The Potteries Examiner : — 1875-05-22 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

COWS POISONED BY A POLLUTED STREAM.  On Wednesday afternoon at the meeting of the rural sanitary authority of the Bury Union, Dr. Barr, medical officer of health, said that Mr. Cocker, farmer, Brandlesome Hall, had reported to him the poisoning of two cows through drinking water from a stream (a tributary of the river Irwell) which ran down by Kirklees, and on the banks of which there were several works and manufactories. The cows died in twelve hours after drinking the water. He (Dr. Barr) had seen the stomachs of the cows, and had not the least doubt that the animals had died from poison. He (Dr. Barr) had, however, no power to interfere in the mat. ' ter.—Mr. Hoyle thought it was rather a case for the ,1 new bill that is before Parliament—Dr. Barr said the cows had no doubt been poisoned by the discharge of refuse, &c., from works along the stream.—The Clerk said the rural sanitary authority could not do anything in the matter. The best plan would be for Mr. Cocker to consult his solicitors.—Mr. Isherwood thought that in prosecuting a new bill an instance like this should not be passed by.—The Chairman (Rev. E. Westerman) said they should have to wait until Lord Salisbury's bill passed through the House, and then no doubt there would be power to look into such a case—The subject then dropped.  SrerrEE IN INi:int.—Another case of suttee is re. ported by the Tines of India as having occurred recently in a village near Imcknow. Having bathed and dressed, the suttee went to the burning-place, accompanied by her relatives and a number of low-cast Hindoos whe were in charge of the dead body. Wood being scarce, the funeral pile was in part constructed of other fuel, which was heaped round the woman as she sat with the head of her deceased husband in her lap. The pile was then covered with straw, her nephew handed the suttee's lighted torch, and in a moment the whole mass was on fire. The chowkeydac and the policeman, when they arrived, found only a heap of ' ashes. About thirty persons, including the village heashuan, and the woman's relatives, have been committed to the sessions, on the charge of having been directly or indirectly guilty of murder. SHOCKING CRUELTY AT See..—By the arrival at Bristol of the schooner Carrie Annie we learn of shocking cruelty to one of the crew, which resulted in his death, and the arrest of the captain and mate for murder. From the commencement of the voyage from Rio Grande Captain Joseph Little and the mate, Alexander Thain, continually ill used Henry Pountuess, aged 17, a native of Worcestershire. When off the coast of Ireland, the cook and others of the crew being sick, the boy was asked to cook, and replied that he could not. The captain then ordered him to be chained up to the skylight naked, where he was left eight hours in a cold, misty rain. This treatment Was repented slay after day, but although the boy complained that he was very ill and should she, the captain refused to release him, and left him chained until within two hours of his death, which occurred on the 2ud of May. The vessel was 87 days on the voyage from Rio Grande, when it drifted, being without mast, into Valenti& Bay. The captain and mate were arrested at Valentia, where they tire now awaiting their trial for murder.