GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 6 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS.

the comic side OF company PROMOTION. The comic side of company promotion n London is well illustrated in the career of Robert McLelland. This youth has some of the characteristics of Pooh Bali. He began, it appears, as messenger boy in the office of a concern called the Metropolitan Finance Corporation, and was subsequently promoted to be private secretary to Captain William Noel Middleton, one of the directors. In the same building—Parliament Mansions, Victoria-street —was the office of the British Columbia Private Syndicate. The promoted office boy was made secretary of this concern at a salary which began at 10s, and was raised by half-crowns to the ambassadorial figure of 15s a week. Not satisfied with this, the boy stole, it is alleged, £2 10s, which Dr. Gustavus Griffin, the chairman of the Metropolitan Finance Corporation, left in a desk, and absconded. Eventually he gave himself up to the police. When he was brought up at Westminster, McLelland was further charged with stealing a number of articles belonging to the directors of his company. Dr. Griffin, who gave evidence, said he was a doctor of medicine and chairman of "Dr. Griffin's Sure Rheumatic Cure." In cross-examination lie said he did not know that the prisoner was secretary to other companies, including the Pansy Soap Company. The boy was eventually committed for trial. ENGLAND AND AMERICA. 1 Tho Hon. J. H. Clioate, United States Ambassador, who was present at the Cliam--1 I ber of Commerce banquet, in London lately, [ I responded to " Our Guests." He said that ; ' on coming to this country two weeks ago I lie had found an. "open door," and the 1 people insido were capable, not only of tak--1 ! ing care of themselves, but of nearly all the ■ 1 ; rest of mankind. (Laughter.) As evidence of the good feeling which was sought in tho United Stales, lie quoted his letter of credence, in which President McKinley desired him to make constant endeavour to promote the interests and prosperity of both nations. CONSULTING A MItKXCLOGIST. Sir Francis .Teune had before him a divorce case in which a curious incident eaino to i light. Mr. Thomas Jeffrey, a carpenter, of i Burnley, tho petitioner, married respondent |in 1884 at Bingloy, Later on petitioner ■ went to Australia, intending to send for his • wife to join him there. They corresponded, I and in 1889 Mrs. fellrey wroti stating that ' a "professor" had been in the village, that she liad gone to him to have her head ex- | amined, and he had told her all the faults !of her husband. She had shown him a | photograph, and lie had said that he could 1 tell by looking at the man that he was "a ; thorough scamp." She wrote stating that < she fully believed this, and that she would I riot live with him again. In a further communication she stated that she had been unfaithful. Later on Mr. Jeffrey returned to (his country, and ascertained that his wife was living with the co-respondent, Mr. Michael Welch, a volunteer drill instructor, 1 whereupon he brought this suit for a di- ! vorce. There was no defence. A decree i nisi, with costs, was granted. I NINE NEGROES LTXCIIF.D. New York, March 16.—A despatch from , Palmette, (Jeorgia, states that a masked ! mob stormed the gaol and shot nine negroes ' who had been charged with attempting to burn the town. Four of the prisoners were - killed outright, and the remaining five were badly wounded. The crowd quickly over- | powered tho guard and shot, down the I negroes, who begged fur mercy. The | greatest excitement was caused by the affair. I The authorities fear an outbreak on the part i of the negro inhabitants, who threaten to ! avenge the shooting of the prisoners. A I number of negroes aro gathered in the streets, mid maintain a sullen demeanour. I A SAVAGE. I There has been an extraordinary case of | savagery at St. Denis, near Paris, whore a | man named Lecalm, belying his name, came i homo drunk, seized his mistress, and at- ' tempted to kill -her. He couldn't cut her throat, because the knife was not handy, so he held her before a red-hot stove until she began to burn ; then he turned her round and literally roasted her back. ; After that he left her on the floor and went ; out to get a drink. When found by the j police he was quietly enjoying his wine. I he poor woman, whom the French papers | describe as the femme grillee (the roasted j woman), is certain to die.

TOU.NIi WOMAN OPT TO I'IKCKS ON TFIK lt.U Y. Particulars havo transpired of a terrible discovery which was made the othei day by some gentlemen on the London and South-Western Railway line, about 400vds from \\ imblcdon Station, in the direction of Kay Park. Shortly after seven clock in the evening two gentlemen, passing along the roadway overlooking the line, noticed the body of a young woman lying 011 the rails. They proceeded to Wimbledon Station, where'they reported | the matter to the railway authorities. | Official!) wero despatched to'the spot, and | the young woman's body was found to be I terribly mutilated. Both feet and both i hands were completely severed from the ! body, while a portion of the head had also I been cut away. The remains were removed I to the Wimbledon mortuary. The name ] of the unfortunate woman is 'Emily Grimes. j She was 20 years of age, and in the service, as kitchen-maid, of Mr. Thomas Deva,s, of The Drive, Mount Ararat, which lies about one and a-half miles from Wimbledon Station, She had been in this employ about four and a-half years. About four o'clock in the afternoon she left The Drive to visit, her sister Annie, in service at 101, The Ridgeway—a quarter of a mile away. She reached there about half-past four o'clock, remaining with her sister half an hour. She then left, remarking that she would take a walk. She appeared in her usual good spirits, there being nothing in her manner to give rise to tho slightest anxiety or suspicion. She was seen at four 0 clock, but how she went upon the line and why, is a mystery. I'HOIIIWTIONISTS foiled, Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Premier, has written to Alderman Spence, of Toronto, secretary of the Dominion Temperance Alliance, announcing that the Government will not introduce any prohibitory liquor legislation. Hie ground for this decision is, he states, that the recent plebiscite did not Show that the country was prepared for it, as the prohibitionists polled only 23 per cent, of tho total vote. The prohibitionists are indignant, and consider that they have been duped. The press is disposed to treat the decision of the Government from the political point of view.

CORK LEG AT A WAKE. A story, at once recalling the famous song about the steam arm and a. ghastly tale by , gar Allan 100, is told of John Stanton, who recently died in New York. Stanton bad lost- one of his legs, and in its place lie wore an artificial limb, which was placed in the coffin with him. At the wake, whilst hllT° n m worc in M swing, someone shook the cofhn, thereby releasing the spring in the limb, and the corpse's leg arose erect tbnrnn lT' t ¥ drunken mourners were thoroughly frightened, and stampeded. Some jumped from the windows. The effort, Trffi ° d by tho others in their foils to flee, many persons being crushed, and it became necessary to summon the police before order could be restored. EXTRAORDINARY AFFAIR AT CARDIFF. A sensational affair occurred in Cardiff, of which only the most meagre details are as yet available. All that can be ascer- !,,,' so ."' is .that a man.named Henry ™ rff ,' ad . b , eCn living for some time apart from his wife, went to her home and invited her to go for a walk. They proMxt e thinn et trV' l'enarth, and the next thing that is known is that Cavill arrived at his brother's house, in Grangeown, and made i a "i i " coherent statement to the effect that he had murdered his wife and thrown the body into the river Ely. f an ' W l0 ' lt is stated, is in an unsound State of mind, was suffering from a wound to cut hi, /i ? h f d apparently attempted to cut his throat; but the injuries inflicted are only superficial. The relatives becoming a armed, sent- for the police, and Cavill as iemo\ed to the workhouse infirmary where lie is now ■" Charge of a constable under the supervision of the medical officer On the police arriving at the spot indicated they found signs of a severe struggle having Place., while an umbrella and a knife were also discovered. Next day the bodv of the woman was found lying on the mud in the bed of the river. Her throat had been cut-in several places. Deceased was only 23.,• -j. . ( .. ,r