The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

CHARGE OF INGENIOUS CONSPIRACY AND FRAUD. As there is too much reason to fear that the follow- ing clever, though not altogether new dodge," is being extensively practised, both in town and country, our readers will do good service to the country in giving it all publicity, the more especially as inex- perienced widows, and poor, small shopkeepers, are marked as the victims of the heartless rascality. Al- though this individual case is not yet proven, it is known that a similar scheme has been more or less successful in other cases. A man of short stature, about forty years of age, having the appearance of a Jew, giving the name and address of John Da Costa, 1, Stoney-lane, Gravel-lane, Houndsditch, traveller, was brought up at Westmin- ster Police-court, on Friday, charged with unlawfully conspiring, with others not in custody, to defraud Mrs. Anne Herbert. The prosecutrix, a poor widow, who has recently started a little shop for the sale of stationery and other articles, at No. 3, James-street, Buckingham Gate, said that on August 19th a man came into her shop, and, representing himself to be a messenger employed at some offices, bought a pencil, and said that he should like some carpenters' flat pencils, and if she got some he would be a good customer to her; when in ten minutes afterwards a second man came in, and, stating himself to be a traveller, asked her if she wished to purchase any pencils. She said she had just had a person inquiring for some flat car- penters' pencils, and bought three dozen of him. for which she paid him 4s. He said his name was Mellon, the same as that engraved on the pencils, and asked if she would put up one of their bills in her window; and on her expressing her acquiescence, he promised to bring one with him in a short time. In five or ten minutes afterwards the first man came in, and, finding that she had got some flat carpenters' pencils, pur- chased half a dozen of her, at the same time producing a large order on paper for other pencils of different kinds. He said he was going home to his dinner; but if she got them for him by the time he came back it would be of great service to him. He left, and had not been gone many minutes, when the prisoner and another man came into the shop with a hand-bill, and she told them that she had got an order for some pencils, and showed it to them. They then produced the pencils which she required, and she bought them, paying X4 8s. for them. The prisoner and his companion at the same time informed her that if she could not got rid of them to the person who had given her the order they should be happy to exchange them for anything else they had. They gave the name and address as Middleton, 19, Wood- street, and then went away. The first man, the messenger, never came again for the pencils, and in three or four days afterwards she went to Wood-street with a view to exchanging them, when she found no person of the namehved there. She never heard or saw anything of the prisoner or his companions until that day at two o'clock, when, as she sat at her window, she saw the prisoner and the same man who had received her money coming down Castle-lane. She immediately rushed into the street, but the two men separated, and went in opposite directions. She, however, caught prisoner, and held him till a constable came up, when she gave him in custody. Mr. Arnold inquired, whether she had ascertained the quality of the pencils. Prosecutrix said, finding Wood-street was not the address, her suspicions were excited, and she took the pencils into a large manufacturer's in Cheapside, and asked his opinion of them. He informed her that they were almost worthless—at the outside not worth more than 10s. or 15s. The lead points also, for which she had given < £ 1 4s., were perfectly valueless. Prisoner said he wished to put a question to the prosecutrix. Was be the man who sold her the pencils ? Prosecutrix replied he and the other man sold her the pencils, and he gave a receipt for the money. Police-constable 192 B said he found prosecutrix holding the prisoner, and took him into custody. On searching him he found a great number of pencils now produced, and some printed bills. Prosecutrix, on being shown them, said the bills and pencils exactly resembled those she had from the prisoner. Mr. Arnold cut one of the showiest and best-looking of the pencils open, and it was found only to contain a small portion of the dross of lead at either end, although, by the appearance, one would have thought the lead passed right through them. Prisoner admitted he was present at the transaction, but said he was not the man who sold the pencils. A Police-sergeant from the station said prisoner had offered a friend of the prosecutrix's R2 to let him go. 'I Mr. Arnold remanded him. Prisoner requested to be permitted to put in bail. The magistrate consented if he found two sureties in X50 each 15 for his re-appearance within twenty-four i hours' notice.

AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITION AT TUN- BRIDGE WELLS. The annual exhibition of stock, poultry, and implements, and a ploughing match, under the auspices of the Tunbridge Wells, Groomsbridge, and Borders of Kent and Sussex Agricultural Association, was held at Tunbridge Wells last week. This society, of which the Earl Delawarr is president, offered prizes amounting to X200 for ploughing, for the best horses, bulls, sheep, pigs, goats, roots, and poultry, and to agricultural labourers of good character, or the widow of such labourer who has brought up most usefully and creditably, without parochial relief, the largest family. The first prizeholder in this class was rewarded with £3, and three others were given. A field near the Sussex Hotel was set apart for the ploughing match, and the competitors were divided into two classes, with a champion prize to be contested for by the winners in each class. There was a very large attendance, not only on the part of the farmers and friends of the compe- titors, but also of the neighbouring gentry, who flocked into the pretty town and apparently took great interest in the exhibition, which there can be no doubt will be a valuable stimulus to exer- tion. The breeder of stock, the sturdy ploughman, had alike an interest in the proceedings of the day, and the farm labourer, who for many a lone year has toiled and moiled to keep the wolf from the door, felt that his industry and self-denial had been watched and appreciated by those who, a step higher than himself on the social ladder, feel pleasure, as well as recognise a duty, in reward- 's g him. Thanks to the exertions of Mr. J. W. Roper and Mr. T. M. Richardson, the hon. treasurer and secretary, the arrangements were admirably conducted. The weather was delightful, and a large number of the visitors finished up a pleasant day by dining together, and discussing the merits of the competitors, human, bovine, and ornithological, whose claims had in the early part ?f the ^ay been so carefully decided on by the The show was admitted on all hands to be superior to any of its predecessors. In the evening about 150 persons dined in the large room of the Sussex Hotel, the Earl of Col- chester presiding. Amongst those present were Sir W. Stirling, Bart., Admiral Sir G. Sartorius, Gr. Peel, Esq., the Hon. F. G. Molyneux, A. Pott, Esq., -Dyke, Esq., W. S. Morland, Esq., G. Hussey, Esq., W. Brewell, Esq., W. W. Burrell, Esq., John Scott, Esq., the Rev. B. Whitlock, Rev. Mr. Vivian, and the Rev. B. F. Smith. After the cloth had been removed, The usual loyal and patriotic toasts were given and heartily responded to. The Chairman then proposed The Health of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Rochester, and the clergy of the two dioceses." The Rev. Mr. Smith responded. The Chairman gave The Health of the Two I Houses of Parliament." The Chairman proposed "The Army, Navy, Yeomanry, and Volunteers of England." Admiral Sir G. Sartorius responded. The best I conducted and most reliable seamen in the navy I came from the agricultural classes. Circum- stances had considerably altered the position of this country. Steam had altered the whole sys- tem of naval warfare. It had been said that steam was a disadvantage to this country, and that I it would be possible for an invading army to land and burn their homesteads and houses. He begged to say of all things most impossible to occur was an invasion of this country (cheers), provided they took those precautions which Providence had placed in their power, One of the principal means that he relied upon for their safety was the volun- teer movemenf (cheers); but he thought they ought not to have less than 400,000 or 500,000 volunteer riflemen and artillery. Then, with the railroads along their coast, with movable batteries placed at every coast-guard station, with the tele- graph, and a few steam rams on their coast, and rapid vessels as watchers-it was impossible with those means properly arranged and brought into play, for any large number of vessels to appear on their coasts without having ample time to assem- ble at any point 10,000 or 12,000 men. With such an army and such batteries it would be impossible for an enemy to effect a landing, and he said so unhesitatingly. Insularly, therefore, they were in a better position than formerly; but their colonies might be more exposed; but if they took care of their seamen, their wives and families, they would protect the colonies, and the people of England could protect themselves (applause). Depend on it, the race of sailors of the present day did not differ from those of the time of St. Vincent and Nelson (loud applause). Mr. Roper responded on behalf of the yeomanry, and Mr. Ridgeway on behalf of the volunteers. The next toast was The Health of the Lord Lieutenant of the County, the High Sheriff, and Magistrates." Mr. Peel returned thanks. The chairman proposed Success to the Tun- bridge Wells, Groombridge, and Borders of Kent and Sussex Agricultural Association." He ob- served that agricultural societies had been very useful in their operations. They brought together people acquainted with the subject of agriculture, and mutual benefit followed from an interchange of ideas. This society was in a very prosperous condition, and he hoped it would continue so, al- though it had only existed in its present form for two years. The toast was loudly cheered. Mr. J. M. Richardson, one of the hon. secretaries, responded. Everything had gone on most pros- perously, and he trusted all their efforts would tend to the prosperity of the society and of the town. Sir W. Stirling proposed "The Health of the President, Earl Delawarr," and regretted his ab- sence, which, he was sorry to say, was caused by illness. The Hon. Mr. Molyneux replied, thanking the company for the kind reception given to his lord- ship's name, and assuring them that his lordship felt the deepest interest in the success of the so- ciety and the proceedings of that day (hear, hear). Mr. W. W. Burrell proposed "The Health of the Judges," and the toast was well received. Several of those gentlemen responded, and after a series of routine toasts, the proceedings of the evening were brought to a conclusion.

CHEATING THE RAILWAY COMPANIES FOUND UNDER THE SEAT. Felix M'Carthy, a dirty-looking young fellow, was brought up at Southwark Police-court before Mr. Maude, charged with concealing himself in a third- class carriage on the South-Eastern Railway, and re- fusing to pay the fare from Dover when requested by one of the company's servants. Henry Dyne, ticket-inspector in the eompany's em- ploy, said that he was on duty at the ticket-collecting station at East Croydon about nine o'clock on the pre- vious evening. On the arrival of the fast train from Dover one of the ticket-collectors came to him and told him that a man was concealed under the seat of one of the third-class carriages, and he refused to come out or deliver up his ticket. Witness proceeded to the compartment in question, and saw the prisoner hud- dled under the seat, and he was compelled to pull him out. When witness demanded his ticket he shammed drunkenness, and refused to satisfy him in any way. Witness accordingly sent him up to London to be dealt with by his superior officer. Mr. Maude inquired whether he asked the prisoner for his ticket ? Witness replied that he did, when he replied that he had neither ticket nor money. Henry Hayward, a constable in the employ of the South Eastern Railway Company, said he was on duty at the London Bridge terminus on the arrival of the train, and as soon as the door was opened the prisoner rushed out, knecking the guard who had charge of him down, and attempting to escape. Witness, how- ever, seized hold of him and took him to the station- master's office, and on his refusal to pay the fare he was given into custody. In answer to the charge, The prisoner said he had been hopping with a family, the father of which undertook to pay for his ticket. He accordingly got in the carriage, and being drunk he gst under the seat to be out of the way. He did not hear what became of the others. Mr. Dyne informed his worship that hop pickers would not be allowed to travel in that train. It was certain that the prisoner concealed himself to avoid the payment of the fare. Mr. Maude had no doubt of it, and committed the prisoner to hard labour for fourteen days.

A STRANGE CONFLICT. The Journal de Toulouse publishes an account of a conflict at Blagnac (Haute-Garonne), arising' out of an incident of the most trivial character, and which has resulted in the death of two persons and the wounding of several others. A man named Meilhorat having married a woman of ill-repute, a number of persons assembled beneath his windows at night and created a disturbance, raising cries of a far from complimentary nature. Two men named Gaimbaut, father and son, having been recognised among the rioters, a prosecu- tion was instituted against them by Meilhorat, which ended in their condemnation to some slight punish- ment. The Gaimbauts were enraged at this result, and meeting Meilhorat a day few days afterwards, the father fired at him and wounded him seriously in the shoulder. The two Gaimbauts then barricaded themselves in their house, and on being summoned to surrender by the authorities replied by firing on the gendarmes. A company of chasseurs were sent for and the house surrounded, The men were again called on to surrender, but they ascended to the roof and continued to fire on the troops. The thatch pre- sently caught fire, and the Gaimbauts thus driven from their refuge were obliged to come forth from the house. A gendarme named Montaign stepped forward to seize them, and received in his breast the contents of a gun discharged by the father, and was killed on the spot, while at the same moment the son, who had also raised his gun to fire at Montaign, was brought down by a shot from a chasseur, and expired almost immediately. The elder Gaimbaut then, seeing further resistance useless, attempted to commit suicide with a pistol, and, failing in his wish, stabbed himself in the abdomen with a knife. His wounds were, however, not mortal, and he was arrested, with his own and his son's wife, who were in the house at the same time. Besides the two men killed, three chasseurs and two police agents were wounded in the affray. The oc- currence has created great excitement in the country around, and omnibuses are conveying numbers of persons from the towns and villages to visit the scene of the engagement.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. One of the most singular cases of mistaken identity that has been recorded of late years was the subject of a magisterial investigation at the Melksham Petty Sessions last week, having been adjourned from a previous day. A respectable man named Henry Colbourne was charged with assaulting a young man named Lee and his mother, about ten o'clock on the sight of August the 24th, in the yard of the Royal Oak Inn, Melksham. There was some dispute between the assailant and the assailed respecting the pass- age to the yard being blocked up by the vehicle of the latter, the former being thereby prevented from driving through. From words they came to blows, and the assailant used his whip and whip handle very freely on young Lee and also struck his mother, finally driving away. The assault was witnessed by a large number of persons, some of whom had intimately known Mr. Colbonrne for terms of 20 years, 18 years, 29 years, and 10 years respectively. These and several other witnesses swore positively to the identity of Colbourne as the 'assailant, and described how they had called to him by name, during the progress of the assault, to desist. No evidence could have been stronger or more consistent. On the part of the defence there were called Mr. George Pritchard, yeoman Mr. John Thomas, yeoman; Mr. Samuel Moore, yeoman; Mr. David Clarke, yeoman; Mr. John Gunstone, builder; and Eli Camery, who clearly proved and accounted for Mr. Colbourne's presence from nine o'clock p.m., until a quarter to eleven on the night of the assault, giving particulars which it was impossible to dispute. These witnesses were severely cross-examined, but their evidence was not in the least shaken or impaired. Mr. Smith, who appeared for the defendant, then put a singular witness into the box, a Mr. G. J. Day, and requested him to tell the magistrate what he knew of the matter. Mr. Day then pro- ceeded to say: About ten o'clock on the night in question I came into the town in my trap, and drove into Mr. Whale's yard at the Oak. As I went into the yard some man took my horse by the head and began striking it. I asked him what he did it for, and told him to get out of the way. I gave him a cut with the whip. He pulled off his coat and offered to fight. I up with my fist and knocked him down. Robert Carpenter came up and said, Cousin Colbourne, if you strike that man again I will knock your brains out." The parties then went down the yard towards the house, and I went with my trap into the upper yard. I stayed a little time, and then left. Mr. Colbourne was not there. No one struck a blow but myself. I have come forward voluntarily, that an innocent man should not suffer for what I did myself. I had no rest about it, and I came and told Mr. Colbourne this morning that I was the man who did it. The bench and bar having sufficiently marvelled at the extraordinary nature of the case, the sum- mons against Mr. Colbonrne was dismissed. 'I'

A -3 TSW-BORN INFANT PLACED FOR TEN HOURS IN A TUB. Àt, the Town-hall, Melksham, Wilts, before Messrs. G. H. Awdry and C. J. T. Conolly, a young woman named Sarah Gregory, dairymaid, in the service of Mr. Daniel Merrett, was charged under the following circumstances:— A few days ago she was left in the house by herself, the family having gone out. On their return, between seven and eight o'clock, she was told to get supper, but said she was so ill she could not. Her mistress very kindly told her to go to bed, but as the prisoner grew worse, a medical man was sent for, and, on ex- amining the woman, he taxed her with having been recently delivered of a child, but she denied anything of the sort. The following morning Mr. Merrett went into his slaughter-house at the back of the premises, and. there, in a cheese tub, under a sack, and wrapped in a coloured apron, he saw a fine healthy child, which immediately gave evidence of vitality by crying' lustily. The little stranger, which had been in its hiding-place more than ten hours, and did not seem any the worse for it, was placed under the care of a nurse, who took it to the prisoner, and asked her if it was her child, but she still denied it. Just as the nurse was about to take it away, the yearning of the mother prevailed, and prisoner said, Give it to me," and immediately gave it the breast, of which the little Spartan seemed greatly in need after his night's adventure in the tub. The Magistrates said as there was no intention on the part of the prisoner to kill the child, they would discharge her; but she had had a very narrow escape. How many new-born infants would live ten hours in a tub without warmth or nourishment P This decision opens a door for the experiment to be tried.

PROSPECTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. The New York Times has a lengthy article upon this subject, from which we extract the following:— For five mouths there had been no State elections previous to those which have just occurred in Vermont and Maine. The popular sentiment had nowhere been tested on any scale at all significant. Five months is a long period in a national crisis like this, and the strength of the war feeling last spring could be no guarantee of its present control. Two great cam- paigns have been prosecuted with varying fortunes, and one of them is still undecided. A call of unprece- dented magnitude had been made for more men. Gold had risen from 150 to 250. Taxes had been multiplied and doubled in weight. Peace plotters on the Canada border had set up their false lights, and demagogues at home had plied every art to deceive the people. The rebel armies, though on the whole worsted, were still full of fight; the Richmond Government showed not the slightest sign of yielding: and the Southern people remained, to ail appearance, just as submissive to their leaders as ever. "But more than all this, new political events of great importance had taken place in the meantime. Presi- dent Lincoln had been renominated, to the dissatisfac- tion of some of the leading men of the Union party. General M'Clellan had received the unanimous nomi- nation of the Opposition, and had published his letter of acceptance, so carefully designed to hide the real issues and attract personal favour. It was a question of peculiar interest, then, how the new political campaign was to open. Would this open- ing indicate a popular content or discontent^ with the continued maintenance of the war ? For which of the two Presidential candidates would it show the popular preference? The two States moved, when the time came, in no doubtful way. The Union party in the one earned the day by 21,000 majority, in the other by 20,000, showing a large gain in eaoh since last year. This was the more signal in view of the fact that in neither case does thi; majority include the thousands of soldiers in the field, who are almost to a man on the side of the Union party. "These results show infallibly that the developments of the five months have only made the war party stronger than ever. The mere fact that those States have elected their Union tickets, is, in itself, we allow, nothing. That was a thing of course. Nobody drea,med that the hills of Vermont, which have always withstood like adamant the highest floods of the corrupt Democracy, would now topple over into all the abomi. nable vileness and venomousness of its drags. No] did anybody believe that Mains, which for years ha; been firm, would now go under. The significance is not that these States have not become Copperhead, but that they have even actually improved in their staunchness. We say it is a grand indication. It shows unmistakably the real popular temper of the time. Of that interest which is purely selfish, no two States have less for the salvation of the Union than Vermont and Maine. Their geographical positions, and the peculiar sources of their prosperity, make it a matter of very little consequence to them materially whether the South goes or stays. Again, they have both suffered from war more than most of the States, particularly Vermont. That little State, on account of the emigration of so many of its young men to the cities and to the West, has had to contribute a larger proportion to the armies; and these soldiers, as the record of the war show, have done more extensive and severe fighting than any equal number of regiments from any other Northern State. Nowhere has death been carried to so many homes by the destruction of this war. The Maine regiments, have been among the most active participants in the war, and have greatly suffered. It is no small thing, then, that two States, thus independently situated, and thus subjected to sacrifice, instead of wearying and succumbing under the prolongation of the war, should exhibit a sterner devotion to it than ever. The party which goes for a 'cessation of hostili- ties,' is blind if it fail to see in these first elections the sure indications of its coming fate. It has taken heart because of the noisy demonstrations of this and some other cities in favour of its candidate. But those demonstrations were almost entirely confined to a very different element from that which makes up the solid, native-born bone and muscle of the country. They are no exponent whatever of the principles and spirit which nerve the real American people. Not City elec- tions, but State elections, are the criteria of the senti- ment which rules the land. It always has been so; I and for a long while yet will continue to be so. The silent vote of the smallest State in the Union is a better index of the political future than any hurrahs would be in our public squares, even if loud enough to reach the moon. The simple fact is, that the great body of the intelligent people of this nation know that it cannot be saved, except by fighting this war to its end, and that they have the patriotism to so fight it through, at whatever cost or sacrifice. The Copper- heads may as well undertake to arrest the law of gra- vitation as to change this determination of the people. The effort will also result in their own overthrow and destruction."

ONLY A QUESTION OF MONEY. We copy from a local contemporary the following —The blockading squadron now and then capture a blockade runner, but the captures have not been sufficiently numerous to prevent a very confident addiction to the trade. People new to the business are generally the people caught, and a Liverpool gentleman details his experience of his own treatment. He was part owner of a blockade runner, and he was caught. In obedience to the rules of the service, him- self and all on board had to go below. An officer accompanied him, and the officer and himself, natu- rally enough, entered into conversation. They had similar tastes, their knowledge and pursuits were not dissimilar; and, as they gre .v familiar, the captive part owner expressed a wish to breathe the purer air accessible on the deck, and asked could it be done. Certainly," was the reply, If you pay for it." "How much?" So much. The money was paid, and the Liverpool gentleman found himself pacing the deck with one of the first officers. He was delighted with the change of air, he was delighted with the scenery in going down from Wilmington, and, when the darkness began to steal round the coast he ex- pressed a desire to be exempted from a descent below. "Can I stop above?" "Nothing more easy if you can pay for it." He paid, and he was not sent below. Walking on deck superinduces fatigue, sleep became urgent, and he intimated how delighted he would be if he could lie down. You can have my bed," was the reply, if you pay for it." He paid for it, and he slept soundly. Seeing that money was all potent, he inquired of his friend the officer if he could hot be allowed to slip into a passing vessel. By no means," was the reply, "that would cost me my epaulettes; but if you can pay for it, I calculate you can escape I imprisonment." "How?" "Leave that to me." On arriving at Boston the marshal was found to be a perfeot gentleman. He had a great taste for art and for minerals. He adored the Queen's portrait in little, particularly when it was stamped.on auriferous metal. Fifty sovereigns were not too much for liberty, and the Liverpool gentleman returned by the next mail to the Mersey.

BRUTAL ATTACK UPON A BOY. A deplorable event has occurred at Alves ton- house, Warwickshire, the residence of Mr. J. Townsend, a county magistrate. It appears that [ the under-groom was in the stable with the gar- d.ener's boy, and that in consequence of something which the latter said, the former seized a pitch- fork, close at hand, and inflicted such injuries upon him that his life has been despaired of by surgeons called in to attend him. There was no witness of the occurrence, but from a statement made by John Baylis, the injured youth, it would seem that John WagstafF invited him to partake of some gin, a large bottle of which he had in the stable, and that some chaff" took place between them, Bay- liss taunting Wagstaff with being drunk. The groom, who, it is stated, had been drinking a con- siderable quantity of gin, took up the fork without further provocation, and, using it like a spear, pinned young Bayliss to the wall, the weapon pas- sing completely through his neck. Pulling it out again, WagstafF then knocked him down with the handle. Shortly afterwards, the poor fellow being seen bleeding on the ground, Mr, Nason, the family surgeon, was immediately sent for from Stratford, and thinking the case likely to prove fatal he requested the assistance of Mr. Eice, of the same town, with whose aid an operation was performed to secure the injured arteries. Meanwhile a search had been made for Wagstaff, who was thought by Mr. Townsend to be concealed in the grounds attached to the house, but as he could not be found policemen were sent in different directions to prevent his escape. It was speedily discovered that he had forded the river Avon near the mill, and so reached the high road between Stratford and Warwick, on which he was pursued for several miles in the direction of the latter town, where the search for him proved in vain. The Alveston constable, however, acting in co-operation with Police-constable Walters, of the Warwick borough police force, who accompa- nied him to Hatton, there obtained information of the fugitive late on Thursday night. It was ascertained that about five o'clock p.m., some five hours after the occurrence, he made his appear- ance at the railway station, about which he loitered until the 5.43 down train arrived from Warwick, when he went into one of the carriages minus a ticket. He was without a coat, and his trousers bore evidence of his having been in the mud, no doubt caused by his fording the river at Alveston. He was asked for his ticket, but while he was fumbling about for it the train started. He was apprehended at Birmingham, and has been re- manded by the magistrates on a charge of at- tempted murder.

A YOUNG GENTLEMAN DROWNED. Mr. Richard Bagster, a young gentleman aged twenty-three years, who had come from London on Saturday evening to visit his family, residing in Eversfield-place, Hastings, was drowned on Sunday morning while bathing in front of his father's lodgings, and within sight of many- persons powerless to rescue him. The weather was exceedingly fine, but a strong easterly breeze prevailed, and produced a heavy sea, very dan- gerous for imperfect swimmers. Mr. Bagster, accompanied by a young friend named Stoddart, hired one of Philcox's bathing, machines about half-past ten o'clock, and both gentlemen con- sidering themselves expert swimmers, unfortu- nately disregarded the warning of the bath attendants, William Noalres and William White, not to venture out beyond, the length of a rope II attached to the machine—about twenty-seven feet. As soon as they had undressed both of them struck out, and swam with apparent ease about 100 yards from the beach. Mr. Stoddart went farthest, but he turned and made for the shore before Mr. Bagster, who, in less than five minutes, was observed to be holding up his right arm, and in apparent difficulty. The* father of Mr. Bagster, and his elder brother, who were rpon the beach, observed the critical position of their relative; but, before they had time to raise an alarm, the danger was seen by the bathmen, Noakes and White, who immediatly ran along the beach, and launched the first boat they could lay hold of—a small wherry, which half filled with. water as she put off. Meantime Mr. Stoddart, who had reached the shore, and learned from the distracted father and brother the imminent danger of his friend, again dashed into the sea, and fought as bravely as his diminished strength would allow in his endeavour to reach Mr. Bagster, who was becoming gradually weaker, and still holding up his hands for aid. The wherry, manned by Noakes, pulled gallantly through the breakers, and had I Z!l reached within fifteen yards of the unfortunate gentleman when he sank for the last time, and all efforts to save him were fruitless. Mr. Stoddart was greatly exhausted when he came on shore, and it is impossible to conceive a more agonising scene than the pain and distress of the deceased's family when all hopes of the recovery of the deceased was lost. The unfortunate gentleman was the third son of Mr. Theodore Bagster, of Great St. Helen's.

THE COLLIERS' STRIKE: A NUMBER SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT WITH HARD LABOUR. At the Brierley-hill petty sessions, before Mr. Isaac Spooner, stipendiary, a number of colliers on strike were charged with having intimidated others anxious to go to work. Mr. Addison prosecuted, and Mr. Sheldon de- fended. The first case taken was against a woman named Elizabeth Mills. Joseph Blakeway, manager at Mr. Raybould's colliery, Bromley, stated that, on the 19th. Sep- tember, as he was coming from work, he was met by a large crowd of men, women, boys, and girls. He had police-officers with him, and the defendant said, Let's give him a tune." The crowd hooted « and gathered round, him, and some of those present shouted to the mob not to give way for the police. The defendant said to the police, You take care of the kids (meaning the children), and we will put him (prosecutor) straight and break his legs," As he went on his way there was a shout of Throw him into the cut." He was compelled by the crowd to go out ef his direct road and go along the canal side. Before he got home he took re- fuge in a public-house at Moor-lane. He was accompanied home by police-constables M'Crohan and Williams. Mr. Sheldon, in his cross-examination, at- tempted to show that the defendant did not interfere until the police had set a dog upon her children; but this was contradicted, and com- plainant said that defendant had frequently made similar observations. Police-constable M'Crohan gave corroborative evidence, and said the people shouted black leg," as police-constable Williams and himself accom- panied him. He heard the defendant shout out Throw him into the cut," and she also said to the poliee, You keep back and take care of the children, and we will do for him." The police, he said, had no dog with them. Police-constable Williams gave similar evidence. Mr. Sheldon said that on. the night in question nothing was said by the defendant to prosecutor, and he should be able to show that he was not interfered with at all. A woman named Kenning was called, who stated that the dog above referred to was set on the children by the police, and she also stated that one of the police officers called her foul names. Mr. Spooner, in giving his decision, said a clearer case never came before him, and he did not believe a word aoout tne story of the dog, nor did he be- lieve the evidence of the witness called for the defence. He had received a letter from a person named Brown, asking him to be merciful to the poor colliers, as they were much oppressed by the masters. He desired it to be made known that he knew nothing of oppression between masters and men, and he was bound to act independently of either. His duty simply was to adjudicate upon offences against the law, and he had to do so irre- spective of his feelings, one way or the other. He also said that he had found by experience that the women in these cases were worse than the men. As there were other cases, the stipendiary said he would hear them before adjudicating. Daniel Smith, John Morgan, Samuel Lloyd, and Emma Smith were then charged with having on the 23rd Sept. intimidated Joseph Blake way. On the night in question, as complainant was leaving work, protected by Police-sergeant Hanks and Police-constables M'Crohan and Cotterill, a crowd of persons met him, who shouted, He's coming; let us throw him into the cut; let's break Ms head; let's bullock him along the road," and other terms of intimidation. All the defend- ants were there, and the female defendant Smith said, "Now then, black-leg, have some drink," C, and held out a milk can. Lloyd and Morgan were playing tin whistles, and the man Smith was beat- ing a drum. Sergeant Hanks identified the male defendants as having used the threats referred to. Mr. Sheldon offered no defence. The woman Smith was discharged with a caution. Mr. Spooner then addressed the defendants, and said they had previously been cautioned, and they knew that their conduct was unlawful. Their offence was grave in its nature, as they were aware that a man had a perfect right to sell his labour at any market he might think fit. It was painful for him to have such a duty to perform, and had he known that such a duty would have devolved upon him he should probably not have accepted the office he now held. The ca,se before him was a bad one, and the prosecutor had been for days and weeks persecuted in a most cruel manner, and so cruel was it that it was a wonder he had not sunk under it. The learned stipendiary said that in any future cases proven he should inflict the most severe sentences, and would com- mit them to the assizes for conspiracy. He then sentenced them each to six weeks' hard labour. In the course of his observations the learned ma- gistrate quoted the following passage from the address of the late Chief Justice Tindall, when a special commission was held at Stafford in 1842: —" It is unnecessary to say that a course of pro- ceeding so utterly unreasonable in itself, so in- jurious to society, so detrimental to the interests of trade, and so oppressive against the right of the poor man, must be a gross and flagrant viola- tion of the law, and must be put down, when the guilt is established, with a proper measure of k punishment." —-—■

Handwriting of the. Royal Family.—The highest circles of English society cultivate penmanship with care and success. The Queen's handwriting is beautiful—flowing, and elegant, and feminine. Prinee Albert's biographer compares the Prince to Goethe who "would take inordinate pains, even in writing a short note, that it should be admirably written. He did not understand the merit of second-best, but every- thing that was to be done must be done perfectly." The Prince Consort took the greatest interest in the caligraphy of his children, and few young people write more elegantly, and at the same time more distinctly, than the Princes and Princesses of England.