The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

A X'alcutta telegram aRyt--A, team of Yaraee I cricketers which have left for Europe has arranged ) to play thirty matches In England, and will return in six months. The British barque Ashanbee; from LiverpooLfor Picton, has been so severely damaged by collision with ice thabshe was ran ashore to preveub her sinking. Five men and a horse have been instantaneously killed by a colliery explosion ab Tynewynd, I Ogmore Valley, near Bridgend, South Wales. A Philadelphia telegram records the destruction by fire of Messrs. Deston's rolling mills iri Miab city. The damage is estimated at 300,000 dols. Immense quantities Of ice have been encountered off the Cosb of Canada, and serious inconvenience has been caused to shipping. Seven or eighb farmers' houses have been fired into by moonlighters ab Knocknagree, near Castle- island, bub no person was injured. The Dublin Erpre.68 eays :-The alleged vitriol Outrage on a man attending Mr. Dickson's meeting ab Dublin proves to be a fabrication, the occur- rence being accidental. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in answer to Mr. Jacoby, explained thab a draper selling goods from samples would nob be required to hold a hawker's licence. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of Wilful murder" against Ernesb Harper for causing the death of hisbrotbefThomas, ab Wolverhampton, by cutting his throat. The Warrington magistrates have renewed the dramatic licence of the Public Hall, Warrington, an the application of Mr. Johnson, the secretary of the Warrington Public Hall Company, Limited. Miss Winifred Dickson, daughter of Mr. J. A. Dickson, Dublin, has won the first prize in the Junior Osteology Class of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Mormon elders are still industriously working in some of the Southern States to make women con- verts, notwithstanding the efforts thab are made to exclude them. A publican named Bryan, of the Ingleby Arms Inn, Marton, near Gainsbro', has eloped with a young woman named Johnson, and the pair have set sail for Quebec. Ib is understood thab Miss Calhoun, a charming actress who achieved brillianb distinction during her engagements at the Haymarkeb Theatre, is to be the new lessee of the Royalty. Richard Hartley, moulder, Clitheroe, has been killed by being thrown from his horse. He was riding along Waterloo at a sharp pace, when he was thrown, and fell on his head in the street. A New York telegram gives particulars of another large railway robbery in Mexico. Several persons, including two Mexican Customs officials, nave been arrested in connection with the affair. Ib appears thab Mr. O'Brien is suffering from somewhab severe injuries received while driving in a trap with Mr. Harrington. His left halhl will be practically useless for some time. In a letter to one of his constituents, Sir Johir Gorsb abates thab henceforth the Admiralty willi keep sufficient men in the dockyards to do its own shipbuilding, except in times of special pressure. The steamer Britannia has arrived from the Pacific with X51,359, in specie the Don, from the West Indies, with £51,288; the Ganges, from the Easb, with X60,797 and the Coptic, with £ 2,587. A St. Louis citizen has in course of construction a floating theatre. It is to be fitted up in an elaborate style with stage, boxes, and all the belongings of a first-class theatre. It will float all along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. I Pera La Chaise Cemetery has an improved cre- matory system. The process used to occupy two hours. Parisians have now the comforting assur- ance that their bodies can be reduced to ashes in half an hour. An old oak tree, measuring about 30 feet in length, has been picked up during dredging opera- tions in Albert Basin, Aberdeen. Asimilar fiii,l" made many years ago-a relic of the Deo floods- was removed to Duthie Park for preservation. The daughter of Sir William White, her Britan- nic Majesty's Ambassador ab Constantinople, is engaged to be married in the autumn to M. de Geyer, Swedish Charge d'Affaires ab Constanti- noole. It is stated by a Constantinople correspondent that, all assertions to the contrary notwithstand- ing, pourparlers are going on between England and Turkey with a view to attaining a final settle- ment of Egyptian affairs. A young man named Bryan Carney, who gave no address, has been senb to gaol for four months with hard labour for feloniously assaulting a little girl named Louisa Jordan, of 2, Priory Court, Bir- kenhead. King Ja Ja, who sailed on board her Majesty's sloop Icarus, is being conveyed to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, his place of exile. He is accompanied by his son, Sunday Ja Ja, and one servanb. In the action broughb by a commercial traveller named Walsh against Mr. Roche, resident magis- trate, for forcibly excluding plaintiff from Tralee Court House, the Dublin Court decided that there was no case, and directed thab a verdict should be given for defendant. That capital story, The Great Porter Square Mystery," has been dramatised by its author, Mr. B. L. Farjeon, in conjunction with Mr. W. Lestocq. It has nob yet been decided where the play will be produced, but it might be made a good and ac- ceptable one. Mr. Herkomer's system of lighting a stage with* oub the aid of footlights is nob likely to find favour in the eyes of practical people, who say that his plan would be serviceable only to the opera chorus and actresses pasb forty, who do not desire their faces to be seen. The death is announced of Vice-Admiral Sir William Hewetb. The gallant admiral recently resigned the command of the Channel Squadron on accounb of ill-health, and growing rapidly worse, he was removed to the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar, where he died. A collier named W. M'Knighb (46), residing at Platb Lane, Wigan, his met with a shocking death. The deceased was employed at the Rose Bridge Colliery, and whilsb he was endeavouring to get into a cage he fell a distance of 160 yards, and was killed instantaneously. The Mayor of Chester (Mr. W. Brown) has given notice to the citizens of Chester that whereas there is an apprehension of canine madness in the city, he orders all dogs to be confined or kept under proper control from 11th May to 31st July next. Any person offending will be liable to a fine of X5. Ab the Liverpool City Police Courb, a young man named John Sutherland was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for embezzling £54, the moneys of George Cox Beecham, joiner, Paradise- street, with whom he had been employed as book- keeper. Mr. Ruskin, who has gone back to the seaside after his sight-seeing in London, is meditating a prolonged Swiss tour. He will probably revisit some of his old Alpine haunts, with a view to re- viving his impressions for some of the later chapters of Prreterita." The Daily News Paris correspondent says the Emperor of Brazil, he learns from a private and mosb reliable source, is in a bad way. The chest attack has abated, bub there are symptoms of paralysis, which, as he is suffering from diabetes, causes great uneasiness. Bigamy," a new three-act farcical comedy, by T. G. Warren, will be tried shortly at a Strand matinee, with Willie Edouin in the leading charac- ter. The revised edition of Byron's "Almlùin" is also again in contemplation for this house, with Alice ALherton in the name part and Willie as Widow Twankay. It is reported thab the inquiry which is being conducted by the local administrations of India into the poverty of the masses of India is being made as expeditiously as possible, as the Viceroy, who desires to deal personally with the subject, will leave India earlier than was anticipated." These words are quoted from an official circular. At the Warrington Police Court, a youth named Edward Burke was fined 5s. including costs for being drunk in Winwick Road, and fighting. Ser- geant Cheeney, who proved the case, -aid there was a crowd of about two hundred persons, the majority of whom were females, around the de- fendant, who was very disorderly. Mr. Assheton Smith of Vaynol Park, North Wales has, through Captain Stewarb, his agent, intimated his intention of remitting half a year's rent to all direct leaseholders on his estate. The amount thus returned is a very handsome addition to the princely present of half a year's rent, valued ab;CI5,000, previously made to his farm tenantry by Mr. Assheton Smith in celebration of his Marriage. .£

A DISHONEST TENANT AT WARRINiGTOg- At tha Warrington Police Court, before Alder- men Burgess and Chandley, John Rooney ap- peared to a summons charging him with clandes- tinely removing his gootti to avoid distraint for rent. He wad further summoned for breaking a window, doing damage to the amount of 10s. It. was stated that the defendant removed his goods late one night, being in arrears with his rent, and- on the following morning when the landlord called. he found the house empty. As the damage to the window could not be proved, this summons was di*mi3?ed; in the other case the defendanb was fined 20g. and costs, or the alternative of a month's imprisonment.

CHILD STRIPPING. A woman named Emma Vickers was brought up. at the Liverpool Police Court, charged with steal- ing a cloth jacket, of the value of 7s. (il., from the person oi a child named Catherine Bark. It appeared "hat the child was, along with her brother, seven years of age, in Stanley Park, when the prisoner came up to them. She induced the brother to go away and get some change for her,. and promised to look after the little girl until he came back. In his absence the prisoner was seen to Lake the jacket off the little girl and to run away. She was subsequently given into custody. —The prisoner, who had been guilty of similar offences, was sent to gaol for three months.

A FRENCHWOMAN IN TROUBLE. At the Liverpool Police Coart, a middle-aged Frenchwoman named Alice Lefevre was brought up on the charge of having, on the 23rd of November, 1886, for the purpose of obtaining relief from the Select Vestry, made certain false statements. Mr. Steinforth defended.—Prisoner, it appeared, on receiving relief, stated that site was not in receipt! of any other-moneys. Since thab time it has been discovered that she was in receipt of f.31 a year annuity from a former husband, which she obtained from the Argentine Consul at Jersey.—For the de* fence it was contended that she had to pay over bhis money to some children whom she had by the former husband. The amount owing to the Vestry was B18 5s.—Mr. Raffles said he was reluctant to send a native of another country to gaol, as she might not have fully understood her position. He would inflict a fine of 10s. and costs.

THE DISCLOSURE OF STATE SECRETS. The bill to prevent the disclosure of documents e, or information by means either of spies or breaches )f official trust has just been issued. It provides- that where a person acting as a spy enters any Government establishment or camp to make- sketches or plans for the naval or military purposes of an enemy, or sketches outside such place other- wise than for purely artistic purposes, or communi- cates such plans or documents to a foreign State,, he shall be guilty of treason-felony, and if found' guilty of communicating such plans or information to other persons shall be guilty of misdemeanour and that where a person holding office under the Queen has obtained any document, model, or information, and has communicated the same to any person contrary to the rules of the office, he- shall be guilby of breach of official trust and be guilty of treason-felony or misdemeanour, accord- ing to whom he shall communicate such informa* tion.

,.1 A LADY CAB-DRIVER. At Hammersmith Police Court, London, Matthew Dobson. a cabdriver, was charged with being drunk during his employment. Detective Cracknall said he was in Fulhain-road, when he saw a hansom cab, Eassing the police station without a driver on the ox. Ho gave chase and stopped the hor^e. He then found the prisoner inside the cab with a lady, who was driving the horse. The prisoner got out,, and then he (witness) found he was drunk. He then took him into custody.—In answer to the charge the prisoner said he went to Kempton Park, and had nothing to eat. all day. At night he had some drink.—Mr. Paget: Does the lady wish to complain ?—Detective Cracknall No, air she said. the man had been driving for her for some time, ami, finding he was drunk, she intended driving the horse for a short distance.—Mr. Paget said he siiould like to call the lady, to ascertain how the prisoner got. (Iruillc.-Tile lady, who resided at Putney-hill, said she had been to Kempton Park. She engaged him in Putney at night to drive her to town to see some friends. He was all right when he drove to town.—In reply to the magis- trate, the lady said her friends gave him drink, which knocked him over" (laughter).—Mr. Pageb fined the prisoner 40s. or twenty-one days.

THE KIDNAPPING OF BOYS. John Deimiaon (65), a well-dressed man, formerly » sergeant in the AriViy, and since discharged frora the Corps of Commissionaires, was charged on re- mand at Westminster Police Court, before Mr. Partridge, with stealing a boy named Alfred Booker from his mother, a widow, living in the Vauxhall- bridge road.— Mr. Angus Lewis prosecuted for the Treasury, and Mr. W. Doveton Smyth defended.— Mr. Lewis stated that inquiries had taken place since the prisoner had been in custody, and Denni- -son would now be further charged, under the 11th sect. of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885, with misdemeanour of a very serious character, which rendered him liable to be imprisoned for each offence for a term not exceeding two years,. with or without hard labour. Alfred Booker, a boy, aged 11, detailed the cir- cumstances under which he went to the prisoner's- room, at Stanmer-street, Battersea-park-road, after an advertisement giving that address had appeared in a daily newspaper. Previous to this his (tho boy's) mother had refused her consent to the pri- soner to take him. He was with the prisoner two days, and played an organ alternately with a boy named Lawrence. They went out together in the streets, and witness took 3s. on one afternoon in a box, which was labelled We are orphans, and get our living by our music." Prisoner looked on while they played, and afterwards went to a quiet apot and emptied the money-box. Some questions were then pub to the witness in support of the more serious charge.—Mr. Smyth urged that each charge should be taken separately. A misdemeanour could, not be included in an indictment for felouy.—Mr. Partridge said he should admit all the facts.—Mr. Smytb then cross-examined the boy, who said thab he went to Battersea because his sister showed him the prisoner's second advertisement in the news- paper. He knew his mother had told the prisoner that her boys should not go to him to be beggars. but he went tohim because he had. been promised chicken and ham and plenty of sweets. He told the prisoner that his mother had- altered- her mind and let him go. Mr. Partridge remarked here that he had received a letter from a lady who informed(iiim that sh&losb her boy in J883, and had never seen him since, although she heard that he was with a man singing at Weston-super-Mare. He had handed the com- munication to the police. Mr. Lewis informed the magistrate that the pri- soner could not have taken this boy, as he was itv prison at the time serving a sentence of penal ser- vitude for felony. George Booker, 13 years of age, said he accom- panied his brother Alfred to Carlisle-Street, Edgware-road, an address which the prisoner gave in his first advertisement. He promised them sweets, seabaths, and every delicacy, and told them that he took all his boys to see Blondin," and to theatres. Prisoner went home with them, and. after an interview with witness's mother, she or- dered him out of the house.—Mr. Partridge You, did not, go to the prisoner afterwards. ?—Witness No, sir and I did not know my brother intended: to go to him. Walter Frederick Lawrence, a boy between 14 and 15 years of age, said he was an orphan, and went, to the prisoner on Feb. 8 this year, in re- sponse to an advertisement for a boy who could" ping. Prisoner promised to pay him 15s. a week,, but lie never had anything more than a few copper —t'd. was the most. Witness went out with the organetie with other boys, and played at Reading, Bristol, lisii.li, Clieltetilittill, .,t-C. He was engaged to sing Hankey s hymns, and sometime8 he obtained from 20s. 1.0 .I)o, a day. They were very success- fnl' at, Reading, but at some other places the tak, ings were not more than 5s. a day. He had plenty to eat and drink, and (xisoner gave him clothes at. Reading and Leigh ton Buzzard.—This lad subse- quently gave evidence in support of the more seri- ous charge, and Mr. Partridge committed.the pri- soner for trial on the change of child'*tealliigt but remanded him, without bail, otbtiia elvargas under. the Criminal Law Amendment Act., .1