The Rev. S. A. Barnett belongs to a type of parson all too rare. He believes in caring for the bodies as well as the souls of men, and looks upon a fine art exhibition as better than many sermons. His spare form, clothed in the quiet garb of a busy layman (save when he sports the white tie) may be seen at all hours, moving in and out of the streets and alleys which form his parish. His quiet, genial, and sympathetic way has been very successful in getting West-end workers for the parish. Mr. Leonard Courtney married one of his helpers, and the wedding took place at St. Jude's.
The new Bishop of Bedford does not like the disgrace which has fallen upon his old parish, Spitalfields. Dr. Billing's face is as familiar in Hanbury-street as Mr. Barnett's is in Commercial-street. But the Bishop has the more imposing figure. He is broad and bulky, with a good square, determined face, set off by a well-trimmed beard. They must miss him there, for he could chat with a market-porter, gossip with a lodging-house deputy, or amiably reason with an old convict quite as happily as he could exchange anecdotes with his predecessor, Dr. Walsham How. The Bishop loves a good story, and can tell one in public or private as well as most men.
LYCEUM THEATRE. - Sole Lessee, Mr. Henry Irving. - TO-NIGHT at 9.0, MR. RICHARD MANSFIELD, in DR. JEKYLL and MR. HYDE. (Last Five Nights.) Preceded at 8 by LESBIA. Classical Comedy in one Act, by Mr. Richard Davey. LESBIA, Miss Beatrice Cameron.
MORNING PERFORMANCE SATURDAY NEXT at 2.0.
MONDAY NEXT, Oct. 1, A PARISIAN ROMANCE. Mr. Mansfield as THE BARON CHEVRIAL.
Box-office (Mr. J. Hurst) open daily from 10 to 5.
Mr. T. L. Patterson, of Greenock, a gentleman well known for his archaeological and scientific tastes, writes to a friend: - I suppose you have often heard of toads being found in pieces of rock, coal, &c., when broken open by the workmen's pick. I have to-day just seen one taken out of a bed of clay on Tuesday last (the 18th inst.), in a new railway cutting at present being made here. It is alive, but very inactive and semi-torpid. It seems to have no bones, it is so limp, and its legs bend any way. It has two beautiful eyes, but does not seem to see. Its mouth is sealed up; but it seems to breathe very slightly through its nostrils, though how it breathed embedded in clay it is hard to say. If it is 20,000 to 30,000 years since the Glacial period when the clay was deposited, this toad goes a long way back into hoary antiquity, and was probably contemporaneous with the progenitors of Menes himself. But the toad lives still.
A man named Chapman, who had been pigeon flying at Cardiff yesterday, became much excited on receiving news of the success of his birds, and without a word of warning dropped down dead.
On inquiry at the Chelsea Infirmary, House-Surgeon Moore informed a reporter that the man who was found in the Thames off Chelsea on Saturday evening had recovered consciousness, although now and again he relapses into a delirious condition. He told the nurse that his name was William Marchant, aged 48 years, a laborer. While he was sitting on Saturday evening on the parapet in Cheyne-walk he was seized with faintness, and remembered no more. The distance he fell must have been at least 30ft. When he relapses into delirium he cries out that he is not "Leather Apron."
A Cowardly Constable Has to Resign.
A few days ago a constable had a desperate struggle at Bermondsey with a man who had stolen a silk scarf from the neck of a little girl. Another constable was sent for, but when he came up he merely looked on. Assistance was rendered by some passers-by, and the thief, who has been several times convicted, and is a dangerous character, was taken into custody. The constable was so badly maltreated that he has been incapacitated from duty ever since. Yesterday a notice appeared in the police orders intimating that the constable had been called upon to resign for cowardice.
The trial of James Gloster, a medical man, residing at 15, Phillimore-place, Kensington, charged with the wilful murder of Eliza Jane Schummacher, described as a dressmaker, living at 21, Morton-place, Pimlico, was resumed at the Old Bailey this morning, before Justice Charles. The case of the prosecution was that the prisoner had performed on the deceased a certain operation, with a view to procure abortion, and that in the course of such operation such injuries were inflicted as caused the death of the deceased.
The same counsel appeared as before.
The first witness called was Dr. Crain, who had been originally consulted by the deceased. He was called in after the deceased had been taken ill, and who also assisted at the post-mortem. He corroborated the statement that the deceased was not pregnant at all, and that she had been injured by instruments.
After a long argument, in which various authorities were cited for and against the admission of the deceased's statements, the Judge ruled that he could not accept the evidence, coming to the conclusion that the woman had not that hopeless expectation of death which was necessary to give it the sanctity of an oath. Mr. Poland then said he did not think there was any evidence to go to the jury upon which he could ask them to return a verdict against the prisoner. Mr. Gill stated that he had witnesses who if called would have proved that the prisoner was not at the deceased's house on 18 June.
The prisoner was then discharged.
The police made another arrest yesterday in connection with the Canonbury murder. This arrest was effected at a house in King's-cross. The young fellow who was captured was taken to the Upper-street Police Station, but the witnesses in the case failed to identify him, and after the police had made some inquiries he was released. With regard to the man Glennie, who still remains in custody, it is said he can prove that on the day of the murder he was miles away.
Mr. John Dillon, M.P., is expected to preside at the forthcoming meeting of the National League in London.
The greatest excitement continues to prevail in Birtley and the surrounding district concerning the terrible outrage on Jane Beatmoor. Further inquiries do not diminish in any sense the fiendish brutality of the crime. The local police cast their suspicions upon a man named William Weddell, an ironworker at Birtley, who for some time past has been endeavoring to force his attentions upon the deceased. Weddell was very seldom seen in Beatmoor's company, and certainly no one saw him on Saturday night.
and the police in all parts of the country have been furnished with his description. He is described as a man about 5ft. 9in. in height, with a sallow complexion, high cheek bones, and generally sharp features. He has a slouching, stooping gait, and a furtive expression. No reason can be assigned for his having committed the outrage upon the unfortunate girl, but the police are anxiously searching for him. The police have also decided to explore the whole of the disused pit-shafts in the neighborhood, as there is a rumor that the murderer, after committing the deed, threw himself down one of the shafts. The inquest was opened yesterday morning. Evidence of identification was given, and John Fish spoke to finding the body. The inquiry was then adjourned for a fortnight.
by the woman are terrible. On the right side of the face there is a deep cut about an inch wide, which has laid the lower jaw open to the bone. On the left side of the neck below the ear there is a gash about two inches in length and extending right down to the top of the spine. This wound alone, in the opinion of the medical men, would have caused instant death. The third and most severe of the cuts received by the poor woman is in the abdomen, from the wound in which the entrails protruded. It is assumed that the unfortunate woman was killed by the blow on her neck, and that subsequently her murderer endeavored to hack the body to pieces.
who made the post-mortem examination of the body of Annie Chapman, the victim of the last Whitechapel murder, has been sent to Durham. He will examine the body of Jane Beatmoor, with a view to ascertaining whether the injuries inflicted on her resembled those inflicted on the Whitechapel victim. Inspector Roots, of the Criminal Investigation Department, has also left London for Durham, with the object of ascertaining whether any of the facts connected with the murder of Jane Beatmoor, on Saturday night, are likely to elucidate the Whitechapel mysteries.
A Plague of Flies at Liverpool.
Within the past few days Liverpool has been visited by swarms of diminutive flies. In the busy streets of the city the little pests are met with as well as in the suburbs, causing much inconvenience to pedestrians. The flies are of the midge type, with a tiny black body and comparatively large wings. So numerous have they been, and so annoying to persons walking along that they have become a topic of general conversation. In Cheshire the flies have appeared in myriads, causing the same inconvenience.
The scheme which has been prepared by the Charity Commissioners to divert the money hitherto used to defray the cost of tolling the bell at St. Sepulchre's, Holborn, on the occasion of executions at Newgate, has now been finally adopted. The authorities of St. Sepulchre's questioned the title of the Commissioners to the money, as it had been decided that the fund was ecclesiastical, and not charitable. The money is derived from a rent-charge on premises in Smithfield, but the sum being small, the vestry has determined not to dispute the matter, but to accept the scheme of the Charity Commissioners. The bell will not, however, as was anticipated, cease to be tolled at executions, as it is thought that the tolling of the bell adds solemnity to such occasions. The cost will be defrayed either by the sheriffs, who have Parliamentary power to order the tolling of a bell at executions, or by the church-wardens of St. Sepulchre's.
