The Portland daily press., 1870-03-08
General News.

GcnerAI News
The trial of Mcfarland, for the murder Of
Richardson, in New York, which was set down
for the 9th inst, has been further delayed, 1t
is reported. Never has any case awakened
such powerful interest in the minds Of the
public, and the Impotence generally manifest
ed is becoming every day more intense. Vol
umes of testimony have been prepared on
both sides,. and it is not improbable that the
trial will last month.
They have not much trouble with able bod
led vagrants in Lancaster, Pa. Heretofore these
fellows have highly appreciated the fare and
the idleness at the county prison, to which they
have been sent; but the other day they were
all set to stone breaking, which did not at all
agree with them, and when mustered for work
outside the prison the following day the whole
squad broke and run. Other places are pro-
vlding facilities for similar tests of the indus
try OF the vagabonds, in the hope that they
will have similar results.
The secretary of the navy has just reported
to Congress list of ten paymasters in the
navy who are indebted to the government"
to the amount, in the aggregate, of $446,SS4,
or to speak more plainly, are deiaulters to
that amount. Two Of them owe the govern
ment more than $4,000 each, and the
amount set against the names of some of the
Others is very large. 1t is almost incredible that
these men should have had chance to get
their fingers into the public treasury as deep as
this, without being called to account; but
there are great many other wonderfulthings
connected with the management of our navy.
and we hope to live to see some of them
changed. 49,.
The subject of prison reform is under con-
sideration in France as well as here. An inl-
perial commission was appointed last October
to look into the matter, and, particularly, to
organize an agency for the relief and super
vision of discharged criminals, both juvenile
and adult. NJ Demetz, the founder and d.
rector of the farm school at Mettray, is mem
Der of this commission, and has written to DR..
E. c. Wines OF New York, under date of JAN
uary 20, to make inquiries about the Ameri-
can reformatories, for the purpose of commu-
nicating the information to the commission,
which is soon to meet. Any facts or reports
bearing on the subject which are mailed to NJ.
Demetz at Mettray, France, will reach him
and be gladly received.
The Boston Traveller says that those en-
gagged in the boot and shoe trade have not
found the sales of the season thus far quite
up to their expectations. There are more
houses in the trade than heretofore, and the
demand for goods has not increased so fast
as the facilities for supplying them. Sales
have been made at small profits to the manu-
tacturers, and with the competition as sharp
as at present the business must be conducted
with prudence, to prevent positive loss.
There is to be grand inroad of Western
editors. The Illinois Press Association,
which consists of some two hundred of the
newspaper writers and publishers of the
State, proposes grand trip to Montreal, Bos-
ton, New York, and other cities, and several
railroad companies have indicated their will
ingness to do the requisite "dead heading"
An advance guard of the association is about
to proceed toward the rising sun to asinter-
view" Erie Fisk and other magnates on the
subject. The association will be attended by
the wives and daughters of members. This
secures good order.
At Wethersville, Nd, Friday evening, two
children of Alexander Edmunson, boy and
girl, aged respectively five and three years,
were fatally burned by the explosion of a coal
oil lamp in the hands Of their mother
The New York Tribune suggests that upon
the arrival OF the remains Of the late Minister
Burlingame in this country, they should re-
ceive funeral honors in New York. not less
distinguished than those which have been ac-
corded in the capitals Of Russia and France.
and trusts the Government will take means
for displaying respect to the memory of the
deceased, as it did for showing respect to the
memory of Mr.. Peabody. ~
THE New York Commercial Advertiser
says in nearly every business thoroughfare in
that city placards are to be. seen. announcing
Specie Payments Resumed" gladdening the
eyes of all behnlders and attreetiug Increased
custom to enterprisiug dealers. One restau-
rant keeper down town has obtained bushel
of silver coin of various denominations, which
he is paying out rapidly. Large orders have
been sent on from here to the Philadelphia
Mint, and within day or two twenty barrels
of coins have arrived in New York. Large
consignments have also been received from
Canada and Nova Scotia. The day of the
jubilee is surely coming.
Particulars Of the loss of the Missionary
brig Morning Star, have just come to hand.
The brig left Strong's Island for Honolulu on
the 18th of that day, which was cloudy and
dark, it was found that the brig had drifted
in shore with strong current; the boats
were manned and sent ahead to tow her off,
but still the vessel kept drifting in. Finding
that nothing could be done TO keep her off
shore, the port anchor was let 90 in twenty
five fathOms of water. At ten p. M, seuall
came up from the eastward and as 1t struck
the vessel, the fore and att sails were hoisted.
the chain slipped al.dfor moment the YES
sci went ahead; but the heavy rolterssw which
came in checked her Roadway, and before she
could gather again she struck little aft OF
the mainmast, the next sea lifting her broad
side on 10 the rocks. The current at the
time appeared to be at least four knots an
hour, in the opposite direction to what it
usually runs. At eleven P. NJ. the passengers
were sent ashore in one of the boats, at great
peril. At halfpast eleven the toremast was
cut away. A heavy wave which had broken
over the vessel made complete wreck of ev-
erything on deck and in tie cabin-state-
rooms, doors and furniture being completely
smashed by its force, and all the clothing,
stores, etc., scattered and destroyed. At half
past one the boat returned from the harbor.
three miles distant. As every sea washed en-
tirely over the vessel, nothing could be done
further to save her or the effects, and at two
A. NJ. the officers and crew went on shore.
They returned at daylight, but found every
thing SO completely destroyed by the break
ers that nothing could be saved.
Personal.
VIM. A. Robinson, school teacher in San
Francisco, has been sent to Jail forsix months
Tor the cruel punishment OF pupils.
Andover VT has elected Mrs. Miranda s.
Carlton, Superintendent of Schools, and Miss
Eliza NJ Clark and Miss Ellen "A Rrimhall