ENGLISH MISCELLANEOUS.

West Coast Times, Issue 575, 29 July 1867, Page 4

ENGLISH MISCELLANEOUS.

(I'HOlt THE IIO3H! NEWrf.) The other night, Mr Murphy, the antiRomanist lecturer, who has been creating much excitement lately in the midland districts, was announced to deliver a lecture in the United Methodist Frco GHiurch, Wednesbury, on "The Confessional." He had on former evenings m-the week delivered other lectures, that on the day in question being the fourth. Soon after the door was opened the chapel was crowded with a rather an eager audience. About 600 or 700 people occupied seals in the body of the chapel, and 300 more had standing room in a temporary gaUey. Before the crowd had occupied the gallery long, it began to give way, and instead of the people' being told to leave an attempt was made to strengthen the supports. The attempt was vain, for the cross beam snapped in the centre, and the gallery and the hundreds of people who occupied it were throw*n upon an equally numerous crowd beneath. A panic ensued. Those who were not hurt by the fall of the gallery rushed to the doors, and many were injured in their haste to escape. It was some time before any organised attempt was made to rescue those upon whom the gallery had fallen. Several were found 'to be seriously injured, but they have since recovered.

An inquest has been held at Hanham, on the body of Mary Bevan, aged 19. The deceased was'a staymaker, and a report had been spread about prejudical to her reputation by a youngman in Bristol. .This preyed on the girl's mind, aud she applied to a magistrate for redress, but was told that an' action at law would be the only way of punishing the author of this malicious and unfounded report. Soon afterwards she \»as at work at the stay factory, when her fellow-workers taunted her on her supposed indiscretion. She left the premises forthwith, saying that she eovdd not bear this jeering, and in a short time her body was found in the river. In order to satisfy themselves as to the truth or otherwise of the allegations put forth by her traducer, the friends of the gu>l called in a medical man and that gentleman had no difficulty in giving the lie direct to the slander. The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. The young man who was accused of spreading the report was mobbed by the populace on leaving the court.