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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 119, 19 May 1880, Page 2

Coroners' juries, as we all know, are the most peculiar bodies existing, but the deck sion given by a Southland twelve will compare for oddity with the most unique verdict ever recorded. Several stacks of wheat had been burned either in or near a particular town, and it was thought necessary to hold a coroner's inquiry into the circumstances of the fire. After hearing evidence and giving the matter careful and long consideration, the facetious jury brought in this verdict: — " That the stacks were burned by some persons unknown, and served the stacks right." The Duke of Marlborough, Viceroy of Ireland, has vacated his office in due course, owing to the change of Government. His Grace and the Duchess, his wife, having rendered themselves extremely popular with the Irish people, were accorded an enthusiastic ovation on the occasion of takiug their departure from Dublin. They were presented with an address by the City Corporation aud representatives of the principal public institutions to express their deepest gratitude and esteem, more especially in 'connection with the steps taken by the D,ucl}ess of Marlborough for the relief of the faminestricken peasantry in the western districts of Ireland. The interesting experiment of raising a submerged vessel by means of balloons was recently made on Plotzer Lake, near Berlin. The method, whice was devised by Herr Ediner of Vienna, consists in attaching empty balloons the vessel and then suddenly inflating them with gas, made on the spot by breaking a vessel of sulphuric acid surrounded with Bullrich's salt, which is inserted inside tho balloon. The mixture of these two chemicals generates the gas, the balloon rises, and the vessel is raised. In the experiment in question, a sunken boat weighing several hundred weight was raised, and also five heavy sand bags, from a depth of fifty feet. At the annual meeting of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum for the Insane — commonly known as Morningside Aslum — held on 23rd February (says the Edinburgh correspondent of the Otago Times), the manager's report stated that the patients who had been under treatment during the year numbered BJ2, being an increase of 30. Dr Olouston, the physical superintendant, reported that 24 of the cases admitted during the year were to be attributed to " business anxiety," the the number given being 50 per cent greater than in any proceeding year. One of the cases, which is described with some detail, was that of one who lost all through the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank. His delusion varied, he imagined himself at firtr to be a swindler, and then, sinking lower and lower, he thought himself to be dead, and his incessant cry was " Bury me ! bury me !" Finally he relapsed into stupor, required to be compelled to eat, and took no notice of anyone, even his wife and child. Food seemed at length to give him no nourishment, and his clothes afforded him no Warmth. His vitality U,ad ooinpletely left him, and at length he sank into the grave he so longed for. This is but a sample of the effects of the great bauk swindle — one case among many of degrees of horror. ,Oa^«««W..t»^ll..lUU,l«.U. J ß»»». I « TO a|n«i U , | | l |y.