The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1887-01-22 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. favour of his candidalure, which was confirmed by the -unanimous vote of the association, and on Saturday a numerously and influentially signed requisition of the Liberal Unionists reached Mr. Goschen's London residence. The Conservative Divisional Council also unanimously invited Mr. Goschen to stand, a request which was further enforced by a deputation of Conservatives who waited on Mr. Goschen. In the meantime Mr. Gotchen had also received an independent requisition from large numbers of merchants, shipowners, bankers, and brokers of both political parties. Mr. Goschen, it was understood, was somewhat reluctant to enter upon a contested election at this moment, but his hesitation was to a great extent removed by the assurance that a prolonged personal canvass will not be expected of him. Under these circumstances, and in view of the urgent invitations of Unionists of both political parties, Mr. Goschen finally decided to allow himself to be nominated.  Five years' penal servitude was awarded at Birming. ham on Saturday to George Buller and J C. HoMoron, for cases of "long firm" swindling in Cardiff, BristO and elsewhere. The police stated that there were 150 additional complaints, and that there were officers waiting to arre.t them for forgery at Cardiff. Both prisoners pleaded "Guilty " to several indictments. A distressing case of suicide is reported from Batycliffe, a village near Ulverstone. A man had been out of work since Whitsuntide, and all his efforts to obtaiz . employment proving of no avail, he hanged him. self.  Some roofing covering a path leading to Shrewsbury Stition suddenly collapsed, killing Mr. William Heath; 1. a coal merchant, of Shrewsbury, and injuring a boy. The accident is attributed to the weight of the snow on the roof.  On Saturday night a fire occurred in St. Vincent. street Unitarian Church, Glasgow. It originated in the heating apparatus. The damage is estimated at £3OO.  On Saturday night a gentleman, whole supposed to have belorged to Linlitbgowshire, entered a cab in Rerfield-street, Glasgow, with a woman, and drove to ?glary hill, three miles distant. On the cabman stopping there to get his fare the gentleman was found to be dead.  The screw stealler Violet, of and from London, has arrived at Shields, having on board Captain Rackham and four of the crew of the fishing smack Rippling Wave, of Lowestoft, sunk in collision. The smack was returning from the fishing ground when the Violet came into collision with her and sunk her. The crew took to their boat, and were rescued by the steamer and landed at Shields. Sir Edward Clarke M.P., speaking on Saturday at the annual dinner held at Plymouth in connection with the West of England Press Fund, said the law of libel was 'being notoriously traded upon, and recent decisions put newspapers in very difficult circum. stances. He hoped that when Parliament had time for practical, as apart from purely party matters, to play his part in assisting to improve and codify the law in this connection. An interesting ceremony was performed at St. Lawrence Church, Reading, on Sunday morning. The Corporation attended in state, and the Rev. J. M. Guilding, the vicar, unveiled a stained glass memorial window to the late Dr. Wells, who filled the position of churchwarden for many years. He also took a prominent part in promoting the welfare of the town and in the establishment of science and art schools, and was instrumental in restoring St. Lawrence Church. in tne Queen'b Bench Division on Tuesday the Royal Fire and Life Insurance Company sued the Westrain. ster Fire-office for £ll3 claimed as the share due of the latter or £125 paid to Messrs Hurter, of the Tivoli Restaurant, for damage done by fire to the stained glass roof in that building insured under a special policy with the plaintiff company. The jury were digcharged, as the points involved were of law, and Baron Pollock decided that the ornamental roof not being a necessary part of the" building," the defendants, who had paid £440 for the damage to the building, were i not bound to share n the insurance of the ornamental roof. He therefore gave judgment for defendants. At the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday John Garrard pleaded guilty to having, while in the service of the Post-office, committed forgery and falsified the account of the office in which he was employed. He , position bad be promoted to the of clerk at the Post 11„-o ce Savings Bank in Queen Victoria-street and had falsified the ledger so as to draw out money for his own! account. He was sentenced li:i seven years' penal se:rvitude. The revenue received from April 1 to the Bth inst. amounts to £62,367,098, or £1,438,259 more than the £60f8,839 received in the corresponding period ending- nuary 9, 1886. The expenditure up to the Bth inst. was £7O 688,632, being £1,560,546 less than the expenditure for the similar period of 1885-6. The balances on the Bth inst. amounted to £1,784,428, and on January 9, 1886. to £1,515,102.