The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1871-09-16 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

THE DEATH OF RENFORTH.—The special reporter of the Newcastle Chronicle telegraphs from St. John, N. 8., that the inquest on Renforth was concluded on Friday. Two medical gentlemen gave evidence that the descaaed had died from asphyxia, produced by congestion of the lungs, and the jury found a verdict accordingly. N 0 traces of poison were discovered in the body.—The funeral of Renforth took place at Gateshead on Sunday, special trains being run from the outlying districts. The funeral procession left the residence of the deceased for the cemetery headed by a brass band playing the "Dead March." The pall bearers were four gentlemen who accompanied the Tyne crew to America.'' It is computed that abcut 7000 persons were present at the funeral. Considerable damage was done to the grounds.—The Field, after reviewing the evidence at the inquest, arrives at the following conclusions :-Ist.—There was a sufficient interval of time when the poison might have been administered. 2nd.—There is the assertion made by Renfwth when first attacked, that he "had had something," followed afterwards by the remarkable words, "It is not a fit I have had; I will tell you all about it directly." 3rdly.—There are the symptoms, which are unmistakeably similar to those of poisonings by a vegetable sedative. 4thly. There is the medical evidence of the non-existence of heart diserse, as proved by the post-mortem. While, to set against these, we have only the nondiscovery of poison after the chemical analysis of the contents of the stomach—which result everyone but a tyro in chemistry would expect, even if it were admitied that one of several vegetable poisons had been administered, . We are not called upon to point out the motive for this horrible murder, if our supposition is correct; but, although it is stated that very little betting took place, the fact that Z 30,000 was wagered during the night previous to the race is enough to show that a sufficient Pecuniary interest was involved, and we need look no further to supply the void. Unhappily, murders caused by filthy lucre are only too common in this country for us to throw the stone at the natives of any other land, and we can only regret that human nature in the Western Hemisphere should be equally prone to crime.  A meeting was held last night at Soho Working Men's Club, London, and a petition adopted to Parliament in favour of an increase in the gold and silver currency. Stepney-green, London, is to be converted into a public recreation ground at an expense of £3OOO, which will be provided by the metropolitan board works.  The other day, some miscreants attempted to upset the mail train from Sligo to Dublin by placeing several planks and iron rails on the track. The train was Lrought to a btandstill with only slight damage, and no one was hurt. . .  On'S:iturdav an inquest was held at Birmingham on the body 01 Robert FBaiji, lithographic printer, who had died from the effects of an overdose of laudanum taken to procure relief from heart disease.  Of the 9000 officers in the volunteer force, nearly 300 have up to the present time passed the examination required by the Secretary of State for War, and received certificates of proficiency in their duties.  The death is announced of Hr. Richard Bentley, the well-known publisher, which took place on Sunday, in the 77th year of his age. His name will be remembered as the founder, in conjunction with Charles Dickens, of Bentley's Magazine. The bill-posters of London and the country had a dinner at the Crystal Palace on Tuesday. About 100 were present. The society of bill-stickers in the United Kingdom, on behalf of which the dinner was held, numbers about 400 members.  An old man, named M'Kewn, 80 years of age, who had lodged for some time past at a publichouse in Portman-mews South. Portman-square, London, was burned to death in his bedroom on Tuesday night. Nearly all the furniture in the room was destroyed before the fire was put out. It is said to be the intention of the authoritie.s, in consequence of Sir Hope Grant's report at the last Easter Monday review, to abolish all Volunteer field artillery. Mr. Russell Gurney, M.P., sailed from Liverpool on Satruday, in the Cunard steamer China, for the United States. The hon. and learned gentleman was accompanied by Mr. S. H. Northcote, the son of Sir Stafford Northeote, who will act as secretary to Mr. Russell Gurney. Young ladies are advised always to untie and well examine any anonymous bouquet or basket of flowers which they may receive. A lady was about throwing away some flowers recently, and discovered a note containing an offer of marriage from a very bashful lover.