The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-12

tiny. ketchum was the youngest forger of
any note the Tombs has contained, and his
case 10 too recent to require extended no.
tice. Ills forgery was reckless resort to
fraud, there being no chance of escape.
He literally threw himself into crime to
escape the immediate danger of loss.
MURDERERs.
The most noted man slayers ever held
here were John G.. Colt and Ned Stokes.
The one committed what now would be-
manslaughter, but was convicted of willful
murder and only escaped the gallows by
suicide. The other committed deliberate
murder and only got granddaughter SEN
tence. In each case justice was violated.
The case of James Mathews was really
the most extraordinary that ever was known
here, inasmuch as the corpse of his victim
lay in the grave just one year. He pois-
oned his wife, whose body was exhumed on
the anniversary of its interment The ar
senic used to destroy life preserved the
body, and was said by the chemist to be
enough to kill dozen. Mathews suffered
the penalty of his crime. His trial was
noted for reference to the Astor library
for volume Gorilla on poisons), which
was used as authority. Murderers are gen.
this is near the warden's desk, and can be
closely watched.
PRISON FACTS.
The old prison was in the park. 1t is
now the Hall of Records. While the
Tombs was in its inception the old prison
crowded, and when Robinson was waiting
trial for the murder of Ellen Jewett, he
was on this account imprisoned in the house
of refuge, then near Bellevue hospital.
The Tombs was built by Aid Delamater of
the ninth ward, who still lives in vigorous
old age. / met the old gentleman lately,
and he referred with much interest to the
| work. 1t was finished in 1888. The spot
which it now5occupies was near the centre
of the "collect," a pond which covered 10
acres, and IN some places 80 feet deep.
Here John Fitch launched the first steam
boat the world ever saw. The experiment
was successful, but Fitch was encouraged
and his scheme failed. The boat was
yawl IS feet long, and the boiler was au
iron Kettle covered with a piece of heavy
plank, bottom down. Fitch steered the
| boat with an oar in the bow As it has
been claimed that the propelling screw is
an English invention, it may be proper TO
| add that this was the method used by John
Fitch. Fulton was one of the witnesses of
this experiment, and IS years afterward he
launched the "Clermont," which was a sue
cess. Had Fitch been suitably encouraged
the benefit to our nation would have been
beyond estimate. 1t is said that Fitch be-
came so thoroughly disappointed that he
retired to Kentucky and committed suicide
Another very painful suicide is connected
with the Tombs, being also that of public
benefactor. This was that OF DR.. Horace
Wells, whe claimed to be the inventor of
chloroform. He was Hartford man, and
came hither to perfect his invention. l
met him that day, and noticed his cheerful
countenance so full of enthusiasm lie
went out in the evening and got into a
street difficulty, and was arrested and
| placed in the Tombs, where he opened
vein and then took choroform, and thus
| died
| OLD BOOKS.
In this day of literary fecundity one may
look back with surprise at the time when
an author was identified with his book. TO
write good tale then gave man distinc-
ton. Goldsmith only attempts fiction in
the ''Vicar of Wakefield" while his patro.,
johnson, has given the world but one tale
1
Castle of Oiranto," Beckford is "Vathek, "
an John Sterling is ''The Onyx Ring. "
These were men OF talent, but they ex-
hausted themselves each in one literary in
vention. The strange and horrible story
OF the vampire" deserves fresh notice
its author never re-appcared in any other
work, and sank away to oblivion after
creating brief sensation in the literary
circles of London. 1t is very curious to
learn that this tale was ascribed to Byron,
with an almost universal concurrence. 1t
has a Byronish tone, but he denied it at
once. At present it is out of print.
BOOK NAMES.
These often arise from arbitrary circum-
stances. Dickens says "Boz" was a cor
ruption of ''Mose," pet name for little
brother. Scott got the best title for ap-
provel by glancing over an old tripet con-
corning ''Trigg, Begg and Iyanhoe." The
poem which he first called the Romance
of Border Chivalry," was published with
the much better name of the clay of the
Last Minstrel The same author having
written fine romance, was at a loss for a
suitable name, when his publisher, Ban
natyne, pronounced "Rob Roy" and this
ringing title aided its sale prodigiouely
Some names have fine ALTERATION, as, for
instance "Roddy's Romance" which is fol-
lowed by "Roddy's Reality" These works
are by Helen Kendriuk johnson, a writer
who is growing IN popularity. The first
was issued last year, and had so good a sale
that it now re-appears in an illustrated ed
itior. The second is going through the
press, and is announced by G. p. Putnam's
Sons among their illustrated books. These
instances of literary popularity show that
the book trade has not entirely yielded TO
the depression, and its steady Improvement
is looked for by
The HERMIT IN NRw York.