Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1888-05-19 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SUICIDE OF A FARMER NEAR RICHMOND.  ANOTHER UNIONIST SECESSION.  DISGVEITED WITH COERCION. At the last election, one of the most energetic of Lord Salisbury's supporters in Sonth Leicestershire was Mr J. W. Logan, of East Langton, a member of the well-known firm of Messrs Logan and Hemingway, railway contractors. It was in no small degree owing to the persistent advocacy of Mr Logan that Mr Saunders, the Home Rule candidate for the Market Harhorongh Division, was defeated in 1886 by Mr T. K. Tooling, the sitting member. The five Langtons, in the centre of which Ur Logan resides, went nearly solid for the Tory candidate, and the great influence of Mr Logan as a popular member of the hunt and a large employer of labour was understood to be one of the most important factors in the contest. On Saturday the feeling of the South Leicestershire Tories that they were absolutely secure in their position was ruthlessly disturbed by a rumour that one of their most truated leaders had "gone over." The report gamed consistency soon after the arrival of the early market trains, and at the mid-day market ordinaries the accustomed defiant political talk was hushed and whispered fears passed round the board at the hotels frequented by the farmers. It soon became a certainty that the sympathies of one of their most active leaders had Leen transferred to the Liberal side, and in the course of the afternoon the once doughty champion of the Conservative cause put in an appearance at a meeting of the Harborough Division Liberal Association, and it was formally announced that he had been cordially adopted by the Selection Committee as the candidate who would best meet all their requirements. After this announcement Mr Logan delivered an interesting address, in which he dealt with the Irish question. He admitted that the change in his opinions had been brought about by a visit to Ireland a short time ago, which determined him to devote a portion of his time to an endeavour to enlighten his neighbours and fellow-countrymen upon the condition of things in Ireland. The present Government had been rent to Westminster to tackle the Irish question, and they had not endeavoured to do so. The Conservatives had obtained his vote on false pretences. The only remedy of the Government was coercion. That was a policy which would not fill empty pockets and empty stomachs, and that was what they were suffering from in Ireland. At present the Government were applying coercion to stifle free political thought. He denied that crime as crime exited to any great extent in Ireland, and said that he bed travelled through the wildest parts of Kerry, and the greatest proof he had that there was no crime there was that he never saw a policeman on any duty except the martial, soul-inspiring occupation of protecting emergency men in their attempts to collect impossible rents from a starving population. He believed from conversations with these policemen that a good many of them were thoroughly ashamed of their work. Until they had settled the Irish question and put an end to the present system they would not get a contented Irish people. At present, no matter how important a question came before the , House, it was not settled upon its true merits. At Liverpool Assizes on Monday Mr Justice The only consideration which those who supDay sentenced five men, convicted of robberies peresd Lord Salisbury looked at was the para. with violence, to be flogged, observing that he mount one of keeping Mr Gladstone and a Home had ascertained, by careful enquiry among those ; Rule Government out of office. Therefore the. best able to form an opinion, that the punish- ; Irish question must be settled first of all, and ment of flogging did reform more than any other, ' that had moved him to take the position he had and that those so punished rarely repeated the 4 taken. He held that it was absurd to allow the offences for which they were punished in this ; present source of danger to continue for the sake manner. The prisoners sentenced were : Patlick of the men who were trying to do an impossiSwift, striker, six months and forty lashes; bility—to extract blood from a stone. If men James Daniels, four months and twenty lashes; persisted in making that attempt, he could not William Nelson, of Wigan, the same ; John conceive that they ought to be supported by the ' Hoare, fireman, five months and forty lashes ; and resources of the empire. When cues the people John Maccauley, three mouths and eighteen ! of England thoroughly understood the qua.lashes. time they would not consent to the poor people in Ireland being ground down to supply landlords or money lenders. Until the hash question was settled they would not have much opportunity of bringing anything else forward. The Irish peasant only wanted justice and fair play. On other questions Mr Logan declared that he would not foster and protect the liquor traffic, which was a curse to the country. At the same timeim was not a believer in attempting to make men sober by Act of Parliament; he would educate men, and endeavour to show them that the grogshop was their worst friend. As to the Welsh Church, as socn as the majority of the people in Wales declared that they no longer wished for the Established Church, he should not stand in their way. He desired that the British Parliament should be supreme, and he favoured the retention of Irish members at Westminster. Imperial matters must be settled there with the aid of the Irish as well 53 the English and Scotch members. A resolution was passed accepting Mr Logan as the Liberal candidate for the division. The adjoining division, that of Melton, is represented by the Marquis of Granby, and Mr Logan has considerable influence there.  A farmer named Guy, living at The Brooks, near Riebmond, was on Tu.aday found hanging in • tree in a lonely quarry near Laneseter-road. Life was extinct. The deceaeect had been in a depressed state of mind ever since an attack of rheumatism he experienced during the winter months.