The Week.

gerald was picked up and taken to the hospital , and there shortly afterwards died . A post-mortem examination brought out the fact that death had been caused by fatty degeneration of the heart , but had been accelerated by fearful injuries the poor fellow had received . These facts were elicited at an inquest on the body on the 26 th ult . The inquiry was adjourned . A fearful double suicide has been committed at Paddington .

Several weeks ago a French gentleman and his mother took lodgings in a house in the Norfolk-road . They paid no rent , and were evidently very poor . The landlady gave them notice to quit , and they were to have left the house last Thursday week . They did not , however , go . On Friday morning , the 26 th ult ., they were found hanging to the cornice-pole of the

window of one of the rooms they occupied . It was evident they had made the ropes fast one to each end of the pole , and had put the nooses round their necks while they were standing on footstools . At a given signal each had jumped off at the same moment , and thus killed themselves . There seems to be no doubt that deep poverty has been the cause of their committing

suicide . Mr . Roebuck , M . P ., was summoned to appear at the Westminster Police-court , charged with refusing to pay a cabman his proper fare . The amount in dispute was sixpence ; and the matter seemed to rest upon the time the cabman had been kept waiting before starting . Mr . Roebuck , who from illness was unable to attend , was adjudged to pay the

sixpence , ancl also an additional five shillings costs . The movement which was inaugurated at St . Martin ' s Hall , a few weeks ago , under the title of " Sunday Evenings for the People , " and which consisted of scientific and other lectures by eminent men , followed by selections of sacred music , has come to a somewhat abrupt termination . After Dr . Hodgson had delivered his lecture last Sunday night it was stated that the

" Lord's Day Observance Society " had determined to put these gatherings down , ou tbe ground that they were public entertainments and amusements , contrary to the provisions of the Act 21 George III , cap . 49 . AA'ith a view to test the legality of this , the committee of the recent movement have commenced a subscription to defray the expenses of obtaining the opinion of the Court of Queen ' s Bench , as to whether the lectures and

musical selections which have hitherto been given in St . Martin's Hall on Sunday evenings are an infringement of the Act of Parliament in question or not . In the meantime , although other lectures were announced for the next and subsequent Sundays , the gatherings will be discontinued . The Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the London was opened on the

29 th ult ., at Greenwich . Mr . O'Dowd opened the proceedings , and three gentlemen were called as witnesses , each of whom being inspectors of shipping—one an inspector of ships building , another an inspector for the Board of Trade ' s certificate , as to passengers , and a third an inspector of engines . AH of them gave tbe London , a . very ' good character . She was

well and strongly ^ built , and fitted up most carefully . AVhere suggestions had been made to the owners they had been comp lied with . The witnesses were examined as to tbe engine-room hatchway . It was declared to be as safe as that of most seagoing steamers ; but it was admitted that in some Cl yde-built vessels a very important addition was made which effectually

shielded the engine-room from heavy seas that might come ou board the vessel . The inquiry was adjourned . -An inquest has been held on tbe bodies of a French gentleman and his mother who committed suicide in Paddington last Thursday night week . The evidence showed that the gentleman bad been under the hallucination ' that he was always beset by spies . It was also shown that he and his mother had suffered great privations . For days together they had lived on small quantities

of vegetables . The inquest was adjourned . At the Marlborough-street police-court John Williams was charged with defrauding Mr . Arthur AValsh , the member for Leominster . The prisoner proved to be a notorious impostor , and he was sentenced to three months' hard labour . AVhilst the Evangelical Alliance has been interesting itself on , behalf of the Nestoi-ians who were oppressed in Persia , Sir

Moses Montefiore has been seeking to relieve the Jews in that country from the tyranny under which they have groaned . Lord Clarendon has just caused a communication to be sent to the philanthropic baronet informing him that her Majesty ' s minister in Persia has received assurances that the Jewish subjects of the Shah shall no longer be oppressed . In the

Court of Chancery , Vice-Chancellor AVood gave judgment in the somewhat protracted case of Colonel Knox v . Gye . The learned judge directed an inquiry to ascertain the profits of the Italian Opera until the new theatre was built , and after allowing £ 1 , 500 a year to Mr . Gye , as manager , out of these profits , if there be any , the claim of Colonel Knox will be satisfied .

The Lord Lieutenant was present at the inaugural banquet of the new Lord Mayor of Dublin on Tuesday evening . His lordship alluded , in the course of a speech which he made , to the Fenian movement , praised the impartiality of the trials which have taken place , and augured a better state of things for the country . Mr . Fortesque , in his speech , made an illusion

which we take to mean that the Government will not allow the Orangemen to make Fenianism the excuse for any outrage . Meanwhile it is certain that great alarm still prevails in Dublin . A few days ago the Ballot Society wrote to Earl Russell , asking his lordship to receive a deputation on the subject of the ballot . His lordship has written in reply declining to receive the deputation . He would receive it if lie thought any

advantage would be gained ; but his opinions are , he says , well known , and no useful end would be served by his doing so . A great Reform meeting was held at Manchester on Tuesdaynight . It was held under the auspices of the National Reform Union , and was attended by a large number of influential persons from various parts of the district . Mr . George AVilson occupied the chair , and delivered one of his vigorous and lucid

speeches . Six Members of Parliament took part in the proceedings : Messrs . Bazley , T . B . Potter , Hibbert , R . N ., Phillips , Whitworth , and Cheetham ; also Mr . E . A . Leatham , and Dr . Sandwith , of Kars . The opinion of the meeting was unanimously in favour of accepting no measure less comprehensive than the bill of I 860 , which embodied tho principle of a £ 6 rental franchise .

Three very serious cases were disposed of at the Central , Criminal Court , on AA ' ednesday . George Crane was charged with causing the death of the woman with whom he had cohabited in Southwark . He had kicked and beaten her so that she died . He was found guilty and sentenced to five years ' penal servitude . George Ringwood was charged with killing

his wife at Paddington . Ir ritated by the taunts and abuse of the woman , lie bad stabbed her , and she died almost instantl y He was found guilty , but recommended to mercy , and the judge sentenced him to fifteen months' imprisonment . The third case was that of Ella Fermi , who was charged with stabbing Mr-George Dornbusch , in Gresham House . The defence of insanity

was set up , but tlie jury found the prisoner guilty of intending to do grievous bodily harm . lie was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment . FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE . —The session of the Greek Chambers ' has closed . It is stated that another change of Ministry is imminent . It seems there is not the most perfect equanimity in the Imperial mind as to the relations of Franco with the United States . One of the Government writers has been