ASSIZE JOTTINGS.

A Few Items Which may Prove of General Interest.

Big Crowd To-day.

Passes are now required to secure admittance to the Court House. The Sheriff was busy yesterday serving them out.

[...] An Umbrella was stolen from a Biddulphite yesterday afternoon. Evidently he had not the fear of a shillelah in his eyes. There are six indictments against each of the Biddulph prisoners — one for each of the persons murdered, and one each for arson.

[...] Last evening a city barber went to Carroll's cell to give him a "clean shave," but as the shades of night were not far off, it was decided to leave the matter over till this morning at an early hour. Just as the barber was leaving, Purtell, one of the persons in the cell, exclaimed in a deep whisper, "Don't forget the dye!" A responsive smile showed that the much required article would be on hand.

A rumor was current on the streets late last night that the Biddulph murder case would not be proceeded with today. Various reasons were given, one being that it would not be possible to secure a panel of jurors.

[...] Mr. Samuel Peters, P. L. S. acting under instructions of the Crown authorities, left yesterday for Biddulph, accompanied by Dectective Phair, for the purpose of making a survey of the ground over which the tragedy took place.[...]

Source: Unknown, "Assize Jottings," London Advertiser, September 30, 1880.

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