SUEZ MAIL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 257, 1 November 1887, Page 3

SUEZ MAIL NEWS.

MARRIAGE OF SIR H.

TICHBOENK,

(from our, special correspondent.)

Loft.DOK, September 16,

Tiik social event of the week has been th° marriage of the young Sir Henry Tichborne to Lady Gwendoline Petre. Since the unfortunate Duk« of Norfolk's wedding there lias been no similar ceremony of equal importance in Catholic circles, and the raus. ter of influential Romanists at Whitley Abbey was very large. Prominent amongst the public spectators at the church was a young soldier, a private in a foot regiment He attracted but little attention till the whisper went round that the young fellow was none other than " Sir Roger's heir." It is not, however, altogether true I believe that he went up to Sir Henry subsequently and said, " Surely, cousin, this is not right. You wouldn't rob Peter to pay Paul, would you? Then why rob poor Roger to pay Petre V"

The Mltcliolstown Massacre,

The debate in the Commons on the Mitchclntown massacre was one ot the motfb interesting , I have ever listened to. Ido not, as a rule, approve of the Irish members' methods and manners, but on this occasion fcheir conduct certainly was irreproachable. Mr Dillon brought home the facts of the Mitchelstosvn affair to the House with sledge hammer force. The Ministerialists tried not to believo him, wished not to believe him, bub they couldn't help it. Every accent boro the impress of strict truth. Mr Parnell was also most powerful. With passionate earnestness he solemnly warned the Government of the terrible consequences of such tragedies as the one under discussion. It would not be in his power to avert them. Ireland's blood was up, and all the good that Mr Gladstone's pacific measures had achieved was undone.

The Exotor Holooauat,

The funerals of tho victims of the Exeter holocaust seem to have been associated with some revolting scandals. The poorer classes made the occasion of the principal burials a regular holiday, the women turning up at'the cemetery with perambulators and picnic baskets, and tho men with bottles of liquor. Those who weren't vulgarly curious were either noisy or maudlin, and general disorder prevailed. These horrors culminated with the appearance of a miserable clergjman, apparently much the worse for liquor. I!e had to read service over the body of a young girl, who happened t.D have died of consumption about that time, and was being buried in a grave adjacent to those of the lire's victims. At tirsfc tho crowd thtughfc the rev. gentleman must be ill, but when he mixed up tho marriage with the burial service, and finally broke oft" suddenly and stumbled about, the truth became only too painfully apparent. An indignant rush was made to lynch him, and with very great difficulty some friends and other clergymen, who fortunately came up, got the,old man away. Subsequently he was charged at the Police Court with being diuink, and denied the offence. As there hail been no disorderliness in Mr Intrlo's conduct, and as ho would certainly be severely dealt with by the Bishop, the magistrates thought it better to dismiss tho case.

The inquiry into the causes of the Exeter iiro has revealed tho awkward fact that when tho theatre was licensed the local inspectors (who were, however, without official status) advised the addition of another door to the fatal gallery, and that their recommendation v/as ignored. Mr Phipps, F.S.A., the architect of this and some 40 other theatres, has come in for some severe, and on the whole, I think, deserved criticism. IV Was certainly he objected to the extra door.

An Extraordinary Fraud.

When Benson, the hero of the great Do Goncourfc frauds, was released from durance vile about 18 months aga, after undergoing a prolonged period of penal servitude,, it may be remembered that some of the newspapers ventured to deplore the turningloose of such an ingejiious scoundrel on society. Mr Benson was much hurt by their insinuations, and gob a clergyman friend to say so. Whilst in prison heliad he declared seen the error of his ways and reformed. His health was completely broken down, and all he asked was to be allowed to live out the of his wrecked life in peace and quiet, on a small annuity which a relative had thoughtfully left him. For soma months the man's conduct was blameless. The police, however, persisted in keeping their eye upon him. Wherever he went he was " supervised," and so irksome did the reformed '"eharp" iind this system of " shadowing" that no one was very much surprised when one nicrht he disappeared. Tho papers and the police said he had gone to Australia,, and bhe latter even knew the name of the Orient boat by which he travelled. There can, however, how be no doubt that Benson put the authorities on a false scent. He took a berth on the Orient steamer himself, but another person (similar in appearance) really occupied it. This double left Benson free to recommence life on the' Continent in the character of Mr Clinchwocd, an American of means and position. Hβ took up his residence at Geneva, and there made the acquaintance of Dr. Kees, a retired officer of the Indian army, and hie daughter. The latter, sl very charming girl, fell in love with the handsome, and fascinating adventurer, and the jpair presently gofc engaged to be married. Mr Clinch - wood madd hie fiancit a present of some splendid diamonds valued (he said) at £4,000, and also placed in his fatnue father-in-law's hands bonds of various sorts worth £7,000. These were deposited with much formality in Kees's strong box ab a Geneva' bank. Mr Clinchwood then explained that he should have to tun over to the States to settle up hie aflairs before fche wedding, and casually offered, as Dr. Kees had expresseda wish to invest £7.000 in American stock, to see to the transaction for him. The doctor innocently thanked his prospective son-in-. law and handed over the cash. Up to this point, Benson had succeeded admirably; now, however, he blundered. The rascal should have proceeded direct to America, but the temptation to look up his old friends and confederates, the Kerrs at Bremen, proved irresistible. Unfortunately, the Kerrs had been more thaH once "in trouble" abroad since their release from Portland, and were well watched by German detectives. Benson's identity soon became obvious, and private inquiries were instituted into the recent doings of "Mr Clinch wood."; Dr. Kees, enlightened as to the character of his prospective son-in-law, proceeded hurriedly to the Bank. His strong box was called for, and the contents exam?ned. Need I say the diamonds #ero paste, and the securities. waste paper 7 Benson and the Kerrs had everything prepared for flight when the police arrested them. I fear the former gentleman will not have another opportunity of exercliing his fascinations on the fair sex for some years to conle. Whilst ab Dartmoor he attempted to commit suicide, you may reihember.