The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-23
LORDS WILL FIGHT
FOR THEIR TITLES
One of the Greatest Political
Contests of History Now
on in England.
TRIAL OF NOTED BURGLAR
EXAMPLE OF BRAIN POWER EN-
PLOYED IN WRONG MANNER.

London, Nov. 22-The coming political
contest will be one In which more passion
ate conviction and feeling will display it
self on the two sides than has occurred
for many long year.
These prophetic words were spoken by
Mr.. BalfouI in a political speech in this
city few weeks ago, and they have al
ready begun to come true; for the fight
ostensibly over the budget, but really one
between the peers and the people, will
decide whether country resting upon
the francnlse is 10 continue to be ruled
by a body of titled irresponsible legis-
lators, who have climbed into their pres
ent position either on the shoulders of
their ancestors or on top of their money
bags.
The present position has become utter
ly unbearabie, even to people as pa
tient and as conservatively inclined as the
British.
If the house of lords had for members
men of wisdom and experience, who re-
garded great questions from a national
point of view, the present conditions
might continue indefinitely, but when
everyone knows that the majority of
peers are far more familiar with Monte
Carlo, than with st. Stephens, and are
more at home with betting books than
with blue books, the people do not see
why the time has not come to make the
change which is bound to come some
time.
That the lords are fully aware Of their
unpopularity with the voters is evident
from the fact that if they do throw out
the budget, as undoubtedly they will after
scorning the kings attempts at media
ton, they will not dare put the land is
the front rank Of political issues, but
will join hands with the liquor interests,
which especially in England have a con-
siderable popular force behind them, and
will fight the too democratic budget from
behind beer barrels.
There are indications, however, that
even this holy alliance may come to grief /;
for among the better element of the
loon has greatly decreased, and the old
cry about robbing the poor man Of his
beer has not the same effect as In olden
days.
The workers know that in the first place
the lords do not care continental wheth-
er the workingman gets any beer or not,
except just before an election, and in
the second they have realized that the
drink evil is the greatest Of all barriers
to progress.
The lords are in a tight place, and they
know it, but they know, too, that they
are fighting for their very existence, and,
like drowning men, they try to make every
straw a life belt.
Remarkable Criminal.
One of the most remarkable criminals
upon whom the law has laid it's hand ap-
peared in the dock at Middlesex sessions
yesterday in the person of Charles VIII
liams, aged 81. He has been known and
feared by the police for many years. A
long time ago he attracted the attention
OF DR.. Albert Wilson, the eminent spe-
cialist, who declared that Williams pos
sessed brain superior to that Of the aver
age cabinet minister
He is SO clever and intelligent that he
might well have been prime minister"
the specialist added; yet a more expert
cracksman never lived"
perpetrate his crimes, and, passing him
self off as a peer, would mix in the best
society, He was such a daring criminal
that the home office gave orders that
ne was never TO be dealt with single
handed. Two policemen, heavily armed
were always told off for the purpose.
Thirty years ago Williams was SEN
fenced to penal servitude for life. Re-
leased on license at the end Of twenty
years, he became a suburban shopkeeper,
and he spoke willingly and apparently
with regret Of his daring exploits.
When l was lad earning few shil-
ings a week." he said. something told
me 1 had big brain power. 1 loved to
rusting for want of something to grapple
with, chance threw me in the path of an
old burglar.
Il seized the chance, and 1t became
my delight to plot a big burglary. l tri-
umphed in the profession. as DR.. Wilson
told me 1 should have triumphed as a
professional man in an honest path OF
life"
One Noted Exploit.
One of Williams memorable exploits
was at a West End mansion, which was
guarded with so many burglar proof ap-
planes that three other cracksmen had
given up the task.
Williams, in faultless evening dress,
walked to the rear of the mansion. He
made a risky climb to the roof and creep
to- 91~ - Id E.zTa -, \
by the servants when cleaning skylights,
until ne exposed the electric wires. These