MISCELLANEOUS NEWS Page (from the Penrith Herald; excerpts having to do with Lancashire) FATAL ACCIDENT TO A BLACKSMITH. – The borough coroner of Liverpool has held an inquest touching the death of THOMAS POLLARD, 33 years of age, a blacksmith. Deceased had for some years been in bad health, and had suffered from liver complaint. While at work he was slightly burnt on the forehead by some molten lead, but nothing was thought of the injury, as it was not deemed serious. During the night, however, deceased became very unwell, and in the morning he was unconscious. He was seen by a doctor, but died during the afternoon. The medical testimony was to the effect that when the deceased was first seen by the doctor, he was suffering from some brain affection, and that his death was consequent upon the scald on the forehead, though it was slight, and was caused by congestion and effusion from the vessels of the brain. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that “Deceased died from a shock consequent upon molten lead accidently flying in his face”. __________________________ PLAYING WITH A LOCOMOTIVE. – A man, named THOMAS MARSHALL, has been charged before the Kendal magistrates with having trespassed on the London and North-Western Company’s line. It seems the foolish fellow had, whilst drunk, got on one of the company’s engines, and was running up and down the line, when he was fortunately discovered by a porter, who got him away. There were several goods trains passing to and fro at the time, and it is a wonder there was not a collision. The man was fined 20s. and costs. __________________________ INCENDIARISM – THOMAS JARVIS, whitesmith, of Manchester, has been charged at Birmingham Police-court, on his own confession with wilfully setting fire to a hayrick belonging to MR. DAVIS, of Wolverhampton. Police-constable BENTLEY said that he was on duty in Bristol-street, when the prisoner came to him and said he wanted to give himself up for setting a hayrick on fire. Asking what he did it for, the prisoner said “To be locked up”. He stated where the rick was, and said he begged the matches. He (witness) took the prisoner to the lock-up, and then went to make enquiries as to his story. He found a rick in a field near Calthorpe-park – the place indicated by the prisoner – to be on fire, and that several policemen were there trying to extinguish it. The prisoner was committed for trial at the assizes, and was informed by the learned stipendary he was liable to be sent to penal servitude for life. ____________________________ barb, ontario, canada.