Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1899-06-30 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

YOUNG SENTRY SCARED.  HE FIRES FOUR ROUNDS AT THE RELIEF PART Y.  Mr. Justice Wright tried an extraordinary ;.ase at Winchester on Monday, Henry Hutto. a marine, aged eighteen, of one year's service, 1.-ing charged with shooting with intent to murder Alfred Valentine Davis, a lance-corporal. Accused, it appeared, was on sentry duty at Forton Barracks on January 24th from midnight till 2a in., and when Davis came round with the relief party, Sutton immediately opened lire on them with ball cartridge, firing four rounds. Davis was shot in the head and thigh, and. according to the doctor, had a miraculous escape from death.  Sutton had contrary to the orders read to him. opened and used ball cartridges, and on being asked for an explanation of his conduct, said he did not know why he did it, for he had no illfeeling against anyone. During the enquiry it was shown that there had been a ghost scare at Gosport in connection with the barracks, and the plea now put forward for the defence was that, having heard older soldiers' ghost stories, the accused became unnerved. The jury found him guilty of unlawful wounding, but considering that his action was prompted by fright, recommended him to leniency. The judge liberated Sutton on his own recognisance&  The new gymnasium for children in Southwark Park was opened on Saturday evening by Mr. J. Piggott, 1..C.C. A sandpit for the use of the younger children is to be added, and will contain about 140 tons of sea sand.  An agreement has been entered into between the City and Brixton and the City and South London Railway companies, by which the former NV ill hand over their railway (n hen completed) to the latter at a yearly rental of £25,600.  A Home Office Blue Book reports that our trade in explosives continues growing, seven new factories having been added last year; and that the number of deaths from accidents by fire or exploaion in manufacture was only two.  A number of members of the Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men on Saturday journeyed from London to Rochester, taking tea in the celebrated Dickens room at the Bull Hotel. The castle and cathedral were also visited.  Dominion Day will be celebrated by Canadians in Loudon a; heretofore by a dinner on July Ist, to be held at the Trocadero Restlturant. Early application for tickets should be made to the secretary, Caoadian Government Offices, 17, Victoria Street, B.W.  An engine-driver, a fireman, and a shunter were billed by a collision during shunting operations at Reading on Saturday. By a c,.incidence all three were bearers at the funeral a few days previously of a comrade who WIPA Aldo killed on the line.  It transpired on Saturday that a Continental express on the Crest Eastern Railway had narrowly escaped being thrown off the line in consequence ci• stones having been placed upon the rails. Proceedings are to be taken against two boys who are suspected of having committed the offence. The junior member for Oldham having now resigned, Mr. James Mawdsley, of the Operative Cotton-Spinners, has been selected by the Conservatives for the second vacancy. His address, and that of Mr. Winston J. Churchill, will be published shortly. The Earl of Ilehester, Lord and Lady Wolverton, the Hon. Mr. Lanibton, Major Wynne Finch, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sassoon, and Captain Fortescue arrived at Broughton Castle, Banbury, on Saturday night, on a week-end visit to Lord and Lady Algernon Gordon Lennox. Mr. James Lovegrove, chief surveyor of Hackney far over forty years, retired from his office on miturday, and us. presented by the stuff with an illuminated address. Mr. Lovegrove was the inventor of the system of house drainage now %boost universally adopted in this country.  [