SINGULAR CHARGE OF ABDUCTION.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1905, 10 February 1875, Page 3

SINGULAR CHARGE OF ABDUCTION.

At the .Chipping Norton County Bench on N oveniber j.B, before Earl Ducie and a full bench of magistrates, William /jfimms, of Idbury, Qxon, yraa charged.;, with hating fraudulently detained, for motives of lucre, one.Annie Sophia Timms (fofinerly Annie Sophia Power Turner), ] aged fifteen years, against the Trill of her .father, William Power' Turner, of Bathroad, Worcester, gentleman. From the, evidence adduced, it would seem that the prisoner, who resides on his farm, and is fifty-six, years of age, was on'intimate -terms with'tlie prosecutor, from the fact of his having resided for a number of years at Cherrington, Gloucestershire, of which \ arish Mr Turner's father is rector, and iris brother curate. About six years ago the prisoner: purchased of the rector Of Chefrington the ■;■ life-interest he had ;in some - property at Ashborne, Warwickshire, and also the reversionary interest in the same belonging to ' the I prosecutor's brother, , the liev. D. P. i Turner. At Michaelmas last prisoner quited Cherringlon for Idbury, where he has since resided on his own farm. Prssecutor's daughter at this time was at school at Evesham, but about October 1 went to her parent's residence at Worcester for the holidays. On Sunday night, October 4, the young lady retired to rest as usual about ten o'clock. On the following morning, about six o'clock, the servant as was her custom, went to her young mistress' room, when it was discovered that she had left the house, and notwithstanding that every search and enquiry was made, nothing was heard of her until October 7, when the father received a letter from her, the envelope of which bore the Oxford postmark, but the Jetter contained no address; this she signed as '*Arine Sophia Turrieri" arid asked forgiveness from her parents for her absence; pro^

mising to send them particulars of her whereabouts in a few days. Nothing more, however, was heard of her until Oct., 27^ when she wrote informing her parents* that she had been married at Dover. This letter ■ bore the signature of "Annie Sophia Timins." The father then traced her to the prisoner's residence at Idbury, where she was living as his wife. On Saturday last prisoner was apprehended by warrant at his house and was brought to Chipping Norton, where he remained in Tintit Monday, when he was bailed to appear on Kov. 18. When apprehended prosecutor's daughter was living with the prisoner as his wife, and up till the present time she is, still out of the custody of her parents. Th» parish clerk at' St. James's Dover, deposed to the banns being duly published, wherein the prisoner gave his age as fifty-six, and that of the lady as sixteen, , The marriage took place at the above mentioned church on October 22nd, the vicar officiating. On the advice of his solicitor prisoner reserved his defence, and he was formally committed for trial at the Oxfordshire Assizes in March next. Bail was opposed by the prosecution, notwithstanding that sureties were forthcoming Vor any amount the, bench might name. After a brief consultation the magistrates refused bail, and prisoner; was removed from the court in the custody of the police. The young lady ii the

only daughter of Mr Power, and is prosumptive; lieiress to considerable proper* ties. ? Much interest has been occaaioned in the neighbourhood, and the court was crowded during the hearing of thocaio.—• Home News.

Captain Boyntcn, attired in his life, preserving costume, crossed Dublin Bay on Nov. 9 from Howth Head to Dalkey Island, a distance of nine miles, in two hours and fifty minutes. He lay on his back, and used his canoe paddle to propel himself, feet forward. He fired off rockets and smoked cigars while in the water. -'' - -, ' i ■■""■."■ -j'V;.. ; . \i \ ■ Mr Mitchell Henry, M.P., has written a long letter on Home Rule, in which ho declares that, " Disguise it as they may, the Liberal party can never return to power until they make their peace with Ireland," and that " tho Irish people have the cards in their hards if they play them .properly." Messrs Dietz and Co. have constructed a stove that should become a great favourite in Australia. By its aid a chap or steak can be cooked, a " billy" of water boiled, or an Irish stew prepared without the introduction of coals or wood. A small quantity of kerosene or paraffin is all that is required to produce the re* suits referred to. In a country like Australia, where fuel is often scarce and fires unpleasantly warm, the stove can r hard.ly fail to become a favourite wherever it is used. A hurricane lapap, by the same makers, will commend itself to the especial favour of all farmers? and settlers ? liablejto suffer from the effects, >of bush fires. ' • ,

The Daily News of Nov. 21, in respect of breadth, length, and solid contents, was the largest newspaper without supplement ever published. Its printed matter was nearly equal to thai;f contained in three numbers of tl c Cornhillor the Gentleman's Magazine, was more than is contained in the Edinburgh. Eeview or the Quarterly, and exceeded the proportions of two volumes of the averagve novel The pieces of metal lying within the sixtyfour columns were 1,044,000 in number. The paper on which it was printed was rolled on cylinders a single one of which holds four and a half miles in length; each copy was delivered from the machine printed on both sides and duly cut from the cylindrical web of paper; and the whole teditioh was printed on five of the VValter machines at the rate of 50,000 copies an hour.