GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9190, 20 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS.

A DEATH PENALTY COMMUTED. ' The Home Secretary has intimated to the governor of Kirkdale Gaol that H Majesty has been pleased +o respite th"" sentence of death, passed at the last Liv pool assizes on the coloured steward,CChar"d r " Arthur, for the murder of Captain I) av M Barlie, of the ship Daventry Hall, on' th high seas. Arthur, who alleged that h" 5 had been ill-treated by the captain, stab! T the latter fatally while the deceased wan his berth. Since his sentence several pet' o tions on his behalf have been forwarded /' the Home Office, praying for a miticrati 0 ° of the sentence, on the ground that Cant ■ " Barlie was notoriously cruel in his treatment of his crews, and that Arthur hail been very badly used.

A CHILD CHOKED BY A SWEKT. Mr. Langham held an inquest at th City Coroner's Court, a few days ago, o n th! body of Mary Bremner, 15 month?, th" daughter of George Bremner,, livin'r , New-street, Aldgate. The father stated that the deceased's sister, a girl nine ear , of age, gave her a piece of almond rock' which she put into her mouth and com' menced to eat. She suddenly beyan to cough violently, and as she displayed symt). corns of choking, witness called in a doctor but she died soon afterwards. Dr. Setjuiera' Aldgate, said that death was due to suiiocation, caused by the piece of rock sticking fast in the infant's throat. A verdict of " Accidental death" was returned. 1

A CONSTABLE CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER At Manchester, a few days ago, James Maher, a constable, was charged, on a coroner's warrant, with the manslaughter of William Swan. _ It is alleged that accused and another constable dragged the deceased out of his own house to the police station. Maher is declared by witnesses to have so brutally pounded the man that death resulted from the violence used. Maher's truncheon was broken during the struggle. He denies that this was due to the force with which he struck the deceased*. He was remanded. BOLTING WITH FOURTEEN THOUSAND POUNDS AND ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE. '

According to a Daily Telegraph Paris telegram, a young man employed as cashier in a Paris bank lias just bolted with £14,000, purloined from his house of busi"ess, and with the wife of his most intimate friend into the bargain. The lady, who ia remarkable beauty, had been his amic. for some time, but he painted such seductive pictures of the life they would lead, if only they were free, that she consented to elope with him. Their project was carried oat with cool audacity. In the morning he appropriated the money, then at the luncheon hour he left the bank, and driving to his friend's abode, he found the couple just concluding their repast. While keeping the husband engaged in conversation, he contrived to let the wife know that a cab was waiting round the corner to bear them to the railway station, and in ten minutea they were oil'. The husband and the bankers were not aware till some hours after and when the police were started on the hunt it was too late. It has been stated, however, that the missing pair has been arrested at Folkestone, and will soon start on their return journey to Paris in very different spirits from those in which they set out.

LIBELLING SAUSAGE ROLLS. An extraordinary libel suit- has bcer> tried at Chester. The action was preferred against Mr. Ernest Solby, surgeon at St. Thomas' Hospital, London, by Messrs. Browning and Wesley, railway refreshment contractors, of Paddington, Chester, and elsewhere. Mr. Solby entered the refreshment rooms at Chester, and declined to eatj a sausage roll, Which he declared was stale. Plaintiffs' manager asserted that it was quite fresh. Mr. Solby, however, went on to the office of his brother, who was town clerk of Birkenhead, and from there telegraphed the Inspector of Nuisances at Chester: —"Please examine sausage rolls, refreshment rooms, at station. Bad meat. Will write to-night." In consequence of that telegram the sausage rolls at Chester were seized by the authorities, who examined them, and found them all wholesome. Mr. Solby entered the witness-box, and swore the sausage roll was bad, and as he could obtain no redress, he informed the proper authorities by letter and telegraph." The meat was "high." The jury found a verdict for one farthing damages, and the judge directed each party to pay their own expenses.

FATAL FALL FROM A STEEFLE. A shocking accident took place on August 17 at the church of St. John the Divine, Vassal Road, Brixton, London. About half-past six o'clock a young .man, named Alfred William Oakley, aged 17 year?, who resides with his parents at No. 27. Bishop's Road, Lothian Road, Cambenvell, went with a friend.of his for the purpose of ascending the scaffolding which surrounds the steeple of -the above church, which is in course,of erection, to obtain a view of the surrounding country. Upon reaching the top (it is supposed he became giddy) he fell to tlie ground beneath, a distance of 100 feet. He was picked up, and Dr. Cole, of Camberwell New Road, having been sent for, life was pronounced extinct, the deceased having sustained frightul injuries. A BOY CHAINED BY HIS STEPFATHER.

At the Leeds Town Hall Richard Best, 16, a wretched-looking boy, was charged with having stolen -'Jib. of ham. The lad, who pleaded " Guilty," complained that his stepfather did not give him enough to eat;, and said that the other day his parent! shackled his legs with a padlock and chain four yards long, heavy enough to hold half-a-dozen horses. The man admitted having locked up the boy in order to keep him from getting into rough company when he had no work to do. Mr. Bruce, the magistrate, said the father had no right to chain the boy up. If he did so he might find himself in an unpleasant position. The prisoner's mother said her son had behaved very well since he came out of Shadwell School a year ago. Her husband had frequently chained the boy, kept him without sufficient; to eat, and threatened her with personal violence if she gave the lad anything. Mr. Bruce, remarking that the boy's story was substantially borne out by the evidence of his stepfather and mother, ordered the prisoner to bo imprisoned until the rising of the court, and warned the stepfather against ill-treating the lad in future. . THE GREAT EASTERN TO BE BROKEN CP. (■ Nearly the whole of the machinery and' ironwork has been removed from the Great Eastern, and in a few days she will be' towed round to Barrow from the Clyde and broken up. It, is a. pity that she could not be secured and towed inland into some river or arm of the sea and there fitted up as a hospital or home of rest for disabled seamen, as her iron walls are still in excellent condition. There is indeed room for some wealthy philanthropist; to come forward and save the old ship, which has done some good in her day, as but for her aid we might not, yet have had an Atlantic telegraph cable. Four or five thousand pounds at most would secure her hull, and a thousand or two more convert her into a comfortable floating habitation of some sort.

napoleon's VALET : HIS son's career. Those familiar with the history of Napoleon I. may have in mind the Chinaman Ah Sing-, who served as his valet de chambrt in St. Helena from 1817 to 1820. After the Emperor's death, Ah Sing entered the service of the King of Prussia, married, had children, became chief laquais of the Court), was held in great esteem, and died at Potsdam in 1536. The father's upward career is counterbalanced by a son's downward course. The latter became a Prussian officer, was dismissed the service for writing a pamphlet against army abuses, and then became a swindler on no small scale. He has just been seized by the Vienna police for a forgery to the tune of £-1000 upon the Bank of Monaco. WALKING FROM EDINBURGH TO LONDON.

Mr. Ross Fraser, who, accompanied by acollie dog, started from Edinburgh on 15th August to walk to London in eight days, an average of about 50 miles per aay, arrived in London on the evening of August -6. The pedestrian was awaited by a large concourse of people at Shoreditch Church, and when he arrived was very heartily greeted. The route taken was from Edinburgh, via Berwick, Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, Northallerton, Borough bridge, VVetherby, Doncaster, Retford, Newark, Grantham. Stamford, Huntingdon, Royston.Ware, and Edmonton. Mr. Eraser seemed somewhat footsore on his arrival, but the dog appeared in no way the worse for the journey. The walk has not been accomplished in the time originally laid down, as Mr. Fraser's fee'' gave way owing to the unsuitability of his boots for the task. He is, however, conndent that the journey could be accomplished in eight days by a pedestrian who had son» preparation for the work.