The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1886-05-08 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EPITOME OF NEWS.  BRITISH AND FOREIGN.  There are at present 740 old soldiers in Franca have served under the First Napoleon, and tea whom receives a life annuity of 250 francs. It is 6 that this venerable battalion loses annually o average 185 of its members, and it may thus pected that within the next four years the last veteran will take his departure from this life. An inquest was held on Saturday evening on the body of Miss Florence Alliston, of St. Filieu's House, Eastbourne, who was burnt to death whilst using a spirit lamp. A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned. Several jurymen objected to inquests being held in cases of accident, and maintained that a medical certificate as to the cause of death should be sufficient. The coroner replied that the law compelled inquests in cases of fatal accident. An extraordinary affair occurred at Ssuth Shields on Saturday, involving the sudden and unexpected termis tation of the tramcar service. During the night the whole of the tramcars and horses were removed from the town, causing inconvenience and disappointment to numbers of persons. This action is attributed to the fact that the Tramcar Company is indebted to the South shields Corporation for the rental of lines. James Walker, who at Nottingham on Saturday night week killed his son, two years and eleven months old, by cuttisig his throat with a razor, and afterwards attempted to commit suicide' was on Saturday taken before the borough magistrates and committed for trial on the capital charge. At the funeral of the Child the mother, to whose misconduct Walker attn.' buted his crime, was made the subject cf a hostile demonstration on the part of the crowd, and was with difficulty protected by the police from violence . Sir Edmond Elton, of Clevedon Court, SomerseNaire, was seriously injured on Saturday. When riding through Long Ashton, with his son, on a tandem tricycle, he was met by a restive horse attached to a trap. In making room for the vehicle to pass the large wheel of the machine struck the kerb stone, throwing Sir Edmond and his son into the road. The elder gentleman fell upon his head, and suitained a bad wound. A doctor passing at the time having dressed it, Sir Edmund was conveyed to his residence The annual sales of oak timber, the property of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, Earl Cowper, and other landed proprietors in Kent, have been held during the past week, and have been attended by most disappointing results. Owing to the agricultural and general depression there was a very restricted demand, and absolutely none for the large trees. The net result of the sales shows a decline of 30 per cent, on the prices realised last year. On Saturday evening Sir F. Leighton, President of the Royal Academy of Art, presided at the annual dinner, at which were present the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Ripon, the Earl of Rosebery, and other Ministers, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Marquis of Bute, and many other noblemen, as well as representatives of other countries, and a largo number of artists. The ravages of the sea on the Kentish coast between Reculvers and Ramsgate are becoming more serious. Nearly the whole of the wall protecting the estate of the late Sir Moses Montefiore has disappeared, part of the wall of Kingscote Castle has been carried away, and more than one footpath and carriage road has been stopped by rapid encroachments. The old colours (known as the _Crimean Colours) of the 50th Queen's Own Regiment were with becoming ceremony, on Saturday, deposited in All Saints' Church, Maidstone, the town in which are the head-quarters of the Regimental District. A large company of officers attended, including representatives of the Regular, Militia, and Volunteer battalions which now comprise the Royal West Kent Regiment, of which the old 50th is the first battalion. The church was filled in every part. The colours, carried by Majors Brock and Wyne yard, were received by the Rev. E. F. Dyke' the vicar of Maidstone, and, after an imposing service, deposited in their final resting place against a pillar on the north side of the aisle, and facing those of the old 97th Regiment (2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent). Two brothers named Houlihan who had been engaged in Moonlighting in the neighbourhood of Ennis, were captured by the police on Saturday. Late on Friday night they attacked the house of a farmer named Rogers, at Lies, near Cahir, and fired shots into it. Two police-officers on patrol pursued them, but lost sight of them for a time. Early in the morning the men were arrested. One of them had his face black, ened, and the other was wiping the black from his face. The prisoners were later in the day examined by magistrates, and committed for trial at Clare Assizes, bail being refused. The Lord Lieutenant and the Countess of Aberdeen were present on Saturday evening at the distribution of prizes to the male pupils of the Model Farm at Giesnevin. The Countess of Aberdeen presented the prizes, and the Lord Lieutenant, addressing the pupils subsequently, said he was glad to see that they were not deterred from agricultural pursuits by the period of depression and transition through which they were now passing. They had had such periods before, but they had passed away, and this would pass away too.,  who ;11 of tated an e ex