Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-24
NEWS ITEMS.

The new Massachusetts, State-prison at
Concord is completed and the removal to it
of prisoners from the Charlestown prison has
been going ON for the past week
Ira b. Wright. for ten years town trens-
urer Of South Iladley Falls, Mass. highly re-
spected, leading business man, prominent in
church affairs, etc, etc, is discovered 10 have
appropriated So, 900 of the towns funds
He was arrested Tuesday and lodged III
Northampton jail in default Of Sl5. 900 bail
News from West Farnham. Quebec,
states that the narrow gauge railroad known
as the Champlain and st. Lawrence junction
is now complete from the north bank there
TO st. llughs. 30 miles north of St Hya-
cinthe A bridge will be built across the nv
er ut Faruham to connect with other rail
roads. Regular trains will run soon.
The trial last week at Pittsfed. Mass.
Of John Ten Eyck. the Sheffield negro. for
the murder of David Stillnau on last Thanks
giving day resulted Saturday afternoon i'll a
verdict of murder in the first degree and he
was at once sentenced to be hanged on the
10th day of next August. The judge was Wis
IDLY affected while delivering the sentence.
but the prisoner remained unmoved
Minister Seward sends to Washington
distressing accounts Of the famine in China
He says fifteen millions of people are actually
starving to death, and that sixty millions
more are suffering more or less from lack Of
food. There is plenty of food in the country.
but there are no transportation facilities. e1-
cept wagons and pack horses, for its distribu-
ton
Mrs. Lydia Sherman. one of the most no
torious criminals Of the age, who had muir
dered three husbands and four children by
poisoning died in the Wethersfed, Ct.
State-prison, last week, after a protracted ILL.,
ness. Before her death she took a $50 bank
note from her bosom, which she had secreted
in her hair on entering the prison. and re-
quested that it might be used in giving her
decent burial.
Rev. W. H. II. Murray of the New Eng
land church has decided to close his labors in
Music Hall, Boston, for one year He wants
an opportunity to travel, which he will do for
six or eight months, visiting different points
of interest in this country and Europe. He
will also devote about six months to raising
funds $500, 600 is the sum named 10 build a
new church, which he hopes 10 have CON-
pleted by one year from next September
A heavy wind and rain-storm passed over
the northwestern part of ST. Louis city and
suburbs Saturday, doing great damage to
property and iniuring TO 10 persons, but
killing none. Over 100 houses were unroof-
ed or otherwise damaged. The loss win reach
-"''''bs VII tAlt hAtllt llBlA u ItuNN hlOTlu
at Little Rock, Ark, damaged orchards and
crops heavily, and in some sections of the
country, houses were injured by the wind A
very severe hailstorm passed over Wheeling,
w. Va, Monday, breaking glass and making
extensive rayages among fruit and other trees
and growing crops.
Detailed reports have been received of
an earthquake which destroyed the town of
Qua in Venezuela, April II, with at least 800
people, and which was felt sharply at Carac-
as, too, where the streets We're filled with
frightened people shrieking 'disericordia :"
were repeated from time to time, and contin-
ued up to May 3. Other parts of Venezuela
We're more or less shaken up, and a week af-
ter the first earthquake part of the town of
Ocumare, 20 miles from Qua, was thrown
down. The destruction of sugar mills and
other property was immense.