Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1888-01-07 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

CENTENARIANS OF 1887.  During the past year the deaths of numerous persons who , had reached or exceeded their century were recorded. Miss Anne Penelope Hoare died at 9, St. James's-square, in her 101st year; Miss Ellen Lingard died at Southport at the same age. The death of Mrs. Charlotte Pigot, at Whittington Rectory, Kirby, Lonsdale, occurred at the age of 102, and Donald Young died at Tighnabruich, Argyleshire, in his 107th year. Jane Harris, widow, died at Casdethorpe, having nearly completed 107 years, up to recently in full possession of all her faculties. Mary Davies, widow, died at Llanyerwys, and in connection with her decease it was stated that 11 centenarians had died in the Principality during the past three years. Betty Charles died near Monmouth, aged 109. She was an out-door pauper, and her age on the relieving officer's list was 104. Mrs. Walkling died at Swanley Junction, Kent, at the age of 103. Mrs. Mary Holland, at Ramsay, Isle of Man, in her 101st year. The latter conversed with all her friends a quarter of an hour before she died, and all her faculties were intact. Mrs. Charlotte Williams died at Bristol, aged 103. Two of her -brothers were killed at Waterloo. Among foreign centenarians, Dr. S. P. Neklevitch's death Was recorded at the age of 109. He was a Russian physician, and a quarter of an hour before his death he wrote a prescription for one of his patients. Other Russian centenarians were a woman aged 107, a peasant, v. ho died aged 118, and a merchant's widow, who died aged 122. Miss Catherine Hen thhorne, " The Maid of Kent," celebrated her 03rd birthday in March, and Mrs. Francis, widow of Tymaen, Wales, attained her 107th year in Aurist. The oldest specimen of humanity alive (acaurding to the American papers) is -lames James, a negro, residing at Santa Rosa, Mexico. He alleges that he was born near Dorchester, South Carolina, in 1752. He was a slave. In 1776 he took part in an action against the British fleet at Charleston, and went through the War of Independence. Mr. Lewis Lewis, of Sandhurst, New Zealand, a native of lOchester, attained, in September, his 104th year. His father lived to be 107. The Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages records in his report tor the year 1886 the deaths of no fewer than 71 centenarians, of whom 44 were women and 27 men.  Albert Mathison, ut her Majesty's ship Impregnable, has effected a brave rescue from drowning in the River Soar, at Leicester. A girl named Freer, aged 13, was sliding, when the ice suddenly gave way, and she sank. Battinson, who witnessed the accident, divedlin after her, and succeeded with much difficulty in getting her on the bank. Restoratives were applied, and she gradually recovered.  A man named Adamson on returning home at Woolwich found his wife lying on the floor of her bedroom. She had been drinking, and, thinking she would be all right when she had slept it off, he went to bed. On his awaking next morning, the woman was still unconscious on the floor, and she died shortly afterwards. A coroner's jury has attributed death to apoplexy, accelerated by chronic alcoholism.  On the arrival ot a train at reterborough from London on Saturday, the dead body of a gentleman, with his brains blown out, was found in a first-class compartment. In his pocket was a memorandum, giving his name as Alfred Paget, solicitor, and his address in London, together with the words: "if I am found shot I have committed suicide."  George Parkinson, a clergyman, who had been reported missing fer some time past, has been committed for trial at Bath charged with obtaining money under false pretences. He had opened a small account at a local hank, and used the cheques when he had no assets. He procured sums of £lO and lb from another clergyman whom he had known at p"llasre.