The Potteries Examiner : — 1876-09-02 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

SERIOUS CHAUGE AGAINST A POLICE-CONSTABLE. —At the Wednesbury Police Court, on Tuesday, John Marshall was brought up in custody before Mr. I. Spooner, stipendiary, charged with having committed a rape upon Ellen Kirby, aged 1.5, the daughter of one of his immediate neighbours. A second magistrate being necessary for the hearing of the charge, and as the attendance of one could not then be secured, the accused was remanded in custody till Saturday, at West Bromwich. The allegation agaimt the prisoner is that while on duty on Saturday night, he being at the time a member of the county constabulary, he forced the prosecutriz into his house, in the absence of his wife from home, and there perpetrated the offence complained of. Immediately afterwards information was given to his superior officers, and he was apprehended. ATTIMPTED SUICIDE BY A Boy—At the Thames Police Court, London, on Tuesday morning, James Snell, a little boy, who was in tears and had his throat bandaged up, was brought before Mr. De Rutzen, charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat with a knife. Mary Ann Snell, the boy's mother, said that he had formerly worked with his father' but recently went to work with a Man who pro. mised to pay him as. a week. He only Mild him, however, as., and this distressed the boy very much; and one evening she found him in the yard, trying to cut his throat with am old knife. When he was removed to the hospital to have the wound dressed he said he wished he hail done it altogether; but when charged with attempting to commit suimle by the police he said the wound was inflicted accidentally. Mr. de Batten said he should send him to the House of Correction for a week, where he hqped, by the aid of the chaplain, he would be made to think what a foolish and wicked act he had attempted. A Cirtov.em Comm ow Bnium.—The equanimity of the religious world in Heywood is much disturbed by an edict, consisting of 24 causes, which the Rev. T. J. Henderson, MA., rector of the Parish Church, has issued for the observance of the members of the Parish Church choir. Among other things with which these rules deal, are the following t " Each member of the choir must communicate at least once a month. They shall be admitted members by a proper dedication. Their surplices most be after a certain pattern, and so long as mosocks are not worn each member must appear in dark dress and black necktie. Members must not sing in the streets. They are not to frequent public-houses or other places of gambling resort." Rule 22 mys " Members of the chow are not to sing in Dissenting schools or chapels, or for the promotion of dissent from the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, either directly or indirectly." A printed copy of the edict has been sent to each member of the choir, and a meeting has been held at which the choir decided to absent themselves from church until the obnoxious rules are withdrawn. Consequently, on Sunday, the ritual at St. Luke's was not so elaborate as usual. There are not many abstainers in the choir, but there are mendiers who have rendered good service by singing at Dissenting Sunday school anniversaries. On Sunday evening a notice was posted in the entrance porch of the Church inviting persons to form a new choir. _ _