davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
A ball In a Prison.

The HerdLi gives glowing account Of a
grand ball. held the other night, in very
strange place. IL was the ball given by the
officers Of our pententiary, on BlackwelPs
Island, at which over seven hundred people
were present, including Commissioners OF
Charities and Correction. IL was given, ac-
cording To the HerdLi "to inaugurato the
new pavilion or workshop" structure 40
feet long by 40 feet wide, built entirely by
convict labor, and intended for the education
Of oonvicts in trades. ut has just been tin
ishcd, receiving its brilliant baptism last
night" The programme Of the entertain
mcnt included thirty dances, and the en-
rapturcd reporter thus describes the scene:
"One spot OF pulsatng light and warmth
there was. like n heart Of molten gold, In all the
bleak strip OF penitential reform, and for all the
rest there were .frowning walls Of prisons,
warehouses. charity hospitals, and lunatic asy-
lums. Just outside the pavilion, where the
brave men and fair ladies were having rout
9onenh pannrred r29i ana IN the oaze 2i 4
lamps. rose the sullcn mass OF the penitentinry.
In who's" nhospitahle hall bedrooms lay felons
OF all grades, listening Ia the mad music hay
INK ripping laugh borne To them perhaps by
the taunting galc-a laugh that broke through
the bars II the slit ~ "a window and stole into
their remorseful dreams When the wind veerod.
the lunatics got gust OF the gayrty. and glib
bered IN their sleep as sanity, flashed its wan
then, there couldn't be- "a better place 10 have a
ball than upon Blackwells Island"
II seems to ia, on the contrary that there
could be a much better place In which to
have ball than in Il prison. or course, the
cOnvicts confined on Blackwcll's Island are
bad men and women, but il it not insulting
their misfortune and aggravatlng their en-
nifty against society for their keepers to
lock them up In their cells, turn of the gas
and then get together seven hundred people
TO revel within their hcaringY
We do not believe that tho fclons O, all
grades, who lay In bed listening to the mad
music, and having a ripping laugh borne to
them by the haunting gale, enjoyed tho
thought that their dreary place Of confinc-
ment was invaded by 80 many hundreds OF
brave men and fair ladies who regarded IL
rs not uniting to make merry in "a prison.
We do not believe that tho dreams Of these
convicts were remorseful-remorsc for crime
Ia not so frequent as some people fancy-but
that they were rather ugly dreams Of hatred
against the men and women who were free
to dance and laugh while they We're shut up
In the dark.
No; prison Is a very serious place much
too serious a place for ball.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
W hat IL Costs.

Tho law OF Louisiana requires that the
Supervisor " Elections, In making his re-
turns, which are based upon those OF the
Commissioners who hold the polls, shall, In
cases of intimidation, violence, bribery, and
q variety Of offences, certify to the facts
within twenty-four hours after tho report Is
made to him, 40 that the Returning Board
shall bc able to pass upon each case in its
order This explicit requirement was full
filed in only one parish, because there was
no ground Of complaint.
When it was determined TO cheat Mr.. TIL
DEN out OF his large majority, some excuse
for the iniquity had to be contrivcd The
plan adopted was to manufacture certificates
OF intimidation outside the law, and to i'm
port negroes from the parishes, who could
neither read nor write, to make cross-marks
to the papers which were gotten up at the
Custom House. To do this at the public ex-
pensc, these deluded instruments were sum-
moncd as witnesses by the United States
Marshal The report OF Mr.. MORRISON,
which was presented to the House few
days ago, says ON this subject:
During the session Of the Returning Board
witnesses cxceeding the number 81 three hun
dred We're summoned a. New Orleans 10y the
United States Marshal, at y cost Of sl0sO0 for
witness fc's, paid 10y the United States. Wit
ncsses t"stifying were generally unknown 10
the officers by whom the oath was administered
" them. Nor was their i'd nifty proved 70 such
officers. The afidayts and other testimony
were prepared by United States soldiers and
Government employers detailed for the pur-
pose 10y the direction Of cN-United Stnt"s Mar
shal PACKARD and Republican candidate for
Governor Testimony Of this character thus
obtained was made the alleged basis OF the
sction OF the Returning Board"
Thus the fraud was paid for out Of the
public Treasury. 1t has been proved,
also, that the clerks OF the Return
Ing Board were ordered to mako cross
marks on numbers Of these intimidation
afidavits;" and these were subsequently
sealed and signed by Commissioners before
whom no real atlantis ever appeared. The
whole thing was monstrous cheat, and
many of the deluded victims OF this conspir-
acy whose names have been paraded as
testifying TO outrages In their parishes
have voluntarily come forward To expose
the forgercs which appear In JOHN SHEER
MAN collection of pretended witnesses.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

r. r. HAYES, who will hereafter be known
IN this country as RETURNING BOARD HAYES,
is to be declared elected President by one OF
The greatest lies ever known In all the
records Of dishonest politics.
Against HAYES a majority OF tho States
have given their electoral votes; and in
order to declare him elected the electoral
votes OF Florida and Louisiana are stolen
outright, In a manner 90 fragrant that his
friends I'm the National Returning Board
have not dared to allow an investigation Of
the facts.
Against HAYES majority Of the whole
people have voted. Counting both blacks
and whites this majority is, in round num-
bcrs, 100000.
But If only tho white men OF the country
are counted tho black men being omitted
altogcthcr-thcm majority against this Fraud
ulcnt President swels to the enormous figure
Of 200, 700.
Let every intelligent. conscientious Re
publican think Of these facts, and prepare
his mind for that wrath to come, by which
his party will hc wiped out Of existence for
ever
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
SAYING THE UNCONTERTED.
Incidents Related by Down Town Business
Men-A Young Mans Prayer Answered-

al want this to he tho warmest OF our
meetings. Mr.. John +. Smith. of the Stock Ex-
change said in the down town business mems
meeting in the old John Street Church. yester-
day. "A man cannot read the newspapers in
tho morning without percevng the dreadful
effects OF SIM" Mr.. Smith continued. and those
W no arc mcrcifuy kept free from sin should
the fallen" 49,
A young man said that he would relate little
business" experience. He is in business on
his own account. and had To meet a note He
could not see whore the necessary money was 10
come from except from one man. Yet he could
help throughout Friday night. and went. nj the
last moment, to the only man that. seemingly.
could aid him. He was overjoyed 10 hear him
say. All right"
Brother Dexter said that fourteen years ago.
as he was going To the park. skates in hand.
friend asked him TO 90 TO church. He went, and
since then he has been in Chrsts bus ness.
scores turning 10 the Saviour One Of them
IL woman liz years OF age. who is about to DO
'longshoremnn said that he liked a saliva
ton that keeps one every day. Eleven years
ago Jesus picked him up. and many Of the fel-
lows said that He would not keep him long.
A gentleman said that the hymn Jesus Of
ran s nse " Nr TRR'Ra as p rHs sS' bye
recalled an incident. A sailor. while passing q
church. heard the Sunday school children sing
ing the hymn. II touched his heart. and when
the last words reached his ears he hurried into
the pastors pres nee and asked. " What shall |
he is working with blessed effect among the
sailors.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

loyorp,o,t xvas DIANA ,,o,, b,, 10 yrtth a. N
o,,,oo, -, da,,nd,,,, ,,a ',',,d
,ho ,nrood, -, ,'',,i,,,,',, a., ,.,,,, % D.,
sia roisoJ 90 ro, =, ,,I,,,.,, a., .,- ,s,.
con, and ,bo cor,,,o, ,r,.,,,,.,, ,e,,,,,,,,,,l
In hoard nm cold I'm 10 ,a,,iis ,,aLIne, lee
navmepts ,ybc,avar nrootI,,Il, ,n s,i,or
II was tbis tomrororv yociIlot;or IN tbo
nol,cv NJ tho En,Jro o,d ,ho ovo,,,,oro,od
emission of silvor coin which folIovod TINT
constituted tho main ohstocle IN tho no.
complisbment az tho intended reform. II
must no o,vnod bovovor that tba Cermon
Government. since H. recognizad tho conso-
ouenccs Of that courso. has shown souacitv
and noraovoranca I'm ia ofr,rta 70 cont act
tho currency nv retiring tho old coin-
ape Rv tho ond ~ Sentomhor 1874 ono bun
dred and nftv nillions of 1ollars In old all
yer picccs had been called I'm. Deductinp
from this totnl n certain quantity M florins
Withdrawn I'm the States Of tho south. there
remains more than hundrci and ten mill
lions of dollars retired from circulation in
North Germany. Meanwhile however. the
issue of new silver coins amounted I'm Octo-
bcr 1876 To some eighty millions. Rut thcro
Is this striking difference between tho silvcr
displaced and the silver substituted. that the
former il Temporarily invested with nil the
monetary Qualities OF gold whereas the Int
ter Is only a legal tender In sums of five dol
lars or less.
Al present tho action Of thc Government 10
embarrassed bv its uncertainty resnocting
the amount of the old thol,r currencv which
still exists in tho hands ~ the nconlo some
light Is thrown ON this ouostion bv tho ox-
pcriencn Of South Germany cited in This RI.
mort Thnrc tho silver formorIv in circula-
tion has ontlrclv disonnoor.d lint n was oh.
served that tho aggregate of tho sums nro-
scntcd for reclamation fell short nv twentv-
four nor cont of tho quantity issued from tho
mint Now ,hc accn,nts If tbo North Cor
man mints onnroiso tho former tholor and
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
THE LIFE or THE WIDOW vAN COTT
Her Girihood, her Marriage. her Widowhocd,
and her Eleven Year. ne n Preacher.

The Widow Van Colt, whose remarkable
revival meetings have attracted so much atten-
ton. has just completed tho eleventh year OF her
ministry She says that the first two years OF
her preaching were not attended with marked
success but that In the past nine years she has
made %. 900 converts. Over $4,000 OF these
joined the church on probation, and about IL 900
OF the probationcrs became full members. Mrs.
Van Colt has conducted $50 meetings every
year. She gives from eleven TO fourteen hours
a day to spiritual and religious work. She goes
wherever she IL invited, and serves the rich and
the poor churches exactly alike.
The Widow Van Cot does not prepare her
sermons. She seldom does more than select
the text before she goes into the pulpit. Then
she breaches cNtcmporancousy. Her converts
seldom fail to become permanently better clti,,
Ins practslng rh,egiy: ho on3 in their inter-
course with their fellows
There have been several erroneous versions
Of Mrs. Van Colts remarkable last. Inc FOLLOW
ing iacts are stated upon her authority; while me
"S SS s Ss %ay Y her %"4
long and earnestly. and the spirit OF the hord
told her that i she would fast her petti nl,,
out eating morsc Of food or drinking any
did not lose bodily strength but was able In the
112 hours to conduct seventeen revival meetings
and preach with her usunl earnestness and
power At the end Of the 1I2 hours. her petit
ton having been granted. she discontinued her
fast ing and took food.
Mrs. Van Colt was born In New York city In
1880. When eleven years old she was confirmed
according TO the rules OF the Episcopal Church:
At the early age Of twelve years she was engaged
to 6o mnrriei. The house in which hor parents
lived WIS supposed to be haunted Strange
footsteps were heard in the corridors and on the
staircasps, and doors opened and shut without
the agency Of human hands. and the Widow Van
Colt AYERS that the invisible power actually en-
tered rooms whose doors had been securely
locked. and uiparrungpd the furniture.
About 1s47 Mrs. Van Colt WINS married to Mr..
Peter L. Van Colt. Several years afterward her
husband died. He was in the drug business.
and after his death Mrs. Van Colt carried on the
business which she did successfully until she
went into the ministry She began to preach in
the Five Points Mission, conducting services
elsewhere at the same time. Her eloquence and
fervor attracted attention, and after about two
years she became popular preacher. she was
regularly licensed 10 preach in the Methodist
Episcopal Church in tho United States; She
was especially commended by Bishop Gilbert
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
The Preventive Influence of Capital
Punishment.

Two men We're sentenced to be hanged in
Newark, New Jersey, ten miles from this
city, last Thursday One of them was
hanged the other would have been, but he
was dead from fright or poison before the
hour.
1t is interesting I'd see how "'.,.,ich terror
was inspired among The criminal classes by
These deaths on ne gallows, and, rs it were,
on 'he way u, the gallows, at Newark, in our
'hllh'u'a'r vicinity.
Ell y Friday morning, at Williamsburgh,
,rONIo LEON, night Waterman employed
In this city shot his own daughter, knocked
her down, stabbed her, dubbed her with his
pistol, and left her unconscious, suppOsing
that he had killed her.
The Newark hanging does not appear to
have eXrrted very powerful restraining
influence on this man.
At II still earlier hour, about one o'clock Of
the morning following the execution at New
ark, n bloody encounter took place at the
drinking saloon Of joe" CoBURN a nOtorl-
Gus prizc-hghtcr, In this city, ia the course
Of which one officer was shot twice, once In
the breast and once In the right arm; an
other officer was shot In the slide and cut In
the head; while CoBURN himself was severe
~ pounded and bruised.
The restraining influence of the execution
at Newark fell short Of this New York drink
ing saloon.
However salutary the effect Of hanging
some Of our fellow beings may be, it mani
fcstly Is not adequate " the entire proven
tion OF capital crimes.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

Grants Friend Given Chance 10 Sustain his
Baref,ced Denial.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sr; have
sent the following Tonight:
WAsuINGToS. D. C.. Feb. l6, 1877.
To THE EDITOR OF THE WASHINGTON UNION:
On returning home from Baltimore tonight n
friend called my attention Ia letter Of Gen. o.
H. Balcock. which appeared in the columns Of
one OF your morning contemporaries, denying
the truth Of the charges made against him in
THE NEW YORK SUN Of yesterday. Allow me to
say here that what appeared IN The Sun was
merely the context Of report mad, 10y an hon
est aud clover expert employed by Mr.. Holman.
who has been working over these accounts for
several months. with the result liz published.
procured and sent n copy at this report t. THE
NEw YORK sun, and hold myself responsible for
IT, personally or Otherwise
We have fallen In strange times when a per-
lurrd villain twice arraignrd AT the bar ~ "A
criminal court. can stand up in the face of truth
and ,right and make such bareflecd denial.
Yours, very respectfully. f. Q. ADAMS.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

II we are to believe the marvellous stories
told Of Prot BELLS telephone. instrum, ntal
music and the tones Of the human voice may be-
sent over the wires 10y electricity for hundreds
Of miles. by contrivancc mechanically very
simple. The telephone seems 10 be Il gorilca-
ton of the little toy. common on the streets last
summer. known as the Lovers Telegraph"
The practical value OF such an invention is OBJ
viously great and there appears TO be little
room for doubt that all that Is claimed for 1t has
really been accomplished KELLY. in his Wild
est flights OF imagination never dreamed Of
anything more wonderful than the telephone.
1t only remains 10 telegraph color and photo
graph smell.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

our townsman, Mr. SLADE, has found that
his recent prosecution in London under the Va
grant act served him NJ an excellent ADVERTISE
mcnt and h. is now said 10 bo doing n brisker
% ""' W. "''V''' INV q '"' -. martyr
dom has helped him amGzn"',y so far ns The
'r'''''r "'' .''uG" ,ed. unbclievors nork to
49,. "''''N' ,nr slate trick il, after all. go very
.. and whether their eyes ARE rs sharp as
Prof. LANKEsrEKs. We hear more Of SLADE
Just now, in IA l. than We do Of that other dis
tingui-hed American spirltualst the Hon.
HvSsoN pIEmoNr.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

No moro partisan, no moro friend. no
more opponent. no more enemy. but the solemn
Judgment Of the Judge" was what Mr.. Ed
MuSDs said when he drew picture Of II trhu-
nal elevated far above the turmoil Of political
craftsmanship Yet. II ZAcH CHANDLER. Don
CAMERON. JOHN SHERMAN. and the four menl-
beers Of the Louisiana Returning Board had
been on the Commission along with MORTON
and GARFIELD and If the decisive vote had
rested with J. MADISON WELLS himself the
work Of counting in HAYES could not have been
done more thoroughly. expeditiousy. and un-
blushingy
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

FI"N TN' J"FTTHI " '"070'''''
additional element IL the unfortunate
effect this like tho preceding decisions, must
have ON tho public confidence in the Impair
TALLY Of the commission IL contributed 10y the
reversal Of the former action with regard 10 in
quiring into the eligibility of persons profess
ing to be electors. Tho only change. of course.
IL In the vote Of Mr.. Justice Bradley. who in tho
yo n ans hs p Sn , assoeses Ills s paty
record IL now rectlllcd. How his judicial char
actor s affected we do not presume to say
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
way the secret Of his own extraordinary rise
from peanuts to elcgiao verse:

"wcre we to ask a hundred men who, from mail he:
amns. have attained condition Of liability end
san"rn snsw~r ws svi rom Geina anr COM
PEELED to think for and depend on ourselves"
Hero Is burning rcbukc to the detractors
Of his poetry:
"Commonplace minds usually condemn what isbc You'd
the reach Of their understanding"
The following lines contain the essence OF
Mr.. CHILps's Philosophy Of Benevolcnce:
20 good II Won expect to receive IT,"
" lie benefits himself that doth good to others"
And he assures us that he appreciates the
dignity Of his eminent position:
a great reputation is great charge"
While ho encourages us to believe that
he also feels its responsibility:
great man never makes had Of his superiority:
he secs IT, he feels It, and is not less mplcst The
he has the more he feels his own Deficiencies"
The only Instances where the mercantile
spirit crceps into the Almanac are seen in
Its illusions to death. II Is natural that n
poet who derives his income chiefly from
that melancholy event, should do all in his
power to demonstrate the misery Of exist
encc and the dcsirabilty of death. We are,
therefore, not surprised To find Mr. CHTLDs
encouraging people to die by various little
suggestions like the following:
Owing /. as natural as living
4 long life has long miseric~'
Heaven l. worth the whole world
AN between the cradle and the coffin Is uncertain"
lie has lived III that knows not how Ia die we'll
"llow many things hath he to repent that lives long 90
Almost the last words in the Almanac are
those conveying one Of the most beautiful
and comprehensive thoughts which Mr..
CHrLDs ever gave to the world. a thought
which is truly characteristic 81 his genius
and which should have been cmbalmcd in
undying verse:
II thou wshcst to know what thou art look at tho
there thou wilt hnd the bones light dust king. and
.ye. % ieir blood and rrGcs on thcir sldrcn. deeds.
and the beauty o their person but none Of thc~ things
grave '''' Wv ''''' u ''''' '''' ''''''"
1t IL apparently in a moment Of depression
In regard to the business outlook for 1877,
that he sadly writes:
"Iknow Of nobody that has wish TO die this year"
Cheer up, CnTLDs, A. NJ There are
doubtless, many people In Philadelphia, II
not elsewhere, who are longing for death,
that their memory may be immortalized by
the poet whose genius Is the amaZcment Of
the age, whose hospitality has been enjoyed
by many wealthy persons of this country
and by noblcmcn from Europe, and whose
kindness OF heart Is 50 unbounded that he
has been known, upon overhcaring on the
street the whispered comment as he passed
"Thcrc goes the great CHTLDs" to turn
around and walk gently back before the
stranger, in order to afford him another
view Of one Of the most remarkable charac-
tcrs OF the Nineteenth Century.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

II any ono should tell Mr. Evarts that
some Of these nnn days he would be- found Of
counsel Tor Mr.. Tilton, moving for a new trihl
against Mr.. Berchcr, Mr.. Evurts would feel in
suited. But the Eyarts Of 1877 lahorins 10 estate
lish ~ Louisiana the despotsm denounced 10y
me Eyars of 1873 IL u spectacle even more
laughaby lamontabe.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

The testimony given yesterday by Dun
Can 5. kENNER will not disturb the tranquil and
nonchalant HAYES. But there are Republicans
who Will feel uncomfortable over it. ANDERSON.
1t seems. wanted a round half million for count
ing the vote Of Louisiana honestly. WELLS.
more modest. was willing to take f2OO,OOO in
grccnbacks. cash down. The gentleman who
tcstncs to these facts il the heaviest taxpayer
OF New Orleans. and u man whose vcraeity is
above question.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18
The Religion. Daily. Opinion.

The eight Republicans on the Electoral
Commission have again decided against the
seven Democrats, n, thing to be depored and
condemned If the decision were wrong hut If
i is right, how could they net othcrwisc2 That
1t is right we think every unprejudiccd person,
who reads the arguments ON both sides, must
confess.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

en- bridges. condemned years ago and under
the inspection Of no competent authority. Ifthe
professor ls not sure OF his facts. he should not.
and probably would not assume tho response
bity Of making 80 grave n charge. II he is eure
OF his facts. he ought not to let day go by with
out doing his obvious duty to tho travelling
public. Let him name the road.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

A Bowdoin College Professor of Engineer
ing, In the course of some newspaper remarks
on tho Ashtabua disaster. INSERTS his know-
edge Of ut least one railroad company which
runs trains every day over old and rotten wood
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

The crooked whi-kcy men of the Blue
Ridge region OF Georgia and North Carolina.
who recently attacked Il squad Of United States
regulars. killing "a lieutenant and private. are
probably unable to see why they should be
prosecuted for carrying on Il business which. in
other quarters. has received the sanction and
protection of the White House.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

II HAYES il now declared President II will
have been bv adrcc' nerposiuon Of Justice and froN
drncc -hsp4h7w orgaH.
Yes. II you spell Justice with JOE and
BRADLEY aud Providence with J. and MADI-
son and IA WELLS.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-18

What would this country bo without the Re-
publican pnItA f-F,nNtYs Ftts'
1t Is very evident what the country is rim the
Republican party. As for Col FoRNEY's conun-
drum, we suppose the solution lies in the i'm
mediate future.