Widnes Examiner. — 1885-02-21 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

ATTEMP TED SUICIDE AT RUNCORN.—MT James Craig (L anion University Intermediate BA. Examination), head master of the Runcorn Collegiate School, made a most demined attempt upon his life early on Monday morning. For several weeks Mr Craig has been in a weak state of health, and owing to the severe mental trial to which he constantly subjected himself, and his unsuccessful efforts to commence a school at Frodsham,his mind had given sigos of slight mental aberration. During a few nights preceding his rash act, the unfortunate gentleman had been unable to sleep, and between five and six o'clock on Mondry morning, he asked Mrs Craig to allow him to sit in a chair by the fire in the bedroem, hoping by this means to induce slumber. Whilst ; Mr Craig was sitting upon the chair, Mrs Craig lay dozing upon the bed, but awaking in a few minutes she discovered that her husband had left the room. She went in search of I him, and in the dressing-room her husband, lying on the! bed in a pool of blood, and with a blood-stained ranr in his band, met her horrified gaze. Blood was gushing from a fearful gash in the throat, the wound no doubt having been inflicted by the razor. Dr. Robinson was immediately sent for, and that gentleman has done everything that skill and medical science can suggest for his patient. Last evening Mr. Craig was in a very critical condition, although conscious, his mind is evidently disordered to some extent, and throughout the town the greatest sympathy is expressed for the unfortunate gentleman. ATLAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED, Wings.—The tenth annual meeting of the !shareholders of this company WAS held at the Central Hotel on Tuesday; Alderman T Cook, Mayor of St. Helens, in the chair. The directors in their report stated that the advanced prices which were realised for salt cake and bleichint powder early in 1884 , were not fully maintained throughout the year ; nevertheless they were such as to enable a fair amount of profit to be realised. The net balance of profit for the year was £14,215 Is Os •, surplus from previous year, £514 18s ; total, £14,729 19a 6d. The directors recommended that this sum be appropriated as follows :—let, A dividend of 15s Per share, free of income tax, £l3OOO ; 20d, a bonus of 10a pr share he credited to each shareholder on account of uncalled capital, £4 000 ; 3rd, to depreciation fund, £4,000; 4th, balance due to next year's account, £729 193 61. The directors very much regret the loss, by death, of Alderman Joseph Cook, who for so many years held the position of chairman, and had rendered efficient service to the cornleelve since its formation.—The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said he looked forward to the coming year without apprehension, and in spite of the continued depression of trade, which had been brought about by the , competition of rival processes, he ventured to hope that I brighter times were in store for the company in the future. I —The motion was seconded, and Mr • Robinson observed' that the company was in an incomparably better poittion than it ever had been. The report and statement of accounts were adopted. The retiring directors, Mr Thomas Cook, Mr B Brown, and Mr H Brunner, were unanimously re-elected. Messrs Stead, Taylor and Stead were re-appointed auditors to the company.