The Portland daily press., 1877-12-28
History Of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednes-
day Night, December 26.
NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Senator Patterson of South Carolina is very
i'll, and doubts are entertained of his recov-
cry.
1t appears by the Department files that the
coinage of the silver dollar was stopped in
1906, because the coin was rated too low, and
80 constantly exported.
The committee appointed to report whether
any reduction in the clerical force of the New
York post-office can be made have reported
that none can be made without Injury to the
serris~--Tha report also compliments the eff
cheney ana system uIspi~y-dLhH Postmaster
james and his assistants. A similar investIga-
tion will be conducted in regard to the Phila-
delphia post-office Immediately after the holi-
days.
The Comptroller of the Currency will issue
no more notes of S. to the First National Bank
OF Hanover, Penn, nor to the First National
Bank of Tamaqua, Penn, as dangerous coun-
terfeits Of these notes have recently been put
in circulation. All persons should refuse five
dollar notes of these banks and holders should
forward them to the redemption agency of the
Treasury Department
The subject of educating boys in practical
seamanship to fit them for service in the navy
having been tested and found of great advan-
tsge, will be presented to Congress this session
by the naval authorities, with view of having
such changes made in the law as will result in
having navy manned entirely by educated
seamen. Commodore Schufeldt chief of the
bureau of equipment and recruiting, will ex-
plain the advantages to the Committee of Naval
Affairs of the House and Senate, and recon-
mend the passage of law authorizing the
enlistment of $50 boys annually, which would
be 10 per cent. of the actual number of seameu
now allowed to the navy, as it has been ascer-
tanned by experience in England and elsewhere
that such percentage of new material will
keep up our force to perfect state. Efforts
will be made to have inserted in any mail
steamship subsidy bill which may pass Con-
gress this session, a clause compelling COM
paDy to have their vessels manned by American
seamen. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
it is said, now has its vessels almost entirely
manned by Cinnamon.
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES.
Owen Murphy, one of the Excise Commits
sioners of New York, has absconded with funds
of the department to an amount unknown, but
estimated all the way from $4,000 to 100000.
A frightful runaway accident occurred in
Hartford, Sunday evening. DR.. Starr was
driving down Asylum hill when his horses bit
broke. AT the foot of the hill is the crossing of
the New York & Hartford railroad and the
gate was shut The doctor heard the train
whistle to start, and as the cars might be on
the street crossing, he jumped to save himself,
all power oyer the horse being lost. The horse
dashed across the track before the train had
got underway and struck the gate bar with
such violence as to swing it with great fury
around on to the Asylum street sidewalk. 1t
struck Mrs. Mannix, knocking her senseless
and also her little boy, thirteen years of age,
and injured him SO that he died in fifteen min
utes. The mothers throat was cut and ore
arm broken, and she was taken to the hospital
in an apparently dying condition. she is a
widow and has four children living.
In the case Of the People vs.. DR.. Lambert,
President of the American Popular Life Insur-
ance Co., for swearing to false report of the
company's affairs, the jury brought verdict of
guilty
The steamer Huntsville, Capt. Faircoth.
from Savannah for New York, was burned at
sea on the 10Th. No lives were lost.
BRIEF MENTION.
A movement is on foot to impeach Mayor
Ely of New York for various misdemeanors in
ofdce.--Roboert B. Psrrott, the inventor of
the Parrott gun, died Monday.-An effort to
pay off the debt on Dr. Scudder's church in
New York, Sunday, resulted in raising only
$4,000 OF $4,000 wanted, and the depletion of
the audience from 1900 to 100 in about two
hours.--The Dale Manufacturing Company
of Patterson, N. j., has failed. Liabilities
$30O,0O0 to $4O0,000; all secured bat $4,000
The annual dinner of the New England
Society came off Saturday night. President
Hayes and Secretary Evarts were present and
responded to toasts.-It is reported that Cor
nelius j. Vanderbilt has brought suits against
his brother, W. H Vanderbilt Chauncy M.
Depew and another party for conspiracy to
deprive him of his portion of his fathers es-
tate. Damages are laid at 81 900, 900 --Nego-
tiations have been commenced between the
United States and Italy with a view of modify
ing the treaty of 1868 relative to rights and
privileges of the consuls of the two countries.
-Many prominent merchants and bankers
of Chicago have signed petition 10 which
confidence in President Hayes financial policy
Is expressed and all legislation contrary to il
opposed, AT its recent session the South
Carolina legislature ratified the amendment to
the Constitution which levies an annual tax of
two mills upon all taxable property in the
state for the support of schools.