The Exeter Advocate, 1890-10-2, Page 6THE BENWELL TR1GEDY.
Rex Birohall 011 His Trial for
Murder.
OMER'S DDRESS TO THE JURY.
The Chain ot Circumstantial Evidence
Ile Ilas Forged.
=rattail Buoyant and Chirpy Throllgh
It All—The Story of the Deed SUC-
oluetly Told by the Crown—The
Witnesses to Swear to Seeing the Two
Men In the Swamp—The Jury Cau-
timued.
Brief History of the Case.
(Woodstock Sentinel Review.)
As the trial of J. Reginald 13iroha11 for
the murder of F. C. Benwell begins on
Monday it may be veorth while here to give
there identified by s nunelser ot witheorma
who are to give evideuoe et the coming trial.
A lest Monday :eight's Woodetook de.
Snatch eays ; The great Birchall•Beowell
murder case opened to.day, end the firet
of the etideiace leading to the °leering
up of the great Blenheim swamp mystery
was preowned behme an intelligeot and, as
it is beileeed. doPreiltdiced jety. The ddY
wag fine and many vieitors 041330 in Irene
outeide the town, The intereet of all the
people was centered on the court room,
and the murder trial , has simplt, elotted
out all.other subjects of conversation
The prisener bl rete d well'd rose
betineee. Hod:imaged first in his custom,
rethet!shahher mit, and hied his break)
fest, whith hra
e seeed to enjoy: He devoted'
ooneedereble time then to his toilet,
dressing with as rauth care, as if he were
going to a ball. Before 9 o'clook, the time
for him to take his usual outing in the jail
yard, he was ready for the events of the
day. When the door to the yard was
opened and the guard called him Birohall
came down the winding iron staircase
which leids from the corridor on which hie
rooms are to that below which opens upon
the yard. He looked the picture of nett!.
nese. His black moustache shoveed him:leer
than usual against hie carefully shaven
tape. Frorn his Christy stiff hat to his
pointed, highly.poliehed shoes he was
strictly correct in every detail of dress. He
wore a black thinohilla coat and vest. His
SI brief resume of the circumstances con- 4 :teller lead its pinta turned down, and he
Baeated with the murder and the events that ' wore a soft tilleok necktie. In the centre
led to the arrest of the accused, to enable of his shirt bosom one plain gold stud so -
our readers the more intelligently to follow Peared, being strictly in keeping with his
the oriee throughout. W course it will be general makwup and in perfeet taste.
readily seen the impropriety and the injus- How He Looked.
floe of publishing anything at the present The court was not orowded, but was well
stage of the case that would tend to preju. filled, largely by witnesses and members of
dice Mr. Bind:tell in the public mind; and the jury panel. Birohall walked firmly
it is intended, therefore, to give nothing and quietly to the dock, closely scrutinized
but the plain, histories) feote devoid of by every eye in the house. The people
euggestion, comment or embellishment. saw simply a good-looking young man
These facts may be briefly stated as dressed with unusual oare ; a shade of
/ °Rowe : additional pallor on the face and increased
On February 2lat of this year two yonng dilation of the pupils of the eyes being the
seen named George and j. Elveridge went only signs manifest about him of hie being
to a swamp situated on the seoond canoes- under any exoitement. The shadow of a
sion of Blenheim, between Eastwood and nervoue smile flitted across his fe.oe as the
Princeton, to chop. In that ewamp, deputy sheriff opened the door of the bee
which has since become notorious as the and motioned him to his place. He sat
" Swamp of Death," "The Benwele down at once, and it was then found to the
Swamp,' or "Dead Man's Swamp," diseppoihtment of many who clewed to
they found the body of a young man look at him that only the upper poi eon of
etretohed on a pile of saplings. Investi- his head could be seen above the top :eft of
gation disclosed two bullet wounds in the the box. The only people having tt clear
back of the head, one behind the left view of the prisoner's face during the trial,
ear and one about the nape of the neck. unless a change is madeovill be the Judge
The body was frozen stiff. The hat, collar upon the platforra and the ladies, for
and necktie of the deceaged had been re- whom seats have been specially reserved
moved, and were found a short distance behind the Judge. Guard Entwb in ie took
from thebody, and the vest and trousers bis place immediately behind th, f)uX.
were unbuttoned. From the various art/. He Pleads Not Guilty.
des of the dead man's clothing had been A few seconds after the pri- to er had
cut, as if with a pair of scissors, those taken his place the solicitor, Mr. S. G. Mc -
portions on whioh were supposed to have Kay, stenped over for a short coneultation
been the name or initials of the deceased, with him. There was a wait of about ftf.
and this precaution it was supposed had teen minutes, during which several ladies
been taken for the purpose of preventing entered. Mrs.Birchall and her sister, Mrs.
identification. The body was taken to West -Jones, were not present. They re.
Princeton, where a post mortem examine- raained indoors. Mrs. Bin:hall is by no
tion was held. Speculation was rife as to means improved in her nervoas condition
the identity of the murdered man and the by the knowledge that the day of the trial
motive that led to the crime. The body had at last come. Court Crier McKay
lay exposed in the undertaking establish. opened the court after the usual form and
ment of Mr. Swartz, Princeton, for several at onoe the ease was called. The court
days and was visited by a continuous clerk rose with indiatment in hand, and
stream of interested people, many of whom looking ta the box oalled the prisoner's
thought they reoognized in the features of name. Birchall at once lose and the
the dead man a twee they had seen in life. indictment was read indicting him by the
On February 22nd, a cigar oaae was found name of John Reginald Birohall for the
near the spot where the body had lain and murder of Frederica Cornwallis Benwell.
on this °see was written the name "F. C. " How say you, John Reginald Birch.
Benwell." This was the firer clue as to the all ?" asked the clerk. " Guilty or not
identity of the young man. But who was guilty?"
F. C. Benwell? The prisoner's reply was clear and die.
On February 24th the coroner's inquest tinth "Not guilty..
opened at Preneeton. The evidence there . Are you ready for your trial ?" asked
brought out seemed to cast suspicion on two the olerk.
men well-knownin Woodstock, Geo. Barker Birchen looked toward the table where
and Robt. Caldwell. A drenken drive the lawyers cn hie side were assembled.
through the country one night saepioionsly Mr. Blackatock rose. " I am here for the
near the time when the murder must have prisoner, my Lord," said he, "and we are
ready to proceed."
been committed, gay
theory that they w
and some blood foun
worn by Barker w
regarded as furnish/II
tion. The first lieht
some mystery was whe
L R. Birchall and wife a
and asked to see the body
The name -F. C. Benwell o
had been brought to his no
come all t the way from Nia
ascertain if the Murdered Matt,
be knew. On the following day
was ashamed and was identified
Birche'l as that of a young man wh
amen:mania him from England.
Meanwhite Government Detective John
W. Murray, who had been following the
Baker and Caldwell clue, was attracted to
Brantford by a report that the signalmre
1' F. C. Benwell, Bristol, Eng.," had been
found in a hotel register there. IV
Brantford he heard of Birchall'sP ifica-
tion of Benwell, and proceeding o Paris
came up with that pereon there d had an
interview with him. Biechalt pre eded to
Niagara Falls, and the following
arrested by Mr. Tom Yong, Chief the
Ontario Police, on suspicion of beine
murderer of the man he had iden ten ed.
Flynn,the Customs officer et the bridge, had
in his charge some luggage and on one of
•the trunke was the name "F. C. Benwell."
This name corres with the IMMO on
The cigar cage, n Mr. Birchen.
"came to remove' ,e logg the snspioione
of the Cc:atoms ffioen we excited end
these suspiciohe come
ihe mithoritie The, reselt
all's arrest. ' n March 4t.:le
was brought p for examen
fore Magistra Hill, of Niag
and at that amination Mr. D.
related for the rat time the mar
story of his ex rience on his first vi
Canada—a et which (=had the
found interest two continents and wh
thngth to the
eniIty parties
n a pair of boots
killing pigs, was
triking corrcbore-
own on the grne-
n February 28th
ved at Princeton
the dead man.
he cigar case
end he had
a Fella to
/HMI
body
Mr.
Mr. Osier's Address.
In his opening address to the jury Mi.
Osier explained that he had been retained
by the Crown with Mr. ,Cartwright, the
Deputy Attorney -General, and Mr. Bell,
County Crown Attorney for the County
of Oxford, to condnot the wise for the
prosecution. "The case to be presented,"
said hc, " is made up of many unuenal and
extraordinary features, and the jurymen,
who have no doubt read the,newspaper
minute of the murderneftilitlita, ell to re.
member nothing but the evided to be
presented to the tinAng the ne few
days. It would b t•nfaithnot only t he
own, but tot. risonts, to have on
j.Alltle 'vete *pion had pr
dispoerter eith •for orlitgainet th
accused,' so that you '1 do well to cas
aside all prejadioe, an. • udge of the °mei
_from tbe evidence have eworm
ear. You will r mber th
he prisoner ets
dock an ocent man, entitle
fullest, ocean tion, and until you have
given your ver in the case he mast be
SO looked upon. . must eliminate from
your minds all feelin of prejudice, and
discard the impressio yon may have
med from what you ye read in the
spere. In order tha on may be
o follow the evide e for the
elosely, and so that4y learned
itents the pris er may
wash
Crown re
friend who
know exactly wh )44 of a 011E1 he has
the meet, I propose, MI ittlinttvg ty, to
e.cated to ecite in detail many of the s noes
as Birch.- dhenected with the case. A few o : the
Birchen wttnesses for the Crown I have no e yet
ion be-' fle but from the scores I have al ady
Falls, §spo he to I have leer suffloient to give
,
:you', n intelligent an
the se." Mr. Osier
ro- 1"in
,
h Ont
Pelly
-Aloes
to
'resulted, than
paper reporter
identity of bet
in determining
the latter's fat
to this time th only evidence of unpoite
once againet Biha11 was ehat furnished by
Pellede graphic Mid touching story; but the
identification Of Birchall with "Lord
Somerset" who* campy in Woodstocie it is
perhaps not nedeesery to refer to here, ex-
cited intense /Owl imereat, and Sentinel -
Review reportele were set to work in
etas ne'ghboehand to s'u what they
tould do to 'tor:ravel the mystery.
The evidermwe thas brolight to light
la familiar to Most of wee readers and
will be brought qui, in tc:1 daring the com-
ing week. Tbe Aeries of Mies Staith, lilies
SWAyeie, Miss Cromwell, Me. Hayward,
Mr, 13uok. Mr, Logan, hrieri Lookher.,'Mas
Fallon and others: were brought ori throdgh
the agency of the Sena net -Review and first
appeared in these column% though Moot of
them were afterwerde repeated at the
inquest. On March 7,h the ingoest resumed
at Princeton, and Mr. Pelley identifed the
body of the young man ail that of F. fit
Benwell who had eailed from England wih
himself and Biretta The reeth of the
ormoner'e inqueat Wela that Birchen was
bold to be guilty of the murder, and his
wife in being acceesory sifter the fact, a
oharge which, by the way, hi not to be
pressed against her. Birchen was outlast.
to the busy efforts of new
n establishing fully the
ircholl and Benwell, and
e events connected with
visit te this Dominion. Up
orrect outline of
gave the fol.
SUMMARY OF
morning of Pride. the 21st of
ebrna last, two young fa ere visited a
place ca the Blenheim sw p, which is
eituated lot 22 in the secon concession
of Blenhe , for the pumps f cutting
wood, and lade prosecuting hair work
found the b of a young man tying on a
pile of seplin s. The body WWI frozen, and
the condition of the clothing showed the kind
of weather to which the remains had been
espoeed. From the position of the injuries
whioh caused the man's death, two bullet
wounfte in the back of the head, it was
clearly a case of murder. The first shot
must nave caused instantaneous death, itO
that a theory of suicide cannot for a
moment be entertained, as the men himself
could not possibly have fired the almond
shot. At firet there appeared le be no clue
whatever as to the dead man's identity or
as to hie murderer, as an examination by a
police officer showed that the deceariedle
clothing had been tampered with, and
that certain marks on his linen had been
cat away. On the following day, however,
there was found near the body a cigar case,
on the colter of WItiott was printed the
name "F. C. Benwell," and from that day,
step by atep, end item by item, the facts
loorned up, until the Crown officers had in
their possession a chain of circumstances
that justified them in cauliing the arrest of
the prisoner at the bar on the 2nd of March
last. The grand jury, he you know, have
rebutted A true bill of murder against the
Mound, and it remains for you to wira.
eqiiently temoved 10 WOodeloOk jell and wital fully Weigh the Otuderece end pit:Monne°
tiPolt *he guilt orionottotoe of the Prie0Oer.
Tbe victim of the Murder wag the third
Mal o Liellt..001. Benwell, a retired array
offioer of Cheltenleem, England, and wee
about 24 rare of age. ite had been in
New Zealand, but returned to us home,
and left England on the 5th day of reb-
ruarylast by the steamer Britannie, for
America, and as the Crown oleime, he wag
murdered on the 17th of Februerynot on
the -first day oz whioh be enteeed into *leis
Province. n t •
BIRCilithl. :pew run smut'.
Let as look foral mth
ement at e career
of the priedner, ($114 tram,' the history ef
the negotiations betweep him and the dead
man. The prifiener &et one to Canada
in the fall or winter of 1888, arriving in
Woodetookin DiDe9oleietavhe.erieof4thoitthnYejtar-egin, Halide
Birchen, but in Woodstook he represented
his name ail being Somerset, and claimed
to be the third sou Ot Lord Somereet.
His Wif0, t00, was repreeented as hearing
the eame name. While in Woodstock he
did no wok, bat was a frequent visitor to
the country, and it will be shown that he
had paid more than one ViBit to and was
familiar with the owerrip where Benwell's
body was found. The Crown witnesses
will also show that he had an intircuite
acquaintance with the stretch of water
known as Pine Lake, whioh is situate
close to the scene of the murder. He had
been frequently seen hunting in the
neighborhood of the swamp, and this I
would like you to remember, as it is an
important point, because it indicates that
he had ample opportunity of becoming
familiar with the place.
Here the learned counsel detailed most
minutely the relations existing between the
prisoner and Benwell, whioh led up' to his
visiting Canada.
THE FATAL JOURNEY.
Early on the morning of the 17111 of
February, and while it was still dark,
Birohall and Benwell started on the fatal
journey, and I propose to show by wit-
nesses that they did not stop at Niagara
Fells at all, but went farther on. The
theory of the Crown is, and overwhelming
evidence will show, that the two men went
from Buffalo to Hamilton by the feet ex-
press; that they there took the Accommo-
dation trainenhich stopped at Eastwood;
that they left the train at ,Eastwood, and
that the murder was committed on that
afternoonbetween noon and 3 o'olook.
The ,Crown will show that on that day
there were but two tickets sold at Suspen-
sion Bridge for Erietwood, and that the
prisoner and e person answering the de-
scription of deoeased boarded the train at
Hamilton for Eastwood. The Crown will
show by four witnesses the presenceof the
priaoner and deemed on this train, and by
several witnesses the Crown will prove that
they left the train together at Eastwood.
But two tickets were sold for this station
and but two passengers got off the train.
The train on that morning arrived at
Eastwood at 11.14 a.m., and the journey
to the swamp was made on. foot.
By runnel measurement the distance
from the strition to the eweimp and
back is a trifle less than nine miles and a
half, and you will see by this map an
outline of the route taken. As the train
that took Birchen back to the Falls did
not arrive at Eastwood until 3.38 p. rn.,
there were four hours and thirty.four min-
utes in which to kill Benwen and walk a
distance of nine miles and a half. This
distance, following the route taken by the
prisoner, has by ordinary walking been
accomplished in two hours and forty-eight
minutes, BO that the murderer had an hour
and thirty-six minutes in which to do his
work in the esviemp.
TUE TWO DIEN BEEN.
The Crown will bring two wittre
prove the presence of Birchall and Benwell
at Eastwood station and at different points
along the road towards the swamp where
the body was found, and some of these
witnesses remember, had previously
known Bin:hall when he was travelling
tinder the name of Somerset. There are
witnesses, too; who will swear to having
seen Birehall returning to Eastwood sta-
tion, and it will be proven absolutely that
he left Eastwood by the afternoon train of
that day. Perhaps it would be well to go
back for a moment and point oat that
when Birchen left Buffalo with Benwell he
told Pelly that he would hear from him
by 2 o'clock as to where Pally and
Birchall's wife were to join them at
the Falls. But he was not heard from
at that time,and nothing further was known
of his movements until a message was
received from him at 9 in the evening, and
shortly afterwards he himself arrived
alone, saying that Benwell had gone to
London to see if he could find a imitable
farm. The Crown will show that Birchen
'arrived very shortly after the train from
Buffalo arrived, and that when he Bent a
telegraphic message from the Bridge to
Pally he used the assumed name of Bestill
On that night he told Pelly that Ben -
well had inspected the farm, had beoome
sulky, would eat nothing, and that he had
tient him to look at some farms, having
seen him off on the train. On the follow-
ing day Birchen and wife and Pelly went
to the Falls, and Birchen informed Pelly
that Benwell had taken his (Birchen's)
pistol with him. At the.Falls, the Crown
will show, Birchen engaged a poet -office
letter.box numbered 313, for which there
were two keys. One of those he gave to
Pelly, and the other he kept himeelf.
THE CIGAR CASH.
What the Crown will prove is that tlae
prisoner Bent a telegram from Buffalo to
himself at Niagara Falls, telling him to
send the baggage .to the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, New York., This message is in
Birchall's own writing. The following
day it came to the prisoner's knowledge
that the name "F. C. Benwell" had been
pnbliehed in all the newspapers as that
'found on a cigar case near the dead body of
a manin the Oxford swamp. He knew he
would have to face it, and he deoided to go
to Princeton. If he did not go Pelly would
go there, and he would be impeded. He
sent Pelly to New York and started to
Princeton, arriving there in the evening,
and the conversations he had with several
men in Princeton will come out in evidence.
He said that Benwell had written to him
from London, dated after ,the 171h, and
that the deceased had sent tie baggage
checks to him at the Falls, aeking him to
get thebsegage out of bond. He drove
beak to Paris that night, btit returning
next day identified the body a deceased,
which had been exhumed, SS that of the
young man who left Megan& Falls with
bim, F. C. Benwell. He made statements
to witnesses at Paris With reference to the
habits of deceased, saying that he was
Mien of bad habits, end liable to get into
trouble, which a witnees of the Crown will
erophatioally deny.
4 On opening the cotat itt the afternoon
Mr. Oaler continued his addreee to the
Chown. After the lIkle the prisoner, as.
ended by Pelly, passed ttenwell's ;baggage
through the Custer:no at the Falls. Upon
the prigoner when arrested were the keys
of the demand's baggage, 6100 a gold pencil
with the wordelCopninoyve, Stehttati 1;3126%i';
The Crown wonithLe
belonged he the dimerieea, dnd he wis in the
habit of carrying h constantly orelis per.
on The Crown Would prove thatthia Weal
a birthday preeent to dwelled, alla that
" °any WAS the family nave° of young
Benwell, Cornwallis." The Crown would
alto identify the Astrathan oap worn by
Bitobew on nie trip to Eastwood. Teen
now to the finding of the body, The body
was found about 11 o'olook on the morning
Of the 2lat of February. If the theery of
the Crown is right, the murder ocourred
Bluntly after ruid.day on the 171h, So that
the body would have been lying there four
days. (Mr. Osier then produced a map of
the epot.) X,Aencling through this epeanip
from the 2 nd conceesion there was what
was knowo as a hunter's trail leading to,
Pine Pond. After the prieoner had left
Woodetooka fire got into this swamp, and,
burning away the aoil, the trees tell and
blinked up the trail. The body VMS
found not where it had tallen from the
shots, but near by. It was lying on the
back, a root or branch supporting the head.
The left foot was in thole a position that
the frost had frozen it into the soft soil.
The other leg was creasing the left, and
was supported by a brameh or root. 'flee
right arm was in an upright position. The
right arm, whioh was upright, was Sus-
tained by a mass of frozen iete and snow,
which had fallen into the mouth of the
sleeve and frozen solid. The collar that he
had worn had been jerked off the deceased.
The force used had carried the button and
a piece of the shirt with it. Every name
had been cat off the clothing, frora the
ebirt, the collar, the drawers. Thera was
nothing upon the body itself which would
indioate who it was. The het was found
without any maker's name in it. The
sweatband was turned out, and if it had
had any name or lining this had also been
torn out. Two bullet holes were found in
the head of deceased. No blood was seen
until underneath the place where the head
lay the snow was soraped away and a small
quantity of blood was found. Next day
the snow was scraped away and two ertiales
found, a oigar.case and a pair of eye -
emus. The oigar.osse can be identified,
but the glasses cannot, beyond the fact that
decessed's.brother will prove that they are
about the risme strength as those usually
worn by deceased. The body was removed
to Princeton and a post-mortem made. The
examination ehowed that the body was that
of a well-nourished man.
The Evidence.
The Crown has something over 70 wit-
nesses to examine. Some of them will be
very short. Moat of them speak to but one
incident, and I do not think there will be
more than one, or perhaps two, witnesses
whose examination will occupy long time.
William McDonald was the tiret witness
called. All the other witnesses were
ordered to retire. A mighty host they
made as they rose in their places and
started for the door. Under Mr. Oaler'e
examination, Mr. McDonald stated that he
was a retired farmer, living in Woodstock.
He first knew the prisoner in November,
1888, when he came out from the agency ot
Ford, Rathborne k Co., emigration agents,
as a farm pupil. Mr. McDonald placed
him with a farmer named Wilcox, he
thought, in Dereham township, bat the
prisoner stayed only one night there. He
came to Woodstook with his wife, and
stated he had not come to Canada to work
on a farm. He lived at witness' house for
a few weeks, and then went to board with
Mrs. McKay. The prisoner remained in
Woodetook four or five months, but entered
upon no particular bueinees.
Mr. Blaokstook took the witness, and it
soon became evident that he has a strong
grip of the case and a strong determina-
tion to fight it through with all his ability.
Cinder bis questions Mr. McDonald
eteted that he had been employed for
three years in the farm pupil bueinees,
getting a commission from the agency for
the pupils he placed. He denied emphati-
cally that he had got anything from the
farmers. He had centinned this business
until about four months ago, when it
ceased. His last letter about that time
was not answered. He gave the names of
pupils he had placed, one of them being
F. A. Somerset, a name which winged a
smile among the people who know Somer-
set now as Birchall. He remembered
Dudley and Graham, but did not know
where they were now. Dudley had gone to
Piokthall's as a pupil, but did not remain,
and witness had gone to Princeton to see
the body of Benwell, because he
saw in the papers that it was an Eng-
lishman, and thought he might be able
to identify him. He believed that state-
ment in the Woodstock Sentinel..Review.
He was at Niagara Falls on other business
when the inquest was on and was called
upon to give evidence. He explained how
he was standing on the station platform
when he wets introduced to Chief Young as
one who knew Birchen. He had never Been
Young before. They (Lid not talk over
what evidence he would give.
When asked what they talked about a
laugh followed when he answered that they
talked about how pretty the fells were and
60 00.
This witness' arosisexamination was
made with a 7/0I, to show that he had
been charged with swindling in the farm
pupil business; that Birchall was a pupil
of ids; and that he had expressed regret
for giving evidence against Birchen at
Niagara Falls.
Thu] concluded the cross•examination,
and Mr. Oaler rose to further question the
witneas. Mr. McDonald said: My brother-
in.le,w is turnkey at the jail, and I acted
for him during his illnees. I never got a
cent in these transactions except my com-
mission.
BirchaIrs Letter to Col. Benwell.
"The next thing of importance," said
Mr. Geier in his address to the jury, "15
that on the 191h or 201h of February the
accused wrote a letter to Col. Benwell, the
deceased's father, in England. That letter
is so important that I will read it to you.
Bear in mind that on the 171h the yOrIng
man had gone with him. Bear in mind
that he had come back on the evening of
the 171h, stating that Benwell was dis•
satisfied with the farm and he had gone
west. Bear in mind that it was after all
this that he wrote to Benwell's father.
The letter has not got a date on the face of
it, and therefore it is important for you to
bear in mind that it was on the 191h of
February he took the post -office box 313.
This, as you will see from the contents,
conclusively proves that it was on a date
subsequent to the disappearance of de-
ceased. The address • Messrs. Birchen and
Benwell, post.offiae box 313, Niagere
Falls,' is stamped actor's the face of the
letter in type which the prisoner had. The
letter reads :
"Please address MoSsrs. Birchen and Benwell,
P. O. box 313, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
"My Dear Sir,—
We arrived here safely after tt very pleatiant
journey, the sem ming rather rough than other-
wise. We came up by—sleeping car from
Now York. We had a very pleasant trip
indeed. Your son has inspected all my
books and all. nty business arrangements,
and I introduced him to people who
know me well. He suggeated taking other
advice, so 1, of bourse, was perfectly
and he consulted a barrister in London, Ont.,
concerning the busineas with satisfactory re-
sults, and he has decided to join meas he has
found fin that he wighed io be satisfactory, I
think we shall Make a very good businees to-
gether. The books show a very geed profit for
last year, I think the best way is to place tho
money in our joint names in the bank to the
credit of our reserve fund. We shall take the
additional piece of land that 1 nientioned to
you as We shall now keetlire it for Produce. The
best way to send money out is by banker's
draft. Drafts for ue should be drawn on we
Of Montreal, New 'York. They bay) e
branch in Loudon, and I think the London it
Westminster also do busriess for them. i:J.t tier;
of this I'ind should be insured and rogeitered,
We are holding a large gale early in Mareli, sad
your son was soznewhe.t anxious to nare us the
probeeda of the Bale, waieu I am quite
that he should do, and we have g:gne4 our deed
94 P art nershilYand phall, 1 am sure, nor „ir
regret doing so. Your son is, I thiek, wrzog
you by this, pest,. Kindly axone bee winner:
on my parr, but I are rather in a burry
to catch the mail. My letters aro goner -
Ally. Written bY typewriter, aki thej are go"
much more legible and clear of any doubt Ale
words:, We are baring paper printed ,properly,
and this will be ready in a few pays.
you Will be Pleased that yeer son has found
things gatisfactory and I quite agree that he did
much the best thing in coming out to see tee'
business first, I shall send you weekly particu-
lars of ell business done, so that you (ma see tor
yourself how things go on. This will be satik.-
factory to you I think. Or eourse with regard to
the money any bank in New Yoili would do for a
draft. We have opened a business Recount in
ourjoint names at the American Bank here,
Your sou will doubtless explain his views in his
lotter. With hind regards believe me, dear sir,
ginoerely yours,
" (Signed) J. B. Buten/az,
" Lieut. -Col. Benwell,
" Iseultdene, Cheltenham."
The contents of the letter were listened
to with the deepeat of interest, as well as
Mr. Osler's significant observations regard-
ingi t.
A SUNDAY SMASH-UP.
A. Freight Runs Into an Excursion Train
With Disastrous Results.
A Sunday's Chicago dispatch says: At
8 o'clock to -night a ewitch eneine on the
Chicago, Burlington de Oaitioy Railway ran
into the rear of an emersion train on the
Illinois Central near 1811 street. At this
hour 40 people are reported tilled and a
large number injured. For a time the con-
fusion was se great that even an appeorn
mate idea of the loss of life was impossible
to obtain. First reports from the roliee
had it that 40 peopie probably had met
death, while the railway officials said only
two or three persons were certainly known
to neve been killed. Within half an hour,
however, four mangled corpses had been
dragged out of the heap of broken timbers
and twisted iron that marked the spot
where the collision took place. By this
time it had also been ascertained that at
least three other persons were seriously in-
jured and six others slightly. The collision
took place near Douglass Park, and the vio.
time were Sunday escureioniets returning
to the city. The freight train crew assert
that they passed Millard avenue under a
clear signal. Millard avenue is only a
short distance from where the sueseb-up
occurred.
THE TRAIN WRECK ERS.
A Choice of Versions aa to the Story of
Their Confessions.
A. Troy, N. Y., despatch says: It is
stated today that the confessian of John
Reed, Thos. Cain and Arthee Butt, three
of the men engaged in wreottng the DI On-
treal express on Tuesday, Sep. 41h, has
been pieced in the hands cf amuse'. for
prosecution, and that beeides these three
men the statements implicate Jobn Cordial
and John Sienese. 11 18 said details of the
plot are elven. The confessions, it is
stated, will be presented to the grand jury
now in session as evidence on which to pro-
cure th 3 indictment of the prisoners.
At the adjourned examination of Kiernan
and Cordial to•dey, W. J. Ladden stated
that he was counsel for all the defend/into,
but it was asid by the counsel for the nmee-
oution that Cain, Buett and Reed him said
they did not desire counsel and d' I not
desire an examination. -
Mr. Lndden aaid he had convereed with
the prisoners yesterday, and they denied
making any confession. Reed, Par. Leaden
said, had told himettewould be ready for
examination this meriting.
To California and Florida Free.
The Fireside Weekly, the popular Canadian
etory paper, is offering enosothere such
tremendous prizes as a free trin to Cali-
fornia and return, &enclose ; a1e:00 sea' •
skin mantle; handsome Shetland Pony;
return ticket to Freels, firenclaes ; silver
Tea Set; Lady's Gold Weer"-, ; ohina Tea
Set ; Mantel Clock; eilver Watch ; Dickene'
Works; Waverly Novels, and many mora.
These prizes are for pereons eencleng the
greatest nnmber of words condemned from
the letters " Fireeide Weetly." The con-
test is open to everyone sending in with
their list $1 for The Fireside Weekly for
Six Months, which also entiltes them to a
handsome premnim. The competition will
be open for sixty days, but an additional
prize of an elegant silver water pitoher is
ofered to the largest list received during
September. Send five one-oent stamps to
9 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, for sample
copy and premium impplement.
A Cute Sharper.
Several California papers recently con.
tained & matrimonial appal signed by a
"young and beautiful Hungarian maiden,
an orphan without meane, but well edu-
cated and with domestic tendencies, who
Becks a companion for life." The answers
were to be directed to Pais, where the
young lady was employed as a nurse.
Incredible as it may seem a dozen offers
from marriageable young Trisconiens
came over the eea. A lively correspond-
ence ensued, and finally each of the wooers
received an exquisite photograph and an
affirmative answer from the beautiful
Hungarian maiden, with the request that
the lover should send the necessary cash
for a transatlantic paseage ticket. The
swindler, or the syndicate of swindlers,
netted 6,000 marks in all by the trick. And
now the proepeotive bridegrooms, among
whom are some well known names, dare
not whisper their misery.
An Explosion in a Mine.
•
A Wilkeebarre, Pa., despatch says: An
exelosion of gas took place in the Murray
Hill shaft of the Lehigh en Wilkesbarre
colliery this afternoon. The body of
Anthony Jennings was soon taken out,
badly burned. There were only five men
in the shaft. Their names are: Leverenoe
Casey, James Sullivan, James Boswell
(fire boss), Edward Bulbeen and Anthony
Jennings. The shaft ie one of the gesiest
in the world. At 3 o'clock a rescuing party,
coneisting of Supt. Scott, Foremen James
Ford and Morgan and Mine Inapector
Williams, entered the shaft in search of
the men. They returned at 4 o'olook and
reported that all were dead except Edward
Balbeen, who was seriously burned. The
dead were brought from the pit to the
ourfaee, a distance of GOO feet, and taken to
their late homes.
The British census will be taken in 1891.
The cost of the census of Great Britain in
1881 Wae 2172,000 for a population of
26,000,000. For England and Wales the
cost per 1,000 of the population was 24 153.
5d. in 1861, rising to 25 5s. 7d. in 1871, and
26 12s. 6. in 1881. The number of
enumerators was nearly 85,000 an in 1891
the number will not be far short of 40,000.
—It is in the cool, delioieue autumn that
the oyster geta into a dew.
A letter from Lord Km:Milord is pub -
tithed etching that the law offiaers of the
Crown adviee the qllestion of the Trinity
University mueiral degrees to be brought
by petition before the Privy Coulon.
AlaMOST DIOASTElit.
we—
The British Delegates,' Train Bone Auto au
immense Rook -Slide,
A Winnipeg deepetoh of last (Monday)
night says: Just before 9 o'clock eesterday
morning the GP.R. train with the Britielz
delegates on hoard, which had passed jack -
fish, euddenly Wowed and then all at once
stopped. he pass:engem intheed, de/y
rushed to the platforroe of the oars, and
found to their horror that the train kilo
run into from 25 to 80 tons of rook, which
had elipped from the oliffe Above. The
locality of the accident is about 2 t miles
east of Sohrieber, and the track makes
there a very sharp ourve round one of the
high hills common in the district, et a
height of about 100 feet above the valley,
and probably 150 to 200 feet from the sum-
mit A eight ridge about 50 yards long
on the side of the rpountain is out through, .
just before the track enters on a large
trestle bridge, and it was on thie cutting
that the rook fell. Owing to the
sharpness of the ourve the driver
only saw the oleatruction a second or
two before he was on it, as he could not
see above three oars or so in advance. He
at once shut off steam and put on the
Weatinghouse brake, which acted admir-
ably. The train was going at aboat 20 to
25 miles an hour, and it mune to a stop
about 30 yards beyond the obstruction.
The driver and firemen both leept off, the
former slightly hurting his knee in the
fall. An examination of the train showed
that about five or six tons of rock had been
thrown by the cow catcher off the track,
while on the ineide of the curve probably
20 or 25 tone of rook lay riled up as highe
as the windovve of the first oar, a postal
one. One of the displaced pieces of rock
would weigh from 20 to 25 owt., and two
others about a ten. One piece, 3} feet long,
3 feet broad and le, feet thick, was under
the front axle of the boggle of the tender,
where it was jammed between it and the
frame of the front boggle and the axle,
a few other pieces, of from five to
six cwt., being in front of the
engine. Both engine and tender were off,
the rails, which were displaaed and benttL,
The cowcatcher was torn off, as.were also
the brakes, oylinder covers, atepa, eta. The
coupler between the tender and engine was
broken, bat not the india rubber pitos. Had
the engine gone a few yards further it
would have inevitsbly crashed into a
ravine one hundred feet deep, which is
there armed by a trestle bridge of four
storeys. Had the accident occurred at
dark, when it would have been Impossible
for the driver to see the obstruction till he
W&0 on it, the train would assuredly have
plunged through the bridge into this ravine.
The rock whioh fell had slipped away from
a fault lying at a steep angle about a dozen
feet above the track. Workmen had evi-
dently been loosening and taking down a
part of this rook quite recently, as a newly.
made temporary ladder, two shovels and a
boggie and jeck lay near.
THE SrRANDED BARCELONA.
Capt. Boyle and Two officers Remain on
the Wrecked Vessel.
A Quebec despatch says: E. C. Fry,
Lloyds' agent at this port, returned from
the stranded steamship Bernelone Wednes-
day evening. The crew and cattlemen of the
stranded vessel, 34 in all, also came up
leaving Capt. Boyle and his two officers in
charge of the wreck. The crew will be
paid off here. Mr. Fry states that he
found the Barcelona in a bad positioe. She
is lying on the south edge of Red Island
e list to port, and heading south-
southwest. She is on the rooks forward of
the engine room after bulkhead, and the
bottom of this part of the steamer is be-
lieved to be badly crushed, as it wes com-
pletely filled fifteen minutes after the
struck. She is tipped by the stern ten to
twelve feet, and at high tide the
water is about eight feet above the
main deck aft, witich is submerged
as far as the forward hatch, the
forecastle being the only place on the main
deck free of water. The captain and all
the officers have been compelled to take up
their quarters on the upper bridge, and
they had very little food and no water for
two days until obtaining some of the letter
from Red Island lighthouse. To reeth
Red Island lighthouse the only boat
remaining had to receive a canvas bottom
to replace a large portion of the wooden
one broken and with this and baling the
water out with buckets, the captain
managed to reaoh Green Island telegraph,
and afterwards Red Ieland for water. On
the 3rd September, while on the passage
out, the Barcelona encountered a terrible
hurricane, during which three of her crew
were washed overboard. The Barcelona is
undoubtedly a total lose.
IN DEATH UNITED.
An Artist and an Actress Suicide Together
by Agreement.
A New York despatch says: About day-
break this morning Gustave G. Kooh, a
young German artist, ascended to the
elevated road platform at Canal street, and
exohanged a few words with Emile Reside,
an actress, 19 years of age, who lived at
140 Canal street, her room overlooking the
elevated station. Koch said : "Yes, I
have come, Emile. Are you ready ?" The
answer from the window was not heard.
The man turned, and the next moment
idiot himself through the temple, falling
dead on the platform. Before the report
had died away another shot was heard in
the eirl's room, and it was soon found that
she had also committed suicide by shooting
herself through the heart. The couple were
engaged tO be married, but the girl's
mother opposed the match so strongly that,
they decided to die together. Emile Roulet
was a member of Amberg's stook company.
She had been on the stage since babyhood.
Her father and mother lived in Berlin.
Her father was an Italian singer of note,
but died some years ago. The girl'a
mother is a German writer and novelist,
and she was ambitious for her child, and
hoped she would make a good match.
The Editorial "We. .
New York World: As Artemus Ward
says, the roan with a tape -worm is justified
in saying "We."
It is noted in the New York storea that
the new silks for dinner and evening toilet,
are magnificent in design and coloring.
Flowers and sprays of the most delioious-
tints almoet cover the most exquisite,
grounds of rich brocades.
—Pride like the summer girl goeth before,
the fall.
Garibaldi's widow/ is about to contract a -
marriage with a Dr. Gabriel Tanferna,.
who .is engaged at the naval academy in
Leghorn. Signora Garibaldi made hie am
quaintabos on the occasion of the illness of
her eon, Manlio, about two yeare ago. Last
June, when staying at Maddalena, she was
visited by Admiral Tebrani and his wife,
and in the preflence of otheevisitors, officers
and friends, introdnced Dr. Tithferna ref her
future husband. The wedding day is not
fixed yet.
—The kia glove -darner, a small stick
with a knob on the end, is out. It il on
the principle of the etooking ball.