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- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W INDUS- TRIES. PLYMOUTH WORKS. ^OSING YEARS OF ANTHONY HILL'S LIFE. NOTICES OF OLD PLYMOITIX MEN. By CHARLES WILKINS, F.G.S. Fully immersed in iron making. in chemistry, Ajr -I' eiiow of the Geological Society, ■' %vas energetic 111 local polities, tjj.-1"111?'the various boards, strengthening of jF aeiiberat;ons by the gravity and weight j. uis counsel, and, as handed down in local 4j. °r-' .helping materially to preserve the 6tmaii.,rom becoming an intolerable scene of loo^T0* such as characterised so many a liistor an. 111 e'fttpters <»f their .Though a Conservative of the purest f0r «' living amongst a people noted by liberalism, many for their Radicalism, 31111011 eonsent political views were ig- oQ j: a/"l the tribute of his time was "That f ,,cad platform of sympathy, man for feeling and every high and noble w *a1^Ll>re':ePt, Anthony Hill and the people Ci-i)eR+ Inough never, like the Crjiwshays and \Vftg a r'on man, his practical benevolence jJo^ ln accord with a larger revenue than he cW.^8^- He pave away £ 500 a year in of He looked minutely after the schools ^em*8 x established a new church at refaeh. anl endowed it with £ 2,00 per t0 tjf1, .an^ when an old workman Miceumbed ineviitable, and ra obliged to give up collier or ptiddler, he remained a ner upon the estate, and was looked j. -T after until his course was run. Hot a subject of regret that Mr. Hill did o? ti ter more generously into the gocial needs jjQj.gi.- 10Wn, and' when the Question of incor- 4 Was bought forward he continued Af^ °W°n€n*' t'le result of which was i}, J"erthyr remained the village, and even of local government was only "Rto practical life by the decimating in- W<J^the cholera. Merthyr. from a sliep- t]je •? hamlet, had Income by leap^ and bounds t populated place in "Wales, and the of 1°' thousands congregated from all parts 4 ^ontrj^ found themselves restricted to SUpP^" an(l drainage which were only for a cluster of cottages. The elescrip- frW l^r. Probert, who came to the district J-eaj, a ^OUD £ mall> related to us in after aS simply an a-pp.dling one. The water 8c^BJ" Was ^roiu contaminated wells; the -a* these in early morning and at night tti^jji^d^^eribably bad, and though a rough cj1j]jj0<i was vindicated, and women with 4 in their arms and' kettle in hand had accorded of being the first to be orJ^°re t^ose w'>° brought bigger utensils. Of^ianal fights took place, and language ^itih CI>aT^e3t kind was common. The cholera. 3. swept away its thousand victims m short time in 1849, wa.s the impelling a better state of things, and long be- J"6 career of Anthony Hill came to an tlvg a condition arise which ended in of hamlet having cr.e of the be-st supplies hjgi in the country, and1 a drainage of a {v '°5^der of merit. tcoV i the earliest attempts at incorporation S-ti;} in the time of Mr. Anthony Hill, remembered by the oldest inhabi- e Temperance-hall was the scene of IHQ AND A writer of the time described -^ous leaders of industry marching to the like the Barons of dd, each iron- his chief agent had his retainers. The then a growing party, were the tkaj the owners of property, who feared be mulcted in heavier rates th^aVe accompanied the development school board principle, were the oppo- 33 the wordy contest was a strong Jt 1s no knowing into what extreme's %ht f n°t have endidj but in the verv Otie Jcj, the fray the gas wa« put out. No ^•0r!!Vhft actor in the stirring drama, but he long remembeied the rtll'-h that took 4 the rapid clearing of the lull. For fcscjj. ^Corporation was shelved. Looking the movement, which was principally the "Merthyr Telegraph, the c"lcn} to thfoughrtful minds La, that if it had .f^sd out the result to-day would have Merthyr taJcing its plauce ajnongst towns of WaJes, and being now 'ilw with progressive mscitjutions a free t^i^to Mit—instead, of being, a« it its, even P^^titjute and AmtihonytiJilL. full of yearr? U.Kj.^>Cctur^ loved by all men. died, disap- ^9^, 88 we all do sooner or later, from the lvqt%; and earnest as was the tribute to his continued, and only now facing 5 °»e ty one the associated men of his 111 etema-l ig <»e of the impress themselves on thinking tJiatj, as the great actors in our industries Cv(M.^ers come upon the eta^e, and life's drama is carried on, no curtain ever Pamanently upon tlu scene. Natures neftier darted; "the house*' is A^vIoeed- ^th0ny Hin in Au^_ 1862, full of year?!, &lc^- resPeot, died; died at a time when the 1^? summer was ending and th^ harvest gathered in, typical of his life, and Waa ca-rried to his long home there ,a ma,n or woman who did not mourn. "^arted to a degree, he was also stern i ^oral government, and it was essetifid °uhl be. He had one inflexible rule. If ^erit or any employe in his works loved, hr0^ but too well, and the case was Hisijj? before him, the only condition of rc- WK 1Hi service was "Marry." And remember the licence of early days, a ^wd of often undisciplined spirits, life „r how well this strengthened the moral ^i&io .Strict, and made the practice of 11 ir? chapel and church more w>4 > utterance or profession, [ill ttle grave had closed over him the jr,0tt'n 'l's disposition was f to i. G I't several thousand pounds ster- ^thilv .s agents and workmen, and it wa.s "Not an old man was left unre- ifearg r,ret^ A good tale was told of him ■to th^°' w^en l'e was still living, but getting C^tio Va^e °t years. It was at one of the *-he i ,llKi and as that staunch Conservative, Mr. Walter Smyth, was engaged in Ss'n^' he was literally surrounded by the lej,who hooted him unmercifully. At j^sth he had a hearing, for, notwithstanding "Sin P°^tical views, he Waa popular, and ton S^h" was often uttered in a kindly "You call me Tory Bach?" he said, ;n ^^sh. "Tory Bach," they yelled. '"Do you what a Tory is?" -hey were mute. "Do know Mr. Anthony Hill?" "Yes," they cried, like boys at a school. '"Is he a good •'y^" "Yes, yes." "Is ha kind to his men?" "h yes." "Well, then," said Mr. Smyth, a Tory," and the crowd hooted no list benefactions would make a long fili'nn 0l^at them were donations to the jF°r Asylum (Swa.nsea) and the Hospital th0u Eye (Bristol). It has often been it'ojw ,aricl expressed that ths pioneers of the b\acle c')al trade, who came into Wales and the wa^Fea^ fortunes, did little beyond paying the workmen, and left hem socially A goot?1^^ very much as they found them. *'on flflGl might be mentioned in rnodifica- lainiyr Correction of this statement, and cer- can point at Anthony Hill. f° m Hill, the widow of his brother, re- f or>e w-7?r many years at Plymouth, and was etilj eff in all his humane efforts, and is Af+Q ^ionatoly remembered. Vortf "r the death of Mr. Antliony Hill the and Twere S(>ld to Messrs. Fothergill, Hankey, and t-K for a quarter of a million sterling, ,s'JJHW n Mrs- John Hill retired to Clifton, the di./1? the last tie between the family and ttjT*I 1CT- NOTABLE MEN OF PLYMOUTH. •>f the°K^ Posing to the second and final epoch *orks k'aU,Ty of Plymouth Works, when the ^,°th«rc»;v?'llclG ve»te« in the ownerghip of Mr. fchovji j ^1 aud others, it is but right that we Pass in brief review the notable men ttnd events associated with Mr. Hill. Men- tion has already been made of the Lewis family, a member of which-Mr. Henry Wat- kin Lewls-uaftsr doing excellent mechanical and engineering work for Mr. Hill, was even more fully occupied under Mr. Fothergill. Mr. Wolrige was closely associated with the KMmager, Mr. D. Joseph, and, in the office, Mr. W. Kelly may be named, who, after some years at Plymouth, resided at Llandaff, and entered into co-d working. It is not long ago that the district was saddened by his unexpec- ted death in his colliery in the Rhoudda Valley. Through the mist of years we si<e the &ti rely Northern mining engineer, Mr. Heppel: note Roberts, in the bla^t furnace management at Plymouth, and Mr Place at Duffryn in the same capacity. A iribut-e is well due to those genial furnace managers. Both were imbued with bardic and eisteddfodic likings, and even to a late period in his life nothing wa-s more gndeful to Roberts than to fit in the con- duct of one of tho,e popular gatherings which brought out the native talent of the dislrict. Mr. Roberts drifted out of ironjnaking into con- jKcticn with a flourishing building society. Mr. Place left,, tirst, for the Patent Nut and Bolt Company. a,Tld afterwards for Swan- sea, f:id in one of the last holidays of his life gathered around hin, some kindred spirits at the Weils of Builth, and revelled in the re-calling of old eisbiddfodie worthies. These matters are men- tioned to show that the old Plymouth men were not mere makers of iron. Another leading agent of Mr. Hill's time was Mr. Theophilus CYeswick, mechanical engineer, a gentleman of mark ability. Another v. a« E- Watkin Scale, a son of the Mr. Scale, of Abe^dare, who brought a large capital into the district, and, ui fortunately, lo;,t nearly all in foiriding a business, which under Mr. Fothergill, uncle o<fMr.Rich::rdFotherg-iU.b&cameapro&perous cne. Mr. Gr, W. L aver jell was the last colliery n ajiager under Mr. Hill, and bore the charac- ter of a matt of ability as a mining engineer. Tb,e.,i there was the well-known mine agent and poet, W. Evans ("Cawr Cynon"), who left behind him amongst the generation who are past passing away a sweet poetic savour. He was the author of many pcemf, of merit, and, like Aliiv Goch in 'he neightouring valley, ofteT: made some prominent event, some stirring ii cident or the like of his time the subject of his poetic muse. He wflll a great man 111 the early eisteddfodau, and bore to the end the character of an able and a genial worthy. He vas succeoded by his son, Richard, who soon afterwards went to America. One remarkable DhMe of Mr. Hill's time which enlisted the efTorte of pOEt and prose waiters was "THE CHARTIST DAYS"! The starting point was very likely the strike of 1831, whidh was principally ma ntained by the workmen of Plymouth and Dowhis, and was kept up for ei^it weeks. The movement was first fomented by the introduction of the TJfedfeis' Union ]jnnoijibte-. This, states local history, was not originated amongst the native workers, but was introduced by Englishmen, and the teaching was that. as wealth was a monopoly, and as ironmasters clubbed toge- ther and were thus enabled to make their own terms with the men, so they, too, ought to band themselves in defence. Secret societies were forthwith started in many public-houses, and i< these a password1, as in the whiteboy times of IreLar^. was deinande<| tefore admittance could i>e gained. To these societies well-paid spies were in the habit of proceeding and gaining all special information, and then im- parting it to the agents of the ironmasters. The strike over, after much suffeing had been en- dured, the only benefit that accrued to the men was in finding out that a good deal of the cause of low wages from which they had suffered, and which led them to strike, was due to them- selves. They had been, and here again I quote local history, in the habit of introducing large numbers of men from every shire in Wales to the full acquaintance of ironmaking and coal cutting, and thus, by making labour cheap, had' rendered wages less. It was observable, after the strike had ended, that men guarded more secretly the knowledge gakied by a long apprenticeship in the cavern# of the earth, or by the blinding heat of the foi-ge, and old work- men say that the knowledge gained by that strike led to the exercise of more care in guard- ing the secret* of their work, and caused eventu- ally better times. in our next- we gilia.11 again continue the social aspect of our subject by bringing under review the stirring times in which the workmen of [Plymouth ('f'.d others figured, which were known a< THE CHARTIST DAYS.
PHIL PHILLIPS' RHEU- ! MATIC…
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PHIL PHILLIPS' RHEU- MATIC CURE. One of the essential elements in this remark- able remedy for all complaints connected with the nervous and muscular j-ystem of the human frame is that it restores 11be sick, the feeble, the languid, and the careworn to health and vigour. Every person who usee this remarkable remedy corrfes.ses that its application gives in a very short time rettewedi vitality to the system. It has been already proved by numerous testi- monials that it cures, not only rheumatic affec- tions, but sciatica in its worst and most painful forms. The one is said to be an affectioj^of the muscles, the other that of the nerves, but human l>eings frequently fAiffer from both at the same time. Mr. Gully, residing at Bishopston House, Donald-street, Roath, is an instance of tins. About two months since he was atbadced with what appeased to be rheumatism. The limbs swelled, and he suffered excruciating pains. Sleep was gone, and it was only with difficulty that he could move a'>out with the aid of a stick, sometimes two. pain he endured was very great. He tried all manner of remedies, spent a good deal of money on patent medicin.es-but to no purpose. The left leg swelled to a considerable size and several sores appeared. on itr In conversation with Mr. Summers of Elm-street. Roath, he learned of the remarkable cure Mr. Phillips' remedies had effected in the case of his (Mr. Summers) wife and he determined to .try thein. H'.s 'first effort to reach Mr. Phillips business premises in St. Mary-street failed, his sufferings were so severe. A second e>ffort failed, and »e then requested his eldest son to purchase for him a pair of Mr. Phillips' socks. This was done, and in five hours after he applied them to his feet the pain left him. and it has neV^r returned since. The cure was complete, • e wounds in the left leg died away gradual > and he is now in perfect, robust health, ane walks about as well as he could 40 years ago. He also mentioned incidentally that the enects of the wearing of the socks were to make a new man of him, and if he left them off for a t. me and then re-commenced wearing them Iwalth and vigour returned.
A JUDGE'S DAUGHTER DROWNED
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A JUDGE'S DAUGHTER DROWNED The Press Association Fort Williara "orre- sixmdent telegraphs:—The bod3r of Mi^fi Eleanor Chitty, daughter of Mr. Justice C'hitty, who was drowned while fishing in the River Lochy ten days ago. was found about seven o'clock on Monday morning, floating i" Camusnagaul Bay, by Allan M Coll, one >_ Lord Morton's keepers. M'Coll was on his way home. and noticing something floating^ in with the tide oxamined it more closely with his glass, and saw it was the body of a woman- He thereupon secured the services of a tern man named M'Donald, and together i brought the body to Fort William and report*a the case to the authorities there. who a once informed the bereaved fitther that the bod^ ot his daughter had been found. The body, v hie appears quite fresh and bears no traces of in- jury, probable floated down the Rn-er L into the bav on Sunday night By a c^iriwis coincidence, the first official notification of M u Chitty's death appeared in Monday morning» ''Times."
MAJOR S WIFE ACCIDENTALLY…
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MAJOR S WIFE ACCIDENTALLY SHOT A Central News telegram from Bombay says:—A sad shooting case ha« ocourred Bangalore where Major Pennington. ot the Northumberland Fusiliers, was the mechanism of the Lee-Metford rifle. The weapon appears to have been loaded, anf| •' accident it exploded, the bullet killing Major Pennington's wife. ——^
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WEAR Tyler s Prize Medal Sergei.
A LONDON MYSTERY.
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A LONDON MYSTERY. WOMAN'S BODY EXHUMED. The body of Fanny Gertrude Fletcher, wife of Jolin Henry Fletcher, who died at 289, Holloway-road, London, and was buried in Folkestone Cemetery, was on Thursday ex- humed by order of the Home Secretary. It is stated that on the 8th inst. she was confined, and died on the 9th, death, it is alleged, arising through negligent treatment. At the inquest, the body was identified, and the inquiry ad- journed for an autopsy. A "Morning Leader" reporter called at 239, Holloway-road, oil Thursday afternoon, and ssw Mr. Fletcher, and learned from him some sennational particulars of the circumstances at- tending hi.j wife's death. Mr. Fletcher is a young man, under thirty years of age, who runs p. ljrge grocery shop. Eighteen months "go he married a Folkestone lady, and brought her home to London, where she assisted him in managing the shop. A child was born on Sunday, September 8, but the mother died on Lhe following day. Mr. Fletcher was not satisfied wi ell the state of affairs, and before the inter- ment took place at Folkestone Cemetery, where all his wife's family are buried, he determined to have the body examined by a medical man a,t Folkestone. Accordingly lie communicated with Dr. Dobbs, with the result that, after making a post-mortem, that medical gentleman deemed it his duty to communicate with iohc Folkestone coroner, at the same time informing Mr. Fletcher of the decision at which he had arrived. The nature of Dr. Dobbs's report may be gathered from the following letter, which the coroncr immediately wrote to the hus- band "rfir,—-Dr. Dobbs has reported to me the Oircumotances attending your wife's confinement and death, and they are of so serious a naturo that it is necessary I should see you upon the subject. —Your obedient servant, JOHN MINTER Coroner." Mr. Fletcher saw the coroner ab an address in London, and, at the conclusion of the interview, Mr. Minter at once posted off to the Home Office, laid the circumstances of the case before the Home Secretary, and obtained from him an order for the inmiftliate exhumation of Mrs. Fletcher's remains. The incidents which are alleged to have occurred during the last two days of Mrs. Fletcher's life are of so remarkable a character that they had better be described in her husband's own words. Since -ome, at least, of the doctors mentioned in his narrative are sure to be called at the inquest, we refrain at present from mentioning their names. "Nly wife," said M!r. Fletcher, "was serving in the shop on the day previous to her confinement, and I never saw her looking so well in my life. About teatime on that Satur- day evening f/he went to bed and I at once sent for Dr. A. He did not come at once, so I sent again, and the reply was that he would come immediately. He didn't, so I went my- self a. third time, and I was then told by his son that he was out on another case, but by his wife that he was 'indisposed.' It was ten o'clock when I got back, and I then sent a voting lady in my establishment to see if she could find another doctor. In the meantinw Dr. A. had sent a deputy (whom we will call Dr. B.), who stayed with my wife from eleven o'clock on Saturday night to half-past five on Sunda,y morning. He called again later tlie same morning, and, after telling the nurse that the pati. nt was going on nicely, informed me that be should now leave the case in the hards of Dr. A. Dr. A. looked in for a few momente at half-past twelve that afternoon, and promised to call again a few hours later. At half-past four, as things were getting critical, I sent to request his immediate attendance, but it wa.s between half-past five and six p.m. before he arrived. Then he went up and put my wife under chloroform. He was a long time upstahs, and I know nothing of what occurred until Dr. B. was sent for. When Dr. B. came there was a consultation, as the result of which Dr. ('. was called in. Then, after a.nothcr interval, the three came down to- gether to the drawing-room and told me that my wife was very ill and that I must prepare myself for the worst Doctors B. and C. left the house, and I then told Dr. A. that I should like to call in further advice- He said lie had no objection, and recommended a physician at St. Bartholomew's. By that time it was mid- night. on Sunday, but I went off at once in a cab and brought back the hospital doctor. Pre- vious to 'hat Dr. A. had declined to meet him, and so I had to call in Dr. B. again. After a consultation with the physician the latter told me that my wife was very dangerously ill, and that if there was any chance of her recovery an the following day they would have to per- form an operation of a very serious character. That operation, however, was never performed, for, although my wife ralhod a little on the Monday morning, she soon had a relapse, and died in great agony during the afternoon of the same day. So excruciating was her pain, indeed, that half an hour before she died she sprang out of bed and rolled over on the floor." Such is Mi-. Fie teller's grim story of his wife's death. The inquest on her exhumed body will be awaited with gome interest, for we shall then know, perhaps, what was the nature of the information which the Folkestone doc- tor communicated to the coroner, and which in- duced that official to hasten up to town to see the Home Secretary. It is well to remem- ber that it is not Mr. Fletcher, but Dr. Dobbs, of Folkestone, who is really responsible for the exhumation of the remains.
THE INQUEST.
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THE INQUEST. An inquest was held at Folkestone on Satur- "0 day on the exhumed body of Mrs. Fanny-Ger- t,rude Fletcher. Mary Ann Hawkins, nurse, deposed to the circumstances connected with the confinement. On September 7 Dr. White, who, the husband subsequently explained, had been engaged for the confinement, called and saw Mrs. Fletcher, and the same evening, as she appeared to be gott.ing worse, he was again sent for, but Dr. Whitehead arrived in his place, and remained all night. At noon on September 8 the child WM not born, and Dr. White, who came in, left, saying he would return shortly. By four o'clock things were getting critical, and as Dr. White did not come a message was sent asking him to come immediately. However, it was nearly six before he arrived, accompanied by his son. After visiting the bedroom the doctor sent tlle nurse downstairs for a bottle of chloro- ferm and a. jug of hot water. Witness returned with the chloroform first, and when she came back with the water Mrs. Fletcher was already under chloroform. Dr. White then began to use instruments in the ordinary way, but the blades kept falling back. She asked what was the matter with the instruments, but he made no reply. He was halfun hour trying to fix the. forceps, and then he again tried the ] instrument, using some force, but, failing, he told his son to go for Dr. Whitehead..—The Coronpr Now, Mrs. Hawkins, I must ask you. in your opinion, what was Dr. White's c-ond. Witness: I think he was just recovering t from a drunken bou't. He was very dazed and stupid. When Dr. Whitehead arrived Dr. White's son said, "She is strong. You will have something to do to get her off. She has had something to do to get her off. She has had gp- doses of chloroform already." Dr. White- a head replied in astonishment, "What, in a straight for wad ease like this?" and the nurse added thai the doses were enough for three c women. After Dr. Whitehea.d examined the patient, t there ensued a whispered consultation between the two doctors, and they then left the room, i Coming back again. Dr. White ordered his son to go for Dr. Hannaa, who arrived at the bedside in ten minutes' time. Mrs. Hawking < then left the room for ten minutes, and upon ] her return all three doctors were pull- ( ing grave faces round the bed. One 1 of the three sent for a candle, The baby was then lying on the bed. Mrs. i Fletcher was covered up. and left to stay a* she ] was. Dr. White left the room then, and vit- ness took the baby. She then told Dr. White- head that sho would look after the patient as he directed, but Dr. Whitehead replied, "Don't 1 touch her until Dr. White or I see her to-mor- row morning." When Dr. Whitehead came on the Monday morning lie only stayed a short time, saying he had important business at. the Old Bailey, :i- would not be able to return till evening. In the middle of the day Dr. Ham-an looked in, and Mrs. Fletcher begged loin earnestly to relieve 4r pain, but the coo-
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ø EEMABKA HLE T KSTIMONlAlisi j From Miss URANK, 12, Scott-road, Sheffield, July 20th, 1895. Poui' years ago I bad one of your 10s. Cd. Dress I Lei ig-tiis, and it is in wear jet. A nicer or more u so ul dress 2 hJW* atrrtr pvom. f rom Mrs. MILL, Market-place, Castle Gary, July 8th, 1895. I have been more than pleased with the dress I bought from yon 5 yeni-s ago. It really will not weur oat. -I- LEATHLEJTS LADIES' ~L)KE^ MATERIALS are far and awav the B.-st Ynlue for Hard Wear, Cheapness, and really smart Appearance. PHESS OPINIONS.—Weldon's Illustrated D essm:iker" says Those in search of inexpensive, yet really useful and durable Dress Goods should send to LUTAs LHATULKY and Co. for Samples. <( Illustrated Family Novelist suys ,-The Material of all others for making up ail Autumn Costume is one of LUTAK LEATHLEY and Co.'s Serges at 7s. 6d Dorothy's Home Journal'' sa.ys :—Foi.- Knockabout Gowns the Wylwyrwell Cloui wea- s boauafiilK. FULL DliESS LENGTHS, 7s. Gd., 10s. 6d., 13s., 15s., 16s., CarriagerPaid (6 yards lengths, 50 inche-: wide). Series, Mixtures, Costume Cloths, Tweeds, Homespuns, Satin raced. Zupet- Cloths /-(T> I VRN TIN nunvmci A OUT-OUT PAPEB PATTERN, 1-KLJi,, with FULL DitESS GRAiSlD PRESENTS. LENGTHS. With three Full Dress Lengths a Skirt Length of Beautiful Hard Wearing Tweed is presented. PATTERNS.—Write for Patterns, also list of other Grwid Presents. POST FREE to any Address, and need not b3 returned. REMNANT BUNDLES OF SERGF1 5s. EACH. CARRIAGE PAID. Made-up Skirts in Wylwyrweil Cloth may be had iu Black, Navy, Myrtie. or Grey, beuutifally braided. Price, 6s. each. All our Materials are Guaranteed to v;ear well, not to spot with rain, of unequalled value, and quite unshrinkable. LUTAS LEATHLEY AND CO.. AEMLE Yf LJEDS. fLcl432-2
THE DOCTOR SENT FOR TRIAL.
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THE DOCTOR SENT FOR TRIAL. Tho 1 olke-Vxj-ne borough, coroner resumed on lutsday at the Town-hall the inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Ger- trude Fanny Fletcher, the wife of a grocer in Holloway-road, London, whose body had been exhumed and examined in consequence of alle- gations to the effect- that one of the doctors attending her during her confinement had boen guilty of neglect, or had not used ordinary professional skill. Mr. Geoghegan and Mr. Bruce represented Dr. Wi.ght, who first attended Mrs. Fletcher; Mr. Hempson, of the Medical Defence Fund. appeared for Dr. Whitehead, who was called in at a later s-tag-e; and Inspector Dennie was present on behaflf of the Scotland Yard authorities. There was a large attendance of the general public in court. Mary Ann Hawkins, the nurse, who attended Mrs. FIetcher. wa.s re-culled, and aguin ex- pressed the opinion that when Dr. Wight- per- formed an operation he appeared to be dazed suffering, indeed, from the effects of drink! Witness's evidence generally was of a terrible description. WITNESSES' EVIDENCE. Mr. John Henry Fletcher, the husband, was also put again into the witness-box, and said that Dr. Wight seemed to be dazed and stupid.. Witness sought to put the case into the hands of another surgeon-Dr. Whitehead- but the latter declined to take it out of Dr. Wight's hands. Dr. Wight had: once written to him to say that he knew no one at Folke- stone to represent him, and that he trusted to the fairness and honour of the medical men, whose judgment witness miguc rely upon. Miss Florence Fletcher, sister of the dead woman's husband, and other witnesses, ap- peared to hear read over tne depositions of the evidence they had given on a former occa- sion, all of them agreeing that Dr. Wight looked as if he had had too much to drink, although they would not say that he was actually drunk. Dr. Whitehead, who wa.s among the wit- nesses, said that Dr. Wight was at least not sober. He admitted, however, that the symp- toms might also be those of chloral bromide or digitalis, which he knew Dr. Wight had used for an attack of influenza. Dr. Griffiths, a specialist, who was called in, agreed that the rupture was probably due to violence, but he also said that in the case of a man in dtelieate health a strong dose of bromide or chloral might produce the same effect as one of alcohol. In reply to the coroner, witness said that, in his opinion, the case was a perfectly straight- forward one, and presented no difficulty. The fresh evidence was then taken. Dr. Matthew Dobbs stated that on September 13, at Mr. Fletcher's request, he examined, at Folkestone Cemetery, the body of Mrs. Fletcher, which had then been exhume-d. Sub- sequently, on Septeml)or 18, lie made a more thorough examination. The Coroner at this point remarked that, although it probably (lid not ma.ke much difte- rence one way or the other,be thought it desi- rable to say that the examination took place, not- by order of the Hoin» OHice, but by his 3wn instructions, and lie took the responsibility. Witness went on to describe the condition of i-he body. The Coroner To what do you attribute he rupture? Witness: It- is doubtful- It might be due Witness: It is doubtful- It might be due :o laceration by :;1' instrument, and I should hink that is probable. The Coroner: Can you account for it in my other way? Witness No, I cannot. The CurMier To what do you attribute the ieath? Witness To shock resulting from the lacera- :ion. Dr. Wm. Barrett, who helped en the 19th nst. to make the post-moitem oamiii itiou on lie body of deceased, gave similar evidence. Death lie ascribed to shock and loss of blood jonsequent on injuries inflicted, he thought, probably by the upper blade of the forceps. He ;.)uld not- account for such injuries in any other ray. The Coroner Is there any danger in using fcrceps if they are skilfullj" and properly ap- plied ? Witness No. Mr. Geoghegan declined to cross-examine Dr. BaT Tett. and the coroner intimated that that was the whole of the eviderce. Dr. Wight, who tendered himself as a wit- ness, said that before attending Mrs. Fletcher he had taken a strong dose of chloral and had been lying down. He had been ill since February from after effects of influenza. Wit- ness, after describing his treatment of Mrs. Fletcher, said he had been in practice about 30 years, and had attended 5.000 conft.Tvwnents. I This was the case in which he had experienced such unusual trouble. He, however, did his best in the case. In answer to the coroner. Dr. Wiglit. stated that when lie punctured the vagina he im- mediately sent for Dr. whitehead, knowing that death might result. The Coroner, in addressing- the jL.ry, said if the doctor displayed ignorance and death re- sulted He was criminally responsible. The jury would have to deckle whether Dr. Wight displayed gross neglect or ignorance. In his opinion it did not matter one iota whether Dr. Wight w.'v? under the influence of alcohol or of chloral if he was unfit to perform his duties. He put to the jury the questions whether the instrument used by Dr. Wight caused Mrs. Fletcher's death, whether it was used in a careful and proper manner, and. if not, whether it was employed with gross negligence, inattention, or rashness. The jury then retired and were out of the room for nearly half an hour. Their verdict was one of manslaughter against Dr. Wij?ht, who was, thereupon, committed for trial by the coroner.
TERRIBLE AFFRAY OX A WELSH…
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TERRIBLE AFFRAY OX A WELSH FARM. LABOURER STABS HIS MASTER'S SON WITH A FORK. At the County-hall, Wrexham, on Monday. Robert Parsonage, a farm labourer in the employ of Mr. John Griffiths, tenant of Roden's-hall, Isycoed, was charged with un- lawfully wounding John Griffiths, jun., the son of his employer.—The prosecutor stated that the prisoner on Wednesday afternoon last interfered with the prosecutor while lie was folding up a rope in the stackyard, and the. prosecutor told him to go out of his way. He refused, and the prosecutor pushed him and he fell down. The pri- soner seized a pikel and struck prosecutor in the ribs, under the left arm, with it. iliey scuffled again and- fell to the ground. When the prosecutor got up he found that he was bleeding, and called out that lie had been, stuck.—Walter Shone said he was working at Reiden's Hall on September 18. He saw the scuffle, and observed Parsonage pick up a pik d and strike Griffiths, who put his hand to his side and said he was stuck. They then had, another scuffle. The witness afterwards noticed blood on Griffiths's shirt.—Mr. William Parker, surgeon,, practising at Farndon, said the prose- cutor came to him in a trap on the evening of Septembe-r 18. He found a punctured wound in his side, near the left nipple of the breast. He found the weapon had caught the upper margin of the seventh rib. The symptoms pointed to the bone being hurt.—For the 'defence, Timotttiy one father of the prisoner, was examined, and the prisoner was cominitted to the quarter sessions for trial, bail being allowed.
SLEEPING IN COFFINS.
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SLEEPING IN COFFINS. Tlie strangest religious community in tile world is one founded in Montreal by a certain Dr. Jacques, a graduate of the Victoria School of Medicine, who, during: the year in which small-pox raged in Montreal, visited no fewer than 1,200 patients and did much good work in the evity. Among these patients was a family from St. Florence named Aubin, and the father and mother, with five daughters, now live under the eloctor's roof. The parents, who do not belong to the community proper, live like ordinary mortals, but the five children lead a. life almost as severe as the terribly austere regime of the Carmelit- nun. They are robed: in red material, with a white headdress falling1 down over their shoulders. These girls have no education whatever, yet their medical pro- f tector says they are very learned in tliintra pertaining to the celestial sphere. By the side I of a nicely decorated altar stands a post about six feet in height, and upon the latter hanga an ox chain ten feet long. When Montreal is given over to carnivals, to bally and parties, and when it is easv for frail man and woman- and when it is easv for frail man and woman- kind to be tempted, it is at these seasons thai; the five sisters devote themselves most intent.lv to penitence and prayer. This heavy chain is hung around each sister's neck for an hour at a,_ time, while thev kneel in prayer for their sisters of the world whom destinv has thrown in temptation's way. Each bed is a large, deep coffin, painted black, and covered over with I grav cotton. The pillow is made of soft wood and not a. single article of clothing: is visible. Thp five wVters sleep upstairs, the second floor lieing divided into half-a-dozen small, cheer- ful rooms or cells. The furniture in each of these sleeping' apartments consists of a, black coffin, a fable, and a tin wash-basin, the same absence of clothing bein" finite as marke^as in the floor below. Dr. Jaciues himself occu- pies a room on the Tourd floor, and sleeps in a large. bare coffin throughout the summer and winter. The onlv reenimition of this famous eommunitv by the Archbishon of Montreal is m the fact that one of the citv's cTergvmen i* spiritual director of the five sisters in question, of whom thre» go to communion everv morn- ing' and two three times a week.
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THE INQUEST.
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tor retorted that he was uot authorised to give her anything until Dr. Whitehead returned. Previous to this, however, a fourth medical man, Dr. Griffiths, had been sent for by the distracted husband, and he arrived shortly i.fter midnight. Mn. Fletcher lingered till eight o'clock on Monday evening, when .-lie died in great agony. Mr. John Flcteher, the husband, said that after the death, he engaged a Folkestone doc- tor to make a post-mortem, and told Dr. White. The latter said he could not hold himself re- sponsible. He added, "The best of madical men make mistakes." Dr. White denied being drunk at the time of his visit, and when witness said he had evidence to prove it the doctor made no reply. He said he should not go to Folkestone, and if he (Fletcher) took action against him it would cost him a lot of money.— By the Coroner: Dr. White was the sub-divi- sional surgeon of police —By Mr. Geoghegan Witness admitted that before he had formed his own opinion of Dr. White's condition the nurse had n-ade a statement to him on the subject. Mr. Geoghegan Did Dr. White say he courted the fullest in- quiry, but that he should prefer to have it held in London?—No.—Mr. Geoghegan sub- mitted the following letter, which had been written by Dr. White in reply to one from Mr. Fletcher:—"428, Liverpool-road, London. Dear Sir,—I know no one at Folkestone to represent me. I trust to the fairness and the kindness of the medical gentleman yo ) choose. -George White. Geoghgan admitted that Dr. White was the only man who had the intruments on the occasion. Florence Fletcher, Charles Capon, a chemist, and Nelson Parry. all gave evidence to the effect that Dr. White was under the influence of drink. Dr. Henry Whitehead, of Caledonian-road, London, confirmed generally the evidence of the nurse. The- injuries, he said, meant death. Dr. White appeared to have been drinking, hIt he had been ill for some time, and had been taking choral and bromide. Hr. Griffiths, of Harley-street, who was called into consultation, deposed that he examined the patient swi oi\v that unless she rallied so tb/T; an operation could be performed there was .I.o hope for her. He had frequently met with such case-3. In this he had no doubt that, the injuries were caused by the forec-ps. The inquiry waf; adjourned until Tuesday, Air, Geogb.egac-. remarking that the cause of death vou'.cS be admit-fsd, and the onlv point Wf vld be M to (the alleged want of skill and th* condition of Dr. White.