From this newspaper 150 years ago. – The unfortunate circumstances which have occasioned the resignation by Mr Thomas Smurthwaite of the responsible position of manager of the Swaledale and Wensleydale Banking Company, will, we think, ere this be pretty known to our readers. The Directors had the utmost confidence in Mr Smurthwaite, and the affairs at the bank were entrusted to him. It appears that about twenty years ago he commenced to speculate in shares, and in order to do this he drew money from the bank, for which, we are informed, he paid interest, and treated the matter as a business transaction, placing himself at once in the position of a servant and also of a customer of his employers. Having unlimited power, and there are apparently being no check upon his actions, he was enabled, in the latter capacity, to obtain whatever money he required and when the discovery was made which acquainted the Directors with the system which was being carried on, Mr Smurthwaite had become a debtor to the extent on £42,000. Of course, he was at one requested to resign, and an examination of the accounts was proceeded with. The result of this scrutiny has shown that, although the money actually drawn from the bank by Mr Smurthwaite was what we have stated above, the total loss to the shareholders does not exceed £15,000. Mr Smurthwaite was possessed of securities, chiefly foreign we believe, amounting at their present value of £26,000, and these have been placed at the disposal of the Directors, who, we are informed, intend to hold them as part of the reserve fund, and upon the authority of the managing Director, Mr Other, there is no doubt of the shares in a short time so increasing in value that the Bank, in holding them over, will eventually sustain no loss whatever. The act which has placed Mr Smurthwaite in his present position has been viewed with unfeigned regret. While he has been condemned for abusing the confidence which was placed in him, sympathy has been expressed for him, even by the shareholders themselves. The fact that there has been some laxity on the part of the Directors cannot be overlooked.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. – A terrible tragedy was enacted in Nunnery Lane, off Carmel Road, Darlington, last night, when a man named Hayward had his throat cut and succumbed to his injury within a few minutes, while his assailant was later found with a severe wound in his throat, from which death resulted shortly afterwards. The circumstances of the tragic affair are shrouded in mystery. It appears that shortly before nine o'clock a young man named James Salmon Hayward, aged 26, a blacksmith, employed at Williams's Works, Albert Hill, kicked the door of Field House, Nunnery Lane. The house is occupied by Messrs Thompson, and stands about fifty or sixty yards from the public footpath. As soon as the door was opened Hayward stumbled into the house and collapsed. He was assisted into the kitchen, and he there alleged that his throat had been cut by his brother-in-law, Harry Hartwell, a man apparently about 33 years of age, who has latterly been employed as an attendant at Dinsdale Asylum. The man was bleeding profusely from the awful gash in his throat. He sank exhausted on the floor, lost consciousness, and expired in about ten minutes. A message was at once despatched to Dr Farquhar, who cycled to Field House within a quarter of an hour, but on his arrival the man was lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood. The jugular vein had been completely severed. The police were also summoned, and PS Forster made a search of the vicinity of the building, and on learning of the allegations made by the deceased he visited the house of Mrs Turner, of Bridge End, Cockerton, with whom both men lived. He failed to find Hartwell, whereupon the officer at once reported the circumstances of the case to the Police Office by telephone. Supt Dryden and about a dozen constables then made a thorough search of the neighbourhood, and at about 11.20pm the Superintendent found Hartwell with his throat cut near a hedge about two fields from Field House. The wound was on the left side of the throat, extending four or five inches, and the jugular vein was severed. He was still alive, but expired twenty minutes later. A blood-stained razor and case were found in the adjoining field, having evidently been thrown over the dividing hedge by the dying man. The bodies of the two men were removed to the Darlington Mortuary to await an inquest. The circumstances surrounding the affair are obscure. So far as can be ascertained no motive can be adduced to lead to Hartwell taking his brother-in-life's life. A melancholy feature of the affair is that Hartwell was married to Hayward's sister so recently as Tuesday last. It is stated that Hayward disapproved of the marriage, but whether this is the actual cause of the tragedy is not known. Hartwell and his wife had visited the town last night. He left the house at about 8.30 and was then sober and apparently quite rational.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. – Annoyance at the continuance of poor television reception in Wensleydale and also in Swaledale was indicated at the monthly meeting of Leyburn Rural Council on Tuesday. Reporting for the deputation on a meeting with the Head Engineer of the BBC at Reeth recently, Coun J Alderson (Wensley) said that together with delegates from Aysgarth and Reeth Rural Councils, they had a favourable conference and heard the views of the BBC. The position was understood by them regarding poor reception and the importance of providing better reception, even for smaller areas where the population was sparse. The BBC had a similar position in Scotland, where they had to deal with a population around 4,000 and where, as in Wensleydale and Swaledale, the lack of entertainment was evident. Coun Alderson said that he saw much delay ensuing. Technically the BBC were in Stage 3, Stage 4 was pending and it was possible that the local complains regarding the two dales would be included in Stage 5. The probable cost would be £30,000. The support of local rural councils for the Osmotherley TV mast was welcomed. Referring to the cost of TC licences, they were told that £4 a year was reasonable, as abroad the fee was between £6 and £10.