HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1890-10-3, Page 1Volume 18. BRUSSELS, ONTARIO, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1890,
Number 12.Y
BIRCHALL FOUND GUILTY.
Will be 'ranged on Friday, leov. Cita,
at Woodstock.
Last Monday, the final day of the
famous Birohall trial, opened warm and
Ibeautiful, The prisoner, it was learned,
did not rest quite as web ae usual, but
when he arose at an early hour he said
that he had n splendid night's sleep and
was feeling exceedingly well.
' It could be Been, however, by his
thoughtful demeanor before the oarriage
. arrived to convey him to the court house
that he fully realised that mayhap before
I
(( the sun, which at that momenb filled his
hell with one of heaven's blessings, had
disappeared the hope for acquibtal that
s he so long and so tenaoioeely cherished
r
dwithin lis
be withered and den 1
would w e
4{ymorningmeal teas b
]ten as
f bromic. His
bran
t usual in his carpeted room and spread out
1 before him on the table, wbioh is literal-
, ly covered with letters, cigar boxes, books
and sketches of every description. Lie
eat there on his law bench and ate his
breakfast in a meaningless way, now and
then glancing out over the high wall
which eurrounde the dreary place et the
far off sky. While he wag thus eating
e and gaging alternately, his guard was
informed that the carriage bud come for
the prisoner. Birohall heard the an-
nouncement and in an instant threw off
the feeling that had taken possession of
him, and, putting on hie hat, walked
cheerfully with his guard to the main
entrance gate where the cab had been
drawn up.
Be said "good morning" p'easantly to
his keepers tend jumped briskly into the
rig. When the court -house was reached
there was gathered about the entrance a
cnrione crowd of some five or six hundred
people. Those who had tickets of ad •
mission, and they were in great demand,
were allowed to enter the hall one by
one, and some minutes before the pro-
ceedings wereoommenoed the main body
of the hall and gallery were jammed, the
majority perhaps being ladies.
Mrs. Birohall, who has not been pre-
sent at the trial more than twice owiug
to illness, cons there Monday, aacompani.
ed by her eister, Mrs. Weet•Jonee. It
WOE noticed the moment Mrs. Birchali
entered the court house that she oust be
sad so colorless ase
and did her face
appear.
After having examined a few remain
ing witnesses left over from Saturday,
the evidence for the defence was conulnd•
ed, and then the curtain rose over the
most sensational act iu this celebrated
. trial. There were three persons in that
court room who divided the interest of
the audience, who looked from one to the
other and back again. They were the
pnaml0r, his wife and Mr. Blackstock,
Birohall s ohief counsel of defence, and
upon whom be had apparently implicitly
leaned as a redeemer. When Er. Blaak-
rlock rose to address the jury the court
room was as peaceful as death. There
was not a sound as the tall form and in-
tellectual face of that eloquent pleader
rose before mud scrutinised eaob jurymen
in turn ; there seemed to be a cold shill
pass over the great audience, end all
awaited eagerly the utteranoes of the
1111811 who bad undertaked the arduous
it task of restoring to the prisoner his
5 liberty. The eyes of Mrs. Birohall se
ll well as those of her husband were riveted
upon the speaker, but ae he uttered the
Stet sentence they both turned and look-
ed straight at the jury, whose faoes fore•
told that their verdict would be founded
on the evidence they bad beard. The
prisoner sat in the dock with his legs
crossed and bead leaning againat the
railing, and although he appeared to
take a keen interest in every word, the
lack of emotion in hie oonntenan0e was
most wonderful. As the counsel went
on in his strong eloquence, pausing here
to indulge in bitter sarcasm at the ex.
pense of some of the agents of the Crown,
now again in oauatia invective and the
next moment striking a note that played
npon the very heart-stringe of his listen -
ere, the effect tuns thrilling indeed. el.
though every person knew that he had a
hard battle to fight, to an aoute observer
it was evident thni he was fighting it
bravely and making the beat of a most
difficult case. Ile admitted that his
client might have in some inetances
acted fraudulently, that hie word on
some occasions had not been reliable,
but he argued that the prisoner at the
bar was innocent of the oharge of mar•
t der which had been laid at his door.
Bitubal eat in the dock unmoved, and
in statue•like form surveyed the eoene,
bat there came a time when the elastic
imagination of his brilliant defender
touched its zenith, and its bright rays
fell upon-the,moet sacred cords, 03 the
prisoner's nature, canting them to re-
verberate throughout hie whole system.
It was after Mr. Blackstock, followed
closely by his hearers, had traversed and
examined link by Link the whole chain of
evidence, and eel ablut to conclude
neu i
powerful app
0115ue and energetic strain of eloquence
he referred to the love that,burned in the
soul of Mrs. Birohall for the prisoner in
the dock. Should the jury before him,
be paid, send the prisoner in the dock,
an innocent man, to the gallows and time
turn back the curtain revealing hie in-
n000noe, what would be the result 7 The
wife of the "murdered" man would cry
out to them in pathetic tones for the de.
liverttnoe of har husband, but it would be
ton late.
It le doubtful if there wee one woman
in the court room who succeeded in keep.
ing bank her tears at thin point, while
scores of young and old men in the
' audionee were seen to use their handker-
ohlees,
Mrs. Biroliells eyes dropped aiidha
subdued sob shook her frame, while
tears coursed !own the burning cheeks
of the loving slater profusely. The
prisoner in the geek looked blankly out
of P the e wit, lett second later his
et a yee Hee with tears, it its safe to saylife
that there never was a time eines
trial began when the feeling was so favor -
nista to the prisoner as at that moment.
Mr. Blackstook spoke foe five ,hours and
fifteen minutes,
When the court resumed at 3:80 Mr.
Osler, on behalf of the Crown, began his
addreee to the jury. It was a most de.
liberate and thoughtful argument against
the prisoner. Ho dealt minutely and
with wonderful ability with every phase
of the evidence, and at times ascended to
the very pinnanle of his inimitable elo-
quence in dealing with the nefariousness
of the prisoner's allurement of young
Benwell from a home of luxury in Eng.
land to a foreign land. His eyee and
face took on a most tragic appearance,
and turning from the jury for a moment
he looked straight at Birohall, and point•
ing with his finger said in tones of
thundering eloquence, "There locked up
in the breast of that man is the whole
terrible eeoret. Why, why, why, I say,
does not he speak 1" Ona would think
that a re
'loner
upon whose ears
fell
P
those terrible words would tremble, but
the Dolor of Birohall'e face remained un-
changed. He was looking straight at his
aoouaer without a quiver. When Mr.
Osler said that he would leave the Oaen
with tate jury and sat down it was twenty
minutes to 8. It was thought that a few
minutes at least would be allowed for
luno/, but his Lordship stated to the
jury that he thought it best to deliver his
oharge ab once, and if possible have a
verdict that night. Judge Maalfahon's
charge was listened to with the greatest
attention by all, and at its close the jury
retired. The prisoner appeared tired and
worn out, and although he bore up bold-
ly under the withering references of Mr.
Osler it could be Been that a reaction bad
set in and his nervous system was oom-
pletely broken down.
The court room wee cleared by 10
0 810011 and outside the ball was a crowd
of about 1,500 people, many of whom be-
lieved that the jury would arrive at a
verdict atter a half-hour's deliberation.
There wee a general movement in court
as Mr. Osler sat down, as if the people
had been released from a spell and sought
to learn of their surroundings. The
noise grew faint and faint as the judge
prepared to speak, and at last there was
not a sound, all waiting intently upon the
words which should fall from the lips of
the court. It was 7:25, and the oottrt had
been sitting since 9:30 a. nt., except dur-
ing the twenty minutes intermission in
the afternoon. Judge Mecelabon ex.
plained to the jury the nature and rela-
tive strength of 'direct" and "oirenm-
stantial" evidence, weighed very closely
the statements of the wibeessee, and
showed the bearing of the law on the dif-
ferent points at variamoe.
His Lordship, continuing, went iuto a
consideration of the facts of the case from
the arrival of the party. in Buffalo. He
followed the alleged trip or Birohall and
Benwell from Buffalo to Eastwood, and
so to the swamp, considering the evid•
once of identification, then the condition
of the body, traced Birchen book to Nice
gem Falls and devoted a considerable
time to considering the bearing and effect
of the several letters and telegrams and
Birchall'e couduct up to the time of his
arrest, as well es the inoriminating avid-
ences found upon his person.
The learned judge seemed to place
great stress upon the letters to Col. Ben -
well, which he analysed fully and dwelt
upon at considerable length. In con-
cluding he called upon the jury in the
most solemn manner to do their duty ae
they would expect him to do bis. The
judge having finished his charge, the jury
retired.
The court was cleared, not even mem.
bers of the press being allowed to remain.
The prisoner was removed to the jail, it
being expected that there world be along
struggle in the jury room before a decis-
ion was reached. At 11:30, however, the
door of the court room was thrown open
and an excited mob made a ruvh to get
inside.
Judge and jury were in their places
and a glance revealed the fact ,that they
had come to a verdict. It was true.
The sheriff was at once despatched for
the prisoner, and arrived a few minutes
later with his charge heavily handcuffed.
The hall was crowded to the doors, and
when Birohall walked firmly down the
aisle every face in the hall had on a look
of intense anxiety.
It was generally suspected before be
arrived that the verdict was against him,
and it mould be seen that the moment he
entered he feared the worst.
It took the constable some minutes to
remove the handcuffs, but the prisoner
sat there patiently, though his face was
terrible to behold. His eyes bad a most
unnatural appearanoe,thonrh aside from
this ,he strove to suppress ail signs of the
internal excitement that racked his eye -
tem.
Hie counsel, Mr. Blackstook, was not
presoue, as itweereported he bed been
taken ill immediately atter the jury re-
tired e+t 10 o'clock. -
The judge on the bench was in a state
of almost nervous prostration. He had
hardly expected a verdict so soon, and
every word be spoke was in husky tones.
It was a painful duty he had to per.
form, and it was evident that ho was
deeply moved,
When the prisoner had been unhand -
cuffed and order restored, the clerk of the
court rose and asked the foreman of the
jury if they had decided upon a verdict,
and the answer was, "We have."
"What is your finding 1"
"We find the prisoner, Birchell,
guilty"
Eaoh juryman was requested to rise
and separately asked by his Lordship
whether he found the prisoner at the bar
guilty or not guilty and the answer given
in a clear, confident ,tone, was in the af-
firmative.
The judge was about to proceed when
Mr. Ilolhnuth, on behalf of the prisoner,
rose and said :—
"Your Lordship, in the absence of my
learned friend, Mr, Blaokstotlt, I wish to
found a reserve onto on the Mellerish let•
tears.
Mr. Oelor—I move for the sentence of
the court.
Prisoner, "What have you to say, John
Reginald Birohall, why the sentence of
the court ehould not be pawed upon you
for the felony of murder of which you
have been oonvloted 1'
The answer came in clear tones and
with the dignity surrounding a man who
is under the awful shadow of death,
"Simply that II am not guilty of the
crime, my Lord,"
The silence, deep ae it was before, be.
came oppreseive beyond meaenre. The
judge's voice sounded litre the tolling of a
solemn bell.
His Lordship then addressed the prig.
oner as follows :--"It is part of a solemn
and painful duty eaeb upon me to pass
upon you the sentence of the court for
the felony of whieb you have been con-
victed. I can only say I fully concur in
the verdict wt'ah has been returned
by
the jury on the indiotment against you.
You have been defended with great abil-
ity and there bas been no point connect.
ed with the defence ;that has not been
fully brought before the jury and pressed
upon them with all the fervor and all the
ability that human nature could com-
mand, and while I say that I may add
also that the inevitable oonolusion that
has been reaohsd in the mind not only of
the jury, but of almost every one who
has listened to the trial was that you
oonoeived and premeditated and carried
out the murder of a young man who had
been entrusted to you by an aged father
as the hair of his patronage. It was
your duty, and your bounden duty to
have looked after and protected him.
Notwithstanding that, without any coin.
punation on your part, you prepared to
take his life and reap the miserable re.
ward that you thought was to be obtained
by asking the prioe of blood money whish
comewfromgEn land ands tineas roaerty
which you immediately took possession
of. It is melancholy to thiuk that a
young man with the eduoation you pos-
sess, with opportunities which no doubt
you must have had to further your own
material interests, should so far have for-
gotten himself as to pursue the course
which you have pureue.i and should have
prepared to dip your baud into the blood
of a fellow -man. It is melancholy to
think that within such a short period
after you became a married mum and be-
came connected with an estimable and
respectable family you should have
brought this trouble and riasraoe upon
them. I can boll out to you no hope
whatever of any commutation of the sen.
truce I am about to pronounce. There
is, I may say to you, but a short time in
which you can be permitted to live, and
I earnestly implore you to take advantage
of every hour that remains to make your
peace by eupplioating the throne of Heal,
euly grace for forgiveness of the offences
committed by you in the flesh..
The sentence of the court upon your,
John Reginald Birohall, is that you be
taken hence to the place whence you
came, and that there within the walls of
the prison, between the hours of 8 o'olook
in the morning and 8 in the afternoon
on Friday, November 14th next, you be
banged by the neck until you are dead
and may the Lord have mercy on your
soul.
Birchell stood erect in the dock while
the terrible sentence was being passed
upon him, but with downonst eyes, only
once daring to look at his Lordship.
When the judge had concluded, the
prisoner sat down. A. glance showed that
his legs and hands were uncontrollable
and twitching nervously. All present
looked with pitying eyes at the unfortun•
ate young alto as he sat there with a
dazed, hunted look. A number who have
made his acquaintance since he has been
confined in jail and othere who knew him
as "Lord Somerset" pressed around him
and shook hande with him in a synepa•
thetio way, while not a few who saw the
bold front that he was trying to feign felt
their throat thicken and their eyes
moisten.
There was only otic lady in the court-
room when the sentence was passed, and
never again will she be found in such e
position. Her face grew deathly pale,
while a sympathetic and tender look
rested upon the prisoner. After the sen-
tenoe had been passed Birchell called one
of his oounssl over and requested that
the terrible truth be kept from his wife
as long as possible, but the depressed and
sorrowful gentleman had to admit to him
that an inkling of what the verdict would
be was gained before he himself had ar-
rived, and the Rev. Mr. Farthing was re.
quested to breaa the terrible news as
gently as possible to the stricken wife.
The rev. gentleman found her and Mre.
West Jones at the Commercial Hotel, and
before he uttered a word they knew his
message.
The poor woman immediately fell into
a swoop, and her setter was so much die.
trussed by the news that she has been
very ill ever since.
Mra. Birchell was after a time restored
but nerves were so severely shooked
that she lay for two hours in a dazed and
semi-conscious condition. Everything
within the power of her attendants was
done. Tho rev. gentleman offered words
of hope, but site appeared not to heed
them.
Sentinel -Review :—The cost of the
trial will be large, but not so large as
many people would probably expeot.
We have it on good authority that it will
be lees than 310,000, probably only
$7,000 or 38,600. The witnesses and
crown attorney's fees are paid by the
county ; the oounsal and detectives are
paid by the Ontario Government.
Birdsall leas n hobby, and that hobby
is writing letters. Shires his incarceration
be has written over 100 lettere to differ-
ent parties. This penchant sseiebtd in
convicting him, for the letter written by
him to Col. Banwell, three days after the
murder of the latter's son, and which
furnished the key to the motive for
young Benwell's murder, was the blank•
eat of all the black evidence pointing to
Birohall as the murderer which the
ht forward.
Town brought
MONTREAL.
There was en awful silentio, during
Which ovary eye was fixed upon the pris-
oner, who, whateeer emotions may have
been raging in his breast, kept now a
clear eye and a ealm face.
The judge in solemn tones caked the
other in the beauty and elegance of their
plaoes of worship. Amongst the many
beautiful and wetly Protestant ohnrehea,
we must not forgot to call the reader's at.
tension to Christ Churoh Cathedral, on
St, Catherine street ; the now and Mem
ant Methodist church on the game street,
erected at a cost of about $310,000, and
acknowledged to be without a rival ou the
continent ; also Crescent Street Presby-
terian Church ; St. George's ; Dominion
Square Methodist Church, and the Amer.
loan Presbyterian, all of which will bear
favorable comparison with any of the
churches of the old or new world, Among
the evidences of the French origin of the
oily are to be noted a few 'serious old
buildings to be found lingering here and
there about Jacques Cartier Square, or
occupying sites on the river front ; these
old holism eewerebni1t somewhatmewhat like for-
tiH anion and have he
viiY
vaulted mil-
lers, wherein treasures might be stored
or defence made against their foes, in the
days when Indians and Whites, French
and British, were fighting and plundering
each other. The Prsnoh Canadians in
the city continue still to be a little more
than half the population ; and, although
their language here has nob been un•
affected by the constant intercourse with
English•speaking people, it is not, ae
commonly enpposed, a p,rtoia, but snob
/french as was spoken by the polite and
educated iu France at the period when
the emigrants, who first settled in Can-
ada, left the shores of their native land.
The naming of .nany of the streets of
Montreal after saints reminds one that
Re founders wore not exiles nor adventur-
ers, but enthusiastic missionaries.
"Montreal possesses advantages which
no other Canadian city can boast of : in
its situation at the confluence of the two
great rivers, the St. Lawrence and Ot-
tawa ; opposite the great natural highway
of the Hudson Valley; at the point where
the St. Lawrence ceases to be navigable
for ocean ships, and where the great
river, for the last time in its course to
the sea, affords a gigantic water -power ;
ab the meeting -point of the two races that
divide Canada, and in the oentre of a fer-
tile plain, nearly as large as all England.
In these we recognize a guarautee for the
future greatness of Montreal, not based
on the frail tenure of human legislation,
but, in the unchanging decree of the Om-
nipotent, as stamped on the world Hellas
created. We know from the study of
these indications, that, wore Canada to
be again a wilderness, and were a second
Cartier to explore ib, he might wander
over all the great regions of Canada and
the West, and returning to our mountain
ridge, call it again Mounb Royal, and say
that to this point the wealth and trade of
Canada must tom',
The city is growing and spreading ab a
most marvellous rate. Buildings of the
most costly oharaoter are being erected
in all parts of the city. What most of
all impresses the visitor with admiration
ie the solidity of the buildings, nearly all
of which are built in the most substantial
manner. Who oan foretell the future of
this great city, with its magnificent har-
bor, its unrivalled water power, its close
and easy aocese to the ocean, its vast
stores of wealth, and its innumerable at-
tractions 7 Those who are best compet-
ent to judge, prediot that within the next
ten years ivfontreai will have a popula-
tion of 1350,000 souls, and within the next
half century not less than 700,000. The
city is annually visited by thousands of
tourists from all parts of the world.
lcONm.rttD NEST IstoE.j
•
C7aa,aaacfiaaa Newwt.
Montreal, the commercial metropolis
of the Dominion, and one of the most
beautiful cities on the Continent of
America, is situated at the head of navi-
getion for ocean vessels, 5.10 miles from
the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the Island
of the same name, whish lies between
the two great rivers of the north, the St.
Lawrence and the Ottawa. The Island
is about 80 miles in length, and, at its
widest, some 10 in breadth. With the
exception of the Mountain, which rises
to the height of about 760 feet, it is
nearly level, and forms one of the most
fertile distriate of the Dominion, the
climate being particularly favorable to
the growth of nearly every kind of grain,
vegetables and fruit. The settlement of
the town was originally determined by
the first explorer, &toques Cartier, in
1535, at which time an Indian village
(Hochelaga) ounupied the spot. On bo -
holding the beautiful scenery from the
top of the mountain, Jacques Cartier
gave the name of Mount Royal, which,
slightly modified, it still remains. It
wee ander French rule until 1700, when
it -passed into the hands of the British.
Iu 1775 Montreal was taken possession of
by General Montgomery, the commander
of the American forces, who used the
square in front of the old Prenoh church
as a parade ground, giving it the name of
Place !'Arms, which it still retains,
The advantage was short-lived, as Its soon
after met his death while gallantly lead•
ing his men under the walls of Quebec.
Montreal wee at this time divided into
upper and lower town. The upper town,
being on a level with the present Court
Horse, contained the chief buildings, such
as the Palace of the Governor, the Con-
vent, Seminary, Parish church, etc. In
the lower town the merchants and men
of business resided. Ab the beginning of
the present century, vessels of more than
300 tons could not come up to Montreal,
and foreign trade was carried on by brigs
an! bargee. The lion. John Moleon
fitted out, in the year 1809, the first
steamboat that ever ploughed the waters
of the St. Lawrence. On the 3rd of Nov-
ember the little orttft got up steam and
made it voyage to Quebec, where the
whole population crowded to the wharf to
have a look at the phenomenon. Its ar-
rival there was chronicled as follows by
tate Quebec Mercury : "Co Saturday
morning, at eight o'clock. arrived here
from Montreal, being her first trip, the
steamboat 'Accommodation; with ten
passengers. This is the first vessel of
the kind that ever appeared in this har-
bor. She is continually crowded. She
left Montreal on Wednesday, at two
o'alook, so that her passage was sixty-six
hours, thirty of which she was at author.
She arrived at Three Rivers in twenty-
four hours. She has at present berths
for twenty passengers, which, next year,
will be considerably augmented. No
wind or tide oan stop her ; she has 76
feet keel and 85 feet on deck. The price
for a passage up is nine dollars and eight
down. the vessel supplying the provisions.
The great advantage attending a vessel
so constructed is that a passage may be
caloulated on to a degree of certainty, in
point of time, wbioh oannot be the ease
with any vessel propelled by sail only,
The steamboat receives her impulse from
an open doable -spoked, perpendicular
wheel, on each side, without any circular
band or rim. To the end of each double
spoke is fixed a square board, which en.
tors the water, and by the rotary motion
of the wheels lobe like a paddle. The
wheels aro pat and kept in motion by
steam, operating within the venal. A
mast is to be fixed in her for the purpose
of using a sail when the wind is favor-
able, which will occasionally accelerate
her headway."
NOTES.
It is now stated on good authority that
the funds for the defense came from Eng-
land from Birchell's brother, Rev. Mr.
Birohall, and a little coterie of friends.
The crown gelled 57 witnesses and the
defence 23. The crown ooeupted full four
days in presenting their ogee and the de•
fenoo about one. Tho court sat an aver-
age of about 01 hours per day.
Dottglae Pally left Por New York on
Tuesday, sailing for hone by the Majos•
tic on Wednesday. It is said MM. ]air-
'shell and her sister, leers. Weet•Jones,
have taken passage on the White Star
steamer which sails front New York on
Oot, 13.
During the eight dayt of the Birahalt
inurdor trial there were handled nearly a
half trillion words of report by the Cane.
dian Paoiffe Telegraph Campany at
Woodatook,the daily average being over
50,000 words, and Monday, night's total
80,000, A staff of the very Monday, eight's
operators were presenb.
In 1882 the cholera raged in Montreal
with great violence, carrying off 1,843 in-
habitants in a population of little more
tban,l10t000. In April, .1849, a political,
mob burnt the Parliament batldingsi: and
the seat of Government was, in cense-
'mance, transferred to Quebec, subse-
quently to Toronto, and finally to Ottawa.
A deetruotive fire in July, 1852, laid
waste a large portion of the city, burning
110 houses, and destroying property to
the value of 31,303,264. Notwithstand-
ing these reverses, the city has rapidly
recovered, and to -day numbers s popula•
tion of nearly 225,000 people. Years of
industry, intelligence and enterprise have
produced a mighty °entreat to the city as
before described. Now ocean vessels of
4,000 tone, the floating palaces of the
Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Co.,
and ships from 700 to 2,000 tons, from all
parts of the world, occupy the wharves
of the harbor, which are not squalled on
this continent in point of snbttenbiel con-
struction, oonvenietioe and e'eenlinees,
The older parts of the city, near the
river, have narrow, incommodious streets;
but the new growth of the oily towards
the mountain has been lfbot'ally iloid Ont
with wide aid cheerful thoroughfares.
The buildings aro very fine ; the material
chiefly used is it zinc• olored limestone,
extonsively quarried in the immediate
neighlinrhood of the city. The great
wealth of the Roman Catholic Cllureli
has enabled it to erect many magnificent
ehurohee, hospitals end =mute, °heayt
in a very ntsesrve end enduring style.
Other denomimttione soein to hate boon
At Pottageville, in the Township of
King, on Saturday, Isabella Rae, wife of
James Rae, committed suicide by shoot•
ing herself through the heart. She bad
beets married only seven menthe.
E. Livingstone, of Blyth, while on his
way home from the Mitchell macre, re•
oeived a telegram from a gentleman in
Chimera, offering him $3,000 for his trot-
ting horse, "Dr. Livingstone," which Ms-
tingulahed himself at the Clinton, Sae.
forth and Mitchell races.
An amusing game of laoroeee took
place on the agricultural park, Stratford,
on Monday afternoon of last weak, be-
tween the law and cheese man, and the
bankers and ineurauoe men, resulting in
3 straight games for the law and °hoose
team. Those who never handled laorosse
etioke before, only, were qualified for the
game.
The Ingersoll Tribune says
fol-
lowing resolution unanimously
ly passed by
the quarterly board of the Methodist
church will no doubt be welcome news
to most of our citizens as welt as to the
adherents and members of the above
ohuroh in particular :—"That the system
of raising money for church purposes by
means of tea meetings, socials, lectures
ar,d other entertainments in connection
with the King street Methodist oburch
be abolished, and that in place thereof
an appeal be made to the members and
adherente of eaid churchtwice a year at
such times as may be convenient for
sutfioient money to meet all claims here
before met by means of tea meetings,
eooiale,lectures or nther entertainments."
As a rule a good proportion of the re-
ceipts from stoials, tee., are swallowed up
by expenses, which if contributed by
direct subscriptions, would aid the
church materially without the labor and
inconvenience in preparing for the ee-
tertaiomenb, to say nothing of the an-
noyance to the citizens by the soheite-
tione of ticket sellers.
The reporter of the Brantford Courier,
writing from Woodetook says :—"Tice
crowd of nowepaper man is the largest
ever assembled together in Canada, out-
side of the Press gallery at Ottawa. The
list includes A, C. Campbell, J. II. Tay-
lor, G. W. Smith and W. Thompson
(artist) for the Globe, Toronto ; J. A..
Curry, D. N. Pirie, 0. C. Staples and W.
Thompson (artist) for the Mail ; F. H.
Burrowe and C. F. Crehan for the Em-
pire ; Chas. J. Winlow and A. E. Miller
for the London Free Press ; J. H. Mc-
Lean and W. J. Wilkinson for theToron-
to World ; C. T. Campbell for the News,
and A. H. Hutchinson for the Toronto
Telegram ; 0. Davie. Hamilton Times ;
J. W. Tyler, New York Evening San ;
C. W. Blake, New York Morning Sun ;
A. Murphy, New York World ; 0. Phem•
later, Associated Press ; F. D. Reville,
Brantford Courier; 0, L,Daniels, Brant-
ford Expositor ; N. McIntyre, St.
Thomas Journal ; 3. Richmond, Buffalo
News ; U. Paine, Associated Press ; R.
S. Martin, Detroit Sun ; D. Cloughlin,
Utica Globe ; Mies MoDermott, Rochest-
er Union ; together with five local men.
They are a busy lot of fellows, and from
the opening to the close every iuoident of
the court is faithfully noted by over a
score of Tenons. As may be imagined,
all sorts of devices aro resorted to for the
purpose of gaining pointera, and talks
with Birohall are in great dammed.
The Guelph Central Fair opened Thurs.
day of last week.
The salmon peck on the Fraser river,
B. C., this season, is valued at $1.417,-
248.
The Peterboro' people Friday voted to
provide 30 nesse of land for the Edison
Electric Company's works.
A meeting was held in Toronto Monday
for the purpose of forming an association
to advance the mineral development of
tine country.
Bryce Douglas, a British shipbuilder,
who was at Ottawa a day or two ago,
submitted a proposal to the Atlantic mail
service.
Mr. Looker, daisy expert for the
Canadian Pacific Colonisation Co. at
Queenstown, was found dead on the
prajrie near Gleithen, N. W. T.
While Jabez Jewell, of Mitchell, was
working on aeoaffold ono day last week
painting, the scaffolding gave away and
Mr. Jewell fell it distance of 20 feet.
Wm. Nicholas (Indian,) of Caradoo, has
been committed to the county jail for 30
days for supplying liquor 10 other In.
diens. The offence was committed in
1888.
J. E. MoLauohlin, of Dresden, sold by
auction recently 520 sores of land in
Dawn, and 25 aures in Camden, to a Mr.
Lymtmrner, of Buffalo, realizing for the
same $5,025.
Soloman Peter Hale, the colored orator
of Canada, has been engaged by the
Tbamesville Meohanios' Institute Board
to give an entertainment in the Ferguson
Opera House on Saturday, October llth.
At Dundee, Monday morning of last
week, Jesse Ranger, aged 70, was found
dead in his house. There was a bullet
hole in his head, and he held in his right
hand a revolver.
Many of the subscribers to the Toronto
Summer Carnival have failed to pay up
and the unfavorable critiaisims of the
show are blamed for their delinquency.
A committee has been appointed to audit
the accounts and engage is collector.
Soots ,t Martindale, of Galt, have re
oeived instructions from the friends of
the unfortunate young Benwell to menu.
feature a stone to mark his grave at
Princeton. The stone is to be of Sucher.
land Palle' (Vt.) marble, and will lie on a
sandstone foundation. Tito dimensions
ere 5 feet 11i inches in length and 1 foot
61; incites In height above the foaudation,
which latter will be one foot abeve the
Herb= ; it will time be seen that the
stone ie intended to entirely 500er rho
grave. Batoro the stone is laid a found
ation of brick or stone will be laid six
feet deep and an arch built over the
cofiht, The work has to be completed by
excited by emulation, and vie with each Oct. y,
People We Snow.
Dr, Holmes was away to Detroit this
week for a few days.
Miss Mitchell, of Wingham, was visit-
ing in town last week.
Mrs. (Dr.) Graham is away on a visit
to friends in Michigan.
Mise Maggie Burgess has been visiting
old friends at Toronto.
0. E. Turnbull, of the Galt "Reporter,"
is home on a holiday visit.
Frank Stratton, of Port Arthur, is en-
joying a visit home this week.
Miss Aitkens, of London, wee the guest
of Mrs, A. Strachan last week.
Mrs. Skene and May were vieiting at
Toronto and locality for a week.
Mrs. J. H. Brownlee returned to her
borne in Chicago on Saturday last.
Miss Pringle, of Bellfountain, is visit•
ing her sister, Mts. W. J. Fairfield.
W. Stratton, wife and children, of
Ohio, are visiting relatives in this
ors.ealiby.ting Tomlinson, of Thamesford, is
vlieiMher sister, Mre. A. J. Lowick, of
this place.
P. Fisher, Postmaster of Wingham,
spent a day this week visiting his friend,
P. M. Farrow.
Jas. Thompson, cabinet maker, has
gone to Detroit where be has taken a
sitnetion at hie trade.
Mrs. Neil \filloy. Paul and Christie
were away at Hillsburg, Wallington Go.,
visiting relatives and friends.
P. Thompson and Mise Clara ars home
from Toronto this week attending the
wedding of Miss Ida Thompson,
Mrs. Percy White and children, of
Port Elgin, are visiting T. Hall's. Mrs.
White is a daughter of this gentleman.
Mrs. John Wynn wag palled away on
Thursday of this week to attend the
funeral of her father who resided in
Michigan.
Rev. J. Mulholland left last Friday for
Helena, Montana, where be has assumed
a °barge. He purchased his ticket from
J. T. Pepper, 0.P. R. agent.
We notices by a New Westminster paper
that Jas. B. Ballantyne, formerly of
Brussels, 000npies the position of Warden
in the I. 0. 0. P. lodge of bleat place.
A short time ago the Montreal Phar.
maoentical Journal offered a valuable
prize for the beet paper on "A model re.
tail drug store." We are pleased to state
that 0. W. Jaoltson,of Toronto, son of W.
Jackson, of Brussels, wee awarded the
prize, and we congratulate him on his
success. There's nothing like trying.
On Monday of this week David Arm-
strong left .Brussels for Buffalo tellers he
has secured a good position in the ear.
shops. Me. Armstrong is a first class
mechanic and will do web anywhere.
Mrs. Armstrong la visiting relatives et
Walkerton ereparatory to her removal to
Lluffelo, We regret to have them leave
both our town and our ossuary but wlbh
them prosperity in their noes home. ,