Weekly Mail

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WELSH MOUNTAIN SENSATION. 4 SHOCKING OUTRAGE AT A LONELY FARM. A little farmhouse called Garnwen, situated at the top of the Pentasgarn Mountain, about three miles from Abersychan, was the scene of a serious affair on Saturday evening, as the result of which Mrs. Cecilia Harris, an elderly widow, aged about 60, lies in a critical condition in the Pontypool and Dis- trict Hospital. Since the death of her husband, who for- merly acted as bailiff, Mrs. Harris has lived alone in the house, which is in a very isolated situation, the farm being worked by another tenant. On Saturday evening she went out of the house and noticed a man in a sus- picious attitude a few yards away from her. Blie requested him to leave, having previously observed a gun in his possession; but instead of complying the intruder, it is stated, levelled the gun at her. It misfired, and Mrs. Harris ran into the house and locked the door. By smashing the kitchen window, the man followed, and, it is alleged, after chasing Mrs. Harris into the yard, again fired the gun. This 'time the charge entered the right side I of her face, inflicting terrible injuries. The injured woman managed to get back into the house, but fell exhausted to the floor. The pursuit was continued, and the man, it is further alleged, took up a knife from the kitchen table, and cut her throat, inflicting a severe wound. After much difficulty. Mrs. Harris succeeded in dragging herself to Penyr- heol Farm, about half-a-mile' away, the occupants of which at once sent for the police and a doctor. Dr. M'Cormack rendered what aid he could, and the woman was able to write down the name of her alleged assailant. She was afterwards removed to the Pontypool and District Hospital. Acting on the information Mrs. Harris had I been able to oonvey, Superintendent Jamec and Police-constable Jones went to Garn- diffaith. where late on Saturday night they arrested on suspicion a collier named Edmunds, who is about 28 or 30 years of age. Mrs. Harris's condition on Sunday was so serious that her depositions were taken before Mr. David Jones, J.P., Belle Yue. COLLIER ACCUSED. I A large crowd of people assembled in the precinots of Pontypool Police-court on Monday in anticipation of hearing the charge against John Edmunds, the Garn- diffaith collier who is in custody- charged with wounding Mre. Cecilia Harris, at Abersychan, on Saturday. As the time for the commence- ment of the court drew near and the doors of the court-room were not opened, the crowd besan to get uneasy, but the several press- men who were inside had ascertained that tie man was not to be brought up that morn- ing, and their departure from the court wae the signal for the dismissal of the crowd. Shortly after midday prisoner was brought ■up in custody before Mr. George Udell. He is a man of medium height, of fair com- plexion, and with a fair moustache. He was dressed in an old jacket and a pair of old troul"ws., pmd. aa he wore no waistooat or collar, his shirt was exposed to the waist. The chairge against him was of shooting. one Cecilia Harris and cutting her throat with a krrife with intent to kill and murder her at Garnwen, Abersychan, on February 20. Police-constable Jomes, Abersychan, said that at one o'clock on Sunday morning be apprehended prisoner in High-6treet, Garn. diffaith, and took him to the police-station at Abensychan. He charged him with attempting to murder Cecilia Harris by shoot- ing her and cutting her throat at Garnwen Farm on Saturday. He cautioned prisoner, who replied, I know nothing about it." The prisoner was then looked up. Superintendent James asked for a remand for a week on this evidence, and Mr. Harold Sanders, acting for the prisoner, made no objection, and the application wae granted. Inquiries'made at Pontypool Hospital on Monday elicited the information that Mrs. Harris's condition was the same as on Sun- day, which was very critical.

A BRAVE LADY. V BRUTALLY ATTACKED IN A POST- OFFICE. At Chester Assizes on Friday John Richards f20), of Liverpool, was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude for robbing and ■wounding Mabel Eleanor M'Oarraher, daugh- ter of the postmistress of the Bedford-road Post-office, Rock Ferry, near Birkenhead. PrisoiJer, it will be remembered, entered the office early on the morning of December 31 and struck Miss M'Carraher several severe blows on the head with a poker, knocking her down. She, however, refused to deliver up her keys, and Richards then smashed a jug over her head, inflicting very serious injuries. Her screams attracted notice, and the prisoner was apprehended.

JUDGE AND MOTORISTS. DRIVER SENTENCED FOR MAN- SLAUGHTER. At Warwick Assizes on Friday, before Mr. Justice Darling, Harry Ambrose Smith, ^orks manager of the Deasy Motor Company, as found guilty of the manslaughter of a ~°y. William Qallagban, by running over him .n a motor, and was sentenced to six months' Objirisonment in the second division and to 'O'L'y the costs of the prosecution. The Judge said the time had come when who drove • these powerful and se*l8'er(ms machines negligently must be inlerely Punished. Others should take warn- Bt5 °f what they might expect. It was Bated* prisoner had generously eompen- deceased's parents.

.£1,000 DAMAGES FOR HOTEL MANAGERESS. ^ourt of Appeal on Monday a stay of of aT1 °n waa granted, pending the hearing TerdiV+ap?eal b.y™the defendant against the 3-«eds f/vJ n £ damages obtained at -Annie wtif8*4 b/6ath of Promise by Miss ^n.-Lma. Rotherham, formerly Wor*">* H«tel, against gentleman of 1^Jlam Tasker, a Sheffield time aUeg-ed rnwn^nt means" At the defendant was"? mS^T *• the

CINEMATOGRAPH AGAIN. FOURTEEN PERSONS CRUSHED TO I DEATH. Fourteen persons were crushed to death and thirty injured in a panic which occurred ot Sunday at a cinematograph entertainment at Tula (Russia), owing to the ignition of the appara.tus.-Reuter.

X500 TO SETTLE BREACH OF PROMISE. At Ohester Assizes on Friday counsel announced that the breach of promise action brought by Miss Grace Pearson, of Hough Green, Chester, against Mr. Robert Allen Griffith, a member of the well-known Chester family, had been settled by defendant paying £ 500 and costs.

CRIMEAN NURSE'S DEATH. The death is announced at Portsmouth of 3trs. D'Arcy, widow of a private of the 23rd Foot, RoyaJ Welsh Fusiliers. Deceased accompanied, her husband throughont the Crimean War, was present at the battle of the Alma, wnd assisted in >_rursing the British wounded.

NEW SERIAL STORY COMMENCES THIS WEEK-See Page 5. I

SISTERS CHASE AFTER THE FUGITIVE, An amazing story of a girl's escape from St. Mary's Abbey Roman Catholic Convent has caused an immense sensation in the neighbourhood of East Bergholt. in Suffolk: The convent is a very large and wealthy one, containing over 100 nuns. and it stands upon a hill commanding a fine view of the dis- trict round about. One day last week one of the nuns escaped under circumstances which are, to say the least, extraordinarily dramatic. Taking train at Manningtree, she reached London in spite of the efforts of a search party of nuns. The nun is about 24 years of age. an'd is a beautiful girl. She had been in the eon- vent since she was sixteen years of age. Like the other nuns, she was cloeely guarded. but was allowed to roam About the grounds of the abbey. What happened to lead to her successful escape can only be guessed, but it is known that she repeatedly asked to see her mother and had been refused. On the night of Sunday week last she secretly left the grounds, and for that night .1 and for the greater part of the next day she hid in the surrounding woods. She did not know an inch of the district, and how she found her way to the station is a mystery. She did arrive there, however, and her nun's dress was covered with mud and dirt. At night she got into the town, and after her came a party of nuns driving hard in a cart. They were also wet through, having conducted i long search through the district. They caught her up when she was within a few yards of the station doors. Here an extraordinary scene occurred. The nuns, quick as lightning, jumped down from the wagonette and seized the fugitive girl, who screamed and clung to the rail- ings declaring that she would not go back to the nunnery. She was. however, seized and taken to the cart, and would have been carried off but for the intervention of the stationmaster, who pointed out that the young lady's liberty must bob reepeoted. The search party of nuns and the escaped girl presented pathetic figures, and were conducted to a waiting-room, where a con- sultation took place. The nuns did all in their power to persuade the girl to return, but the runaway refused to dc eo. None of the nuns had any money, neither had the fugitive, but the station-master came to the rescue and lent the girl 10s., with which she travelled to London. After providing some comforts for her, the stationmaster locked her in the waiting-room by herself, and there she waited until the arrival of the up mid- night train, which she boarded for London. She reaohed her friends subsequently in London, and as far as is known, 13 6till with them. The lady abbess was away at the time of the escape, and is etill away, another nun being in charge. The mother of the escaped girl explained to the nuns that her dangfhter joined the convent with high religious ideals.

HEIRESS'S ROMANCE. LADY TO APPEAR ON MUSIC-HALL STAGE. • Shropshire bordar romance, in which Mice Dorothy Hoprton, of Pant, a ward in ohanoery, and heirees to a considerable for- tune, whose father is now big-game hunting, married Tom Jones, a local railway porter' to prevent her mother sending her to a Eruteels convent, has proved more than a nine days wonder. The young wife has accepted an engaee- m^nt at an Oswestry music-hall. Pemdine the settlement of the young woman's affairs she ha? taken this opportunity of earnina some money. Mrs Mrs. Jones poeeeesea a. pleasing voice, and her nightly turn at the public ball will tx>n sist of two songs. When it wafi announced at the hall that Mrs. Jones would appear this week rounds of applause burst forth In Oswestry the other night Mr.' Jooes was the object of embarrassing attention by ten t,<)n by a curious crowd of 200 people, who followed him down the street. Eventually the voune man sought sanctuary in a ehoip, where he was allowed to remain with closed dnnrH till the crowd had dispersed. Mrs. Jones also has twice been the abiect of similar unpleasant mamfestatk^g <rf curiosity.

A DARING ROBBERY. LADY'S JEWELLERY STOLEN FROM MAIL TRAIN. A new light has been thrown on the loea of a bag at Holyhead, which proves to have resulted from a diaring robbery. Mrs. Pus-he Evans, wife of a Colonial official, who is travelling in this country, arrived at Holy- head by mail, en route for Ireland. The Lady carried several articles, which she entrusted to a porter- On the arrival of the Irish mail train the parcels were lost fright of for a brief period, and in the interim some- one who had shaddowed Mrs. Pughe Evans cut open the leather bag, extracted its con- tents, and hurled it into thesoo.. Subsequently the thief disappeared. It wa-s considered a.t first that the luggage might have been d,ropped into the sea by some accident, and diving operations were actively carried 0.11, The floating bag, cut open and emptty, has been picked up, and this is now considered a sufficient proof that a robbery bos taken place. The detective force is busily -encaged in trying to unravel the mystery, The loss is estimated at £ 1,000, and comprises some valuable jewellery.

UNCLE AND HIS NIECE. DRAMATIC FAMILY GATHERING IN FRANCE. At Nancy an extraordinary family drama has just been enacted, a girl being severely wounded by her uncle, who lies near her in the hospital with a bullet in his head. Recently he carried the young woman off in his motor-car, and took her and a female friend of hers to Bordeaux, where she com- municated with the police authorities, who sent her home. Tho eccentric uncle, who had said that he would kill both girls if they tried to escape, and himself afterwards, followed his niece back to Nancy, and, entering his brother-in- law's house, found the whole family assembled in a room. There was a hot alter- cation, and a stampede when a revolver wax produced. The unlucky niece received tWo bullets in an arm and another in the nape of the neck as she was bolti'ig down the staircase, and then the uncle lodged a. fourth bullet in his own head. The poor girl's father is a manufacturer, and some of his workmen, hearing the report of firearms, hastened to the spot, and, rais- ing her from the floor, found that she Wall very badly hurt. Others had to pull the frantic manu- facturer away from his brother-in-law, as in his fury he wanted to despatch him out- right. Happily, the young woman'? condi- tion is not regarded as desperate. Her uncle, on the other hand, is not expected to recover from the effects of hia self-inflicted wound.

MASTER AND SCHOOLBOY'S DEATH. At the Ma.idstone Assizes on Monday Beresford Power, the Graveaend school- master, pleaded guilty to a charge of man- slaughter in connection with the death of George Gxiggs. No furtber pnnuboMot "88 imposed.

STRANGE FIND AT HENGOED. -+-- INQUEST ON BODY OF AN UNKNOWN BABE. The strange discovery of the body of a newly-born infant, wrapped in a brown paper parcel, under the seat of a Great Western Railway coach at Hengoed still remains a mystery, the inquiry which was held by the district coroner (Mr. R. J. Rhys) on Wednes- day throwing no light on the case. The evi- dence of Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, of Club- houses, Hengoed, was to the effect that she entered the train at Landore, near Swansea, and, as the compartment was full, placed her parcel on her lap. It was not until she arrived at her home that she noticed the strange parcel which her husband had brought out of the coach in error with her own. She at once sent her Eon back to the station with it. Thomas Jones, the husband of the previous witncss, gave confirmatory evidence js to the finding of the parcel. Mr. Mogford, stationmaster, Hengoed (Great Western Railway), said that Gomer Jones returned the parcel to him, and as Jones was suspicious concerning its contents, he opened it and found the body of a male child in a green box. Dr. John Richards, Hengoed, who made a post-mortem examination, said it was a fully- developed male child, and after employing the usual test he could state it had a separate existence, probably living for a minute or two. He found a small discoloura- tion on the nape of the neck, but no signs of strangulation. He thought the body had not received the attention of a properly-trained midwife. He considered the child had been dead three or four days. The discolouration caused him to believe there had been pressure on the neck, but not necessarily so. He considered the cause of death was want of proper attention at birth. The Coroner said the evidence was not strong enough to return a verdict of infanticide. Had the evidence regarding violence been stronger the jury would have had to return a verdict of wilful murder. A verdict of "Found dead was returned.

FRAUD BY A SECRETARY. JUDGE ON SOCIETY'S NEGLECT OF SUPERVISION. William Hall Verinder (60), secretary of the Penge Perseverance Benefit Building Society, was brought up for sentence at Kent Assizes on Wednesday. The total defalcations, it was stated, might amount to £ 20,000. Mr. Justice Bucknill said the prisoner had pleaded guilty to a series of complicated and wicked frauds by which he had ruined many poor people whose money was invested with the society for purposes of thrift. All their hard savings, which had been entrusted to Verinder, had g-one, and pro- bably they had. lost every penny in the world. Where the money had gone he (the Judge) did not know; the prisoner only knew. and those who had acted with him for the 30 years he ha,d been secretary. But, strange to say, those who should have watched him by checking his accounts and figures had grievously neglected their duties, and left him to wreck the society and ruin theea people and himself. He (the Judge) found rule after rule of the society had been broken by these other people, who were grievously to blame. His Lordship added It was the sad story of the course' of conduct of a man who posed as a religious person and religious light in his own community. In passing sentenoe of six years' penal servitude, the Judge said the sentence would own community. In passing sentenoe of six years' penal servitude, the Judge said the sentence would have-been more severe but for his age. The prisoner was ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution at the assizes.

LADY TYPIST'S PLIGHT, BOTH LEGS CUT OFF IN A RAILWAY ACCIDENT. Our photo is of Miss Olive King, who, it will be remembered, was, on August 24, whilst crossing the railway at Llantrisant, run over and so seriously injured as to MISS OLIVE KING. I t necessitate the amputation of both legs above the knees. I The fund which is now being raised on her behalf, under the trusteeship of the Lord Mayor of Cardiff (Alderman Lewis Morgan), Mr. J. H. J. Thonms (manager of the works, Llantrisant, where Miss King was employed as a typist at the time of her accident), and Mr. Thomas C. Major (chief inspector of weights and measures, Ac., Cardiff), now reaches about £300, and the trustees are hopeful of this amount being increased to £ 500, so that after providing the young lady with a typewriter, propelling chair, and a few other necessaries, a substantial amount will be left in their hand." to invest for her. Contributions to this fund are earnestly solicited, and will be gratefully acknowledged by Mr. T. C. Major.

ATTACK WITH A HATCHET HAMMERMAN'S WIFE AND YOUNG COLLIER. James Holden (45), hammerman, was tried at Notts Assizes on Wednesday for murdering or George Barlow, a Young collier. Prisoner had charged the deceased with familiarity with his wife, which was indignantly denied. He attacked Barlow and the woman with a hatchet, inflicting injuries from which Bar- low's death ensued. The jury found the accused guilty of manslaughter. Mr. Justice Channel 1, whilst allowing for the provoca- tion Holden had received, said it was neces- sary for the protection of society that such cases should be dealt with severely. He passed sentence of seven years' penal servi- tude. ASSAULT ON AN OLD LADY. At Kent Assizes on Wednesday Joseph Hills, who at the last assize was sentenced to five years penal servitude for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Emma Osborne, agod 91, at Orpington, and subsequently appealed vainly against the conviction, wae indicted for manslaughter, the old lady having since died. Hillos attacked deceased and broke her leg, accusing her of saying things about him. He was sentenced to fonr years' penal servi- tude, to run concurrently with the previous sentence.

£ 10,000 FOR THE BRISTOL UNIVERSITY. Mr. Edward dhonning Wills, the eldest eon of Sir Edward Payson Wills, has given a cheque for £ 10,000 to the treasurer of the Bristol University Fund. This raises the fund to praotimlly £ 230,000.

THE MYSTERY OF A LEGATION. MORE REVELATIONSF ROM SANTAIGO. SANTIAGO DE milLE, Saturday, The investigation into the death of the Porter of the German Legation here, and the arrest of Herr Beokert, the Chancellor, on suspicion of having marred him. has led to revelations of an extraordinary character. Herr Beckort has been handed over to the Chilian authorities, and the view taken by the Public Prosecutor is th»* bA8 Feal mten' tion was to murder Baron Bodman, the German Minister. He had arranged for the Minister to go at five o'clock in the after- noon to the Chancellery to sign documents, and it is alleged that he intended to shoot his Excellency, leaving toe by the side of the oody, The fact that there were defalcations on the bank amounting to nearly £ 15,000 would, in the prisoner's opinion, have offered a. motive for the supposed suicide of the Minister, and in the excitement following upon the fire ana the discovery of the bodiee, be ixnagm hat the porter's body would be buried as that of himself, This plan was upset by the fact that Baron Welczeck, the secretary, unexpected yaccom- panied the Minister to the Chancellery, thus saving his life. It is further alleged that aIter nrtlTderin g the porter Beckert extracted two teeth from the mouth of the corpse, but he left the roots. Moreover, the porter, wfctfe m the Army had broken bis and is alleged to have held the leg over the fire until all trace of tfie broken bone had dis- appeared, and to have done the same with the victim's face. Rice was forced down the porter's throat. Beckert himself was in the habit of eating "vice in the middle of the day. All this was done to induce the belief that he body found in the debris of the fire was that of Beckert. Details of the most mxvrising nature are expected at the trial concerning Beckert's wife and mistress. Beckert was interrogated by the examining magistrate yesterday. The prisoner, wnohas maintained an attitude of indifference since his arrest, passing his days in smoking cigarettes, and his nights in the soundest of sleep, bore the ordeal of examination with consummate assurance.—Press Association Foreign Special.

TWO WOMEN. POSTMANJS SUICIDE THROUGH WORRY. The tragic death of a postman, George Edmond Ringhain, 41, of Battersea, from the I effect of poison, was inves-tiga,ted at West- minster. Alice Crighton said that Bingham s wife died in August, and she had been living with him for some months. On Friday he left home saying his head was bad and that something serious would happen. Bessie Costa, a domestic servant, said she was engaged to be married to Ringham^and the wedding was to have taken place on Tues- day. On Tuesday last she received a letter from him saying he wanted £ 20 to make him happy. They were going to put the £ 20 towards purchasing their home. She sus- pected something worried him. He told her that a woman had been blackmailing him, and that she had threatened to show him up a t the at the post office end get him turned out. The woman he referred to had admitted that she was engaged to somebody else. Miss Costa said that Ringham had become entangled with the woman in question, and had complained that she had had extra- ordinary power over him. The witness, on leaving the box, WM hiseed by Crighton, who was called to order. Dr. Morris said death was due to bella- donna poisoning, and the jury returned a verdict of Suicide during temporary insanity," brought on by worry.

WEDDING TRAGEDY. LADY DIES AFTER A SEIZURE IN CHURCH. A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon at a wedding at Pontefract. The church was filled, and before the ceremony began Miss Gertrude Jackson, of Pontefract, the fiancee of the bridegroom's brother, had a seizure, and died a few minutes later in the churchyard. The ceremony was pro- ceeded with, the bride not beinc made acquainted with the tragedy.

DEATH OF AN' ADMIRAL. Admiral Sir Charles G. Fane died at Aber- deen on Wednesday following upon an opera- tion. The deceased had had a diatipgeiciied naval oaiccfi and was 72,

BURGLARY AT A THEATRE A daring burglary was perpetrated +v<» Palace Theatre, Aberdeen, between Ha+„r day night and Monday morning a being broken open and a sum of over £ tjn carried off. It is supposed that the thieves had secreted themselves in the building after the second house on Saturday night.

CHESHIRE HEIR'S TRAGIC DEATH. A gloom has been cast over the district of Mottram St. Andrew, near Wilmslow, Cheshire, by the distressing sodden death of Mr. Frederick Curtis, who was heir to the Mottram Hall Estate. Deceased was only 23 years of age, and was extremely popular with the tenantry and all who knew him. At the inquest on Tuesday on the body vf Mr Ourtas a verdict of "Death from misad- venture' was returned. The evidence showed that, unknown to his family, the deceased took laudanum to induce steep. On Sunday the searvants could not wake him, and he died without recovering consciousness. A laud- anum bottle was found by the bedside.

AMERICAN LEGACY ROMANCE. -——,——. FORTUNE FOR AN ENGLISH DAUGHTER. » Mrs. Bird, the wife of a baker at North- ampton, who is the heroine of an American fortune romance, is a grey-haired woman of 63, who sold bread and faggots in a humble shop in Green-street, Northampton. It is stated that according to the will of her father, the late Mr. Samuel H. Roebuck, a millionaire wire manufacturer of New York, she is to receive the bulk of his estate, esti- mated at more than £500,000, The "Brooklyn Eagle" of New York says that it is believed that Mr. Samuel Roebuck married twice in England and twice in the States. The names have not transpired. The will will probably be contested. The number of children and the value of the estate are problematical. The wife of the eon of Samuel Roebuck, who owns a large interest in his father's business, says she believed that her father-in-law owned fourteen houses at Bayridge. On the other hand, Mr. Dodd, attorney to the widow, believes the estate is very small. Mr. Roebuck, it is stated, gave a share of his business to his sons George j and Samuel before his death. He also dis- Posed of most of the real estate, giving houses to his children and his brother John, and annuities to his wife and brother. TRAGIC STORY BY A SISTER. Interviewed on Saturday at her residence in Leicester, Miss Lucy Roebuck, now 68 years of age, the sister of the deceased mil- lionaire, told of a tragic incident in connec- tion with her brother's visit to England 26 years ago to see his mother. Miss Roebuck said: "We then kept a small greengrocer's shop in Highcross-street, Leicester. While my brother was here our mother died, a.nd a few-days later Mrs. Ann Cheshire, the mother of Mrs. Bird, passed away in tragic circumstances. She was then living with friends in Berners-street, and my brother went to see her, when she com- mitted suicide by cutting her throat in his presence. She was infatuated with my Presence. She was infatuated with my brother, and we used to say, 'Why are you so much taken with him when you know he has a, wife and family in America?' My brother wrote and told me that he had married his housekeeper, and that she was the daughter of a Virginian stonemason. Ever since 1901 I havo*had an annuity of X52 from him, and Mrs. Bird has had the same. I cannot say how far I shall partici- pate in my brother's wealth." =-

"A MOST ARTFUL THIEF." &HO PGTRL'S IMPOSITION ON A LADY. Posing as the daughter of the Hon. Mrs. Arthur Crichton, a sixteen-year-old shopgirl, named Nellie Vaughan, of Queen's Park, Waited Robinson and Cleaver's in Regent- street and selected a £3 38. silver bag, and asked that it should be put to Mrs. Crich- ton's account. She was suspected, however. and, as a sequel, appeared at Marlborough-street on Friday, and there it was stated Nellie Vaughan stopped the Hon. Mrs. Crichton in Conn aught-square and told her she bad lost her purse and a raiwlay ticket to Cheshunt, j where she had been at school. Mrs. Crichton thereupon gave her a sore- j reign, and told the girl who she was, when Xellie said she desired to make an explana- tion of the circumstances to her mother. I Nellie told the magistrate that she had been led away, but Mr. Mead remarked that she was a moat artful thief, and sentenced her to three rnoruths, hard labour.

TAUNTON ELECTION. RESULT OF THE POLL. Hon. William Peel (U.) 1.976 Mr. Frank Smith (Lab.) i-065 Unionist majority 891 I Unionist majority in 1906—339. Increase in Unionist majority 552. I The return of the Hon. Willi&ni "eei oil Tuesday as Unionist member for Taunton in the place of Sir E. Boyle, who retired, is the first decision at the polls in the series of bye- elections which are now pending. Previous elections have resulted as fol- lows: I 1906. 1895. Sir E. Boyle (P.) 1,842 CoL Welby (U.) unopposed. Mr. A. Ponaoaby (R.) 1,503 1892, Hon. JL P. Ailsopp U, majority 339 (U.) 1,402 1900. H. H. Eridgman (E.) 92.1 Oo]. Welby (U.) 1,387 —— King (B.) i,0 £ 4 XJ. majority •• U. majority" 363

■ I BETTING ON FOOTBALL, j Alfred Bunding and James Henderson Hinds were each charged at Newcastle Police- court with loitering in the streets for the purpose of bett.ing on football results. It was said the defendant's ha4 been engaged by some people in London, who had been carrying on this kind of betting all over the country. The Bench imposed a fine of C5 amd costs in each case. Three other men, Thomas Kirsop, John IfCrystal, and Robert Thomas, were each fined £ 10 and costs on similar charges. Prosecutions for betting on football through the medium of coupons distributed broad- cast in the neighbourbood of well-known I playing grounds were Aealt with a* Birming- ham amd Aston Courts. The Birming- ham Stipendiary inflicted a fine of .15 and Goebs on George Ellis, and Albert Birfvop, charged with a like offence before the Aston J J magistrates, was aoad B* and )

SEQUEL TO ACTOR'S SUICIDE. + ALLEGED PERSONATION BY A WOMAN. There has been a startling sequel to a rahway station tragedy which occurred at Snow Hill, Birmingham, in December last, when a man, who was said to be an actor, threw himself in front of a train and was cut in two. A well-dressed young woman, who was on the platform, said deceased was her brother, William Raymond. The police have now arrested the girl, and the story related in Birmingham Police- court on Saturday, if proved to be correct, reveals a clever and daring plot. Prisoner. who gave the name of Florence Raymond, and was dressed in black, appeared to be in great distress. Superintendent Daniels said she was charged With, obtaining under false pretences from the police on December 19 JEZ 9s., the property of the man who was killed at Snow Hill Station. Prisoner then said she was the sister of deceased, and claimed and obtained the money found on the body. With this she immediately purchased a stylish black costume and hat. The police had since discovered that she was no relation whatever to deceased. Her real name was Julietta Fox, and a cousin of the man Raymond, whom they had traced, said she was unknown to the family. A remand was granted. Considerable mystery surrounds Raymond's death on account of the young woman's contradictory statements, but she appeared to be so overcome with grief that the police assisted her in every way possible, and did not hesitate to give her the money found on the body. At the inquest she adhered to her original statement that deceased was her brother, whom she had not seen for many years. She said her mother had died three months previously. The brother was then in America, and had come over thinking he might be' of assistance to his orphan sister. She said she was rehearsing in the local pantomime, and that they had been lodging at Aston. The police claim to be in a position to prove that this story was concocted, and sensational revelations are anticipated.

MINER EXECUTED. BRUTAL MURDER OF A LITTLE GIRL. Jeremiah O'Connor was hanged in Durham G:1] u e, girl, named Donnelly, under revolting cir- cumstances. The rathe tic circumstance of the case was that the chifd's father was reported as amongst the victims of the West Stanley Colliery disaster. O'Connor was also a miner. and had worked in the same pit. During the last few nights O'Oonnor had been very restless. Waking on Tuesday morn- ing, he ate a little toast and drank some tea for breakfast. He listened attentively to the ministrations of Canon Brown, but never uttered a single word. He walked firmly to the scaffold, and death was instantaneous. The brothers Pierpont were the executioners. CONDEMNED MAN'S APPEAL DIS- MISSED. The Court of Criminal Appeal an Tuesday dismissed the appeal of Thomas Meade. sen- tenced to death at Leeds for murdering a woman with whom he had lived.

ROBBED AND MURDERED. Bors TERRTBLE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE. .1 A brutal murder took place on Friday at East Wemyss, Fifeshire. A boy about fifteen years of age had been sent from the colliery office to the bank for money to pay the wages of the employes, and at mid-day his dead body was discovered in a lavatory with the head battered beyond recognition. His tie was twisted round his neck, and his cap pressed into his mouth. The place was covered with blood, showing that there had been a terrible struggle. The bag of money which is missing contained upwards of JB100 in notes and silver. The police have as yet no traoe of the murderer.

RECTOR'S WIFE ACCUSED OF LIBEL. At Maidstone Assizes on Monday Mrs. i Frances Gedge, wife of the rector of Graves- end, was indicted for publishing a libel con- cerning the Rev. H, j. Martin, of Chatham. Counsel said that at the previous aissizee, when a true bill was returned against the defendant, Mr. Justice Ridley suggested an adjournment to see if the trial could be obviated by an arrangement between the parties. Since then a course had been taken which made it unnecessary for the prosecu- tion to be continued. A formal verdict of not guilty was returned.

PRESIDENT OF THE DUMA. BOMB FOUND IN THE COURT- YARD OF HIS HOUSE. A powerful bomb was discovered on Mon- day in the courtyard of the house at St. Petersburg in which M. Khomiakoff. Presi- dent of the Duma, has a flat. M. Khomiakou's windows overlook the courtyard. Os~ ♦»•«> theories is that the ijomb was intended to kill a Ministerial per- Bor_*3* among M. Khomiakoffa visitors.— R joter. £

SHOOTING SENSATION IN LONDON. The National Portrait Gallery, Trafalgar- equare, was on Wednesday afternoon th« scene of a terrible tragedy, a man suddenly shooting a lady who was accompanying him, and then turning the weapon—a revolver- upon himself, with fatal results in botft cases. Both bodies lie in the mortuary aJ Horeeferry-road, Westminster, awaiting th< inquest. The deceased have been identified as Mr and Mrs. John Tempest Dawson, of 31, Bron. wick-place. Hove, Brighton. The exact locale of the shocking occurrence was Room No. 27 in the east end of the gal- lery which fronts on to the Church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. In this gallery are hung portraits of the Northern explorers, including Sir John Franklin. It appears that shortly before half-past two on Wednesday afternoon the couple entered this part of the gallery, and to the very few visitors who happened to be near at the time appeared to be deeply interested in the pictures before them. When, the shooting took place only two visitors, two young tailoresses, happened to be standing by, and these were so frightened that they immediately fled. They have since been found by the police, and will give important evidence at the inquest. They are Miss Saybine, of 8, Stanhope-street, Euston-road, and Miss Gladman, of 63, Shell- gate-road, Northcote-road, Clapham Junction. Apparently seizing a moment when no attendant was near, Mr. Dawson whipped out a revolver and fired it point-blank at hit companion, who was standing within a foot or eo. The bullet entered her temple, and she fell to the floor unconscious. A stream of blood issued fro m her forehead. With barely a pause, Mr. Dawson placed the smoking revolver to his mouth, fired, and fell dead by her side. Hearing the shots, an attendant rushed ta the spot, and on seeing the ghastly work that had been done immediately notified tho police, who were promptly on the scene. A. brief examination of the man showed that a a was beyond aid, but Mrs. Dawson was still breathing, though unconscious. The weapon was lying on the floor. Taken with all care to Charing Cross Hos- pital, Mrs. Dawson, it was soon seen, could not recover. Everything possible was done for her, but she gradually sank, and died at half-past four. The body of the man, rafter a brief medical examination, had meanwhile been taken ta the mortuary. There the clothing was (searched by the police, who found a large sum in notes and gold. The deceased was also wearing a gold watch and chain and a gold :rång. Judging by this and the fact that he and the lady were well-dressed, th« couple seemed to be in well-to-do circum- ati_».ces. The police also discovered a letter on the body which was addressed to the coroner, and the contents are believed to afford proof that the deed was premeditated. Mr. Dawson was of medium height and build, had fair hair, and his attire was fashionably cut. He wore a black bowler hat bearing the name of a hatter at Brighton. The lady's apparel was marked with tht initials N. C. D." Though several visitors in the rooms adjoin* ing that in which the distressing affair toaJí place heard the shots, they did not associate them with an occurrence hitherto unpreoer dented in the annals of the building. After the bodies had been removed a mæto ing of the directors of the gallery was hurriedly called, but it was decided, after a brief consultation, that there was no neces- sity to close the whole of the gallery, and the only measure taken was the locking up of the room in which the shooting had taken place. So far the motive for the crime is shrouded. in mystery. Mr. and Mrs. Dawson were quite unknown to anyone in the gallery, and, so far as is ascertainable, there was no quarrel- ling between them prior to the firing of tha shot. Mr. John Tempest Dawson and Mrs. N. Dawt son, sometimes called "Namny," had been staying at a boarding-house in Brunswick- place, Hove, for the last ten years, and it had bee.n. p¡¡'3,('tloalJy their home. had been, practically their home. The letter left by Mr. Dawson is stated to be a long typewritten document of a nambling oharacter. and containing sugges- be a long typewritten document of a. nambling character, and containing sugges- tions that he had been the victim of black- mail and that he could stand it no longer. His friends had got to know all about it, and he could not face them. Inquiries go to show that he had previously threatened act! of violence. Thirty years ago he retired from business.

TO COMPETE FOR VALUABLE AEROPLANE PRIZE PARIS, Wednesday. Mr. Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, who is well known in British amateur motor-racing circles, intends to compete for the Cap Martin Aeroplane Prize of 10,000f. next month with a. machine whion has been built for him by Messrs. Voisin Freres. Mr. Fletcher has obtained from the Mayor of Pau the grant of a plot of land, on which the regulation shed has already been erected, and he hopes to begin trials within the next ten days.—Central News. Mr. Fletcher is the nephew and heir cf Mies Talbot, Margam.

SHIP'S BOY MURDERED. TERRIBLE TRAGEDY ON CARDIFF- LADEN SHIP. A terrible tale was related in Queen«tew?» on Sunday by Mr. William Dunne, an able seaman of the Liverpool vessel Oolony, which as arrived from Mejillones. The Colony sailed from Cardiff some months ago for Talcahuano, and when the vessel was neir- ing the Falkland Islands, according 10 Mr. Dunne's story, the boatswain attacked the ship's boy named Kelly with an axe, inflict" ing a terrible wound in his back. He theY out one of the lad's arms and almost severed his head from his body and afterwards leaped overboard. The other members of the or en launched a boat, but before the murdsrel, could be reached he had disappeared.

SEQUEL TO TRAIN SMASH SffiPS STEWARD OBTAINS jE:2,000 DAMAGES. In the King's Bench Division on Wednesday Frederick Thomas Daniel, formerly a steward under the P. and O. Steamship Company, was awarded C2,000 damages against the Great Northern Railway Company It was stated that plaintiff was travelling from Finsbury Park to Stroud Green when the train ran into another train. Fog prevailed at the time. Plaintiff sustained severe injuries to his spine, which made him a cripple. Defendants denied that plaintiff suffered injuries from the accident, and said that he came from a neurotic family.

BURLED OVER A CLIFF. TWENTY-FIVE KILLED AND FORTY INJURED. GUAYAQUIL, We^neaday. A north-bound passenger train was hurlec over a cliff 100 ft. high near Rio Bamba to-day j owing to a displaced rail. Twenty-five per- eoce were killed aad ft injured.Bootqir.