The Portland daily press., 1871-05-18


Boston will spend $4,000, as usual, on a
Fourth OF July celebration, and the common
council will come out in all the glory of their
SIS badges.
The Vermont Central railroad now controls
GAO miles OF road, 81 passenger, 35 baggage,
postal and express, 1850 freight and 400 coal
and dump cars. e.esas
The Brattle square Unitarian society, first
started in 1908 at Boston, has obtained legal
right to dispose of its ancient and historic
property in Bra.tle square, and is now erect
ing a new church on Commonwealth avenue.
DR. Lothrop the present pastor, has been in
stalled over the parish 81 years.
E. C. Bailey, formerly of the Boston Herald
will be elected, this year, to command the an
Client and honorable artillery, a place he held
a few years ago.
w. Ii. Mllett of the firm of Call & futile
at Boston, strangely disappeared few days
since, and news has now been received that
he took passage on the German steamer Ham,
burg and jumped overheard and was lost on
the 23d ult. He had previously requested the
captain to watch him, lest he should commit
some desperate act. His strange course and
suicide are charged to domestic unhappiness.
The suit to break the will of James I. Aus
tin, late attorney general and for many years
prominent lawyer, which has Just been
tried at Boston, has resulted in verdict
| against the Wills validity. His property
amounting to 100000, was bequeathed TO his
son Ivers J. and the children of daughter
who married DR.. George FL. Lyman, and who
has also died and the claim of the executor
that Mr.. Austin was not of sound mind
when it was made, and was unduly influenced
by the son to give him the lions share, seems
to have been sustained.
The first case tried under the Massachu-
sets law allowing towns to prohibit the sale
of ale and beer in their limits, has developed
big hole in it, If the opinion of Judge Laid
of the Cambridge municipal court is sustain
ed. He rules that the force of the ale and
beer amendment expired, last September, by
limitation, which happened through an over
sight in fixing up the law; and that, if it were
now in force, the ambiguity as to the penal.
ties intended to be imposed cannot be remov.
| ed without violation of well-recognized
| principles in the construction of penal stat
utes. Cambridge, it will be remembered
voted to prohibit the sale of ale and beer, and
the liquor dealers, considering that Judge
Ladd's decision nullifies this vote, are in high
glee, and have formed an association to "pro-
tect their legitimate business from all future
illegal annoyances."
There is some "lafture" at Greenfield
Mass, at the expense of several liquor deal
ers who repeated once too many practi
cal joke on a Mr.. Bracket, a blacksmith,
whose temperance principles are well known
and honestly held. They had his name plac.
ed on several barrels of liquor ordered from
wholesalers, as ruse to blind the deputy con-
stables. Frequently the depot officials would
notify him of the arrival of barrel of liquor
with freight bill unpaid. He didn't care to
invest, ard soon the real owner would appear
to receipt for them. The joke became too an.
noying, and Mr.. Bracket, having taken legal
advice, paid the freight bill ON barrel ship.
ped nominally to him, and took the stuff
home. The owner came, but the goods
had gone. And whatever the upshot of the
matter is, that dealer is out to quite an ex-
tent, for all the topers in town now get their
ett."