Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-01-26

LETTER FROM BOSTON.

LETTER FROM BOSTON,
The Defalcotion IN the City Treasury The
Gamblers surprised-The Peabody funeral
1rdin-Ihe arctic Stercopticon--A New
Museum Of A,t-lMr HeproYth in Boston,
&c.
BosToN, Jan. ~, 1870.
On Tuesday morning, John w. Collins,
~ao has been convicted of taking large and
small sums of gold from the city treasury,
from time to time, where he was employed as
clerk, was arraigned in the Municipal court,
and waving examination, was held in $1,000
for examination on the following Thursday
Yesterday he was again brought before the
court, and examined. He is said to be styl-
ish looking young man, and that he did not
look much like prisoner as he stood in the
dock. All but 81 200 Of the money has been
found. Collins was enticed into gambling
dens, where he lost much of the money taken
from the treasury. The counsel for Collins
recommended that his bonds be made as light
as possible, and he was held in $1,000 for his
appearance at the Superior Court in February
next. Considerable sympathy is expressed
for him, and it is said that he has appeared
very well since his arrest. How he could
have done differently it is hard to tell. These
little Irregularities are getting SO common
now, that they are not looked upon as such
terrible enormities. 1t is very probable that
young Collins will be quite lionized as an un-
fortunate ''victim of circumstances" OF
course it is wise and polite for ali govern
ments to be merciful, but little wholesome
punishment might be efFectual in checking the
frequency Of these offences.
On Tuesday evening, the State constables
made descent on few of the principal gamb-
ling dens in the city, and succeeded in cap
turing eighty-scven participants in and look
ers-on at the different games of chance. 1t is
said to have been very systematic arrange
ment, and successful beyond all expectation
The four places visited were Is and II Brattle,
10 Howard, and 1876 Court streets. Most of
the furniture was taken from the places, some
of it of the best kind. On Wednesday MORN
ing, the whole eighty men were brought
upin the municipal court, in squads of four and
six Many were fined $500, some $4,000,
and some $1,000, accordingly as they were
taking part, or looking on. There were
beardless boys, and one old man on crutches.
who looked as though he could scarcely hobble
out of the court room. There were fne-look-
ing, well-dressed men, who ought to be in
| better business, and others who had the ap-
pearance of earning their money too hard to
/ .,,,, 4, ,,.I~ r.. rXY.
to feel that they had rather not be there. All
pleaded guilty, snd hurried out os the dock in
manner to indicate that they were little
pleased with their quarters. The fines of all
amounted to $1,000 which, added to the value
Of the furniture seized, makes a total of $4,000.
1t is said that some of the victims in looking
after their silver deal boxes yesterday, stated
that the carpets up in Pemberton Square
were worn out (that is in Major Jones' Office
and so he wanted to borrow theirs
should have mentioned, in speaking of the
late defalcation, that Donahoe, better known
as John Bull, the man who enticed Collins
| into the place where he lost the money, is also
held in bonds to appear for trial in February.
Mr.. Black photographed the Peabody Fun
| eral Train yesterday, the engine and cars be-
ing finely decorated before it was done. The
| train consists of the engine George Peabody,
a baggage, saloon and two passenger cars.
The cars are all new, recently built at the
| company's work shop in Salem. The interior
of the saloon car is draped with heavy folds
| of black and white serge. The American and
English flags form part of the drapery at the
ends. The bier, which is about three feet
wide by eight in length, covered with black
velvet and trimmed with silver fringe and tas-
sells is in the centre. When the remains of
Mr.. Peabody arrive in Portland, this team
will be sent to Boston for the purpose of con-
veying the Committee Of Arrangements, and
some invited guests to the former city. At
Salem the Peabody delegation will join.
The monitors Terror and Miantonomah took
their departure for Portland yesterday. They
have been visited by a great number of people
while here. 1t is estimated that three millions
of people visited the latter while it was in
Europe.
| The exhibition of arctic views, taken in the
Bradford and Hayes expedition the past sum-
mer, are still attracting interested audiences
in fremont Temple. All the wonders Of that
chilly northern cline are presented to the OBJ
server towering icebergs, immense ice
fields, and the ruins of those old Norsemen
settlements that are scattered about Green
land.
1t is proposed to build n new Art Museum
in the city of Boston, and for this purpose
the members of the association have petitioned
the Legislature and presented draft for an act
incorporating the association. After the act is
legalized, they will petition the municipal au-
thorities for the lot of land upon which the
Coliseum stood, whereon they may build the
new Museum. 1t is to be constructed of mod
crate size at first, but so built that it may be
made larger at any time. The lot of land re-