The Express. — 1867-10-01 (London, England)

SIMPSON. as chairman of a co-operative store, waa well aequainted with the benefits of the 00-operstive system; but, as a Manchester cotton spinner, having sbotrisoo people dependent upon him, he must say that be had been met with a serious practical difficulty at the outset as regards the formation of these partnerships of industry. Mr. Briggs spoke of dividing the profits over 10 per cent. with the men, hut bow were they to manage when the profits were nothing like 10 per cent? (Hear, bear.) The employer encountered all the risk in bad times, and it was hardly reasonable to expect him to share his profits with his work. people just at the time when trade happened to be most prosperous. Mr. W. MORRIE; said the ease laid before the meeting was hardly a fair one. During the last two or three years coal had advanced in price frem 80 to 100 per cent. Mr. Batons—Not so much as that; it has increased, and so have colliers' wages. Mr. MORRIB repeated that the experiment could hardly be considered applicable to the trade in this district, as nothing like the same amount of profit was available for division.  ile;gthy discussion ensued, in the coarse of which the Rev. W. N. MOLLMWORTH said that working men really took their share of responsibility in bad times as well as the capitalist, since they had to submit to diminished wages. Eventually the proposition was agreed to, with the verbal amendment suggested by Mr. Holyoake. The next proposition (adopted unanimously, after discusidon) was, That it is desirablo to form an organised union of the friends of industrial partnerships and co-operation." In the evening a crowded public meeting ova held in the Assembly Rooms of the Free-trade liTalj;eresidedover by Mr. T. Hughes, M.P., who was su by most of the 'gentlemen who attended the con r erence. The room wee well filled by a mixed audience, the working class element predominating. The Vim. Archdeacon Sandford, Mr. Morrison, M.P., and the Rev. J. P. Hoppa were among the speakers.  Mr/WER BY • Putienn.—About eight o'clock on Saturday night the inmates of the Stockport onion workhouse were alarmed by the report that a murder bad been committed in the lunatic ward by • violent young man, named William Burns, aged 30 ; and that the victim was an imbecile pauper, named Issao Twigg, nearly 80 years of age, who was in bed at the time. Twigg's wife died in the workhouse on Sanday, since which time the old man's. mind gave way, and he persisted inireeping his bed. Burns, who was in the same room, suddenly broke out into • paroxysm of madness, during which he seised the leg of an iron bedstead which lay loose on the floor, and made • desperate attack upon the old man, during which he levelled • violent blow upon his head, splitting his skull and besmearing the clothing with blood. 1111 imbecile attendant named James Gasside rushed to the old man's help, but he was not able to cops with his formidable umlaut, and was soon beaten down with the weapon, and the lunatic next proceeded to demolish the windows of the room, the noise of which brought help from other parte of the establishment, and with some difficulty be wee secured. Surgical help was sent for, and Dr. P. Downer attended to give the injured man what relief he could, but be was found to be suffering from &fracture of the skull, which terminated his existence at eight o'clock on the following morning. Garaide's wounds are, fortunately, not serious. Burns was immediately placed in safe custody on the charge of murder, awaiting the result of the coroner's inquest.