Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-25

TIE PLEDGE SIGNED Icy OVER TWENTY rIyE
THOUSAND .fI;SUNS.

Correspondence of the New York Times.
ELNIRA, May 10. IS777.-Thc murphy tenn
pcranee movement" Is sweeping everything
before it in this section For six weeks the
excitement has ragged in this city with very
little abatement, and between 5000 and
1000 citizens of the place have signed the
pledge. Among these are some oi the most
prominent residents Of the city-lawyer~
editors, doctors and politicians. One OF
two well-known social clubs. boasting Sc
leet but conyivial momership are likely to
cease to exist in consequence OF the leading
members signing the pledge. 1t is thought
that the expensive furniture and fixtures Of
the club rooms will he sold, and the proceeds
contributed to pay the expenses of the cause.
Mr.. Ecclcs Robinson, Of Warren. Penn,
has had charge Of the movement in this city,
but left it, yesterday. to be taken care OF by
some prominent converts, while he inaug-
urates it IN Binghampton. Gen. Gregg.
Col. Luther Caldwell, Capt. Lyon, William
Maxwell, and Others, all o whom have been
lifelong devotees of Bdcchus, but very in
fluential in politics, business, etc, are ad-
dressing meetings daily and nightly, and
" tHC NauSt. "Nll-
known liquor-dealers have signed the pledge
in Elmira, and thousands Of dollars worth
of liquor has been destroyed 10y burning and
turning into the Chcmung river. The move
ment has comepletely reyOlutionizcd social
affairs in this city.
While Elmira is the centre Cf the move
ment, the towns and villages in the neigh
borhoOd have taken the temperance fever
with proportionate violence. Westward,
along the Erie, the large towns OF Corning,
llornellsville, Bath llammOndsport, An
gelica. and others, and the smaller inter
yening villages of Spencer, Candor, Way
land, Sayona, and many Others, are holding
daily meetings. llOrnellsvillc has nearly
1000 signers Of the pledge, many of them
liquor dealers, who have closed their places
and are working earnestly for the temper
ance cause. The same may he said of
Corning, where 800 have taken the pledge.
Capt. Lyon, 'the ex-star drunkard'' OF
Elmira, as he terms himself, addressed
Bath, at which 200 signed the pledge. Col.
Caldwell also addressed meetings there, and
by tonight they expect to have 800 con-
vcrts. Capt. Lyon has organized "bands"
in llammondsport, Candor, Spencer. Way
land, and other places, and in those places
has secured over 1000 converts in less than
n week. At Angelica, V. A. Willard, a
leading lawyer, and heretofore anything but
a temperance man, has abandoned his prac-
tiec for the time, and is organizing and ad-
dressing temperance meetings. lie has
added 500 to the roll in Angelica.
Eastward, along the Erie, at Waverly,
Oswego and other places the ''Murphyites''
are creating great sensation. As in the
places above named, the drinking men have
taken the lead in the movement, and their
example is followed by hundreds. Hon. I.
J. Chatfeid, DIR. Walker, Judge Carey, 7.
A. LaFrancc, and others are addressing
meetings daily. From Elmira to Bingham
ton not less than $500 have signed the
pledge, and many liquor dealers have closed
heir places NJ. Eceles Robinson began
he movement in BinghamtOn on Tuc>d,y.
A monster mass-mectIng was lcid. ut
\ hich the same scenes "i prominent
citizens signing the pledge
md publicly taking part in forwarding the
,ause were witnessed AT great Bend, with
population of 500. over 300 have sisn-
d the pledge. The liquor business is .r-
irely killed there.
The work is also going on along the Erie
urther east, approaching the section from
'liddletown, where nearly 1000 signers Of
he pledge have been obtained. The reform
rs there are not connected with the Murphy
movement, although i'll sympathy with it.
heir badge is a pink ribbon, with medal
ion of Winchester. their leader. 1t i, e>ti-