NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2347, 24 September 1880, Page 2

NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

110MANTTC SUICIDE. Considerable excitement has been caused in Paris by the suicide of a young American lady in tbc house of an English lady of title. Mrs Annie 'Wetmore, of New Aork, a. married woman of 30 years, of great beauty, had made the acquaintance of an Englishman of title, who pressed her to obtain a divorce from her husband in order that she might marry him. She agreed to his proposals ami obtained the divorce, but just as she received the information that a decree in her favor had been granted, she learned that the English lord for whose sake she had taken this step, was about to marry another woman. A stormy interview took place between them, at which the lord offered to make her a pecuniary indemnity. This linal outrage rendered the disappointment unbearable. The injured lady returned to the residence of Lady Albert Pelham Clinton, in the

Rue Chateaubriand, where she was on a visit, and poisoned herself. When Lad}' Albert, becoming uneasy, went to look for her friend, she uas }ust in tune to receive her last breath. One of the Paris journals however, denies that it was a ease of suicide, and states that death was caused by congestion of the brain. THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE IMPERIAL in zululand. The following particulars of this sad event have been forwarded to the newspapers by Sir Evelyn Wood, as related to him by eighteen Zulus who took part in the attack on reconuoitering party on June 1, 1879. : “ The attacking party numbered about forty of whom twelve followed the prince, and either seven or eight were concerned immediately in his death. The Zulus, having nearly surrounded the party, fired and rushed on them as they were in the act of mounting. The Prince, not having succeeded in mounting, ran alongside Ins horse until it broke away from him on the hither bank of the donga, about 220 yards from the kraal where the party had off-saddled. The Prince followed his horse into the donga until closely pressed by his pursuers. He turned upon them, in the words of the Zulus themselves, ‘ like a lion at bay. Struck by an assegai inside the left shoulder, he rushed at his nearest opponent, who lied out of the donga and got behind another Zulu, who coming up fired at the Prince when only ten yards from him. Ihc Prince returned the lire with his pistol and faced his now rapidly increasing foes until menaced from his right rear and struck by another assegai. He regained the level spot on which he had first stood in the donga, where he was speedily surrounded. He then seized an assegai which had been thrown_ at him, for in struggling with his terrified horse his sword had fallen from its scabbard. He thus defended himself against seven or eight Zulus, who state they did not dare to ch'seon him until, exhausted, he sank down on his hips.” The above facts were elicited from the Zulus, who were examined separately on the scene of the attack, ami out of sight of one another. A STRUCK ILId FOR LIFE. Advices just received state that up to July 2 thiily-two bodies of the victims of the catastrophe to the American river steamer Seawanhaka had been recovered. Fresh bodies are found almost daily. It is thought that the exact number of dead will never he known. More incidents witnessed on board the steamer at the time of the catastrophe have been published. Women and children were knocked down and trampled upon nr pushed over into the water and drowned in the excitement. Some persons, through, sheer fright seemed utterly incapable of moving, and remained motionless on deck, where they perished. The flames with great rapidity gained the upper deck, and made it impossible to lower the boats. The place where the life-belts were stored was rapidly enveloped in flames and access was cut off. The engineer of tiie, vessel (led from the engine room with his clothes on lire, bat on seeing the state of a (fairs on deck returned to bis post, and kept the paddlewheels in motion. There was great crushing to get to the ship’s stern as she was nearing the shore, and when she touched a large number of the passengers jumped into the water and long grass. Even here many persons were drowned. In their eagerness to gain the shore many of the terrified people, having lost all presence of mind, leaped on others who had fallen in the weeds. One touching incident was reported of an old woman beseeching a young man to save her. She was pushed aside by the young man, who said it was no time thou to save others, it was every one for himself. Those persons at the back of the boat could only reach the shore by swimming, as the water there was dec]). Many here being unable to swim perished. A yacht which was near saved about forty persons. There was a number of small boats on the spot just after the steamer was beached and it was stated that some of the occupants heartlessly asked several of the people in the water how much money they would give if saved. EMANCIPATED EGYPTIANS. Reports on the state of Egypt show that the agricultural population, released from many odious and vexatious oppressions, arc showing great contentment, aud arc working more industriously than has been known before. To the astonishment of the tax-collectors, the people arc voluntarily offering their taxes, ami they work more hours a day than formerly. Land in Egypt is rapidly going up in the market, aud in many districts owners arc asking 100 per cent, more than they did twelve months ago. Forced labor is the great trouble of the people. On all works for the public good every household lias to send a certain number to work for a certain period without payment. The rich arc allowed to pay a certain sum of money in lieu of sending men, but poor people are not allowed to do so, and Ibis causes great hardships. SPURRED TO DEATH. A ease of blind revenge has just come to light at a place eallod Kikinda in Hungary. Corporal Andreas Kulimak, of the loth Hussars, enjoyed, it appears, the unenviable reputation of being the strictest and emellest petty ollicer of his regiment. He was of Herculean build and iron will —a man soured by call} disappointments and full of spleen, which be used to vent on the soldiers in various brutal ways - hour of these, who had been cruelly cuffed, Kicked, mid sent to arrest by Kulimak for some petty o(fence, fell upon him, and aftei a terrible struggle succeeded in dragging him to the ground when they literally backed him to death_ with t’ucir spurs. Deceased’s head is said to be quite unrecognisable. THE PRINCE IMPERIAL’S STATUE. Most of the French Republican journals express satisfaction with the result of (he recent debate in the House of Commons concerning the statue to the Prince Imperial in Westminister Abbey. The “ Temps ” remarks that, although France lias been quite unconcerned, she will none the less appreciate the feeling-which lias influenced the House of Commons and all Liberal England. M. Paul do Cassaguac, on the other hand, describes the resolution as a, scandalous injustice, condemns the Government for lukewarmness in allowing it to be carried, and advises the Empress Eugenie to remove her “ beloved dead ” from England, l

PROCESS-SERVING IN IRELAND. A singular example of the state of the country came before the Dublin Court of Bankruptcy on July 23. An old man named M'Grath, a farmer, who resided at Gortnnsillagh, near Glenties, county Donegal, was brought up in custody under a warrant for examination before Judge Walsh, having failed to obey a summons of the Court. The warrant had been given to the messenger of the Court to execute, but on going to the lands for the purpose lie was observed by the bankrupt’s son, who shouted to a hoy who was working in the same field to shut the door, and, seizing a pitchfork, ran to the bouse and threatened to run him through if he did not go away. The messenger was obliged, in self-defence, to draw his revolver, and the son then shouted for help. The bankrupt’s wife, hearing the noise, ran out of the house through a back door. The messenger tried to get in, but the bankrupt, who was inside, struck at him with arcapiug-hook, and shut the door against him. He held the warrant in his hand and told them who he was. M’Grath’s wife pulled him away and threatened that ho should never leave the place alive. Finally, in consequence of the violence he encountered, ho was obliged to leave without effecting the arrest. While going away through the field he was followed by some men,who threatened to take his life. He was again obliged to draw his revolver in order to deter them. He made his way to a magistrate, and swore the information, and the party were arrested, lodged in Lifford Gaol, aud thence sent up to Dublin. M’Grath was examined in court, and in reference to a valuable farm which he had sold admitted that ho got £63 0 for it. Ho also made the extraordinary statement that he had concealed the money in a ditch, part of which was on his own land and part on his sister’s’. He refused to indicate the spot where (ho money was concealed. His depositions having been committed to writing, ho was called upon to sign (hem, but refused to do so. He stated that ho was looking for an attorney, but could get none and he did not know liow the matter stood. In the end lie was sent back to gaol. AN AGRARIAN MURDER. Accounts from New Ross confirm a report to the effect that Mr Thomas Boyd, Crown solicitor and agent for Mr Tottenham, was lived at while driving on a ear on Sunday, Aug. 8, with his two sons and his nephew at a place failed Shaulough, near Now Ross. They were met by an armed party of men with their faces blackened, who discharged guns at the car and shot one of Mr Boyd’s sons through the lungs, inflicting a wound of which ho has since died, and wounding Mr Boyd himself in the arm. The other young men escaped, although one of them had his trousers torn by a bullet, which grazed ids leg. Mr Glad veil Boyd, the nephew owed his escape to the fact that ho is an expert runner, and one of the assassins who pursued him was unable to overtake him. There is no doubt the outrage is agrarian. The young man who was murdered was Mr Uliarlos Daniel Boyd (he younger son. Ho was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and was only twenty years of age. A later account gives some further particulars of (ho outrage. Air Boyd was proceeding on a car, with his two sons, Evan and his nephew Gladwell Boyd, from Chilcomb, his residence, opposite to Now Ross, on the other side of the river, to Shaulough, an estate which he purchased some years ago about a mile distant from his residence. As the car, which was driven by Mr Glad well Boyd, was proceeding on the road, three men, with masks and rocks over their clothes, jumped out on the road from behind the ditch. Each was armed with a rifle and bayonet. Two of the men tired at Evan and Charles. One bullet struck Charles in the lung and went through his body. The man who tired at Evan put the bayonet within about three inches of his mouth and pulled the trigger. Evan had just time to push down the bayonet and the ball, instead of passing through his mouth, passed through his trousers. So close was the muzzle of the guu to him that his clothes were burnt, but be receivedjoiily a slight scratch and escaped unhurt. The third man deliberately knelt down on the road and look aim at Mr Thomas Boyd’s breast. Mr Glad well Boyd threw himself on the top of flic gnu, and the ball passed through Mr Boyd’s shoulder. Ho also received a spent bullet in the back, the one, no doubt, which had gone through his son’s body. Mr Glad well Boyd, after throwing himself off the ear, escaped without any injury, and ran toGliileonib to procure assistance, closely pursued by one of the murderers. The man who tired at Thomas Boyd ran after the car with the manifest intention of bayoneting Mr Boyd and his son, who were on it, but the horse was lashed into a furious gallop, and be could not overtake it. Mr Boyd is in tiie habit of taking this drive every Sunday evening, and the assassins no doubt were aware of this fact, lie had no ditferenec with his tenants, and the only reason that can be assigned for the outrage is that ho did not give seed last spring- to two or three of them, although he gave liberally to the rest. SINGULAR CHARGE OF ABDUCTION. At the Norfolk assizes, on August (), James Pitcher, a farmer, was indicted for the abduction of Harriet Ann Biggs from her home at Thurston, on Eeb. 3. Two laborers, named Elvin and Hensley, were also indicted for aiding and abetting. Rebecca Biggs said —I am a widow, and mother of Harriet Ann Biggs. She lives with me, and is twenty-five years of age. I know the prisoner. He was in the habit ten years ago of coming to my bouse as bur lover. They wore engaged, and the engagement was broken oil; six years ago. I had not seen the prisoner at my house for six years, but received a letter from him last spring twelve months, in which he stated he would have my daughter by fair means or foul. On the night in question I was at home with my daughter. About half-past seven I heard a knocking at the door. When I opened it 1 saw Robert Hensley. He gave me a note. I turned to the" light to read it, when he seized my arm and pulled me down. I shrieked “ Murder !” He then put a shawl on my neck, and pressed my bead on the iloor ; but I saw James Pitcher come in and pull my daughter out. She was shrieking “ Murder!’’ After a few minutes I was allowed to get up, and the man went away. I never heard of my daughter for some days, when I received a letter from her. Harriet Ann Biggs said —I formerly kept company with Pitcher ; but pro-

viously to Feb. 3. Iliad not spoken to him foi’ six years. I had written to him about eight months previous to the night in question. He wrote to me about that time asking me to renew the engagement. Other letters followed. In the last letter he wanted me to go away and got married. I had not seen him sinee May 1-1 to the night in question. On that night I was at home with my mother. I had no boots or stockings on. I heard mother cry, and ran to her and was seized by James Pitcher. I bad no intimation from him or anybody else of his coming. lie dragged me down the yard, when another man joined him ; one had hold of each arm, and then they pulled me over a hundred yards down the road. I threw myself down and my dress was very much torn. I cried out“ Murder!" and “ Uncle John !’’ A cart came out of the meadows. I was pulled into the cart by Pilcher, and pushed by another man. When in the cart I said, “ Although you have taken me away I will not have you.” I repeatedly asked him to let me go back. lie pulled me on his lap. I asked the driver to driver to drive me back, and 1 would pay him well for so doing. In answer to my questions he said he was taking mo to his sister. lie took me to Berghampton, twelve miles off. I was taken out of the cart and carried into the cottage, whore there were two women. They first washed my feet which were cut ami bleeding. I then wont upstairs to change my dross. AVheu I went down again Pitcher pulled me on bis lap, kissed mo, and showed mo a ring, a watch and an albert chain. Pitcher said he wanted mo to marry him, that he had written to his sister for a special licence. I said, “ I could not be married in that way.” I wrote a letter from Pitcher’s dictation, in which I said I went away of 1113’ own free will. Pitcher put a ring on my linger, and if the policeman came I was to say I was married. The next morning the policeman came into the bedroom, and took us to Norwich. I was entitled to £3OOO when I came of age, and on the death of a relative shall receive .£2OOO more.

Mr Bulwer urged that Mr Pitcher, a well-to-do young farmer, was the accepted lover of Miss Biggs until the windfall in the shape of ToOOO came, and then Mrs Biggs appeared to he anxious to get the prisoner out of the the way for fear a marriage should result. lie contended that .she was a consenting party. 11 is Lordship then .summed up, and the jury retired, and returned, after a quarter of an hour’s absence, with a verdict of “ Not guilty,” and the prisoner was discharged. EXTBAOIIDINARY TPIAL. A HUUim-IST AND HIS WIL'D SKNTKNCRD TO DRATH. At the Central Criminal Court, on Aug. 7, the trial took place of Bobcrt Slade Colmer, forty-four, herbalist, and Jane Colmer, forty-two, man and wife, who were indicted for the murder of Mary Budge. Mr Poland informed the court on the previous day that the male prisoner carried on the business of a herbalist at Bristol, and he professed to have an American diploma, which enabled him to act as a medical man ; and the woman, who was his wife, carried on the same kind of occupation at Yeovil. The deceased was the widow of a solicitor, and she resided at Chewkerne, about ton miles from Yeovil. Being in straightened circumstances she used to let lodgings, and it appeared she had become improperly acquainted with a young man who lodged at her house, and she became pregnant by him. In order to get out of her trouble she put herself in communication with the female prisoner who proceeded there from Bristol, and it was alleged that an operation was performed by both prisoners, the result of which was to cause the death of the deceased. After the deceased lady had been to the house of the prisoners, she returned home in a most miserable condition, suitering intense agony, and on the following day she died. An inquiry, of course, took place, and the result of the medical examination of the deceased showed conclusively that illicit and violent measures had been taken to procure the miscarriage of the deceased lady, and that these acts had caused her death.

Mr Edward Clarke addressed the jury for the prisoners, ami, having called their attention to the terrible character of the charge that was made against them, he said that the case against them appeared to rest merely upon a variety of circumstances, the whole of which, he submitted, failed to establish against the prisoners the commission of the act imputed to them. lie concluded by urging upon the jury that the transaction was involved in secrecy and mystery, and that in the absence of anything like conclusive testimony, the orisoners were entitled to an acquittal. Mr Justice Hawkins having summed up, the jury returned to deliberate upon their verdict. They returned into Court in about half-andiour, and found both prisoners ‘’Guilty of wilful murder.” Mr Justice Hawkins, having put on the black cap, addressed the prisoners. The male prisoner assured the Court that he was innocent. The female made a similar declaration. Mr Justice Hawkins said the jury had found them guilty, and he fully concurred in the verdict. Ho believed that they had performed a barbarous and cruel operation on the deceased, and death had been the result; and by the law of England they were guilty of murder. The deceased was proved to have gone to their house in perfect health, and when she left she was in a dreadful condition, and death was the result. The punishment for their offence by the law of England was death, and that sentence he was bound to pronounce. Sentence of death was then passed, and the prisoners were remitted to the custody of the sheriff of the district. After the sentence was pronounced (ho jury handed in a recommendation to mercy on account of tbeir believing that the death might have been accelerated by riding borne in an omnibus.