Alston Herald, and East Cumberland Advertiser. — 1880-10-16 (Alston, Cumbria, England)

COMMITTAL OF A TEES DALE FARMER FOR WOOL STEALING.  On Wednesday afternoon, at a special sitting of the Greta Bridge Police Court, before Captain* 'Tome, a farmer, named William Dixon, living at Hunderthwaite, was brought up on remand, charged with stealing 41 fleeces of wool, the property of Thomas Sayer, a neighbouring farmer. The court was crowded, and the investigation lasted several hours. Owing to the recent occurrence of several daring and mysterious robberies in the neighbourhood, unusual interest was manifested in the proceedings. Mr T. Richardson of Barnard Castle appeared to prosecute, and Mr Draper, of Stockton, defended. It appeared that prisoner had sold a quantity of wool to Messrs Arrowsmith and Son of Barnard Castle. Prosecutor hearing of this circumstance, and having himself missed numerous fleeces from his store-room at New Houses, Baldersdale proceeded to Barnard Castle, and inspected the wool sold by the prisoner. He found 28 fleeces which he could positively swear to, and there were 13 others which he believed to be his property, but, owing to the marks being less distinct, he declined to identify them on oath. He, however, on being pressed, declined to amend the sworn information charging prisoner with stealing 41 fleeces. From the evidence of another farmer, it transpired that prisoner had taken his cart surreptitiously for the purpose of conveying the stolen wool to market. Prisoner had not returned the cart. This witness saw several sacks containing wool in a plantation, and denies that he ever told the prisoner to sell wool on his account. Captain Home said he had made up his mind to commit the prisoner for trial to the Quarter Sessions at Northallerton.—Mr Drapersaid his client pleaded not guilty, and at the proper time ho would completely answer the charge.—The presiding magistrate said he would accept ball to the amount of £lOO. Bail, however, was not forthcoming, and prisoner was removed to the cells,  On Saturday, an old man, who called at the Greenock Infirmary for advice, suddenly dropped on the floor and died in a few minutes.  On Saturday an inquest was held at Liverpool on the body of a man whose death was caused by erysipelas, consequent on being tattooed. A Capetovm telegram, dated the Bth, nays Lerothodi, the Basuto chief, is concentrating his force near Mafeting. Consul Blunt, of Salonica, reports to Mr Goschen at Constantinople that a poor girl who was kidnapped was sold too Turk. at Ropotou, Macedonia, for £l2 Turkish.  It is announced from New York that the corner-stone of the pedestal on which the Egyptian obelisk is to stand was laid. on Saturday in the Central Park with imposing Masonic ceremonies. The customers of the Earl of Dudley and Messrs William Burrows and Sons, the two leading firms in South Staffonlahire iron trade, have received the official announcement of the drop in iron of Its per ton. Bars, sheets, and plates are all minced in the same proportion.  A panic occurred on Sunday at the small Catholic Chapel at Gweedove, which was the scene of the late calamitous flood. Some slates were blown from the roof during mass, and a rush was made for the door, several persons being badly crushed. Mr Luke Hardy, who was promoted to the rank of Quartermaster for his bravery at Waterloo, where he was severely wounded, died at Nottingham on Monday in his eighty-fourth year. Mr Hardy has, for upwards of 30 years, been a member of the Nottingham Corporation as councillor and alderman.  The British and African Company's royal mail steamer Benguela, which has arrived at Liverpool, reports that she left Sierra Leone on the 21st September, on which date James Craig Loggie was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for embezzlement. It was understood that his defalcations amounted to £1,700. An Oxfordshire clergyman has been sued at the Nuneaton County Court by J. T. Collett, describing himself as a Master of Arts and an author, residing at Nuneaton, for 108 6d, the value of a sermon written by the plaintiff, and alleged to have been supplied to the defendant. In the absence of any defence, a verdict for the plaintiff was entered for the amount claimed. Sir Thomas Gladstone, "our William's" brother, has made a speech in which he denounces the Gladstonian policy as mischevious and foolish. 0, Tommy, Tommy. Do you remember what he who calls his brother a fool is in danger of? Don't bring disgrace on the family by ending your days there, pray !—Referee. At the Bolan Heath Police Court, near Birmingham, a romantic case of attempted suicide was investigate& The prisoner, Agnes Bullock, was engaged to be married, but her parents objected, and she went at a late hour to her lover's lodgings and cut her throat with a razor. She was found on the doorstep nearly dead. The prisoner, who had been in the hospital several weeks, was now discharged on her friends undertakuig to take charge of her. A mysterious outrage Is reported at Oldham. The other night as a young woman was repairing home she was accosted by a man who attempted to make her taste some liquid in a bottle he had in his hand. She resisted, but soon fell overpowered. In the meantime the ruffian decamped. As soon as she recovered consciousness she gave an alarm but the fellow was nowhere to be found.  A