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"DRIVEN TO DEATH." +
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"DRIVEN TO DEATH." + GENERAL LUARD'S SUICIDE. BATHETIC STORY AT THE INQUEST. ^The inquiry into the tragic death of «nera,] Luard, wiho threw himself in jj0n't of a train at Teston Level Cross- j nest Fark^gh, was held on Satur- Kj^hen the jury returned a verdict of Uicide while temporarily insane." f Cu'r]-ous feature of the inqnest was the that the leading witnesses were per- ^^tt-ed to give their stories in their own >. aT1d were allowed to submit their inferences. The two figures that stood out promi- bentIy were Colonel Warde, tihe dead tneral's host and friend, and Captain ^t}lard, his bereaved son. Colohel if a'r^e, who is a tall man, with sharp fcrri U-leS' ^ave evidence with deep wiotion, which changed into indignation «en he designated as a fabrication the ^atenient that the general left a letter ying he could not face his son. fa^ ^en Captain Luard appeared his ace was set and impassive, and every in court was directed towards him. 6 read his father's last letter, which ,.as ha,nded to him by the coroner,, but flayed no emotion. It simply <Ma.te«d to domestic matters, said the roner, and was not read. The captain, trended by Colonel Warde, left the with a swift, long stride.
THE INQUEST.
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THE INQUEST. "I DO NOT WISH TO LIVE ANY LONGER." >> inqnest on the body of Major-general N~RD took place on Saturday AFTER- NOON at the Pariah-room, Teston. Teston is CH YP*CA* Kentish village, with a picturesque Urch and an ancient lych-gate, situated TR °U^ half-a-mile from the scene of the ADC* some eight or nine miles from SHTHAM, where the murder of Mrs. Luard place in August last. h The parish-room, in which the inquest was d eld, was CALLABLE of holding about a hun- red people. Colonel C. E. Warde. M.P., with the general had Spent Thursday night, IT his brother. Colonel Warde, chief-con- *ITH °F KENT' arrived from Barhain Court J* Major Lafone, deputy-chief-constable. J*E TWO latter entered the building and took 3TS on the platform, but Colonel C. E. J, A?DE was not present at the opening. Mr. <>mas Buss, the coroner for Mid-Kent, with his officer in a trap a minute G ^WO AFTER the chief-constable, and Dr Qthwell Sanders, who was called to see the FORNL EENERAL* ALE° TOOL £ A SEAT ORL the plat TH^6 JNRY APP°inted Mr. George Woodward JJ\IR foreman, and left in a break for South Barham Court, to view the body. The only oocupied about ten minutes. 11 Before any witnesses were called. Mr. B. T. tbOOrman, mayor of Maidstone, rising from body of the court, asked the' coroner to th KIM SAY '^OW greatly Maidstone, as EVE capital of Kent, I3 grieved at the tragic E EQTS which have been happening in this 8VURITY' AN<^ T° allow me to express the QI-Pathy of the town with the relatives of fteral Luard and with Colonel Warde, 'P., JJ. °se natural kindness of heart prompted to befriend the general in the time of great grief, great stress, and turmoil." AHE first witness was Bernard Kelly, foot- AN at Barham Court. He said he did not TH°W THE &ED€RAL before seven o'clock on uursday evening last, when he came to ■^RHAM Court. :( "Did you GO to the general the next morn- S' the Coroner asked.—Yes, at 8.10. And you rapped at the door?—Yes. ■YID you get an answer?—Yes—"Come in." ■Did you So in to see the general P—Yes. Where was heP-In bed. Did he say anything-?—No. Was HE IN HIS usual state?—Yes. A DIFFERENCE IN THE GENERAL. James Wooife, butler to Colonel C. E Warde at Barham Court, «oid he knew the general as a visitor to the house. Did you see him on Thursday evening last? --J. did. u' I think, intending: to stop the Did hat is so. notice anything about him in an) 0cCAS. 4 decided difference from the last DRA^N °N WHICH I saw him; his face was ANXJ6T VEFY considerably, showing the intense THAT U LLE HAD through; but apart from CHP0„* APPEARED to be, one might say, ^ERFM. 6AW.N YOU SEE HI™ next after that?—1 AT When he went to bed. R^D you see him the next morning?—No. T consequence of the general not coming TO breakfast you went to his bedroom?—The Circumstances were these: Breakfast was served at 9.45, and after waiting ten minutes went in search of him. I walked round house, and then went to his room, I looked inside the door, and, seeing he was NOT THERE I came down and told Colonel to Ti, 6 -weut to the garden and then on the drawing-room. ^After a moment or so Colonel Warde, the INT« +v! CONTINU€D. returned and beckoned me EENPR .I VT,^ R00M' AND TOLD ME ^AT the KENERAI HAD DE8TR0YED himself. The colonel illtrv E51EAT!Y distressed, and called a constable o the house. They then walked through FOIJ I ONT ^°OR, and the constable turned FOI,^ ANDN 101(1 ME THE GENERAL had been und on the line. I thought for a moment NAT was best to be done, and it occurred to « I ought to go to the bedroom to see if TON J was any evidence. I did ISO, and I oUnd three letters. Colonel Warde's was on a?W» AND *THERE were others to Captain Luard •&TA TO Mr. Arthur Firth. I took Colonel arde's and loft the room, locking it as I so. I hurried after Colonel Warde, and him on his way to the line, and A^DED him the letter, and then came back. TAHID YOU FLND ANYTHINS' else on the dressing- J The letters were on the writing-table, SAW the general's watch and chain and a E of money on the table.
COLONEL WARDED STORY.
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COLONEL WARDED STORY. "SCANDALOUS QUESTIONS AT THE INQUEST." F^POLONEL C. E. Warde, M.P., of Barham WAS next called. ^NE Coroner: You knew deceased as Luard?—Intimately. °AN you tell me age?—Only from heaT- R^- I think he was 60. I believe he was £ 0. ^/NE Coroner: On Thursday last did you go Q* lafctham, the residence of the iate I^HERAL Luard, and invite him to your U°U.se? et 1'he Colonel asked to be allowed to tell his Qry in his own way, and proceeded:- TRA WAS absent in Wales when the first ^AEEDY occurred, but directly I returned TOE I went to see him, and he offered me <},, I took him out for a motor drive, and JJ. RING that drive I naturally tried to turn }TS MIND away from what was dwelling cn 6 • AND he made no allusion to the ciroum- OC 11 MY return to the house I took J^ASION to ask him what were his future He said he thought of taking fnr- rooms near his club. 'I am packing everything,' he remarked, and he then to an old sideboard and writing 'T of Mrs. Luard's, about which he paid ^IGHT be worm-eaten if it were packed MN.Y" INTENDED, therefore, to take it him. He said that hie friends had been IIQ KIND to him, as he had not elept in the 6^SE once since the tragedy. I naturally I should be glad if he could spare a day over to my place before leaving C<W NEtehbourhood. He said he hoped to H^JPLETE the packing by Tuesday, that be a dear friend to see in London and BIS I TO meet at Southampton. Subsequently M»N>OTE to him. and received the following STAM in reply: — coipe with pleasure for Thursday IWSHT. Can you send motor eix o'clock Thursday? therefore, to$k my motor over on VRSDAY." Colonel Warde continued, 'and FANNER when I called wae absolutely "AB and natural." WE left the house there was the most >EJJJLANT sunset I have ever seen, and he V0J ARKED upon it several times. During con- said: 'I have got to go back HIFJJ '^ednesdaj- A friend of his had offered A house at Dulver, and his wish was to HIS son straight away there. He t ldid not want to have to come back to inqueet. I wrote to the coroner and ^*°D him whether my presence could be L«TTUS€D. He scnt me a very eourtwas LER, saying questions might arise which WAS necessary I should hear, and that, W NEW evidence might crop up which CQ. ,D require information from me, I ■. D not be excused. 'io\Vtind then he added the words which I put n:- CJ of the asked me at the "FT WERE scandalous. VI SAID that with deep feeling. I then, IL^NGE the subject, remarked about the being adjourned. I said: 'I wonder why it is adjourned, because whatever the verdict of the inquest may be, the police inquiries will go on.' Yes, indeed,' he said, 'I should have thought they would.' "I AM NOT TIRED, BUT I CANNOT SLEEP." He made no further remark, and the conversation became general. Soon after he entered the house he said he had brought with him a. copy of the address of his friend Mr. Guise at the funeral. He said he had had it printed, as he thought that he and his wife would like to have it. He added: I have brought two copies with me.' He appeared to eat a very good dinner, but yawned once or twice, and the remark was made: How tired your packing has made you.' He said: 'No, I am not tired, rut I cannot sleep.' Do you think,' he was asked, it was wise to have packed up in such a hurry?' 'Yes,' Tie said; 'my two brochors-in-law and my sister-in-law were unanimous in agreeing with me that that was the best thing to do.' "I took him to my room," Colonel Warde went on to say, "after my wife had gone to bed, and sa.t there talking and smoking for some time. I said, What time would you like to be called and have breakfast?' He said, Please call me at eight o'clock.' 'Would you like,' I asked, to have tea in your room?' 'Thank you,' he said. 'Would you like your bath hot or cold?' 'Hot,' he answered. Then I took him to his bedroom, and he bade me a. smiling good- night. Next morning I waited a few minutes for breakfast, and then I saw, to r.*y astonishment, a constable in the garden. I asked him what in the world he wanted. He said, 'A body has been found with "C. E. Luard on it, and you might know something about it.' I believe my butler heard the remark, and went up to the bedroom ard saw the letter for me and brought it down. "BEST TO JOIN HER IN THE SEOOiND LIFE." As I was going down with the constable I read this letter:— Seiptember 18, 1908. My dear Warde,—I am sorry to have to return your kindness a.nd hospitality and long friendship in thia way, but I am eatisfied it is best to join her in the second lif'i at once, as I can be of no further use to anyone in the future in this world, of which I am tired, and in which I do not wish to live any longer. I thoughlt my strength was strong onough to bear up against the horrible imputations ejid terrible allegations in letters which I have received since that awful crime was committed, which robbed me of my happi- ne5S. And fio it was for long, and the kindness and sympathy of so many friends kept me going on somehow. But in the last diay or two something seems to have snapped. Strength has left me, and I care for nothing exoept to join her again. So, good-bye, dear friend, to both of us. Yours very affectionately, C. E. LUARD. P.S.—I shall be somewhere on the line of railway. Please send enclosed telegrams to Elmhurst, my son, and C. Hartley, my brother-in-law, and my maid. "These telegrams," Colonel Warde con- tinued, were enclosed in the letter. Need- less to say, I did not send them off, but pent modified telegrams in my own words. The telegram to Miss Huish (the houseikecper) read:— Miss Huish, The Knoll, Ightham,—Mot returning to-day. At Ookxnel Warde a Barham Court.—LnarJ. "Another was addressed to the agent, Union-Castle Line, Southampton: Immediately Norman arrives, send mes- sage to Captain Luard to go to Barham Court.—General Luard. "The third, to Mr. Hartley, his brother-in- law, wQ.8:- Go to Barham Court, near Maidstone. I have gone to join her.—Charlie. Immediaitely on coming back from identifying .the body and escorting it bdck I went to his rooms," Colonel Warde con- tinued, and called a footman. He_ said that lie called the general at 8.10. The room was quite dark until he opened the shutters and placed hie tea by the bedside. The general was awake, but did not speak, and the footman left the room. "AN UNPREMEDITATED ACT." When I went up I found the tea had been taken and tie bread and butter eaten. The r sponge and towel were wet, showing that he had had a bath. Then I can't help thinking, as he said, something must have snapped. He must have hurried on his clothes and written the two letters and the three telegrams. He had thirty-five minutes, I calculated, to do that before he was seen by tie housemaid ooming downstairs, and left the house by the garden entrance. I believe absolutely that it must have been unpremeditated, because no man, surely, could have drunk his tea in bed, got up and had a bath, knowing he was going to do such an act. Something must have snapped at the moment." It so happened, Colonel Warde said, that he came across a letter to hie wife a few days ago, written in affec- tionate terms. At the conclusion of his evidence Colonel Warde protested with some heat agrainst the publication of a.n erroneous version of the general's letter. There was not a syllable in it, he said, to the effect that he could not meet his son. In reply to the jury, Colonel Warde said he thought the letters were written on the morning of the tragedy, after the general got up. He emphasised the facj that the letters bore Friday's date, and that the candles in the room did not appear to have been used except for a few minutes on the Thursday night. No doubt, remarked the Coroner, the anonymous letters distressed him?—So he said m his letters to me. He did not refer to the subject in his conversation. Robert Wright, gamekeeper to Colonel Warde, said that on Friday morning General Luard passed him on the road towards the line. As he passed he said Good morning." The time was about nine o'clock. He did not notice anything unusual about his appearance. ENGINE-DRIVER'S EVIDENCE. Frederick Bridges, engine-driver, employed by the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway Company, said he took the nine o'clock train out of Maidstone West to Tonbridare on Friday morning. Between East Farleigh and Wateringbury he saw a gentleman coming towards him. He gave two sharp whistles and applied his brakes, of course, but the gentleman went beneath the train, and the witness knew he would be cut^ in halves. Knowing what nad happened, he stopped in a train's length. The gentleman seemed to put his arm up in the air and fall beneath the train. The train did not knock Mm down. He fell down, and the train passed over him. The Coroner: Was it a deliberate act?— Yes The witness further explained that at this spot each engine had to sound the whistle. He had juat blown the whistle when the general came towards him. He must have seen the train coming and also heard the whistle. There was a curve at the spot, which was not far away from Oolonel Warde's house. Richard Cooper, the signalman who found the body, said it was terribly mutilated and almost cut in two. Only a field separated the spot from the Maidstone main road, but any person coming from Colonel Warde's house could have got over tho two gates. "SOMETHING HAS SNAPPED." Pclice-sergeant Masters, who searched the body at Barham Court, deposed to finding an envelope, but no letter. The only other pro- perty on the body was a handkerchief. The linen was marked. C. E. Luard." On tha envelope were the words:- General Luard's body to be taken to Colonel Warde's. Barham Court.—18-9-08. Superintendent Forde. of the Mailing divi- sion of the Kent County Constabulary, deposed to searching the bedroom oi Colonel Warde's house which had been occupied by the general. On the dTessing-table he found jEl lie., a gold watch and chain with locket attached, a compass, and two bunches of keyb. On the writing-table were a pair of spec- tacles, a pipe, tobacco pouch, and stamps. There was also a telegram form, torn in six pieces, which, being put together, road:— Willink. Bumside. Kendal.—I have gone to hor I ever loved. Good-bye. Something has snapped.—Luard. There were also a photograph of the scm and a letter to the son. ifr. Willink, it was explained, was a half-brother by marriage of the general. There were two letters, addressed to Cap- tain Luard, D.S.O., and Mr. T. Hartley, to be delivered on the arrival of thoee gentlemep,. The letter to Mr. Hartley was as follows: Barham Court, Maidstone, September 18. 1908, My dear Tom,—Something has snapped. My strength has gone. I have gone to join her. I had left her everything, but now I have made a new will leaving everything to Elmhurst (the son) and you as sole executor. Good-bye, dear brother.—Ever yours, C. E. LUARD. P.S.—It is all the horrid letters and insinuations which have been made. Dr. Sanders, who then gave evidence, said the oliief injuries were to the lower part of the body, The left side of the head was com- pletely crushed, and both arms were broken, the right in two nlaoea. He believed the blow on the lveaxf was received first, and death must have been aiwolutely instan- taneous. He must have been turned round and crushed. A LETTER TO HIS SON. Captain Luard, the general's son, was next called. He was handed a letter by the coroner, with the remark that it might con- tain something concerning the matter under consideration. The captain, after reading the letter, said: "It is mine; there is nothing in it concern- ing this case." The Coroner, having read the letter, also .}&id it did TMt comtaia anything <bt <bU jbeM- ing on the inquiry. It spoke simply of domestic matters concerning the general and his eon, and they were not pertinent to the inquiry. The Jury: Hear, hear. CORONER AND BASE INSINUATIONS. "Of course," said the Coroner, referring in his summing up to the death of Mrs. Luard, "the recent horrible tragedy, where the deceased lady was found near her house murdered, is quite fresh in your minds. Ihe inquest with regard to that matter is going on now, but I thought it was my duty to make some kind of reference to the many reports and base insinuations in the form of anonymous letters which have been ttnt to General Luard, suggesting almost that he was responsible for the death of his wile. These letters have been innumerable. They have been received by the police, as well as by myself, in any number, but I need har-lly tell you I have simply put them in the waste- paper basket. I have been disgusted when I have heard all these suggestions. It is a feature of English justice—and we hope it will ever remain so-that until a man is found to be guilty of any crime we must assume him to be innocent. "Persons who have been prompted to write these letters have not been satisfied to let the general remain with his grief and sympathise with him in his great trouble, but they have added to the poignancy of his grief, End, sensitive and honourable man that he was, it made his life almost intolerable, and with- out any doubt was a great factor in indu- cing him to rid himself of life,and join his wife. Let us hope that the writers of these letters, if <they have any conscience at all, will reflect and find that, at any rate, they must have contributed more or less to the doom to which the general sent himself. Let us hope that, although they treated him so badly in the last remaining days of his life, they will, at any rate, respect his memory now and utter no more of these libellous and baseless and unfounded insinuations." THE QUESTIONS AT THE INQUEST. With regard to the questions the coroner asked General Luard at the inquest, he con- THE LATE GENERAL LUARD. I tinued: "I have no reason to defend my con- duct in any way. I am not responsible to anyone in that particular matter; but having regard to the rumours that were in circula- tion after the first sitting of the inquest, the suggestions that the general knew something about this unfortunate affair, I deemed it my duty to call evidence at the resumed inquiry which showed, I think, from the mouths of half-a-dozen witnesses, that he had accounted for all his movements on the afternoon of the unfortunate day, and that, at any rate, he could not have been present on the occa- sion." That was, the Coroner explained, the reason why he asked the questions, and he thought it was only due to the general and to the public that he should be absolutely free from the coroner's court, as there was no other tribunal before which he could give evidence. He need hardly say, he repeated, that the general had shown that he could not have been present and have committed this ter- rible act. Having briefly recounted the evidence deal- ing immediately with the tragedy, the Coroner added that it was clear that what was uppermost in the mind of the deceased were these base aoensations and insinuations -which had been made against him, and that they were more than he could bear or sus- ta^f«,er a fe\r seconds' consideration the jury returned a verdict that the deceased com- mitted suicide in a state of temporary insanity. SYMPATHY OF THE COURT. insanity. SYMPATHY OF THE COURT. The Foreman, on behalf of the jury and those who had lived in the parish for a number of years, asked the coroner to con- vey to Captain Luard and the friends of the general their deep sympathy in their great sorrow, and to inform Colonel Warde, M.P., that the jury were very much obliged to him for the straightforward statement he had made and the contradiction he had given to 80 many falsehoods which had been made. They also expressed their sympathy with him in what must have been to him a source of very great sorrow. The Coroner said he joined with the fore- man and the jury in the expression of their sympathy with Captain Luard, who bad arrived in this country to be informed that both his father and mother had gone, and ht would be pleased to convey their mes- sages.
BREAKING THE NEWS..I
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BREAKING THE NEWS.. I DOUBLY-BEREAVED SON'S TRAGIC HOME-OOMIN G. | Captain C. E. Luard, son of the late General Luard. arrived at Southampton on Saturday mornin.g from the Cape in the Castle liner Norman. The circumstancea of the bereaved officer 6 homecoming were particularly sad, inas- much as he was returning at the request of his father owing to the untimely death of his mother. The news of the tragic death of his father was broken to the ->aptadn by the ship's doctor off Netley when the pilot came aboard with letters, but it was left to Colonel; Warde. M.P.. to explain to him the painful; circumstances of the general's death. Almost overwhelming in its effect, the news was, nevertheless, borne with great fortitude. When the ship arrived about daybreak Oolonel Warde, V..P- the late general's friend, was waiting on the quayside to meet On the left is the gate through which the general made his way on to the railway. He crossed the first &et of metals and was killed on the lines on the right, at the exact spot where the policeman is standing. the doubly-bereaved son, whom he accom- panied to London in the mail train, and by his kind solicitude did much to soften the blow. When the news of General Lnard's untimely end became known on the Norman the pu- sengiere expressed the utmost sympathy.
,io, ANONYMOUS SUGGESTIONSj
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,io, ANONYMOUS SUGGESTIONS "THE WRITERS MURDERED GENERAL LUARD." Mr. T. Winter Kenndon, a nephew of Mrs. Luard, has sent the following letter for pub- lioat.ion As a nephew of Mrs. Luard, and as one who, in common with a.1.1 who knew them, held both her and her devoted husband in deep affection and (respect, may I be per- mitted to point out the responsibility of writers of the anonymous letters, which we know broke his already overburdened heart.! That there could be found people oapable of making the hideous suggestion contained j in these letters gieems incredible to all who knew anything either of the late general; or of his wife, who was all in all to him. That the writers of these letters were j responsible in-the fullest sense of the word| is open to doubt, but that they murdered General Luard as surely as the unknown ruffian murdered his wife is not. To them the epectaole of an aged gentle- man suffering under almost unimaginable grief was an inoitement, not to the utmost' pity and solicitude, but to the lust for sheer, stupid cruelty that staggers one to; contemplate. That a distinguished soldier and father of soldiers, whose life has, been spent in his country's service, should, when heavily stricken, by sorrow, be driven to his death by anonymous slanderers; should fill every Englishman with pity and indignation too deep for words. SCURRILOUS POSTCARDS AND II LETTERS. WiriUos to an old friend at BeAgafce- laet week, General Luard. referring to his wife's 'death, said: — "No doubt you have read in the papers that I have received disgusting letters. It is really terrible to think some persons should be so wicked, as the innuendos made, not only by anonymous correspondents, but in some of the newspapers, axe cruel." To a Penshurst farmer who spoke to the general last week as to the sale of his poultry, the general also referred to the scurrilous postcards and letters he baa received, and said the death of his wife would break the heart of his eon, who was passionately fond of his mother.
--TO MURDER MR. J. B. JOEL.*…
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TO MURDER MR. J. B. JOEL.* ♦ THREATENING LETTER 1 TO HIS WIFE. CHARGE AGAINST TWO FARRIERS. Oharles Winborn (39), of Eighth-avenue, Manor Park, and Arthur T. Canham (22, Clivf-cottage,?, Manor Park, farriers, were charged before Mr. Plow-den at Marlborough- street Policc-court on Wednesday with being concerned in feloniously sending a letter to Mr. J. B. Joel. 34, Grosvenor-square, W., on September 15, demanding by menaces the sum of £500. There was a further charge against the prisoners of maliciously sending to Mrs. J. B. Joel a letter 011 the same date threatening to kill and murder her husband. Both men appeared to be of the country artisan class. Police-inspector Collins, of New Scotland Yard, said that on the 17th inst. the letter produced was received by the Commissioner of "Police from Mrs. J. B. Joel. The letter was in the first instance addressed to Mrs. Joel. In consequence of the receiving of the letter the police caused a notice to appear in a morning paper. Following that another letter was received by Mrs. Joel. The inspec- tor then read the letters. The first was as follows: — Camerista Monenero. L. B. Madam,-OUr letter to your husband having been ignored, we now write to you giving you a,n opportunity of saving him. It has been decided that, unless the sum of JE500 be paid to us within two weeks, preparations will at onc^-toe made for the death of your husband. Lots have already been drawn, and a brother of the society is now waiting for his orders to proceed. Little did he think how near to him was the member last Wednesday for the pur- pose of knowing him, and he is still near, willing to kill him, if he has to give his own life in doing so, to force the demands of their society. If you do not agree to let us have the money, we shall not molest you in any way now or after the death of your hus- band. It will make others who are asked more careful how they speak of the C.M. If you agree, send your reply to A 19 special column, "Daily Chronicle," on or before Friday next. No fufther letters will be sent to you.—Yours, The C.M. The second letter was as follows;- Madam,—Yours seen. Will send messen- ger to your house on Tuesday next at eight p.m. Have the money ready, one half in notes of £5, the other in gold made up in £25 packages. The messenger will bring a box and .wait. Now, consider a lot before you attempt to discover us or call the police to do so. They might get one or even a hundred, but there are more of the Camerieta Monenero left to carry through what has been started, and there will be no more chances of praying for your safety. If everything is done honourably, you and yours will never be troubled by us, and at a.ny time you want assistance you can command the whole of the Camerista Monenero by calling through the "Daily Chronicle," special column, A 19. c- Inspector Collins said that he, with Detec- tive-inspector Lawrence and other officers, went to 34. Grosvenor-square, and was there when the prisoner Oanham called. He vi.s carrying an empty cigar-box, produced, attached to it being a third letter addressed to Mrs. Joel, stating:- Remember, if this is not carried out 0) you honourably, you will also bear the consequences. Our messenger at each corner he passes will pass one of our members, and if he is xoilowed we shall have a double duty to perform. The Inspector added that Canham said he got the oox from a man who oiiereu ni" 5s. to take it and the letter to Grosvenor square and to post the box to an address at Highbury. Subsequently, cannam said, "I may as well tell you the truth. The two letters sent to Mrs. Joel were written oy Winborn. I posted one of them. He was going to give me half the money I got. Winborn was arrested, and witness said to him "These are the letters which form the subject of the charge, and which Canham aJlegeB were written by you." Winborn replied, "Yœ, that is so." The accused were remanded.
A, WIFE'S CONFESSION. «
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A, WIFE'S CONFESSION. « STABBED HER HUSBAND WITH A HATPIN. Mirs. Elsie Beatrice Cooper, aged 26, a widow, living at Conduit-residences, Oondiiit- pkuie, Paddimgton. was again charged a.t Aiajylabonie Police-oourt on Tuesday with the manslaughter of her husband, Arthur Cooper, a oarman. It was alleged that about May 17 last, when the laecaeed returned home from a walk with her sister-in-iaw a.bout ten o'olook at night, her husbarir* aocused her of having been umiaithful, and in a fit of temper she st>a.bbe<i him. in the gide with a hatpin and the pin broke oil. She understood, she said, that he went next day to St. Mary's Hospital to have it taken out, bat apparently he did not do so. Later, how- ever, she met her Ulster-in-Lavs, and having indicated that she bad a secret to tell, she said, Oh, Ada! I am sorry. We had a few words last night, in a fit of passion—I was taking my hat off at the time-I ran my hatpin into Arthur. I am sorry, but I didn't know what I was doing." The deceased was subsequently taken ill, and died in the Pad- dington Infirmary on September 2 from septic pneumonia, and at the post-mortem a portion of the pin—over four inches long— was discovered in the lobe of the right luug. Ada Rogers, sister of the deceased, who was pre;enta,t the interview when the p-ri. soner confessed to her brother George that she stabbed her husband, admitted in cross- examination that George fuilly forgave the prisoner, mid promised that she should not hear any more about it. Prisoner was remanded.
PENARTH CLIFFS TRAGEDY
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PENARTH CLIFFS TRAGEDY MAN FOUND HANGING FROM A TlUfiE. A startling- discovery was made short] v before six o'clock on Thursday morning by Mr. George Miles, a clerk employed at the Portland Cement Works at Lower Penarth. Whilst passing through a field near the cliff walk on his way to the office -u.r. Miles discerned an object hanging from an oak tree. He found it to be the body of a man, with a scaffold rope around his neck, and suspended from the lowest branch of the tree. Mr. George Pearce. who was passing at the time. at once climbed the tree and untied the rope. letting the body down. Life was then extinct. The police conveyed the body to Penarth. A grey plaid cap was found on the grass not far from the tree, but there was nothing in the pockets to lead to identification. The tree from which the maùl was found hanging has grown in a slanting direction, which made it eabY for him to climb up and fix the rope. After doing this he appears to have taken off one of his leather garters and strapped it around his neck. The-j, after tying the loose end of the rope around his neck over the garter, he must have jumped from the tree, and so hanged him- self. WHO IS HE? The following is the police description ct the man, who appeaiied to have been a dock labourer:— About 35 to 38 years of age; 5ft. 9in. in height; sallow complexion, with a large abscess mark on the left jaw; dark brown hair and moustache; dressed in black jacket and vest; dark striped trousers, which had been darned on the left knee; dark grey Welsh flannel shirt, with two rows of fancy stitching down the front; grey stock- ings, with white tops, and black lace-up boots.
WHEN THE MOON WAS FULL
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WHEN THE MOON WAS FULL HUSBAND'S STRANGE DEFENCE TO ASSAULT CHARGE. J. W. Hughes, licensee of the Cowbridgo Arms Hotel, Cowbridge, was summoned at I the local court by his wife, Elizabeth, for an assault on September 1 la-sit and for desertion. Mr. Harold Lloyd, of Cardiff, appeared for complainant, and Mr. S. D. Evans, Cowbridge, defended. 111'; Lloyd stated that defendant brutally assaulted hiis wife, raining blows on her hoad and face with his fists, and complainant, who stated that she now lived at the Star Hotel, Cefncribbwr, bore out her advocate's statement. Defendant gave a complete denial to the allegations made against him, and, in cross- examination by Mr. Harold Lloyd, stated he could give no reason why his wife should invent the accusations which she had made against him other than the fact that when the moon was full in March and September she was most peculiar in her behaviour. The Bench eventually fined the defendant £1 and costs for the assault upon his wife, and granted her an order of separation and the custody of the ohild under sixteen, with oostA.. « • I.
---WORKMEN AND PEACE. ♦ ",
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WORKMEN AND PEACE. ♦ BRITISH DEPUTATION TO BERLIN. THANKS FOR PRINCE BUELOW. At a brilliant garden party given by Prince Buelow in the spacious gardens of the Chancellor's palace at Berlin in honour 01 the inter-Parliamentary Union, an un- rehearsed, but extremely effective, little peace demonstration took plae- On the suggestion of Mr. Mackarness, M.P., a number of English members of Parliament 'L decided to thank the Imperial Chancellor for the reception which had been given to them in Berlin. Accordingly, with an audience of Cabinet Ministers, Ambassadors, foreign dele- gates, and over fifty British members of Par- liament, Lord Weardale addressed the Chan- cellor, thanking him for the hospitable recep- tion given to the British delegates in Berlin, and assuring him of the sincere good will of the British nation towards the German people. He begged the Chancellor to believe that hostility towards Germany was only spread by a small section of the press, which in no wise represented the true feeiings of the British nation at large. l'rirce Euelow, replying in English, said how glad Germans were to welcome the British members of the conference. The Emperor, the German people, the Govern- ment. and he himself entertained the friendliest feelings towards the British people, whose ideals of liberty were so admired in Germany. Mr. William Jones, M.P., told Prince Buelow that some time ago Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Wijiston Churchill, and himself attended a meeting of 20,000 Welsh miners, at which the attempt to stir up ill-feeling between Britain and Germany was most severely condemned. Quite right," replied the Chancellor. Lord Weardale then introduced the British delegates, with whom the Chanoellor shook hands.-Reuter..
u MUST HAVE BEEN MAD." ♦
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u MUST HAVE BEEN MAD." ♦ TRIPLE CHARGE AGAINST ABERFAN MAN. Isaac Jones, a labourer, was charged at Merthyr on Friday with (1) attempting to murder his wife. Gwen Jones; (2) attempting to murder a lodger, named Frederick Hayes; (3) and also with attempting to commit suicide at Aberfan, on the 21st of August last. The prisoner, who was attired in work- house clothes, appeared very weak, and was accommodated with a seat by the side of the dock. Gwen Jones, the wife. in reply to the magistrates'-clerk, said she was willing to give evidence against her husband. She stated that, she lived at 32, Thomas- street, Aberfan. About five o'clock on the morn :ng of Friday, the 21st of August, she was in bed, and was awakened by a knock at the front door. Her husband was then standing in the room, and slf asked him to go downstairs And open the door. He said it was opened. There was another knock, and she repeated her request, and he then went down and admitted Hayes and her son. Whilst ii, was going upstairs Ilayes called out to him asking him to throw down his trousers, as he wa'! wet. Tliie the prisoner did, and he then came back to the bedroom. She then said she had betwr get up and light the fire, as Hayes was wet. He told her to stop in bed. She got up, and then felt a scratch across her chin. and wa3 bleeding. She said, You have cut me, Isaac." He said nothing in reply, and then told her to go to bed. Hayes came up and told the prisoner to go to work and leare her alone. She laid on the bed a little while, and then got up. She asked her hus- band to let her go down, because she was frightened of him. Mr. Berry (presiding magistrate): What made the lodger come UP?—He heard me shouting. Continuing, witness said her husband pushed her on the bed and stabbed her on the head with a pocket-knife. She screamed "He has stabbed me," and her daughter by a former marriage, Catherine Evans, Ilayes, and her son David came up and got him from her. She then saw the lodger on the bed, and saw her husband cut his throat with the knife. They got him loose, and they all went downstairs, leaving her husband alone in the room. THE LODGER'S EVIDENCE. Frederick Hayes, a haulier, said that on the morning of the 21st ult. he returned home from work about five o'clock. He had been working in water, and was wet. He knocked at the back-door and got no answer. Then prisoner's son, David, came up from work, and he knocked again, and the door was opened by the prisoner, who said that it had been unlocked. The prisoner went upstairs a,gain and threw down witness's trousers. Witness afterwards heard some quarrelling upstairs, and David Jones called out from the stairs to know what was the matter. Someone replied, "Nothing." Wit- ness heard further quarrelling, and went up with David Jones, and lie told prisoner to go to work and leave the woman alone. Mrs. Jones asked him to go downstairs, as it would be all right in a bit. Witness v. ent downstairs, and on the way called Catherine Evans up from bed. Presently lie heard Mrs. Jones say, He has stabbecr me." and upon going upstairs he saw the prisoner leaning on his wife on the bed. She wan bleeding. Witness caught hold of the pri- soner and pulled him off, but he saw nothing then in his hand. Prisoner gave a sharp turn, and witness fell on the bed. and the prisoner stabbed him in the shoulder. After- wards he stabbed him in the neck and by the side of the ear. Witness then got free and rushed downstairs into the house next door. Catherine Evans (15) said that when she went into her mother's room she picked up a shawl to throw over her father, who had a kaife up his sleeve. Her mother told her to put it down. The prisoner then caught her mother by the throat and threw her on he bed and cut her on the head with a knife. Her mother called out murder. Hayes came up, and he and witness pulled the prisoner away. Then her father had the lodger and cut him ft-ith the knife David Jones, son, also gave evidence. On going upstairs, he said, he found his father on his knees by the side of the bed. There was a Mood-stained razor under the bed. His father was bleeding. REMEMBERED NOTHING. Dr. J. C. Edwards said Mrs. Jones was suf- fering from an incised wound two and a half inches long on the back part of the head, a portion of which extended to the bone. Hayes had a wound across the throat and a wound three and a half inches long through the skin below the left car. i-oiice-se-rgeant Roberts spoke to con- veying the prisoner to the workhouse infirmary. When charged with attempting to murder his wife he said, "I don't rc- member anything about it." In reply to the charge of attempting to murder Hayes, ho said, "My missus told me about him at the infirmary." Witness also charged him with attempting to commit suicide, and the prisoner in reply said, "I don't remember anything; I must have been mad, as 1 have been weak a long time." The prisoner was committed to take hill trial at the next assizes on all the three charges. r- I
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STOP PRESS. -1
A GREAT WATE32J , SCHEME.'…
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A GREAT WATE32J SCHEME. m 4 CARDIFF-MERTHYR COMBINE. VAST SUM OF MONEY (JAN BE SAVED. Though purely informal, an important and interesting suggestion has been made by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff relative to the pro- vision of an additional water supply for Cardiff and Merthyr. {The latter town hae under con side ration the construction of a reservoir which will hold 2,7-00,000,000 gallons of water, with a daily yielding capacity of 21,000,000 gahons. The estimated cost of the la,ud, together with tile construction of the dam, is £172,000. The proposed new Cardiff No. 3 Reservoir, which is estimated to cost £2.35,OCoQ, will only have a yielding capacity of three million gallons per day. Now, the Lord Mayor's suggestion is that Cardiff a.nd iTertiiyr should consider the feasibility of joining hands before embark- ing upon their £ :ep;.irate schemes, and share equally the cost of a new joint reservoir. This would mean a tremendous saving of public money, without detracting from the ample strfaciency of the water supply needed by Cardiff and Merthyr. Roughly speaking, it would mean that each authority would have to find £ 56.003. Prom this joint new reservoir there would have to be an allow- ance made in respect of compensation water of seven million gallons per day, thus leaving fourteen million gallons per day actually available to the two places. At first glance this looks such an excellent bargain that it is, at least, worthy of eeriout consideration. Approximately, Cardiff will get two and one-third more water from the joint reservoir than from the proposed No. 3 Reservoir at about one-third of the cost, and if a satisfactory arrangement can. be effected between Cardiff and Merthyr the Lord Mayor's suggestion is that they should promote a joint Parliamentary Bill. Another important phase of the project is that, as neither of the two places requires anything like an additional supply of seven million gallons per day, they will be free to sell their surplus water to several authorities wbioC,h are known to be anxious for such a supply. There will be a meeting of the Oar- diff Waterworks Committee to-day, and the subject is one which might be appropriately considered. It is estimated that this new supply would meet the requirements of Car- diff for half a century. Alderman Robert Hughes, the chairman of the Cardiff Waterworks Committee, when invited to give his opinion on the Lord Mayor's suggestion said that the matter was one which required very careful considera- tion. "They have a.n excellent watershed at Merthyr," added the alderman, "and one which would give an abundant supply. It is quite clear that the ratepayers of Merthyr will not allow the authority to spend the amount of money necessary to ensure an abundant supply, as the cost of the reservoir might be anything from £ 350,030 to £500,000. Of course, we must have reliable data before we can do anything, and I think that steps I ought to be taken to get the data."
BEREAVED SON'S EMOTION AT…
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BEREAVED SON'S EMOTION AT THE GRAVESIDE. Amid solemn scenes, the remains of Major- general Luard were laid to rest in Ightham Parish Churchyard on Monday beside those of his wife. The scene re-called the obsequies of Mrs. Luard only a fortnight ago, at which the general was so pathetic a figure, but it was, perhaps, in keeping with the tragic character of his end that they were of a less ceremonial nature. On the previous occa- sion the village was thronged with erm- pathisers, but not nearly so many were present on Monday. The service in the church was shorter, and from the time it began till the coffin was placed in the grave only about a quarter of an hour elapsed. The remans of Major-general Luard were conveyed on Monday morning from Barham Court, the residence of Colonel Warde, M.P. to the church. Among the mourners were Captain Luard, the doubly-bereaved son; Mr. Hartley, his uncle. Colonel Warde, M.P., the family solicitor, and other relatives. The service was of the simplest character. The Rev. Mr. Guise, rector of Addington. read portions of the Burial Service, but there was no address spoken and no hymns sung. The coffin was reverently taken to the grave, where the earth had been excavated so as to expose the brass plate of the coffin in which Mrs. Luard was laid to rest so recently. Captain Luard was naturally the central figure at the graveside, where the Rector of Ightham, the Rev. Bertram Winnifrith, read the committal sentences. After the coffin was lowered, Captain Luard lingered for a moment with deep emotion. As he went sadly away, the servants from Ightham Knoll threw small bunches of flowers into the grave. There were many beautiful wreaths. The inscription on the coffin read, Charles Edward Luard, major-general R.E., born 1839, died 1908."
THE INQUEST ON MRS. LUARD
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THE INQUEST ON MRS. LUARD CORONER AND ANONYMOUS LETTERS. OUS The adjourned inquest on Mrs. Luard was held on Wednesday. At the outset the Coroner read over the depositions, which were then signed by the witnesses missing, of course, the evidence of General Luard. After this had been done the Coroner said: Is there any further evidence to-day, Superin- tendent Taylor? Superintendent Taylor: No; I have not been able to find any fresh evidence which bears upon the matter in any way. The clues whioh we had at t,he last adjournment were followed up, but nothing fresh has occurred. CORONER'S SUMMING-UP. The Coroner, before beginning his sum- ming-up, said, unfortunately, any hope which had been entertained as to an arrest had not up to the present been realised. All available witnesses bad been called and examined, and they were in a position to complete the matter so far as that court was concerned. Proceeding, the Coroner paid a high tribute to the characters both of General Luard and Mrs. Luard. The terms upon which they lived, he said, were of the most affectionate description. the evidence pointed to that. Certain questions were put to the general at the_ last inquiry with the object, which was obvious to all of them, to find out whether there were any incidents in the life of either of them to cau.se Qf avenge in. any person in regard to either of them. The answer to all those questions was emphati- cally than he ould not recau arty such inci- dent or reason for thinking that anybody could be disposed to commit an act of this these circumstaujces, and in the fr? rire-i-a rl0e- .ariy motive for revenge .r ill-feeling agamst. thi3 COuple, it was very S the ^ct that anybody shouJd make up their mind to do an injury ThecS^Cd take her life, he Coro.vo, went on to give the history of p<+v.nC?e,mC'j e couple on the afternoon of the tragedy, when they both left the Knoll in company, the genera..} subsequently leaving his wife and proceeding to the golf course to fetch hi6 <rfubs. The Coroner commented on the difference of opinion expressed by the two doctors as to the possibility of the deceased lady having committed* suicide. Dr. Mansfield, he said, had thought it to be not impossible, but Dr. Walker contended that suicide was an utter impossibility. He thought the jury might take it that a crime had been com- mitted. The evidence was also conclusive that the shots were not fired by any weapon which was knownNtoJiave been kept at The Knoll. 0r WRITERg OP ^LNONTMOUS LETTERS. WRITERg OF ^LNONTMOUS LETTERS. Alluding to the efforts of the police vo trace the perpetrator, the Coroner remarked on the extreme difficulty the case presented. No stone had been left unturned to find a satisfactory clue. The police in this case had worked uader immense disadvantages, but they had given their unremitting labours to trace the perpetrators of this terrible crime of murder, which it un- doubtedly was. Numerous theories had been suggested, to them, a good many of them ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, and even these had been investigated and found to be quite fruitless. Of course, since the last occasion the jury had met, they must bear in mind that an unfor- tunate incident had happened in the suicide of General Luard on Friday last. The police had received numerous letters in this case, as he also had, and at General Luard's inquest he (the coroner) said that if it were possible to trace the writers of those letters they should be dealt with. It was the opinion of a good many people that those anonymous letters, which suggested that General Luard was responsible for the crime, might have sent him to his dooril and make him decide to take his life. However, it had nothing to do with this inquiry. "As the crime stands to-day," he con- tinued, "I think you will agree with me it is one of the most mysterious crimes that has been perpetrated in this country. At any rate, within my memory there has never been such a case where the police have been 80 much in the dark or unable to find any trace or available clue the person who committed this crime. The crime was most cunningly conceived and daringly executed, and the perpetrator has removed all traces of his act, and no vestige of evidence is available to-day to point to his identity. Proceeding, the Coroner said that a debt of gratitude wae due to the police for their untiring exertions, and although the inquiry would be closed, the police would continue their investigation, and he was sure that the author of this horrible crime would soon be laid by the heels. Justioe would be avenged. At any rate, the public might be satisfied that he who perpetrated this crime would meet his doom, a doom which he entirely deserved. He advised the jury to return a verdiot consistent with the evidence. POST-CARDS TO THE JURY. After an absence of a quarter of an hour, the jury returned, and their foreman announced the verdict as "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.' Continuing, the foreman said that they wished to enter an emphatic protest against the action of those persons who had written anonymous letters or post-cards to the jury with the view of influencing their minds, and would hail with satisfaction any action which would bring those persons to justice. They also expressed condolence with Cap- tain Luard, and appreciation of the efforts of the Kent Constabulary and Scotland Yard. Colonel Warde, the chief-constable, stated that there was not the slightest foundation for any of the remarks and insinuations made in the letters. The proceedings then terminated.
MERTHYR WATERWORKS.
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MERTHYR WATERWORKS. VISIT OF INSPECTION. The members of the Merthyr Borough Council, accompanied by the principal officials, Mr. G. F. Deacon (consulting watel engineer), and representatives of various othei public bodies and organisations, including the Lord Mayor of Cardiff lAlderman Illtyd Thomas), Alderman Robert Hughes (chair- man of the waterworks committee of the Cardiff Corporation), and Mr. Priestley (their water engineer), raid a yisIt to t11e Merthyr waterworks on Wednesday after- noon. The party, numbering between 50 and 63 gentlemen, travelled by a special train, and upon arrival at Pontsticill alighted to view the site upon which it was proposed some time ago to build a new reservoir, the cost. of the scheme, which was rejected by a ballot of the ratepayers, being estimated at £350,0:0. Continuing the journey, they then proceeded to Dolygaer, where they detrained to take a look at the Pentwyn Reservoir, and especially to note the enormous leakage through the fissured limestone. They after- wards went on to Torpantau, and walked to the Lower Neuadd Reservoir, and made an inspection of the recent installation of Candy filters at tho head of the new high level aqueduct to Treharris. Thence the company repaired to a hand. somely fitted up tent, where they were enter- tained to lunch by the mayor (Mr. D. W. Jones), who presided. At the conclusion of the repast. Alderman Robert Hughes proposed the toast of The Waterworks Committee," saying that he did not know a better place to impound water than the site of the proposed new reservoir for Merthyr. (Cries of Oh, oh," and Hear, hear.") He invited those who "aid" Oh, oh," to think of this one point. The Glamorgan County Council at the present moment were casting their eyes all over the country for a supply of water for Glamorgan, and he would give the Oh, ùhers" this tip: Why not meet the county council and tell them that they had abun- dance of water to supply the whole of the county. (A Voice: That has been done long ago.") However, they might come to an arrangement yet.. The county council were at present fighting pretty well every applica- tion in Parliament, and it became a very expensive matter. It was far better to be wise before the event than after, and he thought if they could get every member of the county council to see the watershed some arrangement might be come to which would (-top them spending the money of the rate- payers so extravagantly as they had done during the last two years. He believed the county council were going to promote an impossible Bill in the next session of Par- liament. but the opposition of other bodies would be so strong that they would never get what they wanted. Mr. F. S. Simons (chairman of the Merthyr Waterworks Committee), in responding, said that to-day they had aji ample quantity of water for their own purposes; they sold a million gallons a day to Messrs. Guest, Keei, and Nettle fold. and they, had a surplus which they could sell to neighbouring autho- rities. They were prepared now to enter into short agreements for the sale of water, but after those agreements expired they would be wanting more water. Then they would be faced with this difficulty: Either they would have toO curtail the supply to Messrs. Guest, Keen, and Nettlefolds, and so diminish the vitality of the works, or they would have to construct new waterworks. They could not go on taking an enormously increased consumption of water without being placed in that difficulty in ten to fifteen years time, and it was to provide against a contingency of that scrt that the committee launched their scheme last year. The scheme, he admitted, was hurriedly brought before the. council and the ratepayers, but tlie original scheme to provide larger storage had beeiv. before the council for two years. It was only the new and improved scheme that was hurriedly launched. If the fates were kind to him on the 1st of November the scheme would be brought forward again. Mr. Deacon, who also replied, said that in the proposed Pontsticill reservoir they-had the most eihcicnt reservoir, except, perhaps, two. or, possibly, three, in the whole king- dom in the quantity of water impounded for the unit of cost. It was sufficient to supply the whole population of the county. It could supply its own river valley and all the mountain sides along it, and the water could easily be passed into the adjoining valley of Neath. If it wa.s presented to Par- liament in a way in which it -would become rfvailabie for the county at large, or for any great place, such arfs Cardiff, there was no reason why it should not be increased in magnitude at a proportionately less cost than when it was presented last year. Mr. Arthur Daniel, J.P., proposed "The Visi- tors," remarking that he sincerely hoped neighbouring authorities, including the Gla- morgan County Council, before committing themselves to any definite scheme of water- works, would look at the magnificent advan- tages Merthyr wae able to offer. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, in replying, said that Merthyr had a valuable asset in the valley, and if they did not take advan- tage of that asset somebody else would. With respect to Cardiff taking water from them, Cardiff would never buy water from a.ny authority, but if Merthyr suggested to them the question of partnership, then they might consider it on a commercial basis. The Mayor, in responding to "The Mayor and Corporation." proposed by Mr. A. J. Howfield, J.P., said be was sure the money spent on the scheme had not been wasted, b^&use they had demonstrated to the whole of Wales that they had the most efficient and cheapest supply of water in the Principality. After luncheon the party inspected the Upper Neuadd Reservoir, and then, walking to the station, returned to Merthyr, having had a most enjoyable outing, notwithstand- ing that the wea-ther was decidedly unfa-vour- able.
GLAMORGAN WATER BOARD
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GLAMORGAN WATER BOARD A meeting of the executive of the, water jommittee of the Glamorgan County pouncil was held in Cardiff on Wednesday (Mr. Blandy Jenkins in the chair), when instruc- Lions were given to the Parliamentary a.gent Lti draft of the Glamorgan Water Board Bill.