The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-06-01 00:00:00

CONSIDERABLE SENSATION was created in Whitmin-
ster Church on Sunday, by a young woman, named
Emma Elliot., of Wotton-under-Edge, stepping forwardto
forbid the banns of marriage which were being published
by the minister between Samuel Gibbins and Rebecca
Jones, It appears that the bridegroom elect had been
living in service with the girls, and, as he managed to
possess himself of the affections of both of them in such
a way as would be likely to bring them into trouble, a
double claim arose for his " hand and heart."
SINGULAR ACCIDENT FROM LIGHTNING.—During the
storm which passed over this town yesterday week, a
young woman, named Stevens, living with Mr. Cater,
butcher, in Magdalen-street, was struck by the electric
fluid. She had retired to rest, and noticed nothing dur-
ing the storm beyond being greatly heated ; but on rising
on the following morning, she discovered that the whole
of her hair on the right side, and part on the back of her
head, had been burnt off by the lightning, the other por-
tion being much singed. The left side was uninjured. It
is regarded as a most singular circumstance, that such an
accident should have taken place without her having the
slightest knowledge of it, or feeling the least shock. The
hair removed is about a foot long.—lpswich Express.
A Coatatisstos: OF LUNACY, on Saturday week, in-
quired into the state of two sisters, the Hon. Mary Martha
Hughes and the Hon. Emily Hughes, spinsters, between
30 and 40 years of age, and daughters of the late Lord
Dinorben, residing at 47, Brompton Crescent, and found
that they had been of unsound mind since April 1844.
Both were perfectly imbecile with symptoms of paralysis,
and quite incapable of understanding any kind of ques-
tions or answering them. They were unable to dress or
undress, incapable of even using a pocket handkerchief,
could not cut their food or feed themselves properly ; had
no knowledge of money or of letters, or writing or books ;
their only amusement sometimes to play with coins, but
without any idea of their being of the least value.
DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT.—At Worship-street Police-
court, London, on Thursday, Thos. Witcher, a builder,
was charged by a linen-draper named Minor, with a violent
assault. Mr. Minor stated that on going home on the
previous evening, about ten o'clock, he found that his wife
was out. He waited for her anxiously until one o'clock,
when a cab drove to the door with his wife in it, and the
defendant. Her clothes were ruffled, her hair loose, and
both parties were in a state of intoxication. The defendant
wanted to follow his wife into the house, when Mr. Minor
interposed, and was twice struck by Witcher, on the mouth
and on the chest. —The defendant denied having struck the
complainant, and alleged that all he had done was to hold
up his hands to protect himself from the blows which the
defendant was unjustifiably dealing out upon him.—Mr.
D'Eyncourt intimated his opinion that this was not such
a case as he would be justified in dealing with under his
summary powers, and he should therefore send the de-
fendant for trial before a jury, but would in the meantime
accept of bail.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE SHROPSHIREUNION RAIL-
WAY.—On Saturday morning last an accident occurred
on this line which was nearly attended with loss of life,
and by which several persons have been seriously injured.
It appears that, as usual, the train for Stafford left the
Shrewsbury station at 6 o'clock, and had reached the
Donnington station, about three miles beyond Wellington,
when it was overtaken and ran into by an engine without
an engineer, which had escaped from its station, owing, it
is said, to the negligence of the man who had oiled the
machinery, and lit the fire without detaching the working
gear. The pace at which it proceeded along the rails was
terrific, and in coming in contact with the train it com-
pletely smashed two of the carriages in which were ten
passengers. Two of them, ladies, were seriously injured ;
one man had his thigh fractured. A telegraphic message
was immediately despatched to Shrewsbury for assistance,
and everything was done that could be done to allay the
sufferings of the persons injured. In its transit along the
line the engine caused the greatest terror to the spectators
at the Wellington and Hadley station, who describe its
speed at 70 miles an hour.
TRAFFIC RETURNS.—The traffic returns for the week
ending May 16th, on the undermentioned English lines of
railway, are as follow : 1852. 1851.
London and North Western £44,575 .. £50,203
Midland

Lancashire and Yorkshire 16,374 15,247
London and South-Western.... 11,550 .. 12,723
London and Brighton..
Great Western 18.317 .. 20,193

South Eastern
York and North Midland
Manchester, Shelf. and Lincoln 6,548 .. 6,528
Bristol and Exeter

York, Newcastle, and Berwick.. 14,534 .. 14,818
Shrewsbury and Chester........ 1,695 .. 1,571
Shrewsburyand Birmingham.... 686 .. 535
Eastern Counties and Norfolk .. 14,625 .. 14,084
Great Northern
Chester and Holyhead 3,118 .. 2,573
North Staffordshire . 5,014 .. 5,036
Leeds Northern . 1,026 .. 940

South Devon • 1,988 .. 1,867
South Wales..
The total receipts on the above lines being £209,758,
against £219,019 in the corresponding week of last year;
the decrease is shown to be £9,261.. The number of miles
open on the above lines was, in 1852 4,2641, and in 1851,
4,144, showing an increase of 121 miles.