OUR MAIL BUDGET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8089, 9 February 1887, Page 6

OUR MAIL BUDGET.

THE CAMPBELL DIVORCE CASE. {The Spectator.) The Campbell divorce suit ended on Monday in a most unsatisfactory muddle... The jury at first reported themselves unable to agree, tbe numbers, it was hinted, being six and six; but on the Judge imploring them not to leave the parties in such a position/ they retired, and at last returned with a verdict affirming that neither Lord Colin nor Lady Colin had committed adultery with anybody. That verdict, of course, according to the evidence, affixes the stigma of perjury upon a great many persons, as also, indeed, the contrary one would have done. It is not the least of the many evils of the Divorce Court that it impairs the sense that perjury, besides b&ng a high moral offence, is perhaps the greatest of civil offences, certainly the most dangerous to society. The jury added a rider to their verdict, savagely condemning General Butler as neither officer nor gentleman for failing to appear. What do they mean by that ? If, as they affirm, they are convinced of his innocence, they did not want him; and if he were guilty, he must either have perjured himself, or have betrayed an accomplice. If juries are to reprimand those who abstain from tbe box in this ferocious style, their legal right of abstinence will soon be whittled away to nothing, to the frightful increase, we fear, of .false swearing. The best comment which we have had this week on the Campbell suit was that contained by implication in Canon Liddon’s fine sermon at St Paul’s Cathedral last Sunday, on Christ’s words, “ I am among you as he that serveth.” Service, he said, strenuous service for others is the best of all correctives for ill-regulated desire, and then he proceeded : —“ The young man of noble family, brought up, it may be, in a religious atmosphere, had all the vigour of his character sapped by a love of pleasure, and the very air of the castle won for his stock by some illustrious ancestor was vitiated by tbe literature, art, and companionship which reflect the soft-; ness of tho life in which be vegetates, his great, desire being how to kill time. Balls, theatres, and club gossip fepd his enfeebled nature with congenial nutriment, and he cares nothing for the comfort and honour of his family, the credit of his order or the glory of his country, still less for religion, the highest interest of all. Like the half-vegetable and half-animal creatures which stick to tbe rocks on tbe seashore, and open their flabby mouths to see what may be floated into them by the waves, he despises any exertion. Just the same was the case at the other end of the social scale, when men, instead of spending honest and happy lives in the bosom of their families, lounged in the streets or the public houses, and were not less Sybarites at heart, though there was more to be said in, their excuse. When such types of men were common, the ruin of a great country could not long be postponed, and the only security lay in the true life of service of its better citizens,” Nothing can be more true ; and it was of tbe first importance to point out, as Canon Liddon has done, that the idle pleasure-seekers are confined to no class, though the mischief they can do increases with their dignity in the social scale. “ Loafers ” are of all classes, and are dangerous in all; it is the fidelity of service which really purifies; but even service itself, without its highest spirit, is a tonic and a safeguard agaiust moral rottenness. SINGULAR DISCOVERY OF MONEY. Some ten : months ago the death of Mr J. H. Paine' was announced from New York. He was a grandson of one of those who signed the Declaration of Independence, and a writer and composer of some repute. His family are among the principal people of Boston, where the deceased lived until bis avarice in dealing with those who borrowed money from him

drove him from that city to New York. Here he lived in penury and wretchedness. One day, about twelve months since, he was knocked down in the street and run over, and from the effects of this accident he died.

At the time it was not known that the wretched man, who had often received charity, possessed any estate (says the correspondent of the Standard ), but after a while persons who had borrowed from him began to inquire to whom the interest was payable. This led to mi investigation, the result of which was -aLbfilief that Paine was worth upwards million dollars. One broker stated that Paine one, day received from him ■securities worth 330,000d01a, which he ■carried away in a piece of newspaper. iNow a singular discovery has been made. Over the small property that was found litigation arose, in the course of which a ,witness has just testified that nineteen | years ago Paine gave him a bundle wrapped in a cotton handkerchief, and asked him to take care of it for him. On only one occasion since had Paine asked if his parcel was safe. The witness had not examined it, because he supposed it to contain manuscripts, the product of Paine's pen. On learning this the Court required the production of the parcel, and when opened it was found to contain 356,750d0l (upwards of £70,000) in good bank notes, besides other securities to a very large amount, the value of which cannot be stated immediately because of the lapse of time since they were issued.

SACRIFICED BY THEIR INVENTION. A painful accident took place on the Seine, at Asnieres. Two persons of a scientific turn, M. Buisson and M. Ciurciu, lately bought a boat, for which they constructed a boiler and steam apparatus of their own invention. They used petroleum instead of coal to produce the steam, and I wishing to test their experiments, they I invited some friends to witness their mdve- > ments from the banks of tbe river. Hardly, however, had they left the wharf than a terrific detonation was heard, and the spectators on the bank were horrified to see the little steamboat Iblown to atoms. After the smoke had Icleared away, M. Ciurciu, one of the invenIbors, was seen striking out for the shore, mis face streaming with blood. , He was ffiaken on a small steamer, and hia companion was afterwards found in the river. Bill alive, but mutilated beyond descrip§>n. His rescuers had only time to put ftn on shore when he expired. The body § a boy who acted as stoker in the boat As not yet been discovered. M. Buisson, |ho has met such a fearful and untimely mte, was for some time Director of the Havas News Agency at Bucharest. He left I to devote himself to scientific pursuits. I AN INDIAN’S REVENGE. || a horrible attempt at murder is reported Rom Dhurmsal (telegraphs the Calcutta Correspondent of the Times). SurgeonSlajor Oldham, of the Ist Goorkhas, some «ime ago dismissed a table servant, but on She man’s promise to reform took him back. ILast Thursday, while Dr Oldham and his Hwo daughters were at dinner, the servant Kaught the elder Miss Oldham by the hair, Htcew her head back, and cut her across the Saws and neck with a carving knife. Another Hservant, waiting at the time, ran out of the Boom, but the younger daughter attacked lithe assailant, and managed to get the knife from him, her own hand being cut Severely. He took another knife and attacked Dr Oldham, and a scuffle ensued. Eventually the man was secured and banded over to the police. ; THE WHITELEY'S OP LIVERPOOL IN ASHES. feWhat proved to be the greatest and ost destructive shop fire which has taken piace in Liverpool since the burning of I Compton Hoqse, just twenty-one years since, broke out last week about twenty minutes before 2 o’clock at Lewis’ extensive establishment, in which they vended drapery, patent medicines, tin ware, food, confectionery, and many other articles; besides which, in one portion they had, as a Christmas attraction, a small menagerie. The first signs of any outbreak were perceived coming from one of the upper floors of the great clock tower, which is nearly two hundred feet in height, and was visible from many parts of the outskirts. The flames spread with alarming rapidity, and by the time the first engine arrived the upper part of the tower was well ablaze. The great plate glass began to crack and fall into the street. In less than 10 or 15 minutes tbe fire engines began to play upon the burning mass. At two o’clock the flames began to extend to the side along Lawton street, and in a very few minutes all the front was on fire. So great was the heat that it was found necessary, before half-past two, to play upon the central station building to prevent it catching fire. There were a number of firemen on the roof of Spiers and Pond’s room, turning their attention to the station, when suddenly a portion of the top of Lewis’wall fell into Lawton street, leaving an immense gap of flames. This was at about a quarter to three, and in a few seconds more the. whole wall at that side, between the great tower and the smaller one at the back, fell out with a dreadful crash. At about 2.15 a.m. tbe scene presented was one of the most remarkable that has ever been seen in the many great conflagrations that have occurred in Liverpool. The whole of the building was enveloped in flame. The fire seemed to have possession of the building, from the basement to tbe roof. The turret on the clock tower fell about three o’clock, and the flames raged for fully two hours afterwards. Nothing in the entire block was saved, the animals in the menagerie, including a magnificent Polar bear, all perishing. Tbe damage is estimated at from £200,000 to £400,000. THE SALVATION ARMY. From a summary of the operations of the Salvation Army just compiled it appears that the work of the Army has gone forward in 1886 with even greater vigour than in any former year. At the close of last year the army comprised 1322 corps under 3076 officers, while at the present time there are 1749 corps and 4192 officers, being an increase in the year of 427 corps and 1116 officers. In the first week of the year 25,496 meetings were held, against 29,733 in the last week. The total receipts for the year were £73,430 as compared with £69,768 in the preceding year. Upwards of 1200 buildings were used by the various corps, for which rentals were paid amounting to £IBO,OOO. As many as 236 buildings bad been built or altered during the year at a cost of £27,805, providing accommodation for 116,092. There had been sentabroad 195 officers at a cost of £2732. In the London district alone there were 75 corps and 133 officers, an increase of 18 corps and 48 officers. Operations had at length been commenced in Carnarvon, and it had been resolved to establish a perfect Welshspeaking army. The Salvation Navy had become during the year a powerful organisation, and .scores of vessels .were now flying the Salvation flag. At the beginning of the year they had 520 corps and 1296 officers abroad, while they had now 743 corps and 1932 officers.. In connection with the rescue work, they had not only maintained the homes already established, but bad opened others at Cardiff, Wisbech, and Northampton. The number of girls now under their care in - these establishments was over 150, and 410 were in good situations. The work among the discharged prisoners had been thoroughly organised and developed during the year. THE UNHAPPY UMPIRE. Football is a noble and manly game, but in future only persons of great strength and boundless courage will venture to be umpires. To murder the umpire, if possible, has become apparently the leading

principle of the pastime. Gainsborough" has been playing the Grantham Hovers at Grantham (mark that), and after the match the general public of Qrantham went for the Gainsborough umpire. From this circumstance it may be inferred that the Grantham Hovers were not successful in the contest. The unlucky umpire might as well have been the unpopular candidate at an election. The police conveyed him to the militia barracks, and he escaped by a back way from the attentions of the admirers of fair play in Grantham. So keenly were they animated by a passion for justice that, had it not been for the militia, and the police, and the back way, there is no saying what they might have done to the umpire. His decisions displeased them, and probably he will be very careful how he goes umpiring at Grantham any more. He has already, it is said, “ been severely handled.” If this kind of “ wild justice ” is to go on, the umpire must either be armed with revolvers or be accompanied by a regiment of cavalry—if we have such a thing in the British army. Among other results, no football club will ever win when playing on a foreign ground. For few umpires, unless protected) in the manner we have suggestedj will venture to give a decision unfavourable to the partisans of the home club. ;We seldom hear of these troubles at cricket, which, indeed, is a game that refines the character and polishes the manners. Football should aim at being an equally civilising force in modern culture. Butin Grantham at least it has hardly attained this ideal. —Daily News.