Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-10-16
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
our SATuR DAY LETTeR


sixrY-rwo-LEssoNs OF THE DnERvnLy TRAa-
EDY-THE SHAMEFUL REPORT or THE DEATH OF
PROF. SrILfE-THE MOUNT MORA AFFAIR."
POOR DEFENoE-CENTENNIAI MATTERs--oRuAN-
IzATIoN OF THE ART DEPARTMENT, &c. &c.
Special Correspondence Of the Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. Is.
1t is the Politicians Innings at present, what
with general and local issues the self-sacrlicng
gentlemen whomanage our public affairs monop-
olize attention almost exclusively. The more i'm
mediate centre Of interest is the UnonIisague and
the struggle over the action OF the committee oil
sxty-two in endorsing some OF the city Republi-
can Nominations to the exclusion of others
The League is the Party here,-that i'd it is the
boad OF the party and fairly represents it, con
sequenty the greatest concern is felt in this
contest. The question has grown from one
stage to another until it has become rather COM
plicated, but ii may be simpliied by stating
broadly that the younger and more radical wing
OF the club sustains the " endorsing policy,
while the "od boys - those who were
carly identified with the League-especial-
ly in its war record condemn it. There
was general meeting of the Club last night to
pass upon the Committees assumption OF the
right to throw the influence of the society in
the direction lately taken and the whole matter
was thoroughly and with considerable confusion
at times gone over. Mr.. McMichael represented
the conservative element fully when he
said that tho Board OF Directors, under whose
authority the Committee of so came into being,
had no right to authorize such Committee, and
when he affirmed it to be beneath the dignity''of
the League to meddle with ward politics. He
moved resolution that the League dsavow the
actions of the Committee. The storm then set
in and Colonel Mcclure came forwar az a
peace-maker. He proposed to take the League
entirely out OF local politics. claiming that il
such policy were adopted concurrent actions
would Of course drop and nobodys feelings
Colonel but members generally wanted the issne
concerning the work of the Committee put in ua-
mistakable shape, and the form upon which the
ballot should be taken finally reached this =
.' Shall the decision OF the Committee stand as
the Judgment Of the Loague ?" The voting is
going on to-day and will close this evening" The
vote will be close but the best judges believe it
will result in verdict that tho Commlttees i ac-
tion WAS unwarranted.
The D'Hervilly tragedy was one of the most
peculiarly painful matters ever brought to the
notice of the police. A party of young men OF
fashion and respectability, walking up q main
thOroughfare, become involved in some trifling
dispute. One OF the number, especially violent
strikes companion the blow is returned and
the assailant falling to the. pavement fractures
his skull he is takon to his mothers house and
dies in a few hours. These are the facts, but
such an outline gives little idea OF the tumult
excited by the affair in West End Society.
D'Hervilly was young "blood of the town,
was Phillips, his unhappy assailant, aud the
others OF the company, one of whom was son
of Mr.. Daniel Dougherty, the well-known lawyer.
The coroners jury found that Phillips was acting
in self defence, aud tho public is more than will
ling to accept that theory. is anxious to do So
D'Hervilly had fret abused Phillips in words,
and then had struck him, and most men would
have done precisely what Phillips did. Men are
often knocked down for insult aud violence OF
this kind without thought of doing any mortal
mischief. Phillips and his companions made n
mistake in running away when they saw ID Her
Willy was badly hurt, il they had faced the thing
out it would have been better for them.
But with every allowance for accident
and absence of premeditation the fact remains
that the man died, and other facts associated
with the affair make 1T most deplorable. The
young men had baen carousiDg at one of the vile
variety shows which disgrace the city and threat
ell ruin to the morals of many Of our youth.
The warning has often been given, but 30 start
ling an affirmation as this of the consequences
of debauchery scarcely anticipated. The
D'HeIvilly tragedy and the circumstances out OF
which it grew will be precious memory to those
reckless "sports" and their families. How many
others may be treadng the same way, who by
accident may heap all their after.li with re-
proacll, it would be idle to speculate upon, but
the mischief wrought by these rum-ho holes, aud
worse known as " Variety Theatres" has been
sufficiently demonstrated. Yet the authorities
do nothing to abate the nuisance.
''Young blood" has been dsgraclng itself i'll
vet another manner this week. 1t would be
thought that men who cared to enter such an in
stitutlon as the University of Pennsylvania
would be gentlemen by instinct and that the
very last thing to occur TO them would be saw
age and disgracsful insult upon the President OF
the Faculty of that institution. gentleman
whose virtues and requirements have made his
name familiar in intellectual society all over the
world. In the main, no doubt, the students at
the University are such men, but that there are
some thorough blackguards among them is just
as true, and that is the matter for present won
der. Certain of these unworthy undergradnates
last night concocted the very laughable joke CT
imposing upon the newspapers the news OF the
death of Prof. Stille. They were enabled to do
this by forging the name OF Dr. Alfred Stiiie the
Professors son, and over the counterfeit sigma
ture requesting the insertion OF notice or the
Provost's sudden death. Tho papers were ma
turally deceived and some of them published obit-
uary sketches There was great feeling OF re-
greet this morning over the loss OF 30 distinguish
ed citizen,-a feeling which before long was
changed to Indignation whom the character or
the news was discovered. The hope is general
that the shabby humorsts may be unearthed and
expelled from the University.
A very lame attempt is made by the Directors
of the Mt. Moriah Cemetery Company, to show
that the family of the colored lot holder, Jones,
who legally purchased his burial plot and paid
for it months since, have no case. The Direc-
tors dwell With unne cetsafy eI1pnhsiS ou HiinVi
points, such as the brief notice that was given
Of the intended burial &c but upon the main
issue--that the lot in question was fully and un-
deniaby the property OF Mr.. Jones-nothing is
said that will convince people generally that a
great wrong has not been perpetrated 1t is in
evidence that the action Of the agent Boilleau, in
transferring his lot to Mr. Jones, was well UNDER
stood by the Directors, the Superintendent even
going so far az to express wish to sell
lots to these now despsed col
@ ored people himself. Afterwards, how
ever, it was discovered that powerful inter-
est among the lotholders objected to colored
burials, and then it was thought to be necessary
to take the back track no matter at what risk OF
shock to sensibilities az keen and as worthy of
respect as their own. Thatiis the whole story,
and no hifautin will enable the directors to es-
cape from 1t.
The principal Centennial events of the week,
apart from the accident to Agricultural Hall,
| have been the commencement of the Wonen's
Centennial Building and the action relative to
| the Art Exhibition in Memorial Hall. This last
matter is very important, and will prove perhaps
| the most attractive of all the Departments OF
| the Exposition. Visitors at the Sanitary Fair IN
Philadelphia in 1868, have for the most part q
| iyelier recollection of the Art Gallery than OF
| ANYTHING else in the Exhibition, and 30 1t VIII
probably be here next year. Yet for all
| this there has been great dslay jim getting the
Department in shape. Yesterday, however, the
| work was started. Committees were appointed
| and a general plan agreed upon. As far as re-
| lates to American Art this plan is made to in
| of n yyhnla ART work of the