Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-06-22
THE EVENING STAR.
LOCAL NEWS.
ADJUSTMENTS. &c, TONIGHT.

LOCAL NEWS.
AMUsEMENTs. &C. TONIGHT.
Gro. ER's.-Last night but one of the excel
lent troupe-Cotton q Murphy's California
Ministries. Don't fail TO see them.
WASHINGTON THEATEE-- Splendid pro.
g7amme BY Sanford's Opera Troupe this eve
ming.
A GREAT natural curiosity, being an infant
with two heads, four arms ana tive legs, at 2i5
Penn. avenue.
EAST WASHINGTON On. E. CHUeoH, Navy
Yard.-fair and festival. Last night but one.
BOARD OF TRUsTEEs.-An adjourn-u meet
ing of the Board OF Public School Trustees
was held last evening At tue City Hail. all the
members present except Messrs. Murtash and
Cassell DIR. Walsh in the chair and X. +.
BOiseau, secretary.
Mr.. Rhees announced the death of his COL
league, Mr.. Mitchell II. Miller, speaking of
the interest he had taken in the cause of edu-
cation as member Of the Board, to which he
was appointed in lS9S; of the interest he took
N the Young Mems Christian Association, Of
which be was one OF the founders and presi-
dent IN 1851 and Sa, in which capacity he dis
tr;buted the first books to our soldiers. Mr..
Rhees also spoke of his character as sincere
christian-an elder in his church, superintend-
ent of a Sunday School and secretary of the
Washington Bible Society. In every relation
of life he was distinguished for scrupulous in
tsgrity and self-saertcing devotion TO the in
terests of others, love 10 God and love to his
fellow men.
Mr.. Rhees moved that committee be ap-
pointed 70 draft resolutions, which was agreed
and Messrs. RI ees Tusun, Clark and Hol-
mead were appointed the committee.
Subsequently the following resolutions Were
reported, and after appropriate remarks on the
life ana services of the deceased by Messrs.
woodward, Wilson, Tustin, Brown, Holmead
and Walsh, were adopted.
Res0yred, That in the decease of Mitchell IL.
Miller, who has for eight years been an active,
enlightened, iaborIous, and most useful men,
Der of this board, We have sustained no COM
mon loss, and that In his death the cause of
education, philanthropy and religion will be
deprived OF one OF their most able advocates
and bright examples.
ReSOired, That we deeply sympathiZe with
ms oereayed family in this dispensatoE of
Providence, which has taken from them in the
prime OF life one who was so true, so good, so
noble, 50 honest and so unselfish.
RSs0!re1, That we attend the funeral of our
colleague IN BODY, and that copy OF these
resolutions be transmitted to the widow of the
Reyolrsd. That rs an additional mark of res
pect TO the memory OF our late colleague, the
schools be closed tomorrow, Friday, 22d inst,
ana that the trustees and teachers be requested
20 assemble at O'Clock p. m, in the lecture
room OF the Fourth Presbyterian Church, to
attend the funeral.
After the passage of a resolution for closing
the schools to-day, and pOstponing such ex-
amInatICns Is had been set for to- day until to-
morrow, the board adjourned.
The COUNTY JAIL-The Grand Jury made
1he following prese tatiOn in reference to the
Iail this morning, they having visited that in
GRAM JURY ROOM. WASHINGTON ID. C.
June - 1S66.-TO the Hon. D. r. Carter, Cher
Justice and Judge Of the Criminal Court of tie
District If Columbia The undersigned grand
iuIors for the June term of the Criminal Court
of said District respectfully beg leave to SUBJ
nit the following report in relation to the con-
dition OF the Jail of the said District:
After 4 careful examination we find the
building in such dilapidated condition that
there Is no security for the sate;keeping ofthe
easily cut. as they have been several times
The ventilation is greatly defective in fact
theTe IS no means of procuring a thorough
system OF ventilation, and in view of It's
crowded condition, we find this one of the
greatest evils; from the manner of its construC-
ton II - impossible TO remedy this; the cells
are close and entirely without the means OF
ventilation.
Owing to the great increase in the popuIa-
ton OF this metropolis of the nation, and that
Being OF all classes of persons, II mas neces-
sarily increased the amount of crime in fact
TO far greater ratio than that of population.
The IaIt, which has never been large
enough, Is now far less eommodious than
ever, cells that should not contain
more than three prisoners are at times occu-
pied b. fourteen. Thus, in an unyentilated
room, fourteen persons of all ages are con-
lined, and become a nest Of disease. The re-
9uirements for the safe keeping and health of
the prisoners call for a building of much great
er size than the present one. We also ffnd that
there are no accommodations for hospital pur-
poses, and In view of the great amount Of sick
ness At times prevailing, and the ssibility of
the spread OF disease we particularly urge the
necessity that some arrangement be made in
This respect.
building for the safe keeping of the prisoners,
the entire absence Of a system Of ventilation,
and its oyer-crowded cells, we deem it our
duty TO call your attention to these facts and
10 urge the necessity of q new and more COM
mOdious building.
Were it not for the strict sanitary measures
fQd hx-r aezffic in e
that the effects OF such hot bed Of disease and
death IN our midst would be far greater than
they are ANDREW j. JOYCE, Foreman.
Mxies' SYSTEM OF BREEcH-LoADIxG RI
FLEs--The great number of good breech load
ing rifies heretofore produced would almost
reached, and that no new plan could be de-
ylsed; but Capt. J. v. Meigs. of this city, mas
devised system which does away with many
objections made TO guns which have preceded
Ms. he has rejected all levers pieces to
turn out pull back, turn up OF down, and has
renders it possible to load and unload the
piece without increasing its size, or without
half-cocking il, and with the hammer down.
Theexploded shell Is extracted without chang
ing the position OF the hand which grasps the
neck Of the stock He has produced a vertical
motion Of the breech- plug by a horizontal mo-
lion of the guard, and within the short space
of one and three-eighths inches We have
seen this improvement on q Springfield rifle
severely tested, by having its parts clogged
with sand, and by its peculiar reeiprocating
movement clean itself, with but a moments
loss OF time. The same principle is now being
applied by the inventor TO q magazine gum
capable OF hiring hfty shots before replenishing
the magazine, and without taking down from
the shoulder, with entire safety TO the opera
tor, and security from danger of explosion by
impact of cartridge in the magazine.
The weight of q gun constructed, ITS mag
anne filled, will be less than the ordinary mus
ket and cartridge box.
The CLEPHANE LIBEL SCIT.- CIRCUIT
COURT, JHd1e OfiH.-Y esterday. in the case Of
Francis McGhan against Lewis Clephane,
action for libel, after MT Cook had concluded
ms argument for plaintiff
MT. Riddle followed on the same side stating
that there was ne allegation in the bill that the
defendant had suffered as TO Character, but
that ne complained that he had suffered In his
business There is no allegation that he was
Turns hing material, or that he had the mate
rial 20 furnish, or had dollars worth Of stock
lie thought that all that could be said for the
defendant had been well said, and but little