Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-15

HORRIBLE STATE OF AFFAIRs.-A letter
from Georgia gives Col. Aston, of that
state, as authority for the statement that
his official investigation has developed q
horrible condition of the prisoners who
under law are leased to various parties il
the state for their labor. They are farmed
in camps. Men and women are chained
together and the results are bestialty and
rapid mortality. The death rate in these
camps varies from ten to twenty per cent.
There are 100 criminals out now, and
the state receives $4,000 per year for
them. The lessees include Ex-Governor,
Joe Brown, b. G. Lockett, Senator Gordon
and ohm w. Murphy. Senator Gordon
however, has written his partners to free
him from a contract under which such q
state of things exist. Col. Alston's inves-
LEGATIONS were by order of the legislature
of which he is n member.
a number of very exciting and very
close senatorial contests are going on in
several of the state legislatures. In Wis
consin the attitude of Senator Howe on the
silver and his attack on the president are
brought up against him; Mr. Reyes is accus-
ed of beinga "corruptionst," a lobbyist"
and tool of the whiskey ring; While ex-
Senator Carpenter is called on to meet
charges against his financial record The
light is close and the result very doubtful.
In Illinois there is also q triangular fight,
and very pretty one, the aspirants being
Senator Oglesby (the present Incumbent,
ex-senator John A. Logan and Charles B.
Farwell, the well known ex-representativc.
One of the most exciting murder trials
ever held in Connecticut is that of Mrs.
Kate Cobb of Norwich for poisoning her
husband. w. w. Bishop, who disposed
of his wife, has confessed to being her
paramonr and to furnishing her the arsenic
with which, us he testified, she dosed her
husband. Her intimacy with him is es-
tablished but the criminaity of it denied
by her and involved in doubt There is
the usual disagreement between medical
and chemical experts us to the effect of
the poison upon the system Mrs. Cobb's
defence is that she is innocent, and that
Bishop, who was infatuated with her, first
poisoned his wife and then her husband,
in order that he might have her to him
self, and that she did not open her ewes to
his true character until it was too late.
This Is bold defence. but she appears
well on the stand and the other testimony
on her side is strongly corloborative.
| In a recent letter to the New York
Witness, Neal Dow gave narrowing
sketch of n fat and famous London preacher
who worked on beer and brandy and
tobacco all the time, and was sick with
PLETHORA or dyspepsia half the time. He
mentioned no names, but the reading pub
lie unhesitatingly accepted his description
as meaning Spurgeon. That noted divine
replied through Il Hartford admirer, and
the CourGnt OF that city, that he is not that
sort. He says: If Mr. Neal Dow knew
the truth he would not make such charges
against me. My manner of life is before
the world. Ask them that know me.
Whatever faults may have, have been
preserved at all times from excess, and
have given no ground for any one to accuse
me of it. use no alcoholic drink AS n
beverage, but am an habtual abstainer,
and. us rule total abstainer Beer of
which Mr.. Dow speaks, | never touch.
and | never thought, much less said. that
could not keep up my work without
brandy and beer. do not believe that
these or any other stimulants are HELM
to any man.
The bill for the relief of William and
Mary College, of Virginia, which was
partially destroyed duriri & the rebellion by
Federal troops, had stood atsthe head of
the private calendar of the House for
long time, to the obstruction of other bust
ness Having been decsively rejected it
is to be hoped that it will not come I'm
again, in hurry. 1t was opposed by the
republicans upon the ground that its pas
sage would establish precedent for the
granting of claims to numerous churches
and claimants of like character, applying
for relief in consequence of damages sus.
tanned during the rebellion. Messrs.
lIoring, OF Massachusetts, and Monroe. Of
Ohio, advocated the bill, but were unable
to divide the republican vote, which. with
four or live exceptions, was given solidlv
against the bill. A large number of dem.
ocrats, including some leading men like
MIR. Morrison, of Illinois, and others, voted
against it. During the debate over it. Mr..
Conger OF Michigan sent to the clerks
desk and had read II letter to the Evenino
PoSt from its war correspondent, giving
description of the filthy condition of the
college when the Union forces obtained
possession of it. Mr.. Conger said that as
1t was shown that the chief injury to the
property was received at the hands of the
confederate soldiers. who had occupied the
buildings, he could not vote for the bill,
however much he might reverence ancient
institutions of learning.