Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1897-09-10 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER AGAINST  AN AMOR. At Enfield Petty Sessions, on Monday, George Marlow Pratt. 30, described as an actor, of The Willows, East Barnet Road, Enfield, was charged with causing the death of Frederick Grant Lockyer, aged 34, an artificial florist,of Ormond°, East Barnet Road. ,According to the evidence of Dr. Wood, 2 servant come to him with • message front Mr. Pratt that a serious accident had occurred to Mr. Lock. ver. She was followed shortly alter by the prisoner himself, who told him that a loaded revolver had gone oil and wounded a gentleman, and that he had seen blood corning from the latter's mouth. At Ormond., on going into the drawing-room, be saw Mr. Lockyer ou the sofa. Blood was coming from his mouth, and from an examination the doctor found that the deceased had been shot through the neck, the bullet having passed out in front, smashing the lower jaw, and indenting the wall. WI the way in, the house the accused told the doctor how the fatality occurred, lie said, "1 bought the pistol as a present for my brother,who was ill. I had it in my pocket, mid, getting out my tobacco pouch, it acedwally went off." The pocket of Mr. Pratt's coat eai torn, and it smelt of gunpowder. The prisoner del not explain how lie canto to be in the er to Mr. A Droughton, who appeared for the dot- nee.t he doctor added that when tile accused called for him he was without a liat,his necktie flying about, and in µ great state of perturbation.—The evidence of Inspeaor Dowdy showed that he arrested the accused at Iris mother's lioiiei.,whichi wren separated by &fence front Mr. Lockyer's. Mr. Pratt made no reply, but when asked for the revolver ire crud that his brother had tak. nit away. Subsequently a cardboard box, containing a six-chambered Colt's revolver, two chambers of which were loaded with ball cartridges, and a third chamber having an empty cartridge, were shown him, and the prisoner admitted that this wits what he shot the deceased with. The prisoner wits iii quite a prostrate condition and wept mos/ bitterly. Prisoner was remanded.  Elizabeth Montgomery, aged sixty-five, bas commiited suicide by leaping from the window of her s:st,r'sliouse in Avenue Itice, Paisley. She fell • distance of three storeys, and was killed instautatiee uusly.  General-Lieutenant von &Misch, the acting (pg. tom.) commander of the Odessa forces, has shot  William Denton,Hewitt Street. Ardwierottut John Baines, Callender Street, Ancoats, were retmuided at the Manchester Police Court, on Saturday, on a charge of stabbing John Coombs, a market porter,the other day. It was stated the prisoners attacked the prosecutor because he remonstrated with them for molesting a girl, and that the prosecutor received stabs in each hand and the right arm.  On Saturday tio in e men on board a steam yacht found the body of a:man floating in Shields Har.bour. The remains were quite warm, and how the deceased got into the water is a my.tery. He was respectably attired, evidently 'belonging to the seafaring class. Deceased wean about forty years of age,and of medium height and build. There was nothing in his pockets to lead to his identification.  China is thoroughly replenishing her depleted arsenals ; that is being done largely under European supervision. During August one of the largest orders in steel ever received in Sheffield WWI booked for China. It had been in suspense for months, and was believed to be' off," and it has come in at last. Armour-plates are at present being produced in Sheffield for Japan, Chili, Sweden, Russia, and Spain. A fine of £lO was, at the North London Polies' Court, imposed on Alfred Henry Day, of Higlibury, the sou of a medical man, who had signed his father's name to a death certificate. There was no allegation that the patient, a child, had been improperly treated, but the magistrate remarked that conduct such as had been proved opened the door to all kinds of fraud, villainy, and crime. John M'Neh, a constable in the Wigan borough police force, on Saturday attempted to commit suicide in the river Douglas. M'Neil threw himself into the water, and finding that the river was not sufficiently deep to drown him, he took up a large stone and battered his head with it. It wax found that his mind was deranged, and he was removed to an asylum. M'Neil was one of the best known and most highly resnented officers in the force.  At the instance of the Islington Vestry, St”plion Evans, a dairyman, WilA 1,11 1111 l ionod to Clerkenwell Police Court, London, for ,mllintr milk adulterated with water. He was orderA to pay a fiuu of £lO and the costa.  A porter engaged in el ting operation@ at Clapham Junction (South-Walden' Railway) Station, was shockingly crushed between Como carriages closing in. When pulled out he was appurevoly in a dying state. He was taken to St. Thomas's Hospital.  The " Wed Cork Eagle" announces -that at a meeting of the Schull Guardians a number of farnaera from Long Island brought before Ow Board the almout total failure of the potato crop on 4/ island. Since 1847 no both calamity has bcl that locality. • •  Lord Fovershant's park, at lielinsloy, Yorkshire, has this week been the scene ot an interesting historY play, in which nearly two hundred children WON, engaged. The period dealt with wise that of Walter Espee, Lord of the Ilniolake, mid the foundation of Kirkham and Kievanlx bbrys.