NEWS OF THE WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13888, 27 April 1907, Page 4

NEWS OF THE WORLD.

MESSAGES FROM THE DEAD.

WHAT DEATH IS LIKE.

The protagonists oE psychic research in America are intensely excited over a mcssago which one of them, l'rofcssor James llvolop, laic of Columbia University, claims to have received from I)r Richard Hodgson, who, in December last, suddenly departed to'that boiirno whence no traveller is supposed over to return. Dr Hodgson was secretary of tho Society of I'syuhieal Bossiirch. Some time before his death he made a faithful promise to. Professor Hyslcp as well as to Dr Isaac Funk, tko head of a publishing firm, that- lie would, if possible, return from the "other side" and acquaint thorn of his experiences. Dr Funk has now written a bulky volume, entitled "Tho Psychic Raddle," on tho efforts Dr Hodgson made to fulfil his promise. According lo Dr Funk, tho dwellers in Spirit-iond inhabit astral bodies and find the utmost difficulty in breathing in tho stuffy atmosphere of the earth. Hence Dr Hodgson was unable to remain long in tho vicinity of Dr Hyslop owing, to difficulties of respiration. He succeeded, however, through Mrs Piper, a eelobrated "medium," of Boston, in writing several messages to hia terrestrial friend. Ho informed him that it was .pleasant to die, that tho severing of tha soul from the body was accompanied by a shock which kuoekd everything out of tho spirit-mind for a brief time, and that the voyago beyond was a delightful journey through ethereal atmosphere. Dr IIodg«on prayed that Dr Hyislop would bo able to understand him so aa to- help on file work of the society. Then lie broke off the conversation owiug to the intolerable stuffiness. Dr Hcdg6on expressed (he hope that his successor ns secretory of the society would be a man who would put. more stress on the spiritual side than ho did, while, not neglecting the scientific side. Dr Hodgson declares (J)at bis present life is infinitely more satisfactory than his lifo on earth. Dr Funk and Dr Hyslop aro both convinced that tho messages from Dr Hodgson aro a stupendous achievement, constituting a scientific demonstration of a future life. They aro quite unconcerned at the triviality ofytha greater part of the messages which attribute Dr Hcdgeon's respiratory afflictions to the terrestrial atmosphere. Moreover, Dr Hodgson promised them to confound all scoffers by reappearing at a later period, when his soul is attuned to a higher key of spiritual existence.

CAB-WOMEN IN PARIS

Paris's first two cab-women—Mile. Charnier and Mine. Duffaut—had their first day out in February. They had already been out oil previous days, but only for practice. Both arc pleasing in appearance. Starting at 8 o'clock from M. Kabier'a eabyiv'd. 9't Rue Amelot, they were becomingly dressed in Jow-oro\viK'<l, black-ghu:cd hats, very full box-coloured coals with metal buttons, and a wide mantlo over their shoulders. Mile. CliMiiier wove <v pair of ample knickerbockers, not unlike tliose lady cyclists used to year, which can be converted in a few seconds into a skirt reachin? clown to the ankles. A crowd of ostlers and cabmen had assembled to see tho two women si.-.rt. out. There were many shouts and cries of " Uood luck" as the two cabs drove out of the yard, and they were immediately pounced upon by a score of photographers. On approaching the central markets the traffic was so great that it was nocessary to go at a walking pace. The market women simply poured chaff 011 the unfortunate cab-women. A big, brawny vo.7ota.ble dealer shouted out: "So your luiibandf mends your stockings now, I suppose !" Another: " She can't whip her old man, so that's why she's taken to driving a cab!" A market porter gave a flourish to his immense white hat as Mme._ Duffaut drove, past. "Don't go to flic left, madame," lie shouted, it's tho side on which tho heart is placed " Mine. Duffaut thus related her morning's espcricnce: " I am very pleased with n\y first. morning's work. I slarted to ply for biro 011 the Placc de i'Opcra, and I was immediately hailed by a gentlemau who simply called the first cab at. hand. On my driving over to the kerbstone ho looked up at me with a surprised smile and said: 'Hullo, a woman cabby!' Ho paid me mcst. generously. My second fare, too, paid me considerably ovar my fare, and if it is going to be like that every day, I think I have struck a ' soft thing.' " The cab-women were in _ groat request all the afternoon, the public taking to tiiciu mcst kindly as to something new and amusing. The probabw result will bo a great number of applications for licenses from would-be women cabdrivers.

CHILDREN'S TERRIBLE DEATH. Five lives werp lost at Bristol on February 5 through a. firo caused by the boiling over of a pan of tar in the house of a man named Gore at Clyde terraon, fCnowle, a suburb of the city, near tho Central Railway Station. Air and Mrs Gore and six children were in the kitchen, where Mr Gora was boiling tar in a saticejjsn. I'hc ia'r boiled over and ran into tho grate, causing a fierce fire. The. occupants of the little room were immediately enveloped in flames, but the parents with one child managed to scramble out. The other live unfortunate children wero buvp.ed to death. Neighbours, hearing tho screams of the poor victims, rushed to their aid, but the five buvnod so fiercely in' the little room that it was impossible, to enter. Buckets of water were dashed into the room, and the outbreak was practically extinguished beforo tho arrival of the brigade. When the firemen appeared their duties wore confined to locating and bringing out tho bodies. There was a great crowd of spectators, who were greatly alFected by the sight of tho firemen bringing out the charred remains. The names of the victims are:— Kdirar Gore, aged 10 years; Alice, eight; Willie, live; Gladys, three or four; and Winnie, two. Tho baby, njjed one year and nine months, escaped uninjured, while Mr and Mrs Goro received slight injuries. Two children named Murphy, aged three and five respectively, were burned to death before then- nai'ents' eves at Ballybofey,' County Donegal. The ohildrn" were being put to bed by iheir mother, when a firo was caused by the upsetting of a paraffin.lump. Tho parents mr.de unavailing efforts lo rescue their children, and were thomtelves badly burned. The house was destroyed, and the terribly burned bodies of the children wero recovered from the debris. HASTY MARRIAGES, Dr Warren, whose plan for the conversion of Wall street, New York, and more prticularly of the oulsidc brokers and their clerks, has attracted some attention lately,, is also an "hotel chaplain" in New York City. It is part o[ his duty in that capacity to obey " urgency" calk, often at night, and to make a young couple man and wifo with as little formality as possible. Many of these calls come from hotels, and often demands to be married emanate from very young people, perhaps arriving by a !ato evening train. Kmopcan visitors to Now York: are sometimes struck by the ease with which anyone can p,et legally married, hut it must, be admitted that, the facilities for divorce are correspondingly great—at least in several imnoriant Htates of the Union. Soma critics daringly suggest that it would be a good thing to expedite the procedure for getting juries together, a necessity so glaringly illustrated by the Thaw trial, and impose some delays on impetuous voting aspirants •to matrimony. However, Hotel Chaplain Warren's duty is to marry, not to revise the laws, and ("luring one nielli, rocenity celebrated three marriages between late dinner and midnight. This is pretty good work even for an holel chaplain, but shortly after 2 o'clock the next morning, while Pastor Warren was in deep slumber, his beli rang, and he went lo tho door and conversed through a crack with two vcrv determined young women. In the background he cctild discern dimly a very young girl and a very young man. " This' marriage," sai<l the eldest woman, "must lake place to-night. We have been looking for this young man— ho is only a hoy of lE—for a long time, and-we found him to-night. llc,is willing, and our sister must be his wife to-night." " Very well." said Dr Warren, "you will have 10 wait until T put on a dressinggown. I am not going to dross up for a weading at this hour." As they were away after the ceremony, I lie eldest sister said; "We've spent all our moneys or nearly all, on cabs and telephones, hut' wo will tend you something, doctor, and we are very grateful." £40.000 DIAMOND STOLEN. Mr Schiil. a diamond broker, was robbed at i\ice on February 25 <if a diamond valued at over £40.000. lie placed his wallet, containing the stone, on the floor while writing a telegram in the office of a financial firm, and when he turned to pick it up it was gone. No due to the thief has yet been discovered. A robbery of jewels, valued at about £7000, way committed at Cannes on February 22. The, jewels belonged to Mrs Leo Bonn, who wore the jewels at a dinner and concert. On retiring about 11 o'clock sho placed the jewels on a dressing-table ' in their room at the Gran.d Hotel dti Pare,

and covered them over with a handkerchief containing cotton-wool. Mr and Mrs Bonn rose the next morning about 7.30. and tlio husband went, to the dressing-room, while his wife went to the bathroom. The maid, who; had been about eight months ill their service, in arranging clothes in the bedroom. found a button wanting, and left tim room to obtain a nwxllc. She was away about five minutes. Mrs Bonn returned about- 8.30, and went, direct to the dressing-table, and on lifting the handkerchief found that tho jewels had vanished. A limit, for' them was immediately instituted. but. Mrs Bonn was unable to say whether they had been stolen during the maid's absence, or during tlio night. The door of the room was locked

during the nisrlit. Tlio room communicates with the salon and also with the terrace leading into Ihe garden. The missing jewels are pearl earrings, graduated pearl necklace, necklace with four rows of pearls, sautoir of small pearls, two rings with sapphires and diamonds, gold bracelet with sapphires, and a bracelet of 10-strands of small pearls.

EXPRESS TRAIN IN A RJYER,

The Pennsylvania Railroad's " (Iyer" fioni New York to Chicago, while travelling at the rate of a mile a minute, plunged, at midnight on February 22, into tho-., Concmaugh River, near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, tlio scene of the celebrated flood, Upwards of 50 passengers—nearly all thoso on llie train, in fact—were injured, but the railway company asserts that none was killed. As high faros are charged on the " flyer," the passengers wero persons of unusual prominence a«-id wealth. Several well-known financiers wore injured, and Mr John T. Clinc, of Joliet, was fatally hurt. The train leit Altootni 46 minutes iate, and was trying to make up for lest time, it was tearing down the western slope of the Alleghany Mounlains, when the brake apparatus on the. first, car fell and . derailed the train. The engine and the first car remained on the track, but tlio three rear cars slid down a. 60ft embankment into t.he rivotj where the wnlor was shallow. The cars lay on their sides, partly submerged, while the' track and the telegraph and telephone wives wero torn up for a distance of 900fr, oausing delay in the notification of flu; accident and in tho sending of relief. The east-bound "flyer" arrived .soon afterwards, and tool; a number of the injured to Altuona. Most of the iiassenger.-; wero in their berths at the time of tho accident, and escaped in their nightclolhes through the windows, suffering intensely from their injuries ami from the bitter cold. Only four women wero in the train, and three of them wero hurt. All behaved bravely and composedly. Twenty-five injured were taken to Pittsburg. RELIGION IN OXFORD. In tho course of an interview in tho Treasury with tho Rev. W. 11. Ilutton, 8.D., fellow and tutor of St. John's College, Oxford, reference is made to religion at tho University. In the interviewer's time there was a feeling that not a few of. the lecturers and tutors deliberately aimed at tho subversion of Christian belief, and Mr Button was asked if that feeling would be justified now. "I think," he replied, "the attitude of Dons who are not definitely Christian has changed in the loot 30 years. There is much Iks direct attack on doctrines that we hold dear; but there is, as there always will lie everywhere, a good, deal oF indifference and half-veiled contempt.; in some cases thero is sonic indirect assault, and in a few instances there is a direct assault. But, on tho whole," Mr Hutton holds, " there is much moro toleration: tho number of Roman Catholics shows it, as also tho fact that you meet at tho houses of university officials,. who have no sympathy with tlioir opinions, sonic of those who arc engaged in activo Romanist propaganda." What, Mr Hutton was further asked, has been tlio oft'eot of abolishing the second university sermon on Sundays? "To begin with, tho interost in the university sermon is not nearly eo great as it; was in mv undergraduate days; but thou, it must be remembered, wo used to hoar Mages and Liddon and Dean Church. On the other hand, tho evening sermons—a' modern institution—at. St. Mary's are crowded when there is a well-known preacher. I have never seen greater crowds than when the Bishop of London nrcaches.. Ho has only to lift his finger and all Oxford' flocks lo him; and among all tho bright signs in Oxford religion fo-dav I do not know a brighter than that. Our modo of worship is simple," Mr Ilutton added, "but it is strictly regular, and the faith is held with a strong grasp by those who profess it; and the ptrish churches which represent ft" Tract-Irian icloal exercise a very strong influence." THE UNIVERSITY CENSUS. The total number of men in residence at, Oxford stands at 2363. This shows (m advance of only five on last- year. 'The population, however, does show a steady increase, for tho number in 1905 was 2752, and in 1!504 2725. New College ousts Christ Church from tlio premier position an the list Balliol renins' its nhce a,s No.'3, while the Non-Collegiate body captures the fourth place from Koble. 'New College has 223 members in residence,. Christ Church 205, Balliol 180. Non-Collegiate 173. Keblo .173. St. John's comes nextwith 157, followed closely by Exeter, Trinity, Magdalen, and University. Queen's men rcckon up to 120, Oriel 6 111, and Bri\se.no?o 104.

Trinity College. Cambridge, the greatestof all the haq more than double the number of undergraduates which a.ro in residence. at Oxford's largest college. Counting the 190 "freshers" who joined 'the college at tho b?gi>uiing of tho aondemio yoar, the grand total stood at 583. If the B.A.'s and M.A.'s bo added, tiio number of Trinity men who "live and have their being" at Cambridge rewires lln fieuva of 7© ! At a very long interval comes St. John's, with a total/ 583 (117 being graduates); then Caius '297. Kmmanuel £74. Pembroke 256. Christ's 251, and' King's 243. At the commencementof last tenn the total number of 'Varsity men on the. Cam was 3939, and of these 1 2944 were in statu pupillari. BIRD CHOKED BY A FISH. Whilst walking by the side of the Wharfe, ' near Crum Wheel. Ilkley, the other day. two men a bird in the water with a fish fa.st. in ils throat, with which, in the attempt to swallow, it. had evidently been choked. Tho bird was a lesser grebe, or dabcnick, one of the most beautiful and interesting of our rivcrfrcquenting web-footed birds. The grebe is much valued for ils feathers, which are used for covering ladies' muffs and other articles of dress; though its shyness and great agility in diving and swimming under water render it extremely difficult, lo shoot. So easily alarmed is the bird (hat the Into Mv Ruskin proposal to rename the genus Trei>eda. The fish which the bird attempted to swallow measures 3.1 in from head to tail, and two-thirds its length projected bayond the bird's lwak. It wa.s a bullhead or miller's thumb, its large head having been too much for the bird. Tiio bird and fish are Ivitig stuffed and mounted, and will lind a plam in tho Ilkley Museum.—Yorkshire Daily Observer. FATAL MOTOR COLLISION. On February 24 a young man named Mosius Medhurst, of Plunipton. was cycling into Brighton, and while descending Clayton Hill ran into a motor car driven by its ownor, Mr Sidney Holmes, of 48 Oxford Mansions, London. Eve witnesses statu that. Mcdhurst was flung clean over the car 10ft into the air and down an embankment. Mr Holmes stopped tho cur, and found tho cyclist unconscious and shockingly injured. Medhurst was tent io Brighton in a brougham, and died tho samo niaiit in tho County Hospital.

In Parliament street, London. 011 February 24, a motor omnibus while <111 its journey from Peckham to Oxford Circus w.iv.o into violent collision v;ith a. motor ear that was running in the opposite direction. Several panes of glass in the omnibus wore smashed, and a lady passenger and Mr W. Bolton, of linnte road, Newingfon Butts, were badly cut. and bruised. Tiie occupants of tho motor' car oaoaped injury.

AN IMPERIAL GTTABD. Among the subject to he submitted to the Colonial Conference in London will, lite Scotsman understands, he a proposal for tlif creation of n.u " Imperial Guard." The idea had its origin in the colonies after tho South Afriran war, ...It, i? proposed that the members of the'corns should "wear the snmo uniform, lie undei ono head. and ilia!, a colonist coming to Great livitain or a Britisher going to the colonies should lie a'nle to join his own regiment, and Urns gain tho capitation grant for his rorps. In the event of ipcessiiy. the nuni'vi-i of tho Imperial Guard would bo reriuirerl to go wherever (heir presence was ncccisary. '