The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

FEARFUL BOILER EXPLOSION. On Saturday evening, shortly before 5 o'clock, the entire city of Peterborough was shaken by an explosion which occurred at the Great Northern engine works. ,The Great Northern Bail way have an extensive plant at Peterborough for the repair and reconstruction of their locomotive engines. The greater part of the trork is done at New England, a distance of a mile and a half from the city, but the passenger engines are repaired in a boiler shed close to the station. It was in this shed that the explosion took place. On Saturday afternoon, at the time stated, most of the naen had left work. There were, however, ten or eleven men employed on the repair of an engine boiler. They had completed their work, and were in the act Lof testing the boiler, when it exploded with a report which shook all the buildings in the neighbourhood and put out most of the gaslights. The shed, a substantial building, about one hundred yards long by forty wide, was rendered almost a total wreck; the glass roof was utterly shattered, and beams and portions of the roof were carried a considerable distance. Earnest efforts were at once made to clear away the ruins and to ascertain the loss of life. In a very few minutes six injured workmen were brought out, and under the boiler of the exploded engine the trunk of a man was found, stripped of clothing, and the head and lega reduced to a pulp. This poor fellow is believed to be Charles Chamberlin, boiler maker, a married man. The heartrending nature of the scene was enhanced by the wives and families of the man crowding round the ruins of the building, anxious to ascertain the fate of their relatives, and tha general glooin was heightened by the fact that the gaa communication had been destroyed by the explo- sion, the being compelled to pursue their labours in removing the rubbish by the light of hand lamps. A visit to the scene of disaster on Sunday reveals the full extent of the wreck. Though large bodies of man have been incessantly employed in removing the debris, the building still presents an appearance marvellous to witness, and the damage to property alone is estimated at between two and three thousand pounds. Since the account p^nabove, another body has been found. It is that ofWilham Corby, a lad fifteen years of age, who have been standing on the boiler at the 1Bra accident. The poor lad was blown through & brick -wall into an adjoining building, known as the runmngjhed. He appears to have struck against an °ko«t twenty yards from the scene of the accident, and tb have been literally smashed to pieces. »ud legs were picked up in one corner eight yards fixnn ithe trunk of the body. His head wa3_ completely shat- tered, and half his skull was found m his cap, on the girder against which he struck one oi ms braces and a pair of stockists yet remained, and even the skylight was bespattered wim his blood. Mackness, one of the poor fellows conveyed to the infirmary, died on Saturday night from the fearful injuries he received. This, with the unfortunate man Chamberlin, whose mutilated and headless body has been with difficulty recovered, makes three deaths at present reported. Kightly, the Otfher man lying at the infirmary, is going on well. The company have given orders that the widows and families of the sufferers shall be visited and receive every attention. The engine which caused the accident had3 been sent from Grantham to have a leak repaired. The men had put two patches on the boiler, and were trying it to ascertain if there were any farther leakages, when a couple of the boiler plates gave way, with the terrible consequences recorded. It is said they had only a pressure of 125 lbs. to the square inch, which is 5 lbs. less than the testing pressure. Had the ex- plosion occurred on any other day but Saturday there would have been from fifty to sixty men in the shed, and the loss of life must have been fearful. An inquest was opened on the bodies of the de- ceased on Monday morning, when the bodies were, viewed by the jury, and the depositions of a number. of witnesses taken, and the case was adjottmed.

'ATMADMAN IN A RAILWAY TRAIN. One evening last week two gentlemen were return- ing by rail from Whitehaven to Liverpool by the night express train from the, north. They had apparently only one fellow-passenger, and he did not appear until they had proceeded some distance beyond Carnforth Station. They were then alarmed by seeing a tall, ferocious-looking person, with a huge beard and moustache, wildly running along the carriage steps, and moving backwards and forwards in a most extra- ordinary manner. As the train was proceeding at a rapid rate, the person in question appeared to be exposing himself to the greatest danger. Amongst other strange movements, he looked into the compart- ment in which the two gentlemen were sitting, and, bursting out into a kind of hysterical laugh, he asked them who the d 1 they were. The gentlemen so addressed naturally formed the, opinion that the man was demented; and on the arrival of the train at Lancaster they called the attention of the porter to the circumstance; but, as if having method in his madness," he was then quietly seated in his car- riage. and was allowed to proceed in the train. Shortly after leaving Lancaster he resumed his eccentric and dangerous. performances on the carriage steps, which he continued all the way to Preston, where the train arrived a few minutes before eleven o'clock. Here, again, the attention of the porters was called to his conduct, but, as at Lancaster, he had managed to seat himself in his carriage, and was quiet, and the autho. rities did not feel justified in detaining him, In a few minutes the train again started, and between Preston and Wigan his conduct became still more extra- ordinary and alarming. The train was going at a very rapid pace, during which the man was seen to skip along the carriage steps backwards and for. wards, displaying the agility of a cat. At one moment he was seen, whilst the next, like an apparition, he was out of sight. On more than one occasion he looked into the carriage where the two gentlemen were sitting, and, presenting a pistol, declared his intention of shooting them. The terror and alarm which this threat caused may be easily conceived, for the two gentlemen were not in a position to offer any resistance to the madman. It was a great relief to them when the train arrived at Wigan, a little before half-past eleven o'clock. Feeling that their lives were in jeopardy, they jumped out of the train, determined to go no further if their fellow traveller were allowed to proceed. They informed the authorities there of his extraordinary conduct during the whole of the journey from Carnforth, and ultimately he was taken into custody at Wigan, when he was found to be suffer- ing under a violent attack of delirium tremens.

FOUNDERING OFTHESTEAMEB NORTH AMERICAN. Loss of nearly 200 Lives. The steamer Peruvian, which has just arrived at Liverpool from Portland, brings intelligence of a fear- ful calamity which occurred on the 23rd December last, in the Mexiean Gulf, by the foundering of the steamer North American, and the loss of 197 lives. The commander of the ill-fated steamer, Captain Marshall, states that the North American left New Orleans on the 16th December, and the South West Pass on the 18th, with 203 sick soldiers, 12 cabin pas- sengers,. and a crew numbering 44. She had i a) weather until noon of the 20th. At four o'clock p.m. of that day it commenced blowing heavily from the S.S.W., with a heavy sea running, and the vessel laboured and strained greatly. On the 22nd the weather moderated in the early part of the day, but at noon the gale began to increase, and the engineer reported that the ship was- leaking badly. At one p.m. he reported the water to be gaining in the hold. The course of the ship was then changed to the west- ward. Took off the fore and main hatch, and discovered water running in forward. They cut away the ceiling, to try to stop the leak by caulking it, but could not. They next put blankets and sails over the bow, but all to no purpose, as the water continued to gain very fast. At 2.15 p.m. they spoke the barque Mary E. Libby, Captain Libby, bound from Cardenas, Cuba, for Portland. Captain Libby, upon learning the situa- tion of the steamer, said he would remain and take all on board his vessel if necessary. At 2.30 p.m. the water put the fires out. The boats were then got ready, and at 3.30 the first boat started for the barque, with the chief engineer and all the lady passengers. Six boat loads were got aboard the barque; the seventh boat at dark, with the purser, pilot, and eight men, is supposed to have been lost, as it never reached the Mary E. Libby. The eighth and last boat, with the captain, first and second officers, and eight men, left the steamer at 7.30 p.m. The boats were hoisted aboard the barque at 9 p.m. It being impossible to return to the steamer that night, the barque made sail and proceeded towards the steamer, her lights all in sight—distant about six miles. About 1 a.m. the lights disappeared suddenly, and the steamer must have foundered than, as at daylight nothing could be seen but a water cask belonging to the steamer. The barque cruised about until noon, when all hope was relinquished, and she proceeded on her course. Out of 259 souls which were on board when the North American sailed from New Orleans, only 62 were saved. Among those who went down wit-h the vessel ware Colonel Saunders and Lieutenant-Colonel Home.

NORTH LONDON WORKING CLASSES' INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. Distribution of Prizes. On Monday the distribution of prizes in connection with the North London Working Classes' Industrial Exhibition took place at Exeter-hall, when the Earl of Shaftesbury presented to every exhibitor a memorial volume and certificate of such prize as the judges had awarded. The Sol-fa choir was in attendance, and opened the proceedings by singing All people that on earth," &c. The Rev. Mr. Gent then offered up a prayer, and in the intervals between the several addresses the choir sung, Oh be joyful; Whitfield's In Jewry is God known; Rowley's Worlrmon's Chorus; Mendels- sohn's "Departure;" Flower's "Now pray we for our Country;" and the Old Hundredth." Miss Stirling presided at the organ. Mr. Smithies then said he should always be anxious to push forward anything having for its object the advancement of the working men. The first Working Men's Exhibition, held twelve months ago, had already largely brought forth its fruit; in that exhibition there was a model made by a working man showing what he believed a working man's home should be; and one of the railwaycom.panies having seen that model were building houses corresponding with it on their line for the working classes. And the exhibitor had had applications from 300 workmen in different parts of the country asking for drawings, as they wanted to promote the building of suitable houses for them to live in. Having spoken of the excellence of the exhibition and its homa influence, he concluded with an invitation to the men to help themselves, and God would help them. Mr. Samuel Morley rejoiced in the establishment of J these exhibitions, as they were calculated to bring out the powers known to exist in the working classes. Reference had been made to the fact that though wealth had greatly increased in this country, it, was said that its distribution was not so satisfactory. He hoped that means would be found, if there were any want of- fairness in the dealing between capital and labour, of remedying the evil, and he thought these exhibitions tended in that direction. He also invited the working men to form working men's clubs, where they could meet for mutual improvement. He had at- tended discussions at these clubs, and believed they J ™Tlcb good. He had heard discussions on strikes admirably conducted in them, and he would say here that he thought the working classes had a right to strike if they thought fit, and on the whole that strikes had done good for men. He hoped that the noble earl in the chair would offer some of that good advice, for which he was so remarkable, as to the best means of securing that good feeling and co- operation which it was so desirable should exist be- tween all classes, and rectifying any disproportion between capital and labour. Mr. Assistant Judge Payne then briefly addressed ) the meeting, pointing out the the utility of exhibitions of this kind, which were the outgrowth of the inter- national disolay of 1851, and concluded with his 2,054th poetical tail piece. The Secretary having read the report of the adjudi- cation of awards, stated that they would be unable to give every exhibitor a memorial volume, because a large number of them had been destroyed by a fire at the bookbinders'; but these would be delivered on the Itt of Maroh. The report stated that the original idea, the orgenimation, and the successful results, were solely due to working men, aa exhibitors, committee men, and honorary secretaries* They had deelined many /r tenders of pecuniary .assistance from the wealthy, but: had not hesitated giratefully to accept spontaneous offers of guarantee feom well-wishers to the experi- ment, in the full confidence, now, happily, more than realised, that the necessity for having recourse to them would not arise. The Response of th workmen to the invitation to exhibit enthusiastic, and resulted in a contribution of seveial thousand miscellaneous articles, upon the merits Ilf which the adjudicators j had to form a judgment. The Prize Certificates. These, we should observe, are .,n the Italian style of > art, printed in chromo-lithography. The design con- sists of a decorated arch and frieze, 'n which are scrolls bearing the words, North LondonWorking Classes' Industrial Exhibition." In the centra of the arch is placed a shield containing a bee-hive vith the motto, "Nothing without Industry." Within the span is a view of the Exhibition from photographs taken at the time. This is supported by two figures -epresenting Strength and Beauty, which are ever utfted in the best workmanship. Then we have Fame ai^ Fortune, and above their heads are the inscriptions," Opened by the Right Hon. Earl Russell, October 17th.1864; and "Closed by the Right Hon. W. E. Ghjgtone, November 7th, 1864." The centre contains lie ex- hibitor's name, the degree of award, the date oi pre- sentation, and fac-similes of the signatures of Rarl Russell, Mr. Gladstone, the Earl of Shaftesbury, nd the hon. secretary. The awards consisted of First-class Prizes, SeeoU. class Prizes, and Honourable Mentions, the desigu being in each case the same, but the mounting dif- fering in value according to its degree. The extra prizes were as follows:—Presented by Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin-Four volumes of "CasaoH's Natural History;" a, splendid volume of "Cassell's.Illustrated Banyan;" four copies of Our Exemplars, Poor and Rich;" four copies of John Cassell's Prize Essays, by Working Men and Women." Presented by the United Branches of the Silver Trades' Society-The Art Journal Catalogue of the International Exhibition of 1862. Presented by Mrs. Broderip, daughter of the late Thomas Hood—Three copies of the poetical works of the late poet. Presented by the editor of the British Workman- Six copies, complete, of that paper. Presented by Mr. T. Herbert-Two pairs of domestic scales, with weights. It was a pleasing sight to see the gratified looks of the recipients of these prizes as they were handed to them by Lord Shaftesbury, who ever and anon speci- ally noticed either a youthful designer or a lady prize- holder. Earl Shaftesbury then presented the prizes, the choir singing, as he commenced, See, the conquering hero comes." Several females being amongst the successful competitors were heartily cheered on going on the platform to receive their prizes. The distribu- tion occupied upwards of an hour and a half, there being about 900 volumes to be given. This volume was an illustrated history of the exhibition, beautifully printed by Messrs. Patter and Galpin, and .bound in cloth: gilt with gilt edges. The Earl of Shaftesbury Although the evening was very far advanced, and many must be weary of the proceedings of the evening, he should be sorry to part from them, without, on behalf of the public, expressing the deep pleasure they had experienced in the hopes they had seen of the bright future that seemed tb open upon the British Empire, Two great men had; preceded him—one to open, one to close the exhi- bition—and he had now to present the prizes. Never were rewards more justly won or more freely and joyously given. He liked the way the men had come forward with the simple and generous notion of showing what their class was capable of, to show that they had acquirements which, if turned to proper advantage and well directed, must be of benefit to the country at large. He, on behalf of the public, thanked them for the manner they had come forward. Everyone must have been struck in these exhibitions that the bulk of the exhibits were produoed. by men not construating, things in accordance with their usual avocations, that they produced articles quite the reverse of what they were daily, eagaged in malting. This diversity of toil nearly doubled the intellectual energies of a man, and: the change of labour became a recreation, as the men, going from one to another, took up the second with a fresh energy. The noble earl then referred to Sir Matthew Hale and Southey as instances of the relief that the mind ob- tained from the change of labour. He had been told that it had been proposed that the men should be confined in future exhibitions to the work in which they were daily engaged. Heaven forbid that such an interdict should go forth; these were not speculations for money to surpass other countries in a particular branch of industry; their object was to give a useful and healthy recreation to embellish the monotony of toil (hear, hear), to give a safety valve, an en- couragement to taste, and to direct that which, if not directed aright, would go to evil--the power of man's imagination; this would encourage men to foriake evil habits to which they had been ad- dicted; to spend their leisure time in their homes; then would their wives reoeive them gladly, and the home would be happy. This would be recreation; but if the interdict were to be laid, how were the exhibi- tions to bo carried out ? Was the blacksmith at the end of his day's work to return to his forge, or the tailor to his board ? and, moreover, it would exclude many deserving men, for they had gaslighters, coster, mongers, and hairdressers exhibiting. How were these to exhibit hereafter? Was the gaslighter to be per- petually lighting gas, the haircutter cutting hair, and ,h the costermonger wheeling his barrow? Was it no great thing to say that hundreds-and they would soon be thousands-—of working men had weaned themselves from evil habits to produce so many evidences of taste, in which they had incurred some expense, no doubt, but expenses drawn from the pocket of the keeper of tho gin palace and the beer-j seller? The working men had now a position. They were, he might say, the conscript fathers; and whilst ] he was not about to enter into the vexed question of temperance, he asked the men to do everything to crush that great tyraniiy-the drinking usages that prevailed. To those who had not a prize he would say, Do not despair." it was a great thing to havia tried- to achieve something. Failure might be better to them sometimes and to the public than success, for in trying to achieve the latter great discoveries were often made. As for those who had won, he congratulated them from the bottom of his heart. He thanked them, too, for the generous efforts they had made, and the glorious and un- selfish example they had set them was an honour,, that prize and non-prizeholders might participate in them. If their example had spread as a con- tagion throughout the country he rejoiced to see this. He concluded by expressing the serious, solemn, and deep satisfaction he and the public had ex- perienced. Every man who eared for the honour of his country, for the welfare of mankind, must rejoice in these exhibitions that opened up so bright a future. He prayed that God would bless them in their homes and their families, and make them good, and virtuous, and true, and then in the end take them to himself, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." A vote of thanks to the noble chairman closed the proceedings. —♦ —

Highland Ostenta.tion.A good story is told of a small laird, who contemplated the erection of a magnificent castle on a very limited territory, with reference to which one of his neighbours humo- rously remarked, "I wonder on whose ground intends to encroach when he carries his plans into execution." This pitiable love of show is, of course, accompanied by a vast amount of discomfort, to which our more sensible English neighbours are utter strangers. The snug and cheerful mansion which ao- commodates an English gentleman with a sure rental of Jsi.0,000 a year, would be regarded as insufficierfi by many a Scotch laird with an uncertain income of as many hundreds. Unfortunately the same tenancy is discernible among our professional and comwercial classes, who too frequently sacrifice real enjoyment to mere external display. In his letters from Scotland, written about the year 1739, Oapt. Burt refers to the ludiorous misapplication of to"M,s on the part of the Scotch with the view of acquiring importance. "A peddliBg shopkeeper," he says, that sells a penny- worth of thread, is a merchant; tie person who is sent for that thread has -reeaivedia commission; and, bringing it to the sender, is making report. I. biu, to let you knew there is a single room to be let, is called a placard; the doors are ports; an. enclosed field of two acres is a park; and the wife of a liaird of X15 a year is a lady, and ti'satsd' with your ladyship." Calces, Leelcs, Falldiqtgs, and POtah;es-"

1 SEVERE GALE, Loas of Life and Serious Accidents, The violent gale of wind and raiu which raged in Jie metropolis, and to a greater or less extent all over England, on Thursday and Friday last, attained to a perfect hurricane on Saturday, such as has not been equalled for many years. On Friday night the wind ? accompanied by heavy showers of rain and falls of sleet, which .had previously blown from west, changed to south-west, and thus it continued all night. The river during the whole of Saturday overflooded the baiihs, and at Lambeth, Vauxhall, and Battersea, many of the streets leading to the river were flooded and rendered impassable. The works of the Thames Embankment were also seriously interrupted by the force of the hurricane and the great height of the water, and at that portion of the works between the tenipie and Somerset-house, where the embankment is already formed, the water had completely reachad the top of the groundwork. If. the water had risen a few feet higher serious damage to the works mut,t have resulted. The top of the temporary staging on which all the machinery, engines, &c., for carrying out the works are placed, was also reaehed by the water, and the greatest precautions had to be taken to avoid accident, the force of the wind being frequently so ^^uity About four o'clock on Saturday morning, when the gale was blowing with o^at-violence, a loud noise was heard m Plumtree-cour. Holborn. The court is a densely-populated thorou^fare> leading- from Shoe- lane into Holborn, and the \ouse where the accident occurred, numbered 23, was re^ed hy a Mr> Wats Iho ?at,la tenements. T^ top of the house S occupied by three married coupler on the second NO>r were a man and a married COU^q n„ +1.^ floe, a father with his two children am ,anoJ-hAi» msTi wort sleeping; and on the ground 'flou s]mi. M. Wat^ji and his wife. At the tima men« lh' wind a.ew with such power as to force dowj.. „ _<• ™ j fta on the premises of Messrs. Pontiff j Wood, t^d in its descent it completely cajrried awa.> another tf less dimensions. The direction of the fall was towaas Plumtree court, where the ponderous pile of brn'fcwork fell on the house already named, forcing the -oof completely in, and causing each floor to fall in suction, A large portion of the baok wall of the Angeiyard, Farringdon-street, was knocked down, and thv iroa roof of the foundry of Messrs. Pontifex was tn to pieces. From the quantity of dust flying abouvifc was impossible at first.to see what had occasioned sojnuoh alarm and but a few minutes elapsedbeforeseval fire-engines and an escape were on the spot, as it we4 conjectured that a fire had broke out. The extent oi the calamity was then discovered, and the cries of theooor creatures buried in the ruins were most distressing No time was lost in endea- 'vouring to extricate tatm-a task performed chiefly by the police. In a little iiore than an hour all the un- fortunate inmates were liund. One man and his wife named Hager, were at oDe removed to the hospital, having received severe sqlp wounds and fractures; and at half-past twelve a misage was forwarded to tell those friends who wished tosee them to do so at once, as their case was hopeless. Another man named J. Martin was also sent to tht same hospital severely injured; and the wife of the landlord (Mr. Watson) was likewise taken there in consequence of internal injuries. She and her husbant were sleeping at the back of the house, and both wvre precipitated down the kitchen stairs and were takei out of the area in front. An elderly woman named Catherine Fitzgerald fell from the attic in her bed to tie basement, acd, as in the case of the other lodgers, was much shaken and hurt. It is needless to sayth.,t the loss to the poor creatures is severe, all theii furniture being broken to pieces. In some instancep. clothing had to be procured for them from the workhouse. A Portsmouth correspondent writeï A strong gale sprung up from the south-west en Friday, and continued with but slight intermission until late on Saturday night. The only serious casualty we have heard of at present, however, is the folhwing :-The schooner Ocean, of Plymouth, name of tht master not known here, was coming up channel 01 Saturday night, bound for Sunderland, and laden with clay. By some miscalculation not explained sh. got too closely in shore, and struck the ground on a cangerous shoal near the entrance of Langstone harboir, about four miles from Portsmouth. The sea broke over the ship with great violence, and the crew took to the rigging for safety, but one man and one boj were washed overboard and drowned. The master anl two men were afterwards rescued by the marine artilery boat at Fort Cumberland, manned by fishermen. The vessel now lies with her hull just under water, md masts standing, but there seema to be no hope of ler recovery." From Plymouth we learn that heavy squalls of wind prevailed on Friday and Saturday, and on Friday night the weather was particularly severe. On Sunday the weather was, however, abating, although it was still occasionally squally and wet. The damage done here has been but trifling. At Keyham-yard a leaf of the principal gate at the main entrance to the yard was blown down on Saturday morning and broken. The Geyser, 6, poddle sloop, Commander Arthur T. Thrupp, had one of her paddle-boxes endangered by coming in contact with a quay; but it was cleared with but scarce any damage being done. Among the merchant shipping at that port, those in the Sound held on to their anchors in safety. A correspondent at Boulogne says On Saturday about noon, whilst blowing a violent gale from the W.S.W., the brig True Blue, of Newport, Captain Miner, 197 tons, laden with barley, stranded about half a mile to the west of this port; the captain and crew had previously endeavoured to save themselves by taking to the boat, whea about four miles off the land, which, after great exertion, they had nearly reached, when she struck the rocks, and the captain and six men unfortunately perished, the mate and cook only being saved by four men belonging to Portel."

Shipwreck and Loss of Eighteen Lives. The splendid new paddle steamer Lelia, Captain Skinner, bound to Wilmington via Bermuda, foundered early on Saturday morning off the north-west light- house. Eighteen of the crew were drowned. The Lelia was built for the blockade running business, and was of large burden. The Liverpool lifeboat No. 1 went out at noon on Sunday, to bring off from the north-west lightship the men saved from the blockade runner Lelia, which foundered on Saturday night. The lifeboat was towed out by a tug, and when between Fairway buoy and the north-west lightship the lifeboat capsisad in a heavy sea. Seven men out of a crew of eleven were drowned. The crew did not wear the life belts pre- scribed by the regulations. j

THE WIFE POISONING CASE A? BATH, On Wednesday afternoon the corona A- H, -Eng- On Wednesday afternoon the corona A. H, -Eng- lish, Esq., resumed the inquiry into cihÐ casQ of the death of Mary Fisher, who it was alleged had taken poison, in conjunction with h:e" husband, from the effects of which she died. TAo husband, who is a shoemaker, recovered under zaedicai treatment. The Coroner said the inquiry had been adjourned for the purpose, if POssille, of getting more evidence as to whether the deeded voluntarily took the poison for the purpose of ;estroying herself, but it did not appear that the pc>ioe had been successful. The only evidence of that was the statement of the husband. His admission "vollid be sufficient to criminate himself, but he (the coroner) was bound to say that what one person said of another would not be evidence when not given in the ordinary form upon oath. When the husband was apprehended, he stated that they agreed to takJ poison together, and that they each took about the came quantity, and upon that the jury were asked to charge her by their verdict with committing wilful wiurder upon herself. He did not think they would the Ame quantity, and upon that the jury were asked to charge her by their verdict with committing wilful wiurder upon herself. He did not think they would be justified in coming to such a decision without further evidence. It was a charge of felony, and therefore ought to be well established. The husband might have administered the poison to her secretly and clandestinely, and afterwards took some himself. It was for the jury to say whether she died from the effects of poison administered by her husband, or whether she knowingly and intentionally took it her- self. In either case their verdict against the husband must be that of wilful murder. Subsequently the coroner understood that there were two persons in the gallery who wished to make a statement affecting the case, said the following evidence was then talen Sophia Morment, of 35, Walcot-street, tht sister of Henry Fisher, said: Abont a week before thriatmas, hearing that my brother and his wife weP in a low, miserable state of mind" I called upon thed. I asked them what the master, and said I thought they were very foolish. They both a &nd Mrs. 'Fisher remarked, "Work is short; what shall we do? We have only the union in prospeat." I said, "One would tmnk you had a half-dozen children, and no bread to give them." Mrs. Fisher replied, "I wish we could die together, and be found dead to-morrow morning in bed." I remonstrated with them, and on leaving asl-ed if I might kiss my brother. She said Xou may for it may be the last time." Ail that my brother said^was, '• Missus wishes us to die tog-'htr." person, in reply to the coroner, said it was be- -rvr rlr's ^ad in the savings b wk. 0 Mrs. Scott, wife of Albert. Scott, house decorator, of Wj -Dorchester-street, said: The day after Christraaa- aay ray husband invited the deceased and her hasfoaad to spend the evening with us. They talked about machinery injuring their trade, and complained of being badly off, stating that they had nothing but the union before them. Mrs. Fisher also said se.veral times that she wished she and her husband could go to bed and die ta-at very night. I said, "You deat'i ™ Shefajd "I do> this very night." Mrs. Mormenb added that the deceased had placed everything clean in the bed, put on clean linen herself. a? ,1T ,? her best nightcap, so that she £ ^tt haTO th&oredlfc> a-PParently, of being clean and The Coroner remarked that the statements of the two last witnesses furnished strong presumptive evidence that the deceased had some- knowledge of what was being done, and that what her husband said with respect to her acting in concert with him was likely to be true. It was for the jury to say whether she committed felonious suicide. The Jury, after consulting together for some time. returned a verdict of Felo de se in the case of the wife, and of Wiifal Murder against the husband.

THE SPIRIT WIFE. Respectfully Dedicated to all Ardent Believers ia tht Feats of ths DAVENPORT BBOTHEBS. CHAPTER HI. ^<jugh I fairly confess I was startled Though the spectre said, Come, choose a wife;- When VALnwt believe I was frightened Yet it was a gfga i/.e visits bloomed to life When the lady betfi more astounding And asked, Could I relflJLmy ohalr,1 (If prepared by herself) soflitPjipper Of course I directly assented, a.ir ? And said with a grave, meaning smile, That Miss Di. (now the wife of your servant) Was commencing in quite correct style, For what dish, for a tired husband's supper* rrl Should a new married lady prepare (Provided that wife be a spirit), Excepting some nicely jugged ba" ? Agreed then," the maiden said, laughing "J ust finish your pipe and pale ale, While I go and look after the supper;" I bowed, and said, "Di., I'll not fail." Ere I'd emptied the jug of Falernieu- Ere I'd finished the pipe number three, The door opened, and in walked Diaaa, Saying roguishly, On a servi." We sat down, the lady presided; The supper was really first-rate; And we ate it in very great comfort, If not in a great deal of state. I said we," but I have written a falsehood-- My fault I must try to repair; For while off jugged hwrø I was supping, Miss Di. made her meal off jugged ait%i After supper she left your poor servant To finish his last pipe in peace; As he smoked, he considered the truth of The proverb that, Wonders ne'er cease." Here was he-a. poor wretch of an author- Who knew what beef, mutton, and beer For two cost per annum, well married By a ghost on a hundred a year. Oh, much vaunted Davenport Brothers, In all the grand feats you've essayed, Have you e'er achieved one half so wondrous As to wed with a spectre-born maid ? You may bring forth spirit hands by the dozon We'll admit they're rather like life, You may'scape from America's lock-up-* Can you wed with a spirit-born wife ? You may do wondrous things in rope-tying, And, presto, behold you are free; You may make most delicious ghost music, Such fearsome enchanters are ye; Miss Anderson challenge, and Sutton, Will allow you to win in that strife; But from cabinet, ropes, and aecordeons, Can you bring forth a spirit-born wife ? TO THE BRITISH PUBLIC, Then, why throng to the Davenport Brothers, And guineas and half-guineas pay, When our office in Fleet-street possesses A magician more weird-like than they P Who at breakfast, and dinner, and supper, In fact for the rest of his life, ? Wheresoever he goes will be haunted By this-lady—hia spirit-born wile. Don't forget this same fact when you're paseing, And pray be so kind ag. to call, And remember if you're disappointed The price of admission is small. If he's not there, just drive to his dwelling (To name it were worth more than life), If you're ghostly inclined, ho may* ask you To dine with his spirit-born wife. By the Editor.-He may, but we don't think it by any means likely.

COLLISION ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. While the hurricane which prevailed on Saturday morning was at its highest, another collision occurred on the Great Western Railway, and like those which recently took place at Pangbourne aad Slough, was, fortunately, unaccompanied^ with loss of human life, although attended with serious damage to the com- pany's stock and causing a delay to the passenger aad goods trafSo on the line. It seems that two trucks, one of vhich was laden and the other empty, were left on Friday jight on the siding of the up-line at W alljâgford-road Station, and all was safe until between four and five o'clock on Saturday morning, when the gale blew with such terrific force that it set the trucks in metion, and they continued running as far as the village of Stoke, absut a rnila and a half distant, and midway between Wallingford-road and Goring Stations, when they were overtaken by an up narrow gauge coal train from Wolverhampton, and a fearful collision was the result. It was, of course, dark at the time, and as the driver could not see the rl trucks, the train ran into them at full speed, forcing the truck which was laden with corn completely off its wheels, and considerably damaging the tender and engine. A pair of wheels belonging to the corn truck became so embedded in the earth, that no less than than eleven trucks, heavily laden with coal, were, with the engine and tender, thrown off the line, and all more or less damaged. The permanent way was torn up for some distance, and a large quantity of coal thrown out of the trucks, and thus both lines were blocked up. Every precaution was taken to prevent the occurrence of an additional casualty; but most unfortunately the strong wind blew a signal post across the telegraph wires and stopped all communi- cation between Goring, Reading, and Paddington, and the intermediate stations. Under these circumstances, a message was conveyed to Didcot, from whence a telegram was forwarded to Oxford. A body of work- men were thereupon sent from Oxford to the scene of the collision, and assistance being also procured from Swindon and Reading, the down line was cleared. The luggage trains which were stopped in their pro- gress, and presented a scene almost equaling that lately witnessed at Pangbourne, then proceeded on their journeys, and the single line was made available for the whole of the traffic. —

Kever say Die.—One day last season, a gentle- man, who for the nonce we will call Mr. Jones, was out hunting with a pack of hounds in Scotland. They found a fox and went away, and after running some time came to a very big fence with a biggish brook on the other side. Mr. Jon,s went at it and in it, but after a few moments reappeared on the surface with his face apparently streaming with blood. Good God! cried a friend, "he has broken his head; he'll be killed! 11 Qh, not at all," said another; it's only the dye from his hair." Mr. Jones went under water with hair of a. reddish-brown hue, and same up quite white.