Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1883-02-10 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.—A shocking case of suicide in a railway carriage was brought to light on the arrival of the 7.30 train at Northallerton on Thursday morning. From information given by Police Inspector Dobie, of the railway police, it would appear that a gentleman, on opening the door of a second-class carriage, found seated a man, and on the carriage floor was a quantity of bleed. He immediately informed the policeman on duty, who on going to the carriage found the man dead, and a six-chambered revolver lying on the carriage floor. He had purchased a ticket at Newcastle for Durham by the 5.10 a.m. train, and, notwithstanding the fact that the train stops at all the stations, had undiscovered got on to Northallerton. An examination showed that the act had been gone about in a most deliberate manner. His hat, gloves, and umbrella were placed on the seat, his -coats and vest were open, and hia shirt was singed by the powder. The ball had ' entered the heart, and death must have been instantaneous. Hc appears to be about 51t 7in. in height, and was dressed in a dark-coloured suit, with hard felt bat, wore spectacles and had a second pair in his pocket, dark hair and moustache, but no whiskers. In his pockets were found about £5, nearly all in gold, silver Geneva watch and chain, a memoranda book, bunch of keys, and his pocket handkerchief was marked Van Gelder." Inspector J. Debi°, of Darlington, found upon enquiry at Newcastle that the deceased is Simon Van Gelder, late a teacher in the Jewish school, Newcastle. He was mmiarried, and lodged at 29, Hanford-street, Newcastle. He loft his lodgings in the company of a relative about eight o'clock on Wednesday night. The cause assigned by his friends for the act is overstudy. - •  There is nothing more nourishing and warming In e.,ld weather than a cup of really good Cocoa, but the difficulty has been to obtain it pure. This may be secured,at R cost of one halfpenny for a large breakfast cup by using Cadbury's Cocoa. which goes three times as far as the adulterated and starchy compounds ordinarily cold, the smallest paelmt making fourteen breakfast cups of strong Coc•,s.  EXTENSIYE THEFT OF BRASS  William Patterson, store-keeper at Messrs R. Rogers and CO.'s brass foundry in West-row, Stockton, was brought before the Borough Magistrates on Thursday morning charged, in company with Nicholas Barker, a metal broker, residing at No. 66, l'ortrac k-lane, with stealing about 51lbs. of machine brasses. Mr C. J. Archer conducted the prosecution on behalf of the firm; Mr J. IT. Draper defended Barker; and Mr E. J. Thomas represented Patterson.—From the evidence it appeared that suspicions were aroused some time ago by the manoeuvres of Patterson and Barker at the works. Nothing, however, was done in the matter until a considerable quantity of machine brasses was sent to the works for sale by a marine-store dealer named Pagan, having premises on the Quayside. The brasses were observed to be identical in character to those manufactured by the firm, and, being still in a rough state, it was impossible to accernt for the manner in which the brasses had ,t out of the works, it being usual to Luish them before sending them out. The police were then communicated with; and enquiries were promptly made. Pagan told the police that he bought the brass from Barker, who came to his store with it. Barker said he got the brasses from Patterson. —Evidence was now given to prove that Patterson ought to have entered all brass leaving the stores of the firm; but no entries whatever were made of the brasses in question going out of the stores.—Police Inspector Welsh stated that the prisoner, Biuiter, when apprehended, said Patterson brought the brass out of the works in his pockets, and after breaking it up, and selling it to Pagan, they (Barker and Patterson) divided the money which they obtained by the sale. Pattinson, on being "charged," made no reply; but, when brought face to face with Barker at the Police Station, he was recognised as the man from whom the brass was obtained.  -Both the prisoners now pleaded not guilty, and consented to their cases being disposed of by the Bench instead of committing them for trial at the Quarter Sessions. Mr Draper and Mr Thomas each addressed i the Court n defence of their respective clients, and at the conclusion, the Magistrates sentenced Balker to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, and Patterson to a like term.  WAGES IN THE STAFFORDSHIRE IRON Ti:,i,E.—The President of the South Staffordshire Mill and Forge Wages Board (Aid. Avery) allards that on and after April 2nd wages shall be regulated by a sliding scale, that puddlers' Wages shall be 9d per ton in excess of is for each pound sterling in selling price, that .the sliding scale shall continue in operation for six months I certain. and afterwards be determined by notice from either side of one month, and that, notwithstanding the award, puddlers' wages shall not be less than 7s .3cl per ton.