Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-05-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.


ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR,
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 80, 1881.
The illness of Mrs. Garfield has arous-
ed the sympathies and concern of the
people. Politics is forgotten where the
shadow that threatens to darken our
president life hangs. pail like, over the
gilded trappings of position and world
ly honors. To-day DR.. Boynton encour-
ages US with the hope of her recovery,
though it will be sometime before she
will be able to mingle in society.
There is little doubt that the constant
strain upon the nerves of Mrs. Garfield,
caused her sickness, compelled as she
was to receive and entertain those who
attended the White House receptions.
Only they who are familiar with the
arduous duties appreciate her work.
The scandals, thefts and frauds that
the government is constantly unearthing,
are as numerous and wonderful as the
ruins of the Toltecs, the latest thing is
the Treasury scandal. Out of the funds
for contingencies, 10000 yards of car
peting was purchased for the Treasury
building during the year of 1880, be-
sides $l,Ol4.49 was paid to clean the
old ones. A barrel of bay-rum, guam
tity of Lubin's choice perfumes and
soap, $50 for two copies of the New
York Times for one year, $75 for five
copies of the New York Tribune for one
year, three copies of the New York
Herald for the same length of time $40.
| These are but scant number of the
articles which are charged up to Uucle
Sam, and so long as he is so weak as to
allow his renegade children to waste his
substance in riotous living. SO long will
they. Of course there will be an inves-
tigation, there is one always on hand,
there will be desperate threats; the
suspected party will be placed in an
iron-barred cell, duly locked and sealed
with the royal signet, and the back
doors will be left open SO that when
the culprits escape, we can all raise our
hands in amazement, wondering at the
ineficiency of jails in general.
Another of those revolving murders
occasioned by the fiery demon, whisky
occurred in Georgetown, Saturday night
Murphy and Fitzgerald, two Irishmen
quarreled at Scanlan's saloon where
Murphy dealt Fitzgerald a heavy blow
Seaman then put the former out of tn
saloon. Toward morning Fitzgerald
went to Murphy's house, being some
S what intoxicated and not apparentl
conscious of his own proceedings. Mur
ply was lying in drunken sleep on
lounge, but arose upon hearing the voic
of Mrs. Murphy in conversation wit
Fitzgerald. Murphy seized chair an
broke it to atoms over the head of til
). pleading and half-stunned visitor. A
last Fitzgerald managed to escape frol
r the house, and was found Sunday afte
: noon with graphing irons in the DO
;, tom of the river, thirty feet from ii
4 float of the Analostan boat-house. I'll
l. dead man was tracked by blood ira
lie from Murphy's house. AS Murphy lie
'e his home directly after Fitzgerald, it
\ thought by many that he helped
d victim into the water. The coroner
es verdict is that Fitzgerald wander,
to down to the water himself being unco
:. scious by reason of wounds and liquc
=, The blows which he received were sui
Y. cient to cause death, yet he might ha
recovered. The murdered man leaves