, 1866-05-04

expose the intention With which the spccula- 7;
tion was startcds but the nature OF the trans
action was manifeat enough, and all the facts
WsIe o9, IN the e. It
both parties to the action at yaluatto1 Of
several hundred thousand dollafs; and this
disclosure d. ss had Its fqX effect upon both Judge
:: Nr. Justice Chapman charged the Jury that
the Law could not take coenizance Of q. dis |
pute between 6Windlers, and strongly inttma-
ted that person who should enter into such
o speculation to defraud the public, woull
not te entitled 10 credit on the witness stand
The jury inquired what would be tue proper, |
form Of verdict In case they we're satisfied |
that the parties went Into The business wIth a |
fraudulent intention !; and were informed that |
n that case % verdict must be found for the
defendant They returned verdict for the |
defendant accordingly aud on the express
ground that there was fraud on both sides.
All the parties to the suit arc prominent ana
in good business standing In State street, and
the affair natural e1cites much comment,
sCRATcH-6RAvEL ONCE MORE.
Since last wrote you the announcement
hns been made that Investigation into the
case of tht man Dodge, calling h,mself Scratch
Grnyel, hns established his innocence Of the
crime Of the murder Of the Joyce children,
with which on his own voluntary confession,
| he WAS discharged. The danger OF speedy
trial and conviction made him abandon his
foolish bravado, and seek for proofs OF an
alibf, which, luckily for the prisoner, were
attaiDablc; and the officers OF Justice arc again
| real murderer, with little prospect Of erer
tracing him out. The citizens OF Roybury,
who fully identified stScratch Gravel" rs hav-
Ing been seen lurking about at the time Of
the murder, and the amateurs who spent SO
much money and time and endured 50 much
discomfort IN the endeavor 10 elicit lull
| confession from the convict, hare cause to
feel somewhat mortified at the result which
hns 50 seriously tmpcached t4s memory Of the
former md tbe saeeaeity e. Of the latter: 4
with the investigation of the matter,
warden and others responsible ior the
Introduction Of q detective Into the State Phi
son the credit OF acting from the best OF mo-,
tiyes. bnt severely censuripg the prustice as
improper and impolitic, 20 that this Instance
I may Tot be used as q precedent in future
years. Our State Prison, say the committee,
IS not only penal but Tefo1matory institu-
tion It's usefulness would be destroyed If It
should be permitted to Introduce disguised
spies upon the prisoners, whether as itllow
ccnyicts or as officials.
l. TUE EQUALIZATION or BoCST1Es.
The bill to cqna1tze the bountfes Of the SOL
diers Of Massachusetts has at length passed
the House OF Representatives., after one of the
longest and most earnest contest of re-
cent years. The only thing which Its op-
ponents were able TO accomplish was the ad-
dition Of IN amendment providing that 1t the
amount Of money required shall bc more than
fnur and 1lalf millions Of dollars the subject
shar be referred 10 tho next Legislature. The
snhject has Jet to be passed upon By the SEN
ate, where the opposition 10 the bill Is pro-
portionately stronger, and where 1t may get
receive d death-blow.
l VARIOUS MATTERS.
The matter Of the refusal of the theatres
to admit coioFed persons, mentioned In my
last letter, has been brought to the attention
OF the Legislature By various petitions from
on the subject may be SO amended TINT
any discrimination III admissions On account
I Of color shall be punished BY forfeiture Of
| The license Of the oGcndlDg establishment,
instead Of by fine rs the statute now stands.
Ex-Governor John a. Clifford, Of New Bed
ford, has been In Washington for the past
fortnight consulting with The Attorney Gen
eral Of the United States and other legal gen.
t1emcn retained for the Government ia regard
to the trial OF Jefferson Davis.
N, A certain small class OF citizens are engaged
in movement to stop the running Of The
horse cars on Sundays, and a1l SORTS Of argu-
mcnts bnsed ou moral, theological, and ecor.-
omlcal considerations, are brought to bear
| upon the Legislative committee having tue
subject in charge, who have given several
prttracted hearings to those interested. The
officers Of the railway companies profess to
be entirely neutral In the matter, and to be
willing to run the cars or to cease running
then, on Sunday, as the public may desire.
do not apptchena that there IS the slightest
possibility Of the success of the movement
The Boston poor get.their only sniH OF fresh
country air by their Sunday rides into the
suburbs; and the representatives of the pco,
pie will never consent to deprive them Of thft
poor privilege. REVERE.