Evening Express

WHArs IN A NAME? ( What's in a name? Well, a good deal soaaetimes, and the proposal to change the name of the Alexandra Dock Com- pany, Newport, has led to opposition by the Cardiff Corporation. As we said some time ago, there is plenty of room for Cardiff and Newport to flourish side by side, but when Newport tries to steal a march by adopting a title which may lead orders her way that would otherwise come to Cardiff, it is time for our say in the matter. Of eosrrse, we do not for a moment accuse the clever, go-ahead business men, who are at the back of the spirited Newport enterprise, of hitting below the belt; still, their proposed use of the words South Wales" in their change of title is absolutely unwarrantable, and we are glad to see Cardiff Corporation getting ready to stick up for the rights of the Welsh Metropolis.

Good old Mabon" is very ill. Some weeks ago a sttrptd rumour got round that the veteran leader was dead. All Wales, and thousands outside Wales, united to rejoice that the report was false. Navertliele-m, 11 Mabon" is poorly, and he must take rest. Giant as be is, even" Mabon" can overdo it.

A couple of Cardiffians were sent to gaol yesterday who had already been incarcerated above a hundred times apiece. Thoughtful folk will ask what in the world is the good \>f sending deliquents to prison with a monotonous regularity years after it has been ascertained that it has no reforming influence whatever. The magistrates, it may be replied, have no alternative, and the solution of the difficulty is there. We should provide for the custody of the morally, as we do for the mentally, insane.

The "Canton Poet has just been delivering his soul on "How to fill our churches." The poem opens after the following manner: — How oft I've stroled on the Sabbath Day In the fields of Llandaff green, To admire the natures that surrounds The silvery running stream. The Edifice stand out so grand, Free for all to come. To hear sweet chants by the well known choir, Whilst subdned voices say well done. The poetic tyre seems to have got punctured in the last line, judging by the joggling. There is more poem," but we lhink we will leave it for the present.

"EVENING EXPRESS' WAR NEWS. The proprietors of the "Wwtani Mall" and Evenlngr lexpro" 11 hawe made arrangcm —>t» for tecarlng the latest anti fvflevt IhMUkmm from the Fsr East. We shall be represented in Japan, Russia, China, and Korea by over sixty correspondents, and our speeial services of war telegram* wRi Incktde the follow Ins:— The "Timaa" Special War Service, Morning Post" Special War Service Renter's Special War Seniee, Prose Association Special War Service Central News Special War Serxtice, Exchange Telegraph Company's I Special War Service. The special correspondents, cover- Ins every spot whara fig: to ting: Is Bksiy to occur. are men ef great experience, Hietucllas::— U. F. KRJGMT (" Hui 1mui Post"), M. 4. wniewmwjwm .rowto%

I Mainly About People. Here is a. delightful anecdote told by a Yankee about King Edward VII. when he was Prince of Wales. It was in the autumn of '72 that I was on my way home from Enrope by one of the old Crmarderm. Among the passen- gars was a small boy, who was one of the plainest little mortals that I have ever beheld, red-haired and freckled, but with a bright, sharp little face, like a terrier. In the course of time be drifted into my vicinity and opened conversation. '"Ever seen the Prince of "Wales?" he said. "Yes," I answered, "I have seen him." "Nice man, very. Nice in his own hoase. I like him very much." Oh! don't talk that way, Jack," I exclaimed; "that's I silly." "But I mean it," he persisted; "I know him. rye dined at his house." "How was that?" -Well. you see, it was when we were travellin' in Italy. I was prat,tin' my head oat of the car window, and I saw two boys puttiw their heads out, and I says 'Hello!' and they said 'Heilo!' back again, and I says, 'Come in here; there's lots of room,' and they said, 'No, we can't, but. there's room in here, and when the train stops you come in here with us.' So when the train stopped I asked pa, and he said I oonld go, and I got in their carriage. And I asked both of them their names, and one said, I'm Prince Albert Victor of Wales,' and the other said, I'm Prince George, his brother. "And what did you do then?" Why, I says 'Whee-ew, is that who you are? Well, I'm Jack Post, of New York.' They were real nice fellows, and we were having a splendid time when the cars stopped, and their pa got out of the next carriage and came to speak to us, and then my pa saw it was the Prinoe of Wales. "So he got out himself, and told him that he didn't know who they were or he wouldn't have let me go, and he was going to take me away, but the Prince of Wales said, No,' he was glad to have his boys meet a little American boy, and he would be much obliged if they would let me stay all day. So I stayed. We played games, and their pa told us some first-rate stories, and when we had to change cars he took me back and asked my pa to let me know when I was in London, because he would like me to come to dinner with them. So we did, and I was at once asked to come and take dinner with them in the middle of the next day. When I got there they were waiting at the window. It was an awful nice house. Their ma. came in and shook hands, and we had our dinner. Didn't think much of the things they had to eat. I'd have given 'em lots more if they'd oome to take dinner with me in New York. But they treated me fine, and their ma. was an awful pretty lady/' Sir James Hamilton, Baronet, who re- cently died at Bathurst, N.S.W., a.t the age of 77, belonged to a very old Scotch family, emigrated to the Colony in 1852, the year after the discovery of the famous goldfields, and, being imbued with the gold fever," speedily aninased a large fortune. An accident which deprived him of his eyesight compelled him to relin- quish his public life, and he lived in com- parative retirement at Bathurst. The world is hearing a good deal jtot now of the name of Mr. M'Leavy Bruwn, the bead of the foreign Customs and the Finance Minister of Korea, but very little is generally known of one of the most interesting per- sonalities and careers in the Far East. He comes, like Sir Robert Hart and many other prominent men in Far Eastern politics just. now, from the north of Ireland, and originally went out to China in oar Consular service. He aocpiired an excellent knowled-ge of Chinese, and this, as well as his ability and tsuct (says the "Manchester Guardian"), led to his appointment to the Legation in Peking. While there be was permitted by the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Clarendon, to be associated with one of the most curious of the many curious episodes in Chinese diplomacy. This was the once world-renowned Burlingame nriesicm. When Mr. Burlingame died in St. Peters- burg the mission was broken up, and the members returned to China. Mr. MTjeavy Brown soon afterwards resigned. When Mr. Von Mollendorff was sent by Li Hung Chung to Korea. to take charge of the foreign Cas- toms there and disappointed all his patron's expectations by taking up what was called an anti-Chinese attitude, his position became so uncomfortable that he resigned, and Mr. M'Leavy Brown was sent in his place. Soon afterwards he became Minister of Finance, and is succeeding in reducing much of the Korean administration to order. Not long ago Russia procured his dismissal by the Em- peror of Korea, but the British and Japanese intervened, and Mr. Brown held his ground and performed the duties of his office in spite of his dismissal, which was ultimately with- drawn. Of Major-general Sir Edmund Barrow, who has taken over the command of the Peshawar district, a writer in the King and his Navy and Army is inclined to think that had he been commanding at Peshawar in 1897. when the poets in the Pass were rushed by the Afridis, there would have been a prompter display of activity than was the case. He then proceeds to tell a little story concerning General Barrow's par- ticipation in the Egyptian campaign, in which he served as D.A.Q.M.G. to the Indian con- tingent. It was, he thinks, on the evening before Tel- el-Kebir that the Indian contingent was wait- ing to move off, when it wae suddenly dis- covered that no directions had been issued as to the order in which the various regi- ments should march. It seems a little thing this, but in reality, and, of course, especially on active service, it is a very serious matter indeed, and failure to issue specific orders may produce grave confusion and delay. Thia is probably what would have happened on that occasion had not Barrow, who was then only a subaltern, acted with commendable promptitude. Taking upon himself complete responsibility, he calmly gave out that the orders of the general commanding the con- tingent were that the regiments should move in sueh-and-suoh a manaer; and they moved accordingly, without further hesitation or delay. The Privy Council retains prerogatives which were formerly exercised by the terrible Star Chamber. These were left undisturbed, and their assistance invoked by the Common- wealth Parliament, which disestablished for ever the Star Chamber. To-day a suspected criminal may be arrested, brought before the Privy Council and dealt with, without any reference to a court of law. This course was adopted, in the first instance, with Edward Oxford, who attempted the life of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort. After- wards, however, he was tried at the Central Criminal Court. The most remarkable meeting of the Conn- oil was that summoned to deal with thai awful boy, Jones, who, by the extraordinary maimer in which, over and over again, he got into Buckingham Palace, made Queen Victoria's Kfe a misery. He got into the Queen's private apartments, pocketed her correspondence, slept under ooushes a&d in eupboaxds for a fortnight at a time. After being ejected, he re-entered in spite of a doubled guard. The Privy Council, before whom he was eventually tried, sent him to prison as a rogue and vagabond. No sooner had he (initted- his cell than they disco-yered him back in the Queen's apart- ments, toying with a couple of cokl chickens and half a hum He merely wanted to hear rnifflriatf. of the Royal conversation to writer book, he sa-id. Many times he had seen the Queen, once when the late German Empress was bjti a few hours old. What came of "In-I-go" Jones, as a wit dubbed him, was never known. It was announced that he bad developed a sodden passion, for the Navy, hut a lunatic aeylam was the more generally' Lsayjccted «ad oftt»g,eetien*m« j

I VIOLENT HUSBAND SAfD TO BE CURED OF WrFE BEATING BY RADIUM. Dr. A. Darier, of Paris, has Tfeen giving a newspaper correspondent some particulars of experiments with radium. He has tried the new agent upon a variety of people, amongst them being a male patient who suffered from strange somnambulistic attacks, during which he would get up, maltreat his wife, and break everything within reach. Then he would leave the house and roam about the streets for two or three hours, at the end of which time he would return home, go to bed, and fall asleep again. So frequent did these violent fit-- become that his wife left him. He was treated with radium applications for twelve days. Then he disappeared for about three months, when he and his wife came to tell Dr. Darier that the affliction from which he formerly suffered had gone, and that they were living together again.

GIRL ABDUCTED. Foreign Woman Lures Her Away. A young Jewess of eighteen is the latest addition to the already long list of London's missing girls. She came from Russia three years ago, going to live with her brother and sister in the East End of London. Four weeks ago she obtained a situation as domestic servant in Old Montague-street. The mistress and the girl seem to have quarrelled, and in conse- quence she was sent home accompanied by a boy. While passing through Brick-lane she was accosted by a woman, who told her she had a situation for her. The girl then bade the boy good-bye, and she has not since been heard of. The story is similar to one told at the Old Bailey, London, but a few weeks ago, and which led to the conviction of a notorious female criminal, named Girdle, the head of the celebrated South London Girdle Gang." The complainant was a Polish girl of sixteen, and she was employed by her mother, who sold sweets on a stall near Brick-lane. She was a handsome girl, and one day a well- dressed woman spoke to her as she was going homewards, explaining that she was the pro- prietress of a public-house, and that she wanted a young girl as a barmaid. She met the girl several times afterwards, and on each occasion she drew very alluring pictures of the handsome dresses the girl would wear, and finally the latter agreed to run away from home. The alleged landlady of the public-house took the girl to a house in Brixton, and after- wards concealed her at Tooting, finally caus- ing her to lead a bad life. The woman was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.

EXCITING FOX CHASE. I Reynard Takes Refuge in a Chimney. In connection with Friday's run of the Ecath Court hounds an exciting incident occurred near Cardiff. The hounds met at Heath Park, and soon after they had been put in cover they were on the scent of a fine fox. He crossed some market gardens to Mer- thyr-road, and on Mr. Poole's farm took shelter in a wood. One of the dogs drove him out, and Reynard then made for home, but was prevented by a number of followers on foot. He then went down the Philog-roa.d. got to the back of some houses facing Oaer- philly-road, and jumped on to a wall. After vai-cls he got on to the roof of a wash-house, then on the roofs of dwelling-houses, and walked along the crests of two buildings. The fox managed to jump 3ft. on to the chimney-stack, and went down the chimney. Here he lodged himself for over an hour, and caused great excitement, till at last the tenant of the house (MT. S. Mulliner) and the whip put some straw in the fireplace, and thus smoked him out. Reynard came down to the front room half dead, and was given to the dogs. The incident caused quite a hundred and fifty people to collect around theo house, and persons from Cardiff came on Sunday to look at the p-lace. The hounds re- visited the same wood, and soon found another fox, which gave them some grand sport. Eventually he was ran to ground.

LOCAL DIVORCE CASE. I Sequel to a Marriage at Ponty- pridd. In the Divorce Division of the Bigh Court of Justice, on Monday, before the President, the case of Blenkiron v. Blenkirou was heard. I This was a suit of Mrs. Ada. Blenkiron, mana- geress of a dressmaking firm in New Bond- street, for a dissolution of her marriage with Mr. Duncan Blenkiron, a travellers' salesman, on the ground of cruelty and misconduct. The suit was undefended. Mr. Burnard appeared for the petitioner, and explained that the marriage took place in July, 1892, at Ponty- pridd. Afterwards the parties lived together in New Bond-street, London, and other places. There were four children. The husband had on a number of occasions been guilty of vio- lence to his wife. He had struck her with his fist, and used bad language to her. Once he twisted her arm, and he had also pushed her downstairs and severely bruised her. With regard to the misconduct, on the 6th of November, 1502, the respondent met a young woman whom he took to the Empire Theatre at Deptford. He then took her to a house, where, it is alleged, misconduct took place. Petitioner gstve evidence in support of counsel's statement, and the young woman referred to was called and spoke to the mis- conduct. A decree nisi was granted.

WRETCHED LIFE AND DEATH I Revelations at a Swansea Inquest I An inquest was held at the Three Com- passes, Swansea, on Monday afternoon on the body of Charles Richards, a painters' labourer, 67 years of age, who was foand dead in bed at No. 9. Goraerian-place, Swansea.— Mary Ann Woodward, a widow, with whom he lived, was the only witness as to death, and she knew little about it.—Dr. Edwards said that the man died from extreme weak- ness and cardiac failure. He had been ill for days, and should have been properly dieted. The house was in an insanitary state. He had reported it to the sanitary authority some time before, and he could not understand why it was allowed to be occu- pied.—Mrs. Woodward was re-called, and severely questioned as to her drinking habits. —In summing uP. the Coroner said the house was not fit for human habitation, and Richards did not appear to have been properly attended to. The woman, who had been living with him for about nine years, appeared to have neglected him in every possible way. She did not appear to know what she was talking about. She did not trouble to call in a doctor when she knew that he was sinking. She was a disgraceful class of woman.—The jury, in returning a verdict of "Death from cardiac failure," severely censured Mrs. Woodward, whose con- duct, they said, almost amounted to culpable negligence.

"COLONEL" LYNGHS MOVEMENTS. A Dieppe telegram appears in the Paris Rappel" to-day, according to which "Colonel" Lynch is coming to stay for a long time at Dieppe with his family, after which he will move on to Rouen.Reuter.

M. LEPINE AS DIPLOMATIST. I The Paris "Antorite" gives currency to a I rumour that M. Lepine, prefect of police on the Seine, will shortly be appointed Anaboo-, .-Md= -to,-

CHILD FOR SALE. THREE POUNDS ASKED FOR A STOLEN GIRL. The remarkable story of a child that was offered for sale for L3 was told at Burnley yesterday. The child's disappearance had caused a great stir in Lancashire, police notices having been circula.ted throughout the county. A woman bad called at the door of a house occupied by a Mrs. Carney, amd she had taken the child from a girl on the pre- text of permitting it to enjoy the music of a, barrel-organ. The child was not returned to its parents' custody. Last week, however, a woman entered a Bury lodging-house with a. child in her arms, and the ill-treatment which the little one received excited the pity of a young labourer, to whom the stranger even- tually offered to sell it for L3. On condition that the child was properly signed over to him, the labourer agreed to the bargain. His suspiciona Were subsequently aroused, how- ever, and he sent his wife to the police- station, with the result that the stranger was arrested. The child was identified by its mother, who was over-joyed to receive it into her arms agaih. Ann Brooks, twenty-four, charged yesterday with stealing the child, had nothing to say to the magistrates, and was committed for trial to the Liverpool Assizes.

THE PLUMBERS'STRIKE AT CARDIFF During the past few weeks there has been a dispute with the local operative plumbers employed at the Cardiff municipal buildings. It appears that a contract was given to a heating engineering firm. and it had come to knowledge that this firm employed others than plumbers to do certain work said to be recognised as plumbers' work. A protest was sent to the firm. and afterwards the plumbers struck work on the new Town-hall and law courts. Mr. Lanchester (architect) consented to act as arbitrator in the dispute, and his award stated that Messrs. Ashwell and Nesbitt must, under their contract dated the 30th of October, 1901, employ plum- bers for the hot-water services, except in the case of such parts of the work as involved the use of the type of joints known as D. M. Nesbitt's patent joint; and that the stamp duty on the award be paid in equal shares by the two parties. The plumbers have Accepted the award, under a protest in regard to the point which mentions D. M. Nesbitt's patent joint, and work has been resumed.

ATTACKS ON MR. R. BELL, M.P. At a conference attended by delegates from over 30 branches of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants held in Manchester the position of Mr. Richard Bell, M.P., general secretary of the society, was considered. After questions had been asked and answered by Mr. Bell, the meeting passed a resohition of unabated confidence in Mr. Bell, and expressed its appreciation of his services to labour in general and railwaymen in particular. It further expressed its regret that Mr. Bell should be subjected to con- tinued and unwarrantable attacks by men outside his own society and constituency, who could not know the whole facts and circumstances surrounding his various duties and actions.

SHOP ASSISTANTS- ACT David Williams, draper, Bute-street, Tre- orky, was summoned under the Seats for Shop Assistants Act at the Ystrad Court on Mon- day.-Inspector Williams spoke to visiting the defendant's establishment. There were no seats provided in a suitable place for the young lady assistants.—Mr. Millward, who defended, stated that the assistants used the seats pro- vided for customers when they were not en- gaged in serving.—The Stipendiary said that this was the old way, and imposed a fine of 91. John Gunn, Bute-street, Treherbert, was fined Li for a similar offence.

RAILWAYS AND MOTOR-CARB. I The Great Western Railway Company are rapidly developing their recently-inaugurated motor-oar service. Arrangements are now being made whereby no fewer than fourteen steam motors and 25 road motors will be running in June, the for- mer on the railway line and the ljwtter in various districts where the local traffic can be advantageously nursed.

BRITISH SHIPWRECKED; LIVES LOST I Lloyd's agent at Pernambaco states that the Brittsh barque Inverlyon, from Port Pirie for Antwerp, and the German barque Klioramn, from Wyborg for South Africa, were in col- lision on January 24. The former sank and is totally lost. Part of the crew were saved and I landed at Pernambuco. The letter vessel is I slightly damaged.

ILLNESS OF LORD GOSCHfN I Lord Gosehen, who has boon eonfiaed to his room with a severe cold since his refcarn to Seacox Heath from Newcastle, will not be able to attend the meeting of Parliament to-day.

SOUTH WALES GOLF NOTES. I Particulars of the only competition played at Penarth last week were given in these columns yesterday morning, and the only rtem to be added in connection with the Gla- motganshire Club is that the Vyvyan-Robin- son Cup will be played for next Saturday. The laody members of the Glamorganshire Club played for their oltrt) cup on Friday, and the following scores were returned:- Gross. Handicap. Net. Mrs. Bird 120 26 94 Ml86 b I oung 105 9 96 Mrs. Ward 111 8 103 Mrs. Pertwee 131 23 168 Xt,L-o Gibson 120 11 109 RADYR CLUB. The semi-final for the Franklin Thomas Bowl took place -at Radyr on Saturday in shocking weather, with the following results: —The Rev. W. E. Shaw (captain) beat A. J. Soloman, 4 up and 2 to play; and J. P. Edmunds beat W. T. Da, 1 up. On Saturday next the captain will meet J. P. Edmunds for the final-36 holes. BARRY. The Barry Golf Club played their monthly! bogey competition on Saturday last, in weti weather. Beaalt:— Handicap. Rev. H. H. Stewart .5 1 down. E. Chaster 18 4.. W. Williams 8 4" H. Alexander 5 6 Seven entries. An amusing story, says the "News of the World," is going the round of the clnbe at present, which, we understand, possesses the merit-ri-ot shared by all club stories—of being f?xmded on fact. It seems tbat, the best of three monnm ago, a 9tock Exchange =t,hoyl met om of our best known amateum amd tried to wager a fiter that war would be declared within a week. Our hero of St. George's Oup fame replied, No, I won't bet, but ril do this—I'll give you a 'fiver' now, and you'll give me a shilling a. day until war is formally declared." Done! said the rasu of stocks and shares, and the money ebaaiged hands. Sinoe then the golfer bas been earning his shrilling per diem, and as the interest works out at a return of 365 per cent., he eon- aiders that up to the present the investment has been (and possibly may be for some time to oome) a remarkably good one. —————————————

The Merthyr bench yesterday made an>order upon Dennis Sullivan to p?y 1?. a week towards the support of his wife amd chUdren, wbom he had deserted at Marthyr, the wife stating that there were tMrteen obildrm of the marriage, and that for the pag twelve months she had c'nI?TecetveQ frcm bm-bm- ,8814'

SOLD INTO SHAME. I A SENSATIONAL CASE OF ABDUCTION. I A case of abduction which has occurred at Berlin recently shows the audaoity with which unscrupulous dealers in the white slave traffic conduct their nefarious opera- j tions. A young man of distinguished appear- ance and manners, giving the name of Cron- berg, presented himself at the house of a Government official named Schmidt, bringing introductions from a friend of Sohmidt resid- ing in Vienna. On the strength of these warm recommendations Schmidt admitted Cronberg to his family circle, and soon treated him as a confidential friend. Shortly afterwards Oronberg ceased his visits, and at the same time Schmidt's daughter dis- appeared. The father was forced to the con- clusion that the cessation of Cronberg's visits was connected with the girl's disappearance; but all efforts on the part of the police to trace the missing ones were unsuccessful. Several weeks later the father heard that his daughter was in Lodz, Russia, and on going there he found her in a house of bad charac- ter. It transpired that Cronberg enticed the girl away from her home, and sold her to the proprietress of the establishment for EZ50. This woman refused to let the girl go till the father paid zElOO which she alleged the daughter owed her.

AFTER A STREET SMASH W In the Oourt of Appeal yesterday the case of Phillips v. the London General Omnibus Company and the London United Tramways (1981) Limited, was mentioned on an applica- tion on behalf of both defendant companies for a stay of execution pending an appeal. The action was tried before Mr. Justice Grantham and a special jury last week, and resulted in both defendant companies being held jointly liable for injuries sustained by Mr. Phillips and his wife while riding on a London General Omnibus Company's 'bus along the Chiswick High-road, there having been a collision between the 'bus and a tramcar belonging to the London United Tramways Company. The trial resulted in a verdict for £2,ro> damages, and JB422 by way of special damages. In the result a stay was granted on the terms that the C422 be paid over to the plaintiffs to be retained by them in any event, and the L2,500 to be paid into a bank on deposit account within fourteen days.

THEATRE-GOERS' PLIGHT. Further floods are reported from the Thames Valley. At Buckingham, where a theatrical com- pany has been performing in a large portable building, erected in Ford Meadow, the floods rose so rapidly on Saturday night that when the performance finished at 10.45 it was found that the meadow was flooded to a depth of over 2ft. The actresses and the women in the audience had to be carried from the building, and in a few cases the men who were carry- ing them slipped and fell into the water with -their burdens. On Sunday horses and carts were employed removing the costumes from the theatre, and the water was fully 3ft. deep, the stage, on which two pianos still stood, being submerged.

CAN ANY POSTMAN BEAT THIS P I Mr. W. P. Battershill, rural postman from Watford to High Cross and Aldenham, has just retired from duty on pension at the age of 60. He commenced his duties on March 3. 1866, and had thus nearly completed 38 years' ser- vice. For 21 years his daily journey was 28 miles on week-daya and eighteen on Sundays, and for the first ten years he did continuous service, having neither a holiday nor illness. During his service he has walked 309,000 miles, or more than twelve times the circum- ference of the world.

THE KtNG AND WAR RELIEF FUND t The King recently had laid before him the report and resume of the proceedings of the Central Council for the Organisation of the War Relief Funds, formed as the result of a conference at Marlborough House in 1900. In a reply, dated the 28th ult., Lord Knollys expressea his Majesty's warm thanks to the central committee for the organisation of the war relief funds, for the work which, at his request, they had been good enough to under- take, and states that his Majesty was very gratified to find that the outcome of their labours had been the Patriotic Fund Re- organisation Act of 1903, and the formation of the body constituted under that Act.

THE RISING IN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA I The shipping firm of Elder-Dempster, having offered to place their vessels at the service of the German Emperor in view of the dis- turbances in German South-west Africa, have received a reply from the Kaiser as follows:— "Thanks for -offer. No more steamers wanted at present." An official dispatch received at Berlin on Monday from the Governor of South-west Africa states that the rebel Bondelawaarts, with their chiefs, surrendered near the Orange River on January 28.

PENARTH TRAMWAY SCHEME I At a mooting of the Penarth Di&trict Council on Monday evening, Mr. W. Jones presiding, a letter was receive3 from the syndicate which desired to construct a tram- line from Cardiff to Pea?rtt, stating that the propd Bill had been tropped for the present session, but expressing a hope that by next session the council would see its way clear to agree with the views of the pro- moters.

THREE FIREMEN SUFFOCATED. I Three firemen are dead and; four are in a precarious condition, while twelve were in- jured as the result of fumes of burning jute that they inhaled while fighting a stubborn fire at Brooklyn. They were toppled over like straws by the deadly smoke, and were carried unconscious into an adjoining building. One poor fellow, a Roman Catholic, died before his removal. The chaplain of the fire department made his way to the fallen man in the street, and administered the last ritee of the Church.

EVEHiNG EXPRESS" HIDDEN I TREASURE. J. 0." (Ebbw Vale).—The statement made by the newsagent to which you refer is incor- rect. We have already given in the "Express" full information as to the finding of all the lots of Express hidden treasure. If, as you say, you and your friends don't believe" and won't believe the statements we have made as to the person who hid the treasure, and the date on which it was hidden, we feat we can do nothing more in the way of satis- fying you on these points.

MR. WHITNEY SERIOUSLY ILL. I Mr. Whitney, the well-known raoehorse owner, who was operated on yesterday for appendicitis, is to-day m a serious condition. --Oeutral News.

MME. NOiaMCA DIVORCED. I Mme. Zoltao Dome (Madame Nordica) has been granted a divorce by the New York Court. The details of the case have not been allowed to transpire.—Central News.

In the High Court on Monday the name of Warwick Vernon Bra?ey wM struck off the roll of solicitors. Bradley was co-oviowd at Ckrkmw,eU %eswono recently of obt?inmg mow by fa-l- Proteows, and eeBteaced t<?

[TRACING A SISTER.1 I ROMANTIC STORY OF A LETTER. A remarkable story is told by Mr. Jordan, warehouseman at Messrs. Bolton and Sons' Great Copper Works, Oakamoor, Staffordshire. Having for 25 years lost his sister, Jordan conceived the idea of putting the following letter in a coil of copper going abroad:- To a Kind Friend,-Twenty-fivie years ago my sister, Mis. E. Hardiman, went to Syd- ney, New South Wales. I have not heard from her since. If by chance this lettet drope into the hands of anyone who knows any Sardinians, I should be glad to hear from them. They left Wednesbury, South Staffs, when I was a little boy. A line overseer in South Australia in the employment of the telegraph department found this letter attached to a coil of wire which had been forwarded to him. He read the letter, and despatched it to the post- master at Adelaide. That official passed it on to a colleague in Sydney, who in turn sent it to the postmaster at Balniain. The latter, knowing a, Mrs. Hardiman, interviewed her, and found ebe came from Staffordshire, and that her maiden name was Jordan. Mrs. Hardiman said she wrote twelve years ago to her brother, but did not receive a reply. Correspondence has now been resumed, thanks to the colonists' kindly trouble.

IALLEGED THEFT & FORGERY Serious Charges Against a Boy At Bow-street Police-court, London, yester- day, Bertie Albert Stickland, aged sixteen, a boy wearing a sailor's uniform, was charged (before Mr. Fenwick) with theft and forgery. Mr. Biron prosecuted on behalf of the Union Bank of London. Prisoner was formerly a clerk in the employ of Mr. Letts, a solicitor. On November 17 he suddenly left his employ- ment without notice. On December 22 Mr. Letts discovered that on November 17 (the day on which the prisoner had disappeared) someone had drawn in his name in favour of H. T. Clark a cheque for L21. The cheque had been cashed, and, on examining it, Mr. Letts discovered that the body and the en- dorsement were in the prisoner's handwriting. He could not say who wrote the signature "Henry Letts," but it was certainly a forgery. A young man named H. T. Clark was formerly in the employ of Mr. Letts, but he left some time ago. The prisoner, it appears, joined the training ship Boscawen at Portland, after spending the money he had dishonestly ob- tained, and he was arrested there. Proceed- ing to deal with the charge of theft, Mr. Biron said that on' October 8 Mr. Letts sent the prisoner to his bank with three JS10 notes, which he was to pay in, and he returned to the office with the paying-in slip initialled. It was afterwards discovered, however, that the notes had not been banked, and the ini- tials on the slip were forged. One of the notes were changed at the Ludgate Hill Post- office, and the other two at a post-office in Fleet-street. They were endorsed by the prisoner in different names.-Evidouce was given in support of this statement.—Prisoner (who on his arrest said he had spent the money in Manchester) was committed for trial.

OLD GENTLEMAN AND HiS REVOLVER At Worship-street Police-court, London, yes- terday, Henry Wise, 62, described as of no occupation, was charged with presenting a revolver and attempting to shoot a boy.— The lad, about sixteen years of age, said that he and another boy named Wilson were in Bethnal Green on Saturday evening, and the prisoner crossed the street to them, looked in their faces, and then raised a revolver close to his (witness's) face and said he would blow his brains out. He had his finger on the trigger at the time. He walked away muttering. Witness said he had never seen the prisoner before. Witness spoke to a police-constable after that, and the prisoner was taken in charge.—Two other boys in court were said to have been also threatened. and the revolver (a large one) was produced by a police-constable, who said that the prisoner produced it to him when asked for it. It was then loaded in fonr chambers.— Mr. Cluer doubted if there was any evidence of attempting to shoot. The Excise might have something to say in the matter, and he remanded the prisoner for them to be com- municated with.

FRENCH EX-PREMIER'S HEALTH. The "Echo de Paris" says:—The health of M. Waldeck R-oussean has noticeably improved. The ex-Premier is gradually re- covering his strength, and he is in appreciably better spirits. All danger is over, and the doctors have decided that surgical assistance is not necessary. M. Waldeck Rousseau, who has not left his room for six weeks, is now receiving ms friends again. His appetite has returned, and every hope is entertained for a speedy recovery. According to the "Gil Bias," however, the ex-Premier's health has not improved, and his condition is giving ground for renewed anxiety to his family and friends. As the result of a very thorough-going consultation, the newspaper adds, the doctors have oome to the conclusion that a. surgical operation is necessary, and one will shortly be performed. -Reuter.

THE MAIMING OUTRAGES I Yesterday, in the King's Bench Division, the Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Wills, and Mr. Justice Kennedy, with Mr. Cousins, of the Incorporated Law Society, again adjourned the case of the Birmingham solicitor Edalji, the Home Secretary not having yet replied to the memorials, which now include over 10,000 signatures. One of the most distinguished K.C.'s in Parliament haa considered the details of the matter, and wrote on Thursday to the Home Secretary that 'be was firmly coftvinceù of the innocence of Mr. Edalji. This view is concurred in by distinguished members of the Bar, notably Mr. Atherley Jones, ii.C., M.P., Sir M. Bhownaggree, K.C., S.I., M.P., and others, including Mr. Warner, M.P., the mem- ber for the Wyrley Division.

DRINK OR MAGNETISM I Harry Johnson, a labourer, who was at Keighley yesterday charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct, told the bench that somebody bad been playing mesmeric tricks upon him.-Aiderman Brigg: You want us to understand that you had been megmeriaeclp- Prisoner: Not mesmerieed, but something having the same result. If a man drugs another, and then places a hand on his shoul- der and uses electric magnets the man becomes under the influence of mesmerism. (Laaghter.)-Al,dernkan Brigg: We shall have to treat you as having been affected by some- thing a little more prosaic than magnetism. (Laughter.)—Fined 28. Sd. and oosts.

The ? M?o?s?FMetfy ?"* 1 IndigemtiOBi. | Food? weH Jtgested, is the origin of 1 strength. To be strong and healthy, assist your stomach, liver, and kidneys to do their work perfectly by taking Mother Seigel's Syrup, which contains food-digesting ferments and gentle tonics for the stomach, and has cured more dyspeptics than any other medicine in the world. MOTHER J SEIGELi 4YRUP-

MURDER MYSTERY. FATE OF A YOUNG POLISH JEWESS. Evidence of Remarkable Injuries at Inquest. Mr. W. Schroder, the deputy-coroner for St. Pancras, London, yesterday afternoon re- sumed the inquiry into the mysterious cir- cumstances connected with the death of Dora Kiernicke, a Polish Jewess, 28, who was found with her throat cut at her apartments in Whitfield-street, Tottenham Court-road, on December 30 last. The evidence given at the opening of the inquest a month ago was to the effect that the deceased was sesn talking to a man in Tottenham COurt-road as late as 12.30 on the morning of the day of the tragedy. A few hours later a lodger, who occupied a room beneath that of the deceased, heard cries, but did not enter the woman's apart- ment, and no one was seen to leave the house. The door of the room rented by the deceased was found to be locked, and, on its being forced by the police, Kiernicke was discovered lying on the bed dead. Jewellery and money to the value of L7 17s. 6d., which she was known to have possessed, were found wrapped in some bedding in an ante-room, but no weapon or key of the door was discovered, and a further suspicious circumstance was that one of the two windows in the room, which was on the ground floor, was found open. The Landlord of the Whitfield-street house, re-called, said that on the afternoon of the tragedy he looked in a box where the deceased was in the habit of placing her key, and found that it was not there. He was not sus- picious, however, at that time. He went out and walked into Regent's Park. He denied, however, that he threw anything into the canal, or that he threw anything away that afternoon. When he reached home his wife drew his attention at once to the fact that the key of the deceased's room was missing. Professor Pepper, who made the post- mortem examination, was re-called, and said it was singular that there should be a whole line of bruises on one side of the chest, and another large one on the other side. It would have been a little difficult for those to have been received by a fall. They might have been caused by anyone kneeling against the chest. There was not a sign that she had fallen against anything. He had made many examinations with regard to bruises, but had never seen such a series of bruises as those on the deceased's side. Annie Cohen, a tailoress, of 47, Upper Rath- bone-place, W.C., said she had known the deceased about five weeks. Occasionally she had slept with the deceased. The last time was on the night before her death. The deceased had told her she was afraid to sleep by herself. Henry Talbot, a hairdresser, said he occu- pied the room below that of the deceased. About one a.m. on December 3 he heard a. noise as if two persons were entering the room above. Witness distinctly heard two people talking. Just after that he went to sleep. James Berber, the keeper of a German restaurant in Upper Rathbone-place, deposed to changing some money for the deceased on December 29. She then had about £8 in her possession. Percy Hollester, gulleyman, employed by the St. Pancras Borough Council, said on January 12 he was engaged in emptying the gulleys in Whitfield-street. About 30 yards from No. 115, Whitfield-street he found a razor in a gulley. The blade was notched and broken. The gulley was last emptied in November. On January 25 he also discovered three door keys in a gulley 75 yards away from the house where deceased was found. Dr. Pepper, re-called, stated that the wounds had not been caused by the razor, and the keys would not fit the bedroom door. Dr. Stevens, the Home Office expert, stated that from an analysis of the organs of the deceased he had come to the conclusion that death was not due to poison. The jury returned an open verdict. Police Proceedings. I At Marlborough Police-court yesterday John Ross, 31, describing himsalf as a clerk, was charged, on his own confession, with the murder of Dora Piernicke, at Whitfield-street, on December 29 last. The police produced the following statement which had been taken in writing and signed by the prisoner:— My name is John Ross. I wish to state that about five or six weeks ago I murdered a woman in Whitfie-ld-streert, Totterchaan Oourt-road. I do not know her name. She was a Polish or Russian Jewess. I met her in Oxford-street about eleven o'clock, and gave her half a sovereign. I won't say anything more. Detective Kane stated that the prisoner bad been drinking, and some hours afterwards, when sober, said that tfttere was no truth in the confession, and that he was drunk when he made it. He added that he could prove that what he said was all false, for on the daJlie when the woman died he was in Wands- worth Gaol. He (Deteefcive Kane) had, upon inquiry, found it was a fact that the prisoner was in gaol when the woman died, he having been sent to prison for being drunk. The accused was now discharged.

BAD, CHARACTERS AT BRECON. I At Brecon Borough Police-court on Monday Frank :M:a.Uh is on 24, High-street, Newport, and David Donoughue, Wigan, were charged with stealing a loin of mutton, of the value of 4s. 2d., the property of Mr. H. W. Phillips, Ship-street, butcher, on January 26. Mat- thieowi pleaded guilty, and took all the blame upon himself. He was under the influence of drink at the time, and could not explain why he took the meat. Evidence was given to the effect that the men were seen together before and after the theft.-Polioe-&ergeant Hand said that they had been discharged from the barracks that morning as bad characters. Matthison was sentenced to three, and Donoughue to two months, with hard labour.

A HUSBAND'S MISCONDUCT. I In the Divorce Court on Monday Mrs. Alioe Mary Gertrude Druett, living at Brighton, was granted a decree nisi because of the deser- tion and misconduct of her husband, Mr. Albert Edward Druett, described as a journalist. The petitioner stated the mar- riage took place at Harlesden. Her husband had been managing editor of a local paper. They had lived at Horsham and Crawley together. Her hnsband used to drink. Evi- dence was oalled that respondent had co- habited with another woman in London.

LUXURY AND MISCONDUCT. In the Divorce Division on Monday Mrs. Lilian Garland was granted a decree nisi because of the desertion and misconduct of her husband, Mr. Arthur Nathaniel Garland, a. gentleman with an income of £ 8,000 a year. It was stated that the respondent bought horses from a lady with whom he rode In Rotten Row. He was constantly in the society of this lady, and had visited Bexhili, and had stayed the night with her there at an hotel.

RHONDDA POLICE ASSAULTS. Richard Williams, a. sturdy, thick-set labourer, of Pontypridd, appeared before the Yu,trad "nagiatralm on Monday charged with assaulting Pblick-constable Williams on Satur- day night. Mr. Charles Matthews defended.— Defendant was fined S2. At the same court Richard Rees, Treherbert, was fined j31 for assaulting Police-constable Robert Davies, at Pentre, on Monday last.

UNREHEARSED SCENE AT A MERTHYR PANTOMIME. At Merthyr Police-court on Monday Frank James, a lad, was summoned for wilfully damaging a number of serated water bottlae at the Theatre Royal, Merthyr. Mr. W. W. Meredith appeared on behalf of Mr. Smithson, the proprietor of the theatre.—The defendant, who when the offence was committed was JiL-n occupant of the gallery on the occasion of a pantomime performance, was ordered to pay 1.56., including 6d., the value of the bottles broken.

A fine of 40s. and eosts was imposed at Merthyr Police-court yesterday upon David John Davies 4or ilgfctiorHil_tlttNpitWi^ street at-Dowlais,

I NEW PAVILION TO BE STARTED AT ONCE. The joint committee of the Cardiff Football I and Cricket Clubs submitted the second report to the Cardiff Cricket Club and Football Club committees on Monday evening in regard to the erection of the new pavilion on the Cardiff Arms Park. It was stated in the report that all preliminaries had been satisfactorily arranged, and the plans of the building, pre- pared by Messrs. Veall and Sant, the Cardiff architects, were submitted. The cricket club committee, who met under the presidency of Mr. Vernon T. Hill, unani- mously adopted the recommendations of the joint committee, and approved of the plans, as to which there was a unanimity of opinion that the accommodation would be on the most up-to-date lines and satisfactory to everybody. The plans have also been approved by the football club committee. Instructions have been given to the joint committee to take all necessary steps for the erection of the pavilion, and, subject to the approval of the Bute authorities, there is every reason to antici-pate that the building will be completed by the early part of the\ cricket season. The date of the annual meeting of the cricket club has been fixed for Friday, March 4, at the Angel Hotel.

THE PROPOSED CRICKET COMPETITION. Only Six Counties so far Have Joined. Entries for the above competition should have reached the hon. secretary ISir F. H. Bacon) by the end of January. The follow- ing counties have sent in their entries-- Gloucester, Sussex, Warwickshire, Leicester, Derby, and Hampshire. t DEATH OF AN OLD CRICKETER. The death, from bronchitis, occurred at Barnet of William Hearn, the Hertfordshire cricketer, better known as a class umpire and member of the Marylebone ground staff, which he joined in 1878.

I LYDNEY SKELETON. I A Singular Find in a Wood. An inquest was held by Mr. W. Guise (deputy-coroner) at the Travellers' Rest, Ayl- burton, on Monday, on the body of William Harris, aged 33, labourer, who resided with his widowed mother at Aylburton. Mr. William Robins was foreman of the jury. It transpired that on May 22 last deceased left home at half-past six p.m. without a coat. As he went out he was asked if he would be back to tea, and he said, Yes, presently." Later he was seen by Edward Mills, platelayer, going through Fernleigh Wood, Aylburton Common. His brother made inquiries, and reported to the police. On May 25 Inspector Griffith and Police- constables Hazell and Morgan searched the wood, and on making inquiries found that a man of Harris's description had gone through Woolaston to Newport without a coat. As Harris had gone in this manner several times, and stayed away for several months without letting his friends know where he was going, it was thought he had gone again. Nothing was heard of him till Friday, when a shooting party was in Fern- leigh Wood and came across the remains. He was identified by his brother by the rotted clothes. There was an open knife on a stone close by him, but the body was too far decomposed for Dr. Thomas to say how deceased died, but was of opinion that there were no bloodstains on the blade of the knife. The jury returned a verdict of "Found dead in Fernleigh Wood," there being not suffi- cient evidence to show how Harris came by his death.

FALSE PRETENCES. I Swansea Agent Sentenced. I At Devonshire Assizes on Monday, at Exeter, John Weeks, insurance agent, of Swansea, appeared to two indictments, one for obtain- ing 30s. from John Parminter, retired builder, Barnstaple, by forged assignments of two insurance policies, and one for obtaining two cheques of £5 each by flaJee pretences from Richard Charley, butcher, SowfchporcfstreeV, Barnstaple. The proseentor in the first case said his suspicions that, the documents were not genuine were first aroused when he met William Baker, agent of the Prudential Assurance Company, at Newport, whose name was aittached as a witness. Baker told him he did ntot sign tJhe documents. When informed of this the prisoner eaad there were more William Bakers than one. Prosecutor con-tinued to pay premiums, and subsequently discovered that none of the signajtvres were genome, In the case of the alleged false pretences it appears that at the end of 1901 the prisoner, then in the employ of the Prudential Assurance Company, sold prosecutor two policies for Lio. He obtained these policies from Mrs. Daroh, who had let prisoner have them to raise money on. Both parties had been paying premiums on two policies to the accused, who bad from Charley 210 andt7 7a. for premiums which he put into his pocket. He represented to Mrs. Darch that he had mislaid the policies when she asked him for them. The first charge against the prisoner was abandoned, and on the second charge he pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six mouths' hard labour.

SERVANT FATALLY BURNED. Distressing Accident at Chepstow I At Chepstow Police-court on Monday Mr. C. Evill, deputy-coroner for the Manor of Chepstow, held an inquest concerning the death of Mabel Violet Jones, of Blakeney, aged 15 years, a domestic servant in the employ of Mr. F. Hammond, surveyor and inspector of nuisances to the Chepatow Rural District Council, residing at Mount Pleasant, Chepstow. It seemed thai, on Friday, January 22, the girl had, against orders, used paraffin with the fire, and got some on her clothing. A spark flew out of the fire and ignited her clothing, and she rushed out into the open air. Mrs. Hammond threw a. skin and & mackintosh around her, but she broke away and scream-ed for water. Her clothes were burnt off her, and in the afternoon she was admitted to the workhouse infirmary, where she lingered till ten minutes past eight on Sunday night, when she expired. The jary returned a verdict of "Death from shock, the result of burns accidentally received."

THE "CURSE OF CENTRAL AFRICA In the King's Bench Division on Monday Sir Edward Clarke mentioned the actions brought by three Belgian officers against the author and publishers of the book called H The Oar" of Central Africa." The book retated to the administration of the Congo Free State, and it was alleged that it contained libels against the officers in question. Counsel asked that the case should stand over, as it in. volved the examination of witnesses from Belgium. Mr. Justice Lawrence assented, fix- ing the case for March 15.

THE REVOLT IN URUGUAY A dispatch from Monte Video says that it is officially announced that a Government force of 1*500 men has met with disaster at Van Ramon. The revolutionists attaeked General Munoxo's division and captared his ammunition. The general succeeded, how- ever, in saving his guns. Two reghxumto of the Pactional Guard in Monte Video have been disbanded owmg to on attempt-to >xise^ The ^taaUuo^iy«erknc»^Bgttteiv j

BANK-NOTE ROBBERYI IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY MR. MARSHALL. The police believe they have a clue to that thieves who abstracted bank-notes to the value of zCl2,000 from the Hotel Metropole on Friday morning. Mr. George Marshall, soli- citor, of Retford, who owned the money, offers a reward of L100 for information which shall lead to the conviction of the person or per-l, sons who carried out the robbery. To this the directors of the hotel will add another; Lloo. Mr. Marshall has made a statement as to the circumstances of the robbery. From this statement it appears that the £ 6,000 in notes which eampeirthe thieves, although the notes to that a-mount were actuilly in the case from which the other notes were stolen, had not been drawn from the bank in London. but had been received from Messrs. Beckett's Bank at Retford before leaving. It is, ther^ fore, probable that the thieves had no sus- picion of their presence. After receiving my dispatch-case, containing the notes, from the hotel officials," Mr. Marshall sayia, I carried it to my bedroom, where the safety of all the contents was verified. When I had finished with the papers I locked them up with the notes, which were then safe, in the dispatch-caee, and placed it in my Gladstone bag, near the window. About twenty minuted after ten I went downstairs to get shaved. In the saloon I had to wait a qnarter of an hour for my turn, and I returned to the central-hall about 11.15. I then went upstairs and took down my greatcoat and hat, and opened my Gladstone bag to get the dis- patch-case. When I took hold of the handle of the case it fell open like an accordion, and I immediately saw something was wrong. I went to the secretary'a office, and, having found Mr. Harn, explained matters, and asked him to accompany me to my bedroom. When there I opened the bag and dispatch- case, which had been cut open with some sharp instrument just round the lock. It was a clean cut, which must have been done with a very sharp knife. I turned out the con- tents, and found the six £1,000 notes in the envelope where I had placed them. The £ 12,000, which consisted of ten £1.000 and foar JB500 notes, had digappeared."

I THE MAJOR'S MONEY. t Being the Tale of a Stony Pit A story of a stone quarry led to William Douglas Cairn ey, said to be a well-known Glasgow accountant, being charged at Guilds hall, London, yesterday, with obtaining some £ 5,000 from Major W. T. Forbery by false pro- ton ces. Mr. Grain, in opening, said other charges would come later. Major Forbery, a Warwick- shire J.P., met prisoner, who told him a very attractive story of a stone quarry which had made a profit of 918,000 in less than a year with a small capital. The two agreed to start a new syndicate called the Granite Corpora- tion, in which the major put £ 5,000. paid by two cheques of £2,000 and £ 3,000. At the same time he paid over £ 430 for unissued shares in the United Quarries Company, which were said to be worthless. It was said also that the Z18,000 profit shown by prisoner's balance. sheet ought really, according to the books, to have been a loss of £ 1,304. A number of other serious alleged irregu. larities were described by counsel. A resolu- tion was passed by the board that a new account should be opened for the Granite Corporation in Scotland, and Major Forbery handed £3,000 to prisoner for this purpose. but he paid it into the account of the old company, on which there was a large over- draft. Altogether, Major Forbery had lost £ 15,000 or X16,000 over these transactions. Prosecutor then gave evidence in support of the opening statement. The prosecutor was submitted to a, long cross-examination by Mr. Muir to show that he (the prosecutor) had taken steps to verify the statements made by the defendant, and that he had expressed himself as satisfied with the position of affairs. While cross-examination was proceeding Alderman Sir John Bell said he did not see that it was of any use for the case to be pro- ceeded with. No jury would convict. Mr. Grain: The whole of the evidence is nofe before you yet, sir. Sir John Bell: Case dismissed.

I "HER SOUL WAS LOST." A Woman's Self-Starvation. Dr. Wynn Westcott. coroner, held an inquest at Hackney, London, yesterday concerning the death of Sabina Martha Cole, 59, a single woman, of independent means, late of Dalgton. The evidence showed that deceased was of eccentric habits, and lived alone. On the 13th ult. her condition was found to be such that the relieving officer was called in. and she was removed to the infirmary as a lunatic. She died on Friday last.-Dr. J. J. Gordon, medical superintendent, Hackney Infirmary, stated that deceased violently resisted being fed. She kept repeating that she was going to the bottomless pit, and that her soul was lost. The autopsy showed that there was not a particle of fat about the body. and the stomach and intestines were very thin and shrunken, showing that deceased had been starving herself for some time. Death was due to exhaustion from starvation.—A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.

STATE PURCHASE OF WELSH COAL AREAS. The scheme suggested by Professor Boyd Dawkins, that the Government should pur. chase certain eoal areas on the South Wales coalfield, to keep them in reserve for naval purposes, is being favourably viewed by some commercial men in the Principality. It is assumed that the areas so bought would not be worked except in the event of a failure. or prospective failure, of supplies from tlis other collieries, so that the customary con- tracts would continue to be given out by the Admiralty to private owners. It is assumed that should it become known that any pur- chase negotiations are being made on behalf of the Government coalowners would demand high prices for the desired areas, and to prevent that the Government will, no doubt, keep its intentions in the matter, in the eventuality of its accepting the scheme, strictly secret.

I FAMOUS FARM FOR SALE. Admirers of Mary Ann Evans ("George Eliot") have bad their interest aroused by the announcement that there is shortly to be offered by public auction, in Birmingham, the Hall Farm, at Corley, on the main road connecting that village with the town of Nuneaton. It is a picturesque old dwelling, and figures conspicuously in the great authoress's masterpiece, "Adam Bede," as the house of the immortal "Mrs. Poyser," and her unfortunate niece, "Hetty Sorrel." The buildings stand amid typical Warwickshire surroundings, and has undergone conside- rable renovation since "George Eliot" brought it into prominence. "George Eliot" waa born within three miles of the place, and, no doubt, often through the woodlands found her way from the South Farm, Arbory, to the home of the "Poysers."

STEEL TRUST MANAGEMENT Mr. Rockefeller is to resign his position on the board of direotors of the United States Steel Trust on account of ill-health. His i will be looked after by Mr. Friok in the future.

George Dixon was ifned lfls. actd aosta at MOTthyr Polin yesterday for being drunk and disorderly at Ynysgau, and he was 18ed and COIÚ &tr <*tr???c with anogm, NMm.  had ?Mamde? ?.?-?.?. ? -?,,?