The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-03
SECOND EDITION
LATEST By THLHaRAPR.
Mississippi Election Returns-Alcorn,
Republican, Elected by Over
10000 Majority.
The Fire-damp Explosion at Wilkes
barre-The Cleveland Bank De-
falcation-The Baltimore
Inebriate Fair.
FROM THE STATE.

The Coal Mine ExpIosion-NO Lives Lost.
Special Despatch to The Euening Telegraph
WILKEsBARRE, Dec. 3.-The fre-damp explo-
sion which occurred yesterday morning. in the
Empire mine, owned by the Wilkcsbarre Coal
and Iron Company, was not so serious as at first
feared. 1t was the result of careessness on the
part Of the men who were last to leave the mine
on Wednesday night, in negectng to close the
doors opening into the stop. When the men
entered with lighted lamps, as usual, terrific
explosion took place, knocking the men down,
and njurng five of them more or less seriously.
James Lewis had leg broken; Thomas Carr
was badly burned about the breast and face;
William Jones was also badly burned and Charles
Quinn and Luke Scanlan were badly bruised.
Ordinary care would have prevented the dis
aster, as the Empire is considered one of the
safest mines in the coal regions.
Three inches of snow fell last night. Trains
slightly delayed.
Who Is Entitled TO the Credit OF the Gre dit
nIobiIicr Decision
Special Despatch to The Euening Telegraph.
HARRISBURG, Dec. 3.-Departmental circles
were stirred not a little this morning on reading
the news contained in Philadelphia paper Of
Yesterday, in regard to the celebrated Crei
Mobilier case, as contained in the followin
article:-
''The citizens can hardly appreciate the i'm
portance of the verdict which has just been
rendered against the Credit Mobier of Anne
rica,' and by which the State Treasury has been
enriched 81, 100000. This was the tax due by
the corporation for the year 1868. This does
not end the matter. The Treasurer and Auditor
General will now proceed to the collection OF
the tax ON net earnings, and also file claims for
the taxes accrung in 1869, and both officers feel
assured of being able to add ut least $500, 600
more to the treasury. In this matter Messrs.
Hartranft and Mackey were assisted by Mr.. j.
NJ. Foster the able assistant of the former
This is the case in which Attorney-General b.
II. Brewster took active n part, and after
months of labor succeeded in putting it in such
q position as to render n verdict for the State q
certainty"
Now the fact is well known here that the late
law officer of the Commonwealth had nothing
to do with recovering this money for the State.
The case was worked up by j. II. Forster, Esq,
of the Auditor Generals Department, and Lewis
w. Hall, Esq., of this city, who was specially
retained by the Auditor-General for the purpose.
1t will be noticed that this was an appeal case,
which did not require the Attorney-General to
even issue q writ against the defendants. A set
tlement was made by the Audtor-General
against the company, which settlement, if not
appealed from, would have become an absolute
debt to the Commonwealth. The company, on
appealing as required by law, filed with the
Auditor-General the specifications upon which
the appeal is based, and gave bond with security
to abide the result. These specifications were
then filed by the Auditor-General in the Dauphin
County Court of Common Pleas, which put all
parties in court, ipsO fdctO, without any action
by the Attorney General who afterwards tried
the case. Here the only steps taken during Mr..
B. H. Brewster's time were those in which the
Acknowledgement had no part and the trial was
conducted by Mr.. Hall, assisting the present
Acknowledgement, Hon. f. Carroll Brewster.