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REMARKABLE CASE I AT CARDIFF. COUNSEL AND THE WEST BRGMWICH POLICE, Joseph Hill, alias Kelly, aged 26. a fitter Jjy trade, was charged at Cardiff Quarter sessions on Thursday with stealing two between March 30 and 31, and a watch and pendant on April 5. Mr. Morgan "Organ (instructed by Mr. J. H. Morgan) ^Ppeaned to prosecute, and Mr. Ivor Bo wen tended. :h{rs. Helena Williams stated that defendant elltde to lodge at her house, 66, De Burg- atreet, and it was trom there that he stole the articles. t A Pawnbroker^ named Minski, who received chain in pledge, John Williams, husband of the first witness, and a Miss Worth, all BPoke to the identity of the accused. b Prisoner, going into the box, stated that he not been to Cardiff for two years when "e was at the races. The allegations made Against him were untrue. On April 5 he Was in Wegt Bromwich, and ou the 31st r.f ■^S-rch in Wolverhampton. -Mrs. Illidge, the person with whom prisoner "tayed at West Bromwich, said that prisoner to see her on April 4, and stayed the Her husband did not come home that j^Sht, and prisoner left next morning before husband came home. Mrs. Jenson, of Wolverhampton, said that the 29th and 30th of March prisoner was ith her. He left on the 30th of March. He jj1" not take dinner with them, but she was °t sure whether she saw him after dinner or not. llr. Ivor Bowen, in addressing the jury, !laid there had been cases where the identity Of a person had been believed in by thirty witnesses, and yet circumstances subse- quently proved that the man sworn to was the guilty party. He asked the jury to Relieve the evidence of the two women who ad been called from West Bromwich and "olverha.mpton. and argued that they'could oot rightly be satisfied that prisoner was the Q«an who was at Cardiff, and stole the socks the watch chain and pendant. Mr. ^P^en then severely criticised the action of i e West Bromwich police, who had acted as ,e was sure the Cardiff police would not &ve done. They had gone to Mrs. Hlidge. £ d, learning something that was unfavour- to their case, had refrained from calling her at the preliminary trial, and had left it to the prisoner to call her at Cardiff. Mr. Morgan Morgan contended that the wit. ssses for the prosecution were witnesses of Tith. Counsel commented on the extraordi- conduct of Mrs. Illidge, who had per- 'tted the prisoner to stay a night at her °Ose while her HUSBAND WAS AWAY did not tell her husband. Mr. Morgan to show that, in spite of the evidence for defence, it was possible for the prisoner the have travelled to Cardiff and committed thefts, but Recorder pointed out that, although he be able to fit in that assertion with d05- Jensen's evidence, he certainly could not 80 with Mrs. Illidge's testimony, because On e had stated that Hill stayed at her house the night of April 4. j/^ddressing the jury, the Recorder said that J11"- Bowen had referred to a case which they Qad recently heard a great deal about, and Of which a. lot had appeared in the news- papers. He went on to refer to a case which he himself tried at the sessions some few years A nurse charged with obtaining money bT false pretences alleged that she was the ^ictim of mistaken identity, and that at the time of the offence she was engaged an infirmary in Worcestershire. The ease was adjourned till the next day, when itnesses from Worcestershire swore that at .6 time she was alleged to have been com-, the offence at Cardiff she was actually Con g6d 3/8 she herself had stated. Even then tJ;nseI for the prosecution re-called his wit- t^ses, and they repeated their belief that 0g,Soner was the woman who committed the that106' mentioned that instance to show at there were undoubtedly CASES OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. fhe Recorder said he was unable to a.cf-6e ^r- B°wen's remarks as to the */e l0n °f the ^est Bromwich police. j-iiey to Mrs. Illidge, and, finding her evidence n0tatisfactory' rj £ htly decided, he thought, to call her. The Recorder then went on st to a curious coincidence which might e the balance in the minds of the jury. tatn prisoner was in ^ao1 he was told to to x k*6 soc'<s- He did eo, and was found So v wearing a blue and a black sock. The R missing from Mrs. Williams's were also JI and black, and, like those worn by the I,rli,Oller, were an odd pair, and, further, did6 different sizes. But the coincidence not end there. When the odd blue and socks found on the prisoner were ^,a^hed with the odd blue and black socks Mrs. Williams's they were found to corre- erowded court awaited with hushed *&ectancy the decision of the jury, at which arrived in a few minutes, returning a erdict of "Guilty." jA Previous conviction of stealing a watch torn cllain at Basingstoke in March, 1903, was £ ?ved. other convictiona were proved at y^jstol last year, and at West Bromwich this prisoner again urged that he was not guilty v the present offence, but the Recorder said Quite agreed with the verdict of the jury, fteoner was passing from bad to worse, and, hat he thought was worse, was bringing y. 0f*e two women there to say that which Is not true. --Sentence of nine months' imprisonment 56 Passed.

^OVER'S TRAGIC EMBRACE. SOLDIER DIES' IN SWEETHEARTS ARMS. <!i<t Pathetic end of a promising young sol- r who died in the arms of his sweetheart on the eve of his wedding-day was •jtiired into at Kingston on Wednesday. ^otaff-6ergea>nt Free, of the 3rd East Surrey Siment, was thrown off his bicycle towards end of August. Itort no^ of being much hurt, w it was never dreamed that anything a. JUd happen to prevent his marriage on ^t°ber 25. jj-^wever, on ^unday night, he was out walk- £ With his sweetheart on the riverside. seemed very happy, and was talking l>efully of their future when he suddenly traced the girl, and had just said "You ^ieda w^€a fell forward and Jnry returned a verdict of "Death from tllral causes."

KING IN JEOPARDY. ^TTCKY POLICEMAN AVERTS AN ACCIDENT. c0n^6 prompt and plucky action of Police- i^^able Soames prevented a landau dash- oJ? into the King's carriage at Newmarket j>«dne6day. Majesty was returning from the races .8 rooms at the Jockey Club, in an open j^age, when the incident^ occurred. tv 1,81 as the Royal vehicle was turning into w avenue the driver of a landau proceeding -e street at a raPid Pace failed to notice the S^&na^8 the police to pull up. Seeing Sq ^an £ er his Majesty was in, Constable ^fta?68 rushed forward, seized the horse's and brought it up just at the moment a collision with the Royal carriage c0J°ed inevitable. In stopping the horse the j Stable slightly injured his hand. il tbe early evening the King motored to C Paddox, and took tea with Sir Ernest afterwards driving to Palace House, he was the guest at dinner of Mr. and • Leopold de Rothschild. 0 SERIOUS

PASSIVE RESISTERS. MR. ALFRED DAVIES, M.P.'s OFFER TO THE BENCH. Mr. Alfred Davies, M.P., appeared at the Petty-sessional Court-house, Great Missen- den, to answer a summons for Is. lid., the amount deducted by him from the rates made November 7, 1903, as a protest against the Education Act of 1902. He was accom- panied by his wife. Mr. Davies, who insisted on the service of the summons being proved, ridiculed the policeman who served the summons on his wife for asking her his age. By law no reply to a question at the time of service need be given. Mr. Davies told the magistrates that the Education Act was passed in defiance of the Constitution, which he held came before the law. He smilingly offered to give the bench half-an-hour's address on the Constitution. The Magistrates urged Mr. Davies to be law-abiding and pay the rates, but he con- tended that the Constitution was above the law. After applicant's conversation it was agreed to postpone the discussion till six months hence, when another rate -would be due, and Mr. Davies would again appear in j the dock.

TRAGEDIES IN THE DISTRICT. MR. CECIL BEASLEY'S TRAGIC END. The death took place suddenly on Tuesday of Mr. Cecil Beasley, son of Mr. A. Beasley, manager of the Taff Vale Railway Company. Mr. Cecil Beasley, who was about twenty- eight years of age, was staying at the time of his death at 37, Corbettrroad, the residence of Dr. Joscelyne. For Mr. and Mrs. Beasley great sympathy Í3 felt in the loss of their son. THE INQUEST. The inquest was held in the afternoon. Dr. Edward Joscelyne, of 37, Corbett-road, said that Mr. Beasley had been staying with him for about a fortnight. He suffered from insomnia, was in general bad health, and sometimes took a preparation of mor- phia. He was found at 8.45 on Tuesday morning in his bed unconscious. The maid took him some tea and could not wake him. She called the attention of witness, who went to Mr. Beaslcy's room and found him in an unconscious state, suffering from opium poisoning. He called another doctor, and together they tried all the known ways for recovery, but without success, and Mr. Beasley died about 8.45. On the dressing-table was found a glass which Dr. Joscelyne sup- posed had contained diluted laudanum. He did not think deceased had taken an over- dose intentionally. Clara Bishop, a, housemaid in Dr. Josce- lyne's employ, stated that she took Mr. Beasley his tea as usual, but could not wake him. She informed Dr. Joscelyne. Dr. Roberts, who was called in by Dr. Josce- lyne, corroborated the evidence given by the latter. In summing up, Mr. Reeoe said that, as Mr. Beasley suffered from insomnia, he took the laudanum to induce sleep, and he must have taken an overdose, but there was no reason to suppose that he had taken it inten- tionally. The jury returned a verdict of Death from misadventure, through an overdose ot laudanum." FOUND IN THE RIVER. Mr. Price, Pembroke county coroner, held an inquest on Friday at the Shire-hall, Haverfordwest, on the body of a man found in the river at the Old Quay, Haverfordwest. Augusta Griffiths, in service at Furzyhill. identified the body as tha.t of her step- brother, Thomas Phillips, farm labourer, living at Scale's, of Benton. He was eighteen years of age.—The body was also identified as that of Phillips by Sarah. Ann James, of Cunis Moor, Hook, who saw him at Port- field Fair on Tuesday afternoon. There was no evidence forthcoming as to how he got into the river, and the Coroner said they could only conjecture that he must have walked in during the darkness. The jury returned a verdict of "Found drowned." The Coroner pointed out that the police had had considerable trouble to find a place to put the body awaiting an inquest. They had had to use a shed by the river, and were put to some trouble to keep rats away. Applying for leave to use the mortuary at the workhouse, they were told it was against the rules. He thought the sanitary autho- rities should have their attention called to the matter. Milford had now a good mor- tuary, and he did not see why Haverford- west should not. The jury adopted a resolution urging the authorities to provide a mortuary, to make some protection aiong the quay wall, and also to keep the quay lighted all night. FOUND DROWNED IN THE WYE. Mr. Coroner Deakin on Saturday inquired into the circumstances of the death of Mrs. Emily Humphries, widow, aged 53, whose body was found in the Wye on October 7.-Annie Lloyd said deceased had lodged at her house for four months. She came downstairs at 8.30 a.m. on Friday, and went out, remarking that she did not want any breakfast. She had given way to drink for some time, and had frequently threatened to drown herself —Mrs. Minnie Tyler, Cinderhill-street, knew deceased. She met her on Thursday, the 6th, and deceased told her she was very miserable, and she had a good mind to go and throw herself into the river.—The body was recovered by John Prickett the same morn- ing.-The jury found a verdict of "Found drowned.The Coroner: Then it will be an open verdict, and a very unsatisfactory one. FARMER'S SUICIDE AT LLAN- SAMLET. Mr. F. H. Glynn Price, district coroner, held an inquiry on Saturday concerning the death of Thomas Davies, 33, of Talywendda Farm, Llaneamlet.-The deceased's father, David Davies, stated that his eon had been somewhat depressed for some weeks past and on Thursday morning, seeing that he did not return as usual to breakfast, witness went in search of him, and found him hanging by a oord in the stable, quite dead The deceased had been in an asylum for three months seventeen years ago.-A verdict was returned of Suicide while temporarily insane." DEAD IN A FIELD. W. H. Goodwin, aged 41 years, a bricklayer, and a well-known resident of Abergavenny, was last seen alive at about 9.30 p.m. on Wed- nesday, and his dead body was found on Thursday morning about seven o'clock in rpu A° ""west was held on Saturday. The evidence showed that the deceased was oi: very; intemperate habits, and f'_ said that this fact would account for the weak action of trhe heart which might have led to death by suffocatfon' as he was found lying face down with his tongue pressed tightly against his teeth and Bf™r» ^rass in his mouth. A verdict of Death by misadventure" was returned. AGED WIDOW'S SUDDEN DEATH A widow named Mrs. Ann Wilarm co of age, who had been living with Mrs Sr? ing, of 27, Elm-street, Newport rtiL denly on Sunday. She complained of illness only a short time before expiring. ALLEGED ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT ABER. At Caerphilly on Tuesday Morgan Williams a middle-aged resident of Aber, was charged with attempted suicide by cutting his throat with a knife. Mrs. Skim, of Windsor-road Aber, said she heard groans in her pigstye and saw the defendant there.-Prisoner was remitted in custody to the quarter sessions. SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. LEWIS PENTRE. The wife of the Rev. Canon Lewis, of Pen- tre, died suddenly-on Wednesday evening at Pentre, while her husband was away fulfill- ing a preaching engagement. A sympathetic reference was made to her decease at the Llandaff Diocesan Conference where Canon Lewis was to have read a Paper. INQUESTS AT NEWPORT. In the case of the sudden death which occurred on Sunday of Mrs. Ann Wilson, who had been staying at 27, Alma-street, Newport, the Newport coroner's jury on Mon- day returned a verdict of "Death from cardiac failure." A similar verdict was returned in the case of the Spanish sailor, Luis Osami, of the steamship Espana, who took ill whilst cycling past the entrance to Tredegar Park on Sunday and died before reaching the Newport and County Hospital. In a third case the jury found that the death of Thomas Ryan, a labourer, of Emlyn-street, was due to laceration of the brain, caused by external violence. Deceased was taken ill, fell in the street, and removed home, where he died on Friday.

ENGLISH BREWING TRADE THE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN HOPS. A special meeting under the auspices of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Hop- growers' Association was held at Hereford on Wednesday, Sir James Rankin, M.P., pre- siding. Resolutions were unanimously passed that the continued decline of the English hop industry was largely due to the free im- portation of foreign hops, and urging the Government to levy an import duty that would save the industry from destruction, and that imported hops should be marked under the Merchandise Marks Act.

THE PRESENT. SIR HENRY: Shame! Shame! Robbing tlie British working man of employment! I r THE FAR AWAY FUTURE. SIR HENRY: What! Turn him out? Not me! He is quite necessary. -According to Professor Hewins.

LOUGHOR RAILWAY DISASTER. TWO VICTIMS SUCCUMB TO THEIR INJURIES. Joshua Thomas, St. Clears, who was ter- ribly wounded in the railway disaster at Loughor, died on Saturday in Llanelly Hos- pital. He was a young man who had just attained his majority. Deceased had sus- tained a fracture of the skull as well as a fractured log, and never regained conscious- ness. A fifth death has occurred at Llanelly Hospital, the victim being Isaac Bryant, a labourer, 41 years of age, a native of Somer- setshire. Bryant sustained serious spinal injuries and a br<Aen arm, and his case was hopeless from "the first. The other patients are making satisfactory progress, all being reported opt of danger. i THE iN^UEST. > The inquesft relate to the deaths of Joshua Thomas and lame Charles Bryant, the two latest victims of the Loughor rail- way disaster, were, ppeno'l on Monday after- noon at Capel J&P schoolroom, Juiaueily, before Mr. W. Buckley Roderick (coroner) and a jury of which Mr. Frank RandeU was fore- man. The Coroner said that the jury had already been sworn in last week to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of three other men-the driver and fireman of the banker engine and one of the passengers in the train. In carrying out their duties the jury would have no difficulty in coming to a conclusion as to what was the real cause of death. Their verdict, of course, would be that the unfortunate men died from injuries sustained in the railway disaster. The diffi- culty of the jury would commence, however, when they began to inquire as to how those injuries were sustained, and whether there was any culpable negligence on the part of anyone which brought about those injuries. He hoped that by the day of tke adjourned inquest all the evidence would be complete. The Board of Trade had already held a pre- liminary investigation, and, with the assis- tance of the assessor appointed by the Board of Trade, he hoped that all the available evidence would be before them on the 25th inst. He felt quite sure or one thing, that the Great Western Railway Company would give the court the benefit of their assistance with a view of ascertaining how this disaster took place. At the previous inquiry the deputy-coroner had expressed his regret at what had taken place, and the jury had passed a resolution of sympathy with the injured passengers and the relatives of those who had been killed. The Great Western Railway Company had also, through their chairman and directors, expressed their sympathy and regret. He on that occasion would only like to add an expression of his sincere regret at what had taken place, and his sympathy with those who had been injured and the relatives and friends of those who had been killed. He also sincerely hoped that those who had been injured would shortly recover, and that, with the kind attention and devo- tion on the part of the medical staff at the hospital, they would soon recover their former health and strength. In some cases, however, he was afraid that that was too much to hope for. Some of the injuries were such that the unfortunate people would never be what they ordinarily were as regarded health and activity. He believed that the medical men had done everything that was possible, and that they had made every sacrifice so that the injured patients should. have the best that medical skill and careful nursing could do for them. That attention would be continued until such time as all the injured persons had recovered. His pro- posal that day was simply to take evidence of identification and also medical evidence as to what was the direct cause of death. The inquiry would then be adjourned to the 25th inst. The first witness called was Earte John, of Sylvia-terraoe, Brynhyfryd, near Swansea, who gave evidence of iden,tification in respect of her brother, Joshua Thomas. The deceased's home was at Tycoch, Eglwyswrw, but he worked at St. Clears. He was a black- smith, and was 26 years of age. The last time witness saw him alive was on Wednes- day at the hospital. Mary Hester Williams, a nurse at Llan- elly Hospital, was the next witness. She said that the deceased died at five minutes to four o'clock on Saturday morning. Medical evidence was then given by Dr. D. J. Williams. The Coroner: When did you first see the deceased?—On the Great Western Railway near Loughor soon after the accident. He had received slight attention before I saw him. I saw him next at the hospital, and attended him there. What was the nature of his injuries?—He had a fracture of the right leg and a com- pound fracture of the skull. There were also evidences of grave injury to the brain. Did he make any satisfactory progress? The depressed fracture was elevated, but there was no improvement. He died from the brain injury, never having re-gained full con- sciousnees. Do I understand that he did not re-gain consciousness at the hospital?—Not abso- lutely. He would answer a few questions sometimes. I suppose you would not like to offer any opinion as to how the injuries were sustained ? —No; not completely. The case of the death of Isaac Bryant was then taken. Dr. Samuel Williams said that he first saw the deceased at the scene of the accident, and travelled down to Llanelly with him in the train, and from thence to the hospital. He attended him at the hospital. What were the injuries?—He had a fracture of the right forearm and a fractured spine. There was paralysis of the lower portion of his body from the middle of the chest down- wards, and this interfered with breathing. Was he conscious?—Yes, the whole time. Was there any chance of his recovery?—No. What was the cause of death?—The inter- ference with the breathing led to an accumu- lation of mucus in the lungs, and this brought about heart failure. The inquiry was then adjourned to the 25th inst., at the Town-hall, at 10.30 o'clock.

SHOT IN A WOOD BY A POACHER. MURDEROUS AFFRAY NEAR PONTYPOOL. A murderous- and, so far as the circum- stances at present disclosed show, an absolutely unprovoked outrage upon a game- II keeper took place at Goytre, midway between Pontypool and Abergavenny, on Saturday evening, just as the dusk was darkening into night. The district abounds with beautiful woods, the shooting rights over which are held for the most part by Captain S. F. Cooke, Goytre House. Just at this time of the year there is a plentiful supply of pheasants in the woods, in the Wern Wood alone, which has an area of 100 acres, there being about 500 hand-reared birds of various kinds. On I Saturday evening, whilst seated at tea at his residence at Gelly House, a small thatched cottage to the west of the wood, Mr. Charles .1 Cornish, aged 36, gamekeeper to Captadn. Cooke, was startled to hear shoot- ing in this particul&r wood. The birds were about going to roost, and, knowing that I hi* master could not be out at such a time. I the gamekeeper came to the conclusion that there must be poachers about. Proceeding down the wood in the direction from which he had heard the firing, Mr. Cornish caught a glimpse of a man and a boy through the avenue of trees. Immediately they saw him approach the poacher, without saying a sirgle word, stepped out of the thicket into the "ride," and, after taking a steady aim, deliberately shot the gamekeeper in the face, standing only about fifteen yards off when, he discharged the barrel. Poor Cornish was bowled over like a log of wood, and whilst he lay bleeding on the ground, his assailant lay bleeding on the ground, his assailant I TEEB INJUBED MAN. I made clear his escape. The gamekeeper rose in ten minutes' time to find that he had been in ten minutM. time to find that he had been I laying in a pool of blood, and, binding his head the best way he could with a pocket- handkerchief, he crawled along to his master's house, about three-quarters of a mile away, Needless to say, Captain Cooke was horrified to see the condition in which his keeper was, and without any loss of time despatched a messenger on a bicycle to Abergavenny for a doctor. Dr. Steele and his assistant, Dr. Tatham. arrived in commendably quick time, and, after dressing the wounds, had the sufferer removed in a conveyance to his residence. SYMPATHY WITH THE KEEPER. Cornish is spoken of all along the country- side in and around the parish of Goytre as a quiet, painstaking, obliging, and good- hearted fellow. Before being engaged by Captain Cooke he was in the service of Mr. Pyman (of the firm of Pyman and Watson), who was the former tenant of Goytre House. Cornish, who is a Somersetshire man, and stands about 5ft. 9in. high, went to the district about seven years ago. He had been very successful during the last season in rearing a lot of pheasants in the Wern Wood. Before going to Goytre he was in the service of Mr. Thomas, of The Hayes, Sully, near Cardiff. Great sympathy is expressed all through the district for the keeper and his wife, who, with their five children, lived in a cottage on the main road hear the edge of the wood. WHO WAS THE ASSAILANT? Where did the alleged poacher come from? is a question which will naturally arise. It is scarcely likely that he was a man from the immediajte neighbourhood or place, or Cornish, who had been on the estate for seven years, would probably have known him. There were rumours in the district on Sunday that he was one of a number of stray shots who go over to the Wern from the neighbour- hood of Pontypool. Visitors of a rather ques- tionable character in the matter of game trespass are said to be particularly attentive from that quarter, as there is a good deal of ground game which attracts them. But this is the pheasant season, and the locus was a wood which affords the natural protection to winged game. Moreover, the cartridges which were found on Sunday bore the name of a.n Abergavenny ironmonger, and suspicion, therefore, is directed in that direction. Cornish had no gun when he went out to see who was firing in the wood. There could, therefore, be no story of acci- dentally self-inflicted injury or of the firing by a person in self-defence. NO ARREST MADE. Although the police throughout the whole country have been actively engaged in scour- ing the districts, no arrest had been made up to Thursday. CONDITION OF THE KEEPER. The wounded gamekeeper, Mr. Charltes Cor- nish, lying at the Cottage Hospital, Aber- gavenny, was reported to be doing very well late on Wednesday evening. I

ALLEGED ASSAULT IN A TRAIN. MUSIC-HALL ARTISTE AND THE CONJURER. At Lambeth Police-court on Wednesday Henry Anthony, 31, described as a conjurer, of Islington, was charged (before Mr. Horace Smith) with assaulting a young lady, named Kitty Burnett, in a train on the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. The case, which gave rise to a protracted hearing, was followed with much interest by a crowded court.—Mr. W. H. Armstrong pro- secuted, and Mr. H. I. Sydney defended. The prosecutrix, a music-hall artist, pro- fessionally known as "Xitty West," said she resided with her mother at Peckhain. On Tuesday night she was engaged at the Empire Music-hall, Battersea. After she had finished her "turn" she went to the front of the house with a friend of hers—a Mlss Martineau. The prisoner, whom she had never met before in her life, came up to her while she was speaking to the manageress, and, saying he thought he knew her, asked her whether she had not worked in the Brother Home's boxing sketch. She answered in the affirma- tive, and the prisoner then said he was producing a new "show" at the Palace, Shaftesbury-evenue, and asked her if she would care to work in it. She replied that she could not because she was fully booked up. The prisoner asked her which way she was going, and she replied she lived at Peckham. He afterwards asked whether she would have supper with him at Victoria, but she declined the invitation, and leaving the hall entered a tramcar with her friend, Miss Martineau. The prisoner also travelled in the car. She (prosecutrix) got out at Battersea Park-road station, and the prisoner followed, saying he thought he could get to Victoria from there. The prisoner then said. You seem to be afraid of me. I can assure you I am a pro- fessional." At his request SHE HAD SOME REFRESHMENTS in a tavern outside the station. She noticed that her train was coming into the station, and she ran up the steps and entered a second-class compartment. To her surprise the prisoner followed and sat next to her. After some time he asked, How many stations have you to go?" She replied, "I am not acquainted with this line. Two or three, I believe." When the train reached Denmark-hill station the prisoner asked her to kiss him, but she replied, No. I am not in the habit of kissing strangers." The prisoner put his arm round her neck and behaved improperly. She tried to reach the alarm bell, but he held her hands. At Peckham-rye she tried to leave the train, but he stood in front of the door. She called out, but the train moved on. She told the prisoner she should tell the guard, and he then shook her by the shoulders. At Qpeen's-road she alighted and spoke to Mr. Nicholson, the hea.d porter. A police-con- stable was called and the prisoner was arrested. At the time she complained to the porter the prisoner said it was a lie or a falsehood, and iddod, I charge this lady with black- mail. She has asked me for a sovereign." Mr. Armstrong: Let me ask you is there the slightest truth in the suggestion that you made any advances to him? Prosecutrix: Not in the least. Mr. ÄrTtrong: Or that you asked him for a sovereign? Prosecutrix: NeTer Cross-examined by Mr. Sydney, the prose- cutrix said she was in the prisoner's com- pany at the music-hall for a few minutes only. She did not say to the prisoner in the train, "Lend me a quid," and the prisoner did not reply that he couldn't afford it. She tried to attract attention at Peckham-rye by calling out "Help," but the prisoner pulled her from one side of the carriage to the other. Mr. Sydney: Did you go so far as to tell him you would get a free advertisement out of this? The Prosecutrix: No, sir. He said at the station when charged, "These sort of people do this for a free advertisement." In further cross-examination the prosecu- trix denied that when at the police-station she said the prisoner COMMENCED TO BE RUDE TO HER directly the train started. There was no doubt that she could have made use of the alarm had not the prisoner held her hands. Police-constable Ratcliffe said he was called by a whistle about 12.15 a.m. that morning to the Queen's-road railway station, and found the prisoner detained by the head porter. The prosecutrix was there, and said she wished to charge the prisoner with indecently assaulting her in a railway car- riage between Denmark-hill and Queen's- road stations. The prisoner replied, "It's a lie. She tried to blackmail me. We had a drink at Battersea. She asked me for a sovereign." The prosecutrix. who was very excited, at first .denied having the drink, but imme- diately afterwards said that was before the assault took place. When at the station the prisoner again said it was a lie, and added, "Some people make an advertisement of this." The prosecutrix was crying. Mr. Sydney: Did she show you anything in her clothing to indicate a very severe struggle with a man ?—Witness: No. sir. Mr. Armstrong: You didn't examine her clothing? Witness: No, sir. Arthur Nicholson, head porter at Queen's- road Station, said he was on the platform when the tra-in came in. He heard a woman call out, "Guard," and upon going forward found the prosecutrix on the platform and the prisoner standing in the doorway of a second-claes compartment. The prosecutrix complained that the pri- soner had assaulted her. The prisoner replied that it was false, it was an attempt at blackmail; she had asked him for a sove- reign. The parties .walked to the barrier with him, and the constable was called. Mr. Horace Smith directed a remand, but offered to accept bail for the prisoner's appearance—two sureties in JE60 each, or one in igloo.

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EXPLOSION AT A GASWORKS. RETORT HOUSE BLOWN UP AT BIRMINGHAM. A terrible explosion occurred at five on Monday morning at the Birmingham City Gasworks at Saltley. At present one man only is believed to have been killed, but six others were terribly injured and are now, lying at the Birmingham General Hospital. The explosion occurred in one of the retort houses on the Duddeston side of the works close to the railway, and the house was entirely wrecked. A signal-box on the rail. way was raised, and a number of signal wires were also broken by the force of the explo- sion, which also broke the glass in the win- dows of houses and shops for a. radius of fully a mile.. The report of the explosion was heard for a ccuple of miles or more, and several i people residing near the works were shaken in their beds. Whilst the fire brigade was searching for Jordan a second explosion occurred injur- ing two firemen, but not seriously. The scene of the explosion is being visited by. thousands of persons. TWO MORE INJURED WORKMEN SUCCUMB. Two more of the men injured in the gas, explosion at Saltley, Birmingham, on Mon. day died in hospital during the night. The victims are George Gibbons and Herbert Elkington, who were injured by debris falling upon them. The other two men in hospital ard in a very critical condition. Three men have now died. No further light has yet been thrown upon the cause of the explosion.

MAD COOK'S DEATH. TERRIBLE SCENE IN A P ADDEt ROOM. At a. ooroner's inquest at Kensingtoi on Wednesday with reference to the death of, Mary Durham (31), a cook, lately in service at 120, Holland-road, W. Mrs. Chase said that on the night in. question she heard violent clapping of hands, and found the housemaid hiding in her bed- room alarmed by the way deceased was going1 on. Suddenly deceased ran out into the' street, and she did not see her regain. Dr. Potter, the medical superintendent atl the infirmary, said the deceased had acute mania. It was the worst of some 5,000 cases which had passed through his hands. In the. padded room she tore her clothes, beat herself with her fists, and assumed the most grotesque attitudes in an attempt to injure herself. In order to prevent this he had her placed in a "restraining vest." The Coroner: A straight jacket? The Doctor: No, this is ma.de of It. material, fastened at the barJr, c person can be tied into v hi.* -,«v». they are not be done in & stra;- jar-uct: to X do not approve of th. v. vre MI' actual straight jackets. The Coroner: How lot; -— -lie actually] under restraint?—About afeventy hours. Mr. Percy Dirnn, F.R.C.S., who made a. post- mortem examination, said death was due to cardiac asthenia from heart disease whilst suffering from acute mania. There were superficial bruises on the head, chest, thighs, and legs, which were evidently self-inflicted and had no influence whatever in the causation of death. The jury returned a verdict in a/Coordance with the medical evidence.

MARRIAGE TANGLE. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WED THE SAME MAN. Rarely has a more complicated matri- monial tangle come before the courts than that which engaged the attention of the Aldershot County-court judge on Wednesday. A remarkable feature of the case was that a woman and her daughter had gone through the marriage ceremony with the same man. The facts came out in an action brought by Mrs. A. G. FitzgeraJd against George Knight, telegraphist at the headquarter Office of the First Army Corps at Aldershot, for the recovery of £10 due to her under a deed of separation. Mrs. Fitzgerald, it appeared, married Knight about twenty-two years ago. She had then just returned from India with her two children, believing that her first hus- band was dead. Knight was then in the Army. Before the marriage took place Mrs. Fitzgerald told him the story of her pre- vious marriage. Some years later her daughter left her. Recently Knight discovered by means of an advertisement that his wife's former hus- band was alive when he married her, and also by the same means discovered the where- abouts of the missing daughter. The daughter was re-united to the family, and soon afterwards Knight caused Mrs. Fitzgerald to sign a separation agreement, by which he was to pay her so much a week. Shortly afterwards her daughter and Knight left the house, and she then discovered that the former had had a child by Knight, and that he had married her. In the agreement, which Mrs. Fitzgerald said she had not read, was a clause to the effect that if she interfered with Knight the allowance would cea-se. All she had done was to go to her daughter to induce her to come back to her. The Judge, the Hon. Arthur Russell, char- acterised Knight's action as the most dis- graceful thing a man could do, and told him that Mrs. Fitzgerald could molest him as much as she pleased, as far as he was con- cerned. Judgment was given for Mrs. Fitzgerald with costs, amid loud applause.

EX-CITY MARSHAL'S AFFAIRS. BANKRUPT A FORMER CAPTAIN IN SOUTH WALES BORDERERS. The creditors of Edmund Stanley, the late City Marshal, met at the London Bank- ruptcy-court on Monday. The debtor, who is a late captain of the 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers, was appointed City Marshal five years ago, and was recently dismissed owing to his financial difficulties. He returned his liabilities at £1,300, and attri- butes his present position to liabilities on accommodation bills, in respect of which, he states, he had no consideration, and to meet which he had been deprived of his income for the put three years. He has no assets, and states that he has lost money in betting. -The case went into bankruptcy.

THE MISSING LINER. Marseilles, Thursday.-The missing French mail steamer Djurdjurd has been found. A foreign steamer fell in with the Djurdjurd which was in distress, one of her engines being damaged, and towed her into Ajacoio, where both arrived this morning. The semaphore station at the Ilea Sangunaires has communicated confirmation of the news to the Oompagnie Nixte, which has taken steps for the conveyance of the passengers to Tunis. All is well on boarrI the Djurdjurd—Renter.

THE ADOLF BECK INQUIRY The Hon. Malcolm Macnaghten has been. appointed secretary to the Committee of Inquiry into the case of Mr. Adolf Beck, and all communications relating to the inquiry should be addressed to him at 4, Paper-build- inga. Temple, E.C.