The Sun. — 1868-06-04 (London, England)

THE ODD FELLOWS.  On Wednesday, the Annual Moveable Committee of the Manchester -Unity of Odd Fellows, which is in session at Cheltenham, gave a very important decision with respect to the age at which members shall be received into the order. A proposition from the Aberdare district was introduced by the Rev. Dr. Price, and its purport was' to give districts power to receive members of the age of 16, but such members were not to be allowed to enter lodges during lodge hours, or receive signs or passwords, or be entitled to cards of clearance until they attained the age of 18—the minimum age at which mem. bers have hitherto been received. The subject has been discussed at intervals by the A.M.C. for the last ten years, and at Plymouth it was decided by a majority of two votes to reduce the age at which members may be received from 18 to 16. A demand was made for the names and votes of the delegates to be recorded, and on that being done the small majority in favour of the change was converted into a majority of three against it. This year the matter again gave rise to a long and animated discussion, in which nearly forty delegates took part. An effort was made to defer the question for another year, on the ground that the change proposed would be inconsistent with rules that would remain unaltered, and that there were not tables of rates of con. tribution for members of 18 years of age. Tho amendment was rejected by a decisive majority, and amidst considerable excitement the original proposition was carried by 109 to 95 votes, and in accordance with a demand made to that effect, the names and addresses of the delegates who voted on the question were recorded. The result, therefore, of the decision of the A.M.C. is, that in future youths of 16 may become members of the order, subject to the restrictions as to their rights and privileges already indimted.  SUPPOSED SUICIDE THROUGH BETTING,  An inquiry was held yesterday by Mr. W. Payne, coroner, in Waterloo-road, respecting the death of Mr. Thomas Whitehead, aged 60 years. The deceased was a cutter at a clothier's in Cloth-fair, and his son deposed that he was aware of the fact that his father was given to betting, but as he was a very " close man "he never told whether he had won or lost. Mr. Jones Milet, of the European Coffee House, in the Westminster-road, said that on Friday night, at eleven o'clock, the deceased came to his house and took a bed. He was so sad that he could hardly speak. He said that a friend of his had told him to back Pace, one of the horses that was to run for the Derby. He had done so and lost. He went to bed in the top room. Witness heard him place the washhand - stand and a chair against the door: On Saturday he did not come downstairs, and witness then forced open the door, He found the deceased seated on the floor at the end of the bedstead. He had tied a rope round his neck, and then fastened it to the pole of the bedstead. He had then sat down upon the floor and pressed his body forward. He was quite dead. Several papers relating to betting and racing were found upon the deceased. He had lost money on the Derby and Oaks. The jury returned a verdict of Temporary Insanity.