Potter's Electric News

CARDIGAN. -UNIVERSITY FOR WALES.—A special t'le ^oca^ C0!I)njit.tee of the Welsh University '^e days ago, to give a friendly reception to k6'ary n'f i Charles, A.13., the newly appointed se- i 'To* J'. ^n^ersity. The chair was taken by tha o- thai-^ ,ryst,wyt^- The chairman said that he was arle3 ^ad the opportunity of welcoming Mr them, because he was a gentleman in 4rlea .ey.reP09ed every confidence. The Rev. Mr Option ,v.lnS thanked the meeting for the warm re- >i0 *h had been given him, said that he was of "J himself acquainted with the feelings and e committee. He had been pressed by the Would comnnttee to accept bis present position. He "ork ornot leave a stone unturned to forward the great opera of the University, always relying on the active co- Plblioar fiends of Wales. He had suggested K0tl8, Ah-1(*n a statement respecting the subscrip- V611 Paid ii had been promised— £ 5,000 had thatch °^>000 remained yet to be collected. °Ulcl be the nce and obtain additional subscriptions c°uld be 0pen°ext work. In the meantime the college ^snt grant to th wou^ soon as'i *or Govern- !sPect it. University. They bad every reason to ?,Uential genf/" ok Owen had spoken to a certain in- 8 subject iT?r'an c°nnec:ed with the Government on Jon, for .jp slated that such a grant might be relied nl°ther no » Government had been doing much ossein tbe k>ngdMin, it had given no en- 1l° Universit? education in Wales. It was ^on n Charles should communicate with the M): Committee, urging the propriety of convening a feting in Aberyst «vith for the purpose of making Ofthn to the public the present position and prospects OOJJ 6 University, and presenting a financial statement l>lfee^ed with the institution. It appears that £ 3,000 °een paid for the Castle House, the building pur- 8Ubsed. lor the University. It will be simple justice to fla^l^ers—those who have either paid or not paid their to 5ujflPtions, as well as to others who may yet promise Rreat scribe-that a very explicit revelation be made of a \le8*any particulars associated with the University of Such a revelation would be most politic for the ) ^eve? e *D8l*tuti°n. '-Too many matters of detail, 6 on could scarcely be given, for the public f'^UB"5688. suc'1 matters. The legal position J*tQi8 of l*er8ity, its rules, its capacity for students, its g ^ers, te fission, its professorships, and many such ATU^Ve au\6 k0 ma(^e known to the public. Its 5e ~c°tistitult,H0rities should soon be made known. A !b ^ite thlP Private combination of individuals, may tti[H be ex ^inS initiatively. But the sooner the fiav derivi C a?8ed for a regularly constituted com- aQ ^ls. authority from some public body, meeting of subscribers.

N G AppQ I N T M E N T S. MARTCRH°KJO-TH VUNTTCLUE FOX HOUXDS. VSij *«a snn eVlDeInn.n«ar Johnston 10-30 %av Hollo^ay s Bridge 10-30 v March POWELL'S HOUNDS. 1030 'ay, M. TI^SIDS HOUNDS.

i-fyt,8 ° B D W B 8 T MAR K E T. N?'po>.t°8d; M»t>day' March u- l867- C6se' ?s 0-1 ¥ to 6(1; Rn'tfd to Lamb, 1 Id to 12dVeal 5d le 'VhS 0(11 oa i1'' Is Id to is 3d; 20 fnr ii. lb- °pS 0(1> TurkpvUpIe' 1)ucks' 0s od to c's 0d ditto' ua t0 9sd per score; Potatoes I

VICE CHANCELLOR'S COURT-MARCH 13. BEFORE SIR R. MALINS. MOTION TO GOMMIT SIR ROBERT PEEL. This was a motion to commit Sir R. Peel for contempt in not complying with an order of the Charity Commissioners directing him to render an account of how moneys had been expended by him in or towards the maintenance of a school at ram- worth. The Vice Chancellor, in delivering judgment, said he had had an opportunity of considering the acts of parliament since yesterday, and therefore it would not be necessary to reserve his decision. The motion was to commit Sir R. Peel as an alleged trustee of this charity, which was founded by the first Sir R. Peel. The correspondence between Sir R. Peel and the commissioners had been carried on during the year 1867 and this year, and during the whole of the time Sir R. Peel had resisted the authority of the commissioners. He denied that they had any juris- diction in the matter. In the end Sir R. Peel was served with a notice to appear in this court. He did not do so last Thursday, but in not doing so he (the Vice Chancellor) felt satisfied that he meant no dis- respect to the Court. The motion was one of form and substance. As to the form of it he (the Vice Chancellor) was of opinion that Sir R. Peel having the privilege of Parliament, it would be impossible upon the cases referred to in Burrows and Rus- sell and Myine,' to commit Sir R. Peel to prison for such an offence as not rendering an account, if any offence had really been committed. But the material question was one of substance, and if the application were right, the matter of form might be got over. He understood that the commissioners desired only to have a decision of their right to this account. This question depended upon the acts of parliament of 1853 and 1855. The first referred to property absolutely disposed of in charity, otherwise the commissioners had no power or control over it. By the will of the first Sir Robert Peel this charity was founded, and if the question stood on the will there would be little doubt, but he made a codicil, which gave to the late Sir Robert, and all other per- sons who should be entitled to the estates, full power to do whatever they pleased with the fund— he or they might apply it to the charity, or in any manner thought proper. Sir R. Peel most properly swore that every farthing of the income of the funa had been applied to the school. He (the Vice Chan- cellor) was of opinion that, looking at the acts of parliament and the codicil, the motion had been wholly misconceived by the Charity Commissioners. When their authority was denied, they should have filed an information to have the question raised -de- termined. He was of opinion that Sir Robert Peel had acted rightly in resisting the demands of the commissioners, and he should have done the same thing himself. The case was an illustration against allowing a court to exist which heard matters in pri- vate. In this case Sir H. Peel had full power to do what he pleased with the fund. He had not only applied the income as his grandfather desired, but he had expended his own money ^addition towards the maintenance of this school. The whole disposition of the funds was perfectly voluntary on the part of Sir R. Peel. He thought the commissioners, who were gentlemen for whom he had the highest respect, should be very careful how they acted in disputed cases. They had, by promoting this motion, wholly miscarried, and had totally misconceived the powers given them by the acts of parliament. He had no jurisdiction in the matter, and therefore the motion must be refused, and with costs. —* BRITISH PREMIERS. The resignation of office held by Lord Derby ren- ders it interesting to recall the Premiers who have held the office for the last 114 years. The Duke of New- castle came into power April 5, 1734, and held office for eight years and 52 days. The Earl of Bute took office May 29, 1762, and held it for 322 days. The administration of Mr G. Grenville commenced April 16, 1763, and lasted for two years and 87 days, Thu Marquis of Rockingham took office July 12,1765, and held it for one year and 21 days. The Administra- tion of the Duke of Grafton, which commenced August 2, 1766, lasted three years and 179 days. The Administration of Lord North was one of un- usual duration, commencing January 28, 1770, and and lasting 12 years and 34 days. The Marquis of Rockingham again came into power March 3, 1782, and held it for 132 days. He was succeeded July 13, 1782, by the Earl of Shelborne, whose term of power was 266 days. The next Premier was the Duke of Portland, who came into power April 5,1783, and remained in office t60 days. Then came a very long Administration, that of Mr Pitt,-who came into power December 27, 1783, and held office for 17 years and 80 days. Mr Pitt was succeeded, March 17, 1801, by Lord Sidmouth, who remained in office three years and 56 days. Then came the second Pitt Administration, commencing May 12, 1804, and lasting one year and 246 days. Lord Grenville took office January 8, 1806, and held it for one year and 64 days. The Duke of Portland again became Pre- mier March 13, 1807, and remained in office three years and 102 days. He was succeeded June 28, 1810, by Spencer Perceval, whose term of power extended over one year and 330 days. The Earl of Liverpool's Administration, which commenced June 8, 1812, was a very long one, lasting 14 years and 307 days. Mr Canning succeeded Lord Liverpool April 11, 1827, but only remained in office 121 days. Lord Goderich who succeeded Mr Canning August 10, 1827, also held office only 168 days. The next Administration was that of the Duke of Wellington, which commenced January 25, 1828, and lasted two years and 5?9'I days. Earl Grey commenced his Administration November 22, 1830, and continued in power three years and 231 days. Lord Melbourne assumed the reins of Government July 11, 1834, but only held them days.. Then came the second Administration of the Duke of Wel- lington, which commenced November 16, 1834, but only lasted 22 days. Sir Robert Peel took office Dec. 8, 1834, but only remained in power 131 days. the second Administration of Lord Melbourne, which commenced April 18, 1835, lasted six years and 138 days. Sir Robert Peel took office a second time September 3, 1841, and held it for four years- and 97 days. Then Lord J. Russell was sent for, December 10, 1845, bnt his Lordship only held office ten days. Sir Robert Peel returned to power December 20, 1845, and remained in office 188 days. The second Administration of Lord John Russell, which commenced June 26, 1846, lasted five years and 239 days. The Earl of Derby came into office February 22, 1852, and held it 300 days. The Administration of the Earl of Aberdeen, which commenced Decem- ber 19, 1852, lasted two years and 45 days. The first Administration of Lord Palmerston, which com- menced February 5, 1855, lasted three years and 17 3ays. The Earl of Derby's second Administration commenced February 21, 1858, lasted 111 days! Fhen came Lord Palmerston's second Administration, which, csnmencing June 13,1859, lasted six years ind 128 days. On the death of Lord Palmerston, Earl Russell became Premier for the third time, but lis Lordship only held office on this occasion 240 lays. The Earl of Derby's third tenure of power e commenced June 27, 1886, and has now terminated tfter the lapse of one year and 241 daya.—Times,

THE MERTHYR AND DOWLAIS FENIAN PRISONERS. At the Glamorganshire Assizes on Thursday, Patrick Doran, 21; Patrick Carey, 23; John Mara, 23; Mark Farley, 23 Patrick Ryan, 34; Thomas Reardon, 22 William Holland, 21; Michael Flynn, 22 John Whelan 21; William Whelan, 20 all described in the calendar as labourers, were charged, in the terms of the indict- ment, with feloniously, and with divers other persons, devising and intending to deprive and depose our most gracious laiy the Queen from the style, honour, and royal name of the Imperial Crown of the United King- dom, by feloniously meeting, conspiring, and agreeing together to drill and practice military movements, at Merthyr Tydfil, between the 1st of September and the 26th of December, 1867." Mr Giffard, Q.C., with Mr H. Allen, conducted the prosecution, and Mr Bowen defended Ryan, Reardon, Carey, and Holland. Mr Michael appeared for the other prisoners. Mr Ensor, of Cardiff, instructed the counsel for the prosecution, and Messrs Smith and Lewis instructed the counsel for the defence. The jury, after about half an hour's deliberation, found all the prisoners not guilty, excepting Doran and Ryan, who were sentenced, the former to seven years' penal servitude, and the latter to the years' penal servitude. -♦ DEATH OF THE REV. MR. PLOW. About six o'clock on Thursday evening, after the most distressing sufferings, the Rev Mr Plow succumbed to the injuries he recently sustained at the hands of the young man Wetherill. The im- mediate cause of death was inflammation of the brain, resulting from reaction. Up to Wednesday evening there was no appearance of immediate danger but about ten o'clock at night serious symptoms began to manifest themselves, and thenceforward the unfortunate gentleman lay in extreme agony. We have also to record the death of the infant, born three weeks before the outrage. The child had been removed to Littleborough, and its removal from its mother is alleged to have tended to hasten its death. The death of Mr Plow, which was marked by the tolling of the church bell, cast a feeling of increased gloom over the parish. It is feared that the effect of these calamities on Mrs Plow cannot, in her present state, be other than disastrous. The town of Todmorden was on Sunday thronged by crowds of visitors who inspected the scene of the tragedy with an interest that seemed never to tire. Every particle connected with the fearful crime is eagerly sought for. The late vicar was the eldest son of the Rev Henry A. Plow, rector of Bradley, near Winchester. He was a graduate of Qneen's College, Cambridge, and held re- spectively the curacies of Staines, near London; Wickham, near Winchester Cosham, Dover, and Rochdale, whence be was appointed to Todmorden, in 1864; by the vicar of Rochdaie. While at Roch- dale he held the curacy of St. James's under the late incumbent, Mr Ffarrington, and his labours during that memorable cotton famine" will not be readily forgotten by the working classes of St. James's, Rochdale. The rev. gentleman has left two children, who are both of tender years. On Sunday evening there was a very large congrega- tion in Todmorden Church. The sermon was preached by the Rev H. A. Plow, father of the murdered clergyman. Before the sermon was delivered, the prayers of the congregation were earnestly requested on behalf of the culprit, Miles Weatberill now lying under sentence of death," and for Mrs Plow, now in great distress of mind and body." It was understood that during the day Mrs Plow's illness had taken a more serious turn. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF POISONING IN FRANCE. NIORT, MARCH 10. On Friday next, at the Court of Assizes of this town, a criminal trial for poisoning will commence, which will rank amongst the causes celebres of France. Three persons are indicted for having caused the death of Pierre Teyier, a single man in possession of a fortune of ^12,000. The prisoners are ..the widow Teyier, nee Chariot, sister-in-law of the victim Frances Richard, his servant • and Francis Chariot, father of the widow Teyier. It is a singular circumstance that Francis Chariot was the partner of Martin Reauin land speculations. Rcaa was sentenced last year by the same Court of Assizes to the galleys for life for wilful murder by poison. M. Lachaud, of the Paris bar M Ricard, a barrister at Niort; and M. Thibaudiere of the Parthenay bar, are counsel for the pri- soners. The procurator General of the Court of Appeal of Poictiers will be the public prosecutor Hie crime was perpetrated at the Chateau de la Meilleraye, in the arrondissement or district of I arthenay, department of the Deux Sevres, the chief town of which is Niort. The poisoning seems to have been conceived and perpetrated with a slowness and a perseverance implymo- a well-combined plan but it appears, notwithstand- ing, that the authorities were on the alert even before the death of Pierre Teyier. Pierre Teyier had always enjoyed remarkable good health but in the middle of 1867 he complained of having an inexplicable weight on the chest, a burning thirst and nausea, and he vomited frequently. He emitted a fetid odour, and succumbed at the end of one month. A post mortem examination took place, which resulted in the discovery of arsenic, and death was declared to be the result of that mineral. Arsenic was found not osly in the viscera, but also on the boards of the fioW on which he had vomited Who were the poisoners 1 The only persons who had constantly attended upon Pierre Teyier durino- his illness were his servant Frances Richard and his sister-in-lsw, the widow Teyier. They alone prepared and gave to him his food and drink and if, by chance, another servant attended upon his master during the nfght,- he received the potions ready made which he was to give him. Thejrtdicial authorities had visited the patient's house*- several days before his death, and: were able to- take his depositions. Madam Teyier;, it appears, had had some differences with her broflier-in-lavf relative to her husband's succession, but the quarrel bad been smoothed over, and at long intervals she visited him. Her two daughters were the pre sumptive heirs of Pierre Teyier, their uncle but the inheritance was not to come to them «oon considering the health of the uncle M. Tevier had, it seems, a hatred of marriage, and had his sister in-law married again, he would' probably have left his property to his first cousin, with whom be was frIendly. The act of accusation im- plies that Mdrne. Teyier, who was only 35 years of age, had some idea of marrying again, were it only to get her future husband to take a share in the management of her farm. On the 2nd of July, 1867,. she paid a visit to her brother-in law, thtn suffering from an attack of gout, and spent the evening with him. Next day Dr Gapne, the same who played so important a part in the trial of Reau was sent for by Pierre Teyier, and he found him suffering from diarrhoea and stomach-ache. Madame Teyier returned to la Meilleraye on the 15th of July, and'installed herself there with her servants, her two daughters and their governess. From that time Teyier became worse. Dr Ganne always asked for the. vomit of the patient, in order that he might examine it, but he was always told 0 that it had been forgotten. The physician at last obtained some, and when in the act of pouring it into a glass bottle to take it away, the widow Teyier came in and asked, with much surprise, what he intended to do with it. She afterwards insisted upon the experiments being made at once in her own presence, but the physician declined to do so. The vomit, when analysed, revealed the presence of arsenic. The act of accusation even, asserts that Dr Ganne was kept in ignorance that the patient had vomitings till be detected the fact himself, and Teyier invariably vomited after having taken the broths prepared either by his servant Frances Richard or the widow Teyier. The act of accusation narrates the conversation which sup- ports the material evidence. On the 11th of August, while strangers' hands closed the victim's eyes, the widow Teyier said she bad no interest whatever in the death of' her brother-in-law, and that his succession would cause embarrassment to her instead of being advantageous. After all," continued she, "J don't know a single poison. I know well that there is one called arsenic, but I never saw it." At those words the servant girl Richard also said that she did not know any poison, and repeated that it was very surprising that people should suppose that her master had died from poison. As to Francis Chariot, Mdme. Teyier's father, the act of accusation says that if he did not pour the poison with his own hand he bad at least participated in the crime by the assistance he gave to the guilty parties, whose projects he knew and aided. He had a direct and personal interest in the prompt death of Pierre Teyier, because he was his debtor for a sum of 30,000f., to be paid Sept. 29, then close at hand. The act of accusation reproaches the widow Teyier and her father with having failed to unite their efforts with those of the magistrates to discover the poison, and apply the proper remedy. As to the prisoners' system of defence, the act of accusa- tion says that they began by asserting that if Teyier had been poisoned the crime was to belaid at the door of the physicians themselves. Sir," said the widow Teyier to Dr Ganne, it is you who put him in such a case. The drug you gave him last Thursday did not come from the chemist's you took it from your bag; you committed a mistake; since that moment my brother-in-law became worse and worse," But seeing that such a system could not be supported, Charlot and his daughter had recourse to another defence. Ttiey summoned to the house of Teyier several physicians, with the view of destroying, by means of the con- fusion and the opposed diagnoses hastily made, the authority of the conclusions of the doctors who bad attended the patient. Such is the act of accusation; its perusal will suffice to show that the La Meilleraye poisoning trial is one of the most grave and delicate cases which a jury had ever to decide upon.

THE FERNDALE EXPLOSION RELIEF FUND.—Ths committee of this fund, raised for the purpose of supporting the widows, orphans, and others de- pendents on those who were killed by the terrible explosion at Ferndale Colliery, Glamorganshire, have just issued a statement showing the progress made in obtaining subscriptions. The total cash remitted is 911,884 lis 6d; amounts promised but not paid £5,566 16s I-making a total of £17,452 10s 7d. The relief dispensed for the eleven weeks ending February 28th was as follows —Sixty-six widows, average age 33 £ years, rate of relief 5s per week; 158 children, average age 4-L years, rate of relief is 5d per week-if both parents dead, 2s 6d; if blind, is extra; and 22 dependents, average age 52 years, relief various—total amount distributed in the 11 weeks, £341 2s 6d. About £8,000 has been deposited with the West of Eng- land and Brecon Banking company at 2! per cent. interest. HORRIBLE RESULTS OF F AMINE.1'bë l1cho d'Ö¡'an has the followili- No historical famine has presented to the saddened eyes of humanity so horrible a spectacle as that which is at this moment to be observed among the Arabs. Two days ago a native woman, in the neighbourhood of Misser- ghin, killed her daughter, twelve years of age, and gave the flesh to the other ehilden, and partook of it herself! The legal authorities hearing of the circumstance at once proceeded to the spot, and oa entering the hut occupied by these cannibals learnt that the heart, the liver, and the interior portions of the corpse were eaten, because they could not keep. The mother was occupied in salting the flesh, cut up into pieces, exactly as is done with pork.' The Invalid Russe gives the following pic- ture of the frightful situation of Finland, where the population is desolated by famine :—' Every day,' writes the clergyman of the parish, 4 more than fifty peasants present themselves at my house completely exhausted by hunger, imploring bread for themselves and their families, who for some time have been living on moss, hay, and the bark of the fir. This frightful famine is far from being local, as the whole of this province is suffering under it. The last resources are exhausted, and the population has no other alternative than to eat bay and straw, or die of starvation.' ATROCIOUS MuRDEp.—On Friday afternoon a lad, thirteen years of age, named John Wilkins, was employed in keeping birds on the farm of Mr Henry Hancock, at Winscombe, Somerset, and shortly after six o'clock his lifeless body was found inside a gate, about ten yards from the highway. The corpse presented a most sickening spectacle, the head being nearly severed from the truriir.' Soon afterwards a young man named Alexander Holmes called at the lodgings of the police con- stable at Banwell, and stated that he had just killed a lad. The constable was out on duty but Holmes remained with the old landlady of the house until the arrival of the parish constable, who took him into custody, and subsequently handed him over to Police-constable Burrington, who con- veyed him to the Axbridge Police Station. The prisoner stated that he was a son of Colonel Holmes, a retired officer of the 12th Lancers, now residing at Roscrea, Ireland; that he had for some time past lived with Edwin Godfrey, at Edington. near Bridgewater, where he had been placed by his friends. He further stated that he felt that be must kill some one, and it was a great wonder to him how it was that he bad not killed more, as he passed several persons on the road. On coming to the field where the unfortunate lad was at worko he entered the gateway, and, without speaking- walked deliberately up to the lad, felled him to the ground with a bludgeon he had in his hand,and then commenced cutting off his head. The occurrence 3as caused the greatest excitement in the neigh- Jourhood, and some hundreds of persons from the surrounding villages have visited the scene of the nuider. The police, on making search, found a ieavy stick, mark with blood, about ten yards from ivhere the body was found, and about six yards urtber on they discovered a knife by the side of i small brook which runs through the meadows, at svhich place the prisoner stated that he washed his lands. There are. marks of blood on prisoner's :lothes. The prisoner is stated to be of weak ntellect.

(ex°ept for the open race) being confined to tht loo ^ace (under 19 years)—Summers, 1 Stokes, > J-homas, 3. Time, 12 seconds. A good race—won Cruras. k i ce (under 15 years)—Dunn 1 Shute 2; y 6 "*• Time 14 seconds. Won by half a yard. 2, 1. ^ace (under 12 years)—Roberts 1; Wright Wf/ seconds. Won by four yards. inp^'o Race (open to the school)—Stokes 1; Sura- *ndS Time 1 minute 10 seconds. Stokes i§0 mmers kept close together until within the last easjl^ar^3» when Stokes put on a fine spurt, winning Race (under fifteen years)—Dunn 1; Lloyd hJg rl1ae minute 20 seconds. Won easily. iooff (under 19 years)—Thomas 1 (14 feet). 2. (under 15 years)—Lloyd 1 (13ft 8in) Sbute fturii -d ^'n)* ^is was st^7 contested. gj 906 (Handicap) 150 yards—Lloyd 1; Shute 2 Thrtu .Dller8 3. Time 35 seconds. Won by half a yard. r n$Cricket Ball-Thomas 1; (69 yards) Hulm 2. Tim /Ms? (Handicap) half mile—Thomas 1 Evans 2. e3 minutes 30 seconds. A splendil race. Well Rested and won by a foot. (à Fincham (Pem. Coll. Cam.) 1 Davies {Qr,Terford west Grammar Sohool) 2 Saunders (Haver- C0jjWest Grammar School) 3; Vailliant (Fulland's (QI e.^e) 4; Lieut. Murray, 9th regt. 0; T. Evang Co^t s College, Brighton) 0; E. Evans (Christ's <<0a.e§e» Brighton) 0. This event was the most closely ^til'°ne Fincham ltd by a long way, last hundred yards, when Davies made a Th! .oent and lost by a foot only. Colle ^riZes were presented by Mrs Marshall, at the 1^' 8<Jon after the termination of the sports. Coli °'i°wing students received prizes •—Summers, CU!) yards). Stokes, ladies' silver cup jol^ Shute, cup, 2nd prize (100 yards) and ^mio? ca8e, 2nd prize (hurdle race) Deazeley, Pencil ca8e' 3rd prize (100 yards). Roberts, silver 2°!i8e' Pr,ze 000 yards). Wright, gold pencil Ut/»iZe (100 yards. Dunn, Head master's cup, 'lUa*ter mile) and cup, 1st prize (100 yards). Wl)( r;j^UP 0°ng jump), cricket bat (throwing cricket %er D 1D.? whip, 1st prize (steeple chase). Lloyd, tllCe). J? case 0on £ jump), foils, 1st prize (hurdle P kD8' te^escoPe) 2«d prize (steeple chase). !ttttied ,lnc^am) cup or £ 4 (open race), which ho re- "Ut6 j|° "*8 stewards, kindly requesting them to distri- ^s^pinzes among the students.