Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1885-02-28 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE FATAL AFFRAY AT SEA. Before the county magistrates at Plympton the inquiry into the death of Captain Armstrong, who was killed on board the Wellington, on the 26th ult., has been again resumed. For the first time since the commencement of the proceedings Adolph Haase, the man who was shot in the throat by the captain, and has been in hospital ever since, was able to appear, and he was now charged, together with Jergen Madsen Jergensen, the cook, and John Summerdyke, able seaman, with the murder of Captain Armstrong. Mr. R. R. Rodd, jun., appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Treasury, and the prisoners were defended by Mr. Trehane. The evidence which the witnesses had given at the previous examinations was now read over in order that Haase might be informed of what had been stated against him, and Mr. Trehane then addressed the Bench on behalf of the prisoners. He said there was ample evidence that the attack which the captain made on his crew was entirely unprovoked. No single witness had ventured to say that either of the prisoners struck the captain at all, and Mr. Trehane held that all they were proved to have done they were fully justified in doing, and that on the evidence they were entitled to their discharge. The prisoner Haase was attacked by the captain when asleep in his bunk, and the wound in his throat was 80 serious that his recovery was for some time doubtful, and nothing that he afterwards did in helping to secure the captain amounted to wilful murder. The magistrates, after retiring to consider their decision, committed all three prisoners for trial on the charge of wilful murder, and the accused were conveyed by train to Exeter County Gaol in the afternoon.  Tim dynamite treason trials were again resumed on February 23rd, at Bow-street, John Gilbert Cunningham and Harry Burton being placed at the bar, charged with complicity in the explosion at the Tower of London on the 24th January last. The evidence related in large proportion to the movements of Burton from the month of May last, when he took a lodging in Limehouse, to the time of the outrage, one of these including a visit to America. The prisoners were further remanded for a week, when Mr. Poland will have an entirely new branch of evidence. He stated that fresh informations are coming in every day. Sias lissom has had to appear in court in the Queen's Bench Division, to answer an action to recover damages on the ground that he had failed to perform an engagement to sing at Stratford. The defendant made a counter-claim, alleging that the plaintiff, a Mr. limey, had set aside the engagement by not holding the concert. The jury found that there was not sufficient evidence to excuse Mr. Sims Reeves from the performance of his contract, and awarded the plaintiff £5O damages. THE sudden death of Captain the Hon. Francis Algernon J. Chichester, brother of Lord Avonmore, from apoplexy, at his residence, Glendine, Arthurstown, county Wexford, is announced. The deceased leaves Lady Chichester, his widow, and a large family of young children. A FRENCH officer of Engineers has conceived an idea for enabling vessels upon the high seas to communicate with the shore by means of the existing submarine cables. He proposes that these cables shall be supplied at convenient intervals with short branches, the free ends of which shall be buoyed in such a manner that passing vessels, provided with the necessary batteries and with a key by which to obtain access to the wires, may telegraph home. Experiments to test the feasibility of the scheme are about to be begun, and several branches are being attached to the cable which connects Algiers with Marseilles. One or two stations of this kind in the Atlantic might be of immense value to the weather prophets of Europe and America. THE Marquis of Ripon has been entertained at a banquet at the Liverpool Reform Club, Lord Sefton presiding. The noble marquis, replying to the toast of his health, mid they should altogether reject the demand for a war of revenge in the Soudan which had been put forward in some quarters. He hoped the Government would steadily adhere to its refusal to favour annexation. Whilst in Egypt let them do their duty, which was to defend and consolidate it; but let them reject the mischievous policy of annexing either Egypt or the Soudan. A TREATY has been concluded between France and Burmah, according to which the Ithynyungee district is ceded to the former. It also stipulates for a free grant for land in perpetuity, as the site of the French Consulate.