HOME AND FOREIGN

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1726, 29 March 1905, Page 15

HOME AND FOREIGN

WASHINGTON TO I SYDNEY.

By aoi arrangement. between the Washington and Sydney Observatories, 'with the co-operation of the Telegraph Administrations concerned, time signals were sent on New Year’s Ei from the Washington Observatory the Sydney Observatory. Mr nahan > of the Sydney Observatory, reports as follows: — “The first set of signals were received satisfactorily, the three p.m. 'contracts being recorded here at 3hr Omin 3-o7sec. Second set, only thirty Signals, were received altogether, the four p.m. signal reaching here at 4hr Omin 3-66 sec. Third set satisfactory, ifive p.m. signal reaching here at shr Omin 2-76 sec. Fourth set satisfactory, the six p.m. signal reacliing here at 6hr Omin 2-55 sec. the final mean being §-14sec. Cutting out the second set the mean gives 2-90 sec. This concludes the arrangements at present existing, and the rapid time in sending the great distance separating Sydney and Washington, over 12,000 miles, is a triumph to the electrical departments of the States concerned. With many thanks land every good wish for the New year.”

The above information is communicated to Reuter’s Agency by the Pacific Cable Board, the general manager adding that the signals through the Vancouver-Fanning cable, the longest cable span in the world (3,457.76 nautical miles), were sent by automatic apparatus, and were recorded, as they passed, at the Vancouver station on an instrument placed in the artificial line, which balances the cable for the purpose of duplex working. The signals consisted of second contacts, omitting the 30th and last, five of each minute, except the last minute of the hour, when the 30th and all after the 50th second were omitted, the circuit closing with a long dash on the even tour. The signals were sent Tor five minutes before the hour from three p.m. to six p.m. Sydney time, equivalent to midnight to three a-.m. Washington time. BAN VILJOEN’S DENIAL. Ben Viljoen authorises a denial of what lie describes as the ridiculous story of a horse-whipping he is alleged to have received at the hands of an English music-hall artiste in Chicago. rt© threatens to sue the American papers responsible for the circulation of the unfounded statement.

A Chicago telegram recently reported s>hat General Viljoen, the Boer ex-com-mander, was assaulted the previous night at the entrance of the Coliseum by an English girl, named A!iss May Belfort. As the general approached the entrance Miss Belfort suddenly blocked his way, and accosted him, saying, “You promised to marry me, and have not done so, and I have come from England purposely to punish you.” General Viljoen appeared greatly astonished at seeing tne lady, and exclaimed, “Why, May, where have you come from?” Miss Belfort, with giving him time to say more, shouted, “I’ll teach you to break your promises,” and drawing a horse-whip which she held concealed behind her back began beating the general over the head with it. The general stood his ground for a moment or two trying to expostulate with the lady, but she was too angry to listen, and kept on plying her whip with vigour. Before the onlookers could interfere the general turned and fled from the spot, while Miss Belfort threw the whip aside, and left the fastgathering crowd. FATHER'S TRIPLE CRIME. A triple tragedy was enacted recently at Colchester, where Mr Arthur Rose, a boot manufacturer, shot two of his children, a son and daughter, and then turned the revolver upon himself. Mr Rose was a middle-aged man, ordinarily of a cheerful disposition, and was especially attached to the seven-year-old boy whom be shot. Business troubles are said to have affected hjs brain. He was formerly in- business in Tunbridge Wells. Mrs Rose, who was preparing breakfast, heard a noise in a front bedroom, and called to her husband, who said it was something in the street. The noise was a revolver shot, and Air Rose had shot his youngest daughter, aged 10 months, in the stomach. He then went downstairs into the back sittingroom and called to “Freddy” (his little son Alfed’s pet name) to go into the parlour and have a game. “Wait till I get my toys, daddy,” the child responded ; and, having collected his playthings, ran into the parlour with, his arms full of toys. In a moment there was another loud report, followed by piercing screams from “Freddv.”

Before Airs Rose could run to the boy’s assistance her husband rushed into the kitchen and put the muzzle of the revolver he carried into his mouth.

“Don’t do that,” screamed Mrs Rose, and threw herself upon him, along with her son Reuben. There was a short,

hard struggle, but Rose wrested himself away.

“It is too late now 1” cried the unfortunate man. “I must do it!” and instantly fired into his mouth, falling dead, with part of his head blown away. At the inquest the jury found that the man Rose murdered his two children and committed suicide during temporary insanity. They expressed their sympathy with tne family. The coroner concurred, saying deceased seemed unable to face the disgrace of impending bankruptcy. SKELETON FOUND- IN THE SHRUBBERY. The mystery of a skeleton recently found in a shrubbery at Haslemere was finally cleared up at the inquest held at Barfold farm, Blackdown, <\vhere the remains wore taken. They were identified as those of Frank Morell Theobald, an insurance collector, formerly of 12, Northbrook i-oad, Lee, Kent, who disappeared on October 30, 1903. He was well-known in Haslemere, where his father, of Liberator fame, resided for many years. Caroline Eleanor Theoabld, of Manor park, Lee, said she last saw her husband, who was 41 years of age, on October 30, 1903, when he left to go out- on business in the usual way. Jcie had been associated with the S : un Life Office for some months, but previously was connected with the North Mercantile Life Assurance Company for twenty years. Owing to writers’ cramp he had been pensioned off, and, as a consequence, he was for a time somewhat depressed. He had never mentioned the subject of Suicide to her; rather he was the kind of man who would consider it a wrong thing to do. He did not leave any Letter or clue behind him. She had identified the watch and chain found on the body by the number as belonging to her husband ; a matchbox was also found that she had i den t i fied. Dr Ardagn, of Haslemere, said there was a bullet wound on the right temple, passing to the other side of the head, and it was a wound which might have been self-inflicted. The probability was that deceased fired the shot- standing up and_ then fell hack. A verdict was returned of “Suicide whilst temporarily insane.” AN ECCENTRICS FUNERAL.

The watchers from afar, possessed by an uncanny fear, shrugged their shoulders as all that was mortal of Mr Joseph Wheatley, of Etloe House, Blakeney, was laid to rest on Saturday, January 21. Notorious during his lifetime for his eccentricities, Mr "Wheatley, who was a retired banker and a comparatively wealthy bachelor, had so devised that the last earthly ceremony with which he was connected was anything but commonplace. Ho had farmed his own estate, which lies between the rolling Co taw old Hills and Dean Forest. To strangers he was never accessible. He had a solitary male friend, he asked for no more. His last requests were.— “To be buried in a deeply-dug grave in a field on the estate. The grave to he immediately in front of Eitloo House, and 500 yards from the highway. Tho coffin to he of the plainest description possible, and the sides perforated. No religious rites to be used.” Tbe inhabitants of the district did not take kindly to the first of these requests, and the local sanitary inspector, accompanied by a member of the urban authority, visited the grave, only to be warned off.

Alany persons, acting upon an idle rumour that midnight on Friday was to he the funeral hour, kept up a weary vigil until long after that time. When they ventured to the burying place they were driven away. Early on Saturday morning, however, a crowd gathered in the vicinity/ and at one o’clock a signal was given by “outlooks” perched in the branches of a giant oak tree that the correge was approaching. There were fifteen mourners. and when the grave vers reached and the black pall removed the watchers beyond saw a black-painted coffin without nameplate and without any ornamentation whatsoever. Tire mourners reverently bowed their heads as the solitary friend of the dead eccentric raised his voice: He was sure, he said, that it would not be the wish of the late Air Wheatley that a speech should he made at his grave side, but it was necessary to say that the wishes of the dead in other respects had been carried out. SCOTSMAN AIURDERiED BY INDIANS. New York newspapers record a tragedy in Mexico, a Scotsman being one of the victims. The scene of the crime is situated 75 miles from Torres, Alexico. John Kenneth Alackenzie, a mining engineer, who is said to have held a commission in the British Army up to 17 years ago, and Dr Robert O. Ooy,

Chicago, who jointly owned some mining properties in Mexico, left Chicago on the Bth January, heavily armed, on a tour of inspection. They seem, however, to have been overwhelmed by a body of Yaqui Indians. Mr Miller, the superintendent of the mines, who worked for Air Mackenzie, says he is afraid he will be unable to get the bodies of the two murdered men out of the country. The information, of the tragedy appears to have come from Mr Miller to the Governor of the Province. Mr Mackenzie was well-known. He married a daughter of a clergyman at Chicago. She is related to Secretary Morton, tvho is causing the United States to do whatever is possible for recovering the bodies, and bringing the murderers to justice. Mr Mackenzie, it is stated, has a mother and four sisters living in London. “ARABIA FOR THE ARABS.” Th© “Central News’’ says information has reached London from Damascus that a great national Arabian movement is at present in progress in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine, the object of which is indicated by the motto adopted by its Executive Committee—- “ Arab countries for the Arabs.” Branch committees have been formed in all the chief towns of those three countries, whose operations are directed from Egypt and Europe. The ultimate aim of the leaders of this movement is to establish a great Arabian Empire free from tyranny of the Turk, governed by a constitutional and liberal Monarchy, of which the head shall be an Arab Sultan. Incidentally it is hoped to help in the liberation of the other oppressed nationalties at present within the Turkish Empire. An appeal lias been addressed to the European Powers and the United States begging them to remain neutral in respect to the Arabian national movement, the leaders of which undertake to assume and maintain .all the international obligations and guarantees of the present Turkish Government relative to the Christian churches and people of the Near East. RIOTOUS DOCKERS, According to a Brest telegram published by “La Press©” in Paris a week ago, tlie dockers on strike there sacked Dock No. 2 on Wednesday, January 25. They threw some hundred barrels of wine and brandy into the water, as well as some of the dock appliances. The police charged the mob with drawn swords. The dockers defended themselves with sticks, and wounded several policemen. Forced to retire, they stove in a number of wine casks and drank the contents. Several boarded the steamer Brestois, and proceeded to stave in barrels and rip open hales of the cargo. By midnight a battalion of infantry succeeded in dispersing the strikers. Four arrests were made. The British steamer Argo was also visited by strikers. There they removed the hatches and threw them on the deck and smashed the skylights. Tbe steamer is at present guarded by patrols. In the course of the night the strikers invested the police station and forced the Commissary to release the men who had been taken into custody. Fifteen dockers were arrested.

BOER-EXOOfMMAND ER. TTORSEWTIIPPED BY A WOMAN.

General Viljoen, the Boer ex-Com-mander, was assaulted the other day at the entrance of the Coliseum in Chicago hy an English girl named Aliss Ala.y Belfort. As the General approached the entrance Aliss Belfort suddenly blocked his way and accosted him, saying. “You promised to marry me, and have not done so, and I have oome from England purposely to punish you.” General Viljoen appeared greatly astonished at seeing the lady, and exclaimed. “Why, Alay, where have you come from ?” Miss Belfort, without giving him time to say more, shouted, “I’ll teach you to break your promises,” and, drawing a horsewhip which she held concealed behind her back, began beating the General over the head with it. The General stood his ground for a moment or two, trying to expostulate with the lady, but she was too angry to listen, and kept on plying her whip with vigour. Before the onlookers could interfere, the General turned and fled from the spot, while Aliss Belfort threw the whip aside and left the fastgathering crowd. CONFESSED TO* STEALING £IO,OOO. At the Bow Street Court, on Wednesday (Jan. 05), even the Atheist rates were obviously moved as Henry Corbett Jones, Town Clerk of ITolborn, entered the dock with bo wad head and 1 earstained face, and his whole body slinking with emotion. He was charged on his own confession with stealing between March and August, 1903. £IO,O-19 10s 6d belonging to the Holborn Borough Council. About midday on Tuesday Jones walked into the Bow street police station, and asked to see the inspector. When Superintendent Cole came in the prisoner said —“I wish to give myself up for stealing the money mentioned in that letter,” pointing to one he held in

his hand. This gave particulars oi sums amounting in all to over £*lo.ooo, which he had appropriated for hi.s own use. The case lias been remanded fox further evidence. Mr Jon, s has lived at Herne Bay for about 24 years, and he has held positions of importance and trust. He is head of a firm of solicitors, Messrs Jones and Ha.mp, and was once Mayor of Herne Bay. He had been ill in bed for some time, brought on by mental worries, and got up against the advice of his wife to proceed to London in order to surrender to the police. As/ lie was in receipt of a salary of £1250, and lived quietly, it is not known in what way the money was squandered. A STORY OF THE SEA. “I plead not guilty, your Worship,” said William Griffiths, master of the sailing ship Tamar, when charged before the Plymouth Magistrates last month with attempting to murder Ove Madsen, mgje, and Albert Whitley, able seaman, on the high seas. The Chief-Constable said the ease was so serious that he considered he should have legal assistance. After a short adjournment, Mr Davis Gold prosecuted on behalf of the owners. Only the case of attempting to murder the mate was proceeded with. The mate said the Tamar was a fullrigged ship, registered at London. She left Hamburg for Seattle on December* 30, and put in at Cuxhaven, which port she left on Tuesday. At 5.30 on the same day the vessel was close to a light, which witness found from the light book to be tiie Isle of Vierge, near U-riiant. When lie asked the captain for the light book, he replied, “Find it if you can. I can’t.” The captain took the book from his hand, and it fell on the floor. Several times the captain used bad language, and tore up part of the hook. When- witness suggested that he should hack ship, the captain said, “If you are going to do anything without my orders I will shoot you. lam master of this ship. If the ship goes on shore they will come on me.” After being asked several times t-o back ship, the prisoner put his right hand in his pocket, and pulled out a revolver. Witness was afraid to run away, as he might have been shot in the back.

The captain fired at him from the hip, and the shot passed close by his right ear. To save the ship and their lives, the captain was secured by witness, the second and third mates, and some of the crew. It took a quarter of an hour to get hold of the prisoner and take the revolver out of his pocket. All the time the captain was threatening to shoot everybody. Having secured him, they put him in irons, and placed him in the chartroom. The captain had been drinking heavily, and was sometimes delirious.

EXTRAORDINARY STORY FROM DETROIT.

The following extraordinary story appeared some time ago in a Detroit newspaper:—

“The cave-dweller recently sent to prison in Ayrshire for neglecting his children v'as a member of a large colony who infest the sea caves of the Ayrshire coast. Nearly every cave—and the cliffs are honeycombed with them—• has its recognised occupants. Large caves accommodate fa-miles; some are so small that they can harbour only a single dweller. The laws or civilisation are not observed by the cave-dwellers. Their rocky abodes are filthy and alive with vermin. They have a sort of rude socialism, which bids fair to degenerate into anarchy. The conditions of life are pestilential, and the habits are degrading. If the cave-dwellers see something that they want, they take it —and they are blessed with sharp eyesight. They laugh at the police. The people go to Ayr or Alay bole, and carry back immense quantities of drink. The results are dreadful. Aden, women, and children herd together in a drunken stupor, and no tribe of savages could behave worse. The potato pits in the district are robbed, to the despair of the farmers who own them, and the many beautiful species of ferns for which Ayrshire is so famous will, it is feared, shortly become extinct owing to tlie.se people using most of them for bedding, and selling the finer specimens for drink. Large numbers of navvies —there ore several gangs employed on the Ayr to Girvan light railway construction —herd with the cave-dwellers and they supply the bulk of the drink. There are many visitors to the cave colony, for the lawlessness and license of the place appeal strongly to the dissolute of the neighbourhood. The cobblers of Alaybole regard the colony as a paradise on earth. One ■of them speaks with glowing enthusiasm of an orgie at the caves. It was worked on the co-operative system. “A lot of us went down to the caves. Some brought whisky, and one brought a barrel of beer with him in a cart. Wo had a blazing fire, and as there was no chimney the cave was so full of smoke that you could not see your neighbour’s face. 1 shall.not forget il in a hurry.” This is, of course intended as an example of American “humour.”