davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
Michael Tobin-Commutatio of his
Sentence.

We learn from Washington that Mr..
HAYES has decided to grant the petition Of
MICHAEL ToBIS-the West Point soldier
convicted of the murder of n comrade. and
sentenced to be cXecuted-and has COM
muted his punishment to ten years in the
State Prison.
This, we think. is right. ToBTN deserves
some punishment, but not to be hanged. The
murder, it is true, seemed cruel; but the
provocation was extremely great. If four
ffths of the penalty We're visited upon
ToBGN's faithless wife it would be still more
equitable and just.
ToBIN had been a good soldier, and he is
represented to have felt his dishonorable
dismissal from the service for his crime
even more sensitivcly than his sentence to
death. His conduct in Jail has been excm-
plary. and If it continues 10 be equally good
in prison it is not improbable that after II
few years pardon will be extended to him.
II is said that the wife, his maddening love
for whom drove him to commit the offence.
has shown no interest in him during bis
confinement
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
What = to Z Did Ia Engiewood.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sr: The sep
araton OF the in the public school In Englewood
has been the occasion of much comment among many
white people besides causing much dissatsac ton among
the eolorei population, who loudly protest Wnd with
good reason against sending their children the school
house prepared for them by the trustees
About two months ago not very widely advertised
meeting was held IN the school house the object OF which
take into consideration the division n the races In
not very prominent ciuleus who. together with the
trustees by vote Of TO = decided to have erected
separate school tor the accommodation OF colorcd chi
dlen Ia tIis the erection Vi building they have not
even iulnlrd their own promises The suitable build
ing = an old stable IL. stencil arising which
ttrahr The oulY nnpruN cncn; thought necessary hy
e trustees was To- stop up the holes IN the floor 10y driY
Ig iu pegs Mur than this. the building ineNtty way
mint Tor the purpose, witl manure ME Tor play
ground and m incompetent teacher TO give Instruction
The culofci population with but lew exceptions pro.
t, aghn, cnlng their children 10 tins school We're
ucr any earthly gN~On for tis uuntcc expense to
the taNpaNcrs 10 the utter denial all rights VI tile
colored, thc situation would be accepted more pleas.
antv But there l. none. The present school building
his nmpt accommodation for ALL white aud colured in
the beginning OF time AMI what adds sin more 20 the
Gnp.cAHntucss the iiuauou is that eight men should
thus he allowed 90 aside the lust and humane rights
OF law-auding and p"hoeHhle people, and shape the
future destiny of a whole community.
Trusting that viii give the above n place In your
valuable paper, We subscribe ourselves
CotoRED CtrtzTNs
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
The Alleged Cipher Dispatches.

Our contemporary, the Nep York Tribune,
announced yesterday that 1t had In its pos
session nearly four hundred telegraphic des-
patches in cipher, which. as IT AYERS, passed
between the Democratic managers in New
York and their confidential agents in the
disputed Southern States. together with the
keys by which these puzzles are solved.
Several OF these dispatches have already
been printed by the Tribune. but no evidence
has been furnished going to prove that Mr..
TILDEN had any connection with their
authorship, except the circumstance that
some of them purport to have proceeded
from No. Is Gramercy Park which is well
known TO be his place OF residence.
If our contemporary shall show that these
dispatches are genuine, that its translation
OF them is correct, and that Mr.. TILDEN
authorized them or approved them. then It
will be incumbent upon him to disclaim or
explain them.
II, on the other hand, as would seem from
the face OF them, and as Mr.. TILDEN's friends
will firmly believe, these dispatches involve
OF c0ncern only such other parties as Mr.
JOHN F. CoYLE, Mr.. HENRY HAvEMEYER, and
Mr.. MANToN MARBLE, then they may be re-
garded as OF little or no public or political
consequence.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
THE LAST WIRE or THE CABLEs.
Greeted with Cheers u was stretched
Across the Enst River.

Tho last wire OF the last cable Of the East
River Bridge was run over yesterday afternoon.
and the completion Of this part Of tho work was
greeted with the lnging out OF flags and loud
cheers by the workmen on the anchOrages Six
millions eight hundred thousand pounds Of wire
now hang between the towers and the anchor
ages and about twenty-four thousand wires are
bound up in the scventy-six strands that form
tho four great cables. The estimate OF Engineer
Recbling was that il would take no less than
two and a half or three years 70 make the main
cables. but the workmen have been so expert
that the whole process Of cable making has not
lasted two years. The cables are made about
five or six feet above the position they will Or
cupy after all the settling has taken place. This
settling Is due 10 the following causes: H.
The detection due 10 the load. This for steel
wires. would be Mt the rate OF s-1On OOOth OF n
foot per foot OF length. per gross ton OF strain
per square inch OF section. "a An allowance
has been made for any forward movement Of
the saddles on the towers The uplifting action
OF the stays in the quarters will also cause de-
preston in the centre of n little more than two
feet. Then there are changes In temperature
which will perceptibly AFFECT the height Of the
bridge.
The smoke-impregnated atmosphere OF Gin
cinnati If protection 70 the cables OF the OHIO
suspension bridge. and the air surrounding all
other suspension bridges in this country is
twentyfod less in rustlng power than tia" sat
AIR OF this vicinity. Therefore, To protect the
cables, they must be continuously wrapped
with charcoal iron wire bound about them with
the precision oil thread about u spOol, anu thrn
this exterior must be saturated with I'll, thlck
enough to produce on drying viscid gum. and
then painted with "A thick cont Of white lead.
This preparation will be moisture proof. This
week the last two strands will be lowered into
position. and then the twelve strands OF each
cable. now swinging loose. will be brought about
the seven cables already bound together Ms n
core and put into wooden sdueezers to be held
FOR wrapping.
The interesting work of wrapping the cables
has been begun. and IL Is one OF the most novel
performances yet attempted on the bridge. The
cables are held in position by wooden clamps.
and wrapped from the towers toward the centre
OF the river and toward the anchorages. SiN-
| teen wrapping machines are 10 los EN- ployed.
| The wrapping machine Is reel arranged 10
pilots wheel. An iron cylinder. made in halves
SO rs to fit close about the cable. is worked
around by handle The wire is first fastened
| 10 the cable, and this machine is moved along.
slowly winding the wire about the cable as
| tight ana precise h though II were a spool of
cotton thread. The wrapping will take three
| months
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
A Step in the Right Direction.

One cf the most important steps OF recent
years taken in the business OF life assur-
Ance has lately been ventured by the largest
company in the United States. The Mutual
Life Insurance Company OF New York has
reduced its rates on all new policies thirty
per cent, for the first two wears, and will
meet the cost out OF fund which has
accrued from the purchase Of policies still
In force, and which has been set apart for
the purpose Of getting new policy holder
for every one thus bought out and extin-
guished.
ms lowering OF the rates was determined
on by the Mutual Company five years ago
but there was at tho time SO much opposi-
ton TO 1t manifested by other life insurance
associations, and even by some OF its own
policy holders, that the reduction was post
poned. The main reason for the diminished
rates, 1t Is said, Is the competition OF other
companies, which fight to obtain new risks
by the Offering of commissions to soliciting
agents which tho Mutual deems too high.
and consequently will not allow 1t there
lore reduces the cost to tho insured rather
than swell the profits Of the men who induce
him to take policy on his life
The Insurance profession generally In
which the soliciting agents hold very
strong position as the bringers in OF new
business. 10 naturally enough hostile to the
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06

ofices; and the two chief prizes consist Of jewery
valued 5000 raucs but II the winners prefer money
they will Get 81 800 instead OF the diamonds Among the
other things 10 Ice will BE- steam pougns furniture,
china, clocks candle sticks ready made clothes toys
hampers oi wine &c III fact something has been boyht
VI section and nl The money subscribed viii be
given away in PMS The Government does not see
go i'm soriv In atiss tic public aud ~ cnahir certain
away sui Suntial souvenirs VI the Exhibition
There will bc 80 rtiles in all and as unr million tkrfs
have been issued THIS wiz give every drawer one chance
~ INST 1tHh
Yet IL looks as if the French had no need lust
now to indulge in gambling. for they are maxi
ing money us fast as they could reasonably
wish to make IT, Wine alone ought to make
thom rich. though the year was II very bad
ono. If tho Momtetu' Vinicole can be relied on.
the city of Paris paid In the ono month Of July
the octroi on 100000 gallons. Most OF this
amazing quantity Of wine has been absorbed
and paid for by foreigners. The magnitude OF
these figures will be much better realized IL we
compare them with the consumption Of wine in
the United States The whole importation OF
this year will not amount to $4,000 gallons
was less than 100000 in 1877. and reached
barely 100000 in 1876. A comparison OF these
figures shows that the city OF Paris drinks In
two days more wine than the whole OF the
United States in year.
The greatest drinker OF French wines. after
France. seems to be Switzerland. which imports
5000 600 gallons year. Next comes Algeria
with an importation of over 100000. This
country 10 lar down in the list. II is beaten
imports some 100000 gallons moro than we DO.
N. l.. II.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06

II is to be regretted that the closing
scenes OF tho cricket match at Germantown
were clouded by some unpeasantness over the
umpire's decisions: but such troubles will hap
pen on the best regulated cricket grounds. The
Australians were palpably surprised. and pos
sby little net;led. at being headed by As runs
on their first innings. II they fully knew the
antcccdcnts Of what may have seemed to them
an ordinary local eleven. they would feel it no
discredit TO have been thus led 10y them. Tho
Phiadclphians are probably superior to some
OF the elevcns-that Of Nottingham. for ex-
ample-who defeated the Australians in Eng
land. They have always easily vanquished the
picked eleven Of All Canada for the champion
ship Of this half OF the world; so that 1t is not
surprising that they should play well. even
when matched with these splendid representa-
tiyes OF the other half The agitation and awk-
ward feeling produced by the Australians tenn
porarily leaving the field. possibly had some
influence upon the playing on both sides yes
terday afternoon.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
demand proof Of their Identity, the monks

demand proof Of their Identity, the monks
are bound to comply, under pain of prosecu-
ton for vagrancy and mondicity. The Incl
dent Is curiously significant Of the differ
ence between law and fact as regards the
actual status Of ecclesiastical organizations
in France. The Dominicans are one of those
orders not expressly recognized by law, and
existing only on sulrcrancc; but, on the other
hand. they have been established at Carpel-
tras for forty years.
Now, there may be a kind Of oppression and
persecution in the name of liberty, and there
are signs that moderate Republicans do not
second the radicals in cxacting n sweeping
execution of laws, some of which have fallen
into complete desuetude. They are quite
disposed to withdraw from the clergy all
control over public education, but they
can sec that some Of the restrictions en-
acted by the First Empire are not applica-
BILE to present conditions Thus it would be
absurd, according to recent admission Of
the Minister of Worship, TO require Catholic
priests TO teach in their scmnarics the old
Galican dogma, which exalted General
Councils above the Pope. now that the
Vatican Council has established the opposite
check on the liberty of French Bishops to
go TO Rome, IL would now seem preposterous
TO make them exceptions to the freedom
of locomotion which has become a constl-
tutional liberty of Frenchmcn. So, too
with the legal right of forbidding the pub
LEGATION of Papal letters which has wholly
lost its value now that the telegraph puts
the documents in everybody's hands before
veto can be uttered. As to the question Of
unauthorized religious orders. ii is true
that the civil power might under existing
laws expel the Jesuits from France, but it
would gain nothing by it. Ina word, it would
be almost equally discrcdtablo and vain to
seek barrier to the progress Of Ultra
montanism in supcrannuatcd legislation
Whether this shall be done. however
other words, whether French Republic
cans shall repeat the one capital blunder
committed by BISMARCK, or shall conlne
themselves to moderate measures In deal
ing with the Ultramontane party-will
largely depend upon the issue of the APP
preaching Senatorial elections.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
A Remarkable Feature of the Billings
Case.

statement which we have not noticed
elsewhere, concerning the trial of JESSE Bill
LINGs, Jr., at Ballston, for the murder Of his
wife, appears in the Albany Lar Jomndl.
"The family of the wife" says that paper,
"whO are people Of means, contribute liber-
ally toward the prosecution, and every
effort is being made on their part to con-
vict' This implies that the counsel retained
to assist the District Attorney are paid by
the relatives of Mrs. BILLINGS. Ought such
a practice to be sanctioned by the prosecut-
ing officer Of the county,
OF course it is natural that the family and
friends of The victim should earnestly desire
the punishment Of the man they deem the
real murderer. But the law, in this country,
seems designed to exclude all private per-
SONS from any share in the prosecution of
those accused of crime. Ii commits that
duty to the District Attorney, II sworn OIL
Ger In the service OF the State. chosen by the
people and paid out of the public treasury.
One of the arguments in favor of this sys-
TEN Of official prosecutors is that it pro-
vides most efficiently for the punishment Of
all classes OF offenders; and second and
even stronger argument is that it almost
wholly eliminates from criminal prosccu-
tions the influence of private and personal
hatred malice, and revenge. This last view
is based on the theory that the District At
torney shall always administer his office
with a certain sense OF judicial responsible
ity; that he shall be Indifferent as to the re-
suit OF every case, except TO have II deter
mined in exact accordance with the truth,
and that he shall always iorego any feeling
Of professional pride to the attainment Of
this great end. We confidently believe that
there arc many such public prosecutors in
this country.
But how different is the attitude OF coun-
sci employed by the relatives OF n murdered
person to secure the conviction OF "A partc-
ular man as the murderer. To the District
Attorney, II change in the aspect of the ease
upon the trial which indicates the probable
innocence of the accused, by evidence APP
parently trustworthy and truthful, is II
most welcome disclosure 1t can hardly be
SO to the counsel of the victims family, il
he shares the strong feeling OF his clients.
Like them, he is too apt to lose sight Of
every object but the desired verdict against
the very prisoner on trial, and this he en-
deavors TO obtain at all hazards. Indeed,
the very nature and circumstances OF his
employment tend to obscure his perception
OF anything that favors the accused: and
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
Follow a Good Example.

The Fifth Congress District OF New Jersey,
and the Fourteenth District Of New York,
lie right side by side. The former is
composed OF the counties OF Bergen, Passaic.
and Morris, in New Jersey, and the latter Of
the counties OF Rockland, Orange, and Sulli-
van, in New York. They are populous and
opulent and they are filed with citizen
ship remarkable for its intelligence and
thrift. the basis Of which is the Netherlands
and New England.
These two districts, divided only by an
imaginary geographical line, are naturally
Democratic in the true sense OF that term.
In 1876 they gave an aggregate OF 81 ,3li votes
for members OF Congress, and elected two
Democratic members by Joint majorities
that amounted to 4,2ls. The choice fell upon
AUGUSTUS W. CUTLER for the New Jersey dis
trict, and upon GEORGE NJ. BEEBR for the
New York district. These were reflections.
But alas these gentlemen voted for the
BURcHARp and HARTRIDGE resolutions,
which condoned the Great Fraud.
After protracted and very sharp strug-
gle, Mr.. CUTLER was beaten for a renomlna-
tion. THE Sun has large circulation in
his district. We felt constrained to oppose
his denomination, not ON personal grounds,
but on principle.
Mr.. BEEBE's case is soon To be decided.
We like BEEBE on personal grounds, but on
the lofter premises of principle he ought
not to be renominated. We presume he will
not be. But while rejecting Mr.. BEEBE,
We trust the Democracy will nominate a
good man as his successor. Let them fol-
low the example OF their New Jersey
brethren over the line and give us candi-
date who Is sound ON the Great Fraud, and
thoroughly honest on all questions.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06

The clear. pleasant weather has its draw
backs. Of which residents in the city know but
little. In some parts Of the country many wells
are empty, riyulets have become mere threads
the beds Of reservoirs are nearly dry. and the
black mud banks yield Il noisome smell. Fishes
are crowded into stagnant water holes and
caught by tho bushel with hand seines. Many
fish also perish in the mire. The roads. too
are in some places unusually dusty and make
driving disagrceablc for man and horse. Rain
would now be welcome visitor to many
thrifty farmer.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06

II thou couldst give me hali Vi my delight
I, living in thy sight,
should he So blc,t
would not ASK the rest
II could take from the pure world above
A portion Oi its love,
To give TO Thee
should contented be.
II must always soar toward heavenly things
From earth. with weighted wings,
sull aspire
To reach my hearts desire.
My pain is but an aiiiuenee Of blss
When remember this
Oh, sense vi sOul,
Thy glory Nils the wholsi
sARA JkwIu
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
An Elevated nallroaa rn..eng.r.. sura..t,on.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-.Sr: am not
by any means boated bondhodins arisoerat Il wish
yet venture to suggest that first and second class
be upon the elevated railroads There are
plenty OF people besides self who would cheerfuily
pay ten cents 10 de seated IN preference 10 forming
OF HEa.ping. lostng crowd ~ i've cents h"nd
A. 10 l. NOW. during the tNc.ecnt hours only
ta.c his chance or stay away. took chance last
evening un the cas side road and amounted Ia having
20 .iant from Fourteenth s;tamo,t tu the emit VI the
rontc mp town. IN car Wh.h Tor yitaiei atmosphere
ami general discomfort riytd tue worst the horse
cars IN their pnnicst days To suggest an additional
hNecent car Two would oi course appear To the
ptuy II the utttrtuce luaouau o. course they
couldn't Afford H. Bat perhaps they might II they could
get extra lares thereby J. j. r.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
In Collision at Night.

The Thomas Cornell on her way from
nAout early Yesterday morning collision with
,loop The officer, ul the Cornell say thar the soop
WAS lacking and her course The wakc o. the
Cornell but when She was within haiiul distance the
man az the wheel. Tor Nruluttilr reason,
brought her head az rlo.rr Ia tr wind Her boWAlul
ttc away uHit the CORNELL, .,id riilu. un tu
port tiic. anal then luuch,da hole 90 The woodwork
Just forward of the WhDclunu.r The hnWsrrt WAS
snapped un short There rt Tor from
amy ON board the slu D. att the Cornell iid stop
The pilot SAYS thHt he iauCtd that he recognized tie
hLnul Us ono ON M NJ kumMmmt
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06

the result is the introduction into the case
Of a peculiar influence adverse to the pris-
oncr which we think it is and should be tho
pOlicyof our law to exclude.
On the other hand. it must not be sup
posed that we would deprive the District
Attorney of the assistance of other counsel
when he requires it. The state has always
approved their employment in proper cases.
But whenever such aid is rendered IL should
be by counsel specially appointed and
sworn who have no relations whatever
with any private persons Interested in the
prosecution.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
Send the Challenge 10 uanIan.

In your issue Of Yesterday aruce headed Talk is
cheap, but here is Money" and signed BY John q Max
well n il he says that he has got man who beat
either HHhlAn or Courtney It's not necessary 10 issue
achalense 10 Courtney. Hanlan IL now the champion.
Let your respondent Of Yesterday issue direct
lenge 70 Hana. and state the conditions and he will Ia
all probability, receive prompt reply.
fRKD RAID "a Eishth AvanuA.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06

1t Is rather pleasant to learn that EDISON
IL considered in Europe no less an American
phenomenon than BoYToS and that the inven-
tor of the monograph finds no less favor among
crowned heads than the man who cooks eggs in
patent life-savng suit A despatch from Venice
in n recent number OF the Gdzsetta dHalio says
"On Sunday Signor EnsoS had the honor Of making
lermcnts Will his phonUgruph before her Majesty the
Queen Her Majesty tno much interest IN the discovery
~ thc distinguished American. and spoke and sang with
the phnnusrauh The experiments were extended also
writing with the electric pen and to trials with the
mcroteOihorco The Prince NAPLES also present
at these experiments well as the ladies and gentlemen
OF the Court
or course the Italian newspaper takes the lib
erty Of spelling the inventors name EDtsoRE;"
but that is small matter The chronicler winds
w with the gratifying statement: " Her Majesty
bought photograph" But the fact that Mr..
EDISON has not been in Europe is rather against
the truth Of this interesting story.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
tn. Stricken south to the North.

fN..fl.
49, - ..,.' " ~ - ~, W. ., 80 49,. .,.,....
cities q th, south and ali ontrbutns sceordns
sot hsir relief - - - . A.. a., ...,. 4.
what il the last .ccoant nom Memphis orsnsds and New
orsshsf "-Erfraa f'v" private LITTER q D' hH"e.
when ruthnil Time the south's memorial places
Her heroes rrayes-had In grass and nowers
When Peace ethereal crowned by all her graceS
Returned to make more bright the summer hours;
.,,, ~ 80, 80, - - " So suns
VIZ, -, 80 -. :, '., . - ~ 'o"N'''
.y,.as... -. -. ~. ss,, Nv" -. .'
~ $50. :, -. -, A., :, -, ,'
10, 800 n. -, ,',.,.s.' -,
=, H., ~, -. - -
-''' ''' WIN NV
IT,
o, chastity Portent Of fastening sorrowsi
OF Doom that blasts the blood aud blighs the breath
Robs youth and anhood Of all golden morrows-
And lies clear goblet brims with wine OF death -
VI swift Imminent OF TINS forhn drearyl