MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1928, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

ELECTRIC CHAIR. “AIOST INHUAIAX.” PARIS January 20. “I have no hesitation in pronouncing the electric chair the most inhuman form of execution conceived in the mind of men.’’declares Professor Rota the noted expert on telluric currents apropos of the death of Ruth Snyder and Jmld Gray, the sash-weight murderers, in U.S.A., who, h© says, were tortured to death.

“People asked me why if they were not dead and were suffering the most frightful torture, Snyder did not scream and gave no sign of the suffering she was undergoing.

“The brutal fact is that the contortion of the nerves of her vocal cords was such that she could not. It was impossible for her even to moan. Yet sho may have been still alive, and even conscious.” He added that he did not believe anybody who was electrocuted died instantly. In some cases a person might lw alive and even conscious for several minutes, without it- being possible for a doctor to say whether he was dead or not. CHEQUERED ROMANCE.

INDIAN AND AVJHTE GIRL. COLOMBO, January SO. Despite rufiiidurs' of their cxmfem-

plated marriage in India, it is learned authoritatively that the ex-Alaharajah of Indore and Aliss Aliller, of San hrancisco, are making arrangements to Iwok passages to Marseilles on a French liner. Over the New Year the ex-Alahara-jali got a telegraphic communication from Aliss Aliller at Bombay. He went up to Talaimannar and met her and her grandmother, and brought them down to Colombo. Here they remained in seclusion at on hotel for one day only, after which they departed for Nuwaraeliya, where they have since remained. Since his arrival at the hill station the ex-Alaharajah has kept to his room ostensibly owing to illness. wjiile- Aliss Aliller is not appearing much in public nor mixing with .the other hotel guests. She flatly declines to he interviewed and refuses to respond to tempting offers to sign articles for American syndicates.

Meanwhile the stories of the approaching marriage have caused uneasiness throughout Tndia, while the exMaliarajah’s favourite wife has gone on a hunger-strike,

SHE ANSWERED “YES”. HOW THE DUKE PROPOSED. - LONDON, January 20. How the Duke of York proposed to Lady Elizabeth is related by Lady Cynthia Asquith in the “AA'oman’s Journal.” On Saturday, January 13, 1023, the Duke of York arrived on a visit at St. Paul’s A\ nldenbury. On the Sunday be and Lady Betty did not accompany the others to church—instead, they walked in the wood, beloved by her since early childhood. Before he left this enthralling wood the Duke had declared his love and Lady Betty had given him the answer he desired. Next day the Duke returned to London and went on to Sandringham to tol ; the King and Queen of his engagement, to which he had already obtained a provisional consent. Tn a letter, Lady Betty wrote: “L feel very happy, but quite dazed. AVe had hoped that we wore going to have a few days’ peace first, but the cat is now completely out of the bag and there is no possibility of stuffing him back,”

BUSINESSLIKE CRIAIE. SHOPLIFTING SISTERHOOD. PARIS, Jafi. 20. After six months’ operations, during which it is estimated they- stole £IO,OOO worth of' silk hose and drosses, detectives arrested five unusually pretty girls, called the “Shoplifting Sisterhood.” The girls worked regular hours under the supervision of a lender who recently, bought an expensive motor and robbed, the shops daily, despite the fact that a‘ special watch was kept by these firms. The goods were assembled at headquarters, inspected, and sold at the markets. Furs valued at £2OOO were discovered in a secret cupboard at thei headquarters of the sisterhood.