Weekly Mail

ARREST OF A BANK NOTE FORGER. — •1 10 THE CAREER OF SCHMIDT IN LONDON. In connection with the arrest of a gang of forgers in America, which included John Davis, alias Henry Schmidt, who success- fully counterfeited the Bank of England's watermark in 1896, a press representative yes- terday had an interview with ex-Detective- inspector Davidson, who had 25 years' experience of bank note forgers, and who was directly responsible for the capture of the last three gangs of Bank of England note forgers. "I am almost certain," said Inspector Davidson, "that the man Davis arrested in New York is the man I knew as John Schmidt and John Schwartz. Altogether the Bank of England have had three gangs of forgers recently convicted in England, one in Bel- gium, and one in France. A man named Edwards got nine years in Belgium and a man named French got five years in Paris for uttering forged Bank of England notes. Schmidt waa concerned with the last two! gahga sentenced in England, but it is difficult to say whether he had anything to do with the other men. Schmidt is a German by birth, and abont thirty years of age. He has birth, and abont thirty years of age. He has lived for a long time iu Russia, his father being a schoolmaster. He went to America some time ago, where a. true bill was returned against him, under the name of Lieber- mann, for forging American dollar notes. He came to this country about four years ago, and had followed the profession of an engraver. He is a man considerably above the average in intelligence, and is art expert craftsman. The last cases in England In which Schmidt was the central figtire occupied me nearly two years. Most of the forgers were Russian Jews, and there has never been a case in which so many criminals have been run to earth so successfully. The sentences on the men aggregated 138 years and seven months. The Bank of England paid thousands and thousands of pounds to have the case thrashed out. Schmidt first volun- teered information to the police about Sep- tember of last year, and the first arrests were made in the following month. Of course, if Schmidt had not turned coa.t on his con- federates the police would not have had the first start, although we should not have secured a conviction on his statement alone. Schmidt also got us samples of notes from his confederates. When we had arrested the Barma,shes they in turn gave information as to the others of the gang; in fact, all the gang wanted to talk in order to try to save their necks. Schmidt wae kept under strict observation all this time, and we never left him until the case was disposed of. After we had finished with him he was seen out of the country, as the police had no further use for him. It is believed he went to Belgium, and from there he must have made his way to the United States. Schmidt must have adopted hie usual plan of operations there. He would take a house in some quiet suburb, and get some people to find him the necessary money to work the forgeries. Beyond this they would render him no material assistance in production, but later they would assist in paeeing the notes. The other men who have been placed under arrest in New York are probably the men who have financed him. If he had got so far as forging the Bank of England notes, for which he had made all preparations, we would have detected his hand at onoo. We have so completely broken up the gangs in this country now thM there ar0 not many forgers of Bank of England notes who are not well known. Some men who commence the forging of th« Aobee ore never able to complete thefn. They forge the water mark only; but Schmidt had a special preparation of his own for putting in the water mark and printing the notes- in fact, for making a complete article. He Is the only man I know who can do it all himself. Some would-be forgers can only engrave; others put only the water mark on, but the fact that Schmidt was able to do everything himself was the secret of his success."

DISCOVERIES AT CARDIFF, BRIDG- END, AND BARRY. By some people Friday is regarded as an unlucky day, but the reliability of this superstition is not substantiated by the fact that on Friday three out of the seven lots of money which had been hidden by the proprietors of the Evening Express were brought to light. At Grangetown a mason named Mason dug up JE20 in a spot where dozens of other people had been turning over the earth, and at Barry a boy named Whitaker annexed the X20 which had been hidden in that town. From Bridgend the following message was receivedMoney found true to clue; E. Thomas, R. Turner, 8. Queen-street." The news from Barry and Bridgend has yet to be confirmed.

MONMOUTHSHIRE VALLEYS £ 20 MISSING. The Monmouthshire Valleys' first JE20 is missing. That is to say, it has been removed from the place where it was hidden, and the finder, or remover, has not reported the fact. This omission disentitles the finder to the money. The only and vital condition which makes the money the property of the finder is that he or she immediately communicates the fact of its discovery to the Editor of the Even- ing Express," and, until this is complied with, no one has any right to detain the property. Under thesfi circumst-anoes {he finder Was Mked to at once disclose his identity in order that the matter might be satisfactorily cleared up. In consequence of this incident, however, the Monmouthshire Valleys will have another opportunity to find the hidden treasure. A second j630 has already been hidden in the Abertillery district. Four lots of gold are now waiting dis- covery, namely: Cardiff Fifth £ 20. Merthyr District First JE20. Monmouthshire Valleys Second M. Newport Second £00. Particulars and clues will be found daily in the "Evening Express."

DISREPUTABLE! MISS CARMARTHEN: Thank goodness, I aan clear of that mess 1 Positively, she does not look respectable. I

BEER BY RETAIL. PORTH DEALER'S LICENCE FOR- FEITED. John Jones, wholesale beer dealer, Porth, was summoned at the local policS-court on Thursday for selling beer by retail without having a. licence for the purpose. Mr. D. Rees (Messrs. W. R. Davies and Co.) appeared for the polioe, and Mr. W. P. Nicholas defended.- Mr. Rees mentioned that the offence with which the defendant was now charged was the second, the previous conviction having been made before the second offence was alleged to have been committed. The evidence of Police-constable Lucas and Dalby was that an order for six bottles was given, to be delivered at Woodfield-terrace, en the 21st of November, the date upon which the offence was said to have been committed On this date the defendant, through his daughter, delivered six quarts of beer at 28, Woodfield-terrace, Hafod. The constables fol- lowed into the house, and defendant was sent for. lite came, and in answer to questions, said that Mrs. Beavan had also ordered a four-and-a-half gallon cask, which Mrs. Beavan denied, whereupon the defendant made motions to her. Police-constable Lucas noticed this, and told Daiby to watch Jones. The defendant was asked for his order-book, and he said he had it at home. No evidence was given for the defence; and the Bench fined the defendant 10s. and costs, including advocate's fee, and ordered his licence to be forfeited. •

STOKER AND FATALIST HIS FACE WAS NOT HIS FORTUNE. James Brotheridge, 32, stoker, ple-aded guilty at Clerkenwell Sessions, Lonodn, on Wednesday to theft. It was stated he had been previously convicted. Asked if he wished to make ary statement, prisoner sadd;- Well, sir, after I was released from my sentence everybody seemed to look at me as if I was a thief. My face was against me, and I was always unhappy, and I thought that if everybody took me for a criminal I might as well be one, because people dis- trusted me. and at last I gave way to temp- tation. I am sorry. The Rev. — Davie« desired to confirm this statement by saying that after prisoner's arrival at the East End four different persons, each one ignorant of what the other had said, remarked how like a thief Brotheridge looked. The Judge: Some of your people would be I useful to the police. (Laughter.) His Lordship decided to give the prisoner another chance, and handed him over to the I care of Mr. William Wheatley, of the St. Giles's Christian Mission. I

MILITARY PLOT AT PANAMA. FOUR ARMY OFFICERS UNDER ARREST. The following telegram from Colon is published in New York:—A colonel, two majors, and the adjutant ¥> General Httestas (commander of the Panama forces) were arrested at Panama on a charge of plotting against the life of General Hnestas, and of inciting the garrison of Panama to revolt. The prisoners have been conveyed here and placed on board a ship bound for Port Limon. They deny the truth of the charge, which they declare is the work of their personal enemies. They say further that all four of them were born in the interior of Colombia, and have lived in the Isthmus for years. They were members of the Colombian bat- talion under General Buestas, who adhered to the cause of Panama when that State seceded and swore allegiance to the Panama Junta. They add that have established an excellent secret service, enabling the Junta to discover quickly any contemplated move- ment by the enemies of the Republic.—Renter. A dispatch from Panama says"Wrapped in the flag's of the United states and Panama, the treaty was officially delivered to Mr. Gudger, the United States Consul General, at the palace, in the presence of the Junta and a ditrtinguished company. The cheet containing the treaty was con- veyed to the Consulate by policemen." COLOMBIA PREPARING FOR REVENGE. A telegram received in New Tork from La Guayra says the Colombian steamers have landed 1.100 men from Cartagena, near the mouth of the Atrato River, to open a way over the Darien Mountains into Panama. Other troops from the Department of Cauca I are reported to be converging on Panama, and the movement of troops from all parts of Colombia is also reported—Renter. A Washington telegram says:—Although the members do not confirm the statement that the joint Army and Navy Board discussed the isthmian situation, both the army and navy isthmian situation, both the army and navy are prepared for any conflict which might arise with Colombia concerning Panama. General Young (chief of the staff) has autho- rised the following statement:— The War Department is ready to dispatch troops to the isthmus at the shortest notice. should their presence be required. The policy of the Navy Department is to prevent a conflict by keeping the Colombiaa trorps at a greater distance from the points in the isthmus where fighting with Panama, is likely to occur. A sound military policy requires the extension of the protected zene so as to include the entire territory of Panama. Consequently, no Colombians will be allowed to cross the frontier into Panama, or should they cross they will be I ejected in due time. Senor Herran and General Reyes declare that they have not been advised that the Colombians had landed troops at the mouth of the Atrato River. General Reyes declared that, if the report was true, the troops had been landed without his orders. The i oint is that the Gulf of Darien. at which Colombia is reported to have landed troops, is about the dividing line between Colombia and Panama. It is believed in Washington that the Colombians will not cross the frontier without further orders from Bogota, which will depend on the reports presented by General Reyes and the Commissioners (Senores Jimines and Blanco) who left Washington for Cartagena on December 7. Senator Hoar has introduced a resolution in the Senate asking President Roosevelt for the papers relating to the Republic of Panama. He asks when information waa received of the intended revolution, and whether the Government received a notifica- tion before it occurred.—Renter.

SPEED OF TRAM-CARS. DAMAGES AGAINST CARDIFF CORPORATION. An action for damages caused by alleged excessive speed by a Cardiff electric tram-car was heard at Cardiff County-cowrt on Thurs- day, before Judge Owen. The plaintiff was Mr. Ernest Gillard, Post Offiee mail contractor, who was represented by Ar. John Sankey (under instructions from Mr. C. P. Cadle) and the Cardiff Corporations interests were in the care of Mr. C. M ii-ailhache (instructed by the townclerk). On September 26 a mail-oart, driven by George Heme, turned out of Loud-oun-equare into Bute-street, and Herne, who was afflicted with deafness, told the court that he saw a car about 200 yards away travelling towards the pier-head. Witness endeavoured to cross the rails in order to get on his right side, but the car, which was running at a pace of between eighteen and twenty miles an hour, came up, collided with his cart, and knocked it against a standard. Mr. Bailhache intimated that Herne had been in the employ of the corporation, but his discharge wa3 made essential because of his deafness, and not through incapacity. Judge Owen: But his eyesight seems all right. George Tidball, the driver of the car, said they were restricted by the Board of Trade from travelling at more than eight miles an hour in Bute-street, and he was not exceeding that pace at the time in question. Besides, he was only about seven or eight yards T-way from the corner of Loudoun-square when the when the defendant's cart appeared. He kept the gong going, and pulled up with the electric brake as fast aa he could. Inspector Williams corroborated this, and Poiicc-constable Pugsley stated that ths car was travelling at about eight or nine zuilcs an hour. The judge questioned whether the mail cart had not a right to cross in front of the car, inasmuch ae the highway was open to all the Kings subjects. Mr. Bailhache argued that the driver had no right to assume that Bute-street was clear when he turned the corner. His Honour held that the driver of the cart was not to blame, and gave judgment for the, amount olaimed-RZ 4s. 6d.—and costs.

I ————————— NEATH ENGINEER'S DEATH. SHOT IN THE HEART NEAR THE IVY TOWER. Mr. Rowel Cuthbertson held an inquiry on Monday at the Town-hall, Neath, touching the death of Adam Poynts Blajidy, a Neatn. mining engineer, who waa found dead, shot through the heart, near the Ivy Tower, about tWo miles from Neath, on Friday afternoon' last. County-councillor W. B. Trick was chosen foreman of the jury, which was composed of gentlemen of local standing. The inquest was delayed nearly half an hour by the Coroner, to permit of the atten- dance at the beginning of the inquiry of Miss Blandy, sister of the deceased. The tragic affair had aroused a' good deal of local interest, although Mr. Blandy, who had only been in Neath about six weeks, was not known to most of the inhabitants. Blanche Gwendoline Norton, of Abingdon, sister of the deceased, said he was her third brother. He was 30 last August. For eight years he had been in British Columbia, aa a mining engineer, and he went to the South African war with the Canadian contingent, returning to England in the autumn of last year. When a small boy, deceased had a. sunstroke, and when fourteen years of age he cut his head open through an accident. The witness, continuing, said that her brother was subject to fits of depression, and would sit alone for hours. He suffered from sleeplessness, and was morbidly sensitive, fearing that whatever he did would turn out badly. The Coroner: I have noticed him myself. He was very reserved, and seemed at times restless. Mr. Tom Price, mining engineer, of Neath and Bridgend, said that deceased had been on his office staff since September last. At 5.4a on Thursday evening last he left the office, then seeming all right. He did not, however, come to the office on Friday, and witness made inquiries, finding that ha had not been at his lodgings the nignt oe- fore. It was not until Friday evening that witness heard that his body had been found! on the mountain side. Deceased was very conscientious and a gentleman. John Henry Rees, collier, Tonna, said he found the body on Friday afternoon lying above the Lletty Mawr Farm. It was against the wall and face downwards. Be imme- diately sent for the police. He saw the re- volver in deceased's right hand, the barrel pointing towards the body. Police-constable David Davies, stationed at Aberdulais, said he received information on Friday afternoon, and he went to where the body lay. Deceased had in his right hand a six-chambered revolver, one chamber of which had been discharged. He noticed that tho noses of the bullets had been cut off. His coat, vest, and ehirt were open, and there waa a shot wound on the Left breast. Witness searched the body, and found L-3 10s. 9d., a watch and chain, and a gold ring, which do. ceased had on the little finger of his left hand. Witness also found a letter from his mother. There was no sign of a struggle. Decease d'e hat was on his head. Witness conveyed the body to the Royal Oak. Tonna, and it was sub- seqttently moved to deceased's lodgings ia London-road, Neath. Dr. John Phillip Prell, of Aberdulais, who viewed the body on Friday night, said there was a punctured wound over tke region of the heart, which was the cause of death. Death must have been instantaneous. He had been dead from six to eight hours. The jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide while temporarily insane, and on the motion of the foreman, seconded by Mr. William Mills, a vote of condolence with the bereaved family was passed.

INTERESTING LEGAL POINT. JUSTICE BRUCE DEFERS JUDG- MENT AT THE ASSIZES. The case of the Taff Vale Railway Company Y. Cory Brothers and Co. (Limited), Cardiff, was called before Mr. Justice Bruce at Glamor- gan Assizes on Wednesday. The ailway com- pany were suing the defendants to recover JE79, balance of account alleged to be due for railway rates. Mr. J. Eldon Bankes, K.C., and Mr. C. M. Bailhache (instructed by Messrs. Ing'edew and Sons) appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. S. T. Evans, K.C., M.P., and Mr. J. Sankey (instructed by Messrs. Downing and Handcock) were for the defendants. Mr. Bankes stated that the sum of R70 odd claimed represented small amounts which Messrs. Cory Brothers had deducted as over- charges from time to time from the com- pajiy's accounts for railway rates from the year 1900 to the present time. Messrs. Cory owned the Tynybedw Colliery, situated on one of the railway company's branches in the Little Rhondda, and between Cardiff and Tre- herbert. There was a. siding at this colliery, and prior to the year 1899 there was one of the company's mile ros*J. marking the dis- tance of 2H miles from Cardiff, a few yards on the Treherbert side ci the siding. Goods from the colliery to Cardifr were accordingly carried for the 21i mile rate. In 1399 the rail- way company re-measnrod their line, and then discovered that this milestone ought to be placed a few yards on the Cardiff side of the siding. The plaintiff company thea pointed out to Messrs. Co.y that under their statutory obligations they had no alternative but to charge them at the 2H mile rate. Messrs. Cory, however, did not assrent, and a new rate from this colliery to Cardiff was published. The company, however, refused to pay it, and had deducted from the accounts rendered to them small sums representing the difference between the two rates. During the ccnrse of the action the defendant company had been allowed to measure the line, and now admitted that the mileage taken as the basis of the new ratewaaccrrect. Mr. Evans said the contention of the defrm- dants was that the measurement of the rail- way made long ago and maintained, till 1899 was correct. Any difference now existing was the result of the taking of a new line of measurement owing to the widening of the line. He Eubmitted that the raie from I TYllybedw to Cardiff having been once fixed by the company should be constant, no matter how much the line was widened, and the actual distance between the two points bting constant. The issue was reduced to the legal point whether plaintiffs were entitled to charge for increased mileage, on account of the mere widening of the line, and after hearing the evidence the judge gave judgment for the plaintiffs for the amount claimed, and Mr. S. T. Evans, for the defendAnts, asked, as it was a matter of principle affecting other parties, for a. stay of execution, which was granted.

THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. Lord Roberta telegraphs as follows from Ascot: — Not the smallest foundation for the statement in the Morning Leader. Roberte. The statement in question was to the etreG" that it was understood the Commander-in. Chief would not continue in his present post after the expiration of the current financial year, and that he might even retire before the Army Estimates were submitted to Par- liament. The paragraph also stated that certain changes in Army expenditure were believed to have been opposed by Earl Roberta, "ho might not sign the Estimates.

CAPTURE OF ESCAPED LUNA TIC. A lunatic, named Johnson, who escaped from Abergavenny Asylum on Tuesday, was captured in the vicinity of Abersychan on Wednesday morning by two warders who ha.d gone in search of him. The hunt was kept tip all night. The man evidently made his escape over the mountain which lies between Abergavenny and Abersychan.

WlllnotspHt^OX'E^ not tear —Mx&ssMLzz write for ^*4y$Twriu l&ffl 1 £ V SB S Illustrated Vm (m ft I) I W0 (Pr/ce L/sf <0 tfitl VQ Rnffl I W %t (fig 1 Y A N Const I Iff VB I p-\ Factory, | « /C\ U\ w«»4 Jg/ B ( Gold 1 ^»V>. I Borne principal »Od drapers. Abroad. Not a stimulant merely for the moment, but a Permanent and Agreeable Form of Nourishment.

I^raii li^T^»rrO^ ,J K «STjMRVELBAY1 Pf>i'SEGARS. j Ofall Dea]eT,5. Wholesale: B. KINGSTON and CO.. L21653 GRANGETOWN, CARDIFF. 1 Strmsut and Rest" ^PM||§ | -BEJLZTM. MB I Fry's §j j|P^ Pare Conoentratad i Ot-er 300 w Gocoa | Gold Medals and Diplomas. 9 fr——————————

THE MUSICIAN'S WIFE. -0 TWO CO-RESPONDENTS VISIT THE LADY. In the Divorce Court on Thursday the peti- tion was heard of Mr. David Bispham, the Well-known singer, who sought a decree on the ground of the misconduct of his wife with Mr. Robert Newton Shaw and Mr. Edward Studdart. Counsel for Mr. Shaw denied the charge, alld Major Studdart, who appeared in person, also denied the charge. It was stated that Mrs. Bispham had left the country, taking the children of the mar- riage with her. The parties were married in Philadelphia, petitioner being an American citizen's eon. Some time ago it was pleaded that the court had no jurisdiction to try the Petition, but the President ruled in favour of Mr. Bispham's English domicile. Mr. Bargrave Deane said Mr. Bispham in 1895 made the acquaintance of Major (then Captain) Studdert, from whom he borrowed £400. They met Mr. Shaw at a. banquet to the American Ambassador, and Mrs. Bispham, much to her husband's amazement, invited him to their house. He became a frequent visitor, and sometimes stayed the night. The butler, counsel said, had seen Mrs. Bispham and Shaw under circumstances which left no doubt that there was misconduct. Counsel P-dded he would be prepared to show that daring Mr. Bispham's absence in America, fulfilling an engagement, both co-respondents visited the respondent, and had alternately stayed at the house for two or three Bights at a time. In fast, said conn- Bel, it was a. "Box and Cox" arrangement. Continuing, Mr. Deane said that Mr. lIispham discovered Shaw had made a. loan Of £ 1,000 to his wife. The only receipt for the eum was found in a love-letter, in which respondent wrote to "Oould you not manage, my own, to forget me or remember me only as a business friend, who owes you 4! per cent. on a. thou- sand pounds every year. The letter was signed "YOUR DEVOTED KITTEN." 'With reference to the case against Studdert, counsel said he had been seen to embrace Mrs. bispham when he called. The evidence of the petitioner, which had been taken on commission, was read. After the luncheon interval a juryman was taken ill, and it was agreed to proceed with eleven jurors. William Hoston, a butler in the service of the parties in 1897, said he once saw Mrs. bispham and Mr. Shaw misconducting them- selves. Respondent afterwards said to wit- ness, Promise me faithfully you won't tell Mr. Bispham, nor anyone else, what you have eeen." Major Studdert visited Mrs. Bispham Rt Kensington Gore. and witness had seen him coming out of respondent s bedroom. Cross-examined, lie denied that he had Baid if Mrs Bispham did not lend him a sovereign ho would tell all he knew. A letter was written by Mr. Shaw to Mr. Bispham in which ho paid he had simply kissed the lady, and he WE.S sorry for it. Replying to questions from Major Studdert, witness admitted that between May and August, 1897, petitioner was not keeping away the house. rhe c-ftse was adjourned. #

WARWICKSHIRE TRAGEDY. THE PRISONER SENTENCED TO DEATH. At Warwick Assizes on Tuesday (before l'r. Justice Channell) Walter George Couzens, eighteen, a groom, of Wootton Bassett, Wilt- shire. was indicted for the murder of Annie ftevall, iaundrymaid, at Compton Verney, near Kineton. Prisoner, who was greatly depressed, pleaded Not guilty." According to counsel, the parties became Acquainted at Drayoott, and were engaged. The girl left for Compton Verney, and she and Couzens kept up correspondence until Devall wrote breaking off the engagement. Prisoner replied that he was nearly broken- hearted. He received another letter from Devall stating she flirted first with one and then another, and that she was fond of dancing and parties. She knew he was jealous, 10 they had better part at once. Prisoner afterwards brought the girl's bicycle to Kineton, and called at Compton Verney to see DeyaJI on the night of October 13. They went Out together at midnight. A young gentle- man found the girl's bicycle on the main road near Compton Verney, and on search being made the girl's body was discovered in a ditch. bloodstains were found on the bicycle add on a razor bearing Couzens' name. The girl's head and body were shockingly cut, and there were signs of a desperate struggle. Prisoner was arrested at Wootton Baeaett. On the way to Kineton, in custody, he said he did not intend to hurt the girl. They sat down under ft tree. She said she wished she were dead, ftnd asked him to kill her. She begged so hard that he cut her throat and rolled the body into the ditch. It was stated that prisoner while in gaol wrote to the Eister of the d&ceased girl, saying he was very sorry and Srieved at what he had done. The only thing ke could do was to prepare for the worst, hoping for the best. He had faith that the Lord would help him. Prisoner's father said Couzens was subject to epileptic fits at school, and was on three or four occasions brought home senseless. The witness completely broke down when identifying the razor, which he had given to the accused, and with which the crime was alleged to have been committed. Dr. Tibbits, the medical officer at Warwick Gaol, stated that prisoner had exhibited no signs whatever of epilepsy whilst in prison. Cross-examined: There was a form of known as masked epilepsy, which might be brought on by shock or grief, and the subject of it might commit an act of violence of which he would be unconscious. After deliberating for twenty minutes, the fory found prisoner guilty. Thoy dismissed from their minds the plea of insanity, but Recommended the prisoner to mercy on the Sronnd of his youth. Justice Channell then assumed the "lack cap, and, after saying that the jury's rfc9inmei:dations would be attentively con- sidered. although he could not say what the "evull, would be, he passed sentence of death in the usual terms. Prisoner had kept his handkerchief to his eyes during the whole of the trial, and the passing of the sentence not deepen the dejected appearance he had maintained during the whole day.

LADY RUSSELL AND HER HUSBAND.—See Page 7.

YOUNG LADY AND MADMAN. DESPERATE STRUGGLE IN A TRAIN. The country police in the Potteries have received information and afe investigating an extraordinary case of outrage committed on Tuesday night upon a young l*dy named Miss Eva Adelaide GOBS, while thfc train from Crewe to Stoke was passing through Hare- castle Tunnel. It seems that Miss Goss, eldest daughter of Mr. W. Gobs, a well known manufacturer at Stoke-on. Trent, left Alsaga-r, where she had been visiting some friend-, for her home by the North Staffordshire Railway Com- pany's 6.48 train. Miss Goes was alone in a second class compartment as far as Hare- castle, but, as the train was moving out of that station, a man appeared on tha foot- board, and, opening the carriage door, en- tered, and closed it after him. The stranger pulled up the window, amd, as the train en- tered the tunnel, he commenced to behave in such a manner as to greatly alarm the lady. She endeavoured to use the communication cord, but the man pulled her away, and a fierce struggle ensued. Being a strong, active person, Miss Goss twice got hold of the alarm signal, but each time the man seized her and prevented her from effectively using it. Ha threw her on the seat of the fratriage, and also on the ftoor. Once during the struggle she got hold of the handkerchief which the man was wearing round his neck. and tried to throttle him. but his strength proved greater than hers, and, after she had received several violent blows just above the temple, she became exhausted and made a. piteous appeal to him to leave her alone. She told him that he might ha.ve her purse and anything of value she had on her. Even- tually the man snatched a handbag con- taining her purse — in which there was a sovereign and some silver—from her side, after which he opened the carriage door and apparently left the train just as it was ap- proaching Chatterley Station, at the south end of the tunnel. The train did not stop at Chatterley, but, on its arrival at Long- port, Miss Goes made a complaint to the sta- tion officials. Her clothing was torn, there were evidences of severe violence about her face, and she was in a very distressed and exhausted condition. She was accompanied on to Stoke. Station, and from there was conveyed home in a cab. Medical assistance was then called in, and Dr. Pelgrave Johnson at first feared that the lady's cheek bone was broken. This, fortu- nately was not the case, though the bone vru, found to be badly injured s and Miss Goas also had a very bad black eye. She likewise suffered from severe shock to the system. As soon as the outrage became known the county and railway police set to work. The police description of the man, compiled from what the lady in the excitement of the struggle could observe of him, is that of a young fellow between twenty-four and thirty years of age, of medium build, and wearing a tweed jacket, black cap, and coloured hand- kerchief round his neck. In spite of every effort to eectifs his arrest, latest reports showed that no trace of the young lady's cowardly assailant had been discovered. 1: 1-

VICE AND SUICIDE. SHOCKING DETAILS IN CORONER'S OOURT. A lurid light was thrown on the dark side of London life by some evidence given at an inquest held at Lambeth on the body of Henry George, living in Mephain-Strteet, Waterloo-road, who had died from strangula- tion. Waterloo-road, who had died from strangula- tion. Laura Louisa Samuels said she had lived with the deceased since March last, having b £ 6n separated from some years from her hus- band, who was now undergoing a term of been separated from some years from her hus- band, who was now undergoing a term of penal servitude. The Coronef: You and George had had quarrels together? Witness: Oh, no! We weie most affec- tionate all Sunday until the evening, when I wanted to go out, and he hit me on the head with a piece of iron. In answer to questions from the coroner, the witness admitted that men had visited the house, but she eaid that George knew that she had to make her living as beat she could." Explaining the quarrel on Sunday night, witness aid that she asked him, "Can I go out?" ahd he answered, "No; I mean to make a mess of you, and myse!f, too." Wit- ness added that she ran out then, with her little boy. She sent him back for her coat and hat, and George said to him, I hope she'll never return Witness returned to the house in about an hour's time, and then found deceased lyh g on the bed, strangled, with a rope round his neck. About two months ago deceased tried to hang himself. His father threw himself over London Bridge. Mrs. Frowde, who had let to the deceased the apartments he occupied with the woman, said that during the three weeks they had lived at the house there had been frequent quarrels between them. Night after night she had to go upstairs and remonstrate with them. Only on Saturday night there was a fight outside the house between George and a man whom the woman had brought hime. On the Sunday night, after the dead body had been found, the woman returned to the house with two men and a bottle of beer. The jury, after hearing medina* evidence, returned a verdict of "Suicide during a fit of temporary insanity."

RAILWAY SMASH, DIVIDED TRAIN BLOCKS THE LINE. A goods express from Liverpool to Carlisle in coming down an incline at Shap Fell broke its COUPlings. The engine and two wagons ran on, leaving thirty wagons and a van behind. These overtook the first portion, and collided w it at Penrith. Four wagons were thrown over and fouled the up line. At that moment the one a.m. express dashed into the wreck- age, through which the engine ploughed and broke away from its tender. The erpress had seven coachce, and these were thrown over. There were seventeen passengers, but, hap- pily, no one was hurt except the driver of the passenger train, George Bates, of Orewe, who was cut and scalded about the head and arma. The passengers were conveyed by later trains to their destinations. Both lines were blocked seven hours, the night express from EuSton to Scotland reach- ing Carlisle about eight a.m. on Saturday. It appears that th6 goods train, which was the cause of the accident, was noticed by the signalman at the Keswick Box to be divided. Immediately he set the signals against the: express from the North, which was dne at Carlisle at one a.m. The express had, there-! fore, slowed considerably when, coming up behind, it ran into the derailed wagons of the goods train. The station refreshment-room was opened, and, as soon as possible, the pas- sengers were sent on to Button, arriving there at half-past nine o'clock on Saturday morning. A truck laden with fish, which had been attached next to the locomotive, was smashed to atoms, and a heavy passenger brake van behind the fish truck was also smashed, and the rest of the express was I thrown off the metals.

ANOTHER SUDAN MAHDI PROMPTLY CAPTURED, TRIED, AND HANGED. Details have been received of an expedition lately undertaken by Colonel Mahon, Deputy- Governor-General of the Sudan, against answ Mahdi who had arisen in El Obeid. Colonel Mahon'a operations were planned and carried out very qaickly, and wha.t would, undoub- tedly, have proved a very serious movement, and what had already secured many powcr- falful adherents, was nipped in the bud by the admirable promptitude of the Anglo- Egyptian Government. The false Mahdi Was captured, tried, and hanged, and his princi. pal adherents imprisoned.—Press Aceociation Foreign SpfeciaJU

MINERS' CONFERENCE. A special conference of the Miners Federa- tion of Great Britain was held in London on Thursday, under the presidency of Mr. Benjamin Pickard, M.P. The members from South Wales present were-.—Messrs W. Abraham, M.P., W. Brace, Alfred Onions, T. Rcihards, D. Watts Morgan, J. vi ..riattis (Ynysybwl). J. Winston, W. Rees (Rhondda), W. E. Morgan, O. B. Stanton, J. Davles (Dowla is), and J. Williams (Merthyr). The business of the meeting was to take into consideration the wages question in the federated area., and the establishment or otherwise of the Board of Conciliation of the English section and North Wales. It will bg remembered the proposals were submitted by the colliery owners at an informal meeting of the English Board of Conciliation in February laist. These proposals have been submitted to the miners of the English federated area. They were discussed by the conference to-day at considerable length, and were still under discuaeion when the meeting adjourned. The conference will be resumed to-morrow.

HANGMAN TO RESIGN. Billington, the executioner, will shortly give up his work as' hangman, having held the gruesome post for nearly two years from the time it became vacant on the death of his brother, who did not long survive his father. Each of the Billingtons has proved an adept as hangman, and the only hitch during their official reign occurred at the execution of the Muswell Hill murderers, on which occasion Wilkinson, Billington's senior assistant, failed to get clear of the drop before it fell. As the result he went down into the pit clinging to the legs of Milsom and preventing that wretched man having the same straight drop which so .promptly closed the life of Fowler, his companion in crime. Eillington resigns as his absence from his hotel at Bolbon causes a drop of many pounds a week in the takings there. It is not expected that the present assistant hangman will seek the oost. his brother ii abont to relinquish. j

THE CARRIAGE OF COAL. ALLEGED PREFERENTIAL UATES. The case of Spillers and Bakers Limited v. the Taff Vale Railway Company, which came before the Railway and Canal Commission, sitting at the High Court of Justice, London, on Wednesday raised an important question as to to th, rates for the carriage of coal to home consumers and for shipment. The applicants, who are millers, carrying on business at Cardiff, Bristol, and- elsewhere, and who use large quantities of coal at their mills—fifteen thousand tons of steam coal, they said, per annum—complained that they were charged 6d. or 7d. per ton more for the conveyance of the coal to Cardiff by the defendants' railway than was charged for the conveyance of coal to the same port from the same collieries, and they asked the court to make an order enjoining the defendants to desist from such undue prejudice and for damages on the basis of the overcharges paid to the defendants since 1696. The defendants denied the undue preference, and said the applicants were not entitled to any damages, and in the alterna- tive aaid that it^was necessary to charge less for shipment of coal to, secure the shipment trMBc, and that, in fact, the persona to whom the coal was shipped did not compete with the applicants. To this the applicants replied that not only did foreign millers who obtained the coal compete, but there was also a keen competition on the part of milliers at Bristol, Gloucester, Liverpool, Southamp- ton, and the Thames ports, who obtained the coal at shipping rates. The case came before the court in July last, when, some evidence having been heard, the court adjourned the case for the production of evidence as to the alleged competition of the Gloucester and Bristol and other English millers who obtained the coal at shipping rates. Several witnesses were to-day called to prove that the coal was at shipment rates supplied to millers in London and district, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Isle of Wight, &c., and James Matthews, one of the Cardiff managers of the applicants, stated that the millers in question competed with the appli. cants, whose trade in the districts referred to had in consequence fallen off. Evidence was also given on behalf of the defendants to the effect that the low shipping rates were necessary to secure the traffic, and that any increase would be disastrous. whilst it wae paid that it would be most difficult to reduce the rates to defendants, as it would lead to the company having to reduce the rates charged to all other traders at Swansea, Newport, Ac., as well as at Cardiff. Mr. Tilley (goods manager), Mr. Beasley (general manager), and Mr. Harland (superin- tendent), of the Taff Vale Railway, gave evi- dence as to the increased cost of working the pick-up trains, in which, they said, the applicants' coal Was carried, compared with the, cost of working the through trains, which brought coal down from the collieries for shipment. The witnesses admitted that a large proportion of the applicants' coal was brought down as shipment coal, but said that was done to evade the extra rate, and they knew nothing about it. such coal not being consigned to applicants. At the conclusion of the evidence the hear- ing was adjourned till Thursday, when Mr. Tilley, the goods manager of the Taff Vale, was re-called, at the request of Mr. Cripps, the leading counsel for the appli- cants, and was asked whether there was in fact any goods now going to the Taff Vale terminus at the Bute West Dock. Witness replied that he did not know. I Mr. Cripps: I Pttt it to you that there is now no traffic going to the applicants by that route? Witness: I do not admit it. Witness was preened upon this point, but would only say that be did not know one way or the other, not having heard till yesterday that the applicants were not supposed any longer to obtain their coal by that route. Mr. Grippe put eome questions in return, with the view (ho said) of clearing up a dim- culty in respect to the method of dealing with the traffic at the Roath Dook, in respect to which the witness explained that the Taff Vale Company took the shipment coal from the colliery to their terminus, where it was I placed on the company's storage sidings, and left there till they received a re-clearance order to place the train on the tip siding, which they were compelled to do without remuneration, and after the coal was put on the tip siding the Taff Vale Company had nothing further to do with it. If there was any coal in such trains not intended for ship. ment the company knew nothing about it. Mr. Crippe then addressed the court in favour of the applicants, contending that they had made out their caae, and were entitled to the relief they asked for and to damages. Mr. Russell, on the other hand, argued t-ha-t the applicants failed to make out their case. The President, in giving judgment, said that it appeared to their lordships that the defen- dants had made out a case of justification of the charges. They clearly should not increase the charge for shipment coal if the traffic were to be retained, in view of the severe competition, and, on the other hand, the charge which they made to the applicants was a low one and was reasonable, whilst the applicants failed entirely to prove that they had suffered prejudice thereby. The appli- cation was, therefore, dismissed.

HOUSEKEEPER'S CLAIM. Mr. S. T. Evans, K.C., with whom appeared Mr. Llewellyn Williams, mentioned to Mr. Justice Bruce at the Glamorgan Aseites on Thursday, the case of Thcmae v. Jeremiah. He said the caee was ons between near relatives and had been eettled out of court on terms which need not be mentioned. The claim, it appeared, was for £::94 5s. 2d., salary as housekeeper and commission for paying bills and keeping books, and was brought by Margaret Jane Thomas, of Uplands-crescent. Swansea, against her father, George Jeremiah. Mr. B. Francis-Williams, K.C., and Mr. Villiers Meager appeared for the defendant, on the instructions of Mr C. W. Slater, and the solicitors instructing plaintiff's counsel were Messrs. Daviea, Morgan, and Wilson. We understand that the terms of the settle- ment were JB200L.

BLOCKADING THE MULLAH. BRITISH FORCE IN ACTION AT DURBO, A Press Association message from Somali- la-nd describee the plans made for cornering the Mullah. On the north are tribes hostile to him, on the west are the British and Abyssinians, and on the south the Sultan of Obbia. By the forces indicated the Mullah will be blockaded. General Maiming has re-occupied Galadi, in order to facilitate the eastward advance of the Abyssinians. His Majesty's ship Mohawk called at Durbo to inquire into the death of the Italian Lieu- tenant Graban. Commander Gaunt and 60 of his crew landed, and after a palaver with vJle Sultan and 400 Somalia the Sultan stated that he would fight it out. Conimander Gaunt and the Sultan retired to their respective forces and opened fire. Commander Gaunt was wounded in the thigh, and one marine was killed. The British then went on board and returned to Aden on the Mohawk. Com"1 matider Gaunt is in hospital and is doing well.—Renter. ( The Mohawk, which i« a third-class cruiser, belongs to the Mediterranean Squadron. Com- mander E. F. A. Gaunt was appointed in February last, the vessel having been com- miasioned at Chatham in the previous month. Commander Gaunt was the first Commissioner for Wei-hai-wei and Administrator of Liu- kung-tao, acting in this capacity from September 1, 1898, to October 1, 1899. In July, 1900, he became Commissioner and Superin- tending Transport Officer at Wei-hai-wei when the war with China occurred. A Somali message asserts that the landing- party from the Mohawk burnt the town of Durbo and killed twenty or thirty of the natives. Commander Gaunt's injury Is a compound fracture of the thigh. TWO BRUSHES WITH THE MULLAH'S MEN. Sevsre fighting is reported from Damot, between a party of friendlies and an advanced post of the Mullah's force, the enemy being driven from their position with hsavy loss.-Reuter. Damot is south of Bohotle and on the way to Ga;ladi. It is west of Mudag, which the Mullah's forces occupied a. few days ago. The Mullah's main foroe is in the Nogul Valley, much further east. A further message says:—A party of British Illaloes found Damot occupied by an advanced post of 60 of the Mullah's riflemen, with 80 bowmen and 200 spearmen, who were digging for water. A fight ensued, in which five of the enemy were captured. Two rifles fell into the hands of the Illaloes, who lost one wounded. The Illaloes state that they fought for seven hours, finally driving the enemy from their position, and that they counted 30 of the latter dead. General Egerton is in constant communica- tion with the Abyssinians by means of a new telegraph, which runs for 93 miles from Sheikh to Hargeisa, and thence by camel to Dak, via Jigjigga. A looting party of the enemy reached Lasakante on the 22nd ult. They appear to have turned south in search of water, not expecting to find Galadi occupied. Our patrols had several small skirmishes with them, and drove them from Dubdub, killing ten, and capturing eight prisoners and a camel. Our loss was nil. The report that the enemy's patrol had occupied Galkayu is not confirmed by our intelligence.-Press Association Foreign Special.