The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-07 00:00:00

THE ENGLISH JOINT-STOCK BATIK,

The prosecutions in the matter of the English Joint-
Stock Bank do not conclude with the one of conspiracy to de-
fraud the shareholders. Mr. Lewis, it will be remembered,
announced that he should obtain a summons for perjury
against Mr. Finney,and on Saturday the case came before the
Lord Mayor. Mr. G. Lewis conducted the prosecution; Mr.
Littler and Mr. Straight appeared for the defendant.
It appeared that in the course of the proceedings that had
previously taken place in Chancery, the defendant, in his
examination, swore that he had never received a sum of
MG from a gentleman named Howard, who had nego-
tiated the sale of the Bideford Bank to the English Joint-
Stock Bank, and another larger sum of money from Mr.
Bradlaugh, who had negotiated the sale of the Nottingham
Bank. It will be remembered that upon the facts dis-
closed in the examination of the directors it was positively
sworn that these sums of money had been paid to the
defendant, and upon this evidence the present charge was
prepared against him. The first part of the evidence was
much the same as that which was given upon the examina-
tion of the defendant upon the other charge. Mr. Lewis,
in opening the case for the prosecution, said that it was
instituted by Mr. Lambert, the prosecutor in the former
case, at his own expense, and the official liquidators had
nothing whatever to do with it.

THE REPORTED MASSACRE -N

ABYSSINIA.

Confirmation is to hand of the massacre reported from
Abyssinia by Mr. Reuter's telegrams. A despatch from
Newport says :
" Information has reached here that Mr. Thomas
Powell, of Coldra Hall, his wife, and child, have been mur-
dered in Abyssinia. Mr. Powell was a wealthy colliery
proprietor, and some time last year he conceived the idea of
going on a shooting excursion to Abyssinia, inwhichhe was
to be joined by several other gentlemen. Many of his
friends were strongly opposed to his going out, but he per-
sisted in it, and some four or five months ago left this
country for Abyssinia, accompanied by several keepers,
his wife, an amiable and beloved lady, and his younger
child. The writer has not been informed whether any of
the gentlemen that contemplated joining him really went
out or not. About a fortnight ago it was reported that ho
had been taken prisoner, but the report was disbelieved,
and a contradiction subsequently appeared.
" Full confirmation of the distressing is, however,
uuw bu nanu. Ins information reached this country in
the following manner. A telegram was sent by the agent
of the Peninsular and Oriental Company at Aden to the
chief officer in London, conveying the sad intelligence.
This arrived on Friday night, and on Sunday it reached
Mr. Walter Powell, M.P. for Westbury, brother of the
unfortunate gentleman. Mr. Powell, Mrs. Powell, and
their child are said to be murdered, but it is not known
whether the English maid-servant and the keepers that
accompanied them escaped or not. Mr. Powell was the
eldest son of the late Mr. Thomas Powell, of the Gaer,
near this town, the great colliery proprietor, and he has
two brothers living, Mr. Walter Powell, M.P., and Mr.
Henry Powell ; there are also several sisters. He was a
magistrate for Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire, and
married the daughter of the late Mr. John Jenkins, of
Caerleon. There were five children living by the marriage
including the one they took out with them."

It is stated that early in the present week the
Lords will discuss the propriety of agreeing to addresses to
the Crown for the issue of several royal commissions to
report upon the corrupt practices at elections, sanction to
which has been already given in the House of Commons.
It is understood that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer has another surprise in store for his friends
and his enemies. The succession and the probate duties
will undergo a considerable alteration, and possibly
amalgamation, with a general result undreamed of in the
philosophy of ordinary Finance Ministers.—Eastcrn Post.
THE YOUGHAL ELECTION.—A petition has been
lodged against the return of Mr. Guest for Youghal on
the grounds that he was the nominee of Mr. Weguelin,
and that Mr. Weguelin acted as his agent, and canvassed
for him ; also that Mr. Guest was guilty of corrupt prac-
tices. The petition prays that the election may be declared
void.

The Bishop of Carlisle is still staying in Loudon.
Tho Carlisle Journal says that an improvement in
his health reported last week has been somewhat checked by
the cold weather, and his lordship "continues in much the
same state of physical weakness." His medical attendants
decline giving a positive opinion as to the precise nature or
the issue of the illness ; but it is satisfactory to know that
there has been a diminution of suffering for some time past.
At a recent meeting of the Council of the Sheffield
Chamber of Commerce, a memorial was adopted to the
Prime Minister, praying that a bill might be introduced by
the Government, based upon the report and recommenda-
tions of the majority of the Commissioners. The memorial
has been presented by Mr. Hadfield, who has received a
reply from Mr. Gladstone. The Premier says (addressing
Mr. Hadfield):—" Will you be kind enough to assure the
memorialists that I will not fail to bring their wishes under
the consideration of my colleagues, and that they may be
confident that the whole question will receive the careful
attention of her Majesty's Government.
FIRE AND Loss OF THREE LIVES.--OH Saturday
evening, at about half-past nine o'clock, a fire broke out
in a five-storey house in Pentonville-road. The premises
were occupied by lodgers, and the occupant of the lower
storey let fall a bottle of paraffin oil, which took fire, and
unfortunately reached the stairs. In an incredibly short
space of time the staircase was so enveloped in flame
as to be impassable, and retreat from the upper rooms
was cut off. The screams of several women from the upper
windows were frightful. Several scrambled over the roof to
a neighbouring house, but before the fire•escape could
arrive, two young women, Martha Naylor, 23, Letitia
Thomas, 22, and a child, between 3 and 4 years old, were
burnt to death. The engines, on their arrival, were able
to pour such copious streams of water into the building
that in half-an-hour the fire was extinguished, and the
charred remains of the deceased recovered from the &Uri%
The two girls were dressmakers, and were late at work on
a dress intended to be worn on the Sunday.

THE GREAT PETITION IN FAVOUR OF OPENING
MUSEUMS ON SUNDAYS.—On Friday night, Mr. Thomas
Chambers, M.P., conveyed to the House of Commons an
affidavit that this petition contained fictitious signatures.
Mr. R. M. Morrell, of the National Sunday League,
writes denying that the petition does contain such signa-
tures. The council had detected the practice of frauds,
dismissed the two men, Beck and Biggs, and con-
demned the sheets, which were therefore not put to the
petition, but remain in the office of the League, as evi-
dence of their honesty of purpose. On being discharged
by the League, these men got employment of the same
kind from the Lord's-day Rest Association, on learning
which Mr. Morrell wrote to the secretary informing him
of the facts. Mr. Morrell states— "Of the 60,714 signa-
tures sent into Parliament, fully 40,000 were collected by
the direct agency of the council and personal friends,
and of the other canvassers such a supervision has been
exercised as to warrant nur belief every signature being
fienuiu.e_tl -