The Cardiff Times

DESPERATE LOVER. Rouen, Sunday.—The trial has concluded here of Diego de Campos, a young Portuguese, whose arrest last year on a charge of having stolen 50,000 francs from a family at Trou- ville caused a sensation at the time owing to the peculiar circumstances attending the rob- herv. Accused was found guilty, and was sen- tenced to seven years' penal servitude, to be followed by 10 years' expulsion from France. In August last year Campos, who at the time went under the name of Gusniao, gained the confidence of a family spending a holiday at n, Trouville, and became engaged to one of the daughters. Soon afterwards he disappeared, and monev and shares to the value of 50,000 francs were found to be missing. The fiancee's sister pursued Campos, and on finding him made him restore almost "the whole of the stolen property The young man entered a train with her to return to Trouville. but in the compart- ment he attacked the lady with a knuckle- duster and revolver, once more took possession of the moneý and shares, and made off. He was subsequently arrested at Havre.-Reuter.

BANDITS HOLD UP TRAIN. New York, Monday.—A telegram from Spokane, Washington County, reports that a, number of bandits held up a Great Northern passenger train near the town yesterday. They first of all unhitchedlthe locomotive and the mpAl car next to it, and ran them several hundred yards along the line. After rifling the contents of the mail bags, the robbers de- liberately turned on steam, and sent the engine and carriage racing back over the metals. There were a number of passengers in the other portion of the train, and 12 of them were injured through the resultant collision.— Central News.

FIRE ON THE "DISCOVERY." About midday on Tuesday a fire broke out in the bunkers of the Cardiff steamer Discovery, which recently attracted attention as having brought D. S. WïndeU" home under arrest from Bilbao. She is now lying in the Roath Basin, and had almost completed her cargo when a fire was discovered in the bunkers. The police were informed of the outbreak and were promptly on the scene with a couple of hose. The fire was restricted to a small area, and was extinguished before the ship had been damaged to any appreciable extent. The fire broke out in the telegraph casing which goes through the bunker hold. The cause is not known. Captain Gorvin, the deputy dock-master, and Superintendent Davies, of the dock police, rendered valuable assistance.

THEATRE FIRE PANIC. Stuttgart, Saturday—At the conclusion of the performance of Des Rheingold at the Opera House this evening a curtain on the stage caught fire, but the flames were speedily extinguished by the firemen on duty. The audience became greatly excited. Cries of Fire" were raised, and although an appeal was made from the stage to the spectators to keep their seats, there was a rush for the exits. Nobody, however, was injured. The Queen of Wurtemberg was among the audience. — Reuter.

EXCITING FIRE SCENES. Fire broke out early on Tuesday in the timber yards of Messrs T. and C. Sheppard, a t Hoxton. vJCenement houses surrounded the scene of life* fire 011 three sides, and a large number oHpn and women and children had to makdnBeir escape, clad only in night attire. + fj^Brcat efforts the conflagration was confin^fPftlessrs Sheppard's premises,'where large quantities of valuable timber and several saw mills were destroyed, the damage amount- ing to many thousands of pounds.

NEWFOUNDLAND POLITICS. The political deadlock in Newfoundland has been ended, the election returns revealing 26 seats won by Sir Edward Morris and 10 by Sir Robert Bond. The elections in November last resulted in a tie. The whole struggle has been a most bitter one, and accompanied by iII1 Sir Robert Bond. I incidents highly sensational and spectacular. It will be remembered that Sir Robert Bond, while landing at Western Bay to address a political meeting, was greeted with loud and prolonged hooting, and was pushed overboard by a crowd of his opponents, being rescued by the boat's crew.

ANOTHER ARMY RIFLE. A military correspondent writes The short rifle is, it seems, already doomed, and a new weapon, with a more satisfactory breech-bolt action and a better system of clip-loading, is to be adopted. As reported, the committee of experts recommend the issue of the new rifle as soon as possible, although at the same time there is believed to be a consensus of opinion amongst them that this, the next Army rifle, will only be a.stop-gap prior to the introduc- tion of some form of automatic firearm.

"WE HAVE NO ARMY 1" Lord Roberts's Alarm. Territorials Merely Playthings. OUR SHAM DEFENCES. In the House of Lords on Tuesday, The Duke of BEDFORD called attentiorf to the reduction in the regular Army and in the regular Reserve, and to the deficiency of officers now serving in those forces, and moved, That in the opinion of this House a special inquiry should be instituted into the condition of the special reserve, and as to the extent to which officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of that force are fitted to discharge the duties of the regular reserve which would devolve upon them in time of war." The Earl of WEMYSS was fully convinced of the necessity for the motion, but moved as an amendment that the inquiry be confined to the special reserve. The Earl of CAMPERDOWN, on a point of order, remarked that the amendment added nothing to the motion. (Laughter.) The Earl of WEMYSS; Go on, Roberts! (Loud laughter.) Earl Roberts's Wail. Earl ROBERTS was entirely in accord with the noble Duke as to the condition of the special reserve and the lamentable want of officers. He thought what the noble Duke had said quite corroborated the opinion he had given yesterday to Lord Wemyss as to the deplorable condition of the Armv generally. He felt utterly amazed that the Army should be considered" as a party question in both Houses of Parlia- ment. He had noticed that the division on the previous day on Lord Wemyss's motion had been entirely on party lines. If we were to have an Army at all, it was essential not only that the Army should be believed in by both Houses, but also believed in by the nation. (Hear, hear.) It was most unfortunate that at the present moment the nation looked upon the regular Army as something separate from itself, and upon the Territorial Army as a plaything. He knew that the leaders on both sides in Parliament were anxious about the future, but they never took the nation into their confidence and warned -it of the danger. They would not tell thu country what was the necessity for an Army. As to the Territorial Army, he did not know what it was intended for. A noble lord had said that they must give that force a test, What test ? There was only one est in the world, and that was war. Were they going to wait till war came to testJt ? It was a most extraordinary position which we were in at the present moment. We had no army.. We had neither an army to send abroad nor an army to defend the country at home. While they sat there and took things easily and comfortably danger was coming nearer every day, and unless their lordships were determined to make some inquiry and not let the country continue in the delu- sion that we were living in safety we should some day come to utter grief. (Hear, hear.) War was not a sham, but our Army was a sham, and he implored their lordships to take the nation into their confidence and tell them what the danger was. (Cheers.) Government's Reply. The Earl of CREWE agreed with the noble and gallant Field Marshal that it was a very regrettable fact that the Army should be made a party question, but that Mr HaJdane was not the first Secretary for War to be made the sub- ject of such attacks. Npbody knew better than Viscount Midleton. While he was sure that Mr Haldane would be anxious to profit by any criti- cism which contained real substance he ventured to think that criticism on a serious national question of this kind might be couched in somewhat more businesslike and rather less ironical terms than had been used by the Duke of Bedford. (Ministerial cheers.) The noble Duke had proposed an inquiry, but what Earl Roberts desired was not so much an in- quiry into the special reserve as com- pulsory military training. The noble Duke had not told their Lordships how the Army could be improved or amended. He hoped their Lordships would not join in the noble Duke's criticisms without suggest- ing the directions in which improvements might be made. It seemed somewhat prema- ture to hold an inquiry at the present moment into a system- which had been authorised by their Lordships' House. He did not think it possible to agree to the motion of the noble Duke. Lord Grenfell's View. Lord GRENFELL maintained that the officers of the General Staff not employed at the War Office were not satisfied with the scheme. Lord LUCAS declared that when the three years' system had to be abandoned Lord Midleton's Army reform schema absolutely and completely broke down. The present Government had met the deficiency chiefly by means of the special re- serve. From 1892 to 1898 the average reserve in the country was 45,000, but now there was a reserve of 63,000. The only difficulty at the present time was to keep within the number of men voted by Parliament. The actual strength of the regular army was absolutely right up to its establishment, although this was the time of year when there was most drain upon it. The special reserve of the infantry was within 2,000 of its establishment, and tne whole of the special reserve was within 5,000. The Government were satisfied with the results obtained. Earl Cawdor andM i Iford. Earl CAWDOR complained that the Govern- ment proposed to substitute Territorials for Garrison Artillery as the occupiers of forts on Milford Haven. As the nearest centre of popu- lation was 16 miles away by sea, the thing was, in his opinion, absurd. On a division the motion moved by the Duke of Bedford was carried by 73 to 22. Conventual institutions. Captain CRAIG (C.), under the 10 minutes' rule, asked leave to introduce a Bill to make provision for the adequate inspection of monastic and conventual institutions in the United Kingdom. He said he and his Ulster colleagues had come to the conclusion that it was necessary to introduce this measure on account of the Roman Catholic Disabilities Re- moval Bill having passed the second reading on Friday last. The effect of that Bill would be to encourage the establishment in this country of monastic and conventual institu- tions, and the question arose why special privileges should be given to these institutions. (Cheers.) They should be placed on exactly the same footing as other Protestant institutions throughout the country. The hon. member, who was subjected to considerable Nationalist interruption, asked /why objection was raised to the opening of these institutions to inspec- tion ? The Liberal party came into power on the cry of Chinese slavery, but in these monastic and conventual institutions children were taken in under life-long indentures, and no record was available of what went on behind the closed doors. Mr T. P. O'CONNOR opposed the motion to grant leave, and attacked the members from Ulster for their bigotry, and said their chief political stock-in-trade was the perpetuation of anti-Christian differences of opinion. Con- vent laundries were open to' inspection now, and it was insulting to the religion of the Catholics to suggest that evil-living or wrong- doing went on in these institutions—which were mainly devoted to the education of the young. He called upon the House not to allow itself to be dragged at the tail of the bigoted Orange party. (Nationalist cheers.) On a division there voted—for leave being given, 90 against, 175 majority against, 85. Leave was therefore refused.

DESERTION NOT PROVED. Merthyr Case from the Divisional Court. At Merthyr on Tuesday the case of Edith Hughes against her husband, Evan Hughes, for desertion, was again heard. Mr F. P. Charles was tow complainant Mr F: S. Simons for the defence. Mr Charles said the case had been to the Divisional Court, and was sent back in order that the Stipendiary might ascertain whether, when the husband left his wife in August, 1907, he had any intention of deserting her. If the Stipendiary was of opinion that the desertion which temporarily; took place in August was complete and absolute he (Mr Charles) submitted that Mrs Hughes was en- titled to an order. Mrs Hughes gave evidence. She said that her husband did not like living at her mother's house. She admitted that he pro- vided and furnished a home for her, but she re- fused to leave her mother's house because she thought it better foe her child that she should be there. After hearing Mr Simons, the Sti- pendiary held that desertion had not been proved, and dismissed the case.

ALL DUE TO ACCIDENT. A rather curious situation has been produced at Cardiff by a cycling accident. The Rev. Lancelot Lewis, vicar of St. Bride's-super-Ely, has been appointed to the living of St. Martin's, Roath and the Rev. D. Jenkins, curate of Grangetown, has been appointed to succeed Mr Lewis at St. Bride's. Mr Lewis unfortunately met with An accident whilst cycling, which has had the effect of postponing his induction, and the consequence is that he remains at St. Bride's, and Mr Jenkins continues his work at Grangetown until the living of St. Bride's is vacated, and Mr Lewis cannot vacate his vicarage until he has recovered, St. Martin's is meanwhile without a vicar.

-K. w ?' Sir NICHOLAS KEMYS. (From a painting at Cefn Mably, by permission of C. Kemys-Tynte, Esq.)

Historic Events. WALES PAST AND PRESENT. THE BATTLE OF THE HEATH. Unlike the later battle at St. Fagan's in 1468, the Battle of the Heatif'wa^ not a pitched battle of about two &0ihrs' duration, but a series of incidents that itretched over six days (February 16—21, 1646), -While the man (Major General Rowland Laugharoe, of St. Bride's, Pembrokeshire) who commanded the Parlia- ment's Army on the Heath commanded the King's at St. Fagan's. Ever,since his defeat at Naseby, June 14th, 1645, the unfortunate king had looted in vain for succour from Glamor- gan, Monmouth, and South Wales. This alien- ation of affection for the king in these counties was due to Sir Charles Gerard, the major- general of the king's forces in South Wales. He was obnoxious to the Welsh gentry and com- monalty by reason of his high-handed reckless- ness and unscrupulosity. The 4,000 men who formed the Glamorganshire forces would, not march to relieve Herefcxd, as the King desired. From July 25th to July 29th the King was at Ruperra, a guest of Sir" Philip Morgan. On the 29th he went to Cardiff Castle, dining there with its English Governor, Sir Timothy Tyrrell, -and proceeding thence to the rendezvous of the men of Glamorgan at St. Fagan's, there to find them drawn up in battle array, and de- manding of him that Tyrrell and his E nglish gar- rison should march out of Cardiff, and promis- ing to furnish the King with 1,000 men and P-800 to arm them. To this ttie K mc agreed, making Sir B-ichaxiB&sctt, re, governor of Cardiff Castle, with £ garrison of his own countrymen, and putting Gerard out of com- mand, but not without tactlessly creating him a lord, and thereby galling all the Welsh people. The County of Monmouth was as impla- cable as that of Glamorgan the English cava- liers of the King were pillaging them right and left. The people clubbed together for their self- protection, and these clubmen, feeling their strength, soon began to show it. They called themselves The Peace Army," and again set themselves to the task of remoVing from com- mand the obnoxious officers. Sir Richard Bassett, failing to give satisfaction, had to evacuate Cardiff, Colonel Edward Prichard, of Liancaiach, being appointed governor in his stead. By February, 1646, Sir Trevor Williams of Llangibby. Monmouthshire, had turned round completely to the Parliament's side, and was at the head of his country's clubmen, while Mr Edward Carne of Ewenny, who had been in the preceding autumn one of the most active in resisting the King's demands, and had in consequence been made by Parliament HighxSheriff of Glamorgan, now revolted to the King's side. This was on the 6th of February. As Laugharne in his letter to Speaker Lenthall, dated, Cardiffe, Feb. 21st" (not printed in Roland's Civil War") puts it, Came called a general muster of the country under colour of putting themselves in a posture of defence, and thereby endeavoured the surprisal of the Governor of Cardiffe, and.|the rest of the gentry who would not.comply with their malignancy. The colonel- general and some of the gentry were taken, the rest made their escape by the swiftnesse of their horses to the town whereupon they presently laid siege to it, publishing a declara- tion which so fooled the people, that they were resolved to venture their ruine in the prosecu- tion thereof. Resenting the dangerous conse- quence this faction might grow to, if not crop'd in the bud. the welfare or ruine of all South- Wales depending thereon, I presently drew off my guns from Aberistwith, marching directly away for the relief of Cardiffe, where before I could possibly come (February 18th) the forces of .Ragland (under the command of Sir Charles Kemeys of Cefn Mably) were joined with Carn and the rest, the town taken, and the governour (Col. Prichard) betaken himself to the Castle." Col. Prichard, however, kept the castle against the Royalists, and, having apprehended his danger in time, had stored the castle with what provisions and ammunition they had, and, as a contemporary puritan pamphlet states, many honest men had the best of their goods carried in thither." Meanwhile the Raglan forces numbering 3,000 in ,horse and foot were daily increasing but Col. Prichard had sent to England for arms and ammunition, and Sir Trevor Wililams and his forces were in the field. By Monday, February 16th, as the pamphlet already mentioned tells us, "the besieged were I encouraged by the approach over sea of re- lief the Vice-admiral approached near for giving notice to Col. Prichard of relief coming, and within sight of the castle banged out their colours to let them know for whom they were, and for what purpose they came, and shot off one piece of ordnance, and then another, and so six pieces were shot off. At the sight of which ship our men (in the castle) gave a great shout, and were very glad." In a Letter from Captain John Crouther, in Cardiff Roads, to the Speaker of the House of Commons," dated February 21st (not printed in Roland's Civil Wars "), the writer relates how Carne, On the 6th February, pretending to defend Cardiff against the Raglan rogues, joined with them, rose against the Governor, and forced him, with some seamen whom the writer had put into the town, and the well affected, to take refuge, and strictly begirt them, offering quarter to all but commmittee- men and seamen. The writer encouraged those in the castle to hold out by daily ap- proaching as near as possible with six barks and boats, and firing upon the town with large ordnance. On the 18th, Major-General Laugh- arne and others came to the relief of the place." As soon as Sir Charles Kemeys and Mr Ed- ward Carne heard of Laugharue's approach, they left the castle to march off to fight him. When they met they were a mile out of town, upon a heath," as Laugharne says. Drawing up my men (they were only 250 of his own horse and foot, strengthened with some volunteers) continues he, I presently charged them so God blessing our endeavours routed and dispersed them all; pursuing the rout towards Ragland, six miles beyond Car- diffe, their foot were all killed and taken, and about forty of their horse. My men eager of the victory, after their receipt into the castle, made a sally too soon, before my horse could be brought about (by reason of the passages) to second them so that being over-power'd with a body of horse that was in the town, there was taken my brother which was my Lieut- enant Colonel, and some few of the soldiers, the rest making their retreat good to the castle drawing off my wearied forces for that night to their quaxters within a mile of the town, thereby to cut off all accesse of provision. I was next day (February 19th) plyed with con- tinual alarms of the gathering (of) a malignant party to a head in the country, and that they had made good a passage within two miles of the town, resolving to relieve their distressed friends. While I was busied with this alarm the next day and night ^February 20th) strength- ening my guards, and having a special eye to the issue, the Governor of the Castle, and the committee in the interim fell to a parley with those in the town, and articles of agree- ment were drawn between them, which were brought to me to desire my subscribal, I con- descended to as much as concerned myself and my soldiers, as not privy to the draught till the conclusion. But Carn and his compliants making breach of the agreement, gave us oc- casion to do that which we much desired, con- sidering the ill consequence (to us), if they had come to join with the other party (the new county gathering just mentioned). Being de- manded (February 21st) their reason of the breach of articles, answered They would justi- fie it with their lives and thereupon fell to fire on our men, which was quickly answered for as soon as they received orders to fall upon them, they did it with that cheerfulness that they totally routed them, following the chase for seven miles. There were killed of the enemy in both actions about two hundred and fifty, and eight hundred taken prisoners, whereof two lieut.-colonels, two majors, ten captains, ten lieutenants, and divers ensigns, and other inferior oiffcers." Thus, on the little Heath (called by the Welsh Y Waun Ddyfal-" The Waste Mead ") a track of land, lying immediately north of Cardiff, and to be distinguished from the great Heath (" Y Mynydd Bycban") lying higher yet to the north, ended the revolt of the men of Glamorgan. Roland, in his" Civil Wars," gives no dates, and erroneously states the battle to have been fought on two succes- sive days, whereas Laugharne's letter makes it quite clear that a day of truce intervened. So important in the eyes of the Parliament was Laugharne's victory, seeing that the House ot Raglan's power was almost crushed, that Laugharne was appointed commander-in-chief of the forces in Glamorgan and the three West- ern counties, and was also granted the beauti- ful estate of Slebecli in Pembrokeshire. As in the case of the Battle of St. Fagan's, March 12th was a day of thanksgiving throughout London and Westminster for the victory and that of Torrington.

RED INDIAN CO-RESPONDENT. STRANGE CASE IN DIVORCE CQURT. In the Divorce Court on Tuesday, before Mr Justice Bargrave Deane, a case was heard in which Mr John Green, an athletic performer, known as John Groom Marx, the Modern Hercules," sued for a divorce from Emily Green, against whom he alleged adultery with White Cloud," a Red Indian, who was one of the troupe of. Red Indians who attended the Earl's Court Exhibition a few years ago. The wife answered denying adultery.

A Decree Granted. His Lordship found that the wife had not established her case against the petitioner. He found that the wife had committed adultery with White Cloud," and granted the peti- tioner a decree.

BRINGING TROOPS HOME. It has been decided that a further substantial reduction of the British garrison in South Africa shall be made during the autumn, when it is expected that about 5,000 men will be brought home. This step is being taken because of the desire to increase the strength of our striking force at Aldershot, it being held that the present force is not sufficiently strong to enable it to deliver an effective blow early in a campaign. When this large reduc- tion of the troops in South Africa has been made only about 4,000 men will be retained there, and in these circumstances the presence of Lord Methuen will no longer be necessary, and he will return to this country to await another appointment, which will probably be J found for him at the War Office before the end of the year.

VALUE OF BOOK DEBTS. A Treherbert Debtor's Affairs. The first meeting of the creditors of Evan jCule, grocer and draper, Bute-street, Tre- herbert, was held at the Pontypridd Official Receiver's offiet on Tuesday. The statement of accounts showed gross liabilities £1..503 13s 9d, of which il.306 15s 7d is expected to rank for dividend. The assets include JE450 stock in trade, and book debts amounting to EI,176 0s6d, which are estimated to produce £327 9s 7d, leaving an estimated deficiency of JE500 12s 2d. The causes of failure, as alleged by debtor, are: Keen competition, want of capital, and bad debts. Mr C. E. Dovey, Cardiff, was elected trustee.

SILVER DRUMS FOR' OLD 24TH. The 1st South Wales Borderers (the old 24th) battalion will soon be the possessors of a com- plete set of sterling silver drums, consisting of one bass, two tenors, and 12 side drums. The heraldry, consisting ofVoyal arms, title, badges, and 19 honours, is raised from the silver shells in repdiisse work, and the drumsticks are of ebony, with the raised regimental crest in silver. The drums belonging to the 24th Regi- ment were, with the exception of the bass drum, all lost when the 1st Battalion, in January, 1879, was cut upbya force of 20,000 Zulus. The battalion is now at Quetta, India.

Wm. Wells (58), Durban-place, Lower Pont- newydd, formerly landlord of the King's Head, Pontnewydd, fell downstairs on Saturdaynight when retiring to bed, and sustained such inju- ries that he died shortly afterwards. It is thought that Mr Wells had a fit.

D. S. WINDELL" LETTER FROM SPANISH GAOL. Conscience Troubled. AN OFFER OF RESTITUTION. The two men, Bernard Isaac Robert (" D. S. Windell"), aged 23, and Francis Reginald King, aged 30, formerly a cashier in the service of the London and South-Western Bank, were on W ed- nesday again brought up at Bow-street Police Court charged with obtaining from various branches of the London and South-Western Bank by fraudulent means sums of money totalling £2,320 in gold and notes. The two men stepped briskly into the court, and almost immediately became seated. Detective-Inspector Bower was the first witness called, and he proceeded with the evidence he was giving when the case was ad- journed last Friday. Referring to the identifi- cation of Robert in Madrid by Mr Wood and Mr Hutchins, two of the bank's cashiers who paid him money on September 23rd, he said the accused was then wearing moustaches. Witness told him that King had been arrested, and he asked for newspapers containing an account of that case. At the time he made certain verbal communications to witness which he was not at liberty to use. On the morning of April 31st witness received a letter from Robert, who was in prison, asking him to come and see him. In the course of an nterview on the following day he said he wished to make a statement. The matter is on my conscience." he added. I have not been happy since I did it." He said he under- stood his position. I quite understand," he went on, and de- serve to be punished, but after I have under- gone my punishment my conscience will be clear." Robert also said, I am prepared myself to refund to the London and South-Western Bank my share, amounting to £1,160, of the money collected by me on September 23rd last, bit by bit as my future finances will allow, quite independent of the punishment I may get." Forgery Repudiated. On Friday last witness showed Robert cer- tain transfer advice forms, and Robert said, '• From dictation I wrote the top and the bottom part with the exception of the word Tack (the code word) and • Edwin L. Cox.' When I did so the forms were quite blank. I did not do the forgery." Cross-examined, witness said he had made enquiries of people who had known Robert for some years, and the name he had gone under during those years had been Bernard Robert, a name under which he had done literary work. Up to the present Robert had borne an irre- proachable character. The position he was now in caused a very great amount of astonish- ment among those who knew him. From his temperament, intelligence, and character, witness certainly would not have thought Robert likely to do anything of that descrip- tion Robert was careful not to say anything that would inculpate anyone else. Detective-Sergeant Burton who spoke to arresting King said on searching King's rooms he found there 24 blank cheque forms on differ- ent branches of the London and South Western Banks. How it was Done. Sidney Herbert Jarratt, manager at the Vauxhall branch of the London and South Western Bank, spoke to receiving on Septem- ber 23rd the transfer ad vice form and the speci- men signature of a client of the branch (" D. Stanley Windell "). whose account amounting to JE700 odd appeared on the face of it. The account was to be transferred from the Harles- den branch to his branch at Vauxhall. Every- thing was in perfect order even down to the per- forated postage stamp on the envelope. About 9.30 the prisoner Roberts, giving the name of Windell," arrived and was shown into his private room. He said his name was D. Stanley Windell, and he signed his name as such in the bank's book. That signature was identical with the one witness had received earlier the same morning. He asked for a cheque-book, and one was given to him. He at once wrote out a cheque for jE290, to be paid to self or bearer. He said he would take 40 E5 notes and the rest in gold, and the money was given to him in this form. He asked for the cheque-book to be sent on to an address which turned out to be false, and the book was returned through the dead letter office. Similar evidence was given by bank officials at the other branches at which the fraud was perpetrated. One who identified Robert at Madrid said the slight moustache he was wear- ing on September 23rd made scarcely any difference to his appearance. Edwin Leopold Cox, manager of the Willes- den branch, said he knew neither of the defendants. No one by the name of D. Stanley Windell, of Craven Park-road, Harlesden, had an account at his branch. He knew no one by that name. The rubber stamp mark on the printed transfer advice forms sent to the various branches visited by D. S. Windell was not quite the same as the one used at his office. They were not signed by him, and did not emanate from his branch. The signatures, however, were good imitations of his handwriting. It was scarcely a forgery of his usual signature, but a forgery of a signature he sometimes employed. The code word Tack was also not in his writing. He never made a capital T like the one employed in each of these cases. It was more like an ordinary upright Y." After the perpetration of the frauds on September 23rd last he searched the documents at his branch, and as a result found that only five communications had passed between himself from Harlesden and the West Kensingion branch since July, 1906. Looking at his signa-, tnres on those five documents, the last one a letter of April 9th, 1908, was the one most like his signature which had been forged. Deductions. Percy Coleman, a branch inspector in the service of the bank, said that since the perpe- tration of the frauds he had been engaged in investigating the case. The five documents already referred to, he said, were all found in the right places. As regarded the last one, witness was struck by noticing a crease over the signature, Edwin L. Cox." No ordinary folding in the course of business would have produced a crease like it. The forged signature was very much like Mr Cox's signature in this case, particularly as regarded the looped E in Edwin, and the longtailed "C" in Cox. Wit- ness produced one of the deposit ledgers of the West Kensington branch. On folio 137 there was an entry relating to the account of one Zachary Taham. This name was in the handwriting of King. The first letter of the surname and the second, third and fourth letters of the Christian name had been put together as a composite word which constituted the code word of the bank for September 22ad. To his mind the word Tack on the advice forms, and the name Zachary taken in the book at West Kensington, were in the same handwriting. The accused were further remanded.

GENTLEMEN-AT-ARMS. The inspection this week by the King of the Hon. Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, commemo- rated the 400th anniversary of the raising of the corps. With the exception of the Yeomen of the Guard, it is the oldest in the country. The corps was raised by Henry VIII. in 1509. The strength of the organisation is now forty, and everv member of the present corps is an officer I Lord Denman. who has seen active service, and is possessed of at least one war decoration. Lord Denman, who is captain of the corps, holds the positron of a Lord-in-Waiting. He served in South Africa as captain commanding the 35th squad- ron of Imperial Yeomanry, and was wounded. He is an honorary captain in the Army, and a Middlesex Yeomanry major.

CAERPHILLY MAN'S ARREST. At Birmingham onWednesday Charles Joseph Brooks, Caerphilly, and Elizabeth Newman were committed to the assizes on a charge of forging and uttering a cheque on the London and Provincial Bank, Caerphilly, to the amount of £ 2110s. The male prisoner formerly had an account at the bank. The account was closed I in October last, but subsequently he paid a Somersetshire tradesman with a cheque drawn an the bank in the name of I^eslie.

WELSH GLEANINGS. News and Views in Lighter Vein. A Welsh preacher who is attracting English visitors in large numbers to his church is the Rev. David Lloyd, vicar of Kewstoke, near Weston-super-Mare, Mr Lloyd is a native of Llanybyther. An effort is being made to secure the estab- lishment of a motor-'bus service between St. Clears and Pendine. Pendine beach is the finest bathing beach on the South Wales coast, and the rock scenery is uncommonly fine. Visitors to the lakeside at Roath Park, Car- diff, are frequently surprised at the large -mnu bers of ladies who enjoy rowing as a recreation. These rowing ladies are not only numerous, but skilful and if rowing is to be the vogue among ladies, those young men who now neglect this excellent exercise will soon have need to feel ashamed. Roath Park, Cardiff, is evidently a consider- able attraction to visitors from the hills and valleys of Glamorgan and Monmouth. They visit this delightful resort in large numbers, appreciating the beauty of their surroundings and reflect credit upon their nationality by their decorous behaviour. Welsh holiday resorts have their public coaching and motor tours. Why not Welsh centres of commercial activity too ? Motor 'bus excursions from Cardiff through the Vale of Glamorgan would enable thousands to enjoy the beauties of the vale who have now only a vague notion that it is—somewhere. Mr Will Crooks, M.P.. paid a brief visit to Cardiff on Saturday on his way to Briton Ferry, and was as facetious as ever. Asked his opinion of the Budget, he said that the only thing that worried him in connection with it was that he was not rich enough to be super-taxed. Mr T. P. O'Connor, M.P., will be one of tbe chief speakers at the Welsh Disestablishment convention at Pontypridd on Thursday evening. T.P." is the member for the Scotland division of Liverpool, that is why some who are uncertain about electoral divisions describe him as the member for Scotland Yard." Schoolmasters are being invited by the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments in Wales to assist in collecting evidence con- cerning the historic relics of their own localities. If schoolmasters 80S a class can be stimulated to undertake research of this kind it will doubtless be greatly to the public advantage. Sir John Rhys has denounced the banging of Oriental pictures on the walls of schools on the ground that they teach nothing but bad art." Sir John advocates the hanging of wood- cuts and engravings, believing that by this means treasures of the olden time will be pre- served instead of being cast aside in ignorance. We cordially agree. A speaker at a complimentary dinner to Mr D. Morgan Rees at Whitchurch on Saturday evening made a happy hit. We, as Rural Dis- trict Council electors," he said, are not con- cerned whether A. or.B. is Prime Minister of England. What we are concerned about is what is going to happen when A. B.' gets the trade of the district into his hands." The reference was" of course, to Mr A. Beasley and the Taff-Bute-Rhymney Combine. An American opinion on the Lloyd George Budget is interesting. The New York Herald says that its political results are bound to be large, and adds Mr Lloyd George has styled it a war Budget,' but the war he means is the wafagainst poverty and not against a foreign foe. Inasmuch as Mr Lloyd George is a strong opponent of huge armaments he may be shrewdly aiming to show what it costs the tax- payers to maintain them." The craze of the moment is roller-skating. It is as popular in South Wales as anywhere, and even small places like Cefn-Coed-y-Cymmer, to say nothing of Cardiff, have their rinks—and their,skating accidents. The craze had its life and death in America years ago, and it is in the United States that the present revival of enthusiasm, which is sweeping all over Europe, had its origin. The hall which Mr Rhys Williams is provid- ing at Trealaw in memory of his father, the late Judge Gwilym Williams, is rapidly nearing completion. Princess Louise will open it on July 23rd, and it will on that occasion be dedicated to the public. It will be a commo- dious hall. and it will be greatly appreciated in the locality. It would not be inappropriate if the grand motto which is to be seen in the hall of Miskin Manor, Y Gwir yn Erbyn y Byd," were prominently displayed in the memorial hall also. The Cardiff Cymmrodprion and other ad. mirers of the immortal work of the great Islwyn have arranged a visit to Ynysddu, where he was born in 1832, and to'the burial ground at Babell. where he was interred in 1878. The visit will take place on Saturday next. the 22nd inst., and the party will leave by the 12.10 train from the Rhymney Railway Station. Arrangements are being made by Mr Huw J. Huws. The programme includes much that will be of great interest to all students of Islwyn's work. There is a movement on foot to present a motor car to Dr. R. Arthur Prichard as a recognition of his many years' public service in North Wales Dr. Prichard has been several times Mayor of Conway, and is at present chairman of the Carnarvonshire County Coun- cil, of which he has been a member since its formation. Dr. Prichard has met with many accidents whilst riding and driving to attend his patients, and it is hoped that he will have better luck with the motor. Dr. Prichard is a prominent Freemason, and has been closely associated with the Volunteer movement for many years. Mabon" has demonstrated times without number his fondness for old Welsh hymns, and many are the public demonstra- tions that will be memorable on account of his sonorous voice leading the sing- ing of the National Anthem or one of the classics of Welsh hymnology. The latest of these was the opening of the Tonysguborian school last week, when Mabon led an im- pressive rendering of" 0 Fryniau Ca.ersaJem. The President of the Board of Education, lob Runciman,was much gratified by the rendering, of which he expressed his appreciation. Mr J. Allanson Picton has just added another to his list of books on religious subjects. Has latest work on Man and the Bible" is de- scribed as interesting, scholarty, and very thoughtful." Mr Picton, whose views are far from orthodox, resides at Penmaenmawr, in a picturesque house near the fairy glenot Dwygyfvlchi, overlooking Pendyffryn Hall, where Mr Gladstone was so fond of staying. Mr Picton was formerly a Congregational minister, and afterwards M.P. for Leicester. He has taken considerable interest in the public life of North Wales, is a J.P. for Carnarvonshire, and has been chairman of the Penmaenmawr Urban District Council. Revivals appear to be good copy for American magazines. Munsey's this month has an article on the great revivalists. It com- mences with the quotation that Revivals fol- low hard times. There is a brief reference to the Welsh revival, which contains this de- scription of the results" It was said that the poor blind mules in the Glamorganshire mines were so bewildered by the lack of the custo- mary oaths from the lips of their drivers that they did not understand the orders they re- ceived. There were many thousands of con- verts, and that in a period of prosperity but by the end of 1905 the movement- had died down, though its effect was good, without doubt." And Mabon's reputation as a singer is not confined to Wales. The colliers of North Staf- fordshire, who almost-invariably get him to address them at their annual demonstrations under the majestic trees of Clough Hall, be- tween Mow Cop and the Cheshire Plain, know and appreciate his ability. On these annual eisits Mabon spends a Sunday with his friend, Mr Enoch Edwards, M.P., president of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, and it was no unusual thing some years ago to see the great leaders at some small chapel where Mr Edwards was to preach or speak. Mr Edwards is not a Welshman as his name might suggest. He was born at Talk o' th' Hili (Talk on the Hill), and commenced to work in the colliery there when he was seven years old, like so many other Staffordshire boys of his time. The highways of Gower are among the most lonely in Wales. Nevertheless, in modern times they have been singularly free from the atten- tions of the highwayman. One of few disciples of Dick Turpin who have appeared in the peninsula received a lesson one Saturday night that he will never forget. He lay in wait for a farmer's wife driving to her lonely home with the proceeds of the sale at Swansea Market of the week's farm produce. Believing her to be alone the robber grabbed the tailboard of the trap as it passed his hiding place. Feeling the sudden weight on the back of the vehicle, the good woman said to the small boy who sat beside her, Up with the cleaver, Jimmy." Jimmy obeyed, and brought the instrument of butchery down with all his might on the tail- board. The trap was released of the weight behind, and when the good woman reached home she found four fingers adhering to the tailboard as a souvenir of tho experience through which she had passed.

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WORKMEN'S TOPICS. THE BUDGET DEBATE. By MABON, M.P. In spite of the most determined opposition, and not a little obstruction, one Budget reso- lution after another has been passed, and still there remains the charming uncertainty as to the extent and incidence of tbe new taxa- tion to the end. The Chancellor of the Ex- chequer is an extraordinary little fellow. He gave ample proof that he was open to both reason and some pressure—with the result that his portentous Budget speech seemed to have been only an outline of its possibilities, as it were. Disclaiming largely my belief in the figures put forward as 1:4 the effect of the New Licence duties upon large hotels, he has never- the less expressed his wiilta £ *ness to consider alternative schemes, and when the question of the poundage to be levied upon the sales of alcoholic liquors in Clubs was under discussion, he signified a similar complaisance, leaving it to be understood that only in the latter stage of the debate would it be definitely decided What the amount is to be, and also whether the amount is to be obtained by checking pur- chases or sales. It is, I believe, rather a new departure in National finance-left to the genius of a Welshman to find out-to set up a distinct set of fiscal proposals for the purpose of finding out their weaknesses through the me- dium of the criticism which is directed against them. No one else would be daring enough to use such a novel, although not without con- siderable merit, scheme. There is a great deal to be said in its favour, for it permits any glar- ing injustice to be remedied, while it may possi- bly help the Chancellor himself to see where his preliminary calculations are likely to go wrong. The resolution regarding the increased duty on imported beer was passed with that indif- ference that brought to prominence the feeling of the House towards the affaIr as being too trivial for comment. The House was much toore alive when it came to discuss and amend the resolutions levying a tax on the In- toxicants sold in Clubs." It endorsed the prin- ciple and for the moment left the details open to further discussion. Of all the Budget pro- posals, this duty received the least opposi- tion, and in my opinion very rightly so. until a few years ago, such clubs as did exist were purely and simply used for social purposes. In- toxicating liquors were sold at most of them, but in very few instances could it be said that they existed solelv or even mainly for that pur- Pose. To-day, it is very different. The older clubs are still in existence, entirely unchanged in character and conduct,but innumerable others have sprung up in addition, bome o these really provide reading rooms and recrea- tion rooms for their members, and if that class of them owe a portion of their popularity to the fact that intoxicants can be obtained with- out the restrictions and publicity attaching to Public-houses, they it is alleged, still serve a Wholesome purpose, and are therefore unobjec- tionable. This class of clubs are to be found here and there in superior residential localities because there most licensing justices have ob- Btinately and persistently refused to-sanction a. licensed house existing in their midst, and Btand as a proof that if Mr Bumble was alive ko-day he would still be justified in his famous aphorism regarding the -nt_ ?ut iirco^S-S touch beyond th j* establishments, ValJey that a muabe* been builtand auder the r^m^ gQlely {or the one purpose of applying their members with drink at all h0^7arfd particularly during the hours when ^fenet obtainable elsewhere—and by some Wonderful concensus of opinion, it is felt in the -,it oi Commons pretty generally at the pre- sent time that it would do very little harm if they could be taxed out of existence. Unfor- tunately I am afraid that a great deal of diffi- culty will be experienced in making an exact distinction between the club and that which is merely a drinking den, or what Lord Robert Cecil calls them-the illicit drinking estab- lishments-that are subject to few regulations and no effective supervision. Ludicrous Misrepresentations. Perhaps practical experience (though I would Hot claim it from any other standpoint), en- titles me to claim the right to say a word on the controversy that is carried on at present res- pecting the gross misrepresentation of fact that 1-1 perpetrated by Tory advocates respecting the use of the Closure that the Government are Compelled to resort to to carry their Budget re- solutions through the House of Commons at the Present stage. The Opposition in the House, and their friends in the country, are very un- fairly trading upon this matter, which is to me with my experience a gross misrepre- Mentation of the fact. The Budget, they say, 18 being forced through by means of the closure, and Ministers it is alleged, take refuge from difficult points by applying the gag," and if there were any truth in these charges, they* would be very serious. Such action as is here attributed to ministers would create a bad feeling against them in the country. Now it must be understood that the Executive has the sole right of proposing taxation, and it is therefore, of the first im- portance that the House of Com- mons should examine, scrutinise, and debate every impost which is to be levied upon the taxpayer, who, according to the ex-Chancellor, Mr Austen Chamberlain, voted taxes without knowing who was to pay them, etc. A strong and grave indictment by a weak man. But it Is not true. This man as well as the Opposition generally, is presuming upon a confusion between resolutions and a Bill, a thing though pardonable in the uninitiated, is ex- tremely unpardonable in an ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer. What are now being debated are the '• Finance Resolutions," which have to be passed by the House sitting in Committee pf Ways and Means before any Finance Bill Can be introduced. The form in which the pro- posals of the Budget only can, and will, take definite shape in the Finance Bill," is an elementary distinction which the whole of the "ry Present outcry ignores. The Opposition papers echo the outcry. The terms—" resolution and Bill are interchanged, as if they meant one and the same thing which they do not. And the Opposition generally in the House and in the country speak of the application of the Closure to one or the other of the financial devolutions, as if, therefore, the ministry were Resorting to the gag to pass the Finance Bill. The two things are indeed essentially different, the only shadow of a foundation to their allegations, is that in some cases ministers bave after long Hiscussion on a resolution, tnoved the Closure in order to obtain a vote Upon it and yet it is well known that this is Ileith,r Voting Taxes" nor passing Bill." It simply means passing a stage in preliminary Progress of Resolutions, upon which hereafter the Finance Bill will be introduced. This mis- ^presentation has no excuse whatever, because the very complaints made by the Opposition ought to be reasons for avoiding all this delay Upon a preliminary stage, which is altogether Unnecessary and arc therefore merely means obstruction. Here, at this stage, I hold that *be Opposition ought to be very much at one. The latter plead that they cannot Understand this and that point, be- muse they are not in the bill; the f°rmer naturally reply: "Then let us bring Ju the bill." Still the Opposition in face of it all Jusists upon spinning out a discussion of which •bey complain to be unprofitable, and which ■bey use in order to delay the Bill. They then accuse the Government of declining to come to c'°se quarters with them. This gross and ludi- crous misrepresentation they deliberately use as a weapon of obstruction. Payment of M.P.'s. By a majority of 152 the House of Commons jast week passed a resolution thereon. Speak- u*g for the Government, Mr Lewis Harcourt, 8aid that this was a matter that the Govern- ment was willing for the House to use its own discretion with regard thereto save that any Measure of general Electoral Reform should be Accompanied by an arrangement for the pay- ment of members, and that tbe Treasury be ^Ponsible for the expenses of the returning officers." Most members on the Liberal side ^re alreadv pleeed to this measure. Roughly ^Peaking £ 200,000 a year will be necessary for *be purpose, and notwithstanding that that Um may be a material consideration for the ^hancellor of the Exchequer for the present foment, still this financial difficulty is, and not in the House of Commons on the gM?ht of the debate, allowed to interfere with 2?e policy. In fact the Government burden of "he argument was favourable to the project, Ud the Opposition could not find more than fifteen members to vote against it, some of uem I know held that as yet it could not be j^Scussed, but as an academic question, Ut one has good reason to believe, and in fact that this not the view held by a great juajority of Parliament, and even the Govern- itself, which may before many months are er, be called to discuss the question very j tt°usly and probably to take steps to pass 'aw—a rnatter which they are not alto- v her unprepared to take in hand. It may 'tone with the consent of the great majority j of the House, which views the present as the most opportune moment to do so but should the decision on the Legality of Paying Mem- bers of Parliament out of Trade Union funds go against doing so, the Government may, and very probably will, be called upon to give effect to the proposal, which, with its consent was carried with such a largo majority the other night, and I beiieve they will.

Black Hand Crime. FRIEND OF PETROSINO SLAIN. New York, Tuesday.-While unlocking the door, of his flat a man named Pioggio Puccio was shot and killed by a member of the Black Hand gang, who was concealed on the floor above. The probable motive of the crime was that Puccio was a friend of the murdered detective, Lieutenant Petrosino. He had received many threats that the Black Hand would kill him. Puccio arranged most of the details of the detective's funeral, and took an active part in organising relief for his widow. The gang warned him he would be murdered if he did not cease his activity on behalf of his dead friend's widow. It is supposed that the assassin escaped along the roof.-Reuter.