Widnes Examiner. — 1893-05-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THINGS HEARD AND SEEN AT WARRINGTON.  I The Social Questions Union made a promising i' start on Monday night. The Nonconformist ministers were there in good force, but the Church clergy were conspicuous by their absence, although invitations had been sent them. Tnis is only one more 1 proof that if reforms are to be carried out, it is the Nonconformist and not the Church clergy who will undertake the work. Of course this does not apply Ito the laity, as in many respects, they are far in advance of their ministers. There were some strong things said at the meeting, but the Rev. D. W. Roberts capped them all by saying that the Warrington slums were worse than the slums in the 1 East End of London. If this be the case, it is high time there should be a reform in the lower parts of I the town, and a union like the Social Questions Union would do much in that direction. Mr. Birchen showed this very pointedly. 'by his assertion that the reason why tnagistrates did not put into force a number of existing laws was, that there was not sufficient public opinion behind them. The object of the proposed , union is, among other things, to educate public opinion in these matters. Tnere was a great deal I said about the insanitary condition of old property I in Warrington, but Mr. Haley very properly denounced some of the new property which is being thrown up in the town. He said that he could break some of the bricks, which were used in the erection of some houses, with his hand. It will be remembered that the Rev. J. W. Varley. at the BapI ' tist bazaar last week, also mentioned the poor ' quality of Warrington bricks. Numerous other matters were discussed at the meeting on Monday night, and if the union proves successful it will be a great blessing to the town. At any rate it deserves the support of every right-thinking man.  I am glad to hear of the further progress in America of an old friend Mr. James F. Bate, formerly assistant librarian at the Warrington library. Mr. Bate embarked utiou a journalistic career some four years ago at Chicago, but about twelve months ago he severed his connection with the Chicago" Herald " and entered into an engagement on the New York "World." I have just heard that he has now resigned his post on the" World," to accept the assistant editorship of the "World's Fair Bureau," run in conjunction with the Chicago " Herald." Another item of personal news comes from across the" briney " too. Mr. John P. Booth, carpenter, who left Warrington for America a few months ago, is engaged in the Government section Of the Worlcl'e Fair.  It is not pleasant to learn that there is a superfluity of lunatics Just now. Yet that is what may be inferred from a statement made to the Board of Guardians on Wednesday by their clerk Mr. Sutton. The counts, asylums are full,and the officials of some Unions appear to be in great difficulties to find places in which to place the unfortunate patients that came under their care. To send lunatics outside the county means, of course, extra charges upon the rates, but Mr. Sutton announced that he and two members of the Board had made terms with the Rainhill superintendent, which would facilitate the placing of them in the asylum.  There is a gruesome interest taken by many people in Warrington in the facts surrounding the terrible tragedy which occurred at Holy/laid, Gresford, near Wrexham, on Tuesday. Both the murdered woman and the man who murdered her and afterwards committed suicide were well known to many Warrington tradespeople with whom they usod to do business. No longer ago than Easter week, they were together purchasing stationery at a certain stationery shop in Bridge-st., and a little before that they visited together a sadler's shop in town. At each place they were constant customers, and I am told it was the custom for Shellard to order what, wac required, whilst Mrs. Whittle paid the money.  Yesterday I had a chat with a Warrington tradesman who knew the murdered woman from girlhood She was the only daughter of a retired sadler named. Morton, who lived at Whitley, Cheshire. When he died his daughter showed a fondness for modes of enjoyment of an unbecoming character, and so thoroughly did she enter upon those questionable pleasures that quarrels between herself and her mother were constant, and it is said that her maternal relation died of a broken heart a few years ago, when it was known that her daughter had plunged in a life whose sole pleasures were betting on horse races and frequent potations from the cup that inebriates. She was only twenty-eight years of age at her death,and my informant assured nee that she was even up to her demise a very handsome woman. How to account for demise, relationship with Shellard, he did not know, unless it was the moulding influence of betting upon her, as Shellard was a " horsey " man. He had been her groom, and was a very unprepossessing and ignorant man. He influenced her before her marrage with Councillor Whittle, of Chorley, (who is a much respected gentleman), and my informant says that he had an influence over her which she often tried to fight against, but unsuccessfully. She bad been sent to Gresford to see if the change of surroundings would wean her from her obnoxious habits,and destroy the influence of Shellard; with a resultthat has shocked the whole country.  A correspondent writes :—" Those interested in the Society for the Suppression of the Opium Traffic will be pleased to hear of an effort made by three little girls Miss Laura Campion, Miss Nina Gerrard, and Miss Nelly Gandy, to send a contribution to this society. They met together to make various small articles for a little sale, whicli they held on Saturday last at 20, Parker-At. It consisted principally of doll clothes, bags of sweets, text cards, &c. Mrs. E. T. Reed was asked to open the sale for the young people, which she did, expressing pleasure in seeing this result of bringing the subject before the young people at one of the meetings of" the Christian Endeavour Society connected with the Emmanuel Church." The result :of the sale quite exeeeded the expectations of the youthful promoters."