Annual meeting of the National Rifle Association

The shooting having been thus concluded, and the proceedings having been conducted in the most satisfactory manner, but for one unfortunate circumstance, the accidental shooting of Thomas Cooper, a private in the Coldstream Guards, who was employed as a marker, and was mortally wounded by a bullet from the rifle of Sergeant Roberts, musketry-instructor, the distribution of the prizes took place on the ground itself.

Murder of Mr Briggs in a railway carriage on the North London railway

An event took place which excited an extraordinary sensation of surprise and alarm in the public mind, and continued for several months, until the offender was brought to justice, to form the subject of discussion and interest.

Mr Thomas Briggs, chief clerk in the bank of Messrs. Robarts and Co., of Lombard-street, was murderously assailed, plundered, and thrown out of the train. The unfortunate gentleman was upwards of sixty years of age. He was a fine, tall, hale man, and resided at No. 5, Clapton-square, near Hackney Church. On the afternoon of the 9th, about three o'clock, he left the bank for the day, and proceeded to his niece's residence in Nelson-square, Peckham, where he dined. There he remained until half-past eight o'clock, and was seen into an omnibus in the Old Kent-road by the husband of his niece, a Mr. Buckham, and he then appeared in his usual good health and spirits. Before parting with his relative, he intimated that he should proceed to the City, and then take the train from Fenchurch street station for Hackney. He was almost a daily traveller on the line, and was well known to the railway servants. From the time of his getting into the omnibus in the Old Kent-road until his body was discovered on the line of the North London Railway, between Old Ford-bridge and Hackney-wick station, nothing more was known of his movements.

The outrage was discovered about a quarter or twenty minutes past ten o'clock on the same evening. On the arrival at Hackney of the 9.45 train from Fenchurch-street station, a gentleman called the attention of the guard to the state of a compartment of a first-class carriage, No. 69, in the train. He had opened the door with the intention of getting in, and had placed his hand on one of the cushions, which he found to be covered with blood. The guard on looking in found such to be the fact. Not only the cushions, but the floor, sides, and windows were besmeared with blood; in some places there was quite a pool. He also found inside the carriage a gentleman's hat, a walking-stick, and a small leathern bag. The guard at once took charge of the articles and locked the door.

Almost at the same moment that this discovery was made, the driver and stoker of an engine which had been working the Hackney-wick and Stratford traffic were returning from the Wick station to the Bow locomotive works of the North London Railway, and as they were approaching the railway-bridge over Ducket's canal, by the side of the Mitford Arms Tavern, which parts the Tower Hamlets Volunteer parade-ground in Victoria-park, they saw something lying on the six-foot way, the space between the up and down line. The stoker, Brinckley, got down and went back along the line with a lamp, and on coming up to the spot, discovered it to be the body of a gentleman, saturated with blood and apparently dead. The stoker instantly hailed the driver, and ran down the embankment into the Mitford Arms public-house. Several persons in the house, with the landlord, at once returned with the stoker up to the line, and steps were immediately taken to remove the unfortunate gentleman to the adjacent tavern, but in doing so the men who were assisting in the melancholy task nearly lost their lives by a passing down-train. When the body was taken to the tavern and laid on a couch, suspicions were at once aroused, for the head seemed to have been battered in by some sharp instrument. The clothes were covered with blood, and the broken link or hook of a watch-chain hung to a button-hole of his waistcoat. The watch and the other part of the chain not being found led to the supposition that there had been foul play. The landlord immediately gave information to the police, and sent for medical assistance. The surgeons at once proceeded to examine the wounded gentleman. He was quite insensible. On the left side of the head, just over the ear, which was torn away, was found a deep wound; the skull was fractured and the bone driven in. On the base of the skull there were four or five lacerated wounds; there were more blows on other parts of the head, and the medical gentlemen expressed their surprise that the unfortunate sufferer should be alive. Stimulants were applied with a view of restoring consciousness, but to no purpose. In the breast-coat pocket of the wounded man was found a bundle of letters addressed “T. Briggs, Esq., Messrs. Robarts and Co.'s, Lombard-street.” A messenger was immediately despatched to the bank to learn where the gentleman named in the address lived. In his trowsers pocket was found 4l. 10s. in gold and silver, and a silver snuff-box in his coat pocket. The police inspector at once despatched an officer to the address given by the people at the bank - No. 5, Clapton-square, Hackney - who broke the melancholy intelligence to the son of the unfortunate gentleman. Mr. Briggs, jun., with some other members of the family and Mr. Toulmin, the family doctor, proceeded to the Mitford Arms Tavern, and at once put an end to all doubt as to who the unfortunate sufferer was. The medical gentlemen remained in attendance nearly the whole night, and in the course of the morning the sufferer was removed in a litter from the tavern to Clapton-square.

Through Mr. Briggs, jun., the police ascertained that when his father left home on Saturday morning he wore a gold watch with an Albert chain, and a gold eyeglass attached to a hair guard. On examining the waistcoat it was seen that a watch had been torn from the waistcoat pocket, and the chain had been broken short off the link or hook, which still held to the waistcoat pocket. The gold glasses were also missing, and subsequently Mr. Briggs, jun., identified the stick and bag which were found in the compartment as those belonging to his father.

The police having obtained some description of the watch and gold glasses and forwarded it by route to all the police-stations in the metropolis, with the facts of the outrage, they proceeded to examine minutely the carriage in which the murder was committed. The carriage had three first-class compartments. On opening the door of the compartment, the interior was found to be besmeared in all directions with blood, with clotted pools on the cushions and on the floor. There was ample evidence of a deadly struggle having taken place. The unfortunate man, it will be remembered, was found in the six-foot way. On inspecting the outside of the carriage, which would be the off-side of a train going to Camden, the body of the carriage was seen to be besmeared with blood, as if it had been spurted on as the train flew by. The window was down, and on the brass handles was the mark of a bloody hand, leading to a belief that the door had been opened to throw the body out on to the line, and then closed. On the step beneath the door was found a portion of the hair guard attached to the missing gold glasses, and on the floor of the compartment was discovered one of the broken links of the watch-chain.

It is certain that Mr. Briggs must have been lying on the the line at least twenty minutes before he was discovered. The train in which he was left Bow at two minutes past ten, and in another two or three minutes the deed must have been perpetrated, for the train was due at the next station, Hackney-wick, five minutes after leaving Bow. An up-train passed the spot about ten minutes afterwards, and saw nothing.

About twelve o'clock the next night Mr. Briggs expired. 

A very important clue to the discovery of the author of the crime was afforded by the hat left in the carriage, which was at once perceived by the son of deceased to be not that of his father. It bore the name of the maker - Mr. Walker, of Crawford-street, Marylebone - and was stained with blood. Another important fact was shortly afterwards brought to light. The chain belonging to the late Mr. Briggs was traced to a silversmith - Mr. Death, of Cheapside - where it had been exchanged for another one the day before by a man having the appearance of a foreigner.

The post-mortem examination of the body was made the next day. From the size and shape of the wounds on the head they appeared to have been inflicted by a life-preserver, and the deep incised wound over the ear might have been caused by the two-edged dagger with which many of those instruments are provided. The blow on the ear was a most severe one, dividing the lobe and crushing it fearfully. The stab above the ear must have entered the base of the brain at least three inches. The other wounds were also most severe, and the medical men in attendance expressed their surprise that the deceased lived so long after the infliction of such injuries. Bills were posted all over the metropolis offering a reward of 100l. for the discovery of the murderer on the part of the Government, and a further reward of 100l. from the deceased gentleman's late employers, Messrs. Robarts and Co. The railway company also offered a reward.

On the 18th, a cabman named Jonathan Matthews, of Earl street, Lisson-grove, attended at the Harrow police-station and made a statement, which he subsequently repeated to the magistrate at Bow-street. He said, for some months past Franz Müller, a native of Cologne, lodged at his house, but had left it some days ago. Nine months before, Müller paid his addresses to his (Matthews's) sister, and he gave her his photograph. But subsequently their attachment was brought to a close by his jealous temper. Some days before he left, he gave his (Matthews's) daughter a small card paper-box used by jewellers. In the box were the name and address of Mr. Death, jeweller, 55, Cheapside. Matthews and a policeman went to Mr. Death, who recognized the box as one of those which he used, and the photograph as that of the person who had exchanged the gold chain, identified as having belonged to the deceased. Matthews further said that in November last Müller admired a hat which witness wore, and which he had bought from a Mr. Walker, of Crawford-street, hatter. Witness, at his request, bought a hat for him at Mr. Walker's. (Matthews identified this hat as being the hat found in the railway carriage after the murder.) On the Monday after the murder he came to his (Matthews's) house, and showed his (Matthews's) wife a gold chain, for which he said he paid 31. 10s., and he fixed it on his watch. He also exhibited a ring, which was similar to that described by Mr. Death. He then said a cart had passed near his foot and sprained his ankle. He added, “I am going to Canada, be sure you see Jonathan (meaning witness), and tell him not to go out to-morrow till I come,” but witness never saw him since. After this communication, witness and two officers went to 16, Park-terrace, Old Ford, Bow, occupied by Mr. Blyth, a warehouseman in the City, where Müller lodged after he left witness's house, and the officers questioned a German lodger named Goodwin, who said that Müller came home on the night of the murder at eleven o'clock, and appeared very much confused. Mr. Blyth, the landlord, gave Inspector Steer a letter from Müller, posted at Worthing on the 16th instant, which the pilot of the ship “Victoria” had brought. That letter was addressed to Goodwin, bidding him farewell, and saying that he (Müller) would never see England's shores again.

Upon receiving the information given by Matthews, Inspector Tanner obtained a warrant for the apprehension of Müller, and on the next day he, Sergeant Clarke, Mr. Death, and the cabman, started from Euston-square to Liverpool, for New York. They sailed from Liverpool in the “City of Manchester” steamer. It was expected that this vessel would arrive at New York four days before the “Victoria'.”

Apprehension of Franz Müller at New York.

The “Victoria,” on board which Müller, the suspected murderer of Mr. Briggs, had taken passage to America, reached New York on the 24th. Müller was at once identified and arrested, and was brought the following day before the City Marshal. He denied the charge, stating he could prove he was not the murderer, and was remanded until the next day, when the usual investigation under the Extradition Treaty was opened.

Inspectors Kerrissey and Tanner, and Mr. Death, the jeweller, were examined, and evidence was given of the finding in a box belonging to the prisoner of the hat and watch stated to be those of Mr. Briggs.

Commissioner Newton then delivered his decision, stating that under the circumstances he was constrained to grant a certificate and commit the prisoner.

Müller shortly afterwards was taken on board the “Etna,” under the charge of Inspector Tanner, and was brought back to England.

Arrival of Müller at Liverpool.

The “Etna” arrived in the Mersey with Müller on board. She was met by the steam tug “Fury,” from Birkenhead, having on board one of the Liverpool detectives. At half-past ten o'clock Müller was landed at the south end of the Prince's Pier, and was at once conveyed in a cab to the detective office. Police-officers were seated in the vehicle with him, and others followed in other cabs. The excitement in the town from the time the “Etna" came in sight was very great, and it increased as he was being landed and conveyed to the police-office.

Müller himself appeared very unconcerned. No incidents of public interest occurred during his passage back across the Atlantic. He had said nothing about the murder, and none of the passengers on board the “Etna” were allowed to speak to him on the subject. He was shortly afterwards sent on by railway to London. On the arrival of the train at Euston-square, a large crowd had assembled, and great curiosity and interest to see the prisoner was exhibited. On the 19th, he was taken before the sitting magistrate at Bow street, and the evidence connecting him with the charge was gone into at length. (The facts stated will more properly find a place in the report of the trial".)

The depositions being completed, the prisoner, when asked what he had to say in defence, replied, “I have nothing to say now,” uttering the word “now" with marked emphasis.

He was then committed for trial, and on appearing amongst the crowd outside the court, was assailed with groans and yells. A coroner's jury, which had been summoned to inquire into the cause of the death of Mr. Briggs, and which had carried on the investigation by several adjournments until after the return of the prisoner from America, having now heard the complete evidence on the case, brought in a verdict of “Wilful Murder against Franz Müller.”

Shocking career and death of the Hon Jane Yelverton

At an early hour this morning, the all but naked dead body of a female was found freezing in the filthy water of a kennel in one of the most miserable back streets in the town of Douglas, Isle of Man. On the body being turned over, the besotted, bloated countenance was found to be that of the locally notorious “Jenny Keefe,” whose proper name was the Hon. Jane Yelverton, the widow of the Hon. Augustus Yelverton, who was brother to Lord Avonmore, and uncle to the well-known Major Yelverton. The only covering of the unfortunate woman was a thin gauze frock, which did not reach to the knees, an old pair of short socks, full of holes, and a pair of thin slippers. A few hours before the discovery of the frozen body in the gutter she was heard trolling out, in a voice husky with excessive drink, the words of a popular song, called “True blue for ever.”

The history of the career of this wretched woman and her late husband is most extraordinary and painful. About twenty-five years ago the Hon. Augustus Yelverton married Jenny Keefe, a woman of low birth, he having previously had two wives, one a Spanish and the other an Irish woman. They lived together in the Isle of Man during the last twenty years, where they were both notorious for their fearful depravity, reckless conduct, and drunken habits. They had been committed to prison at least one hundred times for drunkenness, disorderly conduct, &c. They were in the receipt of an ample allowance from Lord Avonmore, but they were in the habit of spending it in drink as quickly as they got it, and they scarcely ever had on them sufficient rags to cover their nakedness.

The pair were, curiously enough, almost romantically attached to each other, so much so that they invariably accompanied each other in their orgies, and if one of them was sent to gaol, it was the practice of the other to smash some shop-windows or make a disturbance in the streets, for the sole purpose of getting committed also. They scarcely ever had a place to lay their heads in, and they lived the greater portion of their time either in the streets or in prison. This wretched state of existence was changed, though not improved, by the departure of the husband for Liverpool a short time back, for some purpose or object probably of a private or family nature. About two months ago he was found dead in a low lodging-house in that town, want of food and excessive drinking having had much to do with the termination of his career. The Hon. Jane Yelverton was called to Liverpool in consequence, and waited upon a legal gentleman in order that arrangements might be made respecting a considerable sum of money said to fall to her by the death of her husband.

A few days before her death she returned to Douglas; and, in conversing with a woman in a low public house on the day before her death, stated that her fare from Liverpool back to the island had been paid by the lawyer she had seen at the former place. Little appears to be known of her subsequently until the discovery of her body in the street as above described. An inquest was held the same day by the High Bailiff of Castletown, the woman being well known to all present, and the jury returned a verdict of “Death from exposure.” This unfortunate couple had no offspring, but by his former wives the Hon. Augustus Yelverton had several children, who were long since removed from his care in consequence of his depraved habits.

Extraordinary case of witchcraft at Castle Hedingham.

Emma Smith, thirty-six, and Samuel Stammers, twenty eight, were placed at the bar before Mr. Bernardiston and a full bench of magistrates, sitting in petty sessions at Castle Hedingham, charged by Superintendent Elsey with having unlawfully assaulted an old Frenchman, commonly called “Dummy,” on the night of the 3rd of August, and thereby caused his death on the 4th inst.

From the extraordinary circumstances connected with the case the greatest interest was manifested in the proceedings, and the court was crowded. The female prisoner was the wife of a beershop keeper in the village of Ridgewell, about six miles from Hedingham, and Stammers was a master carpenter in a small way of business. It is a somewhat singular fact that nearly all of the sixty or seventy persons concerned in the outrage which resulted in the death of the deceased were of the small tradesman class, and that none of the agricultural labourers were mixed up in the affair. It was also stated that none of those engaged were in any way under the influence of liquor. The whole disgraceful transaction arose out of a deep belief in witchcraft which possesses to a lamentable extent the tradespeople and the lower orders of the district.

The victim of this superstition was a deaf and dumb French man, whose age was about eighty - some persons suppose him to have been about eighty-six years. Being unable to express himself, and being of a somewhat vivacious disposition, he was accustomed to make use of energetic and somewhat grotesque gestures, which were taken by the rustics generally as cabalistic and diabolical signs, and he was consequently regarded with considerable awe. He lived alone in a wretched hut. Who the unfortunate Frenchman was, or whence he came, could not be ascertained. For the last seven or eight years he resided in Sible Hedingham, and previous to that he lived in Braintree. There is little doubt that he gained his living, to a great extent, by telling fortunes, if not by pretences to witchcraft. Some hundreds of scraps of paper were found by the police in his hut after his death, and upon most of them were written questions which, neither in their style nor their subject-matter, say much for the enlightenment of the district. The following are fair samples:–“Her husband have left her manny yrs, and she want to know weather he is dead or alive.” “What was the reesen my son do not right?−i meen that solger.” “Do you charge any more ?” The answer to this query was doubtless satisfactory, for this momentous question was then put, “Shall I ever marry?’’ Love-letters from girls to their sweethearts were also found, with “Shall I marry,” and “How many children shall I have?’ written in pencil on them. The most business-like of all the notes was the curt one, “Did you say we kild your dog? If you did, I will send for the policeman.” Nor were his patrons altogether confined to the lower orders. One letter states that the lady was “comen herself on Mundy to see yoo, and she gave you oll them things and the shillen.”

In the hovel were found, besides, between 400 and 500 walking sticks, a quantity of umbrellas, some French books, a number of tin boxes, some foreign coins, chiefly of the French empire, and about a ton of rubbish, which it was found impossible to classify in the inventory that was taken. The most definite ideas about the man have been suggested by the following questions which were found written, seriatim, on a scrap of paper:-‘‘Were you born at Paris?” “The name of the town where you were born ?” “Where was your tongue cut out?” “Le nom de votre ville?’’ The answers were no doubt made by signs.

It appeared from the evidence, that the prisoner Smith took it into her head that she had been bewitched by this poor Dummy; sought him in his dwelling, and offered him three sovereigns if he would accompany her home and heal her. The old man refused by signs both offers. She then followed him to the tap-room of a public-house called the Swan, and repeated her offers, which he again refused; a mob collected, and at length the woman Smith struck the poor old man on the head with a stick. This not satisfying her and the mob, it was proposed, as in days of old, to submit him to the ordeal of water. Thereupon the poor old Frenchman was thrust into a ditch, but that not being deep enough, he was dragged up to the mill-head, and dragged through it again and again, until his tormentors began to be frightened at the possible results, and allowed him to crawl on shore, where he lay on the bank exhausted. The old man at length managed to crawl towards the Swan, and leant against the wall for support, and asked for shelter of a butcher named Ames, who refused to let him in. At last two women, and a man named Neville, took compassion on him, and helped him to his own hut, and recommended him to change his wet clothes. The poor old Dummy kissed their hands to express his gratitude. Two days afterwards he was found to be so ill as to be obliged to be removed to the workhouse, where he died from the effects of his ill-usage.

Evidence having been given that the cause of death was clearly traceable to the cruel treatment sustained by the deceased, and as to the part taken by the two prisoners in the ill-usage, they were asked what they had to say in their defence.

Smith replied in a peculiar voice, and evidently under the influence of some superstitious fear, that she would tell the truth. Deceased came to her house first. He spat upon her, and told her that after a time she should be ill, and she was ill. A doctor came to her twice in one night, but could not cure her. The man (Dummy) came to her shop ten months ago, and asked leave to sleep in her shed. She let him, but in a few days when she wanted him to leave, he made signs and wrote upon a door that she should be ill in ten days. He made her ill and bewitched her, and she went everywhere, but no one could set her right again, she was afraid, for no medicine could do her any good.

The Chairman. - Are you aware of the nature of the charge against you - that you caused the death of the old man by your conduct on the 3rd of August?

The prisoner. - That night? I will tell you the truth. That night I went to the Swan very bad. I went up to the old gentleman and asked him to go home with me to do me good. He said he would not go. Gibson took him up, and put him in my face, to kiss me, but I did not want to do that, as I had a husband of my own. A number of plaiters (of straw for bonnets) came in, and said “How bad this woman is!” There were forty or fifty people there, few of them men. They got him out. Some stoned him, some shoved him into mud, and did more to him than I did. I begged and prayed that he would go home with me, but he said he would not unless he liked. I do not deny that I put my hand to his head, but I was so bad I could not lift a dog, and this man here (Stammers) took him by the heels and threw him in the water, and then he (Stammers) jumped in and got him out. I may die any moment. There was one there who did not touch him, and that was Mrs. Bruty, who said she was afraid of him. That is the truth.

Stammers simply said he was not guilty.

The Chairman said it was a fearful and a disgraceful fact that at the present day an old and mutilated man should meet with such a fate, and that no one of all the crowd of men and women present should have interfered to save him, or even have told the police of what was going forward. The prisoners stood committed to Chelmsford Gaol for trial at the next spring assizes.

Death of a servant through wearing crinoline.

Mr. Payne, coroner, held an inquiry at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, respecting the death of Mary Scannell, aged sixteen. Mrs. Tweeland, 20, Bartholomew-close, said that deceased was engaged in removing the Christmas decorations from over the mantelpiece. A branch of holly fell inside the fender and blazed up, setting fire to her crinoline, which was extended by means of steel hoops. The hoops prevented her gathering her clothes together, and her efforts to extinguish the flames only caused them to burn more fiercely. In her terror she ran downstairs into the yard, where several persons, attracted by her shrieks, came to her assistance. Mr. Humphreys, house-surgeon, said that the deceased was brought to the hospital on a shutter, still burning. Her injuries were fearful, her body being completely charred, except where the stays afforded a slight protection. The coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict “That deceased was burnt to death by misfortune.”

Murder and mutilation by a maniac.

A horrible case of murder and mutilation by a madman has occurred at Preston, near Weymouth. At that village dwelt an aged couple, named Cox, and with them a son, a wild and violent character. This man had had a fit, followed by brain fever. Insanity followed, and he was ordered to be removed to a pauper lunatic asylum. Mr. Puckett, the medical officer, and Mr. White, the relieving officer, proceeded to the parents' cottage. They met the old man, who said, “Be you going to take John away?” They answered that they were. The old man said, “You’d better not, or mischief will be done.” Mr. White went away in order to procure a conveyance, and Mr. Puckett sat down and endeavoured to keep the maniac in conversation. The latter, however, soon became violent and then the father also went away for assistance. The maniac then used such violent language that the doctor went into a small garden in front of the house. The madman went into a back bedroom, tore down a bed-post, followed the doctor, and with this instrument struck him down. He then ran into the house for the purpose of getting his gun (for he was a poacher by occupation), but not readily finding it, seized a saw, rushed to the still insensible doctor, and deliberately sawed his head off. He then sawed off one of the hands and one of the feet; and then, putting on a shirt and an old coat, but without his trousers, ran to the stables of a neighbouring inn, and hid himself in the stables. Here he was in a short time secured by one of the county police.

Accidents to ladies by machinery.

 The newspapers have lately recorded the deaths of several ladies by careless approach to machinery.

The Bedlington Iron Works, situated near the scene of the Hartley Colliery disaster, having been closed for a long time, had recently been taken and reopened by Messrs. Dixon and Mounsey, two gentlemen well known in connection with the iron trade of the north-eastern counties. The family of the latter had subsequently taken up their residence in Bedlington. The new firm had greatly enlarged the works, and added also some new rolling and saw mills. 

These new works having been opened on the 31st January, Mr. Mounsey took his wife, with their three eldest children and some lady visitors, down to see them in full operation. Having examined the other portions of the works, the party came into the rolling and saw mills, where they saw the circular saw in full operation, and were proceeding to leave for another portion of the works. To do so they had to cross a spindle, connecting the circular saw with the engine belonging to the rolling mill by a leathern belt, and which spindle, being made of two pieces of iron, was connected together in the centre by nuts.

Mrs. Mounsey had stepped over the spindle, which was flying round at a rapid rate, but the bottom of her dress was unfortunately caught by one of the bolts or nuts described. In a moment she was thrown over, and though seized hold of by Mr. Dixon who was accompanying her, her limbs and the lower part of her person were as instantaneously drawn through an aperture only six inches between the revolving spindle and the ground, literally crushing her out of all form up to her breast. She had not time to scream, for she was dead in a moment. The engine was immediately stopped, and the workmen ran from all parts of the factory to help. The ladies and children, a minute before constituting the happy group, now paralyzed with terror, were taken away as rapidly as possible, and, the spindle being unscrewed, the remains of the deceased were got out as speedily as practicable, in a condition too horrible to describe. The poor lady was the mother of six children.

On the 11th February, the town of Birmingham was thrown into a state of excitement, occasioned by the frightful and melancholy death of Mrs. Stanley, the proprietress of the Stanley Saw Mills, Hesinsforth Street, which happened under the following circumstances.

This unfortunate lady was in the act of stepping over a spindle in the mill when, her dress being caught, she was dragged into the machinery. Her son, who was standing close by at the time, immediately took hold of her, and prevented her being carried round by the shaft, and raised an alarm.

The engine being stopped, the poor woman was extricated from her awful position. It was then found that her body was almost severed in two, and that death must have been instantaneous.

On the 14th February, another similar accident occurred at Birdsall, a Wold village, a few miles from Malton. The sufferer, on this occasion, was Mrs. Hudson, the wife of Mr. Hudson, a shopkeeper at Burythorpe, a neighbouring village, who went to Mr. Walton's farm at Birdsall, where a corn-thrashing machine was in use. In attempting to step over the “tumbling shaft," which revolves rapidly, and presents sharp angles very likely to catch and retain hold of a dress brought within its reach, Mrs. Hudson's dress was caught in this way, and was instantaneously wrapped several times round the shaft, the wearer being, of course, brought down with it, and, to the horror of all present, whirled round and round with every revolution. The machinery was stopped as quickly as possible, and when the unfortunate woman was extricated, it was found that her knees were dislocated, and that she had received many wounds and very serious injuries.

A few days later, the Yorkshire Wolds were again the scene of a similar accident. As in the previous case, a thrashing-machine was at work, when Miss Charlotte Boulton, daughter of Mr. F. H. Boulton, of Acklaun Lodge,the occupier of the farm, was standing near, looking at the machine at work, when the wind carrying her dress too near the “tumbling shaft,” she was drawn in and whirled round and round repeatedly. So soon as the machine could be stopped, it was found that, in addition to other serious injuries, both the young lady's legs were broken.