Widnes Examiner. — 1882-08-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE ALLEGED GREAT MINING FRAUDS.—A remarkable eharge of fraud has been investigated by the Bristol magistrates. A notorious person named Edwin Harvey Wedge, having bought the abandoned workings of an old tin mine in Cornwall for £5OO, floated the "Cornwall Great Consols Mining Company," representing it as a valuable undertaking, the shares in which were chiefly held by a "wealthy syndicate." On these representations he obtained several thousands of pounds from residents in Manchester, Liverpool, and elsewhere. From the rcine only £3OO worth of tin was ever extracted, and it was subsequently ascertained, as alleged br the prosecution, that the " company " was Wadge himself, the other members of the "syndicate being his clerks and office boys some of whom figured as holders of many thousand pound; worth of shares. Wedge was on Thursday committed for trial. At a meeting of the Liberal electors of Halifax on Thursday evening a resolution was passed expressing deep sympathy with Mr. Hutchinson, who has Wen compelled through ill-health to retire from the representation of the borough, and gratefully acknowledging his services to the town and to the Liberal party. Mr. T. Shaw was, by another resolution, unanimously accepted as the Liberal candidate to succeed Mr. Hutchinson. He addressed the meeting on current political topics, and was warmly received. He said he gave his cordial support to Mr. Gladstone's Goveinment, and should earnestly support such measures as the procedure rules, household suffrage for the counties, the extention of local government, and the adoption of the principle of local option. He believed the troubles in Ireland were coming to an end. Mr. Shaw's election will not be opposed, the Conservative party in the borough having resolved that it is inexpedient at the present time to force a contest.  On Thursday morning, Thomas Alexander Heyes Robinson, described as a gentleman of independent means, was brought up in custody before the Wigan county magistrates charged with shooting at two police-constables with intent to murder. Last week Mr. Justice Chitty committed Robinson for contempt for assault on" a process server, and on Taesday night the deputy Dipstaff and two constables attempted to arrest him on the judge's warrant. Robinson presented a pistol at them, and threatened to shoot them if they approached. The men tried to obtain an entrance to his room, whereupon Robinson took up a gun and fired at them, the bullet smashing the door panel, one of the constables being struck by the splinters of the door. They retired for reinforcements, and on Wednesday night seven officers proceeded to Orrell-mount, prisoner's residence. Constable Stead was first, and on ascending the staircase Robinson appeared on the landinq, and, presenting a revolver, cried out he would shoot him if he approached further. Stead made a rush forward, whereupon Robinson fired, a bullet striking the wall at the bottom of the staireise.; The prisoner was then secured. A revolver with four chariibers still loaded, and a double-barrelled gun were producild in court. Formal evidence having been given the prisdner was remanded till Monday. The case excited considerable interest,- the prisoner being well known. The chancery proceedings have arisen out of matrimonial differURA.