MISCELLANEOUS.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 454, 15 April 1875, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

The. foirpwing is the " Bulletin's " account of the shooting of John Kelly, who is reported to be identical with the dancer of that name well-known in New Zealand :<— " About 3 o'clock on the morning of February 27, the report of a pistol and screams, of at woman attracted- the attention of special officer Thomas Bether, who. was- hastening to the scene of the disturbance in Kearney-street wlienj he found a uaan lying <> n bi& face dead,, with a cocked fourshooting pistol clenched in his right hand. The story of the tragedy as detailed by witnesses in the Police Qourt seems to be about as follows : — Jx>hn Kelley, a well-known clog dancer,, took a benefit at Buckley's Varieties, at bhe corner of Pine and .Kearney-streets. After the performance he was into a woman named Camelia King, whom h& accompanied to her residence, but she refused to »llow him to enter as he was somewhat intoxicated. This was about midnight. Towards three o'clock in the morning the woman King and' James T. Weihe,. an attorney,, left hec residence and proceeded, down Pine-street to Kearney-street. At this point Kelly Grossed over, and stepping in front of the woman gushed her. off the side walk, ordering her not to go

with that man. Weihe assisted the woman back on the side walk,, whereupon Kelly struck at hinn. Weihe parried the Wow, and the other stepping back drew a pistol, saying, ' I will 1 kill you..' Weihe pushed his arm aside,, drawing his own. pistol',, and fired, the ball piercing Kellys, heart. He swayed for a moment and fell heavily upon his face. Weihe, proceeding to the police office, surrendered himself to Captain Douglas,, telling him what he had done. Kellys body was conveyed to- the morguev Deceased had the reputation; of being a very reckless man k The- police- state' he has killed more than one man. On the examinationof the-CH seinPolice Court the above facts appeared in, evidence, and Judge Londerback declared the killing to- have been done in self-defence, and discharged the- prisoner." The "San Francisco News Letter "" remarks that a man whoi lies is no longer a liar, but the victim of "dire disease called aphasia." The man who is tongue-tied, or who stutters, or who for years- ha* diligently pursued the peaceful occupation of calling his friends a blank dash liar will now be obliged to train himself into saying " My dear fellow, excuse me, but you are about the worst case of aphasia that I know." It has taken the doctor* to smooth out the tangled web of this wicked world. Murderers are the victims of instantaneous' insanity. Thieves have a nervous affection called kleptomania, and are not to blame. Adultery is a species of debility, and lying is aphasia, which no one can help any more than the colic, besides which, Jamaica ginger is poweiless to help it. In view of this, we move for the total and eternal abolishing of gaols and penitentiaries, and hope that instead the Government will establish a permanent circus, where all these afflicted creatures may give vent to their nervous troubles in a series of scientific flip-flaps- Nothing doctors the mind like physical exercise. A successful trial was made on Saturday with a high speed torpedo steam launch, which has been built for the Argentine Republic by Messrs Yarrow and Hedley, of Poplar. The little craft is designed to run quickly up to an enemy's vessel, to discharge a torpedo under her bottom, and to retire still more quickly — that is, provided the enemy permits her to do so. For these purposes she has been admirably designed, and appears to be well adapted. The measures 55ft. in. length, with a beam of 7ft., and is built throughout of Lowmoor iron plates with steel ribs, and framing. Her engines are on the high pressure non-condensing principle, and of 60 indicated horse power, taking steam from the boiler of the locomotrve type at 150lb. working pressure. She is fitted with a three-bladed screw propeller of 3ft 3in diameter and 3ft 3in pitch, and contract speed is a. continuous run of 70 miles in five hours. On her run on> the measured mile she developed an average speed of 12| knots per hour. The torpedo gear consists of a spar 25ft. long, which run out over the bows, and on the fore end of which the torpedo is fixed. The torpedo' is a copper cylindrical case, capable of containing 601b of lithofracteur, dynamite, or gun cotton. The charge is exploded electrically, the circuit being completed either by the contact of the torpedo with the enemy's ship, or by the operator in the launch at will. The forepart of the torpedo is fitted with a contact circuit-closer, from which a couple of insulated wires pass through the charge, and are led up to the battery, which is placed in the forepart of the boat. The electric fuse, which is ot patium, is connected to the return wire in the centre of the charge, an extra wire being attached to the return wire a little forward of the tuse. The wire is also connected with the battery, and has a hand circuit-closer attached to it, by which means the charge eaa be exploded by the operator on board the launch, if desired. This hand circuitcloser is a small ebonite cylinder, having a springy which is pressed down to effect the firing. The torpedo gear has been constructed by Captain McEvoy, of the London Ordinance Works, from the designs of Captain Hunter Davidson, on its efficiency was satisfactorily tested at the trial on Saturday by running a blind torpedo, refused, against a vessel, when the fuse detonated, as it did also when fired by hand from on board the launch. The speed of the little vessel was also proved to be excellent, a run from Greenwich Pier to London bridge with a slight tide against her being made in 21 minutes, exclusive of two stoppages. George Joseph, when he playfully snatched a pocket handkerchief from the fingers of his lady-love, . did not bargain, says the "Tribune," for an appearance at the police court on a charge of stealing the article. But, as the saying is, the course of true love never runs smooth ; though it is seldom a young lady takes such a decided course as did Sarah Hebley, the owner of the pocket handkerchief. The young lady became acquainted with her Joseph about two months ago, and in a fortnight their intimacy had ripened so much as to exchange photographs. Owing to some coolness (cause not explained) each returned to the other the "counterfeit presentment ; " but Joseph stuck to the pocket handkerchief, though often asked "civilly and quietly" to give it up. From Sarah's evidence it appeared her lover had made her a present of 12s in cash, which she put to good use by investing in a pair of boots. Joseph imagined that this act of his generosity enerosity entitled him to retain the pocket handkerchief as a memento of his love, and when requested to return it said, "Do you think I am a fool 1" He j doubtless thinks he was a trifle too foolish by this time, as his refusal has caused him a good deal of trouble and expense. The Bench dismissed the charge, informing the fair prosecutor that her proper course would have been to have entered a civil action. However, Miss Hebberly was presented in Court with her pocket handkerchief, which bore unmistakable signes, of being used freely by its late illegal possessor. As an example of "the ups and downs of life," the " Bendigo Advertiser " (Victoria) relates the following :—": — " An incident occurred at the weekly meeting of the Benevolent Asylum committee which shews how the 'depression in mining matters has affected some of those who, in the exciting palmy days of 1871-2, were well-to-do in the world. A gentleman then ' well in,' in a charitable humor, gave a donation ot ,£2O to the institution, thereby constituting himself a life governor. He remarked at the time that he had better do so when he could afford it, as times might alter. Times have altered indeed, with him ; so much, so that, what with sickness and poverty combined, he has been obliged to solicit some temporary outdoor aid from the institution of which he is at the same time a life governor."