Papurau Newydd Cymru
Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru
12 erthygl ar y dudalen hon
Pontypridd District .Council.
Pontypridd District Council. Health of te District. Mr P. Gowan, J.P., presided over the fort- ^htly meeting of the Pontypridd District Un°il held at the Council Offices on Tuesday, there were present Councillors James Ro- Horatio Rowlands, W. H. Gronow, W. ^°Hes-p0Wejl J. E. Spickett, H. Bramwell, Dr Harnlen-Williams, R. L. Phillips, D. R. vaos, Edward Williams, R. T. Richards, T. B. P. G. Edwards, and Watkin Williams, the clerk, Mr Montague H. Grover, and e SlHrveyor, Mr Edward Rees. TAXATION OF LAND VALUES. ,k circular was received from the Abertillery trict Council asking the Council to pass a in favour of the taxation of land ^s, ete. James Roberts That has been done. e Chairman: I think so; we have already ssed that resolution—at least, one in similar ^Das. \r -y H. Rowlands proposed acceding to the re- vest 0f the Abertiliery Council. Mr James cherts seconded, and the motion was agreed to. IMPROVEMENTS AT TREFOREST. A letter was received from Mr Jenkins, Cow- L oridge, stating that he could not sell the land Quired at Treforest opposite the weir for im- IJrQving the Cardiff road at a less rate than 5s square yard, and £8 7s lOd compensatioR fOr a she. which would have to be pulled down. br Hamlen-Williams said he had seen Mr tJenkins a month ago at Cowbridge, when Mr !lkins said he would leave the matter in his t'nas. He was also told that the land would sold to the Council for £ 10. The Clerk pointed out that Mr Jenkins had ei*ied making this offer. After some further discussion, Dr Williams IJroInd to again see Mr Jenkins on Lile matter. THE BERW BRIDGE. The Clerk of the Merthyr and Aberdare Joint Board forwarded a letter with regard the Council's application to use the road tï. rOugh the sewerage fields, during the altera- ti 'is to the railway bridge at the Berw. The a €rage Board had appointed their Chairman, Mr R. H Rh to meet Council on the Matter. let^r Grovor reported that he had received a eta^r fr0Tn the Taff Vale Railway Company the roacfthrough the sewerage fields Thenclbeieq™L Tia,a bridge rrnan: Does that mean that the rpjle J*11 Used during the alterations? The ^es' suppose it does. ^airman- I have also heard that they "111 J, UP a temporary bridge. r Jamos Roberts: I think that it would be n§erous to use the brfflge during the time they 6re altering it. ■^e Clerk: I understand that the Company Hot use this road because of its narrowness. TOr would have to work the traffic by signalling r°m one end to the other. The Chairman and Mr H. Bramwell were ap- rOm one end to the other. The Chairman and Mr H. Bramwell were ap. ^ted to meet the Joint Sewerage Board, and Taff Vale engineer to make arrangements Prevent any inconvenience to the traffic dur- 1119 the alterations to the bridge. 11 CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION. lett«r was read from Mrs M. Thomas, 22, _>ddle street, Pontypridd, saying that some lit Ifdren were playing with a grating in Middle when they let it fall ou the arm of her tba. as ng its fingers. She complained 8*atings should be left unfastened. She froln COtnpensation, as she had bean prevented d ° her employment as a milliner ressmaker. The Clerk was instructed to 6P'y denying liability. LABILITY TO PAY THE RATES. Jenkins, of the Garw Valley,wrote tte effect that he could not pay the rates on 8 Property at Hopkinstown as he had not re- rents for the last six months. He asked 0r time to pay. D- R. Evans: I think we are all in the lame boat. lfr James Roberts: Yes, and we have to pay rents besides rates. j Mr D. R. Evans: I don't think we should dis- css the matter. After further discussion, it was decided to be.ntl over the letter to the collector. STRAYING ON THE COMMON. The Surveyor reported that the road inspec- tor had found four horses on the Common, and b taken them to the old gasworks. When the owners claimed them they were fined 2s 6d «ach. Mr J. E. Spickett: That is cheap, for they ltave been grazing on the Common for the last three months. j Mr Roberts: A fine of 2s 6d will not detef 0%11(-rs from leaving their cattle on the Common. Mr Rees (surveyor): The next lot will be fined j lOd 6d each. Mr Spickett said the horses were very often Pot on the Common on Saturdays and allowed to stay there until Monday or Tuesday. The Surveyor: Well, you fix upon a fine, sir. The Chairman: I think you should summons them and bring them before the magistrates. You had better let the magistrates fine them. Mr Spickett: You cannot call it a fine, Mr Bees. The Clerk: He means poundage. The Chairman proposed that in future sum- monses be issued against the owners of horses found on the Common. Mr James Roberts seconded, and the motion was agreed to. CANAL BRIDGES IMPROVEMENTS. The Surveyor reported that he and Mr James Roberts had visited Abercarn and inspected the ironwork to be used in the improvement of the canal bridge at. Trallwn. The contractors were not prepared to immediately supply the iron- Viorli required for the three canal bridges. Mr Roberts also reported npon the ironwork he found ready at the works. Mr D. R. Evans: Have you any idea when the whole ironwork will be ready? Mr Roberts: No, they did not tell us that. They considered they were justified in delaying tae work because of the promise of the promo- ters of tne Cardiff Railway Bill that they would improve the bridges if the railway received the sanction of Parliament. They made that as an excuse why they did not push forward the work. I strongly recommend the Council to name a time when the whoTe of the bridges wi!l have to 'be completed, and failing that to take steps to ,mreel the order. The Chairman: I think they wrote us saying that the icbnwork of the Trallwn bridge was ready. It was decided to call upon the con, tractors to complete the work required for the three bridges within three months. Mr James Roberts thought the Council should approach the County Council with a view of getting their assistance to improve the Glyntaff canal bridge. The Surveyor said he had furnished the Coun- ty Surveyor with a plan and estimate of the proposed improvements. On the motion of Mr Roberts, it was resolved to write to the County Council asking them to contribute toward the cost of improving the bridge. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Sanitary Inspector Rowlands reported one case of scarlet fever at Berw road, and one case of typhoid at 80, Taff street. NUMBERING OF TAFF STREET. Mr D. R. Evans said 80, Taff street was Messrs Masters' establishment, and he asked if it was there that the case of typhoid existed. The Inspector said it was not; it was a pri- vate house, and the number he gave he had ob- tained from the notification. He wished to call the attention of the Council to the numbering of Taff street; it was "all shapes," and he could De find the numbers there. Mr R. L. Phillips proposed that the Surveyor should arrange to have Taff street properly num- bered. Mr W. Jones-Powell seconded, and the resolution was carried. MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. The medical officer, Dr Howard Davies, pre- sented the following report:- "For the month of August last, I 'have to report that the total births registered within your district numbered 97, 54 being boys and 43 girls. The birth-rate was 31.4. Of the 40 deaths that took place 19 were males and 21 were females. The deaths of non-residents in your district were two. The death-rate was 12.3 per 1,000 per annum. The total deaths from zymotic diseases were six, and included five fatal cases of diarrhoea (all children), and one of diphtheria. The zymotic death-rate was 1.9 per 1,000. The infectious diseases notified during the month were seven of scarlet fever and one of diphtheria. The latter case occurred at Tel-el-kebir road, and proved fatal in two days." Inspector Johns reported that there were no cases ef infectious diseases n his district. COMPLIMENT TO MR SPRAGUE. Mr James Roberts desired to mention a matter which he thought the Council had overlooked. It was in reference to their late deputy-clerk, M, J. Sprague. They were aware that Mr Sprague had severed his connection with the Council, and at the time of his leaving the auditor sen-. a report to the Council, which he (Mr Roberts) thought was very complimentary to Mr Sprague, and spoke highly of his valuable services to them as a Council. He thought it was due to Mr Sprague that this should be known. In his report the auditor highly compli- mented him for the manner in which the Coun- cil's accounts h" been kept from year to year. The way in which he had filled his position to th3 Council was a credit to him. TINPLATE WORKS BRIDGE. Dr Hamlen-Williams called the attention of the Council to the necessity of remedying the disgraceful state of the bridge leading from Rhydyfelen to the Treforest Tinplate Works. He would like to know who was the present owner ef the bridge. The Messrs Crawshay had dis- ewned it, as had the Messrs Waterhouse. He thought the Clerk should write to the County Council asking who were the proprietors. Con- sidering the present condition of the bridge he thought something should be doite to remedy matters and do away with the danger, While they were making enquiries they could remove one of the present lamps to the entrance to the bridge, so that those who crossed the bridge could see the dangerous parts.—Most of the members agreed, but stated that a committee of the Council had considered the matter as well as the footpaths in the neighbourhood. —The question was again referred to a committee to report upon. RIGHT OF WAY AT RHYDYFELEN. In his report the Surveyor stated. that the road leading from Fairfield, Hawthorn, to the Canal, had been closed. The gate at the en- trance had been locked, and a notice put up warning persons against trespassing. Dr Hamlen-Williams said the Surveyor was quite right in his remarks. He (the doctor) had had a notice put up at the entrance of the road warning persons against trespassing. The road was a private one, and he had been forced to put up this board in order to protect his pro- perty. He had had people coming there who made it their business to steal fowls and the eggs they laid, and only a few days ago he met some children carrying eggs when coming off his land. This must have been done with the knowledge of their parents. The lane had also been used for purposes anything but moral, and he had had people coming there who made no end of damage. The road was a private one used by himself. He could prove it, or his solicitor would prove it for him. He could go back 30 years, when the road was known by the man in charge of the lock, a James Jones. This man's father at that time sent to his (the doctor's) uncle to ask permission, to pass along this road to attend communion at Rhydyfelen, to save a roundabout journey to the chapel. The gates had always been locked, and he had seen people turned back. Be had no desire to close the road to decent people if they would not abuse the privilege by leaving the gates unlocked, and so allowing the cattle, in the early morning, to stray either on the road or on the lawn. At the present time he had a man in his employ who had known the road for 25 years, and be had always known it as a private one. The road to the canal was for the convenience of Lord Windsor's tenants, and Mr Grover, their clerk, could remember an instance in which a wagon was stopped when taking furniture to a farm dose by, and the furniture was allowed to remain in a field for several days, and subse- quently taken back the same way as it came. Mr Grover: Yes, I remember that, but it was not fought out. Dr Williams: No, but if the Council wish to contest my right to this I have no objection. Mr Roberts: I must say I can remember this road for nearly 50 years, and I have known people use this road for 50 years unmolested. I have used it myself many times, and I was never turned back. Dr Williams: Which road? Mr Roberts: The road leading towards your house. Dr Williams: Where to afterwards? Mr Roberts: Up to the canal. Dr Williams: Which canal? Mr Roberta: The lower canal. Dr Williams: Did you find the gates open ? Mr Roberts: Yes, but I must say I found them locked when I passed that way last, and I had to get over. (Laughter). That road was there long before Fairfield wns built. As I said before, I can go back for over 50 years, and I know I have not been interrupted when passing that way, and I also know that others have passed without interruption, and I know people who claim that this is a public way. I quite believe Dr WiHiair.s when fo say, that this road has been abused by people, but the fact that it has been abused by people does not make it a private road. It leads from Hawthorn to Dynea, and from Dynea up to Eglwysilan. Thai road has been used for a tremendous number of years by pedestrians, and there is a recognised stile on a part of the road over which you cross. When the railway was made the company provi- ded facilities to the road to cross the railway. 1 am certain that all the old inhabitants who know this road will say it is a public road. Dr Williams: Excuse me, sir, but I can't help pointing out to you that you have gone out of your geography. (Laughter). Mr Roberts: No, indeed, I have not. Dr Williams: The stile you speak of at Dynea is on the footpath which passes David Richard's farm, and that is a public footpath. Mr Roberts: There's another footpath there. Dr Williams: There is not. I have lived there for 35 years, and I have known scores of people turned back on this road. Mr Roberts: I have never been turned back. Dr Williams: Then you have been allowed by courtesy to pass along it; they knew you would do no harm. (Laughter). The gate was always locked in the summer; orders were given to lock it. Mr Roberts: I have passed along it during your uncle's time, and the gates were not locked then. Dr Williams: Well, I don't think you can have stronger evidence than the fact that James Jones' father asked for permission to pass through the gate. Mr Roberts: There was a road there long be. fore your house was built. Dr Williams: I made the read. Mr Roberts: Well, there was a road there long before the house was built. Dr Williams: There was grass there you mean. (Laughter). The discussion continued for some time, and subsequently the Chairman suggested that the Surveyor should examine the old ordnance map and prepare a report on the subject for the next Council meeting. Mr Roberts again pointed out that the railway company had provided a convenience for traffic parsing along the road to their railway. Dr Williams replied that he did not care what the railway company had done; they had not had his sanction to do anything. The Chairman's suggestion was eventually adopted.
Fasioable and Pretty Wedding…
Fasioable and Pretty Wedding at Ystrad Rljondda. Considerable interest was manifested in the old, but pretty little village, of Ystrad Rhondda, during the early hours of Wednesday morning, the 7th inst, the occasion being that of the marriage of Miss Sarah A. Richards, Arthur street, Ystrad, with Mr Evan Aeron Williams, tailor, Tonypandy, formerly of Aberayron. The auspicious event excited a feeling of much gaiety, more especially when the bride was known to be the eldest daughter of the late Mr Evan Rich- ards (Cilynys), Ystrad Rhondda, an old and highly respected "giorion," a distinguished Welsh scholar, and the author of many excel- lent productions. The wedding was celebrated in the Bethel Welsh Methodist Church. The service was most impressive. The officiating minister was the Rev H. M. Ellis (Trealaw), who performed the nuptial ceremony in the un- avoidable absence of the pastor, the Rev W. Davies, the wedding marches being played on the organ by Mr Isaac Bowen, Ystrad., Not- withstanding the very early hour of the morn- ing, the sacred edifiee was filled almost to suffo- cation, many late comers having to reconcile themselves by remaining outside. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr David Rich- ards, clerk at the Bodringallt Offices, he being assisted in the capacity of "best man" by his cousin. Mr Willie Richards (chemist), Tony- pandy. The bride looked sweet in a trimmed gown of exquisite blue and red shot material, I elaborately trimmed with white silk. Her be. coming hat was of white felt, edged and draped round the crown with blue velvet and looped up in front, where pairs of beautifully white na- true's wings and upstanding nodding plumes were place, two white satin rosettes nestling on the hair at back. Her two bridesmaids (Misses Amy and Mary Richards) (sisters) looked capti- vating in dresses ofb lue and white check plaid arranged with frills of same material across front of bodice, with deep pointed frilled collar at back, the whole being handsomely and nicely banded with blue velvet overlaid with creamy white silk fancy guipure braid and'edged with narrow silk lace of the same hue. They wore hats similar to that worn by the bride, with the exception of the nodding plumes, Each car- ried exquisite bouquets of rare flowers. Her little niece, Miss Amy Evans—who acted in the capacity of train-bearer, was prettily attired in pale green merino, with trimmings of silk to match and white chiffon. Her Tuscan hat was daintily trimmed with blue and white satin rib- bon, cock's feathers and wtiiie chiffon. After the ceremony a reception was held in the com- modious vestry adjoining the chapel. Amongst the guests present-in addition to the bridal party—we noticed Mrs Richards, Tonypandy; Mrs Evans, Porth; and Mrs Williams, Tony- pandy, aunts and cousins of bride respectively. Mrs James (Penybank)2 Ystrad; Mrs Evan Llewelyn, Glandwr House, Ystrad Rhondda; Mrs Davies (manager), Bodringallt Villa; Mra Lloyd (cashier), Bodringallt House, the Misses Maggie, Emily Myfanwy, and Annie Evans,Miss Jane Davies, Brook street, Ystrad; Rev H. M. Ellis, Trealaw, and Mr Isaac Bowen (Ystrad) The breakfast over, the bridal party left for the residence of the bride amongst showers of rice and confetti, which were freely displayed, and expressive of the good wishes of the inhabitants for the young contracting parties. Later the happy pair, accompanied by friends, were con- veyed in bridal carriages to Porth station to meet the 10.45 a.m. train for Aberystwyth and Aber- ayron, where the honeymoon is being spent. The presents were numerous and costly.
[No title]
Chapel Anniversary Services at Tonypandy. On Sunday and Monday last. at the English Wesleyan Chapel, Tonypandy, the annual chapel anniversary was held, when two powerful ser- mons were preached morning and evening, by the Rev R. Kennedy (Penygraig). Special I hymns and anthems were admirably rendered by the chapel choir, under the conductorship of Mr G. Symonds (member of the Rhondda Royal Glee Society). On Monday evening a miscella- neous concert was held under the presidency of the Rev R. Kennedy.
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r MOUNTAIN ASH DisTKitrr ICOUNCIL.…
r MOUNTAIN ASH DisTKitrr COUNCIL. Mr J. Powell, J.P., presided over the fort- nightly meeting of this Council, held at the Town Hall on Monday, when there were pre- sent: -Councillors Rev J. F. Williams, D. Ro- gers, W. Phillips, D. W. Howell, W. Evans, F. N. Gray, James James, E. Morgan, S. Price, and W. Lewis, with the clerk, Mr H. P. Linton, and the surveyor, Mr J. Williams. Mr T. Rees, Canton, Cardiff, forwarded a letter asking to be allowed to open a fried fish business at 4, Margaret street, Abercynon.—It was decided that he should confer with the Sanitary Inspector. Mr James Brooks, Glaneynon Terrace, Aber- cynon, wrote complaining of a slaughterhouse nuisance existing nearlus premises. There was no drainage there: He bad not seen the sanitary inspector there for some time, and he thought he should spend a little of his precious time there, when he would find something to open his eyes. (Laughter). The matter was referred to the Inspector. It was decided, on the suggestion of the Sur. veyor, to ask the Taff Vale Railway Company to fence the road from the Navigation Hotel, Abercynon, as far as the railway station. It would prevent people flailing into the river. Mr E. Pugh wrote complaining of insufficient light at Thomas street, Miskin. Mr James James also supported this Statement, end said several of the streets at Miskin were unnum- bered. The Surveyor was instructed to report 0.1 the lighting of Thomas street, Kilail Terrace, and Oakfield street. Mr F. N. Grey asked when the next estimate for the new rate would be submitted to the Council.—The Clerk and Surveyor said it would be done at the next meeting. Three tenders were received for the supply of ironmongery in the district. For Mountaia Ash and Penrhiwceiber, the tender of Mr Mayher was accepted. The tender of Messrs J. and D. Davies was accepted for smithwork at Mountain Ash, and that of Itr William Davies for Aber- cynon. Mr William Evans called the attention of the Council to the dangerous piece of ground leading from the old Thorn to Pontcynon bridge. He thought the Council should remove the danger by erecting a fence. Rev J. F. Williams secon- ded, and the motion was supported by Mr D. W. Howells. The Surveyor was asked to prepare to report on the matter and prepare an estimate of the cost by the next meeting. Mr Evans further moved that three oil lamps be placed on the road leading from the Naviga- tion Hotel to the New Inn Abercynon. Rev J. F. Wflfiams seconded, and pointed out that the Council had promised these lainps-ghould be erected. The resolution was agreed to. The secretary of the Springfield Building Club wrote asking the Council to inspect Thomas street, Miskin, with a view of taking it over, and making if a highway repairable by the Council. —The Surveyor was asked to prepare a report. The Abertillery District Council forwarded a circular in favour of the taxation of land values, way-leaves, and ground-rents, and asked the Council to pass a resolution in favour of it, and forward it to the local member of Parliament. Mr D. W. Howells moved that the request be acceded to, and that a copy of the resolution be sent to Mr D. A. Thomas, M.P., Mr Pritchard Morgan, M.P., and Mr Alfred Thomas, M.P. Rev J. F. Williams seconded, and the motion was unanimously carried. Police-sergeant Davies, Abercynon, was, on the motion of Mr William Evans, appointed lighting inspector at Abercynon on the same terms as the Tnysybwl inspector. The Surveyor reported: "The work of main renewal in Henry street bos been plet.ed.. Extensions to your main in Quarry road, Pen- rhiwceiber, is necessary for the supply of new houses recently built in that district. A short extension in Frosser street, Charlestown, is also necessary for a like reason. With respect to the water supply in your district generally, I think the present an opportune time to again draw your attention to the necessity for your consider- ing the question of providing further storage. Although you have been able to give a continu- ous and full water supply for domestic purposes during the summer this should not lead the Council to fail to realise that further provision must soon be made in order that you may be able to continue a satisfactory service in the district in your care. I have made an estimate of the additional storage which would have been necessary during last summer if the condition as to the amount anddiethibution of rainfall during last winter had been such as did prevail in the winter of 1895 mid the spring and summer of 1896, and it is very apparent if when such con- ditions do recur and you have not in the mean- time enlarged your works, the supply which you will be able to afford will be very inadequate. "As several years must elapse before any sufficient adclitional works which you may deter- mine upon at the earliest possible time can be brought with effective operation, I feel justified in pressing the matter upon your attention." Rev J. F. Williams proposed that the water engineer be asked to report as to the possibility of increased storage and to give full information as to costs. Reporting on the flooding of Rheola street, Penrhiwceiber, the Surveyor stated it was caused by water flooding from the back lanes. He suggested diverting the water, and the Council agreed to this.
-------+----Police Inspection.…
-+- Police Inspection. TONYPANDY. On Thursday "rooming Captain Parry, H.M. Inspector of Constabulary, who was accompanied by Chief-constable Lindsay, inspected the Tony-1 pandy sub-division of the Glamorganshire police. There were also present Inspector Hoyle, Ser- geant Thomas, and sixteen constables. Captain Parry expressed himself as highly pleased with the station, books, and also the appearance of th", men, whom he complimented on their smart appearance. PONTYPRIDD. On Friday, Captain Parry inspected the Pont- ypridd Police,Chief-constable Lindsay and Police Superintendent Cole being present. The men appeared exceptionally smart on parade, and for this they received a compliment from Captain Parry. They were put through their drills and j sword exercises by P.C. Walkley, the district drill instructor, and no fault was found. Sub- sequently, Captain Parry examined the station and said its orderliness was a credit 4 Inspector Evans, the officer in charge. H.M. Inspector then inspected the clerical department, which is under the control of Sergeant Edwards. Here again Captain Parry expressed his approbation at the manner in which the work had been carried out.
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CHIPS OF NEWS.
CHIPS OF NEWS. A Mrious fall of cliff, attended by a disastrous landslip, has occurred at Herne Bay. Many tons of chalk fell. A fire occurred at a hosiery warehouse in Leicester, and about fifty girls had narrow escapes. A naval prisoner named Bowers, while being conveyed from Chatham to Canterbury, escaped from the train and got clear away. Two electric cars, running between Middles- brough and Stockton, came into violent collision oil Saturday, and several passengers were injured. Death from misadventure was the verdict at Northwich in the case of Dr. W. H. Clarke, of Beccles, Suffolk, who died from strychnine poisoning. At Lancaster, Thomas Frith and James Bower, crane drivers, were committed for five months each for drunkenness and assaulting a police- constable. Eliza Johnson, fifty-four, wife of a fitter, of Leagh (Lanes.), fell downstairs, sustaining shocking injuries about the head, from which she died. An employ6 on the G.E.R., named Rawlings, was found between the metals at Peterborough, having been crushed between the buffers. He died on his way to the infirmary. A boy named Webb, thirteen, fell into a deep pond at New Billon. A man named Edkina jumped in, but the boy clutched him so tightly that both were drowned. William Rockey, groom, was sentenced to two months' hard labour at Kingston, for being a loose, idle, and disepderly person. It wasnis forty-seventh conviction. At Windsor, a tramp, named James Fellows, was committed for trial on a charge of wilfully setting fire to a hayrick, belonging to Mr. W. Pagett, of Clewer. Some maliciously-minded person obtained access to the drill hall, Scarborough, the head- quarters of the 2nd V.B. Yorks Regiment, and destroyed two trombones belonging to the regi- mental band. Reports from Naples state that Vesuvius is in an extraordinary state of activity. The Observa- tory is seriously threatened, and many chestnut woods have been burnt. According to the newspapers, the Italian Government has just sent to its Ambassador at St. Petersburg the official answer to the Russian circular on universal disarmament. It is said to be identical with the replies by the Austrian and German Governments. The Vienna Extrablatt gives a denial to the report published that two Italian Anarchists had planned an attempt on the life of the Italian Crown Prince in Styria during his journey to Vienna to attend the Empress's funeral. At Sheffield, Gertrude Downing, aged twenty, of respectable appearance, was charged on three separate counts with obtaining dresses by fraud. Her procedure was similar in each instance. Prisoner, apparently in great grief, visited dil erent dressmakers and represented that a sitter was dead and she required immediately a black dress for the funeral. In three instances clothing was lent and pawned the same day, prisoner's story being wholly fictitious. One month's imprisonment. The Madrid Official Gazettt has published the law authorising the cession of Spanish territories in accordance with the terms of the Peace Protocol. The Duke of Connaught, OR Saturday, visited the buildings in course of construction in the Champs Elysées, Paris, for the International Exhibition of 1900. The electric works at Valladolid were set on fire bya flash of lightning and partially destroyed. All the shops and the theatres were obliged to close for want of light. In the course of excavations of the shingle where the concrete blocks for Dover National Harbour are being made, a human skeleton was unearthed at Sandwich on Saturday. The North Bay, Scarborough, was on Saturday the scene of great excitement, when a young man named George North nearly lost his life. North was in about 10ft. of water when the bathing inspector noticed him in difficulties. A Mr. Wright, who was bathing near, promptly went to North's assistance, and got him ashore with the aid of a life-belt. He was unoonscious, but with medical assistance soon recovered. At Stroud (Gloucester), a coroner's jury re- turned a verdict of felo de se in the case of a footman named Brown, who shot himself in a most determined manner, on Friday afternoon, at the residence of his employer, Judge Ellicott, son of the Bishop of Gloucester. The deceased was found quite dead, with a gun by his side, in the saddle room. He had evidently dis- charged one barrel of the weapon into his mouth, shattering his skull, fragments of bone and brains beidg scattered over the floor. The tramway strike has resulted in the dis- charge of all the drivers and conductors at the Hampstead depot, one hundred and fifty in number, because they declined to go to work on Sunday morning. Their places are said to have been already filled. Upwards of a dozen fires occurred in London during Saturday and Sunday, six of which were caused by oil lamps and stoves, and several persons were more or less seriously injured. At the Old Bailey, John Shelton, a painter, was sentenced to penal servitude for life for shooting Henry Jones at Richmond, with intent to murder. It appeared that prisoner had been convicted at other places of forgery and burglary and assault with intent to rob, and he had once before been tried at the Old Bailey for shooting with intent to murder. A lunatic named Berry, who escaped from the asylum at Hanwell, has been brought back to the institution. It is stated that Berry, who acted as servant to the medical superintendent, took with him a valuable pold watch and a large sum of money. He pawned the watch at Chiswick, and stated that he had buried B30 in a field. Only jM was found in his possession when caught, and out cf that he tried to bribe the police-constables who secured the fugitive. The polling for the election of a Parliamentary representative for Darlington in room of the late Mr. Arthur Pease (Liberal Unionist) took place on Saturday, when Mr. Pike Pease (Liberal Unionist) was returned by a majority of six hundred and eighty-eight votes over the number recorded for Mr. Owen Pnilipps, the Liberal candidate. At Coventry, William Percy Richardson, butcher, was charged with steahng from a field a bay mare, of the value of P.25, the property of Harry Davenport. Prisoner was remanded. At Dover, two privates of the Royal Fusiliers, named Henry Pugh and Edward Brown, have been each sentenced to a month's hard labour for stealing two pairs of f; otball boots. The Liverpool coroner held an inquest on Saturday on the body of Norman Stead, the two- years-old son of a stonemason. He managed to get hold of a bottle of carbolic acid and drank the contents. The bottle was on a shelf, and he climbed up by means of a chair. Mr. J. J. Colman, head of the Carrow Works, Norwich, and formerly M.P. for that city, died at his residence, The Cliffe, Corton, near Lowestoft, on Sunday afternoon. He had been in failing health for some time. At a late hour on Friday night a bab), com- fortably clothed, was found on the doorstep of a house in Tyndall's Park, Bristol. It was pro- yided witb a feeding bottle and had apparently Dot suffered by its exposure. A policeman con- veyed it to the workhouse. This is the second similar discovery within a fortnight, and in each case the parents have not been traced. The Rev. Dr. John Hall, of New York, died on Saturday morning at Bangor, county Down. Two brothers :named Richard and Joseph Beard have been sent to Stafford Gaol for, two months for brutally assaulting George and John Roberts. It was alleged that prisoners met the complainants at night, and without provocation savagely assaulted them. They both sustained shocking injuries. New. has been received at Burnley that two young men who were supposed to have been arowned while boating off Douglas are safe, Their boat, which was only a small dinghy, was carried to Sillotb, on the Cumberland coast. At Leeds, James Herbert Wilkinson, ac- countant, of Chancery-lane, London; William Henry Forster, solicitor, Leeds; and Arthur Beevers, clerk and secretary, have been further examined on charges of conspiracy to defraud in connection with the formation into a company of the business of Mr. J. Blakey, boot manu- facturer, Leeds. Forster was discharged, but Wilkinson and Beevers were committed for trial to the Assizes. Bail was allowed. Joseph Lomax, sixty-four, a pit sinker, was charged, at Bury, with deserting his wife and family, who have cost the ratepayers over £ 100 in seven years. Lomax, who had already served five terms of imprisonment, was sent to gaol for three months. The African Steamship Company's steamer Coomassie sailed from Liverpool on Saturday for West African ports. She had a large comple- ment of passengers on board, including Captain the Hon. C. J. Coventry, who took part in the Transvaal Raid under Dr. Jameson. Captain Coventry is going out to Benin on special Government service.
THE McCLEVERTY,
THE McCLEVERTY, BY By W. B. NORRIS. "He is a fine specimen of the old-fashioned Highland head of a clan," Saxby remarked,after the tall, grey-haired, military-looking man had left the smoking-room. "Impoverished, like so many of his class, and obliged to let his family place and his shootings, he tells me; but a thorough gentleman, every inch of him. By the way, Moxon, don't call him Mister McClever- ty again. Of course he said nothing, but I could see that he didn't like it. He is The McClever- ty, you know." Saxby has a habit of kindly setting me right upon minor points of etiquette which I confess that I don't relish. However, I took the rebuke good-humouredly, feeling that I had, perhaps, deserved it, and promised to address his friend as "MtCleverty" for the future. We were stay- ing the night at Saxby's house, after having shot his coverts during the day—such being the re- cognised custom in our rather remote county, where distances are considerable, and the roads none too good. Our Scottish fellow-guest, who had shot better than any of us, and with whom I had had some little conversation in the course of the afternoon, had pleased me by his courte- ous manners, which,, if a trifle condescending, were nevertheless friendly ana unaffected. He was, I presumed, one of Saxby's London ac- quaintances. Saxby, upon the strength of hav- ing married ftie daughter of an Irish earl, is rather apt to give himself the airs of a man of fashion, and goes up to London for a few weeks every season-a luxury which some of us can't afford in these hard times, and which, I dare- say, makes the wives of some of us slightly jealous of Lady Emily. When I went up to bed I found my own wife toasting her toes before the fire, and the first thing she said to me was: "John, I have asked The McCleverty to come to us on the 16th, and he thinks he will be able to manage it. It will be such a triumph if we can secure him! Mind you don't forget to renew the invitation to- morrow morning." "I shall be very glad to welcome him, my dear Jane," I replied, "although I don't see quite why I should be exepéted to triumph if I obtain that privilege." "You know very well that we have all those people coming to dinner on the 16th. and that we are a man short," she returned, impatiently. "Oh, don't say that you can get one of the young officers over from York; that wouldn't be at all the same thing. The Saxbys, as I told you, have refused; Lady Emily pretends that she is afraid of the long drive—such rubbish!—and she is trying to persuade The McCleverty to stay on there. Now do you understand?" I partly understood; and I understood still better when Jane went on to mention that the aristocratic Scot had been talking to her about her family, which he had spoken of as one of the most ancient in England, and bad even heard of the family emeralds and diamonds which had passed into her possession. As a matter of fact, Jane's family, though of respectable antiquity, is ne whit superior to that into which she has married, while as for the jewels which she is pleased to describe as heirlooms, they are no- thing of the sort, or they could not have been left to her by her grandmother. However, it is foolish, besides being a great waste of time, to argue against a woman's fixed ideas, and I had no personal objection to entertain the gentle- man who seemed to have been acute enough to 'discover my wife's weak points. The upshot of it was that our appreciative friend joined us before luncheon on the 16th, bringing his valet and a good deal of smart lug- gage. with him. I gathered from this and from some incidental remarks of his that he was only comparatively impoverisbed. He seemed to be upon intimate terms with many distinguished personages, and was, I must say, extremely good company. We went out shooting for an hour or two while the light lasted, and the more I saw of him the better I liked him. But it was at dinner time that he proved him- self a genuine social success. With his high-bred air, his courtly address, and that precise, for- eign-sounding Highland accent of his, he made a facile conquest of our assembled friends and neighbours, and he had something to say to each and all of them. Jane, I need hardly mention. wore the family gems. with the beauty of which he was, or said he was, duly impressed. "Only I do think, my dear Mrs Moxon," said he, laughingly, while he was wishing my wife good night, "that it is rather unwise of you to keep such valuable stones in the house. You ought to let your bankers take charge of them for you. Burglaries are not unknown even in the quiet regions of Yorkshire, I suppose?" It must have been this speech of his that caused me to have a horrid nightmare some hours later, I dreamt that the house was being broken into, and I was as thankful as I always am, under such circumstances, to be awoke by Jane until I made the disagreeable discovery that she had other reasons for shaking me vio- lently than the usual one that I had been shout- ing in my sleep. She was sitting up in bed. with a terrified countenance, and- '•John! John!" she exclaimed, "do get up and see what is the matter. I am sure I can hear somebody moving about downstairs!" The worst of it was that, after listening for a minute, I was equally sure of the same thing, and, without being more of a. coward than other men, I frankly own that the idea of having to sally forth unarmed and face a party of bur- glars, who- were in all probability provided with revolvers, did not fascinate me. Still it was obvious I could not remin where I was and allow my plate to be carried away; so I slipped on my dressing gown, clutched the poker, in default oi a better weapon, and made for the back stairs. I will not deny that my descent was a some- what uncessarily noisy one, nor will I pretend that I was not greatly relieved to hear the sound of precipitately flying footsteps beneath me. I have always been told that burglars, when dis- turbed,prefer running away to showing fight,and I wa.s grateful to these nocturnal marauders for having observed the rule of their profession in that, respect. Of course I was after them like a shot; but my agility is no longer what it was thirty years ago, and I was only in time to ascertain that they had escaped through the back door, which stood wide open. An already distant rattle of hoofs and wheels convinced me that immediate pursuit was out of the question. What would have been the use of Tearing, in a dressing-gown and slippers, after-a trap which was evidently doing a good twelve miles an hour? It was much more to the purpose to ascertain what my losses were, and after I had with much difficulty, aroused the butler and footman (who were apt to sleep heavily on dinner-party nights), I had the satisfaction of discovering that the miscreants had been too much scared to bear away their booty. Some spoons and forks were scattered about the pan- try; but we counted them all, and found that not a single one was missing. I then went up-stairs to reassure Jane, who listened to my narrative with much interest, and, at the conclusion of it, begged me to go at once and thank The McCleverty for the great courage and presence of mind he had displayed. "He came in immediately after you had gone downstairs," she said, and apologised so nicely for intruding upon me. But his first thought was of the jewels. He took possession of the case, assuring me that he would defend my pro- perty with his life. He had a pistol in his hand, and looked as if he quite meant what he said." "Confound the fellow!" I returned, rather crossly; "he might have thought of defending my life and property, since he had a pistol handy." At the same time I was bound to admit that it had been thoughtful of him to remember my wife's valuables; so I hastened to tell him that it was all right and to relieve him of further re- sponsibility. But, alas! it was not all right; it was most distressingly wrong. My reiterated knocks at his bedroom door meeting with no response, I made so bold as to turn the handle when, to my horror and dismay, I found the room empty and the window wide open. Hurry- ing to the latter and craning my head out, I saw, extended upon the grass, the ladder by means of which that arrant impostor had effected his retreat. He had taken his luggage with him too. It was plain as could be that he had carried out his well-laid plan without any need of precipitation. The police were kind enough to explain to me, later on, what that plan had been; though I scarcely required the aid of their perspicacity to divine it. Of course his so-called valet had created the necessary diversion by making a dis- turbance downstairs; of course the butler and the footman had been drugged; of course every detail of the scheme hatTbeen carefully arranged beforehand, and equally of course I was just half-an-hour too late in arriving at the conclu- sion that I had been shamefully swindled. I did what could be done at the time. I dressed myself with all possible despatch, had the horse put into the dogcart and galloped off to York ventre a terre; but need I say that no individu- als answering to my description of the thieves had been noticed at the railway station? The police profess to be upon their track for rather more than a twelvemonth now; but I don't be- lieve that Jane will never see her emeralds again. What does strike me as a little bit hard is that, after all the expense and annoyance to which I have been put-not to speak of the heroism of my conduct on that fatal night-l should be covertly sniggered at by my friends and openly accused by my wife of being no bet- ter than an old noodle. Experience has taught me that it is idle to reason with Jane; so I merely shrug my shoulders when she calmly as- serts that it was I who invited The McCleverty to spend a night beneath our roof. As for Sax- by, he takes no sort of blame to himself in the matter. lIe says he never made himself in any way answerable for a person as to whose respec- tability he had grave doubts, and that he had only asked the fellow to stay because he had ascertained that he was a good shot. I have reminded him of the remark already quoted about "a fine specimen of the old-fashioned Highland head of a clan; "but he declares that he has no recollection of having used such lan- guage, and he has the effrontery to add that a little common sense on my part would have saved me from being victimised as I have been. "Why, my good man," says he, "the name isn't even a Scotch one, and any ordinary book of reference would have told you that there is no such person as The McCleverty in existence!" All the same, I suspect that he has had a baddish time of it with Lady Emily; and. in default of any other consolation, that must serve. (The End).
THE LIQUOR LAWS. I
THE LIQUOR LAWS. I Record of Offences at Caerphilly. The following is a comparative return of convictions for offences in the Caerphilly Petty Sessional Division against the intoxicating liquors laws for three years ended August, 1898. OFFENCES BY LICENSED PERSONS., 1895-6. '96-7. '97-8. Keeping open on Sunday. 3 2 2 Selling adulterated spirits V 0 7 Permitting drunkenness, or selling to drunken persons 0 1 2 Permitting gaming. 1 0 0 Refusing to admit constable. 0 1 0 OFFENCES BY OTHER THAN LICENSED PERSONS. Drunk and riotous. 88 83 .105 Found drunk. 12 37 46 Drunk on licensed premises. 7 6 7 Drunk in charge of a horse and cart. 0 1 1 Refusing to quit. 9 4 S- On licensed premises on Sunday. 9 4 14 Pretending to be a traveller 2 3 2 Giving wrong name. 1 0 Selling without a license. 1 1 1 Totals. 135 143 190
LINES
LINES Read at a private presentation made to Dr Herbert Jones, L.R.C.S., D.P.M., Medieal Officer of Health, Rhondda, September 5th, 1898. His wedding-day anniversary. Pkase accept this minor token From a true and loyal band, You ao gracious, end with honor. Lead along with honest hand; Pure motives pressed us onward, Sll our best you have easy won. Higher honour still awaits you, Greater service to be done. Please accept this minor token On your happy wedded day, Mirth and joy beams the occasion, Sending back a glittering ray; Life is often marre3 by dulness, Controversies loud and long, May your life without intrusion, Be a blissful one of song. Please accept this minor token Though the plaudits are not loud Admiration does not pander, And it shuns the surging -crowd, May this day each year that follow Be unceasing in its flow, With the blessings that enricheth Life worth living here below. T.
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A schoolboy was reading in his Scottish his- tory that at the Battle of Bannockburn, "when the English army saw the new army on the hill behind, their spirits became damped," and so the teacher asked what was meant by "damping their spirits," to which the little Scotchman at once replied, "Pittin' water in their whuskey."