Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-03-14
Washington Letter.
Robert IngersOlrs Lecture-The Old
Colonial Law - How Christians
Treated Inndels When They
Were i'm Power Scandal
Blackmailing, Etc, Etc.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 20, 1878.
To the Editor of the Arant Courier:
Robert Ingersoll has been lecturing her,
again. This time his subject was ''Hell.
| heard two good orthodox church peopl,
speaking of the matter in this wise: Sait
one, ''Isn't it lamentable that such bias
phemy as he utters should be allowed ir
the District? Who can tell what harm hi
is doing" NO. was the reply, ~ dom
mourn over it at all. 1t will do more good
than harm. If Bible truths We're never de.
MED, apathy would prevail and people
would not study the Book of Books with
half the earnestness they now do.''
These are the two opinions that prevail
here; but much anxiety is felt among the
churches. One earnest antiquarian has
been hunting up the old Colonial law
touching the subject, which, by the way,
the Attorney-General recently decided is
still in force in the District, having never
been repealed. In the first section OF that
law is found the following: IF any per-
son shall deny our Saviour Jesus Christ,
to be the son Of God, or shall deny the
Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, or the GOdhead Of any of these
Persons, or the trinity Of the Godhead, or
shall utter any profane words concerning
the Holy Trinity or any OF the Persons
thereof, and shall be thereof convicted, he
or she shall, for the first otlense, be bored
through the tongue, for the second offense
shall be stigma:ized by burning the fore
head with the letter b and for the third
Offense shall suffer death.''
Thus Robert Ingersoll is liable by
law to be precipitated into the place whose
existence he denies and whose name was
the subject of his third lecture given here
within q few weeks. Seriously, however,
it is high time for such law to be repeal
edit savors a little TOO st. 0ngiy of the
Dark Ages.
Scandal is never idle here. There is al
ways more material for her to work with
than she can possibly use. One of the
latest pieces relates to the S1,SOO that the
Treasury officials have been trying so long
W uISCOSCi. IL was pau IntO tiIC DCpdi u
ment by the banks to pay for extra work
imposed by their careless method Of put
ting qp money The assessment was made
by MIR. New, who succeeded Spinner as L.
5. Treasurer, and the $l,SOO has never
been accounted for. Now these are the
and this is the scandal: MIR. New
had a nephew who was a messenger in the
Treasury and a niece as an employee there.
The nephew's chief business was to carry
money 10 the desks of counters and return
it to the place of deposit. Sums Of money
disappeared. A young lady
turned in her account and money one night
70 the remittance desk. The next day it
was moved 5y the messenger in question,
lfter which it was found 81, 600 short. The
young lady was dismissed sunmarily.
1000 were missing but day Or two be-
ore the nephew. who was known as a fire.
luenter of gambling houses and much adj
licted to chance games, was dismissed, the
events coming SO near together as to sug-
,est cause and effect.
Soon after this every 5000 lady clerk of
he Redemption Division, excepting Mr..
News niece, were indirectly taxed $3.50.
t was accomplished by forcing each one,
" means of vague hints of discharge in
,ase of refusal, to make application for
even days leave Of absence vithout pay.
g, 800 were thus secured, but not account
d for, and rumor has it that it was either
Used to cover some OF the nephew's irregu-
arities or to pay the excess Of appointees
rom Mr.. News State. The facts here
,iven are not mere hearsays-they are facts
nd can be corroborated to the satisfaction
If any having interest to make inquiries
them.
AnAMC