Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 20th August 1853, Edition Town of 2, Page 801, Untitled Article

Page 801
Page 9
9 of 24

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      specially appointed for the speedy administration of stice , because an , agreement with his wife cannot bind him , all I can say is , that it will be a singular spectacle jn a court of justice /' The husband was in court while this statement was made , and his counsel then commenced to cross-examine Mrs . Norton as to the other-sources of income she possesses , and as to her mode of life . He sa , id" Do you mean to say tnat you have not received an income of 600 ? . a year through the late Xord Melbourne ?" Mrs . Norton answered , " I could receive no income from the late Lord Melbourne ' s property , which is all entailed . My husb and brought an action against Lord Melbourne . " Mrs . Norton here rose , and in a voice showing much emoleft t

      tion said , " Lord Melbourne nothing but a letter o his brother , in which he solemnly asseverated , as a dying man , that I had been falsely accused . I stand here as a blasted woman , not in the eyes of my own class , but in the eyes of a class whom I do not less respect ; and Lord Melbourne , as a dying man , begged his family , on account of the great disgrace , the great misery , the loss of home , the parting from my children , and the wreck of all my happiness , which I had unjustly suffered , that they would show me all kindness ; and his family have done so ; and I believe my husband is the only one who ever accused him of a base action . " ( At this stage of the proceeding there was a burst of applause from some two or three hundred persons in the body of the court , but which was at once properly suppressed by order of the Judge . ) The witness continued— "My husband can cheat me because I am his

      wife . " ¦;;¦¦ Counsel : Pardon me , madam , Mr . Norton has done all that becomes a man , and it is not his fault that you are in this degraded position— Mr . Hay ward , the Queen ' s counsel , who accompanied Mrs . Norton to the Court , appealed to the Court whether a counsel had a right to address such language to a lady . Mr . Norton : Is it regular , your Honour , for me to say a word ? Mrs . Norton : It is all irregular—you wish to disgrace me , and I throw it back upon you . Mrs . Norton afterwards stated that she had received during 1852 two sums of 291 / . 5 s ., each from Lady Palmerston ; but that she was not in regular receipt of any " annuity of 600 £ from Lord Melbourne . " "No one is bound to give me anything . I depend on the

      charity of Lady Palmerston . " Have you any other sources of income ? " asked the counsel . " Yes , " replied the lady , " I have another source of income , which nay husband cannot take away from me . I am a popular writer , and I had an agreement with a publisher to pay me 600 ? . for one work ; but that is an uncertain source of income , and I work as hard as any lawyer ' s clerk . And you must remember that I came to this" income burdened with thirteen years of debt , and two years of absolute destitution . " " Is your literary income 5001 . a year ? " said the advocate for the husband . "No , Mr . Norton has claimed my copyrights from the publisher . " "My solicitor did , " said the Honourable Mr . Norton . " Does he act without knowing your wishes , sir P " asked the wife , with indignation . The character of the rest of the examination by the husband ' s counsel will be understood from , the following questions and answers .

      Mr . Needham : Do you mean seriously to say that you havo never had another carriage ? Mrs . Norton : What do you mean by thus repeating your question , and asking mo if I mean " seriously" to say so and so P You are only wasting tho time of the Court , and insulting me . On my oath I never had any other carriago than this brougham . Mr . Needham : How many servants do you keep p Mrs . Norton ; Two maids and one man-servant , this year , Mr . Neodham : You give dinner parties , do you not P Mra . Norton : I havo occasionally askod people to dino with mo . Mr . Noedham : Havo you not givon as jtnany as four dinner parties in one week P Mra . Norton : I do not boliovo that I over havo . Sinco I havo known that Mr . Norton can defraud mo I havo

      novor given a dinner . Mr . Neodham : Havo you not Bet Mr . Fcaron , your crotlifcor for your wjno bills , upon Mr . Norton P Mrs . Norton : I claim tho protection of tho Court against your insults , Tho roverso was tho case . I wrote to Mr . J ! oaron to beg him not to Bubpoona mo bocauao I was too ill to appear . I wrote to Messrs . Thrapp also , bogging them not to make mo appear . I havo givon all tho samo answer , and have told thorn of tho agroomont ontorod ln !*> by Mr . Norton to allow mo C 00 ? . a year . Mr . Noodham : You say that your income is doflciont . J ) not

      < y ° u support some one else ' s child ? Mrs . Norton : My childron woro taken away from mo when ono of thorn was six years of ago , another four , and another two ; and if you know anything of a mother who iiftH yourig children who havo been token away from her , you will know that sho is compassionate towards children . My hoarf ; was blooding , and I took this labouror'B child nuoauHo I was miserable , because I was compassibnato , and uocuuho ] . was broken-hearted . Tho child of whom you « poak is tho daughter of a Sussox labourer , and hoMuoMior ufta boon killed through her cottage bointr crushed bv a wuwfltorm

      . A Suhsox olorgyman ( Mr . Crofts ) appoalod to mo lor a subscription for tho child , and I said that I would laico her and bring her up . Sho has boon brought up in-« xnonHivol y , in her station , at a cost of 20 / . a year , and sho w « l tfo out to florvico . Bho is a young woman now , of h vontoon years of age . I do not wish to boast of my « "iiuty , but tins explanation has boon forced from mo It j « oi no consoquonco to Mr . Norton what my charitv inav « o to a poor labourer ' s child . y y Mr . Lqumui , tho solicitor who drew up tho deed of se pa ration , informed tho Court that it was not binding

      in law , but "I think Mr . Norton is bound as a man o honour . " Mr . Trail ] , another solicitor , estimated Mf Norton's nett income at 23701 . But the carriagebuilders were non-suited on the ground that during the time the debt was incurred , the annuity had been paid without any stoppage or reduction . The " Honourable Mr . Norton" then came forward to contradict his wifej stating that she had told " the grossest falsehoods . " The hisses of the people in court interrupted the gentleman , and the magistrate stopped him as out of order-

      Untitled Article

      DEATH AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE . Iar raising the arched roof of the great transept of the Palace a bold method of construction was adopted . To raise and fix the iron ribs which are to form the framing of the roof , it was determined to throw across the width of the great transept ; at an elevation of 102 feet from the main floor , and of 132 feet from the basement , a series of huge trusses 120 feet long , and formed in the usual manner with " struts" and wrought-iron tie-bars . To commence forming them at so great a height the chief facility possessed was a gallery floor , the fifth tier in the series at each end of the transept . Upon these floors the first pair were to be constructed side by side at either end , moved into their respective places and made fast , one being carried out beyond the gallery . The additional footing thus gained was to be used for the formation of others , to be slid out successively into the body of the transept and made fast , until the whole area on either side of the intersection of the nave had been spanned by them . This was a daring method of construction . To project gradually from a gallery , at a height of 102 feet , a series of immense trusses One hundred and twenty feet long , and to fix them over a space so vast , is an undertaking hardly inferior , in a mechanical point of view , to the instinctive skill of the spider , who weaves and hangs his web in the most impossible situations . The principle seems unobjectionable , and the practicability of it , as we shall show , has been proved ; but rough handed workmen do not calculate the scientific laws upon which the safety of such structures is

      merely balanced , and even if they could do so the strength of the materials used cannot always be depended on . When anything goes wrong the consequences are tremendous , and of this , after several warnings , we now have a sickening example . The first attempt of the contractors to erect the trusses for raising the ribs of the main transept failed —a strong gale of wind bringing the whole down , and fortunately without personal injury to any one . Not daunted by this mishap , they commenced afresh , and had more than half finished the scaffolding on the north side of the nave when the melancholy loss of life took place . Tho workmen , rendered nervous by the failure at the outset , and by the

      prodigious height from which they must be precipitated if anything went wrong , were once or twice in the progress of their task seized with a sudden panilf which certainly implied a sense of insecurity . It is even rumoured that some of them refused to go on with'the work ; but there eeems no reason to doubt that every caro was exercised , that experienced foremen were selected to superintend , and that what has happened , though we can now see how it might have been avoided , could not fairly havo been anticipated . Six trusses , thirty feet deep each , had been fixed in their places ; over four of them had been constructed upper trusses , shorter b y thirty feet , but tho Bame in depth , and the two first main ribs had boon erected on tho north

      front . There were thus two trusses unloaded in any way and fixed in their places . Beside that nearest tho intersection of the navo , tho men were on Monday , at half-past two o ' clock , finishing tho construction of the seventh , and preparing to slide it forward into its place , when tho accident took place . Tho three unloaded trusses , with their cross timbers and attachments , fell suddenly to fcho ground , wrenching thomsolvoa loose from tho loaded ones , and carrying with them in their descont soventeon workmon . The fall was tremendous . Twolvo workmon were killed , and iivo others soriously wounded .

      Tho weight of woodwork which fell is estimated at twenty-five tons . In tumbling down a few girders and ono or two columns woro smashed , but tho injury thus done is quite insignificant , and only placoa in a stronger light than ovor tho strength of tho building itself . Tho public alarm oxcited by this fatal occurrence may raiso doubts as to tho . gonoral aecurity of a structure in which so torriblo an accident lias taken placo , but those would bo quite groundless . Not n column has boon pushed out of

      the porpondicular , and tho onl y question which tho coroner ' s inquest will havo to deal with is how tho trusses gave way . That is cortainly nn important point to dotormino , but ono which Hcerns at present involved in comploto mystery . Messrs . Fox and Hondorson aro bound , for their credit ' s sake , to havo this mystery if possiblo cleared up , and to show that , having adopted a method of construction singularly bold , and attended in caso of failure with foarful risks , they took such precautions as oxompfc thorn from the responsibility of what ; Iras huppnnod .

      Tho inquiry into tho caiiHOs of tho accident- Iran rosultod in h . verdict of " Accidental Doath , " it boingeloarlyproved that every caro wart taken in constructing tho trusses , and that the materials word good . It is ploaning to nofco tha , t Motors . Fox . and JLonderson purpose to provide for tho widows arrd orphans of the men killed .

      Untitled Article

      THE WORKING CLASSES . CommhnCINO , thin wook , with tho huccohscb , wo have to record that tho authorities of Dovonport Dockyard havo given up tho partial system of taskwork , which operated unfairly on tho wages of tho men . Tho Cornish moulders have got an udvanco of 2 s . por wcolr . In other movements already recorded thero mo somo changes . The groat South Wales , strike , that of tho mou undqr the Do wlais Oompnny , wtw to have boeu

      terminated on to-day , by the dismissal * . of all the men , The men have behaved quite peaceably , and are still very firm . The relation between employers and operatives are friendly and satisfactory in the Manchester district . From Leeds there is the same report ., The workmen of Birmingham are for the most part well employed . A great ' movement is ; being organized to settle working time at ten hours a day for five days , and a half day ' s work on Saturday . The Belfast report says :-. — " The quiet and peaceful aspect of affairs in the relations between masters and workmen and its neighbourhood has so far conduced to the advantage of both , that business is in the healthiest state . " From

      Ireland generally the news is of good harvests , and a great demand for labour at good wages . Domestic servants are very scarce . As indicating a beneficial change in the habits of craftsmen , and in the desire of the superior classes to encourage them , we are glad to record that the directors of the Derby Museum , in Liverpool , have resolved to open it on Saturdays to the general public , Saturday afternoon being now the great half-holiday of the cotton districts . We also remark with pleasure , that the Literary Society of the Great Western Railway Company ( noticed in these columns some time ago )

      is still making way . The number at present on the books , exclusive of 12 life members , is 166—47 of whom are resident at the country stations of the railway . In April , 1852 , the committee commenced the circulation of the books in the library among the members . At that time the library contained 730 volumes , and it has since been gradually increased to 1375 volumes . Of these books , 460 volumes have been presented to the society , and the remainder purchased . The books purchased have been selected with great care , and embrace the best standard works in the various departments of historical , scientific , philosophical , and general literature .

      The best light to declare the true character of the position of craftsmen at home is the juxta-position of a foreign face like this : —" Agents from the United States have been in Quebec , distributing printed notices , requiring 10 , 000 men on the Illinois Central Railway , 370 miles long ; wages one dollar per day , with steady employment for three years . " This , be it noted , is for unskilled labourers . The progress of new machines superseding human labour should be noted in this column . The

      manufacture of the digging machine of Mr . Samuelson , of Banbury , already gives occupation to many Birmingham artisans . Not only is their use extending rapidly in this country , but they are likewise being exported to Australia , Cuba , Russia , &c . — a new proof of tho rapidity with which any useful invention becomes disseminated in the present day . That this course of invention does not , in tho long run , injure the operative is shown at Nottingham . The " cut-up and selvage heel" hosiery workers have demanded a rise in wages , respectfully entertained by the masters , who will probably make some concession . It is a remarkable fact that these are tho operatives who were most affected at tho introduction of tho circular machinery , and whose frames it was supposed would havo to bo set

      aside , but they are now found to bo useful and necessary adjuncts to tho new system , and , besides , have succeeded in producing many new articles . By thus adapting themselves and their machinery to tho new order of things they arc now as well and as constantly employed as any branch in the trade . Tho same result is likely to follow the general use of tho reaping machines , a trial of which has been nnulo this week at Gloucester . Crossbill's " Bell ' s . Reaper " has won the prize , Burgess and Key , nnd Dray , and Co ., being next- in merit . Tho judges suggest a " surpassing" implement which should unite the advantages of simplicity in construction , greater durability , lightness of draught , and reduction iir price , with the thorough capability of boing moro easily managed by tho agricultural labourer .

      Untitled Article

      GREAT FUfcE AT DOVER . Bt 5 nra . th Dovor clitfs , partly excavated into the rock , woro largo oil and seed warehouses , wherein woro stored goods of groat value , chieily needs arrd oil-oaken . The promisea covered an area pi' three quartora of an aero . On Sunday evening tho warehouses took lire . Tho conflagration was terrible . Firo-onginca hastened to tho spot ; tho Rifles and tho railway men used all their efforts , but tho flames still spread . Tho soldiers , woro regularly relieved evorv two hours , and fcwont , v- / ivo woro kept on each engine

      and a similar number kept in rosorvo , roady to supply tlioir place as they became oxhaiiHtod . In their anxioty to provonfc the lire from j-pronding , tho noldiora toro down sovoral small buildings , wJuoh was exceedingly fortunate , for had not this been dono , fcho / lames would havo travelled much further . Evon with this precaution tho materials of tho buildings Uius razed became ignited . While tho firoraon woro actively employed , a most foarful aceidont took placo . Mr . Birkbook , ft gentleman connected with tho Soulh-Enutern Bailway Company , wan busily engaged

      Untitled Article

      Aitcts ^^^ 8 ° 1

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 20, 1853, page 801, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2000/page/9/