Miscellaneous Extracts.

A PEIEST BEFTTSING- ' TO BUET A TEEE-

MASON".

Considerable surprise was created in Macclesfield recently, by the refusal of the Bioman Catholic priest of the town (the Rev Canon Walker) to enter Mr Joseph Tynon Delaney. The deceased was a Roman Catholic, and attended the Roman Catholic place of worship. Orders were given by the deceased's family for the preparation of a grave in the Roman Catholic portion of the Macclesfield Cemetery, arid Canon Walker was requested to officiate; It appears, however, that it had come to the knowledge of the reverend gentleman that Delaney was a JFreemason, and be therefore refused to commit the body to the grave, remarking that it was contrary to the rules of Lisj Church to inter a member of any secret society. The order for the grave was countermanded, and the sexton instructed to prepare a grave in the Church : of England ground. Mr Frith at once communicated with the Rev Mr Hurse, the curate of Hurdsfield, who read the barial service, first in the Church of England mortuary chapel and then at the grave. SERIOTJS MELEE BETWEEN YOLTJNTEER COUPS. The review and sham fighfc which took place at Heaton Park in which the Manchester and district and Leicester Volunteera" took part, is likely to result either in a serious Gtoverumenh inquiry or a court-martial. During the fight the men of the 2nd Manchester and of the Salford corps came into very close quarters, and a melee took place between them \i hich resulted in an injury to at least twelve men. The skirmishers of the 2nd Manchester, when the bugle sounded " Cease firing," were in front of the Salford corps, who, it is alleged, dashed after them and fired their rifles, loaded with blank cartridge, into their facee, using at the same time. most violent language. So fierce was the attack that the skirmishers had to club their rifles, and strike in their own defence. Two men, named Thomas Atkinson and William Bagn all, were seriously injured, the former by a blow on the head with a rifle., and the latter with a blank cartridge, which damaged his eye. Teu other men were injured, and several of them had to be removed in the regimental ambulances, The conduct of the Salford men has caused great indignation in Manchester and the : district, and although the authorities have; done their best to keep the matter quiet it is generally anticipated that an inquiry will follow. SMART, IP TEITE. Elizabeth Bray, a domestic servant, was charged, before the magistrates af; Leominster, with attempting to drown herself.^ Miss Bray was sitting by her mistress' fire at night, when sbe said to a swain- named Witts, "If you won't have me I'li drown myself," and suiting the action to the words she ran and jumped into a stream. She immediately got out and ran to Stockton, where she again threw, herself jntp a brook, but was rescued by two women. Stye for the third time attempted to seek a watery graye, but was got out just as two met), named Williams and Wall, pagje up. Wall, upon ascertaining what was the matter, said to prisoner, "If you wants to drown yourself, miss, come this way, and I'll see you does it." Seizing the prisoner, be took h.pr to another part of the river and dipped her qver head two or three times until she was nearly exhausted, when, crying loudly for mercy, elie promised not to repeat her foolish conduct. She was then brought up out !of the river thoroughly drenched, but ! evidently cured. The Bench after a suitable admonition, discharged her.

eLLELJC WITNESSES AT BTAIRSf. . ' ; Scarcely Vfiomh passes (e»ys the

'Nairnshire Telegraph') without some witnesses before the Nairn Sheriff Court refusing to give evidence in English, alleging that they can only speak Gaelic. Recently an amusing case of this kind occurred. A woman on being put into the witness-box informed the bar-officer that she had no English — not a word.. The Sheriff — Sit down, my good woman. The Bar-Officer— " Gin sui," (sit down.) The Sheriff— Hasn't she got English ? The Bar-Officer— She says not, my lord. The Sheriff -r- Don't you understand any English at all ? Witness— Na, na. The Sheriff — I think you can now. Who served this woman with the summons ? Sergeant Eraser— l did, my lord. The Sheriff-— Did you speak to her in English ? Sergeant Eraser — I did, and she can speak very good English. The witness here protested-that this was not the case. The Sheriff — After what the officer has stated, I believe you can speak and understand English quite well. Now, if you persist in refusing fco speak English I will have to lead proof that you can speak it, and then I will have to send you to prison, as I had to do to a witness a short time ago who told the same story as you are doing. If you even give us broken English that will do. Witness — I can speak broad Scotch. (Laughter.) The Sheriff—Broad Scotch ! That will do. It is broad Scotch wr all sp eak here. When we attempt to speak fine English we only make fools of ourselves. (Laughter.) Witness then gave evidence in excellent English. Being°questioned whether she had heard a man ask another to fight, she answered that he invited him to fight. The Sheriff — Invited him to fight ! That is not only capital English, but an excellent law term. When you come back again never say, my good woman, that you don't speak English ! A HOBEIBLE DISCOTERT. News of a horrifying discovery near San Antonia, Texas Country, United States, has just been received. Eor some time past a deep well or cistern about 15 miles from the city had been a subject of much comment, in consequence of a moßt sickening smell arising from it. An investigation discovered the fact that it was full of dead bodies of men, women, and children, and from their appearance there could be no doubt that they have all been murdered and then thrown into the water, as some had their throats cut, and others were stabbed through the hearts, while death had resulted in many cases by the victims having had their brains blown out. A house close by, on being searched, was found to contain about 15,000 dols. in money, a large quantity of jewellery and other valuables/ all of which were secreted. An old woman, the only occupier of the house at the time, said in answer to inquiries that the money found was the pocket money of her boys. The police are making inquiries. ANOTHER BEPORT AS TO THE DEATH OF THE NOTOEIOTJS CAPTAIN" HAYES. " The great rover and free-booter of the. South Pacific— Bully Hayes— (says the ' Fiji Times ') has, we learn, come to an untimely end. By the return of the Black Hawk from the Line Islands we are informed that the American schooner Maggie Johnston brought the news to the Islands of Makin that Captain Hayes, while trading in a squall .vessel off the island of Jalmit, had a series of bickerings and quarrels with his mate, and while in the act of going down the companion to reach his revolver to sboot the mate, was struck by him on the back of the back of the head with the iron tiller, completely smashing his skull. So ends the fate of this fearless pirate. The unlawful acts and deeds committed against property and society by this noted freebooter are very many, but we much question if they are deserving of that amount of sensationalism with which it has been the fashion to surround them." The above account seems graphic enough to be true, but there have been so many reports of the death of Captain Hayes that it requires confirmation. That he should die a violent death, after his violent life, seems, however, to be highly probable. PBOGEESS Of THE AITTONELLI yfTLL CASE. The Tribunal pronounced its decision in favour of the plaintiff on the point before the Court in the Antonelli case. It was given in the form of a diffuse snm-r ming-up prepared by the President Oava* Here Pio Teodrani, and pointed out at length that neither the Italian Civil Code nor the Homan and Canon law placed any prohibition on the proof of birth by means of personal testimony. In cases of this kind, consequently^ on account of the age and inff rmity of -J;he Archpriegt Yenditti and of Taraburlini, the eldest of the Cardinal's servants, the Tribunal orderetj their examination ppo jfiiiuvQ memorlq \ hut held that the midwife Gervaae, being in good health, the same grounds for her examination did. not exist. The Court delegated to the Judge Cayaliere Spaziani the task of receiving the evidence of fcb§ FWQ. wit** nesses early hi. August, ordering at the same time that; their depositions should remain secret, and in the custody of the Chancellor of the Court, .The decision now prououneed does not in point of law prejudice the general question of the admissibility of oral testimony to be tried in November ; but, from the line of argument laid down in the decision now given, it may be expected the Court will then •acpord the right tp examine the ?0 wit-=r nesses to be brought forward. Great ad'miration was expressed by the membera of the Kotfian IJar in qourt at the lucidity and learning displayed in the judgment, The Counts Antonelli having to produce in court the Cardinal's will, Countess Latnbertini ha.s declared her intention of impounding it, on the grounds of forgery a,ncl inef&cacy, x