Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-04-18

The Massachusetts House has passed Il
strict prohibitory bill, by vote of 100 to
80, 1t provides fine Of $40 and impris.
onment for not less than twenty days, for
the first offence of selling liquor, and
double the penalties for the second. As
the Senate has II prohibition majority Of
eight, it is not doubted that it will pass
both Houses.
The centennial board of finance resolv-
ed Thursday not to make application to
the government to let them keep the mil
lion and half that was paid in for the
centennial, and which the supreme court
decided must be given back but directed
its officers to communicate with the treas.
ury officials and make the payments 1T
the earliest periods practicable.
Ross Winans, engineer inventor and
millionaire, who has Just died ut BaIti-
more, was II remarkable character. Per-
haps his most notable invention was the
camel back engine" used to take trains
across the heavy grades Of the Allegla-
nies. He was invited thirty years ago to
build RuSsia'S railroads, bat declined,
sending his sons who planned and execut-
ed the Russian railroad system. He went
abroad because of bis southern svmplthies
during the war, and since his return had
written several books. The mechanical
genius of the family has developed itself
in II score of inventions, more or less i'm
portant.
The steamship Loo, from Savannah for
Nassau, WAS burned on the 18Th instant,
in IL heavy southwest gale, eighty miles
south Of Tybee, thirty miles off shore.
The two Misses Harrington, of Nassau,
and Mr.. Papendick, Of New York, tile
only passengers, are missing Eighteen
OF the crew, including the chief engineer,
carpenter, stewardrss, cook, IN oiler and
thirteen seamen went off in the life boats
and are supposed to be lost. The rest off
the crew and officers were taken from
life raft on to the Russian bark Hoppct.
The saved were taken to Savannah.
Gov Hampton has called an extra SEES
sion of the South Carolina Legislature for
next Tuesday, which will elect a chiefI
justice, and so put the now evenly divided
supreme court in working order. Some |
Of the minor state officials on the republi |
can ticket still hold on to their Offices in
the state house, but they will be ousted by
II decision of the long. pending quo war
anto cases against them us soon us the
supreme court is filled, if they don't get
tired of working for nothing and " finding
themselves before then, The negroes
accept the situation good-naturedIy, and
the colored militia of Charleston have al
ready declared their allegiance to Gov.
Hampton.
AN IMPORTANT LEGAL DECISION
Judge Gilbert of Brooklyn, N. Y, has
lately rendered decision to the effect that
any one buying sewing machine and
paying II certoin amount on it, can recover
this amount if the machine is taken away
by the parties whe sold it. In the case ut
issue, II lady hal paid eighty dolllrs on
her machine. She could not pay the re-
strictly according TO agreement
md it was at once taken away Judge
Gilbert decided that the eighty dollars
must be refunded. The defendants asked
or delay. and the Judge said, Not an in I
SAINTS delay" LISA poor rule that doesn't
work both ways, and the sellers of the /
machine had been exceedingly prompt in
'eclaiming the property. The decision is ?
important to thousands of poor people all I
,ver the country.