HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17573, 25 June 1925, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. YOUNG LOVERS DEAD fN T LOCKED ROOM. Kobina < uthbertson and Patrick Meccham. both twentv-one vears *of age, were found dead in the house of the girl's mother at Bridge Street, Leith. Scotland, in April. The discovery was made by Mrs < 'uthbertson on returning front work. The bedroom door was locked, and when an entrance was effected the couple were found completely covered with blankets and coats. An extension of gas-tubing lay under the clothes, and the gas was turned fuil on. Meecham. an unemployed labourer, resided in the same building, and had been keeping company with the girl. GIRL DANCERS FUNERAL. Large crowds lined Challoner Street, \\ cst Kensington, and adjoining streets in April at the funeral of Miss Grace Diana Blakallcr. the sixteen-year-old dancer who died from wounds inflicted, according to his own statement, by a youth who is now in custody. The coffin. covered with beautiful flowers, was conveyed in a motor hearse by road to Brookwood Cemetery. Behind it followed a car in which were Mrs Blakaller. the mother, and Mrs Winifred Woolvcrton, the dead girls sister. U reaths sent by friends and acquaintances bad to be conveyed in a second motor-car. 'lhe cortege crossed C'harlevillc Road within a few feet of the corner shop outside which the tragedy IN BRIGANDS LAIR. After three days’ captivity in the mountains near Cautla, in the State of Morelos, Mr Frank Doughty. Miss Gwen Waterland. and Miss Elizabeth Best (all British) escaped, and reached tlm * autla Hotel, Mexico. They had left Mexico City on May 1 by motor, going by way of Guernavaca to Cautla. On Sunday they started on horseback for the thermal baths, two miles outside the town, and did not return. Indians reported that bandits had captured the party and were demanding ransom. The State and Federal Governments mobilised their troops and ordered fhe summary execution of the bandits if they were caught. It is reported that the kidnapping was a political move intended to make trouble for the Government in the State of Morelos.

LICENSE FOR POP-GUN. A license is required even for a popgun. said a solicitor at Hampstead Police Court. London, when Alexander Tiranti, of Maple Street, St Pancras, was summoned for carrying a gun without a license. The solicitor who appeared for the London County Council said that under the Gun License Act of IS7O a license was necessary for anything that could discharge a missile. Tiranti had fired an air pistol at a tree on Hampstead Ilcath. For a similar offence he had been fined 5s at the same court a few weeks before. Mr Lyell (the chairman) asked whether a license would be necessary for a popgun from which a cork attached to a string was discharged, and was told that it would, according to the Act. The Bench dismissed the summons under the Probation cf Offenders Act. GAVE lITS LIFE FOR A COMRADE. A double tragedy, involving the death of a lad who was being rescued from drowning, and of a plucky workoccurred at North Woolwich recently. During the dinner hour a number of young fellows employed by Messrs Harland and Wolff’s shipyard were sitting on a tug moored oft the works, when George Beer, aged sixteen, a rivet boy, of Ilartington Road, Custom House, was seen to be in difficulties in the water. Leslie Moyler. aged seventeen, of Plaistow Park Road, Plaistow. immediately threw off some of his clothes, plunged into the river and swam to Beer and held him up. Then, to the dismay of those waiting to assist them, both Beer and Moyler sank and were drowned. The bodies were recovered and removed to M oolwich mortuary. more towers titan one. There is more than one tower in the Tower of Loudon the famous structure which has been one of the wonder sights of the world for nine centuries. It is lhe most historic building in England, if not in Europe. For the first time within the memory of anyone living, four other towers the Salt, the Byward, the Martin, and the Broad Arrow are now available to Tower visitors. The Salt Tower is so called by reason ot the fact that the first gunpowder, salt-pctre, was stored therein. It contains tho wonderful carving of a horoscope hv Hew Draper. who. in Queen Elizabeth’s days, was imprisoned for wizardrv. In’the Martin Tower were kept the Crown Jewels when, in the reign of Charles IT.. Colonel Blood attempted to steal them. The By ward Tower contains the windlasses which wore used to raise the porcullis of the Tower.

ARSENIC IN BEER The report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham. England, that he had found one 50th of a. grain of arsenic to the gallon in a samp.e of beer he had analysed has somewhat agitated the borough councillors. Mr Morgan, secretary ot the Brewers Soeietv. takes tho view that the councillors’ attitude towards the report was mock-seriousness. lie told a London “ Daily Chronicle” representative that “ there was nothing at all to laugh at in it. 55 “ A 50th of a grain of arsenic in a gallon of beer will nor. hurt anyone,” he declared, “but as ihc medical officer stressed the tact that it was twice as much as there should he according to law. he ought to cither institute proceedings against the brewer whose beer he analysed or nan e the brewer. Ii is utter nonsense to say that chemical are use ! to substitute hops.’’ STORY OF CAIN READ BY AGED coroner. At the inquest at Durham. England, on Henry Graham and Thomas Shelton. who were executed simultanCouslv in Durham Gaol. .Mr John Graham, the coroner, who is in his ninety-second vear. made what he said ay as his final protest against capital punishment. He read long extracts from Genesis on tho punishment of Cain for his brother 5 ; murder. and said that murderers should he taken car,* of. and treated as a man-eating tiger that had happened to get loos*’. 'They should be put behind iron bars and kept there for the rest of their days without a impossible chance of remission ot sentence. In certain cases there has been abominable cruelty, added Mr Graham, the cat is a useful implement, while the prospect of such a living death would have an effect upon persons inclined to commit murder. Graham Avas hanged for killing his Arife at Sunderland, while Shelton murdered his sweetheart at Gateshead.