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Leader (1850-1860), 22nd March 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 266, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      tax is evaded in . a great variety of ways . He ¦ would only refer to the general practice now adopted of inserting advertisements in books and other publications on which no duty at all was levied . These advertisements were clearly ¦ within the meaning of the statute , and liable to duty , but it was well known that no duty was paid . The tax was only exacted on those published in the newspapers , reviews , magazines , and periodicals of that kind . The duty was evaded in other ways ; he need only refer to the new plan adopted at some of the railway stations of allotting certain space for this purpose professedly to obviate the necessity of putting advertisements in newspapers at . all . In no other country , so far as he was aware , was any duty levied on adverfisements .

      Mr . Grant thought that , viewed as a mere question of humanity , the tax ought to be repealed . There were always many people in want of situations ; they were charged by the journals 3 s . for each advertisement . Of that sum Is . 6 d . was tax . Now 3 s . was a small sum , but really a serious sum to many poor persons , who might be weeks together out of employment . Mr . Hunt : It is calculated that there are usually 10 , 000 servants out of place in London . Mr . Francis also complained of the pressure of the tax on the exertions of literary men , for its direct tendency was to restrict the publication and circulation of books of an educational character .

      Mr . Grant had been informed by Mr . Colburn , the publisher , that he considers no work properly advertised under an expenditure of from £ 70 to £ 100 . If the duty were removed , publishers would be enabled to advertize to a much larger extent . Lord John Russell thanked the deputation for the information they had afforded , but said they must remember that there were other cases quite as strong as theirs .

      Untitled Article

      A CHLOROFORM JtOlSUUKY ' . Doctors differ as to whether chloroform , in ho very < langerouH an agent in the IumuIh of the thieving fraternity an sundry unfortunate victims relate . Illnatured people insinuntc that most of lh « chloroform stories are mere inventioiiH to account lor mysterious nocturnal wanderings . On which side the truth lies "we shall not presume to decide . We ha-ve merely to report a cane which came before Mr . Arnold , ait Wortthip'Htrtiet i ' olice Court , on Monday , in winch Mary Ann Maiync , n woman of the town of masculine appearance , wiih changed with having ndiuiniutcrcd a quantity of chloroform or other deleterious drug to Mr . John Ewcntjon , and robbed him of a purse containing £ 10 i > . 4 . ( 5 d . EweiiHon , u tull , powerful pornon , who did not look like one ¦ yrho could bo

      easily put down , gave the following account of his capture : — " I reside at Allanmouth , in Northumberland , and am master of a trading vessel between Hull and the Thames . My vessel arrived in the St . Katharine ' s D ocks on Thursday afternoon , and be tween seven and eight o ' clock in the evening I went to a tavern on Tower-hill to meet a friend , who is captain of another ship , upon business , and during the transaction of it we each drank three glasses of ale . That is all I had drunk the whole day . I was as perfectly sober then as I am now , knew thoroughly what I was about , and as a proof of it I may mention that having changed a sovereign to pay for the ale , I placed the change , 19 s . 6 d ., in one end of my 10 in old in the

      purse , and saw that I had £ 9 s . g other . On placing the purse in my pocket my friend and I left the house together , and had only gone a short distance when we were accosted by the prisoner , but we did not notice what she said and went on , and after the close of our conversation we separated , and I returned in the direction of the docks to rejoin ray ship . On going back a short way , however , I was again stopped by the prisoner , who pressed me to go home with her , and kept walking at my side , but I refused , and the instant I had done so she gave me a dab on the mouth with something like a handkerchief she had in her hand , and from that moment I had not the slightest recollection of anything that took place until I was woke up about four o ' clock on the following morning by a

      powerful black man , and found myself in a miserable room , ljing upon a bed with , all my clothes on . The black man peremptorily ordered me out of the house , and I was so confused that I mechanically obeyed him , but after walking down the street in the air a short way I thought of my money , and on thrusting my hand into my pocket I found that the purse and money were both gone . 1 shortly after met a policeman , whom I told that I had been robbed , and , having described the circumstances and the house I had been turned out of , he at once took me back to it , and on entering the same room we found the woman in bed with the black man . The constable ordered her to sit up , and the instant she did so I recognised her as the same woman who had given me the dab on the mouth , and from beside her the officer

      picked up my handkerchief . I he constable then gave the prisoner over to another officer , and searched the place , though without finding any of my money , but upon examining the privy belonging to the house he fished up my green silk purse from the top of the soil , but all the money was gone . " The constable who took the woman into custody said that Ewenson had a confused , stupified appearance when he met him , which , is not surprising , if , as was stated by another witness , he did not go home with the masculine-looking woman till two in the morning . The unfortunate skipper wished the magistrate to decide the case at once , as his vessel was ready to sail , but Mr . Arnold had no power to do that . He must send the prisoner befoie a jury .

      Untitled Article

      TWO FATAL EXPLOSIONS . Two frightful accidents have occurred during the last few clays , both attended with the loss of many lives , and both entailing severe distress upon the surviving relatives who were dependent upon the earnings of those who have been killed . At the village ofNitshill , a few miles from Paisley , an awful explosion of firedamp took place on Saturday morning . The Victoria Pit , in which the explosion took place , is the deepest in Scotland , being 1050 feet in depth at the downcast shaft , which is situated about the centre of the southern edge of the workings , from whence the inclination of the strata tends

      upwards to the north , at an angle of about one foot in five , so that at the upcast shaft or pit , which is about a quarter of a mile distant from the working pit , the workings are only 780 feet below the surface . The plan of the workings represents an oblong square , occupying about fifty acres ; the portions of the coal seam worked representing a Heries of passages of about eighteen feet wide , crossing ench other at right angles , und leaving what are called pillars , or rectangular cubes of coal of eighteen yards by eleven . The whole workings thus present the appearance of at tartan check . The uir is carried along the luce of the workings by means of

      projecting wooden partitions , which cause the air to take a tortuous course . The pit wain in full operation , and turned out two hundred and forty tons of coal per diuin . The only mode of accounting for the accident in by assuming that there must have been a sudden tanking or colliiptic in the roof , by which the ventilating procoaa would bo deranged und obstructed ; the foul gnu would collect in consequence of the obstruction in some spot , which would nerve the purpose of a gUHometcr , und this * would explode the moment the lamp wim brought in contact with it , overwhelming aill who were within the range of its furious Hwecp .

      Saturday being pay day , a larger nu mber of the men employed in the pit had commenced work ait an curlier hour than is utmal on other daiya , and at the time the explosion took plaice oixty-three men and boya had gone down . Thin whs aibout twenty minutes to five o'clock , ut which time ai largo number of " dn . wern" und trappern " were standing on tho pit-heaid , waiting their turn to be taken down . Many of the people threw themselves on their fuccH and the debriH showered on their boiliew , although nothing cumo up large enough to hurt them . It i « oHtimuted

      that the explosion continued two minutes , and gave several successive shocks or heaves , the first by far the loudest , until the pent-up vapour had expended itself , and all was still . It was distinctly heard at the distance of a mile and a half . When the explosion was over , the shaft presented a scene of wreck and havoc such as perhaps was never seen on any similar occasion of a coal-pit explosion . The woodwork had been blown from the bottom of the shaft , which is 1 75 fathoms from the surface , and scattered for 100 yards all around the pit head in a perfect shower . The same appearances were presented around the ventilating pit mouth called the ? ' Free Trader , " and situated at the distance of half a mile from the main down-shaft .

      To give an idea of the force of the explosion , we may state that the mouth of this ventilating pit had been covered over flush with the ground with heavy flooring timbers , and the air and smoke which ascended from it had been led by a tunnel along the surface to the bottom of a tall chimney , which had been erected at a distance of a dozen yards , for the purpose of increasing the draught . The force of the explosion , however , tore away the timbers as if they had been laths , scattering the fragments in all directions , and entirely cutting away the connection between the ventilating pitand the auxiliary chimney . During the whole of Saturday and Sunday there rolled up from this newly-opened mouth smoke and vapour with a smell like that of gas tar .

      Every means were taken to endeavour to relieve those in the pit , if any were alive ; but the partition which divides the shaft from top to bottom was so injured and displaced as to render the progress of those working in removing the obstructions a tedious operation , especially as only two men could get down at a time . Meantime the crowd of friends and relatives of the miners round the pit continued in a state of intense anxiety . Many of them were at first buoyed up with the hope that some at least might be saved , and that those most dear to them might be amongst the survivors . On Saturday several of the relatives of the sufferers were greatly excited . One man was only prevented by force from jumping down the pit , he having three sons in it . Amongst other cases of distress was that of a woman who had no

      fewer than four sons as well as her husband in the pit . Of those last the majority were married , and some of them had large families . They have left among them sixty-five children . A number of able and experienced miners volunteered their services to assist in removing the obstruction which prevented the descent down the shaft . Their progress was slow , but about midnight on Saturday they had advanced so far that voices were heard from below , and through the chinks of the rubbish lights were seen to nicker . This excited hope , and nerved them with fresh energy . Still , notwithstanding the most arduous exertions ,

      comparatively little progress was made . It was not till four o ' clock on Sunday afternoon that they reached a point which enabled them to hold any communication with the unhappy beingd who were immured far beneath them . A small opening , quite insufficient to admit of their extrication , though large enough to allow correspondence , was then discovered . It was ascertained that two indivi duals lay at the bottom , of the shaft . They cried for food , and some provisions were sent them , of which they acknowledged the receipt . The most vigorous efforts were now put forih to hew away the obstacles which choked up the passage . They consisted principally of one of the cages , and fragments of the midwall . At length , about twelve o ' clock , success was attained .

      Blankets and clothing were provided , and soon after one of the poor men , named John Cochran , was brought to the surface . He was in such a weak state that he could not give any detailed account of the actual occurrence of the calamity further than that two men who were working with him at the time were instantaneously struck down by the fire . During his long imprisonm ent of nearl y 45 hours , ho repeatedly groped about for some of his neighbours-, and often called on them , but with one exception , no one answered . Cochran and las comrade had been working together in the limestone Beam—an elevated portion of the strata—when the explosion took place . They -were but slightly injured by it , and had found their way to the foot of the shaft , where they remained till aid was brought them .

      Tho other fatal accident was the explosion of a , boiler at Stockport , on Monday evening . It took place at the Park Cotton MUIh , on tho Cheshire md <; of the river Mersey . The boiler , which wan nearly new , was about forty feet in length , and ten to twelve feet in diameter , and weighed about twelve toim . About hulf-past five o ' clock , on Monday evening , whilst tho mill-hands were aill at Avork , the boiler was observed suddenly to rise from the immense- bed

      of briclc-work in which it laid been fixed , und talcing a north- westerly direction , it shot with the rap idity of an airrow ulong tho narrow part of the quudrungl " , and burst through tho wall of the lofty portion of tho mill , destroying a lurge portion of Heveral of tho lower HoorH , and then Hotting flro to the remainder . A number of the workpeople were buried in tho ruim of ttuit portion of the mill which was destroyed , while those in the upper purtof the building—ttl )«

      Untitled Article

      266 «!> e He kit ex . [ Saturdav ,

      Untitled Article

      AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE . A domestic assault case , at Southwark Policeoffice , on Saturday , furnishes a fair specimen of the silly way in which thousands of indissoluble engagements are contracted in England . About two months ago Mary , a young servant girl , had made use of her holiday , Sunday afternoon , in paying a visit to the Crystal Palace . "While walking round the building she met a man , named James Spurgin , who accosted

      lier civilly , entered into conversation with her , and very politely explained all about the Exhibition . Talking is dry work , however , and Mary was tired of -walking about all the afternoon . They adjourned to a public-house , from which , at his earnest solicitation , Mary allowed James to accompany her home . They met several times after that ; he contrived to persuade her that he was " a very kind sort of a man , " and she was , no doubt , equally successful in makiii" - him believe that she would make an

      excellent wife . Accordingly they were married at St . John ' s Church , llorsleydown , about three weeks ago , and immediately the kind husband and the genile wife began to quarrel . Mary Spurgin , who appeared in court as a domestic victim , said : — " On the fatal night of their marriage lie commenced ill-using her , and actually kicked her out of bed . She put up with his base conduct until the previous night ( Friday ) , when he came home drunk , and as soon as she opened the door he swore at her and knocked her down ; when she got up he took up the kitchen poker , and threatened to beat her brains out , which so frightened her thut she ran out of the house and called in the police to protect her .

      " In answer to the charge the defendant said he was the unhappie 8 t man in the world . His wife was a regular vixen . The very day when they were united she commenced to exhibit her temper by demanding all his money , and stating her de-termination to ' rule the roast . ' He felt very indignant at her conduct , and . slightly corrected her . That made her worse , and every dxy since she hud ho abused him that lie was almost out of his mind . Last evening he went to hia club to pay his money , and on hits return home she banged the door in his face .

      " lhc wife here called her husband a liar and a brute , and became bo violent that the magistrate directed h < r to be put out of court . Mr . Ingham told the unfortunate husband that he had made a bud bargain , and that he had better allow her a separate mainleiiiuur , or murder might be committed , lie should order the prisoner to be discharged . "

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 22, 1851, page 266, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1875/page/6/