The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

AFFAIKS OF A CHESTER MERCHANT.—Friday night's Gazette states that a receiving order was made against Edward Arthur Perkins, hide and skin merchant, Chester, on June 27th. THE RECOGNISED BEST. Opinion does not vary more widely upon any subject than on' that of foods. Tastes differ one man prefers this brand, another that. It is remarkable, therefore, that as to Corn Flour, practically everybody is agreed. Ask any cook which is the best corn flour, and the answer will be Brown & Poison's Patent" brand. For over forty years Brown and Polson's have possessed and extended this repu- tation. As there is great variety in the quality of corn flour (as much, indeed, as in that of tea), it is well to make a careful choice when buying; the more so that grocers are now more active than ever in substituting inferior brands of corn flour for the sake of extra profit. Some of these inferior qualities are even sold at the same price as Brown and Poison's Patent," but even if you pay a little more for the best, the slight extra cost will hardly be noticed in a pudding, and even this is more than compensated by extra strength, while the superiority in flavour and quality will be dis- tinguished at once. Everyone who uses corn flour should, therefore, insist upon having only Brown and Poison's best quality, "Patent." 2

SERIOUS FARM FIRE AT TRAFFORD. » About nine o'clock on Thursday night an outbreak of fire was discovered in the buildings on the farm of Mr. Richard Jeffs, Wimbold's Trafford. The Chester fire brigade were at once communicated with, and they turned out promptly under command of Supt. Shone. The brigade found the farm buildings well alight, the roofs having partly fallen in. The fire was already spreading to the farmhouse, which adjoins these buildings, but the brigade managed to check its progress, and save the house from danger. Operations were then directed to the burning buildings, and after fully three hours' exertions the fire was effectually subdued. The buildings that took fire were stored with hay, straw, &c., all of which has been destroyed either by fire or water. The damage, which is covered by insurance, is estimated at about RZOO. It is not known what caused the fire, but it had evidently originated in the buildings. On account of a close watch having to be kept on the building in case of another outbreak, the brigade did not return to Chester until two o'clock the next morning. The outbreak was a serious one, and the brigade arrived on the scene only just in time to prevent what might have been a disastrous conflagration from occurring.

SEQUEL TO THE FLINT BOATHOUSE CASE. « MORE TRAVELLERS FINED. At the Chester City Police Court, on Saturday Thos. McManus, James Flaherty, and Patrick Shannon were summoned for being found on the licensed premises of the Flint Boathouse, Crane Wharf, on Sunday, June 12th. It will be remembered that the magistrates had already fined the licensee, John Maddox, £ 5 and costs for selling drink during prohibited hours to Henry Jordan, labourer, Steven-street, Boughton. On the day in question six or seven men presented themselves at the Boathouse and represented to the landlord that they had all travelled the distance,' several of them giving the names of Sealand farmers by whom they were employed. The landlord accordingly served them. A few minutes afterwards the police entered the premises, and a summons was taken out against the licensee with the result stated, while Jordan, who admitted to the magistrates that he bad told the landlord a deliberate untruth, and who was strongly censured by the chairman (Alderman Gilbert), was fined 20s. and costs for falsely representing himself to be a traveller. On the present occasion only McManus put in an appearance, and he admitted being on the premises. The evidence of Police- Sergeant Clutton and P.C. Wakelin was to the effect that the defendants were three of the seven men found at the Boathouse at eleven o'clock. It was suggested that McManus lodged in Steven-street, but he declared that he had not slept in Chester for five weeks.—The Chief Constable said it was a grossly bad case. The men gave various addresses, and the police had been hunting seven or eight or ten miles for days and days. Two or three of them had given up their work and gone away. It was a gross conspiracy to do an illegal thing.—The Chairman (Alderman Gilbert) said the decision of the Beneh was that the defen- dants would each be fined 20s. and costs, or 21 days' hard labour.

BISHOP JAYNE'S LICENSING SCHEME. INFLUENTIAL SUPPORT. 'THE ONLY PRACTICABLE PLAN.' Before the Licensing Commission on Tuesday Mr. John Dove Wilson, L.L.D., Professor of Law in the University of Aberdeen and for many years Sheriff Substitute for Aberdeen- shire, said he had been a member of the Departmental Committee on Habitual Offenders (Scotland). He had come to the conclusion that the Bishop of Chester's plan afforded the only practicable means of removing a number of evils; and those whom he represented were anxious to have an opportunity of trying it. Prohibition was quite impracticable, and restriction had already been carried as far as possible in the country districts of Scotland. In the towns it had greatly increased the monopoly, and this had a bad effect. He would give the locality the option of prohibition—that was, indeed, necessarily involved in local management—but he thought it would be very seldom used, and that after a trial people would go back to having licensed houses. He contended that the State had created a monopoly and ought not to shrink from the responsibility of administering it. The system would have a number of advantages. It would effectually prevent the serving of persons already drunk. This was very difficult for publicans, who often gave a man a little drink in order to avoid disturbance, but a man who had no personal interest would refuse at once. Then it would prevent the giving of drink to known inebriates and to juveniles, which was the cause of more drunkenness in after-life than anything else he knew of. It would, further, prevent the frequenting of public-houses by bad characters, it would secure the sale of food, and other beneficial measures. He did not recommend the abolition of licensed grocers, which he considered a necessary and very respectable trade. As Judge in the Small Causes Court he had had a very large number of cases before him in which grocers were concerned, but he had hardly ever known one in which liquor had been falsely entered as other goods. What he asked for was merely an enabling statute providing that in any locality which had decided in favour of local management the licensing Bench should grant no licences except to a committee appointed by the local authority. As an alternative to this plan he recommended a high licence, which had worked well in the United States. He had been in those States which had tried Pro- hibition and had given it up. In Rhode Island. Massachusetts, and Connecticut the universal opinion was that there had been more drinking under Prohibition. With regard to Maine a Prohibitionist preacher had stated in a sermon that there were in Portland over 200 shebeens known to the magistrates and police. The witness had asked several friends if it was true, and they all confirmed the statement. Local management had not been adopted in America because of the distrust of municipal authorities there, but it had been successfully tried elsewhere in recent years by the Moravian brethren at Neuwied on the Rhine, by the Renmark irrigation colony in South Australia, and in the Russian provinces of Perm, Ufa, Orenburg, and Samara. With regard to the suggestion that the sheriff should be the licensing authority in Scotland, he said that, having himself been a sheriff for 28 years, he believed it would be bad for the public and for the sheriff, whose impartiality would be destroyed by the conflicting interests brought to bear. The association for obtaining local management in Aberdeen, which he represented, bad met with opposition chiefly from advocates of local option. He thought the trade would not object when they understood that they would be fairly treated. He considered that absolutely essential, but hesitated to suggest any precise terms of compensation, as experience had taught him it was a dangerous thing to do. For the present he would only deal with public- houses, not with hotels, refreshment rooms, &c. Dr. A. T. Gordon Beveridge, of Aberdeen, representing the association for public-house control, said the question of public manage- ment came before the Town Council of Aber- deen in 1892, when it was considered by a committee, of which he was chairman. A private Bill was prepared, but it was felt that the expense of promoting such legislation should not be left to a comparatively small city like Aberdeen. He believed public opinion in Aberdeen was strongly in favour of it. They asked that localities should be allowed to try managing their own traffic if they wished. They had not drawn up any precise scheme of compensation, but he suggested that there must be a limit to the time within which compensation was claimable, and that after that licences should fall to the municipality. The term might be ten years, and compensation on that basis might be provided by a sinking fund.

CLARKE'S B 41 PILLS are warranted to cure, in either sex, all acquired or constitutional Dis- charges from the Urinary Organs, Gravel and Pains in the back. Free from Mercury. Estab- lished upwards of 30 years. In boxes 4a. 6d. each, of all Chemists and Patent Medicine Vendors throughout the World, or sent for sixty stamps by the makers. The Lincoln and Midland Counties Drug Company, Lincoln.

SERIOUS FIRE IN NORTHGATE-STREET. 0 DAMAGE 91,000. A serious fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning, in the shop of Messrs. Debac and Sheaff, grocers, 4, Northgate-street, Chester. The fire originated near the floor of the shop in the back part of the premises, and the flames burst through a window in Eastgate-street Row. The outbreak was discovered about five o'clock by the house- keeper, who heard something crackling, and on looking out of her bedroom window, which faces the row, saw the tongues of flame shooting upwards. She at once raised an alarm, and the news was conveyed by the shop assistants to the Volunteer Fire Brigade station. The brigade promptly turned out, under the command of Captain Clemence, Lieutenant Harrison, and Superintendent Shone. The row at the corner of Eastgate- street is very narrow, and the flames having got a firm hold of the back portion of the shop, threatened to envelop the whole of the surrounding property. Added to this danger there was a back room belonging to Messrs. Cheers and Hopley, chemists, im- mediately over the seat of the fire, which contained a large quantity of chemicals and acids. Fortunately the efforts of the firemen were successful in preventing the flames from reaching the upper part of thn building. Supt. Shone brought into play his patent nozzle which did valuable service in dis- persing the thick clouds of smoke and in sub- duing the flames, with a minimum of damage by water. Everyone who witnessed the nozzle in operation speaks in the highest terms of the remarkable work accomplished by it. During the progress of the fire a young fireman named Coventry was slightly injured. In entering the front door, Coventry put his foot on a piece of soap, and slipped and cut his hand. The wound was promptly stitched by Dr. Harrison. After an hour's hard work the brigade succeeded in entirely extinguishing the out- break, but not before damage had been done to the exent of about Ellooo. The shop is the principal place of business belonging to Messrs. Debac and Sheaff, and the premises contained a large stock of groceries (principally tea), the greater part of which was destroyed, while the remainder was more or less affected by the heat and flames. The loss is covered by insurance. The origin of the fire has not yet been ascer- tained. The electric light in the part of the premises where it occurred was switched off on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday evening when the manager (Mr. C. Brown) left the establishment about nine o'clock there was apparently nothing wrong.

A CHESTER COMPANY'S CAREER. SCANDALOUS MISMANAGEMENT.' Many of our readers will recollect the floating, towards the end of 1896, of the Reservoir Hub and Components Company, Limited. The patentees' vendors were, it appeared from the published prospectus, William George Price, Esq., 23, White Friars, Chester, and John Enock Nagle, Esq., Chester." They, it was stated, had consented to join the Board after allotment. There were three other directors. According to the prospectus the undertaking had a most promising future before it. For instance, the public were informed that there are written orders on hand for over 46,000 pairs of hubs, and further written enquiries from the trade generally for supply of over 58,000 pairs of hubs. Total list of orders and enquiries 104,750. The prospective gross profits upon the sale of 104,750 pairs of hubs, and without taking into account the increased gross profit arising from the con- templated manufacture of the hubs by this company, are estimated to amount to £ 30,115 12s. 6d., which represents, after providing for the cost of management and reserve fund, X25 per cent. upon the total capitalisation of the company." The capital, it was stated, would be £100,000, of which £ 30,000 was reserved for issue as working capital, divided into 100,000 ordinary shares of 91 each. Instead of being the brilliant success that was pictured, the company has been a dismal failure, and one cannot fail to be sincerely sorry for the unfortunate shareholders. We are indebted to Wheeling for information on the subject. A writer in a recent issue of our contemporary says:—" When, some months ago, I called public attention to the delay on the part of the directors of the Reservoir Hub and Components Company in issuing a balance- sheet, and calling the annual general meeting of shareholders, a fairly prompt response, in the form of a lengthy report containing voluble excuses and more or less plausible explanations, was issued to the shareholders. That report stated that the balance-sheet would not be issued till the end of the present financial year. Last week I published a notice convening the second annual general meeting for to-day (Tues- day), at which a resolution for the voluntary winding-up of the company is to be proposed. As the only occasion on which the directors met the shareholders was at the statutory meeting, at which the brightest prospects were held forth, it is the first annual meeting which will be held to-day. In anticipation of this meeting a balance-sheet has been issued, and if, on the face of that document, the shareholders do not insist upon the light of a compulsory winding- up being shed upon the history of this company, the vendors and directors will be more fortunate than they deserve to be. The balance-sheet covers the period from Sept. 10th, 1896, to March 31st, 1898, the nineteen months of the concern's existence. During that period the sales amount to the magnificent total of E25 Os. 8d. In addition to this there is a stock valued at cost at £ 1,042 0s. lid. The purchases amount to £ 1,057 15s. lid., and wages to JE236 198., so that after adding stock and sales, the paltry amount of work done has been at a loss. To sell £ 25 worth of goods cost the company X216 in travellers' expenses and salaries; X86 12s. in show expenses; £ 70 in commission; X737 10s. in directors' fees besides general working expenses. The nett result of this scandalous display of mismanage- ment and general ineptitude is a loss of £ 3,255. The issued capital of the company is X73,735 6s. and there has been an issue of iE2,000 in mort- gage debentures. It may comfort the share- holders to learn that the directors have restrained themselves sufficiently to leave the sum of X18 5s. 10d., cash at bank and in hand. The patent rights are valued at £ 70,000—everything is valued at cost, even the office furniture — and I question if they would realise as many farthings. After valuing everything at cost, and allowing nothing for depreciation, the assets of the company, apart from the patent rights, amount to about 93,000. Against this there is the iE2,000 mortgage debentures, and X537 11s. 6d. due to sundry creditors. It will thus be seen that the ordinary shareholders have not the most remote hope of receiving a penny of their investments returned. Accompanying this precious balance sheet is the following report of the auditors (Messrs. Manley, Lundy, and Co.):-We have now completed the audit of your company's accounts to 31st March, 1898, and beg to report that we have been unable to obtain inspection of the agree- ments mentioned in the prospectus. We understand that the International Develop- ment Syndicate, Limited, guaranteed the subscription of 5,000 shares, and they have accordingly been debited with X568, being the amount due from them on that guarantee. We may point out that these shares have never been allotted to the syndicate. We observe that the patent rights appear in the balance-sheet at £ 70,000, which is the original cost of them, and that nothing has been written off by way of depreciation. Plant and machinery are taken at cost price, as also the stock of goods and materials on hand, but we are unable to say whether these amounts represent their value. No allowance has been made for bad or doubtful debts.' I repeat that the affairs of this concern ought to be the subject of a searching public examination."

Epps's COCOA.—GRATEFUL AND COMFORTING. By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected COCOA, Mr. Epps has provided for our breakfast and supper a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. It is by the judicious use of such articles of diet that a constitution may be gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame.Civil Service Gazette.—Made simply with boiling water or milk.—Sold only in packets and pound tins, by Grocers, labelled—" JAMES Epps & Co., Ltd. Homoeopathic Chemists, London." 1

THE TARPORLEY CHARITIES. 0 MR. BOOTH DEFEATED. IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. At the meeting of the Tarporley Urban District Council on Thursday evening, Mr. Pickering presiding, an important discussion arose as to the control of the parochial charities. It appeared that in 1896 the Council made application to the Local Government Board for an order under section 33 of the Local Government Act, 1894, conferring upon them the powers of a parish council in respect of the charities. Public meetings, however, were held in Eaton, Rushton and Utkinton, at which the voice of the ratepayers was unfavour- able to any interference with the control of the charities. When the opinion of the Local Government Board was laid before the Council, it appeared that objection was taken to the granting of certain powers (not affecting the charities), and it was alleged by some of the councillors that the petitions forwarded to the Local Government Board did not voice the desire of the people, as those present at the meetings were overawed by the Earl of Haddington and Sir Philip Egerton. A resolu- tion was proposed by Mr. Bate, and seconded by Mr. Brooks, that the Council still apply for the whole of the powers of a parish council. A c >unter resolution was moved by the Rev. W. U. M. Hughes, and seconded by Mr. Wrench, that the Council do not apply for the powers of the Parish Council as to charities, but for the other powers only. The counter motion was carried by six votes to five.-Mr. Geo. Booth had now given notice of the following motion That the resolution passed by the Council two years ago asking the Local Government Board for the powers of a parish council except the power to deal with charities be rescinded, and that we do ask the Local Government Board to grant us forthwith the power to take over and to manage the parochial or non-ecclesiastical charities. At the outset Mr. LINNELL inquired if it was in order for a member of the Council to try and reverse a decision of a previous Council. The CLERK (Mr. Cawley): I think it is, according to the regulation. A fortnight's notice has been given. Mr. BOOTH, in proposing his motion, re- marked that until two years ago there had been no division in the Council on the matter; they had been practically unanimous up to that time in their decision to apply to the Local Govern- ment Board for the powers of a parish council. The existing charity trustees then took it upon themselves, he believed, to convene ratepayers' meetings in three out of the four townships, at which unanimous resolutions were passed, stating that they preferred the power to deal with the charities to still remain in the hands of the existing charity trustees. These resolu- tions were forwarded to the Local Government Board, and the reply was read, and there was then a division on the matter. Some of those who had voted for the charities coming to that Council, having heard the result of the rate- payers' meetings, refrained from voting. Inasmuch, however, as the meetings were not convened by the Local Government Board, he thought they were somewhat irregular. He took it the trustees did not act out of dis- courtesy to the Council, but they thought perhaps the Council had broached the matter without previously bringing it before the rate- payers. Well, since then there had been another election, and the matter had been brought before the ratepayers. In Rushton the trustees thought that he had not the sympathy of the electors, but at the recent election he assured them he should bring this question before the Council, and give his hearty support to the charities being managed by the Council. It might be objected that by his resolution he wished to infer that the existing charity trustees were not doing their duty. He did not infer anything of the sort. It might just as well be said that because the trustees opposed his motion they wished to infer that the Council were not capable of managing the charities. All he wanted was to recognise the principle of popular control of public matters. If his reso- lution was not accepted and the charities did not come to the Council at present, he was sure they would come at some future time, and, if elected on the next Council, he should again bring the matter forward. He was prepared to accept defeat that evening, but he asked them to recognise the righteousness of the principle of popular control of public matters. The Rev. W. O. M. HUtlHES enquired what Mr. Booth meant by non-ecclesiastical charities. Mr. BOOTH: Parochial charities—those which are not left to any particular church or branch of a church. Mr. HUGHES asked if Mr. Booth considered the following an ecclesiastical charity. A certain sum of money was left, the interest to be paid to the clergyman of the parish church for preaching a sermon on Good Friday; the rest was to be paid on Easter Monday to those parishioners or widows who had attended at the parish church most regularly during the pre- vious twelve months. Mr. BOOTH: I do not think it is for us to define which are ecclesiastical and which are non-ecclesiastical. The Charity Commissioners will do that. All I want is to apply for non- ecclesiastical charities they will tell us what those are. Mr. HUGHES Excuse me, there is a very important point wrapped up in this. I do not ask Mr. Booth in any spirit of enmity or hostility; I have the greatest respect for his action in bringing this forward. His-address was most straightforward, and he fought the election on this point. I really want to know for his own sake, as well as mine, what he con- siders ecclesiastical charities. I do not know. I have had the point brought before me during the last few days, and I think a great deal depends upon that. Mr. BOOTH I do not think it is necessary to argue that point. I presume there are non- ecclesiastical charities, and I think the Com- missioners themselves will point out what they are. The CHAIRMAN: According to the Act it seems Mr. Booth is not obliged to state what they are. Mr. HUGHES I did not say obliged. I asked for the information of the meeting. Mr. ROGER BATE said he should have pleasure in seconding Mr. Booth's resolution, because he thought it had been brought forward as a test of principle. Prior to the first motion that was made on this question, he remembered a very short discussion arose at that table as to whether, after the first district council had been elected, it would deal with the charities. Mr. Hughes on that occasion said he would have no objection to the charities coming into the management of the District Council, because he thought it was a very thankless duty to distribute them. Mr. HUGHES: I beg to contradict that. What I did say was that I should be only too pleased to give all the information I could with regard to the parish charities to the Council, and I said at another meeting it was a very thankless task. Mr. BOOTH: I think Mr. Bate is right. Mr. BATE said if he had deviated from the actual words of Mr. Hughes he begged his pardon, but that was his impression of what was said. There were now four parishes within that local area, and he thought it was quite desirable as a matter of principle that the District Council representing those four parishes ought to possess parish council powers for various purposes. At the last election be did not make a point of this question at all, because he had always felt that no body of men, however they were selected, could distri- bute the charities in such a way as to give satisfaction to all. (Hear, hear.) He knew it was a very difficult and thankless work, and if thai, Council should ever have to deal with the non-ecclesiastical charities, he could only hope he should not be elected one of those who would have to distribute them. He seconded the motion without any feeling of distrust towards those who had distributed the charities in the past. He had not made any enquiries as to how they were distributed, or whether they had given satisfaction. He had never had to do in any way with the distribu- tion of any charities, and therefore he did not speak from any feeling of discontent with the administration of the charities in the past. On the point of ecclesiastical and non-ecclesiastical charities, however, he would remind them that the strictly ecclesiastical charities were under the control of the whole of the inhabitants-no matter to what denomination they belonged- who chose to attend the vestry meetings and vote. (Hear, hear.) Mr. ROBERT SYMMS, who had been connected with the charities for nearly twenty years, said he intended to vote against Mr. Booth's motion. Two years ago they were assured by several Councillors that 'ie majority of the people in the parish were de^rous of having the charities taken over by the Council. So many people came to the trustees and expressed a contrary opinion that they decided to hold some meetings and ascertain what was the true feeling of the electorate. They all knew the result, and he maintained that the electors had not changed their opinion since. He considered Mr. Booth's proposition a weathercock motion, for in the first instance the Council asked for powers in regard to the charities, then they said they did not want them, and now they were asked to change round again. Even if Mr. Booth carried his motion, he did not believe there was the least chance of their obtaining these powers, because the authorities in London would think they did not know their own mind for any length of time together. He contended that two bodies of men distributing charities in a parish could not divide them so well and satisfactorily as one body. Again, under the present adminis- tration of the charities, there had been no expense whatever entailed upon them; they had all been administered voluntarily and free. In Utkinton he divided the whole of the charities, and nineteen times out of twenty there was some deserving case brought forward after the distribution, and the rector kindly came forward with more money. Personally he did not for one moment want to distribute these charities if the majority of the electors thought otherwise, but they had had no expression of opinion in opposition to the present system. Only Mr. Booth among the councillors had brought, the matter forward at the elections in any shape or form. He concluded by proposing a direct negative to the resolution. Mr. LINNELL said, if he rightly understood Mr. Booth, he professed to bow to the will of the majority, and tried to shew that his resolu- tion would express that will. He had not, however, proved that at all. The public meet- ings which were held in the townships clearly shewed that the will of the majority went very decidedly the other way. The Rev. W. O. M. HUGHES said he was obliged to Mr. Booth for the straightforward way in which he had acted all through. At the same time it was a great pity the matter had come forward just at this moment. Things were not quite in the stable position they might be in Tarporley, and he would rather it had waited a little longer. He had been challenged with having changed his opinion, but he had done nothing of the kind. At first he wished to throw the charities open to the Dis- trict Council, because he thought they had the powers of a Parish Council, but afterwards he found it was not the intention of the Act to give such powers to every urban district council unless they could shew cause for the same. Then he was told that it was the wish of 99 per cent. of the people to have control of the charities, but as a result of the public meetings which were held he found that the wish of the majority was dead against it. Accordingly he voted against the resolution, not because he had changed his opinions, but because he discovered that certain things were not as they were represented to be. Very many people had come voluntarily to him and told him they hoped and wished that the charities should not be disturbed, and they were not the people he would have expected this from. He admitted having said that if it was the wish of the people he should be glad to give the charities up, because they were a great trouble. He did not want to keep them a bit. As far as he was concerned it was no defeat to him or to the Church if the charities were taken away. They caused him hours and hours of work and no little expense; at the same time he was not going to give them up without a struggle unless it was the will of the electorate. The charities were carried on at present in the most economical way, and he defied anybody to say there had ever been any favour shewn to one religious body over another. (Hear, hear.) He believed that the people in Tarporley and other places were very anxious that the administra- tion should remain in the present hands, and he should second Mr. Symm's negative. On a vote being taken, five hands were raised in favour of Mr. Booth's original motion, viz., Messrs. Booth, Bate, Clarke, Greenway, and Barker; against, Messrs. Hughes, Symms, Davies, Wilson, Linnell, Done, and Platt, total 7. Mr. Booth's motion was therefore lost by two votes.

THE BOGUS CRICKET CLUB CASE. + ALLEGED SYSTEMATIC FRAUDS. At the Chester City Police Court on Thursday, before the Mayor (Mr. J. Gooddie Holmes) and other magistrates, George White, a young man, was charged on' remand with attempting to fraudulently obtain a charitable contribution from the Chief Constable. It will be remem- bered that according to the evidence adduced the prisoner called at Mr. Fenwick's resi- dence, and handed him a book, stating that he had been sent by the Rev. Mr. Grantham, rector of St. Mary's, to ask him to assist them to get up a choir cricket club. Prisoner said he was captain of the club and was a tenor in the choir. The book contained the names of the rector and the two curates of St. Mary's, and the sums in the book totalled £ 7 10s. or 18, the last subscriber on the list being Mrs. Lockwood, Queen's Park, who had given 5s. The petition in the book ran thus: — St. Mary's Church Choir Cricket Club. Dear Friends, We are endeavouring to start a cricket club, and we beg to inform you of our difficulties. Friends, would you kindly subscribe a little towards the Church Choir Cricket Club ? Any subscrip- tions thankfully received." The appeal purported to be signed by the hon. secretary, the Rev. H. Grantham, M.A.; treasurer, Mr. Davies, curate; captain of the club, G. White; and it was counter-signed by the Rev. H. Grantham. The last-named gentleman's name headed the subscription list with 91, and prisoner's name appeared opposite a contribu- tion of 5s. The whole thing was very ingeniously done, the names being in different inks and pencillings. Prisoner, on being searched, had several different coloured pencils in his possession. He afterwards admitted that the whole thing was a fraud, and begged for forgiveness. On the case being called on Thursday, the CHIEF CONSTABLE stated that the prisoner. admitted to him that he had obtained 5s. from a lady by fraud, and begged for forgiveness. Since he was remanded, it had been found out that he had been making a trade of this fraudulent business for months past. In Liver- pool he had obtained money in several parishes, including St. Margaret's, Anfield, and on the Cheshire side of the Mersey in Eastham, Prenton, and other places, some of them to a considerable extent. That morning he (Mr. Fenwick) had just heard from Man- chester that the prisoner had exploited several places in that neighbourhood, including Rusholme, taking in that case the name of Green. Whether there was anything under- lying the choice of the name of Green he did not know, but in Chester prisoner took the name of White. As there were several indictable charges pending against him in Cheshire, he (the Chief Constable) had been in communication with Colonel Hamersley, with the result that the latter had directed an officer to attend the court that morning to receive the prisoner into custody for offences committed in the county, if he should be discharged by the city magistrates. As this appeared to be a con- siderable system, he (Mr. Fenwick) thought it was desirable that this man should go to the Sessions, and, with the permission of the Magistrates, he should have no objection to hand prisoner over to the county police, so that he would be dealt with on the more serious charges. In Prenton he appeared to have obtained sums of 10s. and 5s. from three or four different people. This course would give the police a longer time to ferret out the history of the prisoner, who appeared to belong to Coventry, and described himself as an engineer. The Magistrates consented to the withdrawal of the charge, and the prisoner was formally transferred to the custody of Detective Inspector Pearson, of the county constabulary.

FOR ACHES AND PAINS RUB IN ELLIMAN'S For Rheumatism, Lumbago, ELLIMAN'S Sprains, Bruises, Fresh Cuts, ELLIMAN'S Sore Throat from Cold, ELLIMAN'S „ Cold at the Chest, ELLIMAN'S Neuralgia from Cold, ELLIMAN'S Chilblains before broken, RUB IN ELLIMAN'S. RUB IN ELLIMAN'S. ELLIMAN'S Corns when Painful, ELLIMAN'S Cramp, Stiffness, ELLIMAN'S Soreness of the Limbs aftor ELLIMAN'S Cycling, Football, Rowing, &c. Bottles 8 £ d., Is. lid., 2s. 9d., 4s. Prepared by Elliman, Sons & Co., Slough, Eng.

CHESHIRE ADJOURNED QUARTER SESSIONS. 0 The adjourned Quarter Sessions for the county of Chester were held in the Sessions House* Knutsford on Wednesday. Sir Horatio Lloyd presided in the first court, and Mr. H. C. Yates in the second court. There was a full attendance of magistrates. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT DESIRABLE. In his charge to the Grand Jury, Sir Horatio Lloyd said he was sorry to have to say that the number of prisoners for trial at the present sessions exceeded that of last year by a fairly considerable number. The Western division, however, compensated for it, but at this end of the county it was very different, and he re- gretted to see among the prisoners a larger number of charges of indecency. There were no fewer than five cases in the calendar, nearly all of them said to have been committed by young men. It made one rather agree with some people who felt that if a little corporal punishment could be administered in these cases it would have a wholesome effect. In the present state of the law over a certain age this could not be done, and they must deal with it as best they could, but, apparently, it would require vigorous treatment to put it down. A MANIA FOR BURGLING. George Taylor, a stoker, pleaded guilty to breaking into the counting-house of the London and North Western Railway Company at Cheadle Hulme, and stealing 2s. 3d., and also stealing a coat, a cap, and a purse containing J61 lls. lid., belonging to an employe of the company. Mr. A. M. Latham, who prosecuted, said the prisoner had evidently a mania for the railway company, for he had been several times convicted of breaking into various stations on the North Western, and stealing different sums of money.—The Chairman said it was a most difficult thing to deal with such men as the prisoner. He was only 38 years of age, but he had spent 18 years in gaol. He would be given another chance, and would only be committed for 12 months. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT MACCLESFIELD. Thomas Webster, aged 20, a farmer residing at Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to attempting to commit suicide on the 8th June. Having quarrelled with his mother, who had remon- strated with him for keeping bad company, the prisoner went to a chemist's shop and pur- chased an ounce of laudanum, which he said was required for sheep-dressing. He swallowed the poison, but a young woman immediately gave information to the police, who adminis- tered antidotes and saved his life.—In reply to the Bench, prisoner now promised that if liberated he would not repeat the attempt on his life. His mother consented to him return- ing home, and he was bound in his own recognisances of L10 and one surety of 95. ALLEGED SYSTEMATIC ASSAULTS ON FEMALES. Arthur Ireland (19) pleaded guilty to assaulting two females at Northwich. It was stated by counsel that the prisoner was supposed to be the man who had been guilty of numerous assaults in that neighbourhood, particularly on girls going to the High School, and when he was away this molestation ceased. He had been a perfect terror.—Sir Horatio Lloyd, in sentencing Ireland to twelve months' hard labour, said the court were sorry they could not add a considerable number of strokes with a birchrod to the sentence. It would do a dirty fellow like him a great deal of good. A SAD CASE FROM STOCKPORT. Simeon Hassall, on bail, pleaded guilty to obtaining various small sums of money from his employers, at Stockport.—Mr. R. V. Bankes, who prosecuted, stated that for 14 years the prisoner had been in a position of trust with Messrs. Dean and Dawson, tourist agents, at Stockport, and up to a comparatively recent period had the confidence of her employers. Unfortunately he found out a method by which he could put money in his pocket by entering men's names on the time sheets when they had not worked. Under the circumstances, he did not wish to press the case.—Mr. Trevor Lloyd said a few words on behalf of the prisoner, and pointed out that the frauds had not been systematic, but isolated.—The Chairman (Sir Horatio Lloyd) said that was a case in which the First Offenders' Act might be applied, and he would be bound over in the sum of 210 to come up for judgment if called upon. FALSE PRETENCES AT MACCLESFIELD. Sidney Skeats, alias Neville Skeats, 23, ship's officer, well educated, was indicted for obtaining credit by fraud, at Macclesfield, on the 10th and 11th June. Prisoner went to a temperance hotel in Macclesfield, kept by Mrs. Alice Schofield, and stated that he had left his bag at a public-house near the station. His aunt had died and left him a sum of money, and that he had come to see a solicitor on the matter. Mrs. Schofield, on the faith of the representa- tions be made, trusted him with board and lodging. Prisoner defended himself with much skill, but after a lengthy hearing was found guilty.—Sir Horatio Lloyd said that the prisoner had had the best of fathers, and he did not know anyone who had made so bad a return. He had almost beggared his father. He had been guilty of systematic lying. He was sentenced to nine months' hard labour. FALSE PRETENCES BY A STOCKPORT HORSE DEALER. Joseph Clarke, 38, horse dealer, Stockport, was indicted for having obtained £ 15 10s. by false pretences from Walter Davies, steward of the Denton Conservative Club, and R15 and £ 2 from Wm. Thorniley, cab proprietor, Stockport, on various dates in April last. The case went on, and prisoner was found guilty.—The chair- man (Sir Horatio Lloyd) thought there was evidence justifying the jury in coming to the conclusion they bad done. The prisoner had brought himself within the pale of the criminal law. He was sentenced to six months' hard labour. A PROPERTY OWNER'S STRANGE CAREER. John Duncan Elliott, aged 60, described as an extensive property owner in Liverpool, Birkenhead, and district, pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of quinine and iron tonic, the property of Griffith Humphreys, chemist, at Northwich. The prisoner went into the shop and asked the price of oxalic acid by the cwt., and while the assistant's back was turned he took the bottle.—Mr. Yates (counsel for the prosecution) stated that the prisoner was a man of independent means, and that when he was arrested valuable jewellery, a cheque for X13, and a miscellaneous collection of articles were found upon him.—The Chairman (Sir Horatio Lloyd) said the prisoner had been convicted 15 times of felony, and had under- gone every kind of punishment from seven years' penal servitude downwards. He was now sentenced to twelve months' imprison- ment.

FLINTSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS. These sessions were held at Mold on Wednes- day, Mr. P. P. Pennant, of St. Asaph, presiding. —Dr. Davies, of St. Asaph, and Mr. R. C. Enyon, of Rhuddlan, qualified as justices of the peace for the county.—An unusual incident occurred while the grand jury were being sworn. One gentleman did not answer to his name, and it was explained that the police had found he was not in a fit condition to enter the building, and had been removed to another portion of the premises until he recovered.— The clerk of the peace (Mr. T. T. Kelly) inquired whether the Bench would excuse the attendance at court of the juror in question.—The Chair- man Yes.—In his charge to the grand jury, the Chairman said he was happy to inform them that their duties were of the lightest character, there being only one small case of larceny for their consideration.—A true bill was returned in the case referred to, that of Thos. Mountford, 32, labourer, who was charged with stealing 8d., the property of Thomas Prince, at Worthen- bury, on the 18th April.—Mr. Graham Wilkin appeared on behalf of the prosecution.—From the evidence it appeared that the prosecutor, I who worked for the landlord of the Emerald Arms Inn, Worthenbury, was allowed to sleep in the stable near the public-house. On the night of the 18th April the prosecutor was in the stable, when the prisoner entered, representing that he was a policeman and intended to take prosecutor into custody, and to go with him to Overton. Prosecutor alleged that the prisoner took 8d. out of his pocket while these proceedings were taking place at the stable.—The jury found the prisoner guilty, and, in sentencing him to one month's imprisonment, the Chairman reminded him that he had already acknowledged having received five years' penal servitude at Shrews- bury Assizes.

CITY POLICE COURT. a Mr. Cb»3' FRIDAY. — Before the Mayor and Brown. -Sarah SUMMONS FOR WIFE DESERTION- Swift summoned her husband, Edwin COO' who lives at Saltney, for deserting « j^t plainant alleged that her husband lei December, and got out of excuse to maintain her.—Mr. W. H- w0bj»0 who appeared for defendant, said t o0urt accused her husband of desertion at t last January, and the Bench were then that he did not desert her, but djs' she deserted him. They according llifed missed the case. The parties had c0a1<1> together since that time, and r0aoi»?<^ therefore, be no desertion within the the law. The wife incurred heavy de qqoP the husband had to appear in the Coun je- on account of them.—The Bench weragistrateØ adjudicating on the case.—The IDa dismissed the summons. STEALING FLOWERS IN THE Maggie Jones, Minnie Jones, and E ned fot Roberts, all Ruabon girls, were sUDlrsundø.l. stealing flowers in the cemetery laS" 0 They admitted the offense. They they by a young man plucking roses, and foe saw they were discovered, dropped the £ 0ife& cemetery-keeper said the stealing from the graves was becoming fre<lo011tioii' Bench discharged defendants with a cft A CABMAN'S g0n cab-driver, accused John Aspey, P jjis c^» a similar occupation, of loitering with > ot and thus depriving him (proso ,,$S. his turn, contrary to the cab Prosecutor alleged that on Monday while he had his cab at the Market^ blS stand, defendant came sauntering f°. hansom down Northgate-street. He <*i o to the stand, but drove up to a P 0<j excursionists near the King's r0}et>> gained with them. This was against «jh as defendant shauld have stayed at tn or, if driving in the street, should h*v, 0jj t&Jf until he was hailed. He was not hail' occasion. Seeing defendant the excursionist, witness went and yflW him he was breaking the rules, V> told witness they wanted ^im „ Eaton Hall. Defendant told go away and mind his own business, jf K arranging this job. Witness warned took the job he would take proceedings him. Defendant, however, took no drove the party off.—Mr. BrasseY, defence, contended that his client was .1'b9 Northgate-street by this party of pe°P Bench dismissed the case. WORKING A DISABLED Chamberlain, a canal boatman, was so for working a mule that was in an uD j & —P.S. Cooper said he saw the rau^e, Northgate locks the previous day. It3 were very sore, and the saddle was spoc.yeu blood. Defendant admitted he had dr animal from Ellesmere Port that &0 The Bench fined defendant 5s. and n9 spared the animal's life on condition not worked again for six months.

NORTHOP PETTY SESNS. 1. „ THURSDAY.—Before Messrs. J. hreJs' Reney, Peter Jones, and J. T. HUMP HOLTWSLL CYCLISTS COLLIDE IN Tltlg "iog" —Three young men named John Hy. tI. S weto Michael Boyle, and Ebenezer Hug^V charged with riding without lights.- be Hughes said he saw defendants ne»r '6 fo and Hounds Inn, Halkyn, at ten They were with bicycles, and had collidea having no lights. Boyle gave a wrong —A fine of 5s., including costs, was Hughes, Jennings was fined 58. and 0 boo Boyle 10s. and costs. filiated UNHAPPY THOUGH MARRIED. bostJ Ann Morris, a nineteen year old girl, t) she was married in February this y moned her husband, William JoD0tas,^A, Golftyn, for desertion. Mr. T. VV. appeared for complainant, and Mr. J- Mold, for defendant.—Mr. Hughes defendant had offered his wife a jjd and his sister, but inasmuch as she J to agree with the latter person she Defendant had declined to find 0ljl<» .p where they could live by themselves, j recognise her as his wife, and jp her any money to maintain herself three months' old baby.—Comp*8 giving evidence, said defendant had g QKid 2s. 6d. the day they were married at" Registry Office, but had not given her since. Further evidence was case was adjourned in order that th• could come to an amicable arrange 0 grievance on one aide appearing defendant's sister, and on the other tA, mother. SUNDAY BEER.—Joseph Edwin was summoned at the instance of jjjg Ml for being on licensed premises hibited hours on Sunday, the 17th. stated that he found defendant 0t of beer in front of him in the iP Northop, at quarter-past seven 0'?] g evening. Jones lived about 2§ j,« Defendant stated that he though^^d travelled the distance. He was includirg costs.

FRODSHAM PETTY SBS$ ooi ♦ WEDNESDAY.—Before Messrs. A- 1 J. Occleston. BREACHES OF THE LIGHTING °*L0 following were fined for disobeying. „ in order :—Moses Baker, Chester, dri^^jjcl0" street, Frodsham, on the 18th May> "wod8 costs; Fredk. Cordwell, carrie<-» driving in Main-street on the also driving in Bridge-lane, Frodsh 1st of June, 5s. including costs in p. Andrew Hutchinson, pig deal, of Jut1" driving in Main-street on the l*>t including costs. Q DRIVING WITHOUT REINS-—IFCL* junr., was fined 5s. and costs for driv and cart without reins in Frodsham o I, of June. V DRUNK IN CHABGB.—George sham, was fined 10s., and costs afr" 8s. 6d., for being drunk in charge j,. ju and cart at Helsby on the 25th of INDECENCY.—Joseph Frodsham, the town bearing that surname, V^e t to this offence on Sunday, the 19th P.C. Price proved the case, and prl jfit fined 10s. and costs. wi0lbo-og BAD LANGUAGE.—Charles DUTTON* Trafford, was fined 10s. and COSTS ^0^0 obscene language at Dunham J; ultimo.—Sergeant Young said THE used by defendant was most filthy- y «fIo. o ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF SWINE.—HEO** P Overton, was summoned for removing the highway on the 6th of Jupe,, having a licence to do so.—-P-y- jO stated that defendant drove the from his house, along the road to he admitted he knew of the swine order, but said he was not aware was required for pigs of the breed The Bench fined defendant 5s. and t SELLING ADULTERATED WHISTF*0$ Clarke, landlord of the Whalebone ton, was summoned for selling £ ^*6% degrees under proof. — Mr. (inspector of foods and drugs) saidh jfi some whisky from defendant's 0t a sample of it to the public pr^yfl15' certified it to be 28 degrees proP^lr^ three degrees below the regulation —Mr. Arthur Brown (WARRINGTON;^ for the defence, considered it would p ^0 ing of the law to punish for 9^u0t offence. Defendant could only state of the whisky by evaporation' have taken place through being .^poS" unusually long time.—The Bend1 fine of 5s. and costs.

THE NEW LE:MVFJ. f 2 GALLONS FOR ^0 Many people suffer from e* Q\»^ during the summer. Messrs. Fos Co. with their cfi EIFFEL TO WEE LE^g K have supplied a want that has s felt. EIFFEL TOWER LEMONADE 1 the finest lemons, and the grea ^aiy, that it is partly manufactured in ieiDoIj8 midst of the lemon orchards. taken direct from the trees to jjl commence their transformation TOWER LEMONADE. You can RPE»C0 g0pP tumblers (or two gallons) for will qo-> penny. Of all Grocers, or a saB0 free for six stamps. G. FosT^rfli<J0ton0- No. 676, Eiffel Tower Faetory,