Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-09-26
FIRST EDITION.
philadelphia.
OUR STATUE RDAY LETTER,

OFFICE - EMANCIPATION nAY-poLITICs THE
ROSS CASE AND THE READING ''EAGLE"-JAy COOKE
% cos cREDIToRs-THE MONTGOMERY co. FAIR
LARGE TEsTAMENTARY BEQUEsTs-THE OPENING
OF THE NEW CHESTNUT STREET THEATRE, ETC
Special Correspondence of Hie Commercial
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 26.
Following the scandal caused by the s'irregu-
lar" discharge of prisoners at the Quarter Ses-
sions Court comes disclosure of the workings
of the Register of Wills Office which, il the peo-
pie are not utterly blind, must give them some
insight of the domgs of the "Rng" A citizen
named Sanford McCalla, applying for letters tes-
tainentary in a case in which lie is executor had
those papers offered him together with demand
FOR costs to the amount of $10.50. He did not
question the correctness OF this demand but asked
for Bill of Particulars which the law gives him
a right to do. This request was insolently re-
fused. He made repeated demands for the pa
pers and particulars Of the costs and the amount
of the latter was lowered first to 80 so, and fin
ally to SO, but still the items were refused. He
took the case to Court, where it was thrown out
by Judge Finletter for the extraordinary reason
that no single case Of the kind has ever been al
lowed to come to trial. and that therefore the
moral force of commitment by the court had
lost its effect He has, therefore, no redress but
to make his case public in the hope that it may
assist in arousing such an expression of feeling
as shall reform this business Of demanding ille-
gal fees.
Observe, lat, that MIR. McCalla was simply in
sistng upon his clear .egal rights the law was
never clearer than it is this point of the priv
llege of the citizen to ask for particulars in bills
Of costs. Observe, End, that while S10.50 was
demanded in this case in the first instance, the
Registers clerks were willing to take $3 when
they found there was prospect of disturbance.
Imagining, as we have right to, this scale of
extortion in all the business which passes
through that office, we can gather a good idea
OF the manner in which people are swindled in
the "Row," and can perfectly understand why it
is objected to substitute the salary for the fee
system. One of the most disheartening features
of the McCalla case, is Judge Finletters admis
sion, noted above, but it seems to many of US
that even supposing his averment to be correct
as to the former fate of these appeals, that his
duty is none the less clear to entertain them
whenever made. Amurder case might be thrown
out of court upon the same argument as that adj
vanced by Judge Finetter. But nothing effec-
tual can be done until the people become satisfied
of the need of municipal reform, and of the fool
ishness of the blind "party" cry in local mat
ters.
Did it not seem in the last years of the war;
and for short season Immediately succeeding
that Emancipation Day" must ever remain
great national festival +? Surely that proclama-
ton OF President Lincoln's makes an era in the
history of the United States only second to that
Of the Declaration of Independence. Yet it APP
pears that the memory Of Emancipation Day is
fading out. An attempt at celebrating the All
niverAary was made this week but it was very
tame affar,-in no way comparing with the
cheering demonstrations of other years. The
largest Halls III the city could not then accom-
modate the throngs of people now the
festival was held in an obscure
place i'll the colored quarter of the town, and
hardly any one knew OF the celebration. The
mistake is made Of considering this demon
stration only of the colored people. In fact it
should be cherished by all alike, for the Lincoln
message emancipated the country no less than
the slaves. There was poor little attempt at
a procession after the Lombard street meeting
on Tuesday, but there was no enthusiasm and
no indication that people continued to realize
the momentous nature of the revolution which
it was intended to commemorate. Is such in
difference inevitable Must great events lapse
in few brief years into forgetfulness2
Politics remain quiet. While there has been
not a little "outsde discussion, which the man
ayers would very willingly not have had aroused
the business proper OF the campaign has not yet
grown lively It seems strange to experience
such season of quiet at this time of the year
About the only event of the week was the he
publican nomination of Mr.. Horatio Gates Jones
for State Senator in tho Fourth District in place
of Christian Kneasa, who declined the honor.
The nomination of Mr.. Jones is well received.
COL Mcclure wrote characteristic letter to the
Convention declining to allow his name to be Of
fered for the position. He Hald primary con-
dition imposed by such conventions was that
the successful candidate should have the support
of the applicants who might be defeated, and
that he could not conscientiousy pledge himself
in advance to person whose political principles
might be entirely opposed to his OVID convictions
of the need Of reform. Nothing could be better
On paper; but unhapply, Mcclure can never
convince anybody that he is in earnest
The unfortunate position in which the Reading
Eagle was placed, relative to the Ross Kidnap-
ping case, has occasioned considerable remark.
There is u class of people who take perniclous
sort of pleasure in deceiving newspaper repre-
sentatives. Such people consider 1t triumph
| if they can impose some fiction upon paper
| for.fact, and thereby involve numerous persons
| in most unpleasant social entangements, TO say
nothing of possible legal embarrassments. En-
| elias wish fof tho ''whip" to clash such ras-
| calls" is appreciated under such circumstances
| The wife Of one of the proprietors of the Eagle
obtained this false news from source which
| she had no reason to suspect, but which now ia
shown to have been entirely irresponsible. MIR.
/ Ross Indignantly denies the alleged facts of
family coliusion for the abduction of little Char
| ley, and the Eagle having made suitable expla-
nation it is hoped on all hands.that the charge OF
| libel may be Withdrawn.
| An order has been issued by Judge Mchennan,
Il u. y.
| order for public meeting of the creditors OF
/ jay Cooke 4 Co., in this CITY, on the 9th OF next
month. The ordcr for this meeting was issued
| by Judge Cadwalladcr some months since, but
parties in charge of the estate have come to the
| opinion that such method OF settlement would
| be unproductive of good. They say that the
creditors are scattered all over the country and
that action which would be taken by the COM
paratiyely few who might be enabled to be
| present might not be united with by the great
body of creditors. They ask that the
estate be wound mp by Trustee Lewis,
the District Court. The order granted
| by Judge McKennan is important as giving the
Trustee certified power, and as promising more
epeedy settlement of the firms affairs. Credi-
tors are growing clamorous for their money aud
The Montgomery Co. Fair has almost seemed
a city matter 80 extended an interest has been
excited by il. Extra trains have been run on the
North Penna. Railroad, and great crowds have
left the city daily for Anbler Park. The weather
has been simply perfect, and the success OF the
fair was more brilliant and substantial
than anything of the kind in these parts
for wears. The horse display was OF course
the prominent feature of the fair, although all
departments were well filled, and appeared to be
appreciated by the public. One reason for the
sensation caused by the Montgomery Co.. fair
was. doubtless, that first class agricultural dis