The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-04-19
Editorial Notes.


bers Of the Vanderbilt family, doub- |
ling tue amounts which they would
lave received BY the terms OF the will. |
This gives q r"und million to each.
Similar arrangements have been made
with the other members of the family. |
A Washington dispatch says that the
attention Of Secretary Sherman has
been called by the friends of the Ma
tional Bank Interest TO the fact that
unless some measures Of relief be af-
fordsd by Congress many OF them will
be Obliged TO go into liquidation. It
has been the wish not To- propose any
measures Of legislation 10 the extra
session Of Congress save the provision
Of funds for the support OF the army
and perhaps the organization Of q com
mission TO the Paris Exposition; but il
now seems imperative that some legis-
lation on finance should be had.
Paul Morphy, the famous chess
plsyer, IL in q New Orleans asylum
hopslessly insane. About a year ago
he began 70 lose his mental control,
and some Of his friends believed that
his malady originated in the strain
upon his mind in playing many and
dii1cult games of chess. He was ed
ucatcd fer the law, and his family and
friends greatly objected to his taking
mp chess playing as q business. Just
before the war he became suddenly and
thoroughly disguised with chess-so
much prejudiced against it that he has
since never played. He has subse-
quently led an idle, morose life.
A Warrington telegram relates that
ct an interview between Hayes and
Hampton the former called the latter's
attention TO the very large Democratic
vote In Edgefeld county, as compared
With former years, and said to the
governor: '"This is hardly to be &C
counted for by an increase Of popula-
tion," and asked him how he could ac-
count for it. Hampton replied, "You
forget, sir, that ut ten polling places in
this county s.arge number Of soldiers
were stationed, and / understand that
they eli voted for me-" This amused
Mr.. Hayes, who laughed very heartily
and said, ''Well, IL the soldiers have
got 10 going for you it ought to settle
the case"
The Philadelphia and New York
papers have much to say about an i'm
pending war among the trunk line
railroads, without, however, much
agreement Is to the precise facts in
the case. The only point Of general
accord In the statements seem to be in
each charging the other with violations
OF the schedule rates, and assertions
Of their own good faith in the observ-
ance Of freight rates. The probability
IL that each and all have made rates to
suit themselves, and will continue to
do 20 a. long, a. President Vanderbilt
states the case, a. ''there are five great
roads contsndinR for the trade, and
only work enough to keep two fully
employed" President Scott, of the
Pennsylvsnia road, however, does not
believe that there is going to be any
war ct all, and that with the strong
reasons operating for the maintenance
OF regular and remunerative rates all
parties will finally cooperate in estab-
lishiDg q result on that basis.
There appears to be some drawbacks
W buo onbhO ouOSSbo Va bho SeiCpuOnc.
The experimental trial at Philadelphia
and New York Monday evening dem
oastratsd, among other things, the fol-
lowing facts First, the music is au-
dible only NJ the rrceiVing emu of tho
circuit. The audience at Steinway
Hall heard the air OF "Home, Sweet
H me- very distinctly. but the spec
tatoFs who saw Prof. B rscovitZ play
ing the piano 81 the Western Union
office, in Philadelphia, heard nothing
but the successive thuds of the keys.
Second, the telephone admits only Of
the transmission Of distinct notes. 1t is
not capable of reproducing harmony,
or combination of sounds. So far as
the music itself 10 concerned, q child
drumming some well known air with
one hand would afford quite as much
entertainment. 1t follows from these
facts that the telephone, although u
marvel Of invention, IL still little more
than . scientific toy, to be admired,
like Maelzel's chess player, but of no
present practical use. The principle
which It involves, however, is one of
immense importance, and may yet be
20 developed ~ to supersede the tele-
graph sign manual with the human
Veice.
The famous old Jumel romance is
revived by two incidents-the decision
of the Supreme Court OF the United
States confirming the perpetual injunc
ton prohibiting George Washington
Bowen from prosecuting any action to
recover the particular estate embraced
In the appointment made in favor Of
Hrs. Chase, Madame Jumel's adopted
daughter, in 1898, and Q new suit in
stituted by some heir-at-law of NJ.
Jumel TO recover the millions OF prop
erty to which they assert Madame
Jumsl never had any title. The story
runs back 10. the Providence work
house, whore Betsey Bowen, the future
! Madame, abandoned by her mother
and. the world, lived with vagabonds
and thieves. George Washington
this association. Betsey's sister Polly
was also an inmate Of this place, and
en illeeitimste daughter Of Polly was
afterward. adopted by the Madame.
< Bstssy became the wife Of NJ. Jumel, q
wealthy FFehehmsn, then doing bust
ness In New York, In 1910. He con-
veyed the most Of his property to
tristecs for his wifeh benefit during
kar lifet,me. TO be reconvuyvo ~ 49,
Rslf ~ kis heirs on her decease. Some
time after thh, Jumel being IN Europe.
his. wife, having full power of at
totney 20 sell his property, secretly
conveyed Il 70 her niece, aud had IL re-
conveyed 10 herself. This was in 1895.
6ik years later Jumel died, ignorant OF
the disposition that had been made OF
his estate. The heirs now allege that
I'll this was . trick, and il seems that
The property, which for nearly fifty
ysars has been ratified through the
courts, 10 10 have another and differ
(, ent sort Of shaking up. The chang
ing fortuues Of the woman who started
He - street walker, and afterwarG
became the wife successively Of Jumel
and Of Aaron Burr, were certainly re
markasle, but most of the incidents
would leng since have passed out q
the public mind had Il not been 70
this neyer-to-end controversy abou
the estate
Fernando Wood Is said to have il