Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-30

A. Bentley, of Wisconsin, 10 be Commits
sioner of Pensions, 0tce Mr.. Gill, resigned.
CALEB P. MARSH appeared in Wash
ington On the 22d, and testified before
the investigating committee concerning
the Belknap affair, and stated that the
printed account of his former testimony
was correct. His first payment was to
Mrs. Belknap; One-half the second to the
Secretary himself. He had made some
payments to him in person, in bank-notes,
and supposed he knew where the money
came from without any conversation on
the subject.
THE New York Republican State Con-
vention was held at Syracuse on the 22d,
and delegates to the National Convention
were selected. Resolutions were adopted
cOmmendatory of the present National
Administration; advocating retrenchment
and reform, and the unsparing pursuit,
exposure and punishment of public frauds
and official dishonesty; favoring sound
currency OF coin, or paper convertible into
coin; and presenting to the National Con-
ventiOn the name of Roscoe Conkling as
the choice of the New York Republicans
for President Of the United States.
AN explosion Of "Jupiter' powder oc-
CURED in a powder mill in Washington
vile, suburb of New York city, on the
22d, and four men were literally blown to
pieces. Six or seven other persons were
severely injured. The mill was blown to
pieces. and buildings in its immediate vi
cinity were considerably shattered The
explosion is thought to have resulted from
friction.
THE Democratic State Convention of
Pennsylvania met at Lancaster on the
22d. Delegates to the National Conven-
ton were selected, and platform adopt
ed declaring that recent exposures of
fraud and corruption call for thorough
and searching investigation into the con-
duct and condition of every branch of
the public service; favoring a general
amnesty; declaring that it is impossible
for the Government to comply with the
law for the resumption Of specie payment
on the 1st of January, 1879, and that gold
and silver are the only true basis for the
currency Of the Republic, and that Con-
gress should take such steps for the re-
sumption of specie payments as will most
surely and speedily reach that result
without destroying the business interests
of the people.
IT is reported from Fort Laramie that
several persons en- route for the Black
Hills wandered off during late severe
storms, got lost and persisted
The Wisconsin State Prohibition Con-
ventiOn met at Oshkosh, on the 21st, and
appointed delegates to the National Con-
vention to be held at Cleveland
INTELLIGENCE reached Fort Laramie,
Wy. T., on the night of the 21st, of fight
between miners and Indians on Dead
wood Creek, sixty miles north of Custer.
The miners attacked the Indians and
killed thirteen. One white man was
killed. The Indians had been running
off stock.
Mr.. MARSH appeared before the sub
Judiciary Committee on the Odd, and stated
that he had, as early as 1872, conversed with
Secretary of War Belknap concerning an
article published in the New York Tribune
in relation to post-traderships at Fort Sill,
and the payment by Evans to Marsh of
$12 900 for the place, etc. Witness said he
went to Canada because he feared indict-
ment for bribery. Testimony was given
by other witnesses before the committee
concerning assessments of post-traders for
political purposes.
THE bill comforting the title of Empress
of India upon Queen'Victoria passed the
British House of Commons on the 23d-
200 to 1874
WILLIAM b. BEACH, lawyer Of Prov
idence, has been nominated on the Rhode
Island Democratic ticket for Governor, in
place of Gen. Cooke, declined.
THE Rhode Island Republican State
Convention met at Providence on the 23d,
and renominated the present State offic ers,
Delegates to the Republican National
Convention were also selected.
The announcement was made from
Philadelphia on the 23d that Bayard Tay-
lor was to be the Centennial poet.
THE Governor of California has ap-
proved bill providing for the punish
ment of wife-beaters by public whipping.
On the morning of the Esd boiler in
the Union Pacific Company US rolling-mill
at Laramie City, Wy. T., exploded,
Wrecking the south half of the mill and in>
stantly killing four men and seriously
wounding ten others, one Of the latter of
whom died soon after the accident. The
boiler was carried through the stone wall
OF the building and deposited on the prai-
RE quarter of a mile away
Mrs. CATHERINE LEHERT, of Chicago,
was fatally burned while using kerosene
oil to build fire, on the 22d.
The death of Chief-J Justice Nicholson.
of Tennessee, was announced on the 23d.
AT Salt Lake City, Utah, John Virgins
was lately sentenced to be shot on the 23d
of June, for the murder of John Kramer.
The prisoner was given the option, and
chose this mode Of death in preference to
han UinU or dePaDit9tiOn