The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

ALARMING FIRE AT A PENITENTIARY. About twenty minutes to five o'clock on Friday morning information was conveyed to Oliver-street station that fire had broken out in The Home," otherwise called the Penitentiary, 52, Mason-street, Edge-hill, Liverpool. A reel was immediately dis- patched from that station, and information was sent to the other offices. An engine was at once forwarded from Hatton-garden station under the command of Superintendent Hewitt; the West of England engine, under the charge of Mr. Barrett, was also in atten- dance; and engines were likewise sent from Brownlow- hill and Prescot-street, and a reel from Seel-street. By the time that the engines arrived at the spot the flames had spread over the whole of the building, and very great anxiety was felt for the safety of the in- mates, who, besides Mrs. Wild, the respected matron, numbered about fifty. The women were, of course, the first who were removed from the burning building, and, through the kindness of a gentleman whose humanity and greatnes-s of heart are well-known and appreciated by all who have the slightest acquaintance with him, they were speedily taken to a place of safety. Major Melly attended'at the scene of conflagration early in the morning, and at once placed the store- 1 house of the 4th Liverpool Artillery Volunteers, which adjoins the penitentiary, at the disposal of Dr. White, j secretary. Messrs. Jeffrey, Morrish, and Co. have j undertaken to send up, free of charge, a number of beds, bedding, and other articles to meet the require- ] ments of the fifty poor women who have been thus sud- denly deprived of a home. In the meantime the fire 3 had progressed to such an extent, in consequence of the very high wind which prevailed, that it was at i once seen to be hopeless to attempt to preserve almost any part of the premises. Indeed, the building was J almost completely gutted before the engines reached the spot, and the efforbs of the firemen were therefore directed chiefly towards the preservation of the sur- rounding property. There being a very good supply I of water, they were eminently successful in doing so, and fortunately a large amount of property, of con- siderable value, was saved from the inevitable destruc- tion which must have ensued had not the engines arrived at the time they did. The building is entirely destroyed, and only a very few trifling articles of fur- niture have been saved. It is also in such a dangerous state that a large number of policemen are required to prevent the crowds of people who are inclined to con- gregate in the vicinity, from approaching in too close proximity, as portions of the structure are falling every now and then. The origin of the fire is a matter of doubt, but it is thought that the stove in the Laundry had been overheated, and that a considerable collection of clothes, which was placed there for the purpose of being dried, had in consequence become j ignited. The home was an asylum for fallen females, < and was instituted after two midnight meetings had been held, which were attended respectively by 175 and 300 unfortunate women. It was opened in 1860, and has been attended with considerable success since the benevolent object for which it was started took a practical shape. The building was of an irregular character, and it is understood that it will require upwards of < £ 2,000 to replace it.

THE GREAT FIRES ON TEE YORK- SRlBE WOLDS. It will be remembered that during last winter a succession of great incendiary fires took place on the Yorkshire Wolds, by which a vast amount of property was destroyed, and the whole district placed in a state of the utmost alarm. Since the commencement of harvest, certain suspiciously regarded fires have this year taken place, and it is the opinion of the police that the end of the stack-burning mania has not yet arrived. For the Wold fires of last winter two men, named John Sherwood (" Snaffling Jack ") and Henry Streets ("Sweep Harry") were convicted at the York Assizes, and are now undergoing penal punishment. Another man, named George Stother, (alais Lurcher Slenderman), was arrested in March last, but the case was not proved satisfactorily to the Driffield Bench, who discharged the prisoner, after a twenty days' remand, to appear when called upon. Of this man nothing has been heard till Thursday last, when he was arrested at Eiliington, near Malton, where he had threatened to set all the Wolds on fire again. On Saturday George Stother was taken before the Malton bench, charged with being a rogue and a vagabond, and also with a breach of the peace. The evidence of Police-constable Tripp was to the effect that on Thursday night he found the prisoner riotous and drunk at the inn at Rillington. He asked the land- lord to be allowed to sleep, but he replied he could not let him do so. Prisoner then,said the landlord, Mr. Thomas, did not care what became of him, and got excited, and commenced talking about the Wolds, and what an illumination there would be this" back-end" (autumn). It should be worse, he said, than last winter. Prisoner asked Mr. Thomas if he was insured, and told him not to be surprised if his place was all in flames before morning. The constable watched the man. and afterwards suddenly lost sight of him, but found him about three o'clock lying in a stable belong- ing to a Mr. Dale, of Eiliington. He was then taken into custody, and seemed fresh, but not really drunk. He struggled, hard before the handcuffs could be got on, and was so violent that his legs had to be tied and his hands fastened behind. The raw woke up the whole village. Mr. Thomas, the landlord, who was greatly alarmed at the threats of Slenderman, assisted in conveying the man to the Norton lock-up. On the way he said he should go to Mr. Thomas's father's at Gallowgap and set the old —— in flames. He should also go to Mr. Thorpe's, of Aldro', Mr. Finder's, of Linton, and Mr. Tipling's, of Eiliington (all large farms), and they should all be in flames. Prisoner said he had no question to ask, but he was drunk and had no reecollection of what the constable had stated. Mr. Thomas, landlord of the Rillington Inn, said the man in custody had been in and-out of his house for two days. He had had drink, but did not know how much. He was, not very drunk. Beoause witness could not allow him to sleep he said he would settle" him before morning. Witness was prepared to swear that the prisoner would do him some harm. Was afraid he would fire the place. As witness helped to convev the prisoner to Norton station he threatened to settle with him when he came out. He would see a d- good blaze, and it should be done. The Wolds should blaze like h— flames. Slenderman here alleged that the landlord knocked him down, and that made him so rough. The Bench committed the prisoner to gaol for two calendar months as a rogue and vagabond, and at that time he was to enter into recognisances of .£20, with two sureties in a like amount, to keep the peace for six months, or in default to go to gaol for six months more. Thus, Lurcher Slenderman" is secured from ranging the Wolds this winter. +

Sale of the Great Bed of Ware.-The great bed of Ware was, sold by auction by Mr. E. Jackson, at the Saracen's Head Inn, Ware, on Tuesday. The sale took place in the large, aSsembly room in the inn- yard, which was densely thronged. There was, how- ever, no competition. Mr. H. Willmott, of the Rail- way Tavern, Hertford, made a bid of 100 guineas, and that was the only one, if we except a merely nominal I bid nf =810 previously made. It is stated that the bed was bought on commission for Mr. Charles Dickens.

THE COLLIERS' STRIKE IN SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE. Though the questions at issue between the colliers and their masters were fully discussed at the confe- rence of delegates appointed by the men and the masters, held on Saturday week, at the Star Hotel, Brieriey-hill, there is as yet no appearance of the strike coming to a termination. During the-past week the breach seems to have been, if anything, widened, and each party appears more than ever determined not to give way to the requisitions of the other. The colliers conceive that the; object of the masters is quite as much to/re^ak. tip ain! destroy their union as to re- duce their wages and this belief increases in no small degree the obstinacy of their opposition to the reduc- tion. Though iron has fallen £ 1 per ton in price, the ironmasters have not been able to bring about a cor- responding reduction in the wages of the forgemen: and as that class of workmen have hitherto, under similar circumstances, always had their wages reduced before any reduction took place in the colliers', the latter find in that fact an additional argument for not accepting the" drop of sixpence a day proposed to them. Most of the ironmasters are also coalmasters, and were they to accede to the colliers'demands it is probable that they would at once be confronted by a strike of their blast furnace men, whom they, after a strike of three or four weeks, recently obliged to accept a reduction. At the conference above alluded to the masters stated that as much coal as was necessary for carrying on their ironworks could be had from other districts nearly as cheap as they could have it in their own district. There are, no doubt, large quantities of coal coming into the district west of Dudley, to which the strike has hitnerto been principally confined; but several of the large ironworks are only partially at work in con- sequence of the want of fuel. The knowledge that the wants of the district have been in a great measure supplied from a distance determined the leaders of the jolliers to endeavour to extend the strike. To some extent they have been successful. At the latter end )f the week two mass meetings, at which the average attendance would be about 6,000, were held in the Fipton and Deepfields districts on the other side of Dudley, and at these meetings the colliers at work in she two districts named agreed to come out and oin the strike. It was also resolved that a number )f men should go to the village of Cannock, from vllich the supply of coal for the west of Dudley district has been hitherto principally brought, and mdeavour to persuade the colliers at work there ;0 co-operate with their fellows in their resistance iO the proposed reduction. It is considered ex- tremely probable that the Cannock men will fraternise vith them and join the strike. During the week a jolliery in the neighbourhood of Brierley-hill, at which ihewages have never been lowered, hasbeen brought to a stand by the men having been called out. In some places arge bodies of men on strike have assembled for the pur- pose of overawing men who have gone to work on the nasters' terms. In one or two instances these assemb- les have proceeded to evert acts of intimidation and violence, At the focus of the strike, however, large reinforcements have been sent to the local police force, md as a rule, wherever there have been such assemb- violence, At the focus of the strike, however, large reinforcements have been sent to the local police force, md as a rule, wherever there have been such assemb- les, a sufficient body of police has been present to pra- I rent any serious breach of the peace. The strike haS low lasted ten weeks, and as may be supposed the col- ters are reduced to great poverty. The funds of the Onion were long ago exhausted. Tradesmen and trade societies contribute weekly to a kind of "strike fund jut all that is got from these sources does not average ibove Is. 6d. or 2s. per week for each man. The con- sequence is that the district swarms with beggars; nany of the wives and families of the men, and the nen themselves, are literally starving; and many of jhe small tradesmen, should the strike continue much .onger, are likely to be entirely ruined.

M. FAZY AND THE RIOTS IN GENEVA, M. James Fazy having been summoned before the Federal examining magistrate of Geneva to be interro- gated, has addressed the following letter to that functionary;- Sir,-You have summoned me to be examined in an inquiry which has been opened on the subject of the events of.the 22nd ult. I am not aware whether it is as a witness or on personal facts that you have wished to interrogate me. If it is on the latter, I will tell you that, although I consider the taking up of arms at St. Gervais fully justified by what had taken place at the Hotel-de-Ville, I have not to answer for it, as I had nothing to do in the affair. I was at home at half-past two, when a message arrived from the Nation Suisse begging- me to call at the office, and I went there. As is the case at the office of every journal, particularly at the moment of im- portant events, a number of persons came in. All were alarmed at what was going on at the Hotel-de-Ville, whence the worst accounts were every moment being received as to the pressure which the opposite party exercised on the Council of State by keeping it prisoner. Every one agreed that a means must be found of delivering it, but not a word was said by me or by any one in my presence of takulg up arms. The number of visitors soon diminished, and we re- mained with only the editorial staff, and the persons em- ployed in the printing office. We had a number composed which can attest our ignorance of what was 41 to take place. The office of the journal is situated in the Eastern Pavilion of the Entrepot, and the windows loot into the Bue Pecolat. From them neither the Bue du Mont Blanc nor the Rue Chantepoulet can be seen. We were there- fore without any connection with those streets where the events took place, and we only know of them by the noise of the firing. We thought it came from La Ficelle, and we closed our doors. None of us were aware that the citizens of the faubourg had gone to procure arms at the Arsenaldu Grand Pre. Some time after the firing, which took place at half-past four, had ceasecl, I left to go to the Theatre des Varietes, which is opposite, and where I found the unfortunate Jacob, who had been wounded before the firing began by the band of La Ficelle. I was so little ac- quainted with passing events, that I thought that La Ficelle had possession of the neighbouring street, and I took pre- cautions to reach my house, Ci"OssÍ1lg to the theatre and the interior of the square. I was much surprised on getting home to find an armed post there and a cannon planted on the hric1gl;). Some armed citizens requested me to allow them to enter my house, but I refused. From that moment I did not again go out until the following day, when I was several times threatened and insulted by persons belonging to the party opposed to me. I consider as false any deposition which is in contradiction to what I have just had the honour to state to you. I think, sir, you will receive these, expla- nations as sufficient as far as 1 am concerned. I have the honour to salute you with the consideration which is youi due. JAMES FAZY.

A SELF-ACCUSED ACCOMPLICE OF MULLER. At the Worship-street police-court, on Wednesday, George Augustus King, about five feet nine or ten inches in height, with straight red whiskers, wiry frame, and of shabby-genteel appearance, calling him- self a publisher, living at Bow, was brought before Mr. Cuthbert Ellison by Mr. Inspector Honey, of the K division, charged upon his own confession with being concerned in the murder of Mr. Briggs. Mr. Abbott attended for the prosecution, which was instituted by Mr. George Buckley, landlord of the Eanelagh Arms Tavern, Old Ford, who stated—Last night, about eleven o'clock, I was in the bar talking to my customers, and expressing the extreme gratifica- tion I felt at the capture of Muller with the extra evidence against him, when the prisoner, who was present in front of the bar, suddenly remarked, I could wager a fortune, if I had it, that there were two men congregated, in it." A gentleman who was pre- sent turned round, and said, You ought not to say such things if you don't know them for facts." Pri- soner turned towards him, and replied, "I don't care; now Muller is caught I'm sure to be apprehended. Muller is coming across the Channel in irons, but I 0 can walk out of these doors at liberty." Another per- son remarked—"I am really astonished at your saying this; if a constable was within hearing he would ap- prehend you." I then called prisoner into the tap- room. Mr. Safford (clerk): Was he sober? Witness No; he was not quite sober. Evidence resumed: He took my hand, burst into tears and sobbed out, I wish to have fifty pounds weight taken off my shoulders." I asked, What is the matter with you ?" He then said, Muller and I were hard up: we wanted money, and money we would have. It (the murder) was contemplated three days before it took place. We went to Fenchurch-street, waited there until Mr. Briggs arrived, and took two first-class tickets to Hackney-wick. We did not com- mence our operations. until we had just left Bow Station. I then struck him twice: Muller struck him three times. Muller opened the_ door and laid hold of his body; I lifted him up by his legs and threw him out. I got out at Hackney-wick station, and ran to the Mitford Castle, went into the parlour and heard the fireman of an engine halloo out that some person was run over on the line. I went to assist; helped to carry the man into the public-house, and bathed his temples." Mr. Inspector Honey said that since prisoner had been apprehended he bad maSa inqoisaas at the Mit- ford Castle, and learnt that the prisoner was there two hours previous to the time of the murder. Mr. SafFord: Is the Mitford Castle near the spot where the body of Mr. Briggs was discovered ? Mr. Buckley It is. Mr. Stafford: Is is scarcely evidence, you not being present at the time; but for information, say was the body carried into the house? Mr. Buckley: It was. Permit me to say that on hearing such an extraordinary statement from the prisoner, I conceived it my duty to givs him in charge, that the-police might investigate the matter. Mr. Ellison: Prisoner, at this stage of the proceed- ings I will not call upon you to say anything. I think the matter of such grave importance that opportunity for further and searching investigation should be given. If you have made this statement simply through a drunken freak, you cannot complain at the position in which you are placed. I remand you until this day week. Prisoner was then removed to the eells, where he complained to Bendall, the gaoler, of being kept in prison on such a charge, asserting that he should not have made the statement unless when drunk. A concourse of persons assembled opposite the doors of the court upon the news of Muller's accessory hav- ing been apprehended, and as he left he was greeted with shouts and cries of Muller

THE RIOTS IN ~B ELF A S T. The deputation of Belfast gentlemen who waited on the Irish Government a few days ago respecting the late riots, presented the following recommendations at the interview with the Under-Secretary That the garrison should consist at least of one regiment of infantry and a squadron of cavalry, the local police force being composed of too few men, and arranged on far too limited a scale for the requirements of the town. We recom- mend-" That the municipal police force be reconstituted on the plan or model of the London or Dublin police force, or on any plan, if possible, more effective; that the said muni- cipal police force consist of four hundred men, and that the management and regulation of the said force be placed under a commissioner appointed by Government. That there be four police-stations placed in the following different parts of Belfast:—No. 1, in Police-square; No. 2, in the old barracks in Barrack-street, or Divis- street; No. 3, top of North-street, corner of Old Lodge-road; No. 4, about the middle of York- street. That all the special constables sworn in for the suppression of the late riots be now noticed to return their batons, according to the act of Parliament in that behalf made and provided. We further recommend that such individuals in Belfast as are willing to serve on any future occasion when called upon should give or send in their names to Mr. Kennedy, petty sessions' clerk, Howard- street, in order that they may be registered as willing to serve in the office of special constables when called upon. We further recommend that the attention of Government be respectfully called to the state of the law in regard to party processions in Ireland, with the view of suppressing and putting a stop to processions of whatever kind partak- ing, or which can be construed or considered to partake, of a party character, and that the same be generally applied and put in force in all parts of Ireland. It is said that Government is about to order a com- mission of inquiry into the subject.

STATIONS OF THE BRITISH ARMY. Where two places are mentioned, the last-named is that at which the dep6t of the regiment is stationed. 1st Life Guards, Hyde-park 21st (1st bat.) Portsmouth 2nd Life Guards, Windsor Birr; (2nd bat.) Madras Royal Horse Guards, Re-; Birr gent's-park j 22nd (1st bat.) Malta, Park- 1st Dragoon Guards, Madras,: hurst; (2nd bat.) Malta, Canterbury Parkhurst 2nd Bengal, Canterbury 23rd (1st bat.) Bengal, Wal- 3rd Bombay, Canterbury mer; (2nd bat.) Gibraltar, 4th Curragh Walmer 5th Newbridge 24th (1st bat.) Shorncliffe, 6th Brighton Cork; (2ndbat.) Mauritius, 7th Bengal, Canterbury Cork 1st Dragoons, Aldershot 25th (1st bat.) Canada, Ath- 2nd Aldershot lone; (2nd bat.) Ceylon, 3rd Hussars, Manchester I Athlone 4th Hussars, Dundalk j 28th Portsmouth, Belfast 5th lancers, Bengal, Canter-1 27th Bengal, Cork bury j 28th Bombay, Fermoy 6thDragoons,Bombay,Maid-, 29th Newry, Preston stone 30th Canada, Parkhurst 7th Hussars, Bengal, It1:aid-¡ 31st Plymouth, Chatham stone 32nd Curragh, Preston 8th Hussars, York 33rd Bombay, Fermoy 9th Lancers, Newbridge j 34ih Bengal, Colchester LOth Hussars, Cahir j 35th Bengal, Chatham lIth Hussars, Dublin 36th Bengal, Athlone 12th Lancers, Sheffield 37th Dover, Pembroke 13th Hussars, Hounslow 33th Bengal, Colchester 14th Hussars, Aldershot 39th Aldershot, Templemoro 15th Hussars, Edinijurg-h 40th New Zealand, Birr 16th Lancers, Colchester 41st Dublin, Preston 17th Lancers, Madras, Maid-; 42nd Bengal, Stirling stone 43rd New Zealand, Chatham L8th Hussars, Matlras, Can-; 44th Bombay, Colchester terbury 45th Bombay, Parkhurst 19th Hussars, Bengal, Shorn-; 46th Bengal, Buttevant cliife 47th Canada, Athlone 20th Hussars, Bengal, Canter- 48th Bengal, Cork bury 49th Dublin, Belfast 21st Hussars, Bengal, MÚd-, 50sh New Zealand, Parkhurst stone 51at Bengal, Chatham Grenadier Guards (1st bat.) 52nd Bengal, Chatham Canada; (2nd bat.) St. 53rd Curragh, Birr George's Barracks (3rd 54th Bengal, Colchester bat.) Aldershot 55th Bengal, Preston Coldstream Guards (1st bat.) 56th Bombay, Colchester Wellington Barracks; (2ndj 57th New Zealand, Cork bat.) ditto 58th Bengal, Birr Scots Fusilier Guards (1st; 59th Aldershot, Preston bat.) Windsor; (2nd bat.) 60th (1st bat.) Curragh, Win- Canada Chester; (2nd bat.) Alder- 1st Foot (1st bat.) Madras,! shot, Winchester; (3rd Colchester; (2nd bat.) Jer-j bat.) Birmah, Winchester; sey, Colchester (4th bat.) Canada, Win- 2nd (1st bat.) Devonport,j chester Walmer (2nd bat.) Ber-| ,61st Curragh, Pembroke muda, Walmer '62nd Aldershot, Belfast 3rd (1st bat.) Sheffield, Lime- 63rd Canada, Belfast rick; (2nd bat.) Barbadoes, 64th Portsmouth, Colchester Limerick 65th New Zealand, Birr 4th (1st bat.) Bombay, Chat- 66th Madras, Colchester ham (2nd bat.) Malta, 67th China, Athlone Chatham 68th New Zealand, Fermoy 5th (1st bat) the Tower, Col- 69th Gosport, Fermoy Chester; (2nd bat.) Cape, 70ch New Zealand, Colchester ditto 71sfc Bengal, Perth 6th (1st bat-) Aldershot, Col- 72nd Bombay, Aberdeen Chester; (2ndbat.) Jamaica, 73rd Aldershot, Colchester Colchester 74th Edinburgh, Aberdeen 7th (1st bat.) Bengal, Wal- 75th Aldershot, Chatham mer; (2nd bat.) Malta, do. 76th Madras, Belfast 8th (1st bat.) Manchester, 77th Bengal, Chatham Templemore (2nd bat.) 78th Dublin, Aberdeen Malta, Templemore 79th Bengal, Stirling 9th (1st bat.) Gibraltar, Li-; 80th Bengal, Buttevant merick (2nd bat.) ditto,5 81st Bengal, Chatham Limerick 82nd Bengal, Colchester 10th (1st bat.) Curragh, Pres-i 83rd Aldershot. Chatham ton; (2nd bat.) the Cape, 81th Belfast, Pembroke Preston 85th Shomciifce. Pembroke llth (1st bat.) Bengal, Fer- 88th Curragh, Templemore- mov; (2nd bat.) the Cape, 87th Gosport, Buttevant Fermoy 88th Bengal, Colchester 12th (1st bat.) New Zealand, 89th Bengal, Fermoy Chatham; (2nd bat.) Ben- 90th Bengal, Colchester gal. Chatham 91st Bengal, Chatham 13th.'(1st bat.) Dover, Fer- 92nd Glasgow, Stirling moy; (2nd bat.) Mauritius, 93rd Bengal, Aberdeen Fermoy 94th Bengal, Chatham 14th (1st bat.) Aldershot, 95th Bombay, Fermoy Fermoy; (2nd bat.) New 96th the Cape, Belfast Zealand, Fermoy 97th Bengal, Colchester 15th (1st bat.) New Bruns- 98th Bengal, Colchester wick, Pembroke; (2ndbat.) 99th China, Cork Gibraltar, Pembroke 100th Malta, Parkhurst 16th (1st bat.) Canada, Tern- 101st Bengal, Chatham plemore; (2nd bat.) Nova 102nd Madras, C mam Scotia, Templemore 103rd Bombay, Colchester- 17th (1st bat.) Canada, Li- 104th Bengal, Parkhurst merick; (2nd bat.) Nova 105th Madras, Pembroke Scotia,, Limerick 106th Bombay. Birr 18th (1st bat.) Madras, But- 107th Bengal, Fermoy tevant (2nd bat.) New 106th Madras, Fermoy Zealand, Buttevant 109th Bombay, Cork 19th (1st bat.) Bengal, Chat- ham; (2nd bat.) Birmah, Rifle Brigade (lstbat) Canada, Chatham Winchester; (2ndbat.)Ben- 20th (1st bat.) Bengal, Chat- gal, Winchester; (3rd bat.) ham; (2nd bat.) Japan, Bengal, Winchester; (4th Chatham bat.) Gibraltar, Winchester COLONIAL CORPS. 1st West India Regiment, Bahamas. t 2nd West. India RegIment, Barbadoes. 3rd West India Regiment, Sierra Leone. 4th West India Regiment, Cape Coast Castle. 5ch West India Eegiment, Jamaica. Ceylon Rifle Regiment, Ceylon. Cape Mounted Rifles, Cape of Good Hope. Canadian Eifle Regiment, Canada. Malta Fencibles, Malta. MILITARY TRAIN.-(lst bat.) Woolwich; (2nd bat.) Aider- shot; (3rd bat.) Canada; (4th bat.) New Zealand; (5th bat.) Aldershot; (6th bat.) Curragh. ♦

Spirits in Passengers' Baggage.—By a re- cently issued regulation of the Commissioners of e y Customs, their officers, throughout the Uniced King- dom, are instructed not to charge with duty any quantity not exceeding a reputed quart bottle of drinkable spirits, of any strength, when found in the baggage of passengers arriving from abroad. The great reduction which has taken place in the rate of duty since the former ragulation was promulgated forty-four years ago—under which any quantity ex- r ceeding a pint was changeable—is assigned as a justification of the relaxed role.