INTERCOLONIAL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 72, 24 August 1874, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

VICTORIA.

The Argns of theßth hist gives the following account of a melancholy suicide : — A suicide, attended by unusually melancholy circumstances, was committed early yesterday morning. A bricklayer's laborer named James Lennon appeared at the City Police Court on Thursday, as reported in yesterday's paper, to give evidence relative to his two daughters, who, at his instance, were arrested on a charge of vagrancy, and stated that while he was in - hospital for some months suffering from an injury to the arm, the girls had gone astray, and were, when lie left the hospital about eight days ago, pursuing a vagrant life on the streets. The elder girl od that occasion was discharged, and the younger was sent to the Reformatory for twelve months. Lennon was very much affected in court, and was heard afterwards to regret having appeared, and thus caused his daughter to be sent to the Reformatory, and also to say that he would rather be dead than live with the knowledge that his daughters were on the streets. That evening he went to his son's house in Franklin street, West Melbourne, and had tea, and afterwards went to a friend's house near the Royal Park, where he remained all night. In the morning early his friend went out, leaving Lennon in the house. Later, at about a quarter-past ten in the morning, Francis Meaker, Crown lands bailiff, living in the lodge at the Royal park, when crossing the park, found Lennon hanging to a tree by a rope like a clothes-line, dead. The feet of the deceased were nearly touching the ground. The deceased apparently had climbed the tree, fastened the rope and a woollen comforter round a branch and to his neck, and then let himself fall. Meaker cut the body down and gave information to Constable M'Glonc, at Hotham, who identified the man as Lennon, and sent word to his son. The deceased was forty-eight years old, and had lived in Hotham for many years. When he met with the accident which caused him to go into the hospital a subscription was raised for him.

The Argus gives the following notice of the quarrel between the late Treasurer and the Minister of Lands :—No sooner had the House met than Mr Casey was called upon by Mr Jones for a further explanation of the charges made against him by his late colleague. Mr Casey was prepared for the occasion, and in a speech extending over an hour and a-half endeavored to explain to the satisfaction of hon members his conduct in relation to the accounts complained of. He produced and read to the House the private correspondence which had passed between Mr Langton and Mr Francis on the resignation of the former, having obtained the consent of the late Chief Secretary so to do. The frank expressions of opinion contained in the reply of Mr Francis to Mr Langton, which certainly at the time of their beiug penned were not intended for the public ear, caused considerable amusement, except perhaps to the hon members specially indicated. During the course of the debate Mr Kerferd explained that His Excellency the Governor had immediately after the tour through Gippsland expressed his desire to defray his own portion of the expense, and that until the last few days he had not been aware that any objection had been raised to the accounts. Mr Langton had been requested by His Excellency to mention these facts in his speech on the previous evening, but had most improperly neglected to do so. The discussion «nded without any result being arrived at.

A trial of action for libel against the Australasian (Walker v George) was being heard in Melbourne when the last mail left. The action is based on a letter and on articles that appeared in the Australasian, in May and June last year commenting on the conduct of Mr James Walker, the owner of the hoise Marquis of Lome, in connexion with the Bendigo steeplechase meeting. The stewards of the race disqualified the owner, the jockey (Reid), and the horse, on account of the horse having been " pulled " in the race. Plaintiff's counsel yesterday merely proved the publication of the libels, and several witnesses were examined on behalf of the defendant in support of the pleas of "Not guilty" and "Justification."