GOSSIP AND NEWS ITEMS.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7341, 20 June 1889, Page 5

GOSSIP AND NEWS ITEMS.

Mr Edward Terry, the well - known comedian, has been re-elected a member of the .Richmond Board of Guardians for the seventh year in succession, this time at the head of the polL Mr Terry represents the parish of Barnes, in which he resides. Two of his colleagues are ladies. Mr White, who resigned the important office of Chief Constructor of the Navy because the Admiralty would not give him more than £1000 a year, whereas Lord Armstrong's firm offered him £2000, has (says Truth) been tempted back to Whitehall on his own terms. Another very important dockyard official, who only got £500 a year from the Government, is now to be paid £3000 a year by a private firm. The dangers of hypnotism have been signally exemplified at Buda-Pesth, where a schoolboy has been arrested for having mesmerised several of his schoolfellows, and suggested to them while in that condition to rob their parents. The boy's preceptor proved that all the lads in one class had been thus operated upon, and that in each instance they had stolen money from their parents, and had given it to their prompter. A shocking murder and suicide occurred at Einchinfield village, near Braintree, Essex, on April 27th, when a farmer named David Wakeling was shot dead by his son Ernest, aged nineteen, who then shot himself. Mr Wakeling, who was sixty-one years of age, was sitting by the fire, and his three sons were also in the room. About one o'clock one of the sons became restless, and paced the room. Unobserved by his brothers, who were reading, he seized a gun, and placing the muzzle close against his father's head, blew out his brains. The parricide immediately fled, and the police were sent for. Shortly afterwards a gunshot was heard from a field near the house, and in this field the murderer was found shot in the head, with the top of the skull blown off, and his brains scattered in all directions. Shortly afterwards the elder Wakelinat's wife and two other sons reached the house, and a terrible scene of grief ensued. No motive can at present be assigned for the deed beyond that the father and son have for some time been unfriendly.