The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

Llanrwst Urban District Council. Electric Light Provisional Order. Householders and Refuse Bins. The Sewerage Question. THE monthly meeting of the Council was held on Friday evening last. The members present were Mr W. J. Williams (presiding), Dr Owen, Capt. Allard, Messrs W. Hughes, E. Mills, W. G. Jones, and E. P. Hughes, with the clerk, Mr H. Pierce. Fire Brigade Items. A bill amounting to f.8 14s. 6d. was submitted from Messrs W. Rose and Co. for new stand pipe, canvas hose, &c., recently supplied to the tire brigade, as per tender, and was authorised to be paid. Mr William Hughes, captain of the fire brigade, asked the Council to provide and fix a suitable pole at the back of the fire engine house, whereon the canvas hose may be placed for drying after being washed.—The application was granted. Mr Hughes also called the attention of 'the Committee to the desirability of the brigade joining the National Fire Brigade Union, that the tee for joining the same would be £ 1 is.—It was decided that the brigade should join the union, and that the fee of £ 1 is. for joining be paid by the Council. Capt. Hughes also reported one of the members of the brigade had left the town, that another mem- ber had been dismissed, and that arrangements were being made for tilling the two vacancies. Refuse Bins for Householders. The inspector submitted samples of refuse bins which he found were in use at Llandudno, and supplied by the Council to each householder for the deposit of their house reluse, &c., until the refuse cart called for it. He recommended that similar bins be supplied by the Council to householders in the town. The cost of each would be about 9s 4d. He recommended the purchase of one hundred Dins to commence with. On the motion of Mr T. R. Jones, seconded by Dr Owen, it was resolved to recommend that every householder be requested to provide their own bins for the above purpose. The inspector was asked to see all parties who have not already provided them, and point out the advantage it would be to them to provide proper bins or receptacles to deposit their house refuse ready for the caL t to call for it, than if they were compelled to comply with the bye-laws, which provide that the occupier of any premises shall, once at least in every week remove the house refuse from such premises." Water Supply. The inspector also reported that a great number of leakages had happened in the water mains during the recent frost, that they had now been repaired, and that the water supply was in its normal state. Water Extension. A letter was received from Mr Mclntyre, on behalf of the Rev Prebendary Ashley, asking the Council to extend the watermain as far as Ty'r Plant on Cae Melwr-road, a distance of above 300 yards, for supplying the seven cottages at Ty'r Plant with water.—The inspector having reported that he estimated the cost of such extension, air valves, &c., to be £ 45, it was resolved that the clerk communicate with Mr Mclntyre, and ask whether the Rev Prebendary Ashley would be picpared to subscribe, as was usual in such cases, towards the extension, and if so to what amount. The Sewerage Question. A letter was read from Mr Mclntyre, stating that he had agreed (subject to the approval of the Coun- cil) with the following parties to accept the under- mentioned sums for the right to lay the proposed sewers through their land and premises, viz :Dr. Jones, Henar, £ 25 Mr Wilkins, £ j Trustees of the late R. Wynne, Eagles Hotel, £ 27 Miss Gwenie Davies, Conway-terrace, £ 1; total, £ 61. On the motion of Dr. Owen, seconded by Mr William Hughes, it was decided to accept the above terms. The clerk was ordered to write the owners of houses in Jones'-street and request them to provide proper gulley-traps and gratings for their premises, 6 z!1 while the street is being re-sewered. Electric Light Provisional Order. On the 26th of February, Mr C. F. M'clnnes ap- peared before the Provisional Order Committee and said he could not accept their terms as to the right of compulsory purchase of the electric light works at the end of the fifteen years from the com- mencement of the order without some provision being made for good-will, i.e., so much per cent. added to the amount of capital expended. — Mr M'clnnes was then asked to reduce his terms to writing. At another meeting of the committee a letter was read from Mr M'clnnes suggesting the following terms :That the amount to be paid be the amount of capial expended, plus 20 per cent. for compulsory purchase and good-will, unless an amount for fair wear and tear of machinery plant, &c., which amount is to be arrived at by two valuers, one to be appointed by the Council, and the other by the company, failing agreement, by the Board of Trade, -who would be arbitrators. On the motion of Capt. Allard, seconded by Mr r. R. Jones, it was resolved to recommend the Council to adopt the same terms for right of pur- chase by the local authority as those embodied in clause 58 of the Electric Light Order granted to Newport, Isle of Wight, 1880, and that the Board of Trade be asked to insert the clause in the Llan- rwst Electric Order, identical with clause 58, which provides that only 10 per cent. be added to the amount of capital expended. Town Hall Purchase. The draft mortgage of £ 000 from the Public Works Loan Board, for the purchase ef the Town Hall was approved. Technical Instruction Auditor. Mr G. Jones Owen was appointed auditor for the Technical Instruction Committee.

—— The remains of Thomas Bartley, the noted Welsh tenor vocalist, of Denbigh, were interred amid universal signs of mourning at Whitch- church Cemetery on Saturday. The funeral cortege was a very large one. —— At Menai Bridge Petty Sessions, before Mr Hugh Thomas and other magistrates, Mary Catherine Williams, dressmaker, Saron, Llan- ddeilionen, and Martha Edwards, Church Lodge, Llanedwen, Llanfair P.G., were charged with stealing artificial flowers from the grave of the late Marquis of Anglesey, in Llanedwen Churchyard, on January 29th.—Martha Edwards said she was the caretaker of Llanedwen Church. On January 29th, witness and Wil- liams were together in Llaned wen. Churchyard, Williams desiring to see the grave of the late Marquis of Anglesey. She also wanted to take a flower off the grave as a momento of the late marquis. Though witness warned her not to do so, she took one.-Defendant Williams said that Edwards opened the shade and took out the flowers. Edwards had given her artificial flowers on several previous occasions. The Bench fined each defendant 155., including costs.

Denbighshire Assizes. The Colwyn Bay Cheque Forgery. One Day's Imprisonment for Attempted Suicide. [BY OUR OWN REPORTER.] THE Winter Assizes for the county of Denbigh were opened on Tuesday morning, before the Hon. Sir Arthur Moseley Channell, knight, one of Her Majesty's judges, in the County Hall, Ruthin. His lordship arrived in town on Mon- day evening, accompanied by his marshall and retinue, and stayed the night at his lodgings in Castle-street. The court opened at half-past ten the follow- ing morning, the judge's arrival being heralded with the usual historic ceremony. Two javelin men, richly attired in scarlet, played "God Save the Queen" (in unison), and, as his lordship appeared on the bench, the court rose and bowed, a salutation which the Judge gravely returned. On the bench was Colonel John Higson, the High Sheriff, who was accompanied by Miss Higson, Miss Williams, and his chaplain (the Rev J. Morgan, rector of Lanrwst). Among the magistrates were Messrs J. W. Raynes, Jelf Petit, Holland Roberts, the Warden of Ruthin, 'C. F. Woodall, W. F. Tones, Joseph Jones, George Be-an (Colwyn Bay), Among those in attendance were Mr David Jones, solicitor, under sheriff, and Mr Edgar John Swayne, acting under-sheriff. Grand Jury. The following gentlemen answered to their names, and constituted the grand jury:—Capt. Griffith Boscawen (foreman), W. D. Wynn Grif- fith, R. F. Birch. P. B. Davies Cooke, W. Kerr, G. H. Denton, J. Morris, Col. LI. Heaton, W. S. Gregson, J. O. Pugh, W. F. Jones, O.Isgoed Jones, T. Wynne Edwards, J. LI. Thomas, W. J. L. Morgan, J. W. Lumley, F. M. Jones, J. Darlington, W. G. Rigby, Dr Venables M. Wil- liams, E. J. W. Watling, and W. B. Lloyd. The marshall having administered the oath to each juryman, his lordship delivered his Charge to the Grand Jury. He said he had not very much to say to the jury that morning. He found there were four cases in the calendar, which were so simple in character that they would not be troubled very much. The first case was that of perjury, and he believed the grand jury would find that the fact of signing another person's name to a cheque was very clearly proved, and further, was admitted by the prisoner himself, who sug- gested that he had some authority to do it. That fact they would consider, and, probably, they might think it necessary that the petty jury should consider the evidence, if they were of opinion that the prisoner wrote the name of the supposed drawer of the cheque. The next case was that of unlawful wounding. It appeared a dispute arose between two brothers whilst they were partaking of a meal, and in the quarrel that ensued, one was found to have been stabbed with a knife. That again would be a case where there was sufficient evidence to put the man on his trial. The third case was one of perjury before a coroner at an inquest, and the circum- stances were certainly a little odd. He did not quite understand from the depositions, which were only taken with reference to the facts re- lating to the death of the woman, all the facts of the case, but it appeared that the man who committed perjury swore that he was not in the woman's room at the time of her death, whereas four witnesses swore that he was there. Conse- quently there was a clear case of perjury, and its consideration would not give them much trouble. The last case was one where a pri- soner in custody tried to take his own life, but the facts of the case were plain, and did not require much consideration. The grand jury retired, and ultimately re- turned true bills in each case. The Attempted Suicide at Colwyn Bay. A PENITENT SINNER. GETS fONE DAY'S IMPRISONMENT. f Wm. Thomas Dossett, labourer (40), was indicted for having attempted to commit suicide in the Cowlyn Bay police cell on the 28th of January. In answer to the Judge, prisoner pleaded guilty. Mr Trevor Lloyd, who prosecuted, said the medical officer of the gaol (Dr Jenkins) declaied that prisoner was not insane, whereas the doctor who gave evidence before the mag.strates said he was. The Judge asked whet-her anyone knew the prisoner. P.S. Tippett came forward, and said prisoner had a wife and family at Colwyn Bay. Prisoner was a labourer. Dr Jenkins, in answer to the Judge, said from his observations he had seen nothing wrong about the prisoner. When he came into the gaol he was rather excitable, and was accor- dmgly placed in a padded room for security. In two or three days prisoner begged to be allowed to go into an ordinary cell, as he said he d.d not wish to run his head against a stone wall, and that he considered it a great indignity to be put in a padded room. The Judge: Then you have no reason to believe that he is dangerous to himself or to other people? Witness I don't think he is dangerous from what I have observed. Prisoner, addressing the Judge, said his was a hard case. On the particular Saturday morn- ing he had had a couple of hours' work. He then searched all over Colwyn Bay for lodgings, but could not find any. He met one or two friends, and they went to a public-house that he used frequently when he used to live at Colwyn Bay. (Laughter.) He had a little drink, and what with having drink and the fact that his wife had gone wrong with another man, he got clean upset, and went and broke a window to get locked up. He was sorry he had attempted to take his own life in the cell, but he was very much upset, and the weather was bad. He in- tended to sign the pledge, and as he had been in gaol five weeks he hoped his lordship would let him off. The Judge said he was glad to hear he inten- ded to sign the pledge. Taking into considera- tion the fact that he had been incarcerated for five weeks he would give him a day's .imprison- ment, which meant that he would be discharged at once. Prisoner then left the dock. The "Cheque" Forgery at Colwyn Bay. EXTRAORDINARY TALE BY THE PRISONER. Robert Smith (26), grocer's assistant, was in- dicted for that he did feloniously utter, knowing the same to be forged, a certain request for the payment of five pounds, sixteen shillings, and sixpence, with intent thereby to defraud, on the 15th day of December, 1899, at the parish of Llandrillo-yn-Rhos. Mr Trevor Lloyd prosecuted, and Mr Samuel Moss, M.P., defended. David Williams, Ilawarden-road, Colwyn Bay, rate collector and assistant overseer for Colwyn Bay, said:—On the day in question prisoner was introduced to him in the Plough Inn by the landlord. They went home together. Witness was not intoxicated. They both slept in the same bed. He put his coat behind the door. In it there was a cheque book. The next morning his coat was still there. He went out at four o'clock in the morning, and left the prisoner in bed. Witness said he could stay there until half-past seven, as he was getting ready for the sale, which was to take place that afternoon. About half-past ten he paid the rail- way company a cheque for carriage of heifers. The following Monday he received a letter from his bank. He went to see the manager, and that gentleman gave him a cheque supposed to have been signed by him for ^5 15s 6d. On looking into his cheque book he found that the counterfoil was almost torn out. Witness denied that he authorised prisoner to fill in the cheque, neither did he tell him that he had paid in £ 200. Cross-examined by Mr Moss: On the 12th of December he had .been to Manchester. He got back about 7.30. When he got to the Plough Inn, where his trap was to meet him, he had a conversation about the sale, and the landlord introduced prisoner to him as a likely man to assist him. They had glasses round. He was waiting for the trap, which, however, never came that night. They only had two rounds. He said they would have open house on the sale day. About ten o'clock he started to go home. Before they started he told prisoner he would put him un. as he had engaged him for three days. It was after they had had the drinks that he made this statement, but prisoner did not accompany him because the landlord thought it prudent he should have company. They had another drink before they started. He remembered crossing the fields. He never mentioned anything about owls. He believed there were owls in the wood. He never said anything about an expected attack, neither did he take his coat off. He never said he would tear any man to pieces. It was not correct that the prisoner held his coat with the cheque book, nor did the prisoner produce the book and take out a cheque. He denied saying that prisoner could have any cheque and fill in what he liked as he had plenty of money to meet it. He had paid "2 in Manchester that day, but it 5 he never told prisoner. Prisoner slept with him because the house was full. He knew nothing about the matter until the following Monday when the bank manager asked him to call at the bank. Florence Winifred Jones, Colwyn View, Old Colwyn, said the prisoner lodged at their house. One day she saw him writing, and he said he was writing a cheque. In the evening of the same day prisoner said he had been to pay a butcher's bill for Mr Williams, of Waen, and they would not receive the cheque because he had written it himself. Cross-examined Prisoner had lodged with them for three months. John Evans, Dingle Side, Colwyn Bay, ac- countant at the National Provincial Bank, Col- wyn Bay,'said on the 15th of December prisoner brought a cheque for payment, which bore what looked like Mr Williams's signature. On inves- tigation, however, he saw it was a forgery, and asked prisoner who he was. He said he was a grocer at Bettws, and that Mr Williams had paid him a bill with the cheque. He said he could not pay the cheque until he had seen Mr Wil- liams, and told him to call on Saturday. P.S. John Tippett, Colwyn Bay, said on the 22nd of December he received prisoner into cus- tody at Liverpool on a warrant. He read the warrant, and prisoner said, "It is quite right." He afterwards charged him with forgery, and prisoner again said, "It is all right." Prisoner afterwards made the following statement:—"I was taking Mr Williams home from the Plough Inn on Tuesday night. When we were crossing some fields we heard a noise in some trees. I asked him what it was, and he said it was onlv an owl. He said, "There is always someone waiting for me about here." He then took off his coat, and some papers fell out. I picked up one piece of paper, and the prosecutor said, 'That is a cheque you can have it, and if ever you are a bit hard up you can fill it up and put my name on it. I have plenty of money, as I put £ 200 in to-day.' Two days afterwards I filled the cheque, but they would not cash it for me at the bank." Robert Smith, the prisoner, said on the 12th of December he was at the Plough Inn, Old Colwyn, where he was introduced to the prose- cutor by the landlord. Prosecutor had a sale the next day, and as prisoner was without em- ployment he engaged him. They had a few drinks together, and at ten o'clock they started out. Prosecutor said he would put him up for the night. They walked arm in arm, singing like Wild beasts. When they went through the woods they heard some funny noises, and prose- cutor said, "I'm always expecting someone wait- ing for me when I've a lot of money." They were both excited, and prosecutor took his coat off, and said he would break him in two. (Laughter.) He never saw the man—(laughter) —and it was probably all imagination. When he got the prosecutor's coat something fell out. He picked it up, and found it was a cheque book. There was a loose cheque, and prisoner asked what this was. Prosecutor then told him that he could have it and fill it up when he was pressed fcr money, as he had plenty to meet it. When they got to the lodging he slept with the prosecutor. A few days after he filled in the cheque, but the bank wouldn't cash it. He was arrested in Liverpool, but he went there to look for wcrk, and did not run away. Cross-exam'ned Neither of them were sober that night, but he remembered the conversation. They started the noise with their singing, and then the owls started. (Laughter.) It was after challenging the unknown men that he became liberal. (Laughter.) The prosecutor ought to have remembered about the cheque, but he (prisoner) did not say anything about it. Pris- oner had no money, and the next morning he did not remind the prosecutor of his kind pro- mise. He put the £5 15s 6d down as a loan, and in payment of his services. Prosecutor said he could put down what amount he liked on the cheque, and he thought -C5 would be enough. He looked upon the ¡: as a loan. He intended to go to Penmaenmawr, and, having no money, he went to the bank. He never told the accountant that' he was a grocer at Bettws, neither d:d he say that he had the cheque that morning from the prosecutor. He did not ex- plain the circumstances of signing the cheque. The clerk told him to call again on Saturday, but he went to Liverpool instead. (Laughter.) He looked for the prosecutor after he had been to the bank, but he couldn't find him. He did 'not understand cheques, and had never written one before. Mr Williams told him how to do it. By the Judge He would swear that he had never seen the prosecutor's signature; yet he wrote his s:gnature. The Judge: There is no possible question, but what the signature on the cheque has been imitated, and that Mr Williams's signature was before the prosecutor when he wrote it. After a short address by Mr Moss and a bel summing up by the Judge, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Prisoner was then sentenced to nine month imprisonment. A Wrexham Perjury Case. SENSATIONAL SCENE IN COURT. JUDGE CHANNELL ON WELSH JURIES. Henry Gillam (55), labourer, was indicted for having committed perjury at a coroner's inques held at Rossett on the 1st January, touching tn death of one Ann Tittle, 76 years of age, who die under somewhat remarkable circumstances. prisoner pleaded not guilty.—Mr Trevor (instructed by Messrs Evan Morris and Co., ham) prosecuted, and Mr Moss, M.P. (instructed D) Mr Stanley Edisbury, Wrexham), defended. Mr Trevor Lloyd, in opening the case, said tn facts were very short. Late in December, i" woman, Ann Tittle, died, and on the 1st of JanliaI'1. a coroner's inquisition was held. Several witnesses were called, who swore that the prisoner was 1 bed with the woman when the body was foUn j Those people knew the prisoner well, and they a saw him by the light of a lamp. Before tn coroner, however, the prisoner deliberately svV?L that he was not in the dead woman's house on: occasion in question. He also stated that he not been in the house for six or seven weeks. t I Mr Wynn Evans, the coroner for East Denbig1 shire, gave evidence as to the depositions taken W him at the inquest. After being repeatedly caus tioned, the prisoner persisted in saying that he Wa not with the deceased whtn her bodv was f°un(Le Replying to his lordship the witness said W verdict of the jury was that Tittle died íront natural causes. The Judge You had no evidence at the inq4eSj as to the cause of death. You called no medic^' evidence, and yet you arrived at the conclusion t»a she died a natural death. I do not know how y° arrived at that. (; The Witness There was evidence that th, prisoner was in the habit of visiting the decease Had he been a strange man, of course the J would have adjourned the inquiry for the purpos of calling medical evidence. Iõ The Judge And because he was not a strallg t man that was sufficient, in your view, to prove tna Tittle died from natural causes ? You gave hlin credit because he was not a stranger ? d The witness If a strange man had been there, the jury might have had reason to believe jj1 woman died from violence. As, however, jj' evidence went to show that the prisoner was in "j1.i habit of visiting her, and as there was absolute no evidence of violence of any kind, the jury to the conclusion that the woman died from natur causes. The Judge Are you a legal or a medical corncr. The witness I am a legal coroner, my lord. 'C' Several witnesses were then called, and all SWOl ¡J¡ that the prisoner had been found with the wotf3 when her body was found. The woman had seen in her usual health at 10-30 p.m. 011 the day\ question, and at 12-30 she was discovered dea with Gillam by her side. Many of the witness swore also that they had known the prisoner Q many years, and that there could be no doubt t0i he was the man. The case for the prosecution having been j Mr Yates called Mr Moss, M.P., who said he known the prisoner for 25 years, and that he vv»s'. man of irreproachable character. He could nothing of the man's morality. B The Judge Well, you know, that the won1' was 76. (Laughter.) Mr Yates, in addressing the jury, said the st$ ment made by the prisoner was only incorrect, ° at most a lie, and did not affect the issue at t0 coroner's inquest in the least. The jury found a verdict of not guilty. 1 The Judge (turning indignantly to the jury): don't know whether that is not as much an aC;,iV, perjury as the other. The proper verdict is gul It is as clearly proved as any case that ever canti- into court. I am ashamed of Welsh juries. (,!Ic of tion.) It is a disgrace to the administration Of( justice. You have taken an oath to decide accor l- ing to the evidence, and I suppose you thlo nothing of it. The prisoner was then discharged. ^0J. Our reporter was afterwards informed by l.e Higson, the high sheriff, that he explained to Judge that the jury in question was not comp°^e entirely of Welshmen, but that the majority vVlr Englishmen and Scotchmen. He did" so in 1 interests of the jury. The Judge said he did » refer to Welsh juries generally. He meant 1 jury as a whole, but he did not know the cofflP° tion of it. The Sheriff's Luncheon. 5 At the invitation of the high sheriff, the meruit of the grand jury, and the bar, magistrates,^0^], officials, and the press, lumcbed in the Castle H° e The menu was most elaborate, and the 11 did arrangements reflected much credit upon Mr Tes Owen, the genial proprietor. Colonel Higson, in proposing the toast of Queen," briefly referred to the events in Africa. When last they met there in Novell their hearts were very heavy. i\ow, thell. j tcr. were brighter, and their hearts much Itgll (Applause.) ó flCl Capt. Griffith Boscawen (foreman of the cl jury) proposed the health of the high sheriff at referred in eugolistic terms to the highly efllCi is manner in which Co!. Higson had carried on official duties. had Mr Isgoed Jones said their worthy foreman # omitted to state the fact that the high sheriff, ^'j^ his year of office, had favoured them with nO 1IL:C, than three luncheons. (Laughter and app f,lily The High Sheriff, in replying, said he was$ sensible of the great kindness and consider^ 0f they had all extended to him during his tet office. (Hear, hear.) He came amongst _th^j6s. an unknown man from an inland part of ^'fj-ic1 He lived on the fringe of a mountain in a. which was, if anything, a purer Welsh distnct, ll0t that one. (Applause.) Therefore they expect an impressionable Lancastrian like n'1 jt not to live amongst the pure Wdnh people ^l;- being tinged with some of their aspirations. of his office, he often wondered what earth y^gfl a high sheriff was—(laughter)—especially .flScll -pe on some occasions he was expected to attire n11 ied in a costume that made him look like an mountebank. (Laughter.) He believed years to come the office would be abolished- apoi Led by Mr Isgoed Jones, the company Sinll 3rt), he s a jolly good fellow," followed by three fie cheers, and a special one for Miss Higson. = d5 tl1Ð

——— EARL EGERTON OF TATTON SUCCEED late Duke of Westminster as Lord LieU of Cheshire. 5 iti —— IN most of the Congregational churcllebsqlf Wales last Sunday an appeal was read on ^0s'e' of the Welsh Congregational Forward d1/ re, ment, the contributions to which, already ceived by the treasurer, amount to 5,147- af, ON Friday the schooner Dinorwic, narvon, was towed into Portmadcc with her starboard bow stove in. The sc isej and the steamer Galacia coH'ded off Island on Sunday night. The mate 9chooner (Thomas Owen, Amlwch, 25b ellde3' ing that the vessel was going down, j jjjt voured to jump on to the steamer, but 1 the water and was drowned.