Potter's Electric News

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AT MANCHESTER. On Friday a deplorable accident took place at Manchester. A music-hall in Victoria-street, fre- quented by the lower classes, and known throughout Lancashire as Ben Lang's,' was the scene of the sad event. The price of admittance to the ball was 2d, and it is said that the room was packed with some 3,000 people. It was the benefit night of one Mr Clifford, a favourite vocalist. The performances (says the Manchester Examiner) commenced at half- past six. All went well till about ten o'clock. Shor tly after that hour, some of the youths who were in ti e back part of the audience in the pit, in their eagerness to obtain a better view of what was going on uilon the stage, lifted themselves by the gas- pendants, three of which were soon broken off. No evil consequences couM have followed had not some- bedy in the pit raised an alaroi of Fire.' There was immediately a rush to the staircase from the two tipper galleries. The staircase is six feet wide, and winds up between walls from the ground floor to the top gallery, with a landing-stage on each floor. The crush of people attempting to leave was terrific, and appears to have been the sole cause of the loss of life. Men and women precipitated themselves recklessly one over another down the first flight. The degree of pressure at the onset may be judged from the fact that out of an audience of nearly 1,000 in two gsilertes, scarcely a score forebore to rush to the common staircase. The other half of the who were in the pit, would find compara- tiVE")' safe egress fiorc a separate staircase. At the time this account was written it was not ascertained how many were injured from the crush on the stairs, or how many by the attempts to save themselves through jumping from the windows. From a quarter, pa t ten to eleven o'clock 26 dead bodies were re- ceived at the infirmary. A large number of severely injured cases were also taken to the infirmary, oF which 13 or 14 were considered so serious that they weiv sent for lreatmeht to the surgical wards. Of thf'f> several are set down as dangerous cases. Eight persons, after receiving treatment for bruises and eon used wounds, were sent out. Shortly after the acc'-dent occurred, and as soon as inforniati-on of its serious nature had had time to spread, a large and deeply excited crowd gathered outside of the Infir- mary gates, 'rnnny of whom were women, wl o, believing that their friends might be among tl e kil!ed, madeclamorous and weeping entreaties to be admitted to the dead-house, but up to midnight it was impossible to admit anyone within the walls, and none of the bodies had been identified. 40 THE WKJIEVAN CONFERENCE.—The Conference at Liverpool was resumed on Saturday, the president in the chirr. After sinking and prayer the daily record was read and the business proceeded with. The Rev J. Hargi-eives, chairman of the Liverpool district, staled that no chapel in the town could accommodate the numbers anxious to be present at the ordination services, and who had in fact received tiokets of admission. Several of the principal ministers were strongly opposed to a division of the services, chiefly because it was very desirable that all should hear the chairman and ex-president. After a prolonged con- versation it was agreed that usage should yield to utility though at great personal sacrifice, if not risk, and the services should take place in two chapels. The Rev. W. Arthur submitted to the earnest solici- tations of the conference, and promised to deliver an address to the newly-appointed ministers in the second chapel appointed for the ordinary services. The Grove-street and Pitt-street chapels were fixed upon for these services. The question respecting the candidates for the ministry was then considered. GORED TO DEATH.—We are sorry to have to re- cord the death of Mr Walter Rogers, of the Fron farm, near the Quinto, from the effects of being gored by a bull belonging to him. On Thursday week he went into one of his pasture fields adjoining the house for the purpose of driving the cattle to water in the yard, and in doing so passed close to the bull, which appeared to take no more than ordinary notice of him. On his driving the cattle to the yard gate be had to pass through them in order to open the gate. In doing so the bull rushed behind him and struck him down. Some time afterwards the servant girl, in passing through the yard, saw the bull trampling upon and tossing something on the ground, which, on closer inspection, she saw was her master. An alarm was immediately made, the animal was driven away, and Mr. Rogers was carried into the house. He was perfectly conscious after the first effects of the shock were over, and was enabled to give particulars of the affair. On Friday evening be began to sink under the injuries, and on Saturday evening, about 5 o'clock, he died. Deceased was 80 years of age. Osivestry Advertiser. COMPENSATION Faa THE Loss OF A HUSBAND.—At the York Assizes on Thursday, the case, 'Bulmer v, Harris was heard by Mr Justice Lush. Mr D. Seymour, Q C., and Mr Kemplay appeared for the plaintiff: Mr Price, Q.C., for the defendant. The declaration stated that the defendant had negligently discharged a gun, by reason of which Mr Jeffery Bulmer lost his life. The plaintiff was the widow of Mr'Eulmer, who was a master builder at Middles- borough. He was in the 29th year of his age at the time of his death, and he left a widow and four children. She brought this action for compensation for the less of her husband by death, which had been occasioned by the negligence of the defendant, who was 19 years of age. He was said to be the son of a Jady who was a partner in the firm of Messrs Harris and Co, of Middlesborough, shipowners. On Satur- day, the 14:t11 of December last some pigeon shooting took place in a field of Mrs Harris', the mother of the defendant. Five persons, including the de- fendant, met together to shoot, and they took their stand side by side, ready to take a shot as the pigeons were released from the trap.' The deceased "was standing behind the men when they commenced sh>oting, and the defendant fired two shots. His first did not kill, but turning round he fired at a bird, and instead of hitting it the shot took effect upon Mr Bulmer, who fell down dead, the back part of his skull-having been taken off. It appeared that Mrs Hams had given Mrs Bulmer X2, and had offered her 5s per week for two years, but she had refused to accept the offer, and her children Jzad been maintained by her friends. It was stated that the defendant only earned jE20 a year, and submitted, in defence, that the deceased had contributed to his death by his own negligence. He placed himself in a position of danger, he knew the danger, and he stood within the range of the gun. He ought to have removed himself out of all danger, and he not having done so, took upon himself the hazard and peril of quick firing. It was submitted that the action ought not. to have been brought, as it was known that. the defendant was practically a pauper, and this was characterised as an attempt to obtain money through the tears of Mrs Harris. His lordship was of opinion that the defendant was responsible to the widow and children of the deceased, and that Mrs iiulraer and her children were entitled to pecu- niary compensation for pecuniary loss. The jury returned for an hOllr, and then found a verdict for the piaintiff for £50, and £ 200 for the four children, nuking £250 altogether.

'MR GLADSTONE DESCENDS INTO THE GUTTER. There is a therapeutic process in existence, unpleasant perhaps, but which is said to have its valu\ and which consists in the use of the mud bath. We believe tb", there are natural baths certain hut springs which hold ooze and dirt suspended in a semi liquid etate and ther. a'e mud baths of artificial filth, just ai we have th. German Seltzer and the Brig ton Selz-r. We forge', perhaps, because we never knew, the diseases for whict thece mud baths are, or are said to be, a remedy. Per haps they soothe 'he system by stimulating and drawing to the surface elements of c rporeal evil. In practice they must be attended with diiffculties: warm, dulcify- ing and lubricating, but decidedly nasty, and the patient's self-reepeet must be a little tried when condemned to wallow in uncongenial slime. It may be safely assumed that nobody eVer takes a mud bath except when com- pelled to do so. We are sometimes told that body and mind are something more than analottou. and that the health and disease and, consequently, the medicine of the soul often follow those of the body. Is there, then, such a moral and political remedy as a mud bath ? It so, under what conditions of the temper and party exi gtncies is it fxpedient to resort to it ? Mr Gladstone has perhaps been pondering this question, and he experi- mented on himself -non in cor pore vile. He has gone into the kennel; like the hero of the "Duuciad," he has, and certainly not under medical advice, plunged into the filthiest depths of Fleet Ditch. To take secret coun- sel with Finlen, and to talk in his own house as a friend with the fellow who was too bad for the office of barrister in ordinary at the Judge and Jury Club in Leicester Square, and who is accused of systematically n. gleetint: and starving, when he does not desert, his miserable children, is certainly a change for the late Chancellor of the Exchequer and member for the University of Oxford. Mr Gladstone cannot have taken to this nastv regiment without a cause; and we are driven to conjecture as to the reasons for this companionship with Finlen The mud-bath theory partly accounts for it. Mr Gladstone during the session has secreted a good deal of ill temper; his peccant humours, on homoeopathic principles, may be drawn out by their like; similia similbius curantur; a dose of Finlen was, perhaps, wanted in the Glsdstonian economy to defecate the great statesman's own system Our only fear is that Mr Gladstone may have taken too strong a remedy this time. He has. to be sure, Mithri- dates-like, gone through a fair course of poisons; he has taken doses of Beales and Potter before now, but Finlen is certainly a violent exhibition of nastiness. It was rumoured last week that the Hyde Park gather- ings were to be renewed, and renewed under new and even lower and more offensive auspices. This time it was not the Reform League who proposed to make London hideous and "the Sabbath an abomination." Mr Beales has of late been rather quiet and respectable enough. The whole energies of the League have been recently exhausted on the very trivial question whether Alderman Rose or the Lord Mayor, Mr Beales or Mr Bradlaugh, made more or less noise at the Guildhall meeting about the Irish Church. Neither did the Working Man's Association organise or countenance last Sunday's rab faiement in llJ de Park. They have so far yielded to the requirements of public decency as to give up monster meetings. Neither the League nor Mr Potter's society seem to care much about the Irish Church To do the mob orators and agitators of the last two years justice, they seem to see that a question of this sort is n. t in their way. It affects no class interests in which thev are concerned, and it certainly has nothing to do with the suffrage or any point of the charter. The Hyde Park meeting about the Irish Church was something of a sur- prise. The old leaders were not responsible for it. The oracles-that is the Beehive newspaper and Mr Hartwell were dumb. But the report of Mr Gladstone's reception on Saturday of a deputation who had ordered the demon- stration for Sunday, was not not the first hint of it. On Wednesday a preliminary meeting to arrange the details was held on Clerkenwell Green. It was not attended by a single notable-no Beales, no Baxter Langley, not even Bradlaugh or Odger; even the familiar Lucraft was absent. The place, the men, and manners of the Clerk enwell meeting were significant. It consisted of the scum of London, and represented the extreme rump of sedition and democracy. Finlen's was the only name known to fame Finlen, the man who on this very spot, no longer ago than December, advocated the most open treason, who was the leader of the funeral procession in honour of the murdered martyrs of Manchester Finlen, who headed the raid on the Home Office; Finlen, who threatened Mr Secretary Hardy with Allen's fate. He was present at, and indeed convoked, the meeting et Clerkenwell Green on Wednesday, and these were the opinions and designs avowed Make the Lords amenable to the people; away with the Bishops; the conduct of the House of Lords disentitled it to any further respect from the people." On Saturday a deputation from this Wednesday meeting—"the Hyde Park Demonstration Committee "-called on Mr Gladstone, and, "represented by Messrs Finlen, Bartlett, &c. proceeded to business. Mr Gladstone may say that he never heard of the Wed- nesday meeting, and knew nothing of Finlen. With all submission, it was Mr Gladstone's business, as the fore- man of the day, the leader of a great party, the advocate of a great, and, we believe, a righteous cause, to know, as everybody else knows, about this Finlen and his gang. We knew it in December last this man's proceedings and his history and his connection with the obscene den in Leicester Square were openly commented upon, as in many other quarters, so in this journal. Finlen was known to be the lowest and most contemp- tible agitator in London-so low and contemptible was he that not a single mob leader or associate would have anything to do with him. And yet Mr Gladstone re- cognizes and receives this fellow at his house, listens to his speech, and acts with such courtesy to the gang that, to use the language of one of the committee, "he re- ceived the deputation like a father receiving his children." Mr Gladstone goes further He was alweys pleased to receive a deputation of real working men such as those now before him." Finlen a working man! Moreover, Mr Gladstone was "grateful that his conduct on the Irish Churcti was approved by the great mass of the working men"—the great mass of the working men being Finlen and his unknown associates, the sweepings of the London kennels assembling on the Clerkenwell Green. Finlen's approval, and the approval of the like of Finlen, is as honey to Mr Gladstone. He licks his lips over the unctuous abomination. He not only takes his mud bath, but rolls in it with delight. So far Mr Gladstone might shelter himself on the plea of ignorance, but Finlen was too wary for him. Not only did Finlen praise Mr Gladstone, but took him into his confidence, and told him all his mischievous designs. The deputation announced the Sunday meeting, whereon Mr Gladstone observed that, "though.be was not called on to enunciate any opinion upon it," he thought that the reasons urged by the deputation why it should be held were worthy of consideration." It would hive been, we have no doubt, infinitely more honest to have bid Finlen and his Hyde Park Sunday meeting "God speed" at once, and openly to have accepted and approved of it, than to talk in this ambiguous, tortuous, dishonest way, Worthy of consideration The loophole to avow or disavow approval is left adroitly open. Mr Gladstone can safely say that he did not approve, did not consider, did not say, that the reasons were good, but were only worthy of consideration; not by him, perhaps, but by Finlen. It is impertinent to suggest the possibility of Pitt or Grey, Peel or Melbourne, or Palmerston, talking to a Finlen in this fashion covertly insinuating approval of the objects and plans of notorious traffickers in sedition and riot, and yet, with a cunning reserve and studied ambiguity of language, declining responsibility for the consequences. What followed was what, of course, Finlen wanted. From Carlton House Terrace and Mr Gladstone's drawing room Finlen went back to Clerken- well Green, and on Saturday night held another meeting, at which the arrangements for celebrating the Sunday according to the use which Mr Gladstone bad just pro- nounced to be well worthy consideration were completed. The procession and meeting took place, if not. under Mr Gladstone's open patronage, with his full knowledge, and apparently for no other purpose than to show Finlen'- familiarity and fraternity with Mr Gladstone. It was -i dingy and shabby failure. Eyen the orators, including « the gracious Finlen, denouncing the "bloody" Lords, and reviling the Bishops, and "their women" in the parks, were scarcely listened to, and the only sentiment -vhich was received with enthusiasm was the denuncia- tion of Mr Bradlaugh and Mr Baxter Langlev, for desert- ing Finlen. It is added that a choice attempt at ribaldry, rp- allinj the good old times of Carlisle and Hone, was got up by a mountebank blasphemer, at'ired in a surplice, chanting a litany, with the response or retrain, "Save U", good Gladstone That this indecent profanity was op'-nly recited we do not believe, because the police were pie-ent that it was printed andcircatated we make no doubt, for to have invented the fact is more incredible than the fact itself. It may he said that it is idle to make Mr Gladstone r, sliotisible for this vulgar and contemptible incident. But, with all submission, Mr Gladstone is responsible for it. If he did not know what was to be suid and done on Sunday in Hyde Park, Mr Gladstone rather encouraged the meeting itself, and openly patronised and fawned on Finlen. He had an opportunity to denounce and con- demn this style of political discussion he paltered with the occasion. Without committing himself to direct approval, he evaded the righteous duty of denouncing It- Mr Gladstone has indirectly sanctioned Hyde park meet- ings and Finlenism, well knowing what has come, and wlmt is meant to come of them. Mr Gladstone's self- respect is a matter for his own consideration. But as a Liberal leader he is not wholly his own. The great measure of dealing justice to Ireland is difficult enough, even with the most careful management; but when Mr Gladstone either openly or, what is most mischievous, covertly makes common cause with Finlen, and such a« Finlen, he does his best to make the difficult impossible. The cnuse of Ireland cannot afford to be encumbered with Mich a scandal as this; and Mr Gladstone and his friend F-nlen may do great interests the greatest harm. The- incident only shows that, with every sense. Mr Glnd- »tone lacks common-sense; and where prudence is not,. statesmanship is impossible. Every week's expprieúctt only shows Mr Gladstone's deplorable Incapacity for supreme power; and the leader who In the blind lust for adnlation submits to the greasy hug of the panderer to- bsc riity and the accomplice of blasphemy, and the av,.wed advocate of Fenianisin. which Finlen is, mu-It not tie surprised if he alienates the confidence of friends, and. while exasperating the acrimony of enemies, repels the sympathies of the serious and reflecting —Saturday lie view. PAUPERISM.- The monthly return of the Poor-laW hoard shews an improvement in May. At the end of the first week in that month the number of persons in receipt of relief from the rates in England, 953,001, was 4-3 per cent. more than at the corresponding period of 1867 at the end of the fourth week the number was 934,517, and the excess over 1867 only 3'8 per cent. Bnt it was as much as 6 per cent, io the northern district, and 4 3 per cent, in the north- western. The number in both years is subject to an addition of about 4 per cent. for returns not herfr included. A RAILWAY DHIDGE ON FIRE.-On Friday after- noon a wooden pile bridge, near Saltley, on the main line of the Chester and Shrewsbury (Great Western) Railway, was discovered to be on fire. The discovery was made by Superintendent Brooker, of the com- pany's service, who was travelling in the down train from London, and who happening to look out as the train neared the bridge, perceived the flames rising over the up side. By the prompt action of Mr Brooker, a goods train, which was waiting at Saltley junction to cross the bridge, was stopped in time, and the superintendent taking an engine and getting together a gang of men, went down to the scene of the fire. The flames were by this time a yard high, and covered a large area of the bridge, but not- withstanding the scarcity of water, the men, by making use of that carried in the engine's tender, and by heaping ballast upon the burning wood, succeeded in subduing and finally extinguishing the flames. After ascertaining that the bridge was safe a passenger train, which was just due, and train were permitted to cross, and steps were im016* diately taken permanently to repair the bridge. it is supposed that the fire originated in the ignition of the hedge which runs beside the bridge and adjoining the piles upon which it is built. A RAILWAY ANi) RAILWAY TRAIN ON FIRE.—The whole district of Ryedale was on Thursday morning overspread with an unmistakeable odour of burning peat brought down from the moors by the strong north wind. On inquiry it turned out that an early North-Eastern goods train from Malton to Whitby had in it three waggons of pickled' sleepers, which are highly inflammable. About Fen Bogs, on the Saltersgate Moors, two of these loads were found to be on fire. They burnt violently until the whole cargo and the waggons had disappeared. The fire was communicated to the sleepers of the railway, the heat of the whole so twisting the rails that the traffic was stopped until the damaged portion of the line could be relaid. From the railway the fire spread to the adjoining moor, the ling and turf of which were as dry as possible. It spread rapidly and burnt all day, but on Thursday night it was thought its progress was arrested. On Friday morning it was reported that the fire had run up the side of the glen to the hill top, but that the men had suc- ceeded in getting the flame out. The thick peaty turf on the ground is all on fire, and nothing but heavy rain can put it out. Men are watching to suppress any outbreak of flame. The cause of the fireS seems a mystery, as when the train passed a set of Tepairers 200 yards back all was right. By train at 2.30 on Friday it was reported the fire was spreading to the moors, in spite of the efforts of a great number of men, who were doing their utmost to thrash the fire with branches of trees. WORK AND Pi-AY.—In the recently published third volume of the new series of Wellington correS' pondence (which is as interesting as if that and seeming inexhaustible collection of papers never been drawn up at all) there is a letter to Robinson, written in the autumn of 1826, in whic*1 the Duke apologizes for not having answered a upon an important public question, on the that the usual sports of the autumn occupied h's time.' We cite this by way of encouragement to a.r:Y faint-hearted public men who, now that the Sessi°fl of Parliament is at an end, have any qualms of science as to the duty of autumnal recreation. Great Duke was an embodiment of duty but » knew that as there was a time for work, so also there a time for play. He never took to his he&r the doctrine that 'life would not be endurable bu for its pleasures' and so he lived and worked oD, thought its progress was arrested. On Friday morning it was reported that the fire had run up the side of the glen to the hill top, but that the men had suc- ceeded in getting the flame out. The thick peaty turf on the ground is all on fire, and nothing bat heavy rain can put it out. Men are watching suppress any outbreak of flame. The cause of the fireS seems a mystery, as when the train passed a set of Tepairers 200 yards back all was right. By train at 2.30 on Friday it was reported the fire was spreading to the moors, in spite of the efforts of a great number of men, who were doing their utmost to thrash the fire with branches of trees. WORK ANO PLAY.—In the recently published third volume of the new series of Wellington corre8' pondence (which is as interesting as if that and seeming inexhaustible collection of papers never been drawn up at all) there is a letter to Robinson, written in the autumn of 1826, in whic*1 the Duke apologizes for not having answered a upon an important public question, on the that the usual sports of the autumn occupied h's time.' We cite this by way of encouragement to faint-hearted public men who, now that the Sessi°fl of Parliament is at an end, have any qualms of science as to the duty of autumnal recreation. Great Duke was an embodiment of duty but » knew that as there was a time for work, so also there a time for play. He never took to his he&r the doctrine that 'life would not be endurable bu for its pleasures' and so he lived and worked ot>^ and was a benefit to his country, till he had nunl. bered more than four score years. And it is ,n merely because men who remember that there is time for everything live longer than others that t saying, Every man does more work in ten than in twelve,' is essentially true, but because each separate year more work is done by the vidual workman when a portion of it is given up recreation. Now that August is at hand we may inappropriately, therefore, cite the greatest exa|?^e; of modern times in support of a favorite doctn > and we may remind those who think that the cannot get on properly if they are not at tkeir if,, that a great deal of important business does 1 and that there i3 scarcely any business that is so well.—Pall Mall Gazette. Print d ana Published by the Proprietors, ^^heir Li > wi-LUX and THOMAS WHICHKB. PAVIES, a Office in High-street, in the Parish of Saint ir the County of the Town of Haverfordwest Wednesday, August 5, 1868.