who now
tax us, rob us, and, when they please, murder us with
impunity, but without effect. The suffrage has become
a farce; elections are determined by fraud; justice, as
represented by judges, throws her mantle over crime ; laws
are inoperative against the worst enemies of society;
thieves and vagabonds rule this great commercial city of
New York. We shall soon be forced into open revolt
against the so-called law of the State, or
sink lower than the negroes of the South
under military rule if we don't make some
signal examples of the leading malefactors. There
may be a temporary disorganisation and tumult in conse-
quence of our contemplated action, but the result will be
beneficial. No possible disorganisation, however, could be
worse than the order' that prevails now. When certain
officials of the city-government and a few of the judges,
whose names will be given to the proper members at the
proper moment, are executed for their crimes, a new era
will dawn upon New York. The first duty you will be
called upon to perform will be to see that the convicted
murderers, robbers and penal thieves in the City Prison
get the punishment merited by their crimes. The L 0 11
is strong in numbers and in money, and has the hearty
support of thousands of respectable citizens. All that is
required is " Silence to the death," unceasing vigilance,
and firm determination." In conclusion, a hope was ex-
pressed that by the ensuing week all would be ready for
the commencement of their work.

A. Roman correspondent notes the exploit of two
Eng'ish " misses," who, mounted on the benches above the
kneeling multitude, surveyed with their opera-glasses the
Pope as he pronounced the benediction in the Council.
The Pope, with a mild smile, pointed them out to some of
the cardinals, but no alarming consequences have overtaken
them.

AN EXTRAVAGANT PAIR,—An extraordinary ron7
berg was investigated at Oldham on Saturday. CaiiiPear-
son and Martha Bracegirdle were .charged with stealing
£241 from William Shaun, a butcher and cattle dealer.
About eighteen years ago tho female prisoner wont
to live with the prosecutor as his mistress, and
continued to do so until very recently, when she
eloped with the male prisoner, who is a deserter
from the Bth Hussars. The prosecutor ascertained that
£241 in gold was musing. The female prisoner and her
inamorato proceeded first to Manchester, and thence to
Glasgow, where they were apprehended on Friday at one
of the temperance hotels. Both prisoners were dressed in
complete new suits, and the male prisoner, when searched,
was found to be wearing a new watch and chain, and the
female prisoner a new gold ring. Only about £l4O of the
money which the prisoner had stolen was found -in their
possession, so that in a week they had managed to make
away 71#.12 Xlo°.