The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-01-16

ierently.
A RATHER remarkable decision was
given To England fortnight ago. An
old man was charged by the officers of
the inland revenue with selling tobacco,
In the shape of cigars, without license.
The defence was that cigars were not
mentioned in the act Of parliament bear.
ing upon the alleged offence, and that,
in fact, the cigars were not made of
tobacco, but of hay and cabbage leaves
The magistrates decided to dismiss the
charge, whereupon notice of appeal wss
given.
JAMES WARTS old workshop at Heath
field Hall, his home near Birmingham, il
still kept as he left it-eyen to the dead
embers in the Franklin stove. A cor.
respondent of the Record, of Philadel.
phis, says that there are order and sys.
tenn throughout the room. All boxes,
etc, are labeled, even to that containing
snuff, and of the countless small tools
each is nicely wrapped in paper or laid
in traps. On the copying machine in
course Of preparation is a small bust not
more than an inch in diameter-a perfect
copy of an original machine. This was
the great engineers last hobby, pursued
for pleasure after the steam engine
brought him competency.
The wisdom of the German postal and
telegraph authorities in determining to
connect Berlin with the chief cities of
the empire by means Of system of
underground telegraph wires, has been
fully confirmed during the severe
weather recently prevailing. While the
violent storms OF wind and snow have, in
many districts, been the cause of con.
slant stoppages in the Geographic com
munication between places connected by
overground wires, the traffic between
towns connected by subterranean lines
has gone on through the worst weather,
without the least interruption or incon.
venience. A considerable extension of
the underground system is looked upon
as probable both in Germany and other
continental ecu .ries.
CERTAIN prize questions in Canada
history, which have been answered by
Subscribers of the Canadian Spectator,
have called out some extraordinary re.
plies. The editor might have regarded
the statement that christopher Colum.
bus discovered America in 1919" as a
clerical error, if he had not been told by
other contributors that the island of
New Orleans derived its name from the
emperor Aurelisn; that the name Of the
town opposite Hochelsga was Caughna-
waga; that Benz amin Franklin laid the
first stone of the Rideau canal in 1927;
that sir John Franklin attended the
conference OF the American commission
ers at the old Chateau Rsmezay in 1878;
that among the notable events which had
occurred at st. Anne's was the burning
of the house of parliament in ls49.
TIE liquidators Of the Glasgow bank
have submitted report to the share
holders showing the present situation of
affairs. When the Institution failed it's
liabilities amounted TO sol 900, 900. The
assets amounted TO SSS, coo, 900, leaving
$40, 100000 to be collected from ,Sl9
shareholders. The first assessment OF
S50O per share of 600 ruined $50
shareholders, and the remaining 269 will
be obliged TO make up the =, 500, 900 and
interest that will be required after the
assets of the bank have been collected.
The failure OF this bank caused the
greatest distress all over Scotland, and
was the immediate cause of several
suicides and several persons becoming
insane. The disaster was caused by the
criminal duplicity and mismanagement
of the bank directors, who were punish
ed by terms of imprisonment ranging
from six TO eighteen months.
A LONDON correspondent Of the Phil
adelphia Bulletin says: 81 wish you
could hear some of the funny questions
that are often put TO me by really intel.
ligent men and women here about our
country. It's hard to keep from laugh
ing outright in their faces, when asked;
lis it possible, outside of the large
cities, to get good shelter at night?' and
'Is there not danger of being murdered
before morning by bands Of rowing In
dians and rufiians% Does not the coun-
try abound with countless venomous
snakes and reptilesT and 30 on. II was
only yesterday that, in conversation
with gentleman connected with one of
the largest railroads here, he remarked:
Il am told that the United States are
about played out az nation, and that
place called Manitoba is likely now to
take their place Fortunately, had
with me some of those good maps of our
country, furnished to every one gratis
by the Pennsylvania railroad, and /
completely silenced and astonished him
by examining two or three Of them into
his pocket.
THE order of the treasury department
sent last February to the collector at
New York, in relation to the granting
of clearances to vessels having on board
American cattle and explaining that
health certificate must accompany such
shipments, creates considerable excite.
ment in customs circles. Since the re-
ceipt Of the secretsry's order calling
upon the collector for a more rigid en-
forcement of The order this 0dict has
been closely scrutinized and is consider.
ably criticised. The document calls
upon the authorities TO enforce, in strin.
gent manner, the issuance of clearances
TO vessels only on presentation Of health
certificates that the olive animals" are
free from disease. Under the term of
live animals may be clsssed horses,
mules, sheep, goats, and even cats and
dogs. "Csttle" are expressly not men.
toned at all. The collector communi.
ated with the treasury department on
this subject, requesting a more specific
order, unless he is expected TO deal with |
horses, mules and sheep, as he would |
with horned cattle. Several vessels have
been refused clearances for not having
CONFIRMED with the treasury regulations