Weekly Mail

FURNITURE I THE BEST VALUE GIVEN Good, Substantial FURNITURE. WARRANTED TO WEAR. ALL SOUND, HOME-MADE GOODS. TO GET THIS VISIT THE Atlas Furniture Co., Hayes Buildings, Cardiff. £30,000 WORTH OF STOCK TO SELECT FROM FOR CASH OR ON EAST TERMS. GOODS DELIVERED FREE. CATALOGUES FREE ON APPLICATION 11 Strongest and Best." I -HSALTm Jra I Fry's I Pure Coacoatratei I Cocoa I Over 30e Gold Medals and DiplataaM. 9

MORALS IN THE RHONNDA. PONTYPRIDD GIRL AND CARRIED COLLIER. ^aP°nt^ridd on Wednesday the magis- ^hiphGre ,occuPie<i in hearing a case 0- David John Watkins, a young mar- ? *r*«d° •r' liv™ £ at Pentrebach, was TJL^th an offence under the Criminal yoti £ eQ<^ment Aet. The prosecutrix was s;i Sirl about eighteen years of age, Lucy May, of Coedpenmaen-road, Pont- -Mr. D. Roberts-Rosser, solicitor, pro- vided anc^ ^r° ^aDaes solicitor, J^i« dosser. in opening, stated that the first case of the kind Jlct. been heard in the dis- -The defendant represented himself k 8 Birl S*n^e man> aQd promised to marry i an on tlle strength of this promise yfz 8eduoed her. In consequence of what *'th v? afterwards told, she refused to go ^he Prosecutrix, a good-looking young *0^ ■ 8a.id she lived at 117, Coodpenmaen- *t°res was employed at the marine Sleev y*e first met the defendant by the ih0tQe t Pontypridd, when on the way e d f 81 ^e theatre on a Saturday night. *an efendant was then accompanied by a Siri/^ko gave the name of Summers. A ^•Ua Louisa Parker, was in com- Mth ■8 company. She went for a walk defendant on the following Sunday kers,alld Miss Parker went with Mr. "Sum- veek" v She met the defendant three times a. her t eSularly up to the 9th ult. He asked and eee his mother, whom he lived at Graigwen. She did not ^arri 1111.til the 9th of May that he was a H pjr* man. It then transpired that he lived i? W i?')ac^"roa^ with his wife, and that .arci l ee children. He proposed to her in Sf tj and promised to marry her a fort- Sbyw, er Whitsun. He had seduced her on •he yLllan Mountain. On Sunday. May 15, W*t for a walk to Pentrebach with *fter j? young lady, and the defendant ran ?■ .r and said that if he had not been earri man he would have married her. J°t l0 ker he loved her, and that he did toid\hia wife- That was the first time her he wae a married man. was then cross-examined Set She denied that she had tried ca*01^ from the defendant to settle irw before taking out a summons. She *les,j.i?8^ructed her solicitor with a view to character, to write to the defen- 6 hw j wanted reparation for the injury her. She did not know that the a married man at the time v company with him. She wanted to tilf0u ?er character, because it was all bit, tlje town" that she was going with ufi pl*d man- Have you been examined by a ^v^6^ny0ne el £ e?-Nos idingtrrini'—i v.110 one in the world Knowa that yon VvG i6611 seduced except yourself?—No. I bl^in been very ill. Continuing, the com. liet ant said that no one had witnessed the familiarities. Phillips: Have you told anyone that you j e enceinte?—No. V it true that you are?—Untrue. Phillips then read the following letter, qit,,eh Mr. Rosser had written to the defen- t on behalf of the complainant:— »Uh 8 -^ncy May, of Coedpenmaen, has con- bret with respect to your conduct in to her that you were a single keeping company and entering into an geznent to marry her while you were at I time a married man. have advised Miss Lucy May, before Iln Itlg Proceedings against you, to give you 4yad opportunity of explaining your conduct <W taking reparation for the injury fitted. Wo, therefore, you will attend here on or ^Hl 'K B*X o'clock on Friday next the matter ijw be allowed to drop, otherwise proceed- win be taken against you. '-J^illipg: You knew when you instructed °S5er that the defendant could not Oid you. MTiat reparation did you want? Co^,°V WaQt him to commit bigamy? > iIf -piaitlant = No- •t What, then, did you want—was money?—No; I wanted him to clear *tr Sracter- fillips: It is no offence in law for a man to walk out with a single said she did not know the defen- fc 11 h ftS a married man. When he seduced he e .asked if she had confidence in him. Mth "Yes." She, however, struggled » f^Self111 w^en he endeavoured to misconduct not 8t,r^e him, but she 10 scream, and fainted. Phillips then read a letter which the j°Saei..ailt had written in reply to Mr. Hs:^s communication. It was as fol- Va.y^Sir.—In reply to your favour re Lucy respectfully wish to state that your tHa*1^011 's 110' correct- I admit I am <>t}leJ"ried mail, and she waa aware of it, ff>f ^T^se it would have been impossible to continue meeting her at a lat-e at night, and other little incidents tig*11 can be brought forward will substan- 1*1. etatemente. W? engagement you mention I know lt1S whatever about it. This is t, first I have heard of it, and 3.t °nly conclusion I can arrive to cj^y she should make these falsehoods, is jar herself in her mother's sight, seeing *o, readed her eo much. At least ehe said t?ame down by my house on Sunday th" the 15th, and during the conversation exPreesed a wish that she should the pleasure of meeting me again; the only thing that troubled her ^hej.. t her mother should know the truth, everything would have been all Oj^^ring these facts in mind, I should too pleased to meet Mrs. Js&if tf) make any reparatory course 6" an^ to exPress my sincere repen at 7.30 any evening, or after. I am Q.ttOtd a, working man, therefore I cannot 5 to Joso time to be at your place at °Ur specified on Friday night, but I °1 Saturday. If this meets your con- r, j ghall attend. ,j conj ainant admitted that defendant was bi 6 stranger to her, and that notwith- b If" tlIia she had "walked out" with had introduced himself. Defendant &iven her a wedding ring, but he had <i*6 of ifr an engagement ring. He took the ija r finger with a card. The defen- ^6ll«ry euch a card, as he travelled in ^<1 Did not defendant tell you he 11.<1 tna o, with his wife before you knew he tK°ii ed? at tlainant said no. Defendant had said ctHjge had had a row with his mother ltiS8 he was out late at night. R^sa Parser- of 139, Coedpenmaen- tv^ine1 that she had gone with Mr. I't-e mars:' defendant's companion, for T ^as Onths before she had found out that V1 cros, married man. e CIO si -ia ination, witness appeared to i^Cigg erably confused as to dates. tihj ^efpn^ma,Q Ba^ 6he was introduced to tola- fstood nt as a Mr- "Clinckton," and \v^.lcitijj that he was going to marry the Jla gi, h° had purchased a wedding dress, > told h Witness) had seen. Complainant ji^r. p, er that she had been seduced. tiyeilce, ar*PS' a^dressinS the bench for the C|.Be eviden8:ue^ that there waa no corrobora- -Ce' ^here was a good deal of dis- ^rent tlle dates mentioned by the tL ''g j>r .'tnesees. thetl^' Masistrate (Mr. Roberts) said C^aat a n thought the case too weak to An ri that This, however, did not Lbij^other „ complainant could not proceed tbe COat court.. The cue was dismiased, t a were disallowed.

WIFE'S "CONFESSION" AND ALLEGATIONS. Mr. A. H. Adams, landlord of the Black Horse Public-house, Barbican, was sued for divorce. There was a counter-charge against the wife, Roea Elizabeth, supported by a written confession, which she now states is false, and was written at the request of her husband. When the parties were first married they obtained positions of manager and barmaid in their native village of Liddlington. Things prospered with them, and after a time they came up to London and took the Black Horse. It was then, the wife stated, that matri- monial trouble began, she having to complain of her husband's familiarity with the barmaid in July, 1897. While at Sevenoaks she met a Mr. Hammond, who was an old customer at the Black Horse, but nothing improper occurred Seven months afterwards her husband asked her to make a confession, saying he could get £500 or £ 600 from Hammond if she did so. After that she left her husband, and gave him a confession in the following words: — Since leaving you I feel a most miserable woman, and must confess a great sin to you, and can only ask your forgiveness, and trust i I Mrs. ADAMS. I to God you will forgive me for the sake of our dear boy. I have been out several times with Mr. Hammond, and was with him at Sevenoaks. I committed myself with him, for which I am most ashamed to own. -Ma'- h**ari. is breaking.. J —Your most miserable wife, ROSA. Subsequently she returned to her husband, but he treated her with great cruelty, and on one occasion she saw him in Charterhouse- square with a barmaid named Mabel Skinner under such circumstances as to leave no doubt square with a barmaid named Mabel Skinner under such circumstances as to leave no doubt in her mind as to their relations. She was so annoyed that ehe struck her husband with her umbrella. There was not a word of truth in her written confession. I Mr Elijah Hammond having denied miscon- duct with Mrs. Adams, the hearing was adjourned. THE WIFE FOUND GUILTY. The hearing was resumed on Wednesday, In support of the counter-charge Mr. Adams put in a confession written by his wife as to I her relations with Hammond, the truth of. which she denied, contending that it was written at the request of her husband, who told her that with such a document he could get L500 or L600 out of Hammond. WIFE'S MISCONDUCT. At the close of Mrs. Adairs's case Sir Francis Jeune observed that had the case gone to a jury they would have stopped it. The case of misconduct against the wife would certainly have been accepted as true. The allegation of misconduct against the husband was most improbable, and depended entirely 0:1 the evidence of the wife. Mr. Adams was called, and said his domestic troubles commenced in 1895, when his wife I I Mr. ADAMS. I took to drink. She frequently assaulted him. After her confession he offered to take her back on condition that she did not go into the bar or take any intoxicating liquor. She consented to these terms, and for a. month behaved herself very well. She then 'began drinking again, and he could do nothing with her. Miss Skinner gave evidence denying that she had ever been guilty of any impropriety with Mr. Adams. Other witnesses were called to prove that Mr. Adams had always shown the greatest consideration to his wife. Sir F. Jeune said the wife appeared to have been an habitual drunkard, and there was no doubt she had misbehaved herself with Hammond. He did not believe that she wrote the letter of confession under the direction of her husband. As a fact, he must find that Mrs. Adams had be*n guilty of cruelty to her husband, and as the latter did not apply for a divorce he would give him a judicial separation, and dismiss the wife's to her husband, and as the latter did not apply for a divorce he would give him a judicial separation, and dismiss the wife's petition.

HUSBAND AS DETECTIVE. Mr. William Scott Rogerson, stated to be employed in some exploration company on the West Coast of Africa, sought a divorce by reason of the alleged misconduct of his wife, Mrs. Edith Mary Rogerson. with the co- respondent, Mr. Thomas Drummond. a bands- man. of Blackpool. Answers were filed deny- ing the charge, and the respondent alleged cruelty and misconduct on the part of her husband, which he denied. The case was heard before Mr. Justice Barnes. Mr. Pritchard. who appeared for the peti- tioner, said that the marriage took place on June 6. 1899, at Barton-upon-Irwell, and there were two children living of the mar- riage. The misconduct charged was at Black, pool, where the respondent went to live while I her husband was in Africa, during which time he allowed her £6 a month. Petitioner deposed that on October 18 he watched his wife. He saw her meet the co- respondent, who afterwards went to her house in Imperial-street, Blackpool. When Mr. Drummond came out, witness spoke to him, and he gave an address. which was afterwards found to be false. When the co. respondent was subsequently seen he said he was sorry he had given a wrong address. He admitted going to the house in Imperial- street. and said that he went inside because the respondent told him she had some curios to show him. Witness gave an emphatic denial to the counter allegations. In cross-examination by Mr. Pike, on behalf of the respondent and the co-respondent, wit- ness said that he and his wife frequently quarrelled over trivial matters. The quarrels were brought about by her. Questioned as to this, he said that, for instance, while walking out with her a man would smile at her, and Bhe would smile at him in return. He abso- lutely denied that he had ever assaulted her. Shown a fan, he denied that he ever gave it to his wife. It must (he said) have been found amongst his belongings. Mr. Pike: I should like your lordship tc, see it. Mr. Justice Barnes (after examining it) said: What is the point of this? I see nothing on one side of the fan, but there is a picture of a bull-fight on the other. Mr. Pike: There is a special way of opening it. Mr. Pritchard: I admit it is a fan with an indecent photograph. Croas-examination continued: His wife had never seriously charged him with being un- faithful. He watched her at Blackpool after he had received a hint from his mother. Sub- sequently he took the children away from the house. A private detective, named Robinson, gave evidence as to watching the respondent, and of his seeing Mr. H. Drummond go to her house in Imperial-street, Blackpool. Witness served the divorce papers on Mr. Drummond at Glasgow. In cross-examination, he said that the co- respondent afterwards showed him about Glasgow, and he was grateful to him for it. Recently he saw Mr. Drummond at Blackpool, and told him he had only got X5 "out Of this job," and that he was sorry for the co-respon- dent's wife and two little children. For the defence the respondent was called. She said that she married the petitioner on a Tuesday, and the following Saturday he went to the West Coast of Africa. After he returned home he threatened to cut her throat, and habitually he had used bad lan- guage towards her. On many occasions he had asked her to leave him. He had admitted that he had been unfaithful. He once told her he wanted to have a divorce. He gave her the fan which had been produced. With regard to October 18 she had met Mr. Drum- mond, who saw her home, as it was raining. She mentioned to him that her husband had a good many curios, and he came in to examine them. He was not there half an hour, when someone knocked at the door. Neither upon that nor any other occasion had familiarity taken place between them. In cross-examination, she denied that before her marriage she was well-known in the neighbourhood of Manchester. The case was adjourned till Wednesday, when The Petitioner alleged that in 1903 while his wife was residing at Blackpool, he dis- covered that she had misconducted herself with the co-respondent, who played in the band at the Tower Music-hall, where dancing and musical entertainments were given. The respondent admitted she was introduced to the co-respondent by friends, and had met him, but denied there had been any miscon- duct. It was true, she said, the co-respon- dent and she Were in her hoaoe together one evening when he had seen her home, and went inside to see her husband's curios. The respondent further alleged that her husband had been cruel to her, and had ad- mitted misconduct with another woman. The co-respondent, in the course of his evidence, said he was a married man with two children. He was introduced to the respondent during an interval in the enter- tainment at the Tower Music-hall, and had accompanied her home. It was not true he had ever misconducted himself with the re- spondent, although he admitted giving the detective a false address when seen coming out of the petitioner's house. He did that as he did not wish to be dragged into any trouble. Miss Winifred Ruttsr, sister of the respon- dent, testified to the petitioner's cruelty to- wards his wife. During a visit to Antwerp he said ho would kill the respondent. Mr. Pike: Why was that? The Witness: I think it was because she had not cleaned his boots. (Laughter.) In the result his Lordship dismissed the petition with costs.

ELOPEMENT SEQUEL. ALLEGED THEFT OF DIAMONDS AND BANK NOTES. Anna Adlas, 25, married, and Sigismund Caan, 23, a tailor, both giving the same address, were charged at Worship-street Police-court, London. on Wednesday, with stealing a large number of gold and diamond rings, gold brooches, diamond earrings, a sum of £ 95 in gold, and 600 marks in German notes (of the total value of £ 1,400), the pro- perty of John Adla.s, a dealer in jewellery. The female prisoner, dressed in black with silver trimmings, and a large black hat with feathers, was a pale, girlish figure in the dock. Prosecutor said that the woman was his wife, and he knew the male prisoner, who had been a frequent visitor at his house. His wife had told him that more than once the man had wanted to take her away altogether. LETTERS TORN IN HALVES. On Saturday, May 7, he received a letter from her. The letter he explained, he had halved, and for the purpose of giving infor- mation to the German police had sent one half to Germany. Mr. Cluer: Have they been to Germany? Sergeant Lee, the detective officer in charge of the case, said they had. The half letter was handed to the magis- trate, who read some of it. It stated that the writer had gone to her parents in Germany, could not live with him (the husband) any more, and had taken her things, but sent him the luggage tickets of his bags. The letter was signed "Minna," and the prosecutor said that that was his wife's name and handwriting. TRAVELLED WITH JEWELS. He added that he missed the whole of the property, consisting of rings set with dia- monds, loose diamonds, gold watches, brooches, chains, Ac., a>s well as the money and notes from boxes he kept in his bed- room. Witness explained that he travelled to and from the Continent with jewellery, and kept no shop. The female prisoner said the jewellery was her own. The male prisoner wished to make a state- ment in German, but a remand was ordered, and the prisoners, removed in custody.

NO CONSCRIPTION. DEFINITE ANSWER IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. In the House of Commons on Thursday Mr. Herbert Samuel asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Government intended to make any proposals to Parliament, based upon the recommendation of the majority of the Royal Commission of the Militia and Volun- teers, in favour of a system of conscription. Mr. Arnold Forster: No, sir, the Govern- ment does not intend to make any proposals to the House in favour of a system of con- scription.

SURETIES ESTREATED AT MERTHYR Theophilus Thomas and Thomas Martin were summoned to show cause why recogni- sances into whiflh they had entered should not be estreated. Mr. W. W. Meredith ap- peared for the respondents. A man named Edmund Lloyd was convioted as a "black- lister," and ordered to find two sureties for his future good behaviour. The respondents became the sureties. Lloyd was afterwards fined for drunkenness, hence these proceed- ings. The men were ordered to forfeit the money, L25 each, the Stipendiary remarking that persons were too ready to enter into reoognisa/nces without thinking of the respon- siMlity.—In default of payment, the respon- dents were committed for seven days. A SUBSTITUTE. THE KIDDIE: I likes putty to play with. You can squeedge it inter any shape you likes. But assuming Mr. Guest's friends have fully and correctly gauged his political character, I still cannot help thinking that the suitable and dignified candidate for the Radical Metropolis of Wales is the man who already holds the principles of the party from convic- tion rather than one who only adopts them under pressure. Sir Edward Seed has been accused of being an indiarubber politician. I don't know that the substitution of putty for indiarubber is necessarily an improvement.—Mr. D. A. Thomas, M.P., in a letter to the Press.

WELSH MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY. INQUEST ON THE BODY OF THE VICTIM. The inquest on the body of the lad David John Morgan, of Abercrave, Swansea Valley, who died j^n Black Mountains as the result of losiBjjf. Jii^ way in a fog. was held at Abercrave oa Saturday, before Dr. W. R. Jones, the coroner. The jury (of which Mr. price was elected fore- man) included Vicar of Colbren and several of the lea:$jiig residents of the district. The evidence flowed little variation from the full account^ already published by us. John D. Morsr^n, Abercrave, identified the body as that. < e a»fi said Jve m six- teen years of a^e. lie left home very early of Whit-Monday morning to go fishing in the Van Pools. Witness advised him not to be foolish, but he said he had promised two com- panions, and he went away without seeing his mother. He did not return that night, and afterwards a large number of persons helped to search for him, and his body was found on Wednesday. David James Gibbs paid they started home, after eating the food they had brought near the Big Van Pool. It was very fogpy ant they lost their way and reached the Little Van Pool. They met Lewis Michael and! Hopton fishing in a little stream canted the Sawdde. which, Michael said, ran down to Llanddeusant. After h.alf-an-hour's fishing they started off again about 2.30, as near as he could judge without a watch. They lost the river and climbed the mountain, and then completely lost themselves. At last they came to a stream, and his companions then refused to follow him. He followed the river down till he came to some nut trees that he had seen before and found himself by Cerrighaffes Farm. He told the people there that two others were lost. He got home about nine p.m. The Coroner: Did you tell anybody on the road about the others?—No. The Coroner Having left them on the moun- tains I should think that common sense would have suggested you should have told their parents about it. Sergeant Jarrett said he thought Gibbs was too exhausted to realise the position. Lewis Davies, who last saw deceased alive, appeared to be still very ill and nervous. He said they only stayed by the Van Pool about twenty minutes before starting for home. That was because of the fog. They had fished in the Sawdde River, but caught nothing. They met Lewis Michael and afterwards some other men. Then they lost their way. They reached a stream, and Gibbs wanted to j follow it, but D. J. Morgan (the deceased) was not willing, and he (Davies) did not like David John to go in a different direction! alone. (Here the witness cried.) He should say it was about five o'clock when they I parted. He and David John could not find the way, and at last they laid down to sleep by c river. He thought they were on Cry- bath Mountain (near home.) When they woke up David John could not walk. Witness offered to carry him, but he was not willing, and he (witness) set off by himself to find his parents to fetch him. He laid down many times to rest, and he was exhausted and unconscious when he found himself by Der-: wen Farm. The Coroner: You are a brave boy, I Griffith Rees, Derwen Farm, deposed how he found Davies on his farm, and the Coroner ) praised him for his kindness and hospitality to the boy. Dr. Richards proved that death was due to exhaustion and exposure. A verdict to that effect was returned. The Coroner said he had never been engaged in such a sad inquiry. He thought a great deal of credit was due to the inhabi- tants of the neighbourhood for' making so diligent and systematic a search. Much humanity, sympathy, and energy had been shown. THE FUNERAL. The funeral of the deceased was held. on I Saturday afternoon at Twyncoed Congrega- tional Chapel. It was attended by nearly a thousand people. The Rev. L. Jones < iver&d a most impressive address. U.YN Y VAN, YSTRADGYUXAIS. In the vicinity of which young Morgan lost hia vray and died of exposure.

I MISSING CARDIFF MAN. STRANGE AND INEXPLICABLE DISAPPEARANCE. Nothing has been heard of the Cardiff man, George Wright, who has been missing from his home, 48. Laird-street, Moors, since Friday. Naturally, Mrs. Wright is distracted at her husband's disappearance. Speaking to one of our representatives on Tuesday, she said she could not account for the trouble which had befallen her. "My husband," she said, "was so fond of his home and of his three little children. He scarcely ever went out after returning from his work, and he was eo absorbed in the welfare of the little ones that he always saw that they were in the house between six and seven in the evening. He bad been ill," she con- tinued, for about five weeks, suffering from influenza and bronchitis, but there was nothing strange in his manner, and the doctor who attended him info-med me that his heart was perfectly sound, and that he found nothing to suggest that he would do anything ,u that was wrong. He declared off the sick fund of his club last Friday week, with the intention of resuming work at the Dowlais Works, where he had been employed for nine years, on the following Monday, but when he got up on Monday morning he did not feel well, and I persuaded him to stay at home for another week, which he did. On the Friday afternoon, at p.bout 2.30, he went .1, out, and said that he was going to the works of Messrs. Spillers and Bakers to see a friend of his there, and I have not seen him since. He is about 5ft. 7in. in height, and walks with a little limp. He has dark brown hair, turn- ing grey, and a dark brown moustache. He was wearing a dark suit, and had around his neck a blue silk handkerchief with white stripes'. He also wore a silver watch and chain

THE KING AND WALES. With regard to the rumour that his Majesty the King has promised to visit Mid-Wales for the purpose of inaugurating the new water supply for Birmingham, at the head of the Elan Valley, our Birmingham correspondent states that there has been some correspon- dance with hm Majesty on the eubject, but it is not considered likely that the King's con- sent to open the new works win be secured.'j At present, however, nothing has beeiv^utled.

I DEAD ON A MOUNTAIN. -I DECOMPOSED BODY FOUND NEAR j TREHERBERT. Mr. R. J. Rhys, coroner, conducted an in- quest at Treherbert Polioo-station on Thurs- day on the body of the man who was found on Penpych Mountain on Monday night, and which has since been identified as that of Harry Jordan. Evidence was given by Mr. John Morgan, farmer, of finding the body on a lonely spot j on the Blaenrhondda, Mountain. The body [ lay in a natural position, and appeared as if the man had fallen asleep. The nearest path to the spot where the man was found was a quarter of a mile. Dr. Williams stated that the man's eyes were eaten out, and his nose had also been removed. The body must have been on the mountain for a month at least. I' Police-sergeant Davies said that only a half- penny was found on the deceased. Daniel Crow)ey. 68, Pontypridd-street, Car- diff, identified the body as that of Harry Jordan, a puddler, of no fixed abode. He had seen him a month ago in Cardiff. For the last 24 years deceased had no fixed dwelling- place. Jordan was a heavy drinker, and at one time had earned good money. A verdict of "Found dead" was returned, the jury being satisfied that the deceased was Harry Jordan. I The witness Crawley was not paid for the two "turns" he had lost by attending the inquest. The Coroner stated that he could only make him a certain allowance. Crawley protested, but Mr. Rhys added that he could not pay money ont of his own pocket. If he did so at every inquest he would be a poor man. The county council owed him £ 15 at present, and he was not going to add to that.

GIRVS MYSTERIOJTJS DEATH. The strange circumstances attending the I death of Rosina Hodges, the nine-year-old daughter of parents in humble circumstances, whose body was found in the water at Fish- ponds on Monday, are the subject of inquiry by the Bristol polioe. The girl was last seen *live -\bout 8.30 on Sunday nighlAn company with eeveraj other girls, and vae then pro- ceeding homewards.

ANOTHER TIBET FIGHT. STRONGHOLD TAKEN BY THE BRITISH FORCE. GYANTSE, May 26. The garrison was engaged to-day for four- teen hours in a most arduous fight in which the Tibetans showed desperate courage. But for the skilful use of cover and the care with which the operations were conducted our losses would have been -i.xmentably heavy. As it is, Lieutenant Garstin, of the Royal Engineers, was killed, and Captain O'Connor, secretary to the mission, and Lieutenant Mitchell, 32nd Pioneers, were severely wounded. Lieutenant Walker. Royal Engineers, was slightly wounded, three Sikhs were killed, and seven men were severely wounded. The Tibetan losses were very heavy; 37 prisoners were taken. On the 24th inst. a large convoy arrived at Gyantse with additional troops and guns. They found the village of NiaDa, six miles in our rear. very strongly held, the Tibetans effectually blocking communications except for largo parties. It was for this reason that the mission was isolated for a week. Besides blocking the rear and continuing the bombardment of the camp from their fort, the enemy during the past few days had been seen busily engaged fortifying their position and mounting jingals in the village a tbousand yards to the right. It wls vitally necessary for the village to be stormed as. otherwise, the enemy would have enfiladed our flanks. Accordingly, a force made a sortie this morning, Major Brander being in command. Major Paterson was in charge of the storming party, consisting of two com- panies of Pioneers and a company of Sappers. The village was surrounded on three sides before dawn, and huge breaches were made in the wall of a large house with gun-cotton before our presence was discovered; but the village consisted' of a number of strong stone houses separately held, and a hail of fire was poured on the storming party. The fort also woke up and bombarded the village and our troops alike. The fire from the fort was so heavy that the guns of the Maxim Reserve Company of Gurkhas, placed on the height overlooking the village, were occupied for the greater part of the time in an attempt to subdue it. There were about 400 armed Tibetans in the village, firing rapidly, uttering warlike cries and calling to our troops to come on. As practicably each house, some with walls 30ft. high and 10ft. thick, had to be stormed sepa- rately, the operations lasted many hours. The Tibetans obstinately refused to flee. Seven breaches with guncotton were neces- sary, the excution of these operations being attended with the greatest danger. Lieute- nant Garstin, who was shot through the head, and Captain Sheppard displayed admir- able courage. Of the seven officers with the storming party three were hit. In the majority of instances, when a house was finally entered, the Tibetans absolutely refused to surrender. Wounded men unable to load their muskets endeavoured to throw stones, and in one case a man bleeding from the head flung himself on a Sikh, and with hands and teeth hung on like a cat until he was killed with the bayonet. The majority of the Tibetans carried swords, but appar- ently did not know how to use them. The swords are very long and heavy, and fashioned like those known as "crusaders." The great blades twisted in the hands of the Tibetans as they wielded them. About noon, when most of the houses in the village had been taken, a gallant attempt was made from the fort to reinforce the Tibe- tans. Fifteen men, mounted on black inuies, and followed by forty warriors, dashed out. The Tibetans had' begun building a covered way from the fort towards the village, but the last 500 yards of the dash had to be made obsolutely in the open. The enemy fume under the fire of both the troops on the bill and of the Maxim at the corner of the mission's camp. Of the whole party only one crossed the terrible zone of fire alive, yet even after the annihila- tion which overwhelmed the reinforcements, isolated warriors were observed dashing across the open space to join their comrades. At about one o'clock some twenty men deserted the last house and bolted towards the fort, but for hours afterwards, in holes and corners in all parts of the village, desperate men kept up an isolated fire, and had to be sought out and killed. The troops did not return until eight. The greater part of the village was destroyed, but a small portion is now held by us. In one room in the village forty women were found, and were released after dark. The prisoners taken say they were new levies from Lhasa, and had only been put into the village at dusk the night before. They did not know their way about the village, otherwise, they declare, we should neyer have taken it. They add that there are 3,000 warriors in the fort.-Press Associa- tion Foreign Special.

TRADE DISPUTES. MR. BEASLEY GIVES EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COMMISSION. The surprising statement was made at Wed- nesday's sitting of the Royal Commission on Trade Disputes by Mr. A. Beasley, general manager of the Taff Vale Railway Company, that only about one in eleven of the persons employed on railways is a member of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. In support of this assertion he quoted the official returns of membership, which showed that the total had dropped from 85,988 in 1897 to 52,355 in 1903, whereas the total number of persons employed on the railways, according to Board of Trade figures, was 575,834. Dealing with the suggestion that the society did not cater for all grades. Mr. Beasley pointed out that the number of station- masters, clerics, &c., although eligible under the rules, amounted to 70,000, but only 70 were J members.

THE CAPTURE OP KIN-CHAU. DESPERATE STRUGGLE BY' THE JAPANESE. TOKIO, Sunday (6.0 p.m.). The various detailed accounts of the Nan- ehan figiii now to hand show that the Japa- nese infantry charged Nan-shan nine times before finally driving the Russians from their position. They carried the forts and trenchea at the point of the bayonet, the Russians ciossing bayon-ets with them in the final assault. The Japanese left became partially enve- loped, and throughout the entire action until night was exposed to an enfilading fire from the Russian infantry, the gunboat in Ta-lien- wan Bay, and 4.9 centimetre guns posted at Ta-fang-shan. Then at the critical moment the ammunition of the Japanese artillery ran low. and it was decided to cast the remaining ammunition in a final desperate assault. Fortunately, at the same moment the Jap* nese squadron in Kin-chau Bay, which had ceased bombarding when the infantry first moved forward, suddenly resumed shelling Nan-shan. There and then were the issues of the day determined, and the repulse converted into a victory. Every Japanese gun was centred on the Nan-shan forts and trenches. Then the infantry sprang over the bodies of their dead ^omraaes killed in the previous charges, the entire line rushing forward. The Russian left. where the fire of the Japanese squadron told the most, weakened first. Thore was made the first breach in the line that had been invincible all day. It was the Fourth Division, composed of the Osaka men, which stormed the Russian left. It was once said that the Osaka men were not brave. It will never be said again. The First or Tokio Division, which had the centre, and the Third or Nagoya Division, which had the left, had been exposed all day on the front and flank, but they followed the example and rushed forward. It was a bayonet fight at every parapet. The Japa. nese, surging forward in increasing numbers hustled the Russians from their positions anQi swept over the hill, upon which at 7.30 p.m. they hoisted their flag amid ehouts of Banzai." The engagement cost the Japanese 3,501 killed and wounded, but it was expensive to the Russians, who left 68 cannon, ten machine guns, and 500 dead on the field. General Oku, commanding the Japanese, began the movement at midnight on Wed- nesday, and assigned the Fourth Division to the right, with instructions to swing around to Kin-chau and move to the south. This gave the First Division the centre and the Third I Division the left. During the night a terrible thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain. broke over the advancing Army and impeded its movements. It had been arranged to begin fire at 4.30, but a dense fog followed the storm. It was an honr lat-2r before all the artillery under General U;hijama opened on the Nan-shan detach- iG?nt and seized Kin-chau Castle. Then the entire infantry force gradually moved forward. Nan-shan responded vigor- ously, and the Japanese squadron chimed in with its heavy guns at six o'clock. The shelling lasted for three hours without interruption, then the Russian fire abated, and the infantry moved forward and attacked the batteries, which had changed positions to secure better range. By eleven o'clock a zone varying from 300 to 550 metres in width separated the Japanese and Russian lines. The rest of the day was spent in crossing the fire-swept zone. The Russian gnnboat opened on the Japanese left at ten in the morning, and continued firing for five hours. Five Russian steamers attempted to land crews near Hung-tuai, but the Third Divi- sion stopped them. Meantime four heavy guns at Ta-fang-shan had found the range of the Third Division, and kept shelling it until seven in the evening. The artillery, with the Third Division. vainly endeavoured to reach Ta-fang-shan, but the guns failed to do so on account of the distance. In the main attack the Japanese artillery;, continued shelling Nan-shan, seeking to, destroy the entanglements and otherwise clear the way for the infantry, but every time the infantry advanced the Russian fire drove them back. JAPANESE OCCUPY DALNEY. RUSSIANS RETREAT TO PORT ARTHUR. The Japanese Legation on Tuesday evening issued the following dispatch from Tokiai dated the same day:- General Oku report3: — Our detachment occupied Dalny on May 30. "Over 100 warehouses, barracks, beeide8 telegraph-office and railway station, found uninjured. Over 290 railway cars still usable. All email railway bridges in neigh- bourhood destroyed. Docks and piers uninjured, except the great pier, which, sunk. Steam launches also sunk at the mouth of the dock." FIGHT IN A THUNDERSTORM., RECKLESS BRAVERY OF THE JAPANESE. ST. PETERSBURG, Wednesday Evening. The fight at Tafang-kon on the 50th of May was the most thrilling episode which the land campaign has so far witnessed. It wae throughout almost entirely a cavalry affair. and while it lasted it was extremely severe, and characterised by devoted gallantry on both sides. The battle-ground was situated right among the mountains, and military movements were rendered most difficult and hazardous, yet the Russian cavalry are described as "rushing upon the Japanese like a cyclone," and Russian batteriea passed over dangerous mountain roads at the trot so that they might not miss the fight. One Russian correspondent who witnessed the battle telegraphs:—"The general engage- ment commenced with such fury on our part that the Japanese were soon compelled to rally all their forces. Two Cossack sotnias rushed, shouting wildly, with lances poised upon the Japanese cavalry. The Japanese were outflanked and literally cut to pieces. For the first time in the war the Cossacks used their lances, driving terror into the hearts of the enemy and decimating their ranks. After this brilliMfc achievement the two sotniaB were moving off when they came under the terrific ntw of six Japanese machine guns, but escaped without heavy loss. "The Japanese had four battalions of infantry, each 300 strong, on the ground, and eight squadrous of cavalry. They showed the utmost eagerness to attack, but were restrained by the fire of the Russian bat- teries, which were already in commanding positions. The Russian guns rained shrapnel upon the enemy, and with such effect that ere long the mountain-side was covered with still, black objects, the Japanese dead lying where they fell. Ultimately the enemy retreated in two directions. "While the battle was thus raging among the mountains a great thunderatorm broke over the opposing forces, and soon the r&tfe of the machine-guns and the roar of the artillery mingled with thunderclaps, aad Heaven answered the glare of the cannon's mouths with th* flashing of lightning. The spectacle was, indeed, awe-inspiring. Nothing could have eiooeded the gallantry of the enemy. Their c^-Kalry, in particular, astonished eviry observer by their superb daring. Hoarsely screaming "Banzai, Ban- zai," these horsemen rushed upon our Siberian Cossacks, our Dragoon*, and our Frontier Guards h1 the teeth of an appalling fire. They lost 200 mea, and many boreee were captured. "During the final effort of the onsmao some of our sections firi-d so steadily and true tbat the general w&tcbiag thani was unable to refrain from the MpfesaiMt of Jail tflt'- l siasm."