The Glamorgan Gazette

SOUTH GLAMORGAN ELECTION. POLLING DAY IN BRIDGEND. ASTOUNDING LIB.-LAB. MAJORITY. MR. BRACE WINS BY 4,418. RECEPTION OF THE NEWS. VISIT OF THE NEW M.P. Polling took place in South Glamorgan on Tuesday last, and the result of the counting was announced from Cardiff Town-hall, about one o'clock on Wednesday, as follows:- BRACE (Lib.-Lab.) 10514 WYNDHAM-QUIN (C.) 6096 4418 I The two previous contests have resulted as I follows: — .1895. Colonel W. H. Wyndham-Quin (C) 5747 Arthur J. Williams (L) 4922 825 1900. Colonel W. H. Wyndham Quin (C.) 6841 Walter Morgan (L.) 6322 519 The votes were counted at the Cardiff Town-hall under the supervision of the re- turning officer, Mr. J. E. Williams, solicitor. The ballot-boxes, which had been brought in over-night from the 46 polling-stations in the different parts of a scattered constituency, were emptied of their contents a little after 10 o'clock, and three-quarters of an hour sufficed to show how the voting had gone, and Mr. Brace, who was accompanied by Mrs. Brace, began to realise that he would be a fully-fledged M.P. Colonel Wyndham- Quin and Lady Eva Wyndham-Quin arrived about noon, and they knew immediately that the seat had been lost. The colonel and Lady Eva shook hands very cordially with Mr. and Mrs. Brace, and chatted together for some time. Mr. J. E. Williams made the formal declar- ation of the poll shortly before one o'clock. Mr. Brace, in moving a vote of thanks to the returning officer, expressed his entire satisfaction with the way in which the elec- tion had been conducted. If Colonel and Lady Wyndham-Quin would allow him, he would offer them his respectful sympathy, be- cause, after all. one party was bound to lose. The contest had been a pleasant one to him (Mr. Brace), and if he had said anything that had caused the slightest feeling of offence they would please forgive him because it was unintentional. He recognised1 fully that he was a member for the whole of the consti- tuency and not for a part ot it. Colonel Wvndham-Quin, in seconding, thanked Mr. Brace for his kind references to himself and Lady Wyndham-Quin. South Glamorgan, in the course ot the contest, had shown itself worthy of its best traditions. The meeting's had been well attended and free from those unfortunate scenes which had occurred in other parts of the country. He was quite aware that the Unionist party had met with an overwhelming defeat, but he hoped his brother Unionists would not be discouraged thereby. They had fought for their principles to the best of their ability, and nothing more could have been done to avoid disaster. He thanked his brother Unionists for the way they had worked. He was one of the first to congratulate Mr Brace, and hoped that his connection with South Glamorgan would be as happy as his (the colonel's) had been. Mr. Brace and Colonel Wyndham-Quin immediately afterwards addressed a large crowd which had assembled in the Town-hall yard. Mr. Brace congratulated the electors on the magnificent victory which had been won, the magnificent victory which had been won, not by any merits of the candidate, he said', but for the high principles they had at heart. Colonel Wyndham-Quin said! that he was an old soldier as well as a politician, and, though they had met with a great disaster, he was not discouraged. "Our day will come again," added the colonel, "and I should like to take this opportunity of thanking all my good friends for the admirable co-operation they have shown throughout the contest, and I also thank my political opponents for the courtesy they have always shown me at every public meeting. I hope you, my friends, will not be discouraged, and that you will con- tinue to work on." (Loud cheers.) POLLING DAY AT BRIDGEND. Polling day in Bridgend passed off rather quietly and without any untoward1 incidents. The morning broke with a clear sky, and a crispness in the air made the work of elec- tioneering quite a pleasureable occupation. Favours were very popular, almost every- one to be seen about town wearing a con- spicuous blue or red. Horses, conveyances, doga, and even cats, were for the nonce given the advantage—or, as it sometimes given the advantage—or, as it sometimes turned out, disadvantage—of being a Conser- vative or Liberal. It is many a day since so much colour brightened1 the streets of Bridg- end. The Blues had rather the best of the argument, for whilst that colour predomin- ated in buttonholes and on conveyances, there was a canopy of blue in the clear sky, and a good show of the same colour under foot. The latter was the result of some early morning quiet strolls around the town. Rumour hath it that slipper-shod men arose before the lark; and, armed with stencils, brush and paint, tried their novice hands on the pavements. Before they had finished scarce a street remained without a pavement bearing in bold1 blue letters, the words "Vote for Quin"-and other words which need! not be mentioned. Amongst pavements which had received special attention were those outside Messrs. Hughes and Lewis's offices and the Liberal Committee-rooms. These speechless instructora were, of course, roundly denounced by the opposition body, who were soon about the town substituting the magic word "Brace'' for that of Quin. Tradlesmen took the opportunity to get some slight advantage out of the auspicious event. Outside one shop in Caroline-street was a dummy attired in the reddest of red clothing offering blue ribbons for sale. On the oppo- site side of the road in the new market shops another tradesman sought to advertise his ad- vent by a bill in which the words "Free Trade" appeared in red letters and "Protec- tion" in blue. But these tradesmen, like most others in the town, took particular care not to offend their customers who are politi- cal opponents by displaying a partizan spirit. The places where people most did congregate were the Town-hall Square, where little groups chatted and fought the great ques- tions of the day in wordy combats, and out- side the Conservative Club, where there was ft consrant stream of motor cars and horse- drawn vehicles. The only people at all demonstrative were gangs of schoolboys ardently shouting in favour of one or the other of the candidates, Mr. Brace getting a decided majority amongst these little voteless enthusiasts. After tea-time there was an increase in enthusiasm, and the streets at times presented quite an animated spectacle. Though the "Blues" had made the greateeft show during the day, the "Reds" became in- creasingly in evidence towards night. One youth, who apparently considered himself a born leader of men, shouted at the head of quite a long procession until his voice gave out, and there was no response to his moving lips. The popular songs were "Shoulder to shouldiel- for Brace" and "Who beat Flan- nery?" with an oocasion:all variation in the shape of a music-hall ditty. One of the workers in the Liberal cause was spotted by this enthusiastic procession and carried1 shoulder high around the town. In the Town-hall Square he was called upon for a speech, and told his cheering audience that they had fought like heroes and won by a. big majority-the latter part of the sentence being quite a prophetic utterance. Mr. and Mrs. Brace visited the town in a motor car during the morning, and later in the day Colonel and Lady Eva Wyndham-Quin ar- rived. Both candidates had cordial recep- tions. There were no unseemly incidents, and everyone appeared to take the election in the best of spirits. AROUND THE POLLING BOOTHS. The number of voters at Bridgend consti- tuted a record, 85 per cent. of those on the register discharging the duty of citzenship. There were four polling booths in the town oi Bridgend, namely, the Boys' Council School, Girls' Council School, the Town-hall, and the residence of Mr. T. D. Schofield, and at all of these the officials were kept fairly busy throughout the day, while there was a rush at the school booths in the evening. Of a total electorate for the town and district of 1,620, no less than 1,355 recorded their votes. The booth' for the South Ward was the Girls' School, where Mr. D. T. Williams, the presiding officer, was assisted by Mr. J. Walter Hughes. Of the 432 on the register, 352 journeyed to the booth. Mr. E. T. David was the presiding officer at the Boys' School, where the North Ward electors voted, and the poll clerk was Mr. W. Chorley. The heaviest poll of the town took place here, 481 registering their votes out of 580 on the register. All dav long there was a steady stream of voters, and after 5.30 the officials had a particularly busy time. The South Ward electors turned out in good force, no less than 261 voting, out of the 300 on the register. Mr. H. J. Randall, junr., was in charge of the booth, with Mr. W. Edward Walters as poll clerk. Mr. J. Haydn Jones presided at the Town- hall booth, hie assistant being Mr. T. Mat- thews. The electors of the district who voted here included those from Merthyr- mawr, Ewenny, Corntown. Coitv. and Cefn Hirgoed. Those on the register for the dis- trict included Sir James Hills-Johnnes and Sir J. T. Dillwyn Llewellyn, who attended in the afternoon. Sir James Hills-Johnnes tra- velled to Bridgend from Dolaucothy. his Llan- wrd'a rcs,idence. There was a good muster of voters from the district. 261 polling out of 30§ on the register, exclusive of the duplicate voters. After eight o'clock, the boxes were sealed and conveyed to the railway station, and were despatched to Cardiff bv the 9.10 train. In the neighbourhood of Bridgend, convey- pnees were lent the Conservative party bv Colonel Tnrbervill. Mr. J. T. D. Nicholl, Major Coath, Mr. J. Bovd Harvev, Mrs. Llewpllvn (Court Colman). Mr. T. M. Price, Mr. R. K. Prichard. Mr. Randall. Mr. R. H. Stiles, Mr. Edward Vaurrhan, and others. Motor cars were lent bv Mr. Jacob Jenkins, Mr. Fra.ser .Tenkinl"1. Mis, Evan¡q (Broughton Court), and Mr. J. H. Griffiths (Penylan). RECEPTION OF THE NEWS. The result of the counting was awaited with almost painful interest. With the turn of 12 o'clock on Wednesday people were on the tip-toe of expectation. kittle groups as- sembled about the town, and everybody was asking everybody else whether he or she had heard anything." Judging by the large number of people who assembled outside the Liberal Committee-rooms it was apparent the general feeling was that Mr. Brace was elected. The first intimation of the way the counting tended was received about ten minues past 12.. Mr. Michael Davies, at that time, had a telephone message from Cardiff, stating that according to the "Express," Mr. Brace was leading to an extent which made his return assured. A little later the news arrived "Brace 2,000 ahead." All this. of course, was indefinite, but it was sufficient to make Liberals look happy and Conservatives uneasy. The result itself did not arrive in the town until well after one o'clock. At 1.25 a telegraph messenger, who for the moment was a very important person- age, came briskly along Adare-street with the all-important message. It. was snatched from his hands and taken inside the offices. An eager crowd filled the rooms in a moment, and when the result was declared there was a great cheer which lasted some moments, and then the crowd dispersed to tell the "good" or "bad" news, accordingly as thev viewed the subject. td their friends in various parts of the town. The figrues were quickly placarded in bold letters, curiously enough of a. blue colour in the Liberal Committee-room win- dow and in a few moments printed bills were being distributed all over the town. It was surprising what an amount of red colouring appeared in every street and on almost every person within a very brief period. The figures were paraded on a board which was taken around the town at the head of a cheering procession. ARRIVAL OF THE NEW M.P. The announcement that Mr. Hrace would. reb the town by rail drew a vast crowd to tL" btation Square and along Station Hill about four o'clock. The more enthusiastic of the supporters near the station entrance gave vent to their feelings in song and cheer- ing. Any incident which occurred was seized upon by the crowd and taken advantage of to pass away the time. The arrival of Mr R. W. Llewellyn was of course an episode which was not to be lost, and the chairman of the Bridgend Bench, for once came in for some most enthusiastic cheering by his political op- ponents—tempered with a little booing. Mr. Brace and a number of his supporters arrived by the 4.27 train from Cardiff. The new Member was at once seized and carried shoulder high amidst frantic shouting to an unhorsed conveyance which was awaiting him. Mrs. Brace, who formed one of the company, Mr T. J. Hughes, and Mr. T. W. David also mounted tha conveyance, which was started off down Station-hill, dragged up Oldcastle, and back to the Town-hall. Another con- veyance which followed was occupied by JMij Morgan Thomas, Mr. Harry Lewis, Mr. David Williams, Mr. D. H. Lloyd, and other sup- porters.. The Town-hall Square was already occupied by hundreds of people when the procession arrived, and as the first carriage came into sight there was much cheering and waving of hats. The carriages were drawn up im- mediately in front of the Town-hall, and Mr. Brace's rising to address the assembly caused increased excitement. Silence having been obtained, Mr. Brace said!: My dear friends, I am delighted, as doubtless you are, with the splendid result of the election. (Cheers and counter oheers.) My Conservative friends are not happy, but as people who have fought in a good cause we can afford to be generous. (Cheers.) I fully recognise that were it not for the magnificent support which you in Bridgend and this part of the constituency gave°me, we should not have won by—(a voice: "Over four thousand majority, and prolonged cheering followed by cheering for Colonel Quin, and a voice: "Chuck him out. ) That is rather bad of my Conservative fnendls over there, I agree. They had better keep their voices until the Colonel comes here. At this juncture, I only desire to say simply a word of thanks to you. if am more than obligated to you, and I recognise that, while I have been selected by the Progressives of this constituency, I am now the Member of Parliament for the whole constituency. (Cheers.) I have only to say further that should it be my privilege to be able to do any kindness to any individual elector of this township of Bridgend, in my capacity as Member of Parliament for South Glamor- gan, it will also be a real pleasure for me to do so. (Cheers and counter cheer- ing.) My friends at the other end of this great meeting are trying to make a disturb- ance, but let me remind them that we have got the votes—(loud cheering)—we have won the victory for the cause of i.Aiberalism. (Pro- longed cheering.) Three cheers were given for Mr. Brace, fol- lowed by "Three for Mrs. Brace," amd "Three for Mr. T. J. Hughes." The procession then proceeded rapidly via Dunraven Place and Caroline-street to the Liberal Committee-rooms in Adare-street, where a number of Mr. Brace's workers had assembled. Cheers were again given for the successful candidate. The crowds then pro- ceeded to the railway station, via. Wyndham- street, and the Station-square was densely crowded when Mr. Brace, before leaving the carriage, responded to loud cries for another speech. He again, thanked the people of Bridgend for their enthusiastic reception. That in- deed was the proudest day of his life; it was an occasion which would ever live in his memory. He had only to assure them that he would endleavour to voice the sentiments of the electors of South' Glamorgan as evi- denced in the election just over, though he would do so perhaps in a feeble manner. ("No, no," and cheers.) The election had been fought on an important question, and he regarded the result as the voice of the elec- tors against Protection. (Cheers.) He had to tender the greatest pratitude that his heart was capable of to all who had supported him, particularly to the workera he saw around him who, indeed, had laboured in a splendid mariner for the success of a great cause. (Oheere.) They deserved not only his thanks, but those of everyone who was in sympathy with the came. (Renewed, cheer- mg.) There was among that band of willing workers his friend Alderman T. J. Hughes, their fellow-townsman—(cheers)—and also Mr Harry Lewis, Mr. David Williams, and a host of others. There was Mr. Morgan Thomas, his agent, who had discharged his duties in a splendid way. He was sorry that time did not permit him to speak at greater length, but in wishing them "Good afternoon"—not "Good-bye," because he hoped to visit them again soon—he had only to reiterate his ex- pressions of thanks. (Cheers.) Alderman T. J. Hughes was received with prolonged cheering. He said Toryism in South Glamorgan had been smashed. (Cheers.) The forces of Toryism and land- lordiism had gone down like nine pins. (Laughter and applause.) Now that they had won hands down, let them be generous to their honourable opponents, and give them credit for the same sincerity of conviction and purpose as they claimed for them- selves. Let them give credit to their oppon- ents for conscientious devotion to their prin- ciples. (Hear, hear.) The Liberals of South Glamorgan had twice been defeated, but they had lost manfully. (Cheers.) Let their moderation be known to all men in this crowning day. (Renewed cheers.) If any word of bitterness had been spoken during the heat of the campaign—he did not think there had been-let all agree, whether Con- servatives or Liberals, to forget it. (Hear, hear.) They were Liberals and Conservatives in the matter of politics, but they must not forget that they were first and foremost Welshmen. (Cheers.) As a Welshman, he was proud to think that Wales had made a clean sweep from end to end, and! that now the "hen gwlad y menyg gwynion" was free. (Cheers.) South Glamorgan, which their champion, Mr. Brace, would now be honoured to represent in Parliament—(cheers)—had always been a Liberal constituency, but it had wandered like the prodigal son. (Laugh- ter.) It had been wandering in South Africa, but it had now become tired of the Tory husks. (Laughter.) They would welcome it back to the fold of Liberalism notwithstand- ing what its past record had been. (Laughter and cheers.) Mr. Brace, as their leader, was successful, but this was not Mr. Brace's busi- ness only. It was their business, and he hoped they would make it their business now that they had won South Glamorgan in such splendid fashion, to keep it. (Prolonged cheering.) The huge crowd gave lusty cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Brace as they left the carriage, which were sustained for several minutes, and then the people sang "Shoulder to shoulder for Brace" to the tune of "Hen wlad fy nhadau." A large band of workers assembled on the Barry railway platform to witnesa the departure by the 5.30 train for Barry. Mr. and Mrs. Brace were accompanied by Mr. Morgan Thomas (the agent), Mr. Harry Lewis, Mr. David Williams, and others. Mr. Brace remarked, as the train was departing, "I regard this as a good dividend for two years' hard work," and the crowd cheered in- cessantly until the train had left the station well behind. CELEBRATIONS IN THE CONSTITUENCY To celebrate the victorious return of Mr. Brace, a torchlight procession and demon- stration took place in the evening at Barry, and was attended by a large number of vehicles and several thousands of the towns- people, including leading local Liberals and representatives of Labour. At different points along the routes—at Barry, Barry Dock, and Cadoxton—the newly-elected mem- ber expressed his thanks to the constituents. Mr. Brace afterwards drove to Dinas Powis and Penarth, where further demonstrations took place. A torchlight procession and demonstration were held at Porth and Cymmer on Wednes- day evening. A carriage conveying Mr. Watts Morgan (representing Mr. Brace) and Mrs. Watts Morgan, Dr. R. D. Ohalke, Mrs. Davies, and Mrs. Lewis was drawn round the town, preceded by a crowd of electors carry- ing torches. The procession stopped at vari- ous places enroute, where Mr. Watts Morgan, on behalf of Mr. Brace, thanked those who had worked so well on his behalf. Dr. Chalke said that the majority was a. surprise even to Mr. Brace's strongest supporters. They all recognised in their opponent, Colonel Wyndham-Quin, a gentleman who had con- ducted the contest in a fair and gentlemanly spirit. At Porthcawl Mr. Brace's return was cele- brated with a torchlight procession, headed by a brass band from Tondu. Afterwards the effigy of a Chinaman was burned. The Liberals of Pencoed celebrated the vic- tory by an enthusiastic demonstration. A torchlight procession, headed by a brass band, wended its way to Glanffrwd, the residence of Mr. W. Jones Thomas, cheering and singing en route. Mr. Jones Thomas delivered a short speech in which he said the brilliant vic- tory of Mr Brace clearly proved that the con- stituency had been misrepresented for ten years. WHY WE LOST. COLONEL W. H. WYNDHAM-QUIN. In the first place, I put it down to the swing of the pendulum, and in the second place to the attractiveness of the. Labour pro- gramme to the working man. The colliers went for their own re,presenta- tive, and, as they and other workmen in other parts oi the constituency form the majority of the electors, you can understand the result. There it is in a nutshell, and I couldn't tell you more if I tried." MB. S. H. STOCKWOOD. My own idea is that organised La,bour went solid for Mr. Brace; we did not get our pro- portion, as would have been the case if it had been a contest between a Liberal and a Con- servative. As far as I could gather from the Labour agent and others in a position to know, the Colonel secured only a small per- centage of the miners' vote, and not very much more of the Barry workers'. What influenced the Labour vote chiefly, it is not ours to know. Probably the organisa- tion of the various trades was responsible. Much effect was had by the belief that a Con- servative Government would mean an imme- diate and large advance in the price of bread, while the other side would probably produce a corresponding reduction. The Chinese "Slavery" slanders have also taken a wonder- ful hold. Taking into account the known weight of the Labour vote in the mining districts and Barry, there is little doubt that the Colonel did well in the Vale, including Bridgend. I think if it had been a contest on the old lines between Liberal and Conservative, Colonel Wyndham-Quin would have got in. MR. R. C. GRIFFITHS. To a certain extent 1 agree with the Colonel, but not altogether. The three things in my mind' which withdrew a large measure of support- from us was the use which was made of the Colonel's absence from the first division on the coal tax, the big and small loaf, and Chinese labour.. All these contributed to our overwhelming defeat. Labour in almost every district, especially in Barry, Whitchurch, and the Rhondda, went against us, the working class electorate voting for Mr. Brace, whatever their political opinions. Our strongest places were Bridgend, Pen- arth, Llandaff, Porthcawl, and the Vale generally. The only satisfactory feature in the result is that the Liberal party, as such, is once and for all obliterated from South Glamorgan. WHY WE WON. ALDERMAN T. J. HTTGHES. We won simply because South Glamorgan is and always has been, a Liberal consti- tuency. A combination of untoward cir- cumstances brought about the loes of the seat in 1895. In 1900 the seat went Tory purely <)pji the kharki vote.. The reasons for our magnificent majority are, in my opinion (1) general dissatisfaction, amounting in some cases to indignation, at the Tory record of the last 10 years (2) the Education Act and the Welsh Coercion Act; i-q) TTYPIPI Tradift • (4) A solid Labour vote; (5) Chinese indentured labour. I give these in their order of importance, but the strong personality of our candidate, the good organisation, and the excellence both as to number and quality of our public meetings and speakers, all contributed' to the splendid result. There were practically no Liberal abstentions, and the Progressive forces—Liberal, Labour, and Nonconformist —were thoroughly united.

PENCOED FARMER'S WILL AMUSING COUNTY COURT CASE AT BRIDGEND. TROUBLESOME WITNESSES. An amusing case was heard at Bridgend County Court yesterday, before His Honour Judge Gwilym Williams, the plaintiff being Mrs. Elizabeth Mary Davies, who claimed 99 46. 6d. from Mrs. Mary Preston, the adminis- tratrix of the estate of the late Thomas Williams, a Pencoed farmer. Mr. E. T. David (Bridgend) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. H. J. Randall, junr., for the defendant. Mr. David said the plaintiff was a. neigh- bour of the deceased1 man, and had been nen- gaged by him to keep house for him, and to do his washing. He agreed to pay her 6d. a day, but she had never received anything, and the amount of £9 4s. 6d'. was now due. Plaintiff gave evidence in support of her solicitor's statement. Thomas Williams was an old man. and had kept a little farm, but he lived by himself. He engaged her to do his housework, and she used to wash clothes for him, and do "many thinms about the house every day." The old man did not give her anything, and it was not until some time after his death that she sent in a claim, having seen an advertisement in the "Gila- morgan Gazette" that all bills should be sent to Mrs. Preston, who was deceased's niece. Deceased had agreed to pay her 6d. a day, in the presence of Thomas David and Margaret David. Mr. Randall: Were you a great friend of the deceased' r Witness Yes, sir. Did you not make a will for the old gentle- man ?—Yes, he told me to do it on the night of his death. I thought so. That will was entirely in your favour, was it not ?—No, sir. It had nothing to do with me. It was for his step- son, sir. I wasn't in it. Who is his step-son?—Thomas David. Do you swear that you did not benefit at all under the will which you made ?—Yes, sir. As a matter of fact that will was no good on account of its not being properly wit- nessed?—Yes, sir. It was not signed pro- perly, and the doctor said he was not in his right senses when he made it. (Laughter.) His Honour Dear me. Witness: Yes, sir; the will was made in the night, and dIe died at a Quarter to ten. His Honour Yes, but we won't go into that matter now. You are funny people at Pen- coed. (Laughter.) Replying: to Mr. Randall, witness said that Thomas Williams paid her nothing during the whole of the time that she worked for him. Did you not demand payment during the whole time?—No, sir. The old man was very funny, the same as everybody else I suppose. (Laughter.) Why did you leave matters eo on in that way?-Because I loved the old man as if he j was my own father, and there was nobody to do anything for him. His niece never came there once in two years to see whether he was getting food or drink. She didn't care. His Honour: Were you living with him al- together ? -Yes. sir. But I left him for a few weeks, and I said I wouldn't go back un- less he paid me. and! he said he would pay me 6d. a day. In reply to further questions, she said the man was 76 years of ace, and was blind. She denied that Enoch Williams had been living with him for many months, and a neighbour known as Mrs. Watkins had not been doing much for the old man. Mrsi. Watkins's children did not help him, either, and they were sent off the premises once for breaking all the crockery in the house and a 1 chest of drawers. His Honour: Dreadful'. (Laughter.) Proceeding, witness said one of the neigh- bours had been sent off the premises by the old man for telling lies. (Laughter.) She (witness) was "the only person in the district who did anything worth talking about for the old man." She denied that she ever bor- rowed money from him, but another neigh- bour did. Mr. Randall: Did you not have E4 or C5 after his death?—Me! No, I didn't. Didn't know he had it. (Laughter.) Mrs. Preston said she had E6 or E7, and that she sewed them up in a bag. You had a couch ?—Yes, but there were no legs to it—(lanugher)—and it is in the yard now, and Mrs. Preston can have it. But if it came to that it didn't belong to the old gentleman. Margaret Davies, who described herself as "mother-in-law of the plaintiff and! the wife. of the deceased's step-on," spoke to the ar- rangement made that plaintiff should be paid 6d. a day. Mr. Randall: Do you know anything about the will the plaintiff prepared?—That isn't our business here to-day. We are here about the money and that's all. But you surely know something about it — It isn't our business here; I know nothing about it. His Honour: There's a lot of talk for no- thing. You should say "No." Witness (indignantly): Very well, Mr. Williams; no. His Honour There now; you need not go att the rate of 20 miles an hour over it. (Laughter.) Witness: He (Mr. Randall) shouldn't ask such questions, sir. His Honour: It is your business to answer questions. Mr. Randall: Do you know that a will was made?—I know nothing. His Honour: Then you had better get out of the box ao-ain if your knowledge of affairs is so limited. (Laughter.) Mr. Randall: Do you know that you would benefit under the will?—No, I know nothing about it. We must keep to the subject be- fore us. (Laughter.) His Honour: Answer the question. Your feathera are getting up finely. (Laughter.) You evidently didn't like that will. Still, there is no need to get in such a temper over it, you know. Witness: Well, indeed, I know nothing aoouv 1(;. His Honour: Don't ta:1.kt woman. You must know. Witness: I say I don't, your Honour. His Honour Well, I don't believe you. Witness: Then, of course, you must do the other thing, sir. His Honour (sharply): Yes. Do you mean to say that a matter of this kind', which has no doubt been creating such a big sensation in a little place like Pencoed, didn't reach your ears? I guarantee there is not a per- son there who is ignorant of the affair, and you ought to know. Witness (to Mr. Randall): Do you think it much to pay 6d. for washing and cleaning P I have done a lot for the old gentleman my- self; many loadls of food nave I carried in there mystelf. His Honour: And you are not in the will after all! (Laughter.) That's an awful in- justice. Dear me, there's no justice in this old world. (Renewed laughter.) Witness: I didn't know anything about it then. I used to call and see the old man every day. I never saw Mrs. Preston there though. Mrs. Preston made a remark which was quite inaudible, and the witness said heatedly "1. can talk with you, so there. I know something about you, and I can talk- His Honour: I should just think you can. (Laughter.) Thomas Davies was then called, and he said he was the husband of the last witness. His Honour: Then you must be a happy man. (Laughter.) Witness spoke to the arrangement made. He admitted! that he was "mentioned on the bit of paper called a will," which was read in the vestry after the old man's funeral. All the property was left to him, but the will wasn't valid. His Honour: It wouldn't hold water, you mean. (Laughter.) Witness: I don't know whether it would hold water, sir. (Renewed laughter.) Mr. Randall: At any rate, you got nothing out of it?-No, sir. You didn't attempt to prove it at Llandaff ? —No, sir. And it was after you found it was invalid that this claim was put in P- Yes, sir; and she ought to be paid for her labour. Mrs. Preston again interposed, and the Judge remarked that if she did not keep quiet she would have to go for a walk into the fresh air. (Laughter.) For the defence, Mr. Randall contended that there was no agreement, and the service was not continuous. John Watkins, a Pencoed collier, and a next-door neighbour of the plaintiff, and who attended to the old man's correspondence, declared that plaintiff only went to deceased's house "when she wanted something, especi- ally for meals." She did not go there every day; in fact, the Davieses were the biggest enemies that the old man had, and they were always quarrelling. "Plaintiff oughn't, in my opinion, to have anything," he added; "she's had enough out of it already.' His Honour: Really. (Laughter.) Witness: Quite so, and I am not ashamed to tell you all about the shillings and two shillings she used to get and borrow and never pay back. His Honour: Never half-crowns., I suppose. Witness: No, sir; not so large sums as that. In further evidence, he said he did not know how deceased made his money. He had a lot of money. His Honour Where did it come from ? He didn't bring it with him when he was born, and he didn't take it jvith him when he died. (Laughter.) Mr. David: Now, Mr. Williams Witness: Please, my name's not Williams. (Laughter.) It's Watkins. His Honour: It does not matter. Wat- kins is just as good as Williams, you know. (Laughter.) Witness: Oh, no. sir; Williams is by far the best.. (Renewed laughter.) Yes, indeed. Witness, in reply to Mr. David, said plain- tiff used to help with the farm work, but not much. Mrs. Preston said her uncle complained to her on one occasion that plaintiff hadn't been near the house for a fortnight. Mr. David: She was ill then. Witness: She was not ill. I heard her singing on the common. His Honour: That's not a sign. Swans sing when they are dying, you know. (Laugh- ter.) Witness added that all the neighbours had been kind. His Honour held that plaintiff was entitled to succeed on the evidence of Mrs. Preston, who appeared to be the person interested. No intelligent man or woman, whether he or she had a vote of not—(laughter)—could fail to come to the conclusion that the woman was in the habit of going to help the old man. All the people were evidently trying—he would not say unfairly-to pluck the old man, and to get him to contribute towards their comfort. The present claim was not exces- sive, and he allowed it with costs.

PROGRESS OF THE ELETCTION. STATE OF PARTIES. The position of parties yesterday is indi- cated in the following table — Radicals, Labour and Socialist 358 Irish Nationalists 82 Unionists 137 Members returned 577 To be ,elected. 93 SEATS LOST AND WON. The following table shows the gains of each party: Liberal 175 Labour 26 Conservative 11 Nationalist 2 Liberal and Labour net gain over Conservatives 190 LABOUR MEMBERS. Barrow-in-Fumess Charles Duncan Birkenhead Henry Vivian Blackburn P. Snowden Bolton A. H. Gill Bradford, W F. W. Jowett Burnley F. Maddison Chatham John Jenkins Dept.ford C. W. Bowerman Derby R. Bell Dundee. Alex Wilkie Durham (Mid) John Wilson Durham (Barnard Vaotle) A. Hendreson Finsbury (Central) W. C. Steadman Gateshead J. Johnson Glamorgan (Rhondda) W. Abraham Glasgow (Blackfrairs) G. N. Barnes Gorton John Hodge Glamorgan (Gower) John Williams Glamorgan (South) Wm. Brace Sanley Enoch Edwards Halifax James Parker Lancashire (West Houghton).W. T. Wilson Leeds, E J. O'Grady Leicester J. R. Macdonald Kent (Dartford) James Rowlands Lancashire (Ince) S. Walsh Lancashire (Newton) J. Seddon Manchester, N.E J. R. Clynes Merthyr Keir Hardie Manchester S.W G. D. Kelly Monmouthshire (Weet) .T. Richards Middlesbrough J. H. Wilson Morpeth T. Burt Middlesex (Tottenham) .Percy Alden Newcastle W. Hudoon Nuneaton W. Johnson Normanton Fred Hall Norwich G. H. Roberts Northamptonshire, N.George Nicholls Preston J. T. Macpherson Peterborough G. Greenwood St. Helens Thomas Glover Stockport G. J. Wardle Stone-on-Trent John Ward Sunderland T. Summerbell Tynemouth Herbert J. Craig Wansbeck Charles Fenwick West Ham, S Will Thorne Wolverhampton, W. T. F. Richards Woolwich Will Crooks Yorkshire (Hallamshore) J. Wadsworth LIBERAL AND LABOUR GAINS. Ashton-under-Lyne, Berkshire (Abingdon), Belfast West, Boston, Bradford (3), Burnley, Bath (2), Bedford, Bristol (North), Brixtou, Bristol (South), Bolton, Bethnal Green (2), Barrow-in-Furness, Birkenhead, Blackburn, Brighton, Bow and Bromley, Bermondsey, Bedfordshire, Biggleswade, Berkshire, New- bury, Bucks (Buckingham), Monmouth Boroughs, Bucks, Wycombe, Cambridge Chat- ham, Cheshire, Knutsford, Chelsea, Cheshire, Eddisbury, Cheshire, Macclesfield, Chelten- ham, Cornwall (Bod'min), Christchurch, Corn- wall (Truro), Coventry, Chester, Camberwell (Peckham), Cumberland, Eskdale, Denbigh Boroughs, Deptford, Dorset (South), Derby- shire (South), Dudley, Dumfriesshire, Edin- burgh (South), Elgin and Nairn, Enfield, Essex (Maldon), Essex (Romford), Exeter, Essex (Harwich), Essex (North-East), Falkirk Burghs, Finsbury (Central), Fulham, Glouces- tershire (Cirencester), Greenwich, Greenock, Glasgow (5), Glamorgan, S. (Lab.), Glamorgan (Gower), Halifax, Hanley, Hackney (3), Hants (New Forest), Herefordshire (Ross), Hereford- shire (Leominster), Huntingdon (Ramsey), Hull, Herts, Watford, Huntingdon, Inverness Boroughs, Ipswich, Islington (3), Kirkcud- brightshire, Kennington, Kent (Dartford), Kent (Tunbridge Wells), Kilmarnock Burghs, King's Lynn, Kidderminster, Kensington (North), Lancashire, ince, Lancashire (Hey- wood), Lanvashire (Southport), Lancashire (E'ccies), Leeds (2), Leicestershire (Melton), Lincolnshire (Sleaford), Lincoln, Leicester, Liverpool (Abercromby), Liverpool ('Change), Limefiouse, Lancashire (Stretford), Lanca- shire (Middleton), Lancashire (West Hough- ton), Lancashire (Gorton), Lanarkshire (South), Manchester (5), Middlesborough, Middlesex (Harrow), Middlesex (Tottenham), Mile End, Montgomery Boroughs, Northamp- tonshire (North), Norwich, Norfolk, S.W., New castle-on- Ty ne (2), Newcastle-under- Lyme, Nottingham (2), Notts (Basaetlaw), Northamptonshire (Southern), Oxford (Hen- ley), Oxford (N.), Oxfordshire (Woodstock), Plymouth, Portsmouth (2), Paddington (N.), Peterborough, Perthshire, Preston (2), Pem- broke Boroughs, Peebles and Selkirk, Roch- dale, Rochester, Rotherhiths, Renfrewshire (W.), Roxburghshire, Salford (3), Shipley, St. Helena, Stockport, St. Pancrae (4), Stoke-on- Trent, Sheffield (Brightside), Southampton (2), Salisbury, Suffolk (Stowmarket), Sunder- land (2), St. George's-in-the-East, Staffs (West), Suffolk (Woodibridge). Surrey (Guilds- ford), Surrey (Reigate), Sussex (Eastbourne), Suffolk (Sudbury), Suffolk (Lowestoft), Surrey (Chertsey), Somerset (North), Somerset (Bridgwater), Sutherlandshire, Tynemouth, Walworth, Warrington, West Ham (2), Wol- verhampton (W.), Warwick and Leamington, Warwick (Nuneaton), Warwick (Stratford), Westmorland (Kendall), Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Wilts (Chippenham). Whitehaven, Wilts (Devizes), Wilts (Wilton), Worcester- shire, Droitwich), York. UNIONIST GAINS. Ayr Burghs, Hastings, Hertfordshire (St. Albans), London: University, Lanark (North- West), Maidstone, Yorkshire (Barkston Ash), Sussex (Rye), Shropshire (Oswestry), and St. Andrews Burghs.

TJP-TO-DATK APPMANCWS for turning out every ofas of work at competitive prices, at the Glamorgan Gaaette" Printing wonts.

TERRIBLE AFFAIR AT MAESTEG. ALLEGED MURDEROUS ASSAULT. WIFE AND DAUGHTER ATTACKED. BATTERED WITH A POKER. THE HUSBAND IN CUSTODY. A terrible affair took place at Garth, Maes- teg, yesterday morning. About half-past 7 o'clock Mrs. Margaret Thomas, wife of Wm. Thomas, collier, of 89 Garth-road, Maesteg, and her son Gwilym Thomas, aged 15, went together to the Garth School, of which Mrs. Thomas was the cleaner, to clean up the school and light the fires in readiness for the day's work. About 8 o'clock her husband, William Thomas, appears to have followed them to the school. The boy, Gwilym, was in a. different room from his mother at the time. He says that he heard his mother telling his father to go, away. Then hearing a scuffle, he went to the room where his mother was, and saw her lying on her back on the floor with his father kneeling upon her, his right knee being on her throat. His father had a poker in his hand, and he saw him strike his mother twice on her head. His father on seeing him got up, and the mother screamed' out to her son to run away and get assistance. The father closed the two doors leading out of the room and struck his son with his fist. The boy then took up the fire shovel and his father asked him if he wanted the same as he had! given his mother. The boy jumped on a. bench and kicked a pane of glass from the window, through which he escaped. As the boy was getting out of the window he looked back and saw his father strike his mother twice on the head with the poker. The boy called out to his father, "Oh! you murderer 1" and ran away to a neighbour's house to get assistance. It appears that while the boy was escaping, his sister, Margaret Ann Thomas, aged 20, got into the school and saw her mother lying on the floor bleeding. The father at once made for his daughter and struck her on the head twice with the poker, inflicting two severe wounds. She ran away screaming. The father then dropped' the poker and ran home. A neighbour named Danrel James, haulier, says that young Thomas rushed into his house exclaiming, "My father is pulling mother in the school." Going to the school he saw William Thomas coming away, and also met the daughter streaming with blood under the school. Mrs. Thomas was leaning on a desk with her hair down; she also was covered with blood. She said, "I am dying. Give me a drop of water." On the floor lay one of the school pokers. Information was given to P.C. Dagg, of Garth, who sent for Dr. Bell Thomas. Dr. Thomas attended to the injuries of the two women, and William Thomas, the father, was apprehended in his house. The constable found Thomas lying on a bed in a drunken condition. Beside him he had a single-barrelled fowling piece loaded, and on being searched a loaded cartridge was found in his pocket. When arrested he made no statement. So drunk was Thomas that a conveyance had to be obtained to take him to the Police-station at Maesteg. Dr. Bell Thomas found that Mrs. Thomas was very much injured about the head, having received five severe scalp wounds. She now lies in a very critical condition. The daughter also had two severe wounds on the head, and is now suffering from shock and loss of blood. There has been unpleasantness between, Thomas and his wife for some time. About three months ago Mrs. Thomas obtained a separation order against him at Bridgend Police-court on the ground of persistent cruelty, but since that time the husband and wife have come together and have lived in the same house. Thomas has previously threatened that he would murder his wife, and stated only the previous night that he would shoot her. Prisoner will be brought before the Bridg- end Magistrates to-day.

THE CRICK TUNNEL MYSTERY. VICTIM'S MYSTERIOUS FRIEND. The manner in which Mile. Rochaid came by her death is still receiving the attention of the authorities and her -The Daily N etÐ- says that it has been discovered that Mile. Rochaid was accompanied to Euston by a French lady, stylishly dressed, who talked to her for a considerable time. "At 2.42 this lady was still standing at the door of the compartment and talking to her, but barely one minute after, at 2.43, when the ticket-collector came round, he saw Mile. Rochaid alone, in the corner seat on the. platform side, which she had especially se- lected. Mlle. Rochaid appeared then very de- pressed. Her head was bent downwards, and she did not even look up when asked for her ticket, which she pulled, as if mechanically, from her purse. As the train steamed off she leaned against the carriage window, and looked anxiously up and down the platform. It was only then that the ticket examiner could obtain a full view of her face." The detective depart- ment of the railway company is making every effort to trace the unknown lady, as the person most likely to help in solving the mystery of Mile. Rochaid's death.

WOMAN BANK ROBBER. THIEVES' DARING EXPLOITS. The professional bank robber who is half bushranger and half burglar has of late found a favourable field of operations in Argentina, says the Buenos Ayres correspondent of the Daily Mail. Three banks have been attacked, and in each case the robbers got away with their plun- der. Three men and one woman disguised as a man, all armed to the teeth, rode up to the bank of the town of Villa Mercedes on December 19th, and after overpowering the officials ran- sacked the safes. They only succeeded in get- ting away with £ 120 in gold, as they were at- tacked by residents. The bank manager was badly wounded in the head. and one of the rob- bers received a bullet in the hand. In August an exactly similar outrage occurred at Rio Gal- legos, and is believed to be the work of the same gang, which is well known in America. These four confederates have a long record of crime. The First National Bank in Minnesota was at- tacked by them in December, 1900, and £ 6,500 stolen. The woman who accompanies them is the wife of the leader, and is an excellent shot with revolver or rifle. ■ ■

NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOR'S WILL. MUNIFICENT BEQUESTS. The late Mr. John Feeney, the proprietor of the Birmingham Daily Post, the Birmingham Weekly Post, and the Birmingham Daily Mail, who died on December 16th last, has left annui- ties or legacies to the newspaper staff, compris- ing editors, sub-editors, reporters, salaried corre- spondents, clerks, and foremen of departments who should be in his employ at the date of his death and should have been so employed for at least five years preceding that date, a sum equal to three months' salary each, and to all opera- tors, machinists, and other working men in his employment at the date of his decease, and in receipt of weekly wages, a sum equivalent to three weeks' wages. The testator bequeathed to the Corporation of the city of Birmingham the sum of £ 50,000; to the Birmingham University, £ 20,000; and to the General Hospital, £ 10,000. The gross value of the estate has been sworn at £870,996.

A PANTHER INCIDENT. Incidents with a panther have usually a tragic aspect. One which is reported from Jemappes, in Algeria, during the past few days, has in it a spice of the comic. Early in the morning some stonemasons were about to begin the day's work on some buildings, when suddenly a panther swung in sight in unpleasant proximity, throw- ing the men into great terror, though the beast exhibited no hostility. The masons, however, were up the scaffolding in a trice, and drew the ladders after them. The panther continued to advance leisurely, gave his claws a stretch on the scaffold-posts, took a roll or two on the ground, and then, sitting on his haunches like a giant house cat, sat staring passively at the workers. The whole thing seems to have palled upon him after a time as too dull, and he trotted off back to the jungle without once looking behind him. It was a comedy of contemptuous iw difference. PRINTBD and Published by the Central Gla- morgan Printing and Publishing Company, Limited, at the Glamorgan Gazette" Offices, Queen-street, Bridgend, in the Parish of 09doaoble} in the County of Gla* morgan. FRIDAY, JANUARY MIX, 1906.

MR. W. JONES THOMAS. The victory was the result of the hearty co- operation of Liberal and Labour organisa- tions from end to end of the constituency; our advocacy of Free Trade principles; our opposition to the Education; policy of the late Government; the pent-up indignation of the people at the gross abuse of the majority given to the Tories at the last election- and, last but not least, to the fact that we had in the field a splendid all-round candidate, who fought the election with great ability, and who kindled enthusiasm among many Liberal workers otherwise inclined to be indifferent.