OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 8615, 8 September 1891, Page 4

OUR AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

[From Gob Melbourne Correspondent. J Wednesday, September 2. POLITICAL. The Federation Bill has at last got through the Victorian Assembly, but not without some material alterations. Throughout the discussion on the Bill a strong feeling was shown by a section of members to bar New Zealand from the federation on account of her superior capabilities for carrying on a large export trade in agricultural products. The farmers of Victoria are afraid that unrestricted commerce with New Zealand would injure their prospects, especially in the oats and barley trade. It was not surprising, therefore, that in a thin House last week Sir Bryan O’Loghlen was able 'so carry an amendment by 28 to 20 votes, which, if accepted by the other colonies, will have the effect of preventing New Zealand from joining the federation on the terms laid down in the present Bill. The most important change which has been made in the Bill is the striking out of the provision to auble the Senate to suggest to the House of Representatives amendments to money bills. This was carried on the motion of Mr Wrixon (one of the Victorian delegates to the Sydney Convention) by 40 to 24. Mr Munro and Mr Gillies (also delegates) voted against the amendment. This division of opinion amongst delegates had a bad effect on the House, and members did not feel themselves called upon to maintain as far as possible the conclusions arrived at by the Convention. Mach surprise was felt when Mr Deakin (the late Chief Secretary, and a Convention delegate) came forward with a proposal that there should be power reserved to maintain, if necessary, the Victorian tariff for five years. The proposal was strenuously opposed by Mr Munro and Mr Gillies, who warned the House that federation was hopeless if any such terms were insisted upon, It was also pointed out that the proposal, if carried out, would be to the disadvantage of Victoria, for the other colonies would raise their tariffs so as to shut out Victorian manufactures for the five years. The inconsistency of Mr Deakin in the matter, and the fact that he was supported by Mr Trenwith (one of the Trades Hall nominees), has created the suspicion thad Mr Deakin is coquetting for the leadership of the Labor party in case Victoria follows the example of New South Wales at the next general elections. The proposal was negatived by 35 votes to 30. LIQUIDATION OK A MELBOURNE BANK. The proceedings in connection with the application to place the Imperial Banking Company in compulsory liquidation are affording the Melbourne public an interestins peep behind the scenes. The mode in which the business of the company was worked, as described by its iato manager (James Clarke) in cross examination yesterday, adds an interesting chapter to the history of laud banka, which will be supplemented in the course of the present week, in all probability, by Sir Benjimin Benjamin and other directors of the company. Mr Clarke was formerly manager of what is now known as the Standard Bank, and he performed the same office fur the bank now in liquidation. From December, 1885, until July, 1890, he was a partner in the firm of Messrs Bradley and Curtain, estate agents and auctioneers, to whom the directors of the company are alleged to have improperly advanced money. Mr Clarke admitted that practically all the assets of the company were pledged to the Bank of South Australia as security for overdraft. Titles of property were said by Mr Clarke to have been deposited by Bradley and Curtain as tecurifcy for their overdrawn account with the company, and, although part owner of the proparties and also manager of the advancing company, he could not enumerate all the properties so given in security, He contradicted the affidavit of the directors as to advances having been made to Bradley and Curtain, An advance of 17s 6-i per share was made to them, and a new account—called their shares account- -was opened in the books, Mr Claike admitted that neither he nor the firm could pay L 27.000 amongst them if the money on the shares were called up. He appeared as the owner of 280 shares, but he really at the present time owned 3,380, which were held by his wife, motber-in-hw, and other relatives and friends, some of whom were “ mere children,’’ The overdraft of the company on the Bank of South Australia in February last was 155,000, but that was included in an item of L 70,000 odd “ balance due on open account,” not a word being said about an overdraft in the balance-sheet. The overdraft increased by L 21.000 between February and when the bank suspended payment. SHOCKING MURDER BY A LUNATIC, Joseph Freitag, an old settler of Stratford (Victoiia) was murdered by a man in his employ named John Ross last Wednesday, The two men were digging in a garden, when, without any warning, Rosa attacked Freitag with a batcher’s knife, cut his throat, and buried him ia the garden, Mrs Freitag, hearing the screams of her husband, went to his assistance, but Rosa stabbed her at the back of the ear, the kniie entering her mouth, and she had to retreat for her own safety. Before the dreadful occurrence Mrs Terry, a servant of Mrs Freitag, notic:d that Ross kept going to the house for drinks of water. He ultimately took a large butcher’s knife out of the kitchen, and went to a tent in which he slept, and which was some distance from the house. He then went to the garden, and soon afterwards Mrs Freitag told her to go and see what Rosa was doing with the knife. She went, and on her way heard Freitag screaming, and saw him throw up his hands, She picked up a stick and struck Ross on the head, and he iau at her with the knife, catting her on the hands. He then ran to the house. Mrs Freitag, who had followed her out, was cut with the knife by Ross, and Mrs Terry saw her walking back to the house covered with blood, Mrq Terry then went to Stratford to tell the police, Mrs Slavin, who was at the house when the murder was committed, states that she heard screams and went to the garden fence, where she saw Ross stabbing Mr Freitag, who was screaming. Mrs Freitag then went to his assistance, and Rosa attacked her, Mrs Freitag walked towards her and said; “ I think I am going to die, My windpipe is cat. Lock the children up in a room in case he will kill yon all.” Mrs Siavin locked them up and went again to the garden fence, where she saw Freitag lying on the ground and crying out “Oh, John, John." Mrs Slavin called out: “For God’s sake, John Ross, will you let Mr Freitag up?” Ross replied: “ I can’t,” and went on stabbing him. Mrs Slavin said : “ There are policemen coming down the hill,” but Ross never answered. She afterwards saw Ross digging a hole, and later on washing his hands. When Constable Walsh went to Freitag’s he saw Ross standing near the house. He went up to him, and asked if there was anything wrong. Ross replied “Not much; only I have killed Freitag. I was born to do so, and I was compelled to do it.” Walsh said “Surely you don’t mean that,” Ross replied “Yes, and I buried him.” Ross also said that he killed the deceased with a knife, and pointed out where Freitag was buried. He also showed the constable were the knife was. It was in a block near Ross’s tent, and was covered with blood, the point of it being bent. Ross at first refnsed to be handcuffed, bat he allowed the handcuffs to be put on when other men

arrived. Constable Walsh then got the body out. It was buried 2ft deep, and there was a great gash in the throat, the head being nearly severed from the body. There were signs of a struggle. Ross said that he had changed the clothes he had been wearing, and Walsh found those be had taken off in the tent covered with blood.

Ross has been committed for trial on the verdict of a coroner’s jury.

A SAD OCCURRENCE, Two young ladies, named Ada and Annie Mountjoy, met with their deaths in a sad manner at Dean’s Marsh, near Geelong, on Tuesday night. They had been spending a holiday in Geelong during their parents’ absence in Melbourne, and on Tuesday when the girls returned to their home it was arranged that Annie Mountjoy should remain for the night With her cousin Ada. They occupied the same sleeping apartment, and as the air was rather chilly they provided the room with a fire of charcoal, but did not evidently have the discretion to make allowance for the ventilation of the bed chamber, The cousins were in excellent spirits on retiring to rest, and in a brief period were fast asleep. When the discovery was made next morning of the lifeless forms of the two who were so bright and happy on the previous evening there was intense grief among the members of the household, but the catastrophe seemed so impossible that some of the family entertained hopes that the lost ones would be restored to them, and with that object in view the services of Dr Reid, of Birregurra, were promptly secured. When he arrived he assured the grief-stricken family that the youthful slumberers would never wake again, and indicated that death had resulted from the inhalation of the noxious fumes that had ascended from a can of charcoal. FRAUD ON A TRAMWAY COMPANY. The Melbourne police were yesterday successful in effecting the arrest of a young man named Arthur Jones, who has been wanted since the Bth of July last ia connection with an audacious fraud on the Melbourne Tramway Company. An of the company named Birch had been instructed to take a bag containing some L 350 from tbe head office to the Brunswick terminus. He had taken his seat in a Brunswick car but a few minutes when it was boarded by a mar, who accosted Birch and told him that he had been deputed by the head office to release him of his valuable burden, At the same time he presented a note, purporting to come from Mr Wilcox, the assistant manager of the company, and which instructed Birch to hand over the bag to the bearer and return to the office immediately. Birch walked unsuspiciously iato the trap that had been so cunningly contrived for him, and surrendered the money to the stranger, who said his name was Webber. When Birch reported himself at the office the fraud was at once apparent, and the detectives were immediately communicated with. Mainly through the intelligent description given by a Mrs Knowles, who had witnessed the arrival of “ Webber " on the car, the police were furbished with a reliable clue, and they had no ‘difficulty in attaching suspicion to an erstwhile employe of the company named Jones, Yesterday this man was arrested at a lodging house in Grattan street, Carlton, and on being charge with the fraud made an attempt to bio w his brains out. This was frustrated by the detectives, and Jones was handcuffed and taken to the watchhouse, where he was afterwards identified by Mrs Knowles and Birch. On his effects being searched a sum of L 233 was found in cash and post office orders. the “widow o’brien” in court Mr J. F. Sheridan, the comedian who has become so well known through his impersonation of Widow O’Brien ia ‘Fun on the Bristol,’ figured in the County Court in Melbourne last week as defendant in an assault case, and a verdict was given against him for 1,100. The plaintiff was Alexander Middleton, business manager for the Messrs MacMahon, the leasees of the Opera House, and claimed L3OO, while the defendant entered a counter-claim for a similar amount for assault. The parties met behind the scenes at the Theatre Royal on the occasion of a matimSe performance in aid of the survivors of the wrecked vessels Craigburn and Joseph Scammell, on May 23, Sheridan shook hands with the plaintiff, and noticed that he received his greeting rather coldly. He asked Middleton whether he “ had the MacMahon fever too,” and plaintiff replied that he considered Sheridan had “ behaved badly to the boys in New Zealand.” Sheridan retorted “ You’re a liar,” and received a blow on the face. He was disfigured with a black eye for some weeks afterwards. Late at night, whilst Middleton was walking along Swanston street on the same date, he got a blow on the back of the neck, and, turning round, saw Sheridan with a hunting crop uplifted in his hand. Further blows followed, and they were separated by a crowd that was soon attracted to the spot. Defendant admitted the assault, but submitted he was justified on account of the provocation he had received at Middleton’s hands during the afternoon. The case recal.’ci to the minds of some of the spectators in Court a verse of a parody the defendant comedian was wont to sing in ‘ Fun on the Bristol’ — Ho struck mo without any warning, Ar.d made mo look, oh,’such a Light— Ho knocked corners off me this morning, But I’m waiting for him to-night.

His Honor Judge Hamilton, in summing up, said it was suggested that the plaintiff went to the Theatre Royal for the purpose of provoking a quarrel and attacking Sheridan, , The difference between Sheridan and the MacMahons was evidently a sore point, and Sheridan introduced it himse’f. Middleton was asked for his opinion and gave it, whereupon Sheridan called him a liar. Defendant was apparently a man who could not hear anything adverse to himself without making qse of strong language. A flood of low and disgusting words fell from the mouth of the defendant, but no such language was attributed to Middleton. His Honor was therefore astonished when plaintiff’s counsel attacked defendant by calling him a “ dirty little sneak,” a “snake in the grass,” and so forth. But for that his client was probably not responsible. An assault was the consequence of the quarre 1 , and they had heard different accounts of it ; but plaintifi’s witness, Captain Deary, was in a better position to see the occurrence than Gracie Whiteford and Mrs Tudor, who gave evidence for the defendant, Next, the jury had to deal with the encounter of the evening. It was plain that Sheridan was here the aggressor, for he had told Frank Clark that he intended “ painting ” Middleton’s eye, as Middleton had “ painted ” his. Sheridan was accompanied by two witnesses named James and Bovis out of the theatre. They left him at the Ballarat Star Hotel, but accidentally turned up in the most surprising manner in front of Her Majes'y’a Hotel, when Ericksen, another of defendant’s company, signalled Middleton’s coming. Had Ericksen been “ shadowing ” the plaintiff for his employer ? It was unfortunate that Ericksen had not been called, for ho would have been able to throw a good deal of light upon the affair. When Middleton approached it was said that Sheridan stood in a doorway behind two other persons until he had passed by. They had again a conflict of evidence as to the second assault. Sheridan and others swore he struck Middleton with his fist. Middle'on and his witnes-os said that Sheridan need his hunting crop, Middleton ought to have been in tbe best poeitionto judge, The jury would see how unlikely it was that a small man could have struck a bigger man such a blow on tbe back of tbe neck with his fiat as to cause him to reel, A general flourish of sticks followed, and Sheridan beat a rapid and skilful retreat, The assault had been committed in a manner that would not commend itself to any manly mind. Hitting a man a blow from behind might be considered heroic in America, where the defendant came from, but it was not so in Australia. It was a most disgraceful assault, and one of a kind they were accustomed to deal with ia courts of general sessions, where miscreants who frequented back streets, who made night hideous and the streets dangerous with attacks upon each other, or inoffensive citizens were dealt with. The defendant started out with a rancorous intention to revenge himself upon .Middleton. ’ As to the measure of damages, plaintiff waa entitled to be recompensed not only for'the actual pain be had suffered, but for the outrage of his feelings, and the insult that had been put uponhim. The jury, after, half an hour’s deliberation, returned a verdict in plaintiff’s favor

for LIOO npon his claim. They also found •for Middleton on the counter-claim.

GENERAL. The death of Sir Charles MacMahon, formerly Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, took place at his residence, East Melbourne, last week. Sir Charles had been in bad.health for some years back, and had not taken part in public affairs since he ceased to represent West Melbourne in 1886. He was born at Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1824, and was a younger son of the lateßightHon. Sir W. MaoMabon, at onetime Master of the Rolls in Ireland, by bis second wife Charlotte, a sister of Sir Robert Shaw, Bart., of Bnshy park, County Dublin. Bis grandfather on the paternal side was John MaoMabon, patentee comptroller of the port of Limerick. Having received a college education, Charles MacMahon obtained a commission as au ensign in the 71st Highland Light Infantry, from which he exchanged into the 10th Hussars. After spending a few years in the army, he retired with the rank of captain, early in the fifties he emigrated to Australia, and settled in Melbourne. In January, 1853, be was appointed to a position in the police force of the colony, and was for some time inspector of police in Melbourne, in which capacity he became one of the most prominent figures in the city life of those days. In 1858 he came into collision with the then Chief Secretary, Mr (afterwards Sir John) O’Shanaesy, and he retired from the service. In 1861 be was elected a member of the Assembly, and ten years later was elected Speaker in succession to Sir Francis Murphy. He continued to occupy the chair during the stormiest period of political history ia the colony. In 1877 he was succeeded by Sir Charles 6avan Duffy as Speaker. The mishap to the f.s. Manapouri, when on a recent trip from New Zealand to Melbourne she got too close inshore near Cape Sohanck and grazed the Sandy Beach before her course was altered, ia to form the subject of a formal inquiry. The Marine Board at a recent meeting rescinded its former resolution dismissing Captain Logan with a censure and caution, and obeyed the mandate of the Commissioner of Customs to prefer a charge of misconduct against him. The difference of opinion between the Minister and the Board in this matter was really very small, inasmuch as several members of the Board were from the first of opinion that a charge should be laid against Captain Logan, It is proposed that a determined effort shall be made in Victoria to abolish the vice of opium-smoking. A deputation recently waited on Mr Munro in reference to the subject. It was represented that, although the Chinese population in the colony was decreasing, the Customs returns showed that just as large a quantity of opium was being imported as in former years, indicating that the consumption was extending to the European population. It was stated that seventy-one members of the Legislative Assembly bad pledged themselves to support legislation to prevent its further use, except tor medicinal purposes, and it was suggested that an enactment similar to the clause in the statute code of California dealing with the opium traffic should be put in operation here. Mr Munro, in replying, pointed out that under the existing Poisons Act opium could only be administered by legally qualified medical practitioners; so that the traffic that was going on was illegal. The uselessness of the enactment was shown in 1878, when prosecutions resulted in paltry fines being inflicted, If the people wanted to have the matter dealt with In au effectual manner a law should be passed providing for high minimum as well as maximum penalties, and smokers as well as vendors should be punished. The growth of poppies, from which opium was manufactured, would also have to be prohibited. He promised to consult with his colleagues, and see what could be done in bringing before Parliament a stringent and effective law on the subject. On the voyage of the ship Desdemona, which arrived at Melbourne from Liverpool last week, three of the crew died. The first death occurred in a mysterious manner, and the conclusion arrived at was that it was a case of suicide. The ship left Liverpool on the 2nd June, and the following day was going along with a light breeze through the Irish Channel. A sailor named J. C. Smith was at the wheel, but as he was steering the ship very erratically the chief officer sent him forward, A short time afterwards Smith was wanted, but could not be found, and it was evident he had gone overboard. The weather was very fine at the time, so that it seems hardly possible the man could have got into the water by accident. Tr.e second death was that of a colored man named David Donaldson, The deceased shipped as an A 8., but from the time the ship left the docks was off duty suffering from consumption, and on the 26th June he died. The third death occurred under very distressing circumstances. When the ship was off the Cape of Good Hope a colored man named Frank Antonie was aloft on tne main royal yard stowing the sail. Another sailor was with him, and the ship was rolling heavily, The sail was almost fast when the sailor who was on the yard with Antonie commenced to shriek, and the mate went aloft to ascertain what was the matter. On gaining the yord he found Antonie lying across the yard dead. A rope was fastened round the dead body, and he was lowered to the deck. The cause of death was set down in the ship’s log as heart disease.