The Cambrian

—HUM—M wiiii fiwf7TifTr man i i nr [rnrT*—* irrriU S SWANSEA JOTTINGS, I DR. FABRY'S WIDOW. Mrs. Parry, the widow of Dr. Joseph Parry, is paying a visit this month to ths United States. SIR GED. NTCWNES. Sir George Newnes paired with Sir S. Hoare in the division in the fourth fiscal debate in the Commons on Monday. HOTEL METROPOLE'S DIVIDEND. The Hotel Metfopole, Swansea, continues to be a paying concern. The directors have declared an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum for the six months ended June 30. FAST DOCK ACCIDENT. Jno. Jarvis, married. 111, Port 'ienmnt- road,VSt. Thomas, Swansea, was engaged in stacking some pitwood from *he s-s. Hedgington. at the East Dock, this alter- novn ato' 4 o'clock, when some stancnions parted, and ,Jarvis was precipitated on to the rails, with the pitwopd on top of him, sustaining internal injuries. He was taken to the Hospital by Docs- constable Tasker. WALTER-ROAD CHURCH WEDDING. The wedding was solemnised at Walter- road Congregational Church, Swansea, on Tuesday, of Mr R. H. Moore (Messrs Moore Bros., grocer?), and Miss A. M. Pickard, daughter ot Mr. George Pickard, baker. The bride was attended hv fonr brides maids—Misses B. and fx Moore, and Misses H. and A. Fickrml. Mr. George Picka.rd gave the brid-i away, and Mr. W. Moore, brother of the bridegroom, was best man. CASTLE LINE OF TRAWLERS. The Castle line of trawjers, which has been transferred bodily to Swansea, from MIlford, is in great evidence at the new fish wharf at the South DOCK. The following boats have called since Monday and landed catdtes: Hafat Castle, Narbeth Castle, Picton Castle, and Pembroke Castle, Walwyn- Castle, Roche Castle, Lp- ton Castle, Manorbier Castle, Tenby Castle, and Lawrenny Castle. MESSRS. PARRY AND HOCKE'S ARCH. Messrs. Parry and Rode, limited, Swan- sea, having invited local photographers to try their skill on their handsome arch on '^nay-parade, the adjudicator in the compe- tition arranged (Mr. J. P. Robertson) has plalle the following awards:—Class I., r.o first awarded: 2nd, F. Perkins, 4, Mel- bourne-place. Class II., 1st, (4. M. Gwynn, 24, Dilhw n-sirrv-t. Cbss 111., 1st prizj, R. S. Jenkin, 14, Castfe-strect. CHANGE RINGERS AT SWANSEA. On Bank Holiday team selected from members of the Swansea section of the West Wales Association of Change Ringers suc- oessfuUy scored a peal of 5,040 changes. Granasire Triples, on the bcUs of St. Mary's Parish Church. The time taken was three hours. The b».nd were composed of C. Hoa-re (11, C. Morse (2), P. Kneath (3), E. Serle (4), W. Waland (5), J. Hoare, conduc- tor (6), W. Grftll (7), and E. Davies (3). The conductor i; to be congratulated on the progress the association ? making. ALLEGED CCTRAGE AT SWANSEA. A destitute vendor of oranges and ban anas, who ca.) be seen of late selling fruit near the "Sb" entrance to Victoria Park, and on Swansea sands, was the victim of cruel treatment at a Swansea lodging-house the other night. He is being treated at the Swansea U non Workhouse for scalds about the nether limbs. He states he was set upon by a gang of men, and apot of boiling water thrown C f'r him. He iiffered agony till he was taken by a policman to the Union. He will be detained Iff a week at this institution, and in the meantime the identity of his assail- a.nts will be sought. SWANSEA DRIVERS STRANGE ACCIDENT. A Swansea. Corporation driver named James lennet-t (43), Sidney-street, Brynhy- fryd, Swansea, was sitting on a waggon that \s proceeding along Mount-street, on Tuesday evening, when he had his leg frac- tured in rather a singular way. He was siHin: at the edge of the waggon with his less Jangling over the side of the shaft, whpj the horse shied and kicked oat, in- juriTg the driver. A compound fracture of the right limb was sustained, and Bennett wa; conveyed to the Swansea Hospital and defined.

Assault on Swansea Police. At Swansea on Wednesday, Thos. Davies, labourer, 13, Fleet-street, was charged with dnnkenness and assaulting P.C. Haves at tie Hospital Fete and Gala on Tuesday evening. The officer said defendant attempted to tfoss the fireworks barrier, and said "a dozen if his sort couldn't stop him!" He tried .0 force his way through, and got the police- na.n by the throat. They fell to the ground, ¡nd he was taken off by civilians and two policemen. Defendant was fined 20s. and costs, the chairman remarking that assaults on police constables must be stopped.

Fochriw Curate's Home-Coming. The Rev. J. A. Rees, B.A., curate-in- charge of Fochriw, arrived home from Swan- sea Assizes about 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday. He was met at the Fochriw Station by a largo crowJ. A torchlight procession was formed. Headed by the Fochriw Brass Band, the rev. gentleman was escorted home over the mountain to Pont-lottyn. Here a scene of tremendous enthusiasm was witnessed. The main streets of Pont-Jottyri were thronged with people. The procession halted at the Square, vhe.re speeches were delivered by the Revs..1. A. Rees and J. Tertius Phil- lips, Cardiff. Mr. Rees observed that it be- hoved all temperance people to do their best to check the establishment, of clubs.

Judge and the Jury-box. Durifcg thai present, Assizes Mr. Justice Kennedy hats repeatedly asked the juries in the. Crown Court whether or not they couid hear the witnesses, and just before the Mer- thyr murder trial was adjourned on Wed- nesday evening, His Lordship expressed the hope that be- fore the next Assizes the arrangement of the jury-box in relation to the witness-box would be altered. "It is the worst arrangement I have seen for a very long time," his Lordship said, and then turning to Mr. B. Francis Wil- liams, K.C., asked whether in his experi- ence he had noticed any inconvenience. '.011, 1 have, my lord," said counsel, and the Judge added that it was most objection- able. in trying cases oi murder. The jury-box and the witness box should be closer together is the general opinion, and not r.. ;rT,v Lrvjnr the arrangement in the present Cardiff court. The press-box at any rate is very badly piaccd, for it not infrequently happens that when counsel is addressing the jury he is not only yards away from the reporters, but has his back completely turned upon them, with the result that very little that is said is audible to the Press.

Swansea Gifts to the Queen. Mrs. Elizabeth Hopkins, No. 34, Wern Pit-road, Landore, and Mrs. Han- nah Hughes, Lisbon, Treboeth, hav- ing jointly sent, through the Mayor of Swansea, a red Welsh wool shawl, flannel apron, and Welsh bonnet to Queen Alexandra, have, received the following reply from Buckingham Palace:-— "Buckingham Palace, July 23, 1904, "Madam,—The Queen received the red Welsh shawi and the other things. Her Majesty was very pleased with them, and 1 am commanded to express her thanks.— I am, vour obedient servant. SIDNEY GREVILLE." When the late Duchess of Teck, accom- panied by her daughter, Princess May (1he present Princess of Wales), visited Civile •Castle in 1888, Mis. Hopkins and Mrs. Hughes visited the Castle and presented both Royal ladies with a Welsh bjnnett, apron and shawl Subsequently the Duchess and her daughter, accompanied by members of the Vivian family, visited the fruit stall of Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Hopkins in Swan- sea Market as purchasers, and presented them with their photographs.

11 — „ CHAMBERLAIN'S REPLY. Rosebery '"Imperfectly Informed on the Issue Mr. Chmberlain replies to the letter of Lord Rosebery in the "Times'' as follows :— "Sir,-I welcome the letter of Lord Rose- bcry in your issue to-day as indicating a not her change of front on his part which will carry him back to the patriotic attitude adopted by him in 1888, when he was ready to die for the cause of Imperial federation, and when he did not believe that 'you can obtain the great boon of a powerful Empire encircling the globe, with a bond of com- mercial unity and peace without some sacri- I fice on your part.' "I observe that Lord Rosebery complains that what he calls the obvious suggestion of' a conference was not made beforp but he docs not explain why, in view of my neglect, he did not himself supply the deficiency. I admit it seemed to me desirable in the first place to test the opinion of the country on the offer which, in spite of Lord Roseberv's denial, I still maintain was made by the Colonies on the occasion of the Conference of premiers at the time of the Coronation. "This point, however, is not of import- ance, since 1 hope that we have now arrived at the same conclusion on the main proposal. But I am afraid that. Lord Rosebery is still imperfectly informed as to the real it-sue. 1 entirely agree with him that 'the wishes of the colonists themselves should be an essen- tial condition, and I trust that when these wishes have been expressed, whether before or at, the conference, he will be prepared to give due weight to them. In this case, hew- even, he must not at the outset bar out of consideration what will certainly be the main object of the colonists if they accept the proposal—viz., to seó whether or rot, in return for the preferences they have already given, and are prepared to give to us, we, on our part, are ready to make that sacrifice of our economic orthodoxy which Lord Ros<> bery contemplated in 1888, and to recipro- cate with a preference on those products of the Colonies, including corn and meaft, the sale of which they desire to extend in this country. "To suggest a conference on preference, while, rigidly excluding all reference to taxes on food, would he in present circumstances a childish and almost an insulting proposi- tion."

Hot Weather at Porthcawl Camp. The South Walej Brigade Camp at Porth- cawl this week is hf a successful character. The weather on Wednesday was very hot, but tempered to some extent by sea breezes. A field day was held, and an excellent scheme was worked ouL The 2nd Volunteer Battalion Welsh and the 3rd Glamorgan paraded at six a.m., and marched out in a north-wostorly direction, sending out advance and rear guards. The selected position was north of Sker Farm, and near the village of Renng. Breakfast was cooked on the ground. The 1st and 3rd Welsh assembled later, and also marched out in the direction of Sker, and a fight of seme hours' duration ensued. Several pris- oners were taken. The operations were watched from an eminence by the Brigadier, Colonel Augustus Hill, C.B., and the brig- ade, staff. The return to camp was made about two o'clock. The heat had been intense, and several men suffered from sunstroke. There wero no serious accidents.

Fforestfach Publican Sued. At Swansea on Wednesday, Howell Jones. Star Inn, Fforestfach, was summoned for selling beer without a license on Sunday, July 10th. I Mr. Dormer Andrews defended. P.C.'s Martin and Rbys Davies were sta- tioned 100 yards away, and -aid they saw a Daniel Thomas knock at the back door, and admitted, with two other men, by the land- lord. The officers in the house found three, men with drink before them. When asked to explain it. the landlord replied, "They paid for the beer last night." The defence was that a child of defendant had been ill. and the three men had come in to see the child, and fetch a doctor. They were friends of the landlord. Defendant and John Da, vies, his brother- in-law, gave evidence. The landlord denied telling P.C. Martin that the beer had been paid for on Saturday evening. Llewellyn Williams, farmer and milk- seller, one of the men in the house, said he had taken a pint of milk from one cow for the sick child. That was what brought him there. Other evidence, was called. The case was dismissed. Summonses were also dismissed against Llewellyn Williams, farmer; John Davies, collier; and Daniel Thomas, collier, all of Fforestfach, summoned for aiding and abetting; and Llewellyn Griffiths, collier, Fforestfach, for being unlawfully present in the house. Mr. W. A. Thomas, who defended Grif- fiths, was refused costs.

Swansea Education Committee Appointments. The Chairman thanked members for their confidence. The work of education was of vital importance, therefore while he realised [ its responsibility he recognised the position as a honour. I The Deputy Town Clerk read from the Education Act the duties of the committee. Mr. E. W. Jones asked whether the com- mittee would act on its own responsibility, or las advisory committee for the council, and was informed that, as at present constit-uteo, they would be an advisory committee for the Council. The Chairman thought it might be advis- able to appoint two sub-committees, one for intermediate, and the other for elementary education. It was also explained that the committee would be precisely in the same positron as other Corporation Committees, except that looucation. the chairman had a casting vote. Further discussion took place on the ap- pointment of committee*. MISS DILLWYN DECLINES CO-OPTION Portions of CI, letter sent by Miss DiUwyn I to the Town Clerk, declining the honour of being a co-opted member, were read. The full letter was as follows :—Wdl ytu kindly express to the Council my most sincere thanks for the unsought honour they have conferred, upon me in appointing me a member of the Education Committee, and assure them that I appreciate the honour very deeply. 1 must, nevertheless, decline it, because of the impossibility of knowing whether the appointment woVld be approved by the ratepayers. For to be Education A3 A4 thrust down their throats, possibly against their will as a manager of their educational business is (to my mind) too undignified a position for me to accept. Having been much interested Ln my educational work as a member of the School Board, 1 relinquish it with regret, and if further legislative changes should enable roe to be once more directly elected for this work, I shall hope to offer myself again for election.' SUB-COMMITTEES. The conclusions arrived at were that the business of education and schools manage- ment should be dealt with by the whole committee, but that details be submitted to a Buildings, Finance, and Attendance Sub- committee. The following were elected:—Building Committee B. Thomas, J. H. Lee. M. W. Jones, C. Morgan, T. T. Corker, J. Devon- aid, H. Lewis, D. Jenkins, R. Thomas, W. Watkins. Finance Messrs. E. W. Jones, H. Watkins, D. Griffiths, Moy Evans, H. G. Solomon, Morgan Tutton, Cad wall ad r. Attendance: Messrs. J, Devonald, Miss Brock, W. Tarr, Dr. Rawlings, and W. Wil- liams. Chairman and vice-chairman of the com- mittee are ex-oiitcio members of each sub- committee. SCHOOL BOARD STAFF. The question of taking over the School Board official staff was discussed a long while. The whole matter was adjourned till next meeting, meanwhile the Town Clerk is to be asked to report. The next meeting will be held on Septem- ( ber 16th.,

MERTHYR MURDER CHARGE, Haulier Indicted with Killing- his Father. —— lf 'the second of the murder Vrges before the present Glamorgan Assist Swansea was tried by Mr. Justicc Kennedy and a jury on Wadnesday. The prisoner, Thony's Ed- wards (36), liaulier, was indicted idr the wilful murder of his father, James Edwards, on March 16th, at Merthyr. Mr. Lloyd Morgan, M.P., and Mr. Vaughan Williams were for the prosecution, and Mr. B. Francis Williams, K.C., Mr. St.. John Francis Wil- liams, and Mr. J. C. Gaskeli for the defence. "This case is not only one of a very grave character, but also a very painful one, be- cause the. prisoner is charged with the mur- der of his father," opened Mr. Lloyd Mor- gan, who went on to detail the story of the tragedy. The deceased was a. man about 65 years of age a.nd lived with his wife and the prisoner at 5. Mount-street,, Merthyr. His orot-her, up to a few days prior to the al- leged murder. also lived m the house, but he had died and the dead body was there at the tune. A labourer at the Cyf-rthfa Works, the deceased man from the New Year till this time, had been a teetotaler, but on the day in question had been drinking at the (yfarthfa Arms. He left there just after nine o clock, and returned home to his wife. Prisoner that evening had been to the Joiners Arms and at stop-tap was seen by a Mrs. Lee. of 18, Morgan-street, which is nearly onosite Mount-street, to return home. As soon as he had got inside, the door was closed, but a moment or two later re-opened. j r's- Lee, from her bedroom window, was able to see into the kitchen of 5, Mount- street, and she would say ihe saw the pris- oner either striking the kitchen table with his band or the fist of one hand into the palm of the other. The door was again closed, bnt a-lmos!; immediately afterwards the de- ceased man rushed out of the house with his arms folded across his chest. When lie got into the street, he fell down. He was shout- ing wildly for his wife, who was seen at this time to leave the house and take no notice of her husband. "Mary, Mary, he's killed me come'" the deceased called out several times, and neighbours were attrfjtced to the scene. ^man was raised from the ground, still shouting for his wife, and saying "They've finished me nosw," but he fell down again. During the whole of this time i h-e prisoner was in the house, aod on one occasion came from the kitchen to the door step, looked on to what was taking place, and then went back into the house without helping his lather. A policeman was fetched and de- ceased, m an unconscious state, was taken into his hotMe, where he died shortly a-fter- wards. Pnsoner was there at the time and the conni-able searched him, finding upon him a pocket-knife. A farther search was made and m the pantry a blood-stained table knife was Mund. A doctor was called in and an examination showed that deceased had a stab wound in the '"best, the weapon having pene- trated b^w-een the ribs without touching the 1wne; Perhaps you think I've done, it, but T u, l,1" "Jms-filf," prisoner stated, and a ed thtu 1 v, father fell on a pocket-knife. Against thrs » little girl said, "he (prisoner) st'f 7^ ^Im- Various contradictory ements were afterwards made bv the prisoner I wa-s not m the house at the rirY'' j d<o- Sf-'f' an<1, when charged, he rl'(l n«< do if. and I've Vot wit- nesses to prove it." Later on he told the police "I was in the Joiners' Arms till sfcop- tap. I went, to the house. I seen mv father outerde in a sitting position. I seen a couple of fellows round him. I thought they were carrying him and that he was drunk." Coun- r]ci11;lled the suggestion of .snicide, and asked the jury to say, on the circumstantial evidence he would produce, that the prisoner was guilty. r During the very of the opening state- ment, the aroused, a. sturdily-built man in working clothes, and blind in one eye, as though he had met with an accident, listened attentively, but displayed no unusual con- cern. Plans of the locality in question were put m and evidence called as to the visits of the deceased and tho prisoner to the Cvfarthfa Arms and Joiners' Arms respectively. De- ofTtlT3,8 be 1,n;ler iho 'influence of drink, vhiio the prisoner was sober. Margaret Evans (married), daughter of Mia deceased, told the court, that her daughter 18 years of age, bved with her grandfather' and passed as Mary Ann Edwards She witness) visited her father and mother on the night of the tragedy and left shortly be fore it occurred. On her way home her daughter told something was the matter ancI witness returned to 5, Mount-street. Shp found her father sitting in the street and 'gomg into the house she found nobody there Seeing a table-knife (produced) lying on the floor, she picked it up and threw it in the pant TV. asted witness what made her do this. "I was so excited," she replied, "because my mother had said my father done it, end I did not know what to do, and 1 pushed it Cross-exainined by Mr. B. F. Williams, witness said that during the evenhig her 1 mother and lather had had a slight dispute" Her father said that her mother had had bb insurance money, and that she gave her busmess away to everybody but to him Had your father ever threatened to cell- mit suicide?—Yes, but we never took much notice of him, because he used to say it so much. When did he used to say it,?—When be was drunk he would say he would drown himself, and would go out of the house at mid-night, and we would not know where he Wa-s. Had your father told a Mrs. Jones that day that there "will be another corpse in the house before, the night is' over"? I heard him teil Mrs. Jones that on the rcsd- way. Witness said that directly her uncle died deceased took to drink. Did your mother tell you that your fatber had killed himself?—Yes, sir. What did she say?-—She said that n.y father had stabbed himself with a knife. Answering the judge, witness said that, from the time she left 5. Mount-street to when shp was told something was the matter only a few minutes elapsed. Sarah Lee. detailed what she saw from 18. Morgan-street on the night in question' Shortly after eleven o'clock she was going to bed when she heard a, man's angry voice in the street. She hastened upstairs and threw open the bedroom window, and then saw prisoner cross Mount-street and enter his house. She then saw the incidents re- lated in the opening statement, but added that she was able to hear angry words coming from the house, and rceognised the voice of the deceased, who was a loud-talking old man. William H-owells, stoker, gave evidence of being attracted to the spot by the cries of the deceased, who,^ in Welsh, Said, "They have finished me." Prisoner at the time came, to his door and then went inside again. By Mr. Francis Williams: He would not be sure that prisoner did not say in Welsh 'T have finished it, now." Wm. ?>1. Jenkins, who heard deceased say in Welsh, "Mary, Mary, I'm bleeding to death," and John Martin, insurance agent, gave evidence, the latter stating that, in English deceased also said, "They have finished me now." In cross-examination, the latter witness uas sure deceased did not say "I have fin- isheditnow." JURY TO BE LOCKED UP FOR THE NIGHT. Further corroborative evidence was given, and at 3.45 th} Judge intimated that the ca-se could not conclude that even- ing, and rec; ties tod the Undcr-Sheriif to make arrangements for accommodating the jury for the- night. This neoess'tated a re-arrangement of the two murder trials, one of which will be taken on Friday and the. other on Monday. All the witnesses agreed that prisoner came and stood for a moment on his door- step, but there was a little discrepancy as to the words he was using. According to Ephrain. Jones, a collier, deceased said, "Mary, Mary, 1 a-m finished now." Gwen Thomas, the wife of Edwin Thomas, said that the blood was rushing from the deceased, and that prisoner, as he stood by the door and looked on, said, "Per- haps you think it's me who done it; but he dono it himself." About the same time deceased's granddaughter ran up and said, Oh, dad, dad, what's the m?,fter; he has finished my dad to-night." The girl had been in the habit of calling deceased her father, and witness was sure prisoner heard the remark. The bearing, hod flat- -concluded when tha court adjourned and the jury were locked up for the night at the Mackworth Hotel.

frisonerTcquitted, Pathetic Scenes in Court. The Merthyr murder trial was resumed before Mr. Justice Kennedy and a jury at the Glamorgan Assizes at Swansea on Thurs- day. The evidence already taken against the prisoner, Thomas Edwards (36), haulier, showed that the deceased man, James Ed- wards, the father of the prisoner, came home drunk on March 16th, followed about, two hours afterwards by the prisoner. Prisoner was seen by a neighbour to be thumping his fist either on the kitchen table or into his other hand, and almo&t immediately after- wards the deceased rushed out of the house into the street with his arms folded. Shout- ing wildly, he fell bleeding lrom a wound in the chest. Many times he called for his wife, and, according to the prosecution, said "He hath killed me," and "They have finished me now." According to the cross- examination, the expression was, "1 am finished now." Whilst deceased was in a dying state, his wife passed out of the house and went to a married daughter's where she alleged her husband, who had, it seems, threatened suicide on many occasions, had stabbtd himself. The accused, too, also came on his father's doorstep and then went back into the house without assisting his father, who, according to a statement pris- oner volunteered, "had done it himself." A blood-stained table-knife was found on th6 kitchen floor. Mr. Lloyd Morgan, M.P., and Mr. Roland Vaughan Williams, for the prosecution, ani Mr. B. Francis Williams, K.C., Mr. St. Jobs Francis Williams, and Mr. J. C. Gaskeli for the defence, were again the counsel in tho case, and the jury had been locked up over- night. DOCTOR'S THEORY AS TO CAUSE OI DEATH. Dr. Penrv Forster James found deceased in an unconscious state, and bleeding pro- fusely from a. wound in the chest. Deceased died shortly afterwards and on the follow- ing day witness, with the assistance of Drs. Webster and Flood, made a post-mortem ex- amination and found the wound to be situate between the third and fourth ribs, three- quarters of an inch long and two and three- quarters in depth. The Judge What was the cause of death? Witness The knife penetrating the lung and causing hemorrhage. < Witness explained that when the post- mortem was made the lung had closed so that proba.bly the wound was from three to four inches in depth. The direction of the wound was backwards, downwards, and sideway, and the wound might have been caused by the table-knife (produced), "but," added Dr. James, "I don't think it was bent." The Judge (testily) Nobody said it was. Mr. Lloyd Morgan: Do you think the wound could b;ve been 'caused by tho de- ceased man falling on a pocket-knife? i Witness: No; I cannot imagine how it could be done. Mr. Lloyd Morgan: Do you thinlf much force was used? Witness replied, "Not much force," and The Judge seemed surprised, and put it to the witness that the knife passed through the clothing and nearly four inches into the man's chest. Witness then admitted there was force. "Much or little?" asked the Judge. Witness It required force but I don't know how much. In cross-examination, witness explained that the knife had only passed through the shirt. And between the fibres?" said Mr. Fran- cis Wftliams, referring to the muscles. "Not the fibres of the shirt" said the wit- ness, and the judge gave a look of annoyance. Mr. Francis Williams It is a fact, isn't it, from what you saw of the wound it might have been self-inflicted? Witness Yes. J'he appearances were equally consistent with the wound having been inflicted either by nimself or soro-ebodv else?—Yes. Re-examined: .Although deceased was a I right-handed man witness would still ex- pect to find the wound on the right side of II tho cheat. In answer to the Judge, Dr. James ad- mitted that at the time he and other medical men discussed the question the jury had to dec;de -whether it was murder or suicide. He also said that he had never before had to form opinions as to whether wounds weTe self- inflicted. John Edwards, timber-man, another son of the deceased, said that his father was a right- handed mat In cross-examination he stated that his father had often threatened to commit suicide and on one occasion he (witness) bad to take a table-knife from him. Police evidence was called and this showed that no pocket-knife was found on the de- ceased though one was found on the prisoner who denied having killed his father, whom he added he saw in the street with two men carrying him and thought he was drunk. This concluded the case for the Crown EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST SUICIDE. Without addressing the court, Mr. Francis Williams at once called Mrs. Mary Edwards I the widow of the deceased. A frail little 'I' body, she was assisted into the witness-box in a sobbing stale, and for the first time the prisoner showed emotion and burst into tears. Her story wa. a straightforward one. The deceased, on the night, m question, came home "as drunk as he could be." He wanted food, and several times hit the knife (produced and the same that was afterwards found with bloodstains upon it) unon tha kitehen table. Mr. Francis Williams: Before that had there been any words between you and him? Witness Yes, sir he was all the week at me to get some insurance my brother was dead in the house at the time. He was in such a temper and behaved himself half mad, as he always did in drink, and he caught hold of this knife and he struck it like this, and I heard the blow. (Here witness showed I how deceased stabbed himself.) j After he struck himself in that way what if anythiug. did he do?—He rose from off' the chair and. went out. I rose immediately after him, and he said, "Mary, Mary, 1 havo finished myself now." Witness, continuing, said that, she Went straight to her married daughter's house in the next street. "I did not turn my face back." the old woman said, "and I ,1on't know how he went, afterwards." "What did you go to your daughter's for?" asked counsel. "I had such a shock," wa.s the reply; "I could hardly stand on my feet." Witness, continuing, said deceased stabbed himself within a very few minutes after her daughter (Mrs. Evans, a previous witness) had left the house, and during that night ,she (witness) did not sec her son (the prisoner) in the house at all. The Judge here asked the witness if she would like a seat. "I ,youlcl," she sobbed; "I am nearly falling." A chair was provided, and tha cross- I exs-miuation opened. I Mr. Lloyd Morgan, however, failed to shake the old woman's story. Counsel en- deavoured to elicit from her the fact that deceased and prisoner often quarrelled, and that deceased had on one occasion asked a policeman to turn the prisoner out of the house. "It was the deceased who ought to have been turned out," she .said, "as he quarrelled with all of us. He was not in his senses when in liquor, and we had to run out be- cause we were afraid of hini. He was always threatening suicide, but fr did not be- lieve it or I should have left hirn. He was carrying a razor, a knife, or something always with him." Another witness named Mrs. Frances Jones was too ill to appear, and the evidence closed. MR. FRANCIS WILLIAMS' ADDRESS FOR THE PRISONER. Mr. Francis Williams then addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner. "Whatever the* verdict," counsel began in solemn tones, "if forms another sad illustration of the evit of excessive drinking." Counsel dealt with tha evidence in detail, and urged that Mrs. Lee. the chief witness for the prosecution, had imagined that it was a case of murder, whereas instead of her seeing from across the street the prisoner thumping his fist on the kitchen table, it was in reality the deceased man hitting the table with a knife, for the accused was not in the house at aJl. Nobody but Mrs. Lee, he further stated, heard the deceased say. "Mary, Mary, he hath killed me," and he invited the jury to say that the iaaJ expression was that sworn to I i by the widow*"Mary, Mary, 1 have finished I myself now." The supposed callousness of the prisoner in looking on while his father wa.s dying, counsel suggested, was the strong- est piece of evidence of innocence, for it showed no desire to shield himself from the consequences of an alleged murder, while, moreover, prisoner at the time thought the old man was drunk. "There are ccrtain elements in the case," said Mr. Williams towards the close of his speech, "the jury want, in order to make the siorv of the prosecution one that you can accept. The prosecution have supplied no motive for the death of this old man. They have entirely broken down in it." It was said that the "evil that men do lives alter theujt," and Counsel asked the jury to say that the evil that the, deceased did, by his drink, by his threats, and by the act he did probably to terrorise his wife into giving him the in- surance money for more drink, would live. "The one person the old man calls i.pon, concluded Counsel, "is the wife of 30 odd years, the mother of his six children, and his last words arc 'Marv, Mary,' as life is ebbing from him. To her he turns in his last hour, and to her I ask you to give credit for the only verdict you ought to return, and that is a verdict of not guilty. MR. LLOYD MORGAN REPLIES FOR THE CROWN. Mr. Lloyd Morgan, for the Crown, re- minded the jury of the deceased's statement, sworn to not by one, but by several witnesses, "Mary. Ma'y, they have finished me now," and described as a remarkable circumstance that the prisoner, who stood by and heard it, did not contradict it. Although, accord ing to the defence, accused was not in the house at all, he did say, "Perhaps you think I've done it, but he done it himself by falling on a pocket-knife?" Where, asked counsel, did he get that, idea from? It was for the jury to say whether the widow had a notion for saying her son was not in the house a,t, the time, and give their verdict accordingly. JUDGE'S SUMMING UP. The Judge deferred his summing up till after lunch, and at this time considerable public interest was manifested in the trial. In deliberate terms his Lordship reminded the jury of the great principle, upon which the criminal justice was founded in this country. In civil cases it was sufficient for the jury in order to come to a juot verdict to have an intellectual preference upon the mat- ter, but in criminal cases it was a sacred principle never to be violated, that they could not rightly pronounce a prisoner guilty of any criminal offence, least as well as greatest, unless they were, after careful and honest thought, possessed not only of a preference to the one view or the other; but an opinion beyond all reasonable doubt that the guilt had been proved. There was no middle turn for the- expression of their judgment. Having said this, his Lordshin seemed to raise the eL- niciits of dohht in the case. The wound, he said, was consistent with either suicide or murder, and adcl"d that, there was a good deal of evidence of suicide when the de- ceased 8..5 dominated by the power of orink. Had the man a tendency to use dan- gerous weapons? When, earlier in the day, h" said, alluding to the other corpse that was then in the house, "Aye, and there 11 be another corpse there before the night is out," did he say it as a mere drunken out- burst, or had he the idea of seif-destruction ready formed in his mind? The case against the, prisoner was, first, that he was pointed out that if prisoner had killed his father he would have shielded himself by showing an anxiety for him in his last moments. Was the prisoner in the house at, the time or not? The evidence showed he] was there, but it not follow that accused had done more than said what was untrue in that respect. Whether or not it was the prisoner or the decea,sed_,who was striking the table, it was for the jury to say, but one could not see from Lee's evidence how. in such a short time, a quarrel between father and son could have got to such heat as to induce one of them to stab the other. there secondly, that he gave an explanation, which was untrue, that deceased fell upon a pocket-knife; thirdly, because he did not repudiate the, expressions made use of by the old man and, fourthly, his conduct in not helping his father in his dying moments. On the last point, the Judge put the view, "1 have slain him. and therefore God forbid that I should touch him" and also the one taken bv the counsel for the defence, who The slight discrepancies in the evidence of what was said by the deceased and prisoner were alluded to, and the Judge observed that it only showed, in a»cb a scene of wild confusion, that one had to be very careful how much was baliaved. The Judge, in conclusion, pointed out that the widows evidence had not, been shaken, and Kaid that if the deceased was strong enough to make use of the expressions attributed to him, one might have expected prisoner's name on his lips, and not such vague expressions as "he" and "they," although they implied that somebody had inflicted the wound and not the deceased himself. The summing up lasted exactly an hour and 55 minutes, and the jury at cnce re- tired. "NOT GUILTY" PATHETIC SCENES, After an absence of 15 minutes the jury returned into court, and the foreman in a eicar voice gave a verdict of "Not guilty." There was immediately a. rush for the doors on the part of witnesses and others, and in the courtyard outside pathestic scenes followed. Here was the old mother of the accused, and quickly the news was told her. she burst into tears and could scarcely be lieve it; not that she did rot know how innocent her son was of the terrible charge that had been preferred against him. 'He's free," sa.id several, and men and women around were in tears. Edwards bad not yet left the court, but a few moments later he appeared in the vestibule. At once his hands were seized by friends. At the same moment a young woman with a baby pressed him to her and kissed him. This was to much, a.nd the strong-lookmg fellow burst into tears. Literally dragged along, ho was then taken into the refreshment room of the ves- tibule. and subsequently had a painful in- ter-view with his old mother, after which the party drove to High-street Station m a cab.

Riotious Outbreak at Aberavon. At Aberavon on Thursday, Patrick Foley, Charlotet-street, an Aberavon footballer, was summoned for fighting and assailing P.S. William Evans. Mr. Hunter defended. The officer said he saw defendant fighting with a man named "Radford. There was a large crowd. He separated them, and de- fendant butted him in the chest and ran away. Witness caught him and defendant struck him twice. Defendant, ran away a., second time. but witness caught' him again and was kicked. He struggled with defen- dant and the crowd for ten minutes, when assistance came. Defendant continued to re- sist, and was very violent- Mr. Hunter, in cross-examination, en deavoured to show that defendant attempted to stop a fight, and was attacked by the police. P.C. Jenkins corroborated his colleague, and said he had to draw his st-a-ff and threaten the crowd. Sarah Wilson saw defendant and Radford fighting, and heard the crowd crying out to the sergeant, "Don't choke the man." Mr. Hunter argued that the whole affair had arisen through defendant, who was a lifelong teetotaller, trying to act as peace- maker. Two men named Murphv and Rad- ford were going to fight, and defendant tried to dissuade Murphy. Radford struck him down, and defendant was defending him- self when the police appeared. The struggle wa.s caused by the sergeant catching defen- dant, by the throat and nearly choking him. It was a-lso alleged that the sergeant struck defendant's head against the wall. Defendant, John Donovan, and James Cokelin spoke to this effect- Defendant was fined 40s. and costs, and 10s. and costs for obstruction. Thomas Radford was summoned for fight- imr and was fined 40s. and costs or one month. John Donovan, for being drunk and as. saulting P.S. Evans, was also fined 40s. and certs. Minnie Jones, for aiding and abetting in the assault on Sugt. Evans, was dismissed.

Notices have been served at Garngoch I Colliery, the property of Messrs. GIasbrooH Brothers. Limited. There has been a dis- pute with the hauliers there, and the pre- sent notices are, tendered in order not to prejudice the. action of either employers or niffliflVnMnri (Vhimt Cftn —i nm affasti?*

Welsh National Show. The. first meeting of the ijewlv-formed Welsh National Agricultural Society was held at Aberystwyth on Wednesday, and prove«l an unqualified success, the entries comparing favourably, it is even said, with the. Bath and West Show at Swansea. The King was one of the exhibitors. Among the local successes were :—Pony brood lv ares, 2nd, Dr. R. D. Evans Lady Lofty" (Llnn- ddo) shorthorns, bulls under two years, 1st. Sir Arthur Stepney (LlaneTly): bull calf. Mr. Footman, Hafodwen, Carmarthen. The gate money during the day amounted to £?A6, and the financial success of the show is said to be already assured.

Tinplate Tariffs I Useful Return A valuable return has just been extracted by the. tinplate firms from Consular reports, showing new arrangements as to tariffs to be imposed upon plates by foreign countries. Two important additions are to be made to this list, however, viz., Russia and Germany. The Russian tariff, which stood already at the prohibitive figure of 15s. 3d. per c.wt., has now been raised to 17s. 5d., ^yhile the Germans, who are so fond of dumping, are determined to keep out Welsh tinplates by raising the duty from 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d. per cwt. Dealing with the return, the first country given is Rournania, which already imposes a tariff on sheets and plates of iron, tinned, galvanised, or coated with lead. The tariff at present stands at Is. 7,)d. per cwt.. which is now to be raised to figures ranging from 5s. 7d. per cwt. to- 9ts. 7d. perawt.

DROWNED IN A CASK. Curious Iragredy at Manselton. A sad tragedy was enacted in Manselton early on Thursday doming. A n-ason, named Joseph Morris, residing at 751 Court- ney-street, was, it is siat-ed, to have under- gone an operation for hernia the same day, and about 7 a.m. his wife missed him from her side in bed, and sent her two little girls downstairs to ascertain what had be- come of him. To their horror they found their father in the back-yard, head downwards in a cask- full of water, and clad only in shirt and underpants. The alarm was quickly raised, and the terrified wife secured the assistance of neigh- bours to extricate the body, and endeavoured to induce respiration, but without avail, and when Dr. Jno. Davies (Trinity-place), hur- riedly sent for, arrived, he pronounced life quite extinct. Deceased, who was 50 years of age, was employed at the Hafod Copper Works, and was greatly respected by his fellow-work- men and neighbours. The complaint for which deceased was to have undergone the operation had been occa- sioning him considerable suffering and worry, and he had not been sleeping at nights latterly, and his depression of manner had been somewhat marked. INQUEST ON THE BODY: SINGULAR VERDICT. Coroner Viner Leeder held an inuest at the Compass Inn, Cwmbwrla, at Thursday midday on the body. Sarah Ann Morris, widow, said deceased was 45 years of a,ge. He had followed his occupation as mason up to last Sunday. He had not worked during the present week owing to illness (rupture), for which he was to have undergone an operation on Thursday at the house. He appeared in much pain, and suffered from lowness of spirits. He re- tired to bed as usual about 10 p.m., but had not really slept for the past fortnight, ano witness did not think he closed his eyes al, night. He had feared the operation, and had worried greatly the past month. He had never given the impression of having had the slightest intention of doing away with him- self. Just the opposite. "All he said on Wednesday night," continued witness, tear- fully, "was to bear up." When she found her husband his head was downwards in the, cask, his feet on the ground. William Henry Ham, 76, Courtenay-street, was having his breakfast at ten minutes to seven he heard screams, and going out saw over the wall deceased's legs sticking up in the air. He ran for assistance, sent for brandy, and did all in his power. The body was quite limp when he took it up. Coroner You seemed to have acted very promptlv, and used your good sense and dis- cretion. Dr. John Davies was called shortly before I a.m. On visiting the house he found de- ceased lying on a sofa iu the house apparently dead. He had him placed on the floor and tried artificial respiration for a considerable time, without effect. Death was due to suffocation consequent on drowning. Answering the Coroner, witness thought deceased must have got .nto the^cask do libcrately. The Coroner, in summing up, said it was evident that deceased had met his death through suffocation by drowning. He had evidently been suffering severely of late, and the prospects of having the operation per- formed on him preyed on his mind. The only point for them to consider was as to whether the deed was not done while deceased was not responsible for his actions. The jury found, as directed, that deceased died of suffocation by drowning whilst un- countable for his actions." The Coroner characterised the case as an extremely sad one., and hoped that the charit- ably disposed of the neighbourhood would keep an eye on the widow, left as she was with two little girls, aged 8 and 10 respec- tively. The jury concurred.

SWANSEA'S SILENT TRAGEDIES. Pathetic Tales to the Guardians Several applications for relief were dealt with by Swansea. Guardians on Thursday morning. An aged shoemaker told a pitiful story at want and destitution..He was entitled to a pension or permanent sick payment from one of the friendly societies, hut for some reason unexplained the money was stopped. It was explained that the club stopped permanent payments to aged members and applicant was one. of tne victims. His wife supported her- self, and he had out of the five shillings the Board allowed him, to pay 4s. 9d. rent. Mr. Harvey said there was not a blemish on the old man's character. He had known him since he was a boy.—The usual relief was continued.. A female applicant, who was a sufferer from heart disease and consumption, was al- lowed 3s a week relief. She had been at one time in a good position in one of the local business houses, but her health had broken down. A sister of hers who took her place was now at the hospital suffering from an internal complaint. Four shilling;, and sixpence for two weeks was allowed a woman with four children whose husband was doing imprisonment and therefore cou'd not provide for her. A very old lady tottered into the room and told the Guardians a tale of-ungrateful children. She was receiving 4s. a week re- lief and lived with her daughter, who, she said, made her pay for her keep and even for the washing of her clothes. She wanted an increase as it was getting too hard upon her.—The increase was not granted. Another aged woman who gave her age as 80 years, and her husband as about 79 years old, unfolded a tale of woe. She wa; getting 6s. a week and out of that she had to pay 4s. r^nt and provide food. They had a son in receipt of good money and he would not assist them a.nd "we are really in want." tearfully said the applicant. She was al- lowed 6s. 6d. a week till the winter, when shb was told she could make a further ap- plication. A peculiar case puzzled the committee con- siderably. A woman applicant had a child, which she called a. love-child, left, on her hands, and she wanted the board to take it from her and provide for it. The child was an adopted one by a lodger at her house who received payments from a woman who lived away from Swansea. The adopted father had now left her and she did not and could not look after the little one, who was really left to run about the streets. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children had on one occasion interfered in the case. The adopted father could not now keep himself and had gone away and left the child without any means of sustenance. The Guardians were unable to deal with it. There were three cases of persons in re- ceipt of rel ief having been seen by the Board's officer either in liquor or fetching liquor, and the Relief Committee thought they would be doing no injury if they stopped their relief, and this was done. Re an application at a previous meeting bv a respectable old man, a former employe of the Swansea Tramways Company, for further relief, and in connection with which it was stated the applicant had several sons doing well, including a minister. The Guardians had gone. into the case fully, and wrote to the children, and the result is that an ami- cable settlement has been arrived' at. and all monies are to be refunded to the Boa>d and relief discontinued.

SWANSEA SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. The second general excursion of the season of the Swansea, Scientific Society was held on Saturday at Merthyr Mawr and the vicinity, Mr. W. Ridley, of Newcastle, House' Bridgend, acting as guide. The Society left Bridgend for Ogmore Castle, in brakes, and visited en route the grounds of the old Roman station of Bovium. On ar- rival at Merthyr Mawr, the monastry and St. Teilo's Churchyard were visited, uid the Celtic aid Roman Celtic crosses and stones inspected. Other spots inspected were the Tumula, cross bases, and Kitchen middens on the Burrows, the remains of Candleston Castle, and after an excursion that combined pleasure with scientific discourse and in- struction, the Church at Newton was viewed and a return made to Swansea by train from PorthcawL

NEATH NOTES. "Observer" Chats of Bars, Prison and Otherwise. How Boniface makes his Profit. Mr. Trueman's Recent Trip to Swansea. The weather is scorching hot, and the people of this populous and important centre are draggling about mentally shaking their fists at the sun and ejaeulating, "Why in the name of goodness can t he be temperate, in his habits. It's either all or none with him whereas it he did but exercise a little modera- tion everyone would bless him, a.nd we should all be the happier." And there is a good deal in it. Why can't the Labour members of the Council do something? They represent the mighty masses. And why don't the Temperance party hold a demonstration and huri anathemas at the grand old orb in the heavens, which is the vitality of the universe? Perhaps they haven't thought. But maybe they have been cozening themselves with the idea that this heat is a fine thing for stone jars, lemonades, pop, a.nd kindred concoctions of physical expansion, and consequently a blow at the arch-fiend "Drink." But they are mistaken ay, wofully mis- taken. And if they w;Il honour me with a perusal of the following, they will gather to- gether their sweltering energy and make a terrific burst. I have made it my business to interview several loca' licensed victuallers on the effect of the hot weather on thirst, and this is one of the results — "Cood morning, Mr. —— "Dood morninV' "Verv hot." "It was scorchin' "Good for biz." "Dot is so mynheer." "Too hot to drink beer?" ".No, my boy. Dot is just vere you jnake de mistake. It is fine for peer." "Now, I should have thought there would be a big run on teapot drinks, such as pop, lemonade, cider, etc." "Veil, your t'ot is wrong. Of course, dere is a Jot of pop and lemomde drunk, but de increase in de consumption of pop is nud- dings compared with de increase on peer. It was lofely veather for de peer—such peer as I do sell; lofdy peer." "Well, surely people don't drink spirits this weather. It would be enough to kill them I should think." 'My dear poy, you knows nudding about it. They drink more viskey, more chin, more brandy, more cveryting. Have you tried vis key and soda. with a lump of ice?" 1 protested my innocence, whereupon he said ell have one with me, mv poy." And he straightway concocted one. With some trepidation, I must confess. I partook of the cooling beverage, mine host the while looking on critically. "VeIL how you like him?" I replied, "Splendid." "I sell a lot of him-dwcntv or tirty of a mornin'. Den again dere is stone char and chin. Dat is very coolin'. Well, you try one of him with a lump of ice." Reluctantly I consented. It was good. "Now," said mine host, "you have started, you vill vant viskey and soda and stone char and chin all day. Dat is vere I makes mine proieet. De best thing to do is not to drink at all, or as little as possible dis veather, for vonce you begin you get tirsty again, and so it goes on. No, don't blame de veather, Dis veather is grand for mine peshness." Before the day was out, I found that mine host's words were true. Now, my tempera.nce friends, for the sake of the great cause you represent, be up a.nd doing. Mr. T rueman says he doesn't mind tb<* heat a hit. "You see," he said, "I am so busy that I haven't time to think about it. I am working at high pressure two-thirds of the. day. The remaining third is occupied with feeding, reading, and sleeping. Yes, I am going to unset the Neath justices. You watch events. There will be some startling developments. They thought they were going to break my back, but there is a lot of vitality left in C. R. T. yet." I ventured to ask him how he enjoyed himself during his brief stay in the Ovster- mouth Palace of Varieties, and he consented to tell me something of his experiences. "It is singular," he began, "how a man can carry his individuality even into his Majesty's prison. Wheto I arrived in State I immediately asked to see the governor, and he came. I bid him good afternoon, and he courteously rejoined. I then asked him to kindly provide me with a copy of Stone's 'Justice Manual.' He said that was an un- usual request, and I proceeded to explain to him that I intended to appeal and wanted to prepare my notices. He left me, and I was conducted to my cell. I sat down in the easy chair, and buried my feet in the fluffy yielding rug. and for a time was buried in thought. I was roused for my reverie by the entrance of the chief warder, who her- alded his approach by a gentle tap at the door. I rose and bowed. He salaamed and spake thusly: 'The guv'nor says you can have Stone if you wish.' I wished, and Stone was brought, and I forthwith buried myself in the preparation of my notices of appeal. And thus I remained until the ar- rival of the evening meal, which being of the usual rich order I partook of with avidity. 1 was tired, and very soon wa.s comfortably reclining on my feather bed between sheets of"' snowy whiteness. To myself I said, 'This is alright.' And it was alright, too." "Early in the morning the bell rang cheer- fully, and I arose, and having bathed in crystal, clear, refreshing water, my atten- dant arrived with an invitation to church or chapel. 'What religion are you?' he askeo 'None,' I replied. 'But you must be some, he added. 'None: absolutely none, I re- plied. So I didn't go to service. Au hour's exercise a.nd then came break- fast. The food was excellent, and 1 ate heartily. After the meal my attendant came with some light work of the nature of rope, which he desired me to "refine." 1 said L could not see, for I had not my glatses with me. Ihen he. obligingly de- parted and returned with some mail bags and a needle a.nd thread, a-nd pointed out v.*lot was required of roe. "Can you sew? he asked. "1 have never threaded a needle in my life, leave a-lone sew. How du you do it?" And he showed me. I wished to do as desired, but I could no more sew than I could fly. You see, my education in this respect had been neglected. They should teach boys as well as girls how to sew. Any- how, I couldn't do it, and there was an end of it. And so things went on. I was well fed. The regulation diet was plain, but excellent), and I received every courtesy from the officials. The only thing that af- fected me was the monotony, which to an active, man like myself was a real punish- ment. Yet 1 had plenty to think about, and so 1 lay at night, and sat or stood by day, my brain was busy evolving plans, the Jesuits of which you will be able to see later on." & So much for Mr. Trueman's experiences. Some of them, a.s intended, must be taken j cum grano talis. Everyone in the district who has the pleasure, of knowing Mr. Edwards, the chief clerk at the Neath offices of the Glamorgan Constabulary, will be glad to hear of his promotion to an inspectorship hut at the same time they will be sorry toe learn that the promotion wiii necessitate his removal to Gowerton, where-, he will take over the control of the district of which the plaec named is the centre. Inspector Edwards has been an efficient' and faithful officer, an i has capably discharged the multifarious duties attaching to the important office he filled. He was invariably courteous and obliging, and although a strict discipiinar- ian, "was very popular among all the men of the "D" Division. May god^d Juck and prosperity attend him wherever he goes. He will be succeeded bv P.S. Canton, cf J aff's Well. f. Bank Holiday afternoon and he was idly sipping a lemon squash. "You see," ne Raid, hair of the head is spelt with an h; while, the air of tha atmosphere begins with an a." "How wonderful," rejoined a com- panion. "Everyone knows there's a differ- ence between the hair of the. head and fhe 't; ■ ii i- i hair of the atmosphere. y?hy ewacybody langfaed. i., t A Neath gentleman reoen&y kvente? 41 deadly powder for ejderminaitng rate. A'^0, Swansea, butcher bought some. A iwfc after he of Swansea came to Neath, where he met the inventor. "What'f -hat you sold me?" he asked, with just • *p»ee of anger in his tone. "Why, rat was the reply. "It is splendid IH I should think it is," sarcastically phed the Swanseaite. "There were sco» r? at my place before. Now there are thousamts." m m n m > They don't speak to one another now. j & II I know that this incident would go better in Welsh, but my education in Wr-.isL h&g l*-en neglected. So I most give n is Eng- lib1-- A poor collier 'happened to be k'1 t«*i by a fall from the roof, and his .:c.frorowmg nates debated among themsdves wTv. the best fitted person to convev ibe sad news to the widow. None of t,h,r¡¡ lilrnd the tjask, but they all felt,».wi4h '.)41' excep- tion, and that was Dai Williams uKf ft. was the best man to do it. "Dai wui t lKik it gently," they all agreed. "Vflit." Dai, "1 don't like the job, but III do it as you a11 wish it. So he went to dee-eased"^ resmeraec. and this is what took placr, TT1: "Do Widow Jones live b 'ene?** -j r rS j ^oncs: "No, she doew/t. Mrs* Jones does. But I'm no widow. My band is at work." Dai: Oh, he is, is her" Mrs. Jones; "Certainly." Dal: And you re no widow?" Mrs. Jones; "Cert.ainlv not." Dai: Well, you just wait til1 -ju4 comes home, and you'll see who's n \j ooci e vemng f •&> Breaking it gently, wasn't it? I notice that a Shakespearian treat 1.s Ml store for Neath people on the 19th .vid WL when Mr. Benson's Star Company wilt two performances at the Gwyn Ba^. "OBSEhLVix," -1 1 At Neath on Thursday Mary Ano finni. against whom there were previous coirvio. tions, was charged with assaulting Mary Dei a hay by throwing a stone at h. Both parties came from the hsstorwr T"i: and ,%orof^ainant' appeared 'i court with head bandaged up. She had woend on the forehead and another on the Kp- It appeared that defendant and her skster were qitarrciling, that the former Look up a stone and threw it at her. The nurail* missed its mark, crashed through the WMI- dow, and struck complainant, who was nuf- side. Defendant said she did not hit careen am. It was quite an acoRjeir. ie Chairman said defendant had .Helper be careful m future. She would "be fmtd »lQs. and costs. 10s. and costs. Defendant: I can't pay; I must 30 down. .r At Neath on Thursday Howell WiUi^s. an aged man, w..s charged with v. ;h'ui!v breaking thrae panes of glass in Th. itboP :ZtTS °f (r,°,incillor Hopkin Jones, iroa- f *chairman of Neath Gwawlwns Groen street., on Thursdav. Dam^- estimated a" £ 6. to1nff.?eaiConftafaI^said hooQiy to offer sufficient evidence to justify a (P. Mand, as Mr. Hopkin Jones was aW8\1, P.C. Thomas (8) said prisoner came te ¡ him and said, "I have been in th onion. ana they starved me there. It :0 a. art through the chairman of the guardiuns, v-feo keeps the ironmonger's shop over t ore kiid I am going to see him." Prison r weiu oyer and "bashed" in thnee panes o' l-W with a stick. Asked what he had *0 say prisoner said, "I am very bad. I aro nea-fv dropping off my fe;t. J want a docter £ examine me. Prisoner was then remanded in cosioJy.

MR. BENSON'S COMPANY TO VISIT NEATH i GREAT ATTRACTION. r: A quite unparalleled event in the te t he"? rf nh' is thp forthcoming visit te the Gwyn Hall, ot Mr. F. R. IvLsou s Shakespearean Co., numbering ov^r artistes, and carrying a large stock of scenery. It has bfn sard tha? Sh^enZ spells rum to a theatrical manager, utiles he indeed be Sir Henry Irving, or Mr. Beerbohm Tree, whose acting and elaborate staging of plays made for success. There is one name, however, that has long been associated with Shakespearean plan's—the name of one wha has laudably sought to keen alive an interest in the works of the greatest dramatist the world has ever known. To Mr. F. R. Benson, the thanks of all lovers of the works of the immortal Bard are due, for encouraging a study of his plavs and comedies among a number of young ;èud in- tellectual actors and actresses, and affording opportunities from time to time in different parts of the country, of some of the best known plays being presented. No one q1Íte holds the same place and position in the theatrical world, as regards Shakespeare, as that occupied by Mr. Benson no one ever having attempted the same persevering a.nd sometimes individual treatment of the works of the immortal Bard. Neath should feel complimented at being included in the tour of this celebrated company through Wales, especially when we remember where these1 artistes have played, and how for nearly 15 years the Shakespearean Festival at Strat- ford-on-Avon has been under Mr. Reason's entire management. In the course of cen versation with Mr. Alban Limpus, 1 ne of Mr. Benson's large business staff, who has already arrived here, we learn that Mr, Benson is actually getting ready and < snip- ping an entire company, who will shortly sail for Jaihaica. We can only say that we trust that this expensive undertaking will be as success!ill a's it, deserves. Our r.iy cause for regret is that the company can only spare two nights, the 19th and 20Hu The plays that are down for production hem are "The Merchant of Venice" and Ihnn. let." Although it is a fortnight, from the date of these performances, Mr. Limpus tells us that some of the seats at the Hall h«ve been eagerly snapped up. and we -bould advise all our readers who appreciate high class of work to book early, as this opportunity of witnessing the perfor aancs of this excellent company is not one So h* missed. Seats can be booked at Whit'-uig • ton's.

SWANSEA WELSiI LIBRARIAN. Nr. H, E. H. James' Important Appointment. We are very pleased to announce that the Education Committee of the Pembroke County Council on Tuesday selected Mr, Hush E. H. James, B.A., Welsh Librarian at the Swansea Free Library, to the import- ant post of director and inspector of educa- tion for the county at a commencing salary of £250, advancing by annual increments to a maximum of JE550. Mr. Jarnes (.who is the eldest son of Mr, E. James, J.P., Pantygafel, North Pem- brokeshire) is 30 years of age, and has had a creditable scholastic career. He received his elementary education in the Glandwr E08 rd School, and a secondary education at Narberth Grammar School and Ardwyn School, Aberystwyth, matriculating in the University of London in the first division at I the age of 17. He subsequently acted as assistant master at Whitland Intermediate School, and later as chief assistant in the Brierly Hill Board School, Ebbw Vale. Whilst at the latter place he won a Monmouth County Scholar- ship of the value of j350 a year, tenable for three years, at Cardiff University College, and eventually graduated in classics and modern languages. In addition to his training as an element* arv and secondary school teacher, Mr. James was for some time clerk to the Llan- fvrnach School Board, and was also engaged during college vacations at the Central <irI d if Welsh Board Offices at Cardiff. During his three years' residence in Swan- sea Mr. James manifested a lively interest in all Welsh movements. Mr. James is a Convegationalist and a member of Ebene- zer Welsh Chapel.

The boys of the Bonynraen Industrial Schools, to the number of 66, were taken to the Hospital Fete and Gala on Tuesday by Miss Dillwyn, who not only paid their ad« mission fees, bat treated to the mitH iirtnfWf amusemoefcs. •