The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-01 00:00:00

A DEMENTED CLERGYMAN.

On Thursday (says the Manchester Courier) the Rev.
W. A. O'Connor, rector of St. Simon's and St. Jude's,
Manchester, appeared before the magistrates at the City
Police-court in the character of a defendant. A few days
ago Mr. O'Connor applied to the magistrates for advice.
He alleged that he was being sorely persecuted,
and mentioned certain names. The magistrates
declined to advise him. On Wedneslay ho went to a
reading-room in conunection with the fhop of Messrs.
Hale and Roworth, booksellers, Cross-street, and which
is frequented by clergymen. He was under the impression
that he was suspected of stealing books, and he noticed
that a boy remained in the reading-room during the time
he was there. This excited him, and in the presence
of Mr. Hale, an assistant, he pulled the boy's ear, and
then asked Mr. Hale to summon him for the assault. Mr.
Hale said he would not do so, and Mr. O'Connor,
apparently determined to have the supposed allegations
against him investigated, asked the assistant if he would
summon him if he assaulted him. The assistant re.
plied that he would not, and then the rev. gentleman,
who was very much excited, said he would await the
arrival of Mr. Roworth, and assault him. Captain Paths
was sent for, and lie, after an interview with the rev.
gentleman, and after having had him examined by Drs.
Wilkinson and Roberts, locked him up. On Thursday
Mr. O'Connor was taken before the magistrates, and tho
above circumstances were proved, the assistant admitting
in his evidence that it was not usual for the boy to remain
.n the reading-room when visitors were there. The
magistrates then retired, and had a private interview with
the rev. defendant, declining to allow his friends to he
present. Mr. O'Connor returned into court in about a
quarter of an hour, but the magistrates remained in
consultation for about two hours, at the expiration
of which time it was communicated to the reporters that
the magistrates would not give any decision in court, and
that, as there were some obstacles in the way of binding
Mr. O'Connor over to keep the peace, they felt, under all
the circumstances, that they had no other alternative than
to send him to a lunatic asylum.

PARLIAMENTARY AND 111U217ICIPAL
.ELEGITIVIVS.

The Committee on rarliatnentary and Municipal Elec-
tions reassembled on Friday, the Marquis of Hartington
in the chair. Mr. Burton, of Gravesend, chairman of
the Conservative Committee, the first witness called, gave
tome evidence to the effect that intimidation prevailed at
the last parliamentary election for the county. A great
many voters were prevented from going to the poll.
Major Bush, Bristol examined by Mr. Ward Hunt,
said that at the municipal elections there was little, if any,
bribery or undue influence; but there was some, though
not much, treating. At the parliamentary elections there
was a certain amount of bribery, persons being em-
ployed as canvassers and messengers simply for the
purpose of securing their votes. Treating was also exten-
sive, consisting of opening public-houses and holding tea-
meetings. At the last election there was an organised
system of intimidation. Large mobs were hired, who went
from one polling booth to another. It_ was currently
stated in Bristol that these mobs were paid
some days after the election by two persons connected
with the Reform League. Had been informed that it was
irranged that if the Liberals were nct well ahead at nine
o'clock on the day of the election, these "flying
-iolumns" were to be let loose. Thirty or
forty of the rioters were convicted after the
tleetion. The mobs he had referred to were paid at a
public-house in Broad Mead, and the police bad to be
railed in to keep order during the operation.
By Mr. Villiers : The mobs were composed to a large
!xtent of persons strangers to the city. If there was any
rioting on the part of the Conservatives it was late
in the day, and-was by way of retaliation. In the after-
noon there was a general disturbance.
To The O'Connor Don the witness said the mobs were
tamed with bludgeons. A stone, weighing four pounds
snd a half, was thrown through the window of, one of the
Conservative committee rooms, and struck a gentle-
man who was sitting there. Believed that at a
public meeting held by the Liberals a week
prior to the election, it was substantially proposed that
the polling-booths should be taken possession of by
mobs.

By Mr. Leatham : The mob of which witness took most
notice, though numbering only 300, was, in his estimation.
A most formidable one.

By Sir George Grey: If it could be done, it would be
well to close public business in Bristol at the time of an
election. The feeling in Bristol since the last election was so
strong that he believed that if another contest took place,
unless the police provisions were much strengthened.
there would certainly be bloodshed.

To Mr. Ward Hunt : In Bristol the feeling in favour of
the Ballot was not, he believed, on the increase.
Mr. Stokes, of Kingstown, was the next witness. His
evidence went to chew that bribery existed at the Dublin
municipal elections. At the parliamentary election in
1852 the polling-places had been much increased—a course
)f proceeding which had a beneficial effect in preventing
riots. Bribery was common on both sides at the Dublin
parliamentary election.
After some further evidence the committee adjourned.

RATES OF FREIGHT AND CHARTER.

(From the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette.)

The tonnage loading on the berth for India, China, and
he Cape of Good Hope amounts to 60,876 tons, and that
'or Australia and New Zealand to 46,795 tons.
Berth freights are somewhat firmer. The east wind
,revents arrivals, and disengaged ships are becoming
scarce.

More activity has been displayed this week in coal
freights to the East, nevertheless rates have not, in most
'ustances, much improved. Tonnage is in request for Shang-
hae, at 445.; Singapore, 255.; Yokohama, 405.; and Hong
homewardlCong at 335. to 345. There is no new feature to notice in
g Forod -s Vz eeaedlnp
vessel,af or
ar i
someao and
b ut it ma
feopproar stt
in
the
e
itlasb chartering, which is, if anything, slacker than
otheri2p9os; tsi soonfftehr ae dt
coast
there is little inquiry.
The activity in chartering from the Guano Islands has
somewhat subsided, tonnage having come forward freely
to satisfy the orders recently recei
ve 3. Some further
orders are, however, expected daily.
West India and Brazil coal freights are firm at the last
quotations, Martinique and St. Thomas engaging most
attention. One or two orders for Havana would be moved
off at ISs. to 19s. Homewards, with the exception of log.
wood from Jamaica, there is but little to be bad for ton-
nage from the West Indies.
Iron freights to the United States continue much the
same. A large ship can be placed for New York from
Wales at 21s. and 5 per cent. There is hardly any grain
chartering from Montreal, New York, &c.; and it is diffi-
cult, in the absence of business, to give any reliable
quotation.
Iron is still going forward for Tagr.nrog by steamer,
and a good deal of tonnage is being engaged for the con.
veyance of a large quantity of iron for Cronstadt. Medi-
terranean coal freights are dull and languid, the rate for
Alexandria also observing a drooping tendency. Steam
tonnage is required from the Azoff to U.K. at 505.,
option of Mediterranean at Cs. 3d. ; from Sulina to
U.K. at Gs. 3d. Freights for sailing vessels shew no im-
provement.

A very destructive conflagration broke out on Friday
morning in the warehouse of Messrs. Brockes and Tarlt,
colonial brokers, Mincing lane, and before the engines
reached the spot the flames extended to the warehouses on
either side of the burning building. The houses numbered
22, 24, 25, 2G, and 27 were materially injured, It is
_reported
kka-Ull2.SiAillan 114 PZ.Ped &17400`j.