Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-08-09 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

HAY.—The number of killed and wounded in the celebration of Independence Day in America this year was just under a thou/land. The first victim was the Dean of the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary, shot dead in the College grounds, while taking a moonlight walk, by some incautious patriot anticipating the gbrions dawn; and the next a well.known writing master—Oliver Goldsmith—who prudently resolved to go to his office at seven a.m. to euspe the crowd, and Was shot in the back on his doorstep. An unfortunate lady had her dress set on fire by crackers, and was burned to death in the streets at Mattawan. In the Quaker City, the Philadelphia Record says, "the day was celebrated in a very sensible way, and thus enumerates the results of this specia prudence:— Livery stable burned, 1; explosions in cigar stores, 3; burned roofs, 4; dwellings burned out, 2; dwellings partially burned out, 6. Accidentally shot himself— In the head, 2; in the thigh, 3; with a horse pistol, 2 ; in the eye, 21u both eyes, 3: in the hand, 18 ; in the foot, 4; in the leg, 5-38. ',Kicked by, a mule, 2; stabbed with shoemaker's knife, 1; arm crushed on railroad, 1; drowned while bathii,g, 1; severely beaten, 6; explosion of pistol, 4; burned about body, 10; thumbs blown off, 3; fell out of window while looking at fireworks, 1; killed by a stray bullet, 1 ; attempted suicide (probable success), 1; accidents from cannon crackers, 8; fights, unenumerated.  Began. C 101194.  B a t. Harvest. 1869 .. Aug. 2 .. Sept. 21 1670 .. July 16 .. Aug. 25 1871 .. Aug. 8 .. Sept 13 187.1 .. July 31 .. Sept. 10 1873 .. Aug. 2 ... Sept. 13 174 .. July 27 ... Aug. 27 1876 .. Aug. 4 .. &pt. 7 1878 .. Aug. 2 .. Sept. 12 1?,77 .. Aug. 4 .. Sept. 27 187 d .. July 30 .. Sept. 11  A NOVEI3 SUBSTITUTE YOU PIGEONS —lt would appear from a difficulty in getting pigeons and birds for trap shooting in California that at • "shoot " at Sacramento, where it had been proposed to try bats as • substitute for birds for trap shooting, a number of shooters were attracted to the ground, it being " expected that there would be much fun if not much shooting." A little trap had been rigged up by attaching a tin cup to s lath, the cop having a cover so arranged that, when the end of the lath wee released on the oord being pulled, the cover flew off, and the bat was tossed into the air about eght feet. "As soon as the force of the trap was expended, the bat steadied himself • portion of a second and then flew off In the wobbling, zigzag style peculiar to the 'animal.' There was no trouble experienced in trapping them, the trapper wearing gloves." Out of twenty bats shot at one of the shooters managed to hill sixteen. Commenting on the subject, the Chi4vl Field says : 'Who knows but what before long we shall hear of bate being generally subatituted for pigeons, and of bat culture becoming one of the important industries of California, when will follow whol. sale bat merchants whose trade will be to supply retail bat merchants of the East, which will necssitate the railroads building bat cars, and of course will also follow a Jut association, whose meetings will be for developing the interesting pursuit of bat culture and the mutual enlightenment of each other on the habits and customs of the bat, how it can be made most prolific and yield the largest revenue. On each and everyone of which points we are now as blind as a bat."— Land and Water.  "LIKE A BEARD,"—Yunth. "Yes, it Is curious I have no beard; I can't think who I take after—my grandfather had a splendid one."—Hair cutter "Oh, perhaps y on take after your grandmother."—Pun. A QUICK JUROR —An American judge tells an amusing story of the way that a juror "went for" a conviction. He says he was trying a murder.case a few years ago down in one of the wire-grass counties, and experienced great difficulty in getting a jury. Eleven jurors had been sworn in, and in the nest panel was brought in a small, lean, lank, cadaverouslooking fellow, who had on only one shoe, him pants being nearly above his knees, his shirt open bath front and back, and the aforesaid pants held up by a single brace. The solicitor proceedel to as the usual questions in such cases, as follows: "Rave you, from having seen the crime committed, or having heard any of the testimony delivered under oath, formed or expressed any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the prisoner at the bar ? " The single-brace fellow, in a clear and distinct voice, answered, "Not any." "Have you any prejudice or bias resting on your mind for or against the prisoner at the bar?" "1 haat." "Ii your mind perfectly impartial between the State and the amused?' "It air.' "Are you conscientiously opposed to capital punishment?" "I isn't." The judge did not like the juror much, but, it being late, and jurors scarce, he was 'put upon" the prisoner in the aerial manner, the solicitor saying, "Juror, look upon the prisoner; prisoner, look upon the juror." The juror was quite near the prisoner, and when this command was given he bent over him, scanning him from head to foot intently for some minutes; he then turned to the judge, and said, in a firm, solemn voice, "Yes, judge, I think he's guilty."