The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1876-06-13 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

GUNPOWDER.— At Marlesfonl, near Wickham Market, Suffolk, about one o'clock Last Friday morning, a woman of 15 years of age, named :Sarah Solomon, the wife of a grocer and oil merchant, got out of bed, and having taken a large quantity of gunpowder free the shop, she left the house and proceeded a short distance down the road. on reaching Marlesford Church, some MO yards off, she made a circle of the gunpowder, and, placing herself in centre of it, threw a light upon it, and it at once went off. She, however, appears to have been only slightly injured, and VIM able to return again to the shop, where she emptied a canister of powder into a large zinc paiL She then proceeded to an outhouse adjoining the shop, placed herself over the pail, threw a lighted lucifer into the gunpowder, which went off with a loud explosion, blowing the outhouse to pieces, and injuring Mrs. Solomon most severely. Sevmal of the inhabitants, being alarmed by the explosion, ran IMt of their houses, and although the unfortunate woman was severely injured, she was found at the si.le of the shattered outhouse, cutting her throat with a knife, and she succeeded in inficting a fearful wound. Mr. C. Cockerelb surgeon, was sent for, and was soon in attendance on the poor woman, whose death, however, took place on Wednesday ternoun. The deceased attempted to commit suicide IS ths ago, when she suspended herself to the bedpost, but was cut down in time to save her life.  . ..... _ SERIOUS CHAIM!: As Oitoey.n.—At the Ilymouth Petty Sessions, Simon slambly ColwilL grocer, carrying on business in High-street. was charged. that he on the 28th May, unlawfully and knowingly, and for wicked gain sake 4 did compound a certain felony, that is to say, that one Llizabeth Harvey stole (ruin him a loaf of the value of rel., and that he did exact and take,and have of her the sum of LI as a reward for compounding the felony and desisting from the prosecution of her." On the finth of last month the prosecutrix went to the defendant's shop in High-street, where she purchased a small quantity of tea and • loaf of bread. At the same time yielding to a temptation that overcame her, she stole 11 quartern loaf from the shop window and concealed it under her shawl. She then went to the counter and paid for what she had purchased and OILY about to leave the shop. when Mr. Colwill followed her, tapped her on the shoulder, and said, "If you don't pay for what you have taken away I shall give you into the hands of the police." She begged him, for the sake of her hesleuid and children, not to prosecute, hut he said he would not make it up under a sovereign. She told hint she had not got the money, but taking her into an inside room he repeated his demand. She asked him to go with her to her house, but this he refused to de, and ultimately the defendant's servant went to the proseeutrix's house and brought lack two half.sovereigns, which were at once paid to Mr. Colwill. The prosecutrix paid the sovereign on the full understanding that the matter wa.s to be hushed up, but she subsequently found that it was the talk of the whole neighbourhood, and that it had conic to the knowledge of her husband, a hard working nom in a respectable employ, whom she WIM naturally an x toes should know noth ng about it. Hence the present proceedings. The defen‘lant was ix Mlmitted to take his trial at the coining quarter sessions, Isoil being accepted, himself in L5O and a surety in £25. Imeoarsar Orriciat, Brurnley-DavenI port's insinuation that Sir Wilfrid Lawson visited the Derby last year, and returned "somewhat dusty. very cheerful, and with a doll in his flat," induced Mr. Puuch to institute an inquiry as to whether the honourable baronet went to the Derby this year. The following is an abstract of the evidence taken: A gentleman could almost be positive that the honourable baronet sat opposite to him in a train going to Epsom, but his face was partly concealed by a newspaper, the Murithig Ad,. raw', which he NMI intently perusing. Could not BWeer that it was Sir Wilfrid. A purveyor of refreshments said that a gentleman answering to the description oi the member for Carlisle called for a bottle of champagne, and drank it all himself. He observed that it was • great shame that champagne-bottles did not hold an imperial quart. After he left, some one said it was Sir Wilfrid Lawson or Sir William Dawson—could not be sure which; a gipsy fortune-teller Mid she fancied she knew the " pretty gentleman." lie crossed her hand with silver, and was very funny. She asked the find letter of his lirst name, and he said "W." She then toll him that if he would be serious, Ind there was nobody else in the world, he might some day become A great men. This reelued to affect him greatly. Hardly thought sixpence enough for such information. Perhaps souls other pretty gentleman would cross her hand. She thought she saw a gent in the chair eh° liked to "kiss • pretty girl in a corner." (Ordered out of the room.)-"A chemist. of Epsom, gave evidence that &gentleman came into his shop on the afterucon of the Derbz Day, and asked for something to cure the "hiccups, which he said were the result of imprudently drinking some cold water. The gentleman multistate' quite steady by holding on to • chair. Thought it might have been the honourable baronet, because he fancied while he was mixing the draught, he heard something like "Wilfrid, my boy (tic), this is very (tic) had form."—A hansom cab driver deposed to having driven a gentleman answering the description from Epsoru, and on arriving in town he was told to drive to the House of Commons. The House was closed, and the gentleman, who seemed pretty comfortable. said "Of course. yes; I forgot. Never mind; better luck next year." Ho was discharged at Westminster Hall. The next day he found • pocket corkscrew, with the. initials "W.L.," in his cab—Finally, a person gave evidence that the honourable baronet, or some one very like him, wound up his watch in St. James's Perk the next day after the race, and set it by the Horse Guards clock. Mr. Punch does not consider the above evidence sufficient for him to COMO to a decision upon, but mast ask the public to form their own conclusions on this Most Important matter.—Penek.