The Shropshire Examiner and all round the Wrekin advertiser. — 1876-12-22 (Wenlock, Shropshire, England)

SERJEANT COX ON SHAM SPIRITUALISM.  In his charge to the grand jury at the Middlesex &Felons on Monday, Mr. Serjeent Cox, referring to the case of Regina r. Lawrence, known as the "East End Spkitualist Case," said the charge was one of obtaining money by false pretences, the alleged false pretences being that he represented himself to be a spirit. They need not trouble themselves with all the controversy raised in recent discussions upon that and other cases. The question for them was, did the defendant falsely represent himself to be a spirit, whatever that might be, whereas in truth and fact it was himself personating a spirit? If they should he satisfied of this, It would be a false pretence, and if he obtained money by pretending to be a spirit, the only other question for them would be if it was so obtained with an intent to defraud the prosecutor. Shortly afterwards Mr. Cooper, who is instructed to proveute by the Treasury, asked the court to be allowed to add two counts for conspiracy to the indictment. Mr. Serjeant Cox concurred, and the application that the case should be postponed until the January general sessions was granted.  The reported capture on Dartmoor of one in the men charged with the murder of a police-constable at Yeovil is incorrect.  A reprieve was, on Tuesd y, received at Cardiff for Mary Mahoney, sentenced to death for the murder of her child near \V hitchurcli.  Mr. Handel Cossham is seriously ill, though he Is now considered out of danger. He hac bad an attack of typhoid fever, which Is believed to have been brought on by drinking impure water.  Si; Joseph Napier, Vice• Chancellor of Dublin Universi,y and ei•Lord UhaucAlor of Ireland, is in such 1, precarious state of health as to cause serious apprehension on the part, of his friends. • •  Mrs. Peake, wife of the Rev. G. E. Peale, curate in charge of St. John's parish, Chathain, caught smallpox while visiiing the sick, and died on Monday. The deceased lady had only been married about eighteen months. A woman named Bannister died in the Stoolport Infirmary, on Monday, trots the etMets of injuries which she received on the lrith lust, at the handsel her husband, a factory operative. Tile latter made a deterniii ed a' tempt on his own life, and he is in a dangerous state. The Manch r,t r Guarthan announces the death, on Monday, at the Monsen Fever Hospital, of Mr. Pitt, the steward of the Manchester Assize Courts. Mr. Pitt was seized with suiall-pox shortly after the close of the assizes, and was removed to Ationsall at his own request. There is little doubt that he contracted the disease in the performance of his public duties. The Niitional Rite Association have made considerable alterations in the site of the targets for the next Wimbledon meeting, assimilating them in certain respects to the new regulation targets, and grantinz the concession of the "corners " at the :"410 and c();1 yards, at which ranges the bull's-eye is increased two inches in diameter, is diminution of the same amount being made at the short range._  A 1,1,1.1. DEATHS CROSS VA( MATT ov. - At the Gainshro' Board of Guardians, on Tuesday, the deaths of several snore children at Haxey were reported as resulting front vaccination. The guardians unanimously resolved to demand frosts the Local Gcvernwent Board a public inquiry into 'these cases, and urged upon that Board to suspend all further vaccinations throughout the whole union pending the inquiry. RI-11.am E.—The capital sentence on WM. Harbron, awaiting his execution at Manchester County Goal fur the murder of Police•constable Cock, has been commuted, and the prisoner ordered to be confined durinz her Majesty's pleasure. The reprieve has resulted from a memorial to the Home Secretary, numerously signed, in which the opinion was expressed that the evidence on which the prisoner had been cons icted was not sufficiently conclusive.  -- Colonel Alexander, M.P., addressing his constituents at Ayr on Tuesday afternoon, reviewed at considerable length the Eastern question, defending the policy of Government and strongly condemning the attitude taken up by Mr. Gladstone and others of the Liberal party. He called on the electors of South Ayrshire ,0 take an impartial view of the matter, and if they did so, he thought they would come to the conclusion that her Majesty's Ministers were doing their utmost to maintain the honour of the country. THE OUTRAGE UPON LoRD DEitln'A