Wednesday may 5 1909; Struggle with a thief; John Edwards,a well known Warrington character, went into the shop of John Fleming, in Buttermarket Street, to beg. Whilst Fleming's back was turned, Edwards appropriated some boots. Noticing his coat was bulky. Fleming followed the prisoner out of the shop, and there was a violent struggle. Edwards got away but was arrested by two detectives. This morning at the Police Court, the prisoner, who had 42 convictions against him, protested his innocence. He got three months' imprisonment.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The pox; Four more cases of smallpox have been found at Ashton-under-Lyne. This makes well over 30 cases in the last month. In 1967 the world health orgenisation started a worldwide campaign to eradicate smallpox. This was accomplished in 10 years due to masssive vaccination efforts. The last dpademic case of smallpox occured in Somalia in 1977. On May 8 1980 the world health assembly declared the woirld free of smallpox.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wednesday may12 1909; Adog poisoner; Edward Roberts, a public dispenser, was today fined the maximum penalty of £10 for putting down poison in a public place. Upwards of 40 dogs have died from poisoning in the last few weeks. Roberts was supposed to be the culprit, and was under observation. He was seen to drop meat and bread heavily impregnated with arsenic. A public dispenser was the local chemist.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Struggle with suicide; At the Police Court this morning Thomas Higgins, who has made 90 appearances before the magistrates, was charged with being drunk and disorderly. A police constable stated that yesterday afternoon he saw the prisoner at the weir. Portwood, with his clothes off, trying to commit suicide. The officer seized the man but was thrown down, and the prisoner made another effort to get into the water. In order to prevent him the officer had to kick him and call for assistance. A witness stated that he saw Higgins struggling with the constable and trying to throw himself into the river. The prisoner denied that he had attempted suicide. He worked at one of the local mills, and, being seized with illness, owing to the heat, went for a walk. He had none of his clothes off, but because of the heat his jacket and waistcoat were unbuttoned. He was only getting fresh air, when the constable got hold of him. The prisoner was fined 10s (50p) or 14 days in prison.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wednesday may 19 1909; Amaazing suicide; The inhabitants of the houses in Beyer Street, Gorton were awakened this morning by a loud explosion. Investigations revealed that a startling tragedy had taken place at No 63, where a labourer named Lees, aged 65, lived. Lees was found by a police constable sitting in a chair in the kitchen, with the top of his head and his left hand blown away. It was evedent the man had committed suicide in a most ghastly manner. An empty bottle was found near by which seemed to have contained some highly explosive mixture, though there is nothing else to show in what manner the man had killed himself. The explosen blew the kitchen windows out. It appears that Lees, who was a married man with one child got up about a quarter to five, and went downstairs. Immediately afterwards the explosion occurred, and Mrs Lees, not knowing what had happened, rushed into the street and gave the alarm. A large crowd of people gathered in the neighbourhood, the tragedy being the subject of discussion by numerous groups of morbid minded people until well into the morning. Lees had previously been in the army and to the time of his death was in receipt of a pension. Police and firemen still have to deal with terrible tragedies.