Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-17
Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.

the New York Herald. On Saturday
it reared breathing destruction to
Mr.. Murtagh, proprietor of the Repub-
hcon, who is credited with the pater-
nifty of the movement which in less
| than three weeks has almost hermet-
rically closed up every gambling den
in this district, and which if properly
directed and supported b DIS fair to pei
manently rid our city of this class Of
spongers. The Presidents peremptory
demand for the resignation Of the
Police Commissioners, has beeen COM
piled with, but Mr.. Murtagh was re-
tanned. The new appointees are all
gentlemen of established reputation,
including among the number Hon.
Fred. Douglass. The character of the
new Board is everywhere accepted as
proving that no step backward will be
taken in the fight against the leeches
who are everywhere attended by the
curses of ruined men and the execra-
ton of thousands Of women who are
compelled to witness with breaking
hearts the destruction of husbands,
brothers and sons who are unable to
resist the mad infatuation for gambling
the indulgence in which has been
made so easy in our city by the indo-
lence, inefficlency or connivance Of our
officials. The countermovemen of the
opposition, as foreshadowed by the
Herald, is to be inaugurated by a
Member of Congress, when an attempt
will be made to show that Mr. Muir
tagh last winter solicited the 7aid of
Chief Richards and several detectives
with lview to onticing Mr.. Whit
horn, Chairman of the committee that
last winter investigated Secretary Rob
eson, into gambling house or other
place of evil resort, arrest him and
make him notorious by a trial before
the police court of this district. All
this for the alleged purpose of destroy
ing his (Whitthorn's) credibility and
thus break the force Of an anticipated
unfavorble report. Murtagh has H.
vted the ill-will of an INSCRIPTIONS
and relentless enemy. He will be
pursued with purpose as deadly as
that which is esteemed a cardinal vir-
tue among Molly Maguires. No stone
will be left unturned that can contrib
ute to the success of those who have
vowed his destruction. He meets the
charge with an absolute denial and de-
fies his enemies to do their worst. The
warfare upon the gamblers is fast as
Stunning national Importance, and what
ever the result may be upon Individual
| participants, the fraternity of thieves
and robbers are likely to be ground to
powder between the upper aud neither
millstones of public opinion.
The sleighing which will render the
first week of the year of grace, 1877,
memorable for many years, both be-
cause of its exceptional occurrence and
because the entire community almost
abandoned itself to the rare enjoyment
of sleigh-riding and coast;ng, was ire
parably damaged by the heavy rain of
Saturday and the succeeding night;
and what of it was spared is rapidly
disappearing under the influence of the
mild weather now prevailing. No
more animated scene, [ verify believe
could have been witnessed in any part of
the world than that Of Thursday, Friday
and Saturday of last week, on Pennsyl-
vania Avenue. Every sleigh from the
surrounding county, as we'll as many
from Baltimore, appeared to be in town.
Large numbers of late inportations
from northern cities arrived in season
to participate and that superb street,
ten rods wide, straight as an arrow
from the foot Of Capitol Hill to the
Treasury, was filed and crowded with
every imaginable form of vehicle on
runners, with their freight of jewellers.
1t was sight the like of which was
never before seen here, and not often
certainly elsewhere Hundreds of the
occupants were in masquerade costume
fantastic, historic, political and re-
llglous events, were all represented
| ONOA CAC AOloCo StcuCO W 1GGl the
contaglon of fun and frolic everywhere
prevalent, banishing for the time the
bitterness of political differences, and
making the carnival one Of unrestricted
good fellowship. Even "corner' was
effected in the hand sled market by the
lndulgent parents Of the juveniles.
One consequence of the heavy snow
saturated by tie rain on the nearly fat
tin roofs of majority of the buildings
in the district was not so pleasant. [
venture to say that half the buildings
of the city were found to be in a leaky
condition on Saturday afternoon Or
during the night, and almost every
house top was decorated by ''shovel-
lsk' on Sunday morning clearing the
roof Of its burden Of snow. Much
drainage in some instances resulted
and hereafter the roof will be as
promptly attended TO as the pavement.
We have had our ell of those two
typical Democrats of the Pacific coast.
Grover and Cronin Tne name of the