Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1891-05-16 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

DEATH OF AN AUSTRALIAN STATESMAN. Sir John Robertson, K. C. M. G. , the well-known New South Wales statesman, whose death is just announced, at the age of 75, was born in Essex, in the year 1816. At an early age he was taken by is parents to Sydney, and remained in the colony until the age of 16. Being then anxious to see the world, he sailed for England, working his way out, and after making some sojourn in the mother country, went to South America. On his return to New South Wales, young Robertson turned his attention to farming, and soon became a prominent figure among the squatters of the colony. When, in 1856, New South Wales received its new Constitution, Mr. Robertson was the first man called upon to offer himself as a candidate. Being elected, he from that time forth took a prominent part in the political We of the colony, and two years later became a member of the Ministry, accepting the post of Minister for Lands and Works in the Administration of Mr. (afterwards Sir Charles) Cooper. Upon the retirement of the latter in 1860 Mr. Robertson became Premier. He afterwards held various posts in successive Ministries, and was himself Premier in 1860, 1868, 1885, and 1886. In 1877 his services were recognised by the Crown by the bestowal upon him of the dignity of K.C.M.G. During his short stay in England, when a youth, Mr. Robertson received much kindly notice from Lord Palmerston. It happened that a young man of good English family was serving on the farm of the elder Mr. Robertson as a convict labourer, and when young Robertson started for England this person entrusted to his care some letters to his relatives in the old country. Lord Palmerston chanced to hear of this circumstance, and, as the convict was the son of a neighbour of his lordship, the kindly nobleman invited the Australian youth to his house, awl ultimately took him to see the mother of the banished man, in order that the sorrowing lady might learn all possible particulars regarding her absent son. Struck by his young visitor's abilities, Lord Palmerston expressed a desire to advance his prospects, for which Mr. Robertson thanked his lordship, but explained that, as he did not intend to remain long in England, he would be unable to avail himself of the offer.  Signor Corte, the Italian consul, has addressed a letter to the district attorney of New Orleans, in ahich he declines to accept the dictum of the grand lury., and argues that only two of the lynched !tahans were citizens of the United States, A basis 18 consequently afforded for a general action for dainag„ es, which will probably be taken. Signor wrte has also written to the grand jury, complaining that in their report they altered the statements „wilich he had made before them. He now declares mkt an extra judicial body, appointed by the ina.yer, premeditated the killing of the Italian Prisoners, and that a meeting was held at which the lener:sary steps were arranged in cold blood. 40thing whatever was done to prevent the murders, tad some officials actually assisted in the tragedy.  IN EXECUTIONER'S TROUBLESOME CUSTOMER& _ _  M. Deibler has had s(mte trouble with his: country customers lately. Last week the chief headsman found it a difficult matter to guillotine a peasant, who kicked and plunged until his neck was forced into the lunette. On Sunday morning the executiortT beheaded, at Chambery, an Italian namcql Spaggiari, who, while undergoing penal servitude at Albertville for manslaughter, stabbed a workman to death. Before geizg to the guillotine the Italian demeaned himself like a madman. When M. Deibler approached to pinion him he Ina& a blow at a turnkey who was btanding near. Whil4 in the prison-vate---into which he had to be carriud by force—Spaggiari shouted out continually "Dirty Frenchmen!" and spat all round him. He kept a cigar between his lips to the last, and, although he listened to the prayers of the prison chaplain, he seemed determined to go out of life as turbulently as possible. It is true that four small glasses of aniseed and the cigar with which he was supplied before execution may have had some effect in unduly excitirg his cerebral faculties, for before he drank the liquor or lighted the weed he was 'lazed and docile.