Evening Express

I PEGG!NG AWAY. The Japanese keep sticking to their business, bringing to it all that punc- tuality, neatness, accuracy, and despatch which tradesman assure us constitute the high road to success. If they don't cap- ture Port Arthur It will not be for lack of dash or persistence. Meantime, though our sympathies are not with Russia, we cannot but bear tribute to the dignined patience of the Northern people under their reverses, and to their quiet deter- mination to see things through. We felt the same ourselves in the early months <?f the Transvaal Campaign. This war may yet be the saJvation of Russia, teach- ing her wholesome lessons, as our South African War taught us-or ought to have taught.

It is said that pTofessiona.1 water-finoon! are complaining that their occupation is I d€pr€8siog!y slack thes? days. I

Cardiff Guardians mayn't be perfect, ) but realiy they leave their Bristol I brethren in the shade. The latter actually refused an offer to take the workhouse children to the pantomime. How about the quality of mercy now?

Mr. Justice Darting has been astonish- ing the Bristol folk. He came down in the morning, took the calendar of seven prisoners, gave one the cat, and re- turned to town in the evening. He couldn't do such a thing in Gl&morgan, that's nat!

Newport's death-rate last week—29— was the highest of any of the great towns of England and Wales, and Swansea, and the Rhocdda followed witM 28 and 27 apiec,e. Merthyes rate was 22 (a wel- come drop compared with some recent weeks), and Cardies 17.

There was a witness at Birkenhead I Police-court on Tuesday whose life wouldn't be sa.fe in Wales for five seconds. Asked if a certain person was dmnk, he replied that the man "spoke Welsh with a Welsh a-cocnt, otherwise he was per- fectly sober. It is the "otherwise" that would sign that witness's death- w&rr&nt.

The Chin&man'a oath is not unknown at our local police-courts, but this saucer- breaking business is not a bit like the oath taken by the Japanese witness. The t&tter has to declare that he will in deference to his conscience tell the truth, not conceal anything or add anything. This being WT-itteTi down and read over to the witness he signs it and puts his seal to it. This aeems a great advance on the Celestial porformacce.

Unpkasant surprises are always wait- ing for the denizens of exports that trade with the tropics. At times tales. reach us of weird insects brought to Cardiff in cargoes from abroad. In one case a vicious tarantula was landed, and nearly frightened its discoverer out of his senses. A big tropicaj spider is the latest immi- gr&nt at Bristol, and was duly reported to the Royal Zoological Society. A few of these chaps should help to enliven the quiet denizens of tha eaeter <;ity. Swansea, aolao, ought to have a ?M?E n,-

Main)y About Peopte. I The "Banzai! Banzai!"—equivalent to our Hurrah !with which the streets of Tokio afe raBounding ia an imterjeotion to which the Emperor of Jap-aji M even now unaccustomed. Until quite recently the code of Imperial etiquette demanded, as is the case still in Korea, that all dutiful subjects should kneel at the a-pproach of their Sovereign, nor dare to raise their eyes until be bad parsed. A breach of this rule would have involved sudden and painful deo.th to the offender. The nrst time on which the roar of acclajmatMn was hea.rd by the Emperor was on his last birUiday. The chorus marked more signincantly than anything else the complete weaternising of the Ja.pa.nese. The very neet which is now playing' such ha.voc with the Russian naval forces has been reviewed under the old regiims and the new. Upon the &rat occasion, the Mikado, on receiving the deferential salute of the. crews, had, in accordance with age-old tradition, to turn his back upon his subjects. The unrest in Bulgaria, is an echo of the troubles of twenty and thirty years ago. During the lull in former storms. Prince Ferdinand's predecessor. Prince Alexander. was involuntarily the meane of saving the life of the Czar's grandfather. An infernal had been plaoed beneath the floor of the Imperial dining-room. Dinner was ready, but Prince Alexander waa a quarter of an hour late, and the Cz&r and his gueata waited in an outer room. Just ae the Prince entered there was a. terrinc explosion, and the dining-room was shattered. But for tha,t delay every one of the party must have been killed. .The atories of sieges and blockades of which we are hearing brirtg to mind a siege in which the founder of the Graphic." to whom it is proposed to erect a memorial. had a personal interest. The orig-ina.1 of MiIIa.is'8 picture. Cherry Ripe." was his niece. She is now married to a Spanish gentleman, and was one of the few persons whose lives were jeopardised by the Americaji bombardment of Manila. Her picture was the greatest vogue of any ever painted. Six hundred thousand copies were printed and sold in a. year. To every pa.rt of the English-speaking world they went, and the aftMtt waa inundated with congmtula- tions from every comer of the universe. Haven't an umbrella, to your n&me? BoWa that?" Because I ha-ven't my name to my umbrella,. The hoaxer appears periodically. He baa I now had" Kilmarnock very badly indeed. Southend. Gravesend, and many lesser towna ha.ve all suffered by similar devioee during the past year or so. Amcng individuaJa victimised in this nMnmer. Sir William Harcourt was made to forswear Loca.1 Option, Lord Londonderry to demand a hundred thousand cavalry for the late war. and Miatt Majie C-orelli to write a paper on Suicide for the debating society which had no thought of self-destruction. The late Dr. Parker waa proclaimed as engaging the co- operation of Mr. George (Edwardes in a dramatic enterprise. One of the moat wicked tricks practised was the sending of a. letter, purporting to be from Mr. Gladstone to the late Lord Chief Justice Bovill. protesting against the manner in which the Tichbome trial lagged. The letter declared thp trial to be making England a soajidaJ and by-word to all civilised nations. Such a document naturally caused tremendous excitement aA the L&w Coorta. What. would ha.vo happened had not someone suggested a test of the authenticity of the letter it is dimoult to imagine. Somebody must have lost his head UteraJly. as the Lord Chief Justice did meta.phorictdly when he opened hia dossier. It was a fachionable portrait painter who begac a picture of Lady Y. and her baby. Once ajid again he promised Lord Y. to oomptete it. But the painter is a majj of feeble memory and many engagements. The other day he happened to meet Lord Y., and, feeling energetic, remarked that if Lady Y. would be good enough to bring her baby once m<M*e be would &nish the picture. Conceive the feelings of Lord Y as, growing purple, he gasped. BIeaa me, sir. the boy ia in the Guards. A phoJMtrra'phio record of the Emperor William's vM<)e on meta.t ma-tricea wiU be the nrst deposit made in the phonetic axcbives to be kept at Harvard University and in the Na.tiona.1 Museum at Washington. The Emperor, upon the appticatton of Dr. Edwa.rd W. Scripture, the psychologist, through the United States Ambassador a.t Berlin, has given two examples of his voice for permanent preaeTva-tion. According to the "New York Journal," he conaented to do this after Dr. Scripture had r&minded him what a< great tbring to-day wottid be "voice records by Demosthenes, aha.kespee<re, or WiJIiam the Great." During the ma.king of the record his Majoaty wa<6 alone' with the phonogra.ph. Into the Ha-rraj'd cylinder he talked on Frederick the Great, an<d into the other he &poke of fortitude in pain. The dea.t-h is announced of Ca.roline Ma<r- gairet. Dowager Marchion.eea of Qaeensberry, widow of the seventh marquess, who died a.t Glen Stuart. Dumfries-shire, on Tuesday morning, in her eighty-fourth year. The mar- ohioneea. who lived wi'th her daughter and son-in-Ia<w, Lady Florence and Sir Bea-umont Dixie, was the daughter of L'ie'utenajjt-genera.l Sir Willia-m Robert ClaytoT). and married the Marquess of Queensberry in 1840. The mar- quees was killed in 1858 by the aecider-tal explosion of his gun. The marchioness was a woman of independent thought a'nd gtetbt menta.1 activity, and her pen was seldom idle. She: How much do you honeatly love me? He: Do you suggest that I am ever dia- honeat in love matters? Always fsays a writer in this week's number of "The Bystander") Mark Twain is the hnmourist. above all else. That is hia business. As he has aaid himself, "I have no re&lly literary taste, and never had." There is nothing in any work of his to lead us to doubt his word on the point. Indeed, literary aptitude has been laughed at by him as much as anything. To one of his novels he supplied an appendix containing eloquent descriptions of different kinds cf weather. Anyone reading the story, who felt that he would like a description of weather, after the custom beloved of so many writers, could, turn to the end of the book and take his choice. In a recent story, again. Mark Twain inserted, of malice aforethought, a purple patch of rustic description, concluding with the words: The sensuous fragrance of in-) numerable deciduous flowers rose upon the swooning atmosphere; far in the empty! sky a solitary oesophagus slept upon motion- less wing; everywhere brooded stillness, serenity, and the peace of God. This brought the author letters as the sands of the sea for multitude, praising the passage in w&rm terms, but inquiring what an cMophagua was. After some time a reply! was published, to the effect that the phrase about the ceaophag'ua made just as good read- ing as anything else in the descriptive para- graph. which had "not a vestige of sense in any detail of it." As for poetry, he declares that he has several times had the "something- ereeping-up-your-back feeling" which is peculiar to poets. It came to him with special force on seeing a kangaroo for the first time.

The remains of the late Police-sergeant ThomaB Owen. of Merthyr Va.Ie. were interred yeeterda.y afternoon at Birchg-roYe Cemetery. Treh<KT-is. The funeral w<M attended by a, large body of members of the Glamorgsmshire Conata.btUa.ry. dra-wu from all divJeions of the oonnty. amanc theee pl-esent being gupe¡\. intendenrt Townsend, of Merthyr, SuperJTtten- dent Oole, of Pontypridd, and Inapcotora Can- ton. Beae. and Jenkins.

DEATH BY FUMES. THE SHEFFIELD MYSTERY EXPLA!NED. The jary's verdict of death from carbon monoxide poisoning has only partially solved the mystery of the house of poison." and the experts at present only know the form and not the manner in which death found John James in his kitchen at 8hef6eld. Dr. Godfrey Carter. the police surgeon who conducted the post-mortem examination, said at the inquest yesterday that the skin of the dead man was discoloured in places with a bright pink tinge. The brain, too, waa pink. the tissues of the body were pink. and the blood itself was of a bright cherry colour, and the usual coagulation after death was entirely absent. The blood had been sent to Professor Mac- donald. of the Shemeld University College. who, after spectroacopic and chemical analysis, had pronounced death to be pro- bably due to the deadly carbon monoxide gas, a colourless and-odourless agent that speedily renders the blood incapable of supporting life. The pink tinge (the professor added) might alM have been due to poisoning by cyanide of potaaaium- (It will be remembered that Mr. Whitaker Wright's body displayed this pink coloration.) There was nothing else, however. to support this la.tter view. The Foundry Next Door. Thenthecoronerheardevidenoeaatothe manner in which the deadly gas could have found its way into the kitchen of Jajnee's house. Carbon monoxide is a, constituent of coal- gas, but it is also an incidental product of the Siemens process of manufacturing ?teel, in which water-gas is evolved. Adjoining James a house is a foundry employing this process. The works had been closed since September last, but, according to Dr. H. Scurneld, the medical omcer of health for SheSeld, the factory had opened on Thursday last, acd the furnaces had been re-started. Without committing himself Dr. Scurneld thought it possible that the ?M from the furnace might ha.w found its way into the cellar through a. defective Bue. He had examined the cellar. however, and could not detect the presence of any gaa. Mrs. rummers and Miss Frances Parry, who were taken ill in the house, said their symptoms included dizziness and a violent headache. The three persons more seriously anectcd (now in the innnmary) amd the dead man they described as frothing at the mouth. This, according to the medico evidence, also pointed to carbon monoxide gas poiaomng. The jury, in recording their verdict, de- cimed to express any opinion as to the way in which the gas entered the house. Dr. Scurneld stated that excavations would be made to clear up the point.

GHOSTLY CASTLE I Scottish Lord's Family "Cursed" I by a Secret News has been received at Gla.mia Castle, Forfarshire, of the death of the Earl of Strathmore at Bordighera. Italy, in his eightieth year. GIamia C&stle. the home of the Strathmore family, is associated with one of the weirdest legends in the history of Scotland. It is said to be the home of a. mysterious secret which is known only to the head of the family, to hie heir. and to one other person—a- secret so grim and terrible as to a.n'ect the whole lives of these who learn it and make them different from other men. No clue to the mystery has ever been given by anyone of its three depositories, but many popular beliefs are current con- cerning it. According to one account, there is a concealed chamber in the castle habited by a strange, half-human creature of fearful aspect and incredible age, the incarnate embodiment of the curse which rests upon the family. Another etory is that the room holds the bones of a band of prisoners who in Scotland's stormy days were immured and starved to death. On one occasion during the absence of Lord a.nd Lady Strathmore some members of a. houed pajty resolved to probe the mystery to the bottom. They made a. tour of the rooms, and hung a, towel or handkerchief out of every window they could discover. But when they walked round the cattle they saw one casement from which no signal flew. The moat careful search within the rambling building failed to revea.1 where the window was or how there oonid be any apartment to which it could give light. Not long ago a. young medical man who was staying at the castle by invitation of the owner found in his room a, trapdoor lea.d. ing to a winding passage which ended at a freshly-plastered wall. He indented the plaster with his anger, then smoothed it as best he could, returned to his room. and said nothing. Next morning he received a- note from Lord Strathmore enr*oeing a cheque for hia services, and informing him that a, car. riage was in readiness to take him to the railway station at the earliest hour conve- nient to himself.

[ ALLEGED FORGED JE500 NOTE Anthony Stanhope Cave-Brown-Cave, 25, having no occupation, and living at Abingdon- villas, Kensington. waB charged (before Mr. Denman), in London yesterday, upon a war- rant. with forging and uttering with intent to defraud, a promieaory note for JEMO. The prisoner, well-dressed. leaned over the dock- rail. holding his silk hat in his ha,nd.—Detec- tive-inspector Drew deposed to having arrested prisoner upon a warrant on Tuesday aft&moon at Harrow-roa-d Polioe-ata.tion. He read the warrant, to which Cave made no answer. When charged at Vine-street the warrant was again read. but he still kept silence. He wodd ask for & remand without further evidence. At the next hearing the police would have Iega.1 aid.-Mr. Denman directed an adjournment. but declined to grant bail, applied for by Mr. Mattheve.

GIRL FALLS INTO BOILING BEER Elsie Southern, a Scotch girl, skipped into a Eowley Pegis brewer's yard on her way back from school, and. not noticing a vGMel of boiling beer which had just been placed there to cool, fell into it. When rescued she was found to be terribly injared, and d€a.th from shock ensued in a few hours. At the inquest yesterday a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.

SEQUEL TO OFFtCE COURTSHIP. Alfred Moles, 27, pleaded guilty at Newing- ton Sessions, London, yesterday to the om- helOzlement of various sums of money from a. former employer. It was alleged that, besides embezzling about JE20, prisoner had diahonestly taken commission on orders he had given to other nrma, and had induced the lady bookkeeper, whom he had since married, to falsify the books. Owing to the fact that he had been in custody a month, and that he had given an understanding that the money should be refunded, prisoner w&s bound over to come up if called upon.

I BOMBARDtNG REVOLUTIONISTS. According to a private telegram received at &an Juan, Puerto Rico, from San Domingo, a.n American warship y&sterda.y bombarded the revolutionists at Pa.jarito. The vessel landed a detachment of Ma.riaes, but the men after- wards went on board again .Central News.

CLARKE'S BLOOD MIXTURE. This Famous Medicine will cleanse. Blood from all impu- rities from cause safe Remedy for Bad Lep, Scrofula, Blood Potiton.  ot all kin4s, BoilS, Erup- .ion_ Ulons, Glandular Swel- lings, &c. Of ?U Stores, &c. Forty yeam' succeee. Beware ot ImitaUon?.

.620.000 SQUANDERED] CEMETERY SUtCtDE'S I STRANGE CAREER The man who committed suicide in such a sensational manner at \Vitton Cemetery, Birmingham, on Tuesday, has been iden- tined as Harry Lea, 55. who lived in Chester- street, with his grown-up son and daughter. The tragedy proves to be the nnal chapter in a strange career. Formerly Lea was a chemist, and worked for several nrma. but latterly he has earned a precarious living as a greengrocer and by doing odd jobs. Many years ago he inherited .€20,000 under the will of his father, who lived in Shropshire. The money appears to have been spent mainly in drink. Several months ago he surprised his family by informing them that he was about to come into a fortune. He produced a cutting from a local paper containing an advertisement to the eS'oct that a person of his name, or his relatives, on applying to an address at Ohester would learn something to their advantage. The name corresponded with his own, and his family, knowing his rich connections, took the story in good faith. At various periods Lea borrowed money on the strength of his prospective fortune from their rich uncie. A friend in Witton-road recently gave him his fare to go to Ellesmere to "call on the family solicitor." As he did not return for a few days, the friend went to Shropshire, and found he had been living at a hotel enjoying himself with old acquain- tances. The solicitors denied any knowledge of Lea, but had no objection to interview the parties concerned. This was to take place on the afternoon of the suicide, and a telegram making the appointment was found upon him. Apparently it was the dread of expoeure which drove him to suicide. His gentlemanly appearance and ftuency of speech enabled him to impose very successfully upon his friends.

zE300 A YEAR FOR DRESS I A Wife's Extravagance I This is an illustration of an unrea'Bon- able system on the part of a. Weat End trades- woman giving large credit to lady cus- tomers," said counsel for Mr. King yesterday in the Law Courts. Mr. King, a HNgbgate tea traveller, earning L14200 a year, allowed his wife JE10 a month for dress; to two elder daughters, jE50 a. year; and to the youngest daughter. JE25 a year. But the dress bills of the four in 1900 totalled .E315, in 1901 £311, in 1902 £315, and for part of 19M f,265. Now Mr. King refused to pay JE109 for blouses, tea, gowns, and other things supplied to hm wife on credit by Mine. de Lambert, of Hanover- square. One of the dressmaker's witnesses went to Highgatoe to look at Mr. King's house, and decided, from the appearance of it, that she would be justified in granting credit. Mr. King said that his wife had been extravagant in dreaa for a long period, and he had been sued before in cons-eqtMnce. Besides the dress allowance—paid, on his solicitor's ad- vice, by cheque—he gave her frequent pre- sents.—The jury found that the husband had forbidden his wife to pledge his credit. and the action of the dressmaker was dismissed.— I hope." said Mr. Justice Phillimore, "that tradespeople will take a warning from the case.

IS LONDON SAFE? I An Admtrat's Alarm I SpcaJnn<r at a. meeting of the United Ser- vice Institution. London, yesterday. Admiral C!oso took an alarmist view of the state of the Thames defences. The occasion was a lecture hy Colonel E. Cotter, who made a. pleo, for the placing of our coast defences under na.vaJ control. Admiral Close s<ud he'-was aetoniehed at the want of proper defences on the Thames. If Germany declared war on Monday she could have a couple of g'unboa.ts up the river to the middle of London the next night. Any gunboa-t could get past Sheern.ees. ajtd there wotild be nothing to stop .it except a. few police boa-ta. Theee invading vessels could inSict any amount of damege. They could destroy the Houses of Parliament and the Tower, and play havoc with the shipping. The danger was not realised by the public, a-nd until it was London would never be safe. War," said Admira.1 Close, will come upon us like a flas-h of lightning, and we must be re&dy. My remedy M tha.t two gunboats should aJw&ya be stationed in the Thames itself, so that should an en&my get Uirou<gh in concealment there would still be some- thing to reckon with; at present t<here ie notJiing."

ACTRESS AND HER HUSBAND I Henry Jamea WingOcId, an actor, appeared at Bow-street, London, yesterday to &n adjourned summons charging him with per. sistent cruelty to his wife, Marion Elizabeth Wingfield, an across, known professionally as Miaa Marion de Roos. Mr., Goodman, representing the com- pla-inant, said the defendant had intimated that be could not consent to the magistrate's proposal to allow his wife .El a week if & deed of separation was drawn up. Mr. Cannot (for the defendant) said his client had been without an engagement for some time. He was willing to allow his wife 10s. a week when he was not playing and .€1 when he was. At the same time, he alleged that the charges against him had been trumped up, and he wished to clear himself. Mr. Marsham: If he consents to a separa- tion, the summons wilt be withdrawn. He has had an opportune of refutice the charges. Mr. Cannot said the defendant was sure that if the case went ou it would be decided in his favour. Eventually Mr. Cannot announced that defendant was willing to allow his wife 15a. a week, Mr. Marsham: I think she had better take that. An order was made accordingly, and the summons was withdrawn, the defendant to pay £5 5s. costs.

SHEEP AND DOG ELECTROCUTED. I A she&p and a dog were electrocuted in the streets of Wolverhampton ye&terday. The local tramway system is on the contact-button principle. One of the buttons between the rails remained "alive" after a. car passed over it. A nock of sheep came along the street, and one of the sheep trod upon the "live" button and instantly fell dead. A collie dog sniffed at the sheep, leaped up. and also fell dead. A horse received a shock, but recovered.

At Mountain Ash Police-court yesterday Rachel Anne Price, dressmaJMr. Pemrbiwcei. ber, was Sued lOa. for committing a breach of the F-Mtory Act by fa;i!ing to @riyo notice of oc-cupatioh of the premises w!u<:Ti eitie b&Id at her disposal. Inspector Askward prose- cuted.

I There, 18 no witb.. repuration equal to tbat borne ],)' tbl. flUTlons Pill for the rtlrp fit I)orne ly th" ts f "7I WL(I OIL the Stomach, Indigos. ti ill1n.;8 Ma:c :J=:{c{n# tiov, E? jno r,,r7i)eprmsion. c. P,ir?ly VeJlet.le ?Ll nuld ",ud to le in :wtion. tb"T are an Ideal Inedicine and old, U N F It I L I N Q and REHABt.E. :lI.mI11actured by the Proprietors, ? PACE WO MOCK. LTO.. 14 AMO '6, EUSTOH BUft.OfHCS, Ofa.:1 1/; and per hox.

ELOPEMENT SEQUELI ROMANTIC STORY OF HEIRESS I AND COACHMAN X500 Damages for Enticmg Away a Wife As briefly reported in the later editions of the .Evening Express yesterday. At the Leicestershire Assizes (before Mr. Justice Wright) the hearing was resumed of the section brought by Albert Edwa.rd Smith. coachman, against Robert Walker Kaye and Charles Bernard Robinson, the brother and brother-in-law of his wife, to recover damages by reason of their enticing her a.vra.y and ha.r. bouring her. THE HUSBAND'S EVIDENCE, j The plaintiff, Albert Smith. was called. He is a medium-sized man. clean shaken, of freah complexion, and generally smart-look- ing. After serving in the Yeomanry in South Africa, witness entered Mr. Kaye's service M coachman, and used to accompany Miss Kaye when she went out riding. An attachment sprang up between them, Mias Kaye telling him she loved him. They were married at a registry oSice at Bolton, and stayed the night in a Derby hotel. Mr. Hugo Young: Did she telegraph to her friends?—She wrote home that night. And the next morning did you telegraph to her father to meet you at Syston?—Yea. I telegraphed at my wife's wish. as she said it would be better for me to break the news to them. After wiring you went on to Syaton, and your wife went back to Bolton. Did you go over to Syaton to see Mr. Kaye, the father?—I met Mr. Kaye at Syston Station, and he shook handB with me and wished me success. Then. did you go back to Bolton that night. and met your wife again, and stayed with her at an hotel in Bolton ?—Yes. at the Burlington Temperance Hotel. Had you arranged to take rooms at the house of your sister. Mrs. Knowles?—I had. sir. Had they just moved into a new house?- Yes. And the rooms were not quite straight?—Oh. yes, they were straight, but we had to furnish ours. On the 8th of May were you busy putting your rooms in order, you and your wife. when Mr. Kaye and Mr. Robinson arrived?—Yes. Witness then described the scene which enaued. In crosa-examinatioa, he denied having kept company with domestics after his engagement to Mias Kaye. and also the suggestion that he waa trying to break with Miss Kaye till he heard of her legacy. With regard to one girl mentioned, he resented a suggestion of his master's that he should marry her, and told him he should marry the girl he loved, which I have done," he added, amid applause. His wife wrote a letter to her father at Derby, but he had not seen it. Counsel reiad the letter, which was dated May 6, 1903. and in which the fotMowin? appeared:—" My dearest father,—I have some- thing to tell you which I am afraid wil'l be a shock to you amd mother. I want you to ke&p it to yourself. I am coming over to Barkby to-morrow to tell you. I was com- ing in the morning. I expect I shall return in the afternoon, if you wiU let me stay with you eo long. Perhaps I had better tell you now. I have changed my name to Smith to- day. I also wish to say SaNy has nothing to do with it. You know what Smith I mean, don't know? I know I shall be cut off from my family and everybody. My trouble has been great for you, and only heaven knows what I have gone through." You had no place to take her to, had yoc? —What change has anyone to make a home in the case of a run&way match? Detained in a Room. Mra. K&te Emily Kn&wleSt living; in Hoit- land-street. Bolton, sister of the plaintiff, said she was present at the marriage. She remem- bered the 3th of May, when Mr. Kaye and Mr. Robinson cajne to the house. When she let them in they went upstaJrs. and into the room in which Mrs. Smith wae. They shut her hus- band oat. Witness heard Mrs. Smith say, I shan't go. I shall stay with my husband." When she came downstajrs Kaye and Robin- son had hold of her arms, acd she wae cry- ing bitterly. Clara Elizabeth Brennon. another sister of the plaintiff, living at Dean Mills Farm, Bolton. a]ao g-a.ve evidence as to seeing Mrs. Smith at the time of the marriage. She appe&red to be in good health and apdrits. Sarah Olda-cres, who was cook in the service of Mr. Robinson, of White Cottage, Knighton, on May 8 last, said that Mrs. Smith was taken to that house on the evening of that day, and kept in an upsta-iro room until the following Tuesday. No one but the nursemaid was a-Uowed to go into the room, amd Mr&. Robin- son took Mrs. Smith's meals up to her. When Mrs. Smith left she went away in a carriage. being taken there by Mr. Kaye, Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Robinscn, and another Miss Kaye. Lilian Dumelow, housemaid at Mr. Robin- son's at the time, corrobora.ted as to Mrs. Smith being kept upstairs, first in one bed- room and then in another, from Friday tiU Tuesday. This waa the case for the pla¡,iutitf. CASE FOR THE DEFENCE. I Mr. Eldon Bankes, K.C.. opening the cae.e for the defence. sa,id it was wrong for tj.e other side to suggest defendants were innuenced in their conduct by absurd ideas of social status. The letters put in by plaJjttiE really showed the hysterical condition of this infatuated yormg lady. It could not be contended it was a. marriage of affection on plaintiff's part. and defenda-nts, on going to Bolton, found the young lady wretchedly unha.ppy. Robert Walter Kaye was then caJled, and said he was a member of the firm of Downing and Co., merchants, of Leicester. London, and Manchester. Mrs. Smith was his sLater, and he had no idea tha.t there was anything be. tween her and Smith until the 8th of iay. He denied having any desire to separate theee people by taking her home against her will, or persuading her to leave, they wanted to see in what condition she waz. When he went into the house he saw Smith. He sa-id, Smith, you scoundrel, where is my sister? He said, She is upstairs," and witness went upstairs, and found her in the bedroom. She was evidently in a v&ry great state of mind." I said to her, 'Edith, do you reaJise what you have done? ion will brea.i: the heart of your father and mother. You cannot possibly e"KÍS't in these surroundings. We have come to take yon home. (Z-euga, tion.) What did she 9a.y to that?—" Oh, dear. will it, will it? I don't know why I have done it?" Proceeding, witness said that just at that moment Mr. Robinao.n came in, and Mrs. Smith ran up to him. put her arms round his neck, and burst into t&a.rs. Mr. Bank-ps: What did your aister say a,bout going home?—She said at once, "I will go with yon; I should like to see Smith before I go." \Ve';l?—My brother-in-law said, "Do eo. if yon wish; but it will be harder for you, and do no good." So she sa.id, "Will you ask the inspector downBt&ire to Tell Smith 'o Leave the House. and go out at the back while I leave the houee. so that I shall not see." The message was conveyed to Smith, and he went out, and I and my brother-in-law helped my sister down- stairE- Did che go entirely of her own free will?- Yea. Witnees said that hie aister was extremely I hysterical in the railway carriage. wanted to jump out of the carriage, ajid another time I wanted to make her will. To calm her, Mr. Robin'aon wrote it down in hia pocket, book. When Mrs. Smith waa at Mr. Robinaon's wit- naae saw her once. She wae in bed, and very unwell. Mr. Banker Have you any wish to keep them apart?—Witness: She is entirely at liberty to do what she likes now we know what has hap- pened. Cross-examined, he said there was a very good reason in May laat for keeping his sister's addreae from the plaintiff because of what had happened. His sister went away with his father and mother, and he did not know where they were. Proceeding, Mr. Yormg asked if witness told Mrs. Smith at any time that h'er husband had been making love to other gir!s? Witness said no. but admitted that he told her Smith had beon walking out with other girla. That was in the interview at Birnnng- ham. Chalice Berna-rd Robineon. the other defen- dant, who said he was a. member of Whitmore and Co., spinners, also gave evidence. The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff, and awarded him J&500 damases.

STOP PRESS Latest Teiegrams. EXPRESS'' OFFICE. 4.45 p.m. II l1li' J<I BRITAIN AYD THE srF": CANAL. In th-9 }In,lEt' cf Commons tJ-d:y, Ear) Pe'rcy iaform&d LIrd Fít311),aUl'l¡''t that the Gc'.emmeut adherCE to the opmiooa e))lQ<:Jà.í'ad in Lord D'erby' a. dis- patch of the 6tb of 13/7, in r-egard to the. prindplee wbich regulate the naTi- gation througji t:h'a Suez Canl in time of war. LOTTERIES A-ND BETTING. In tJ,H¡ House of COW.MOqs to-day. Lord Stanley, ana,eria. Mr. Ale.xa.ndsr Criss. LÜd if he could fmd any method by 'Khich he <'ould t01J lottery and baiting circula.i'a bein£, &ent tnroush the pest. nothm&' would tne him greater pl<Cà.8ure tl¡iHl to P\\t n into operation. (ilece, here.) He ha:: Bo povsr to open cipaed. lettero.

A GRANGE-TOWN ADVENTURE Charge of Robbing a Marine I FirRman Two respectably-dressed working men, of nautical appearance, named James Cook (or John Wiison), aged 31. and James Greenberg. aged 24, were charged at Cardiff Police-court this afternoon (before Messrs. T. H. Stephens and J. Howard) with robbery with violence from the person of William Green at Han- bradach-street. Grangetown, yesterday after- noon. The Prosecutor, a marine nreman, of South .Shields, said he had recently been paid off at Liverpool, receiving the sum of .E9 5s., and he had about JS4 11s. when he arrived in Cardiff yesterday morning. He met Cook in Bute- street. The latter said he was a native of Shields, and witness stood him several drinks. Later on they met Greenberg, and witness paid for more drinks. When he endeavoured to make his way to his lodgings at Fenarth he found he could not shake them on." After going some distance Cook attempted to rine his pockets, and he shouted "Police!" He lost about .E2. Green, whose face was damaged. wa.a asked by Cook whether the injuries were not caused by a fall. but prosecutor maintained that Cook struck him. Mrs. Alice Green, a resident of Llanbradach- street, testined to seeing Cook take something from Green's pocket, and also to his striking the prosecutor to the ground. A boy, who witnessed the episode, stated that Cook struck Green, but the latter also fell to the grouI¥1 and scraped his face when vainly endeavouring to hold on to Cook after the robbery. Detective-sergeant Stephens and Detective Harris deposed that they saw both prisoners struggling with the prosecutor. Detective Harris said he found Us. lOd. on the prisoner Cook. Both defendants were committed to the assizes for trial.

TO SAVE HER DOG Girt Killed by Electric Car A sensational electric car fatality occurred at Liverpool to-day. Minnie M'Coy, aged four- teen. was walking along Heyworth-street. accompanied by a dog. The a.nima.1 io its playfulness got in front of an advancing car, and the girl. fearing it would be run over, rushed forward to save it. She stumbed over the dog and fell towards the car, which was being slowed down. She was dragged under- neath and killed instantly. Persons who wit- nessed the accident were moved to tears.

"ARMING AGAJNST ENGLAND" Russia and the Tibet Expedition According to an ala-rmist telegram from the St. Peterbur? correspondent of the Fra.nk- furter Zeitung," Russia, ia arming against England. The Caar has reocived General ShBrimedyeff, of the Asiatic" army, who has since departed for his post. Russia is said to be firmly determined to show no wea,knesfy in Tibet. The srtua,tion, says the correspondent, is very grave.

JUDGE'S PLA!N SPEAKtNG Great interest w&a shown at Dover County- court yesterday in the case arising out of a. recent election petition. Ex-Det'actrve- sergeant Hanson brought an a.ction against Mr. Edward Chitty. the unsuccessful Liberal eandida-te. for payment for defective servicee alleged to have been rendered. Mr. Chitty denied ha.vin? engaged Hanson. and a number of witnesses waa subpoenaed. Daring the bear- ¡ ing of Hanson'a evidence the Judge (Sir W. Jelfe) suddenly remarked: I don't believe a word this man is spying," and stopped the oaae. jQdipment was eiven for defend&nt.

SWANSEA TRAGEDY.) DENTIST'S WtFE FOUND DEAD IN A PASSAGE A discovery involving an element of mystery was made this morning a.t a. house in Righ. street, Swansea, Information was given to the polic, that Mrs. Roberts, the wife of Mr. Roberta, a. dentist, carrying on a business in that street, had been found lying dead on the floor in the pasaage. The po.lice immediately arrived on the spot, and medical aid waB oall'ed in, bo.t it was found that Mrs. Roberts had been dead for some time. A farther examination of the body reveaJed the fact that her neck was broken. An inquest will be held, when the circum- etaaces will be, of course, fully gone into, but a.t present little light can be thrown on the matter, except by the suggestion that Mrs. Roberts fell downstairs during the night. We leam that the deceased was found by her husband shortly after 6.30 a.m. lying dead a.t the foot of the s.tajrs. Deceased was a woman of about 50 years of age, and, it was saJid. was vary much addicted to drink. It is stated that she was intoxicated throughout Wednocday. Her husband, missing her in the early morning, found her dead body as stated. He at once fetched the police, and Police- consta-ble Fielder visited the hou&e. Dr. O'SulIivan was also called in, smd we understand that upon examination of the remains he found that no bones were broken. It is believed the cause of doa.th wa& apoplexy. A post-mortem will probably be held in order that the. real cause of death may be aaeer- tajned. The deceased and her hosband CMne to Swansea aJtMut ave years ago from the Mid- lands. About a year ago deceased ca.u&ed a. sensa- tion in the locaJity of High-atr&et by firinz a, revolver, some yoaths having been pelting her with stones, one of which struck her on the forehead.

10 MtLES AN HOUR I Speed Limit for Motor-Cars I At the meeting of the Newport Watch Com- mittee to-day the protest of the Automobile Club of South Wales and Monmouthshire against the proposal to restrict the speed of motor-cars within the borough to ten miles an hour came up for consideration. The bulk of the committee felt that ten miles an hour in narrow, crowded streets was quite a sufficient speed for safety, and that it would expose persons, especially children, to the riak: of mishaps if motorists were allowed to run at a speed in exceas of ten miles per hour. Some of the members instanced the tramcars, which in some parts of the town, notably the outlying districts, exceeded a speed of ten miles an hour.—On the matter being divided upon, it was agreed by a large majority to make no deviation from the pro- posed restriction of ten miles per hour.—Two members voted against the proposed restric- tion.

125,000 DAMAGES. I Echo of a Greek Divorce Case I The Court of Appeal to-day dealt with the case of Constant! nidi v. Constantinidi and Lanoe. Some time ago .Mr. Demetriu.3 Sophocles Constantinidi, who had been judi- cially separated from Mrs. Julia. D. Constan- tinidi. nea Eaili, obtained a decree nisi on the grounds of her misconduct with Mr. Henry William LaJMe, who was a medical man, the jury awarding L25,000 damages. The respon- dent obtamed a divorce in America, and con- tracted a, bigamous marriage with the co- respondent. A stay of execution was granted with the view to an appeal, but counsel now stated the lady desired that the EncliBh decree sho.old not be resisted. She wae in America, and had been informed her mar- riage there was a. g'ood marriage. Counsel for Mr. Constantinidi asked their lordshipa to support the judgment of the court below. Both appeals were dismissed, with coste.

I CHELTENHAM TRAGEDY I Date of Execution F!xed I I' The dato of the execution of Sidney George Smith, who was convicted at Gloucester Assizes this week for the murder of a, young woman with whom he cohabited at Chelten- ham, has been nxed for Wednesday. March 9. The jury, it will he remembered, strongly re- commended the condemned man to mercy on amount of his youth. I

LUNACY IN CARDIFF. It was reported at a. meeting of the Cardiff Asylums Committee to-day that, owing to lack of accommodation at Bridgend, the corpora- tion were responsible for the maintenance of 110 male and 130 female patients at Glou- cester, Carmarthen, Chester. Hereford, and Leicester aaylums. The committee, it was also stated, had entered into contracts for the removal of 180 male and 230 female patients from Bridgend Asylum to Briatol, West Sussex, Brighton, Cheater, and Brecon asylums. A sub-committee was appointed of the chairman (Mr. F. J. Veall), the deputy-chair- man (Mr. Morgan Thomas). Alderman Edward Thomas, and Mr. F. J. Beavan to deal with the removal of all patients from Bridgend from now to March 31 next.

SUtCtDE IN A POLICE CELL Yesterday afternoon a woman. named Alice Holland. 42, committed suicide in a police cell at Cheltenham. The deceased, it is stated, had been arrested on a charge of larceny, and, in the ordinary course, was searched by the female searcher, and nothing of a suspicions nature was found upon her. She was seen to be apparently all right in her ceil on different occasions, the last time being within a quarter of an hour of the discovery of her death. Inspector Parker. on going the round, found her lying on the Boor. and, entering the cell, noticed she was in a collapsed condition. Dr. Powell was immediately summoned, but he could only pronounce life extinct. The woman had committed suicide by swallowing oxalic acid. She is reported to bo the wife of a former omcer in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Gloucester Regiment. An inquest will be held.

BLIND MURDERER RESPiTED I The under-ebeTiIf foe Hants Uns morning I received from the Home Secretary an intim, tion t)ha.t the King had been pleased to respite Timothy Lynch, the blind pauper recently sentenced to dea-th for the murder of another pauper in Winohester Workhouse on Decem- ber 14.

A STEAMER FOUNDERS I Lloyd's agent at Sa,igon tele%ra.phe Niat the German e.tea.Trcr Dentcrot!, boTtrnd thence for Hong Kong, ctrnck on the Poraoels and foundered. The passengers and crew were saved and Ia.nded at SaigOn.

I CARDFFS NEW ASYLUM I It was reported at to-day's meeting of the I Cardiff Asylums Committee that, considering I the inclement weather which had been expe- rienced of late, satisfactory progress with the new asylum buildings at Whitchurch bad' been made. I

THOUSANDS ) OF PERSONS Testify that Hotdroyd's Gravel Pilla an a poti- tive cure for Gravel, Lumbago, and P&iIuI fA the Back, Dropsy, Wtnd, Water Campl&tnts, Diaeaaee of the Kidneye, Qout, SoMitic&, and Rheumatiam. One box; if not satiBfied money returned. Is. lid., aH Chemistt. Post frae 12 stamps.—Hot- I droyd's Medical Hall. CleckheaioD. YorkB. ell614-l

LYDDtTE EXLPOSiON THREE MEN KiLLEDANDONE tNJURED It was reported this morning that an explo- sion of lyddite occurred a.t CUIfe. near Graves- end, and that several lives were lost. A later message staAea that at nine o'clock this morning an explosion took place at the factory of Mesars. Ha-rvey and Curtiss. at Cline. Three m'3n were killed and one was eeriously injured; several others were badly knocked about. At Gravesend, which is about nine miles from Cline, the buildings were shaken by the explosion. A still later message says that the explosion occurred in what is known as the Round House, where the ingredients and materials for making explosives are received preparatory to being removed to other sheds to be worked up. The building waa destroyed, and the parts scattered in all directions. Two men, named John Murray and Daniel Doniild. were blown to pieces, and a third man, named Talbot. waa terribly injured, and lies in a critical condi- tion. Many of the men were away at breakfast at the time of the accident. Otherwise the loss of life must have been serious. The camse of the explosion is a mystery. There was a terrinc report, which was heard at Gravesend, Rochester. Chatham. and for miles around. Windows were shaken in the towns named. Mid in the village of Cliffe itself, nearly two miloe from the explosives factory, many pMM< of glasa were shattered. A Third Death. Elijah Talbot succumbed to his injuries ttt Rochester Hoapita.1.

IS COAL CONTRABAND P Letters from Foreign Office and Sir E. J. Reed Sin-ce the outbreak of war colliery pi-n- prietors. coaJ exporters, and shipowners at Cardiff have been discussing the question as to whether coaJ ia contraband of war or not. As definite information on that point could not be obtained looaJIy, Mr. \V. B. Eawkina, secretary of the Ca-rdiS mlambsr of Com- merce, was instructed to write to Sir Edward Reed. K.C.B., member for CardHT, with the view of obtaining from Government sourœe a-n authoritative statement. Sir Edward Reed replied tha.t he was m doubt as to whether the Government were able to lay down any fLxed principle in the matter. It appeared to him that thia im- portant queetjon could not be responsibly settled by the Foreign Omee. The Foreign Omce, in reply to a letter sent by MMers. Powley, Thomas, and Co., Cardie, Stated, generally:— Coal is &.n s-rtiicle ajicipitiE usus, not per se. contra,band of waj', but, if destined for warlike &a opposed to induatriaj use, it may become contraband. Whether in any par- ticular case coal is, or is not, contraband of war, is a matter prhna facie for the deter. mination of the prize courta of the captor's nationaJity, and so long as such decision, when given, did not convict with well-eetab- lished principles and rules of international law, his Majesty's Government will not be prepared to take exception thereto." The commonicatio.n added that so far his Majesty's Government were not at present av<a.i-e that any declaration on the subject had been made by either of the belligerents. One of our representatives endeavoured to ascertain the views of prominent local gentle- men on the subject. In view of the vague character of the Foreign Office reply, and the indennita information as published by lead- ing authorities, everyone hesitated to com- mit himself as to aji opinion. Although there are still a. number of steamers chartered fo<- Japan, none have been despatched during the past few -da.ya. Aa thore are Bttseistrr war. ships in the Mediterranean and Red Soaa. it is hardly probable that any shipments will be made direct to Japan for some little time, as, even if ooal is not contraband, supplies for the enemy are considered liable to esizure. Most of the coal shipped from Cardiff is believed to be destined for naval purposes, &nd authorities appear to be of the opinion that such coal might be declared contraband as much as gunpowder.

COUNCtL ELECT)ON8 Penarth South We understand that Mr. Samuel Thomae, P'ena.rth Dock, haa decided to accept the in- vitation to stand for the Penarth South Ward at the next Glamorgan Council Council elec- tion. on the retirement of Mr. F. H. Jotham, the sitting coimciUor, who has left Penarth, and has dennitely decided not to seek re-elec- tion. Up to the present we have not heard of any other candidate. Mr. Thomas has been a. resident of Penarth for over 40 years. and has taken a moat active part in local affairs. He has been a member of the dis- trict council since its formation.

DEATH OF LORD ADNGTON. Lord Alin?ton died last night. The deceased, who had been lying ill for some time at Crichel. his seat, at Wimhorne. Dorset, waa 79 years of age. He sat as JM.P. for Dorcheete-r from 1847 to 1856. and for Dor- set from 1856 to 1875. He was made a peer in 1876. He is succeeded in the title by his son, the Hon. Humphrey Napier Sturt. Con- servative M.P. for East Dorset, thereby causing another Parliamentary election. Lord Alington was well knm"n iir the racing world, a.nd was a member of the Jockey Club. The Hon. Humphrey Napier Start has represen- ted East Dorset since 1901. At the last elec- tion the n?ures were:—Ron. H'. N. Start (U.). 4,776; Mr. A. Alien (L.), 4,6SO—majority, ?.

ABERAYON JUSTiCES CENSURED The foilow.ingr resolution has been pasE.ed by the Aberavon. port Talbot, a.nd District Minis- ters' Fraternal:— That this meeting of the Nonconformist nuniat-erg of Aberavon, Fort Tbot, and dis- trict, deeply deplores tJie actdon of the borongh a.nd cotuity nia.gistra.tTe in s'iTing their patronage ?nd fn-vour to the and Port Talbot Licensed Aaso- cia,t.ion. It also emptm.ticn.iy protests ,I.ga,inst the pr,-sen.ce of s'x ont of the seven magistrates who form th.e borough lioen- ating committee at the Licensed Victus.llera' a.nnuaJ b&uquet on Jannary 28. so near to the annual licensing day, believing snch presence to be a, breach of that n{'utrality and impa.rt.iality which public confidence demands. (8ign") W. JONES, President. W. VAUGHAN, Secretary.

COST OF CARDtFF LUNATiCS ConnciUor F. J. Veall (clia-irtman) this mofc- mg Ilresi-ded over a meeting of the Cardiff Asyluma Conmuttee. when the estimate for ilia yea.r endtng March 51. 1905, was considered. It showed the enures at L18,4,34 18s. M., as compared with .814,645 Is. 2d. for the y€M- end- ing Maj'c.h 31. 1904. SeveraJ members con- sidered the increase a very heavy one. Councillor Morgaji Thomas: The mcre<ase ia entirely due' through having to t&be patients f.rom Bridgend to other aeyltons on account of tho la.ck of accommodation at Bridgend, is it not? The Cha-innac: Yes, that .ie so. The estimate was una.mniously adopted.

MACEDONIAN DISTURBANCES It is reported at Innsbruck in the most positive manner tha.t the regiments compria- ing the garrison of the Tyrol hare received orders to hold themaelvea in r&adinesa to ta.ke the add. This st.a.tement is freely diaooased in connection with the events in Macedonia,, to which the order ia Mtributed.— RatLttM. f