ANGLO – COLONIAL NOTES. (FOR THE FRISCO MAIL OR SEPTEMBER 7.) (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 414, 26 October 1889, Page 6

ANGLO - COLONIAL NOTES. (FOR THE FRISCO MAIL OR SEPTEMBER 7.) (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

A STRANGE CONFESSION. Robert Purves Stewart, the tall but un-healthy-looking privato in the Scots Guards who gave himself up to the police a fortnight ago, waß charged At Glorkonwoll lost Saturday, before Mr Bros, with causing the death of a man named Muir, about 12 years ago, by striking him on the head with a piece of timber afc Otepopo Bush, Province of Otago, New Zealand . It will be remembered that on the morning of the 24th June 'Stewart walked into Caledonian Road Police Station and made a statement which Inspector Young took down in writing. The statement was to the effect that while working at Otepopo Bush Stewart quarrelled with a companion, and taking up a piece of wood four feet long threw it at him. The wood struck Muir on the head and he fell senseless to tho ground. He never recovered Ilia lenses, and died in five minutes. Stewart said he dragged the dead man into the bush, dug a hole and buried him. He then proceeded to Omaur, about seventeen miles from Otepopo Bush, where he remained for a weok, and then proceeded to Tasmania. After remaining there a short time he re- ! turnod to Scotland. He gave himself up because he could not bear to have it on his mind any longer. At tho time Stewart made the statement he wa? \. erfectly sober. Tho prisoner added that he did not kill the man intentionally. Inspector Young, of the Y division, said since lust week he had received a letter from a man named Andrew Muir, residing at 94, Colwyn Road, Northampton, to the effect tiiat he had a brother in New Zealand, but had not heard of him for 15 years, notwithstanding that he had made every inquiry. Ho had seen the roport of the charge against Stewart in an evening paper, and naturally felt very anxious. A man named Bone, residing ' at 48, Barnsbury Grove, Barnsbury, came into Caledonian Road Police Station a day or two ago, and said he was a carpenter, and that about thirteen years ago he made the outfit for a man named Muir who had been murdered in New Zealand, — Mr Bros said ho had received a note from the medical officer of Holloway Gaol to the effect that during tho past week Stewart had shown no symptoms of insanity. — Dr. Beevor, surgeon of the let Battalion Scots Guards, said for some time past Stewart had Buffered from unknown and indescribable diseases, and lately they had found out that he was an opium eater. People who ate opium were* subject to vivid dreams and hallucinations. Prisoner, no doubt, had beon subject to them. Whether his statement was the outcome of a droam or hallucination he could not say, but Stewart was a very weak-ir.inded man, and his statements were nofc to be relied upon. — Mr Bros remanded the prisoner again for a week. The opinion of Stewarts brother soldiers is that some such murder as tho man describes probably occurred whilst he \va& in New Zealand, and that since he became an opium eater he has somehow come to associate himself with it. This is not by any means his only hallucination. He has others almost equally painful and certainly untrue.

BOXING TOURNAMENT. | There was a boxing tournament at the ( Blue Anchor, Shoreditch, last Saturday , evening, which Slutjii {looking rather yellow about the gills) attended. He was much , interested in the sparring, and warmly applauded three splendid rounds between the Brothers Wall (Toff and Bill). Meanwhile the other champion, Peter Jackson and Par- \ son Davies, were busy seeing life, under the festive tutolage of a " Sporting Life " reporter. According to the latter the trio, after a visit to the inevitable Empire, took a walk like Dr. Johnson down Fleet-street. "The ( idea," says the reporter, "was to take in a short experience of • London by night,' and a few dozen of the pernicious oyiter. But unfortunately for them London, in respect r to all-night houses, has much changed since , the Leicester Square Poses Plastiquea and the Haymarket carousals, so that the fates ' were against them. In Holywell-street, L however, we came across an oyster bar, and displayed in the window were salmon and ' lobsters. The place was all ablaze, *nd after Jackbon had gloated over tho immediate prospect of clutching a lobster in his brawny arms, in we walked. Calling 1 for the aforesaid delicacies, we were aston- , ished to hear the reply, • Very sorry, but we are closed for the night.' • How can that ' be when you are wide open V argued Mr Davies. 'Come,' said Jackson, 'hand me over a lobster, and serve up the oysters right away.' 'No,' replied the shopman, 'I daro not; xte are closed.' Here Mr Davies, with mild persuasive eloquence, pleaded for self and pnrty, getting as cloee to the bar tender as circumstances would permit in order to strike confidence into the, ! keeper's heart. •No use, we are closed,' said the man, and after another fond look at the lobsters and oysters, the trio vamoosed. Returning to Fleet-street, Jackson was recognised by * the homeless, ragged, and tan ' division, and coppers were plentifully I distributed. Arriving at Anderton's we were met by Mr R. Moyle, Sir W. W. Naughton, Mr Samuel Fitzpatriek, and Mr Fallon, whereupon all adjourned to the interior for something to sustain the inner man. Over supper and champagne, Mr Davies informed the writer that he had not como on a blustering, bluffing expedition. They would be willing to box eight rounds for two, three, or four hundred pounds, but not a thousand. They only wanted a fair deal, and if there was no money in the business would be^ satisfied with seeing the country and quitting when it suited them. ' Jackson (who is in his twenty-ninth year),' he said, 'is ready to box Smith, Mitchell, or in fact anyone, and as soon as the money is put up it will be immediately covered.' We also discussed the May brick case, which has created a good deal of interest in America, where the convict has many sympathisers, also Charles .Mitchell, Jcu» Carney, Dempsey, La Blanche, Charley Rowell, O'Leary, Jem Smith, Kilrain, Sullivan, Cannon, Fitzgerald, Slavin, and Jackson's prospects generally in this country." On Monday evening Peter Jackson and Panon Dayies attended at the Pelican Club and were introduced to Sir J. D. Astley, Lord de Clifford, Lord Chas. Kerr, Major Hope, Johnstone, and other patrons of the noble art of self-defence. He has not, however, as yet been visited by Slavin's distinguished friends, " Uncle Kirn.," and " the Orkintzooler." In the " Sporting Life ' of Wednesday Jem Smith reiterated his willingness to fight Slavin for £1,000 a-tid« under British Prize King Rules, and pointed to the fact that he deposited £200 with the editor on August 16th, which as yet remains uncovered. "If," ho said, "Slavin really desires a match, which I very much doubt, he has only to cover my money to ensure being accommodated."

A concise prayer said to hare bean offered by an earnest New England deacon was as follows :—": — " Lord, give ( us grace to know Thy will and grit to do it,"