So we're off on a New Year... 1857. I believe comments in FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT might fit today - we need a little Christmas spirit! And there's a new style of robbery - with chloroform!! Ah, the advantages of scientific progress. . Please enjoy! . Julia . ................................................. . WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER, transcribed by Julia Mosman . 2 JANUARY 1857 part 1 . NOTICE. WHEREAS my wife, ANN MILLS, having left her home, this is to give NOTICE, that I will not be answerable for any Debt or Debts that she may contract after this notice. . WILLIAM H. MILLS Witness: Henry CARBIS Ded. St. Day, December 31st, 1856 . .................................................. NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION - Return to an Order of the House of Commons, dal. 11th July 1855, of the number of Stamps issd. to newspapers in the United Kingdom from 31st day of December, 1854, to the 1st day of Ju. 1855. . West Briton.........................................88,500 The other papers printed in Cornwall................41,709 . We observe from this Return that the West Briton is at the head of all the newspapers printed in the four western counties: Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, and will be seen from the numbers given above that its circulation is more than double that of all Cornish contemporaries. It must, therefore, be obvious to advertisers that a very decided advantage is accrued[?] to them through the columns of the West Briton. . ................................................ . FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT - [just a paragraph of an entire essay] . The weather has been as favourable for the Christmas festivities as English weather could be expected to be. It has rained a little, frozen a little, thawed a little, but on the whole, (for a period so far removed from the "good old times"), the elements have behaved remarkably well. The oldest inhabitant has given us to know often enough - and by this time we know it, or ought - that things are not as they used to be, and that even the weather is not what it was in the good old days when George the Third was King. Why did that venerable monarch ever die? All the good luck seems to have died with him - even merry Christmases and fine Sundays. . LOCAL INTELLIGENCE . A CLERGYMAN TURNED ROMANIST - The Catholic Standard, of Saturday, states that the Rev. Russell HOWELL, of Christchurch, Oxford, and vicar of St. Veep, Cornwall, was last week received into the Catholic Church by the very Rev. Father COFFIN, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Clapham. Mr. Howell was formerly curate of Cuddesdon, the Bishop of Oxford's parish. . PERRAN WHARF INSTITUTION - On Friday evening last, the members of this institution invited their neighbours and friends to join then as usual at Christmas, in a "monster" tea party, and it is but justice to say, that never was a company presided over more charmingly than by the ladies who were present on this occasion. After the guests had done ample justice to the good things provided, a lecture on "Music" was volunteered by Mr. John BURGESS of Perran Wharf, and so well did this gentleman acquit himself, that the audience testified their approval by a unanimous vote of thanks. . CHRISTMAS BENEVOLENCE - St. Austell Union House - On Christmas-day, the inmates received their annual treat of roast beef and plum pudding, the gift of the Board of Guardians. . The annual distribution of bread and meat to 100 poor persons, as well as the dispensing of the Kempe Charity of GBP 5 in money, took place at the vestry room, St. Mary's, Truro, on Christmas Eve. . On the 26th instant, at the Commercial Hotel, the labourers of the roads of the parish of Camborne were regaled at the expense of Mrs. R. LANYON, with roast beef, plum pudding, beer, &c., as is her annual custom. They numbered thirteen, and their respective ages amounted to sixty-two years. . The Christmas charities of Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. RASHLEIGH, were distributed on Christmas eve, when one hundred and sixty poor families residing in the several parishes around Menabilly were supplied with beef and bread for their Christmas dinners. The inmates of the Rashleigh alms house in Fowey and Tywardreath received each one guinea and clothes, and to fifty poor persons in Fowey, one shilling each, through the vicar of that parish. . CLERICAL OPPRESSION - At the Pydar Petty Sessions, held at St. Columb, on the 30th ult., Philip HAWKE the younger, of St. Ervan, was summoned by the Rev. H.N. BARTON, incumbent of that parish, for absenting himself from the parish church on Sunday last, and also for neglecting to appear at the .... kitchen on the same day, he (the defendant) being in the complainant's service, as hind and manager of an extensive glebe farm attached to the benefits of St. Ervan.[as written] . The defendant is the son of one of the oldest and most respectable farmers in the parish of St. Ervan, and from his statement to the bench, it appeared that about Midsummer last, Mr. Barton applied to him to look after his farm, as his hind had left. Hawke consented to come with him for GBP 20 a year, with board, &c., but he entered into such engagement more with a view to serve Mr. Barton temporarily, than to remain with him permanently. . He had since given a month's notice to determine the service, and he attributed the present proceeding to Mr. Barton's chagrin at this desire to leave him. The Bench having heard the statements of both parties, expressed an opinion that the proceeding was one which ought never to have been brought before them, and they dismissed the summons. . THE CUSTOMS - Mr. EVANS, collector of customs at Scilly, has been removed to Cardigan, and is succeeded at Scilly by Mr. Richardson. . APPOINTMENT - The Secretary of War has appointed Mr. J.R. BARRY of St. Columb to be foreman of works in the engineer department at Birmingham. . GUANO - We observe with regret that the price is again advanced by the Peruvian government for this valuable manure. Circulars were issued on the 24th of last month, quoting for fifty tons in London GBP 14.5s.0d. per ton, and for any quantity over fifty tons GBP 13.0s.0d. per ton. . EXCISE PROSECUTIONS - On the 19th ult., William Hosking WHITING was summoned before the magistrates of Bodmin, on the information of William Nathan SOWDEN, an excise officer, charged with selling an eighth part of a pint of port wine without having a proper licence. Mr. Cummins appeared for the prosecution and Mr. J.B. Collins for the defendant. . It appears that the excise officer, who lives at Plymouth, had visited several public-houses in Bodmin on the 18th of October, and amongst others he went into defendant's house, and asked for a glass of sherry. His statement was that Mrs. Whiting said she had no sherry, but some port, and he then told her to get him a glass of port negus, which she did, and he paid for it. He rang the bell again, and told Mrs. Whiting the negus was weak, and asked her to bring him a glass of clean port wine, which she did and threw it in with the negus. He did not pay any more for it; he drank it up and left the house. . On cross-examination witness stated that Mrs. Whiting did not say, when he asked for the sherry, that she had some elder wine. Mr. Collins having addressed the bench for the defence, called Mrs. Whiting, who differed from Mr. Sowden as to the time of day when the occurrence took place, and stated that on his asking for sherry wine, she said "I have no sherry, but some elder and other home-made wines" and the former was what she sold him. The magistrates convicted the defendant, and fined him GBP 50, but mitigated the penalty to one-fourth. . Mrs. Mary WHITE, who keeps the London Inn, was summoned for a similar offence, which was also proved by Sowden, who said he went into defendant's house on the 18th October last, and asked for a glass of sherry, with which defendant's niece supplied him, and he paid 3d. for it. . Mrs. White, in defence, said she was at the time in great distress, having just buried a child and her husband, and that she was not aware of her niece having sold any wine. She discontinued a wine license only a few days before, and forgot to tell her niece of it. She was fined in the mitigated penalty of GBP 12.10s., and the magistrates said they would sign a memorial to the Board of Inland revenue for a further mitigation, if such memorial were prepared. . ROBBERY WITH CHLOROFORM - In this age of crime and enormity every available assistant to the robber seems to be turned to account in some form or other. . On Wednesday between three and four o'clock in the afternoon, a man wearing a large moustache and calling himself a French doctor and collector of herbs, visited several houses in the vicinity of Illogan, asking if any one was sick, or if they had any herbs to sell, at the same time enquiring if they knew of any one ill in the neighbourhood. It appears that a man called Edward MARTIN, at Illogan Church Town, was named as a bedlier, and considered incurable. . Thither the scoundrel hied immediately, stating that he had been desired to call upon him by several persons in the neighbourhood. He was consequently admitted, and had not been in the room many minutes before he had apparently surveyed every article in the place, and seemed very anxious to know further of the old gentleman's worldly circumstances. He was observed to use his handkerchief many times and throw it about in a very unusual manner. . Soon afterwards, the persons in the room complained of a very peculiar smell, and said they all felt faint and giddy; one of them fell heavily upon the floor, and the others were so giddy and stupefied that their senses were gone. The noise caused by the falling of one woman providentially aroused her husband, a miner, who was sleeping in the next room, and who rushed in half naked to ascertain the cause of the noise, when, on entering the room, he saw the herb gatherer helping himself to the contents of a desk in which was all the ready money they had, amounting to upwards of GBP 16, and all the family apparently dead about him. . The villain rushed over the stairs, and, unfortunately, there was no one to pursue him, so that he got clear off. All the parties are recovered from the effects of the fright and chloroform, but it might have been far otherwise. He [the robber] is represented to be a short man wearing a large black moustache, and speaking with a somewhat foreign accent, and used to have a stall in the Redruth market on market days. . TRURO POLICE - On Friday last, before the Mayor and Mr. PADDON, a travelling tinker called Walter STODDERN was fined 5s. and expenses for being drunk in the streets on the forenoon of Christmas-day. His brother, John STODDERN, also a tinker, was in a similar condition on Christmas-day, and on Monday last was fined 5s. and costs for the offence. . - On the same day, Susan WILLIAMS, fruit-seller, was charged with being drunk and creating a disturbance in Truro market on Saturday morning. She was ordered to find sureties, herself in GBP 10, and two in GBP 10 each, to be of good behavior for six months, or in default to be committed for fourteen days. She found the sureties and was discharged. - On Wednesday, before Mr. NANKIVELL, Elijah MOTT, of Writtle, in Essex, and John JONES of Whitechapel, London, were charged with wandering about the streets begging, and having no visible means of subsistence. They were committed as vagrants, Mott for twenty-one days, and Jones for fourteen days, with hard labour. . CHARGE OF SETTING FIRE TO CORN - We stated last week that a fire took place at Mr. HAWKEY's farm, at Short-Lane's-End, on the night of the 24th ult., when a mow of oats, worth about GBP 60 was consumed, and that the fire was believed to have been caused by an incendiary. . On Christmas day Mr. Hawkey came to Truro and communicated with the police, and the result was that Mr. NASH, superintendent, serjeant WOOLCOCK, and police-constable PAPPIN, were soon actively engaged in inquiries, which led, on Sunday night last, to the apprehension of two brothers, Thomas and Nicholas PLINT, who were taken before Mr. Prynn ANDREW, county magistrate, at Truro, on Monday last, when they were charged with the offence, and remanded until the following Thursday. . We may add that the prisoner, Thomas Plint, is a sawyer, with a wife and two children, and Nicholas Plint is a miner, and a single man. They are relatives of Mr. Hawkey and live about a quarter of a mile from his premises; and it appears there have been differences between Hawkey and the Plints for some time, arising partly from Thomas Plint having lived in a house belonging to Hawkey, when he proved a troublesome tenant, and paid no rent, and Mr. Hawkey had great difficulty in ejecting him. . Mr. Hawkey also added to the cause of ill-feeling by directing steps to be taken against Thomas Plint and others, for assaulting his man-servant and taking from him some porter which the servant was carrying to Mr. Hawkey's house from the public-house at Short-Lane's-end. A fire also occurred on Mr. Hawkey's premises about thirteen months ago, when corn and hay, a threshing machine, and other property were destroyed; which fire was then supposed to have been caused by an incendiary. . On Thursday the case was investigated before Mr. H.P. ANDREW, when evidence was given at considerable length, and after a hearing of about four hours, the prisoners were both committed to take their trial at the assizes for the offence. When asked what they had to say in their defence, each stated that he was innocent. Several witnesses were bound over to give evidence for the prosecution. . MORE SHEEP KILLED BY DOGS - On the night of Saturday last, some ravenous dogs got into a field belonging to Mr. James TUCKER, of Trethowal Mills, near St. Austell, and out of seventeen sheep which had been placed there by a labourer, destroyed four, and bit ten others so much that they were obliged to be killed. The dogs appear then to have gone across the country, for in a field on Trenance farm, belonging to Mrs. George ANDREW, out of a flock of sheep there were seventeen killed, or injured so badly that they were obliged to be killed at once. Traces of a dog were followed to a place called Penhale, in the higher quarter of St. Austell; but when charged with it, the owner said his dog had been home all night. We are since informed that the dogs suspected of destroying the sheep have been killed; and one of them having been opened, was found to contain a large quantity of fat mutton and bits of sheep skin. . MINE ACCIDENTS – On Friday last, as Edward LEGGO, of St. Just, was "putting in a hole," at Bosweddan mine, the charge exploded, and he was severely injured about the head and body. It is feared that he will lose his sight. . At Balleswidden, as William STRICK, of Sancreed, was nailing some timber on a shaft, on Monday last, he lost his ..[footing?]...and unfortunately came in contact with a kibble and was cut in two, so that he expired immediately. . On Wednesday last, as a man named John WILLIAMS, of Camborne, was engaged taking out timber from a kibble at the 180 fathoms level in Dolcoath mine, by some means he lost his footing and fell to the 190 fathom level. He was found dreadfully bruised all over the head and body, and but slight hopes are entertained of his recovery. . FATAL GUN ACCIDENT – A sad accident happened on Friday last, at Trelissick, the seat of the Hon. Mrs. GILBERT, through which the gardener at Trelissick, called John STEVENS, of Feock, lost his life. . It appears that on Friday last, the deceased and several others, servants at Trelissick, met at the bottom of a lawn at about ten o'clock in the forenoon, for the purpose of ferreting and shooting rabbits. They had six or seven guns between them, a ferret, and some dogs. . After they had been following the sport about two hours, the deceased went down by the side of the cliff, about twelve to fourteen feet, to put the ferret into a rabbit's hole. Presently afterwards the rabbit bolted, and the deceased caught it in his hands. He threw it up to a young man called Mattias SMETHAM, who was standing just above, with a gun in his right hand, holding it by the barrel just before the cock; and as he stooped to pick up the rabbit with his left hand, the gun went off, and the whole of the charge entered the back part of the deceased's head, a little above the ear. . There were a great number of brambles near the young man and, in stooping to pick up the rabbit, no doubt the gun was set off by one of them. He did not know the gun had gone off until his father, who was standing near him, exclaimed that the deceased was shot. Another of the party called Richard STEVENS said he saw the smoke coming out of Matthias Smetham's gun. . The deceased was immediately carried to his home at the Trelissick farm-house; but he never spoke again and died a few minutes afterwards, having survived the accident only three-quarters of an hour. There had been nothing like an angry word between any of the party; on the contrary, everything had gone on very comfortably between them. An inquest was held on the body at Trelissick farm-house on Saturday last, before Mr. John CARLYON, county coroner, when the jury were perfectly satisfied that the death was purely accidental, and returned a verdict of "homicide by misadventure."