davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
The New Programme i'm Poll
ties.

The billing and cooling period OF
President Arthur's administration, its
honeymoon, SO to speak, is about over,
and the stern realities of its political
development will wear a less roseate
aspect. We get taste of the future in
the election of Keifer to the speaker
ship of the House and the appointment
of Tom Murphy, Grants New York
collector, as assistant secretary of the
treasury. Keifer is the rOarer of the
last Congress. He may have some sub
stantial qualities, but his aspiration to
be the leader of the House in Garfield's
absence was one which the Republicans
were exceedingly FESTIVE under, and
which they did not hesitate sometimes
to snub. His candidacy for the speak
ership was hardly looked upon as seri-
Gus, and did not become so, until Grant,
COnkling, Platt and Cameron went in
to the contest on his behalf as a stall
wart and against HiscOck, whom COnk-
ling had not found quite suppliant
enough for him. 1t does not appear
that President Arthur took any ground
in the matter. 1t would certainly have
been very improper for him to have
done so.
In the appointment of Murphy to one
of the first places i'll the treasury de-
partment, however, the President
shows a disposition to provide for the
sold Grant gang" at all hazards. The
assistant secretaries of the treasury
are very important officers they are
almost judgeshsps in the eminent
character of the services which they
require, involving often the highest
qualities of the good lawyer and judge
and always the highest prObity and
moral sense. The first assistant sec
retary's office is particularly so. He
has charge of all appointments to the
department., of the salaries of the ser
vice, of the supervision of the public
moneys, the designation of public de-
pOsitOries, the revenue, marine, and
other important matters. He has the
immediate dispensatiOn of the patron
age of the department. Unless he has
reformed, since Grant made him col
lectOr of the port of New York. Muir
ply will find places for lots of his
friends without any delay in the treas
ury department. If Murphy made
over 300 removals during his not long
service in the New York custom house
how long will it take him to turn the
treasury department all out and fill il
up again with his friends :
The country will watch anxiOusly to
see if this is going to be the style OF
President Arthur's administration,
which has behaved itself so far SO
sweetly.-[Springfield Republican.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
Personal and Political.

Representative Joyce, of this state,
is member of the committee on ex-
penses of the funeral of President Gar
field.
b. II. Brewster of Pennsylvania has
been nominated for the position of At
tOrney General.
Mr.. Arthur's deliberate style of cab
met making is downright cruelty
to politicians.
Senator German of Maryland and
Congressman Townshend of Illinois
and Wise of Virginia began life as
pages in the national House of Repre-
sentatives.
Senator HOar ably championed the
cause of woman before the Senate the
other day. The suffrage question was
not discussed he advocated the en-
actment of more just laws relating to
the power of the husband over the wife.
Col. Geo. w. Hooker of BrattleborI
has been appointed sergeant-at-ar arms
of the national House of Representa-
tives, and he has remembered his own
state by giving Gen. Geo. j. Stannard
"a place as assistant door-keeper.
Speaker Keifer's name is pronounced
with long 81" sound to the first sy lla-
BILE. 1t means "scold" in German,
which is OminOus.-[ Springfield Re
publican.
Mr.. Blaine's friends say that his ora
ton on the late President Garfield, tO
be delivered in the Capitol before the
two houses of Congress, will be the
greatest effort of his life.
Speaker Keifer owns extensive and
valuable lands in Nebraska, and is sci
down as a prospective millionaire.
Mrs. Garfield says the late President
never requested that DR.. Bliss take
charge of his case. Furthermore, she
says the President was not permitted
to dwell on the subject of death, and
important matters which his wife wish
ed to speak of were left unsaid.
President Arthur and his private
secretary, it is said, will keep "bachel-
or's hall" at the White House this win
ter. There will be no ladies there ex-
cept those invited on social occasions
John w. Forney, well and favorably
known as politician, editor and littera-
teur, died at his home i'll Philadelphia
last week. He was one of the last OF
the old school of journalists, and was
acquainted with almost everybody OF
note in this country and abroad during
the last generation.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23

The Bennington county grand jury
indicts Edison l.. Fuller of Readsboro
for numbering William Lewis, Glynn
for poisoning the Stamford spring, and
James Burns for forgery.
f. f. Dewey, c. W. Towns, Samuel
Webster and Henry ii. Davis were ar
raigned before Justice Henry c. Lane
at Bellows Falls the 18th, and fined
5000 each with 80 days in the house of
correction for selling liquor under the
nuisance act. Each took an appeal
and gave $500 bonds.
Prof. j. b. Southworth, principal of
the Montpelier Methodist Seminary
has failed, and wants to pay. 40 cents
on the dollar. He undertook to run
the seminary OH his own account, but
did not make a success of it.
Benjamin Chase, Il shifter in the rail
road yard at st. Adams, slipped and
fell under an engine and had his left
leg shOckingly crushed. Amputation
necessary.
Aunt Sally Stockwell of BrattleborO,
who is approaching her lO3d birthday
continues in excellent health, while her
memory for past events is remarkable.
Patrick Downey, the Castleton her
NIT who has lived alone for p years.
died recently, and 5000 in bills on the
Castleton mutual bank, which stopped
business in 1859, were found hidden in
his bed.
The Vermont state grange met at
Montpelier the other day. Forty one
oranges were represented and 81 mem
beers of the state grange were there.
Joseph E. Wood of Woodstock has
in his possession one of the rarest rel
les to be found, it being mortar and
pestle of box wood that were brought
from England in 1890 by Jabez Ben
nett.
Cambridge is said to be in fever OF
excitement over the conduct of a
freight brakeman, who, though mar
ried man, was found to be in improper
intimacy with young girl of that
place. He was treated to a coat of tan
and ride on a rail.
The Vermont Blanket Co., at Bel
lows Falls, has stopped work, because
the blanket market is unsettled.
The body of DIR. John c. Murphy,
formerly of West Rutland, but latterly
in the practice of his profession at
East Dorset, was found on Wednesday
morning of last week, in pool of wa
ter at Cambridge, n. Y.
John Pr Howard has increased his
gift to the University of Vermont, for
rebuilding the main edifice, from $40,
900 to S2S, 900.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23

ed a newspaper combat and wonder
full lot of laughter. 1t was tempest in
a teapot, or rather in soup plate. 1t
appears that many of the quartette and
the chorus live so far away that it is
necessary to keep them at the church
between the services. A free lunch
has been provided, and the ladies had
to wash the dishes for themselves and
the gentlemen. This some of them
were too high-toned to submit to, and
there was a row which eliminated as
I've said.
Virtuous raids on lottery dealers
have been INDUCED in for a spell by
the police authorities, and one culprit
has been captured several times and
fined $500 each time. 1t seems that's
about all they can do to him, and he
cheerfully pays up, and begins again
somewhere else, as if he didn't mind it..
Perhaps he doesn't. 1t must be prof
liable business. I'd like myself to he
so fixed as to be able to drop $500
every day or so without missing it.
Babbitt, the soapman, whose clerk
stole $2,O00,000 odd without his no
ticing it. seems to be the only availa-
BILE rival i'll this sort of wealthy indif-
ference to the average lottery man.
RADIX.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
(suiteau.

Since our last issue, the trial of the
assassin has continued to bring out
facts against him, and especially to re-
flute the inspiration" theory. 1t has
been conclusively proved, and will be
emphasized by Judge Porter in the ar
gument for the government, that Gui-
teau did not even lay claim To being
inspired by the Deity To remove"
Garfield, until July 18th, more than
two weeks after the shooting and then
he did so because he found that those
on whom he depended for approval
We're deserving him and the ''inspira-
ton" theory seemed to him the only
way to save his neck. But he has sig
nally failed in this, and his manner in
court the last few days has demonstrate
ed that he is beaten and knows it. He
attempted on one occasion to give the
court his definition of morality, but it
was just such an explanation as would
be expected from the man; this was
during an investigation of his marriage
and divorce.
The real status of the case is given
by lawyer who has watched the trial
closely. He said that the defence had
been two-fold: first of hereditary in
sanity, second of inspiration, as agent
of the Deity. The testimony of the
family and of those who knew Luther
Guiteau, the father, all his life, this
lawyer says, has proved that the claim
of hereditary insanity is false. The
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
News Of the Week.

1t is understood that Whitaker will
be restored to West Point.
1t is reported that 40 lives were lost
on Monday by an explosion in coli
cry at Bolton, England.
Ex-Secretary Blaine and wife gave a
brilliant reception Monday night to the
new Secretary of state.
The question of unseating the Nor
mon Congressman Cannon is likely 10
excite considerable interest at Wash
ingtOn, and it is predicted that Cannon
will receive a good many Republican
and Democratic votes.
The United States Supreme Cont
decides that the failure to pay a life
insurance premium promptly when
due forfeits the whole policy.
The Massachusetts Paper Company
of Springfield will go into insolvency
not being able to pay 20 cents on the
dollar.
Seven burglars made vigorous eff
fort Wednesday night to break into the
First National Bank of st. Clair, Mich,
but they probably We're foiled.
Daniel ID. Chamberlain, a rich New
Yorker, was on Wednesday unceremO-
niOusly hustled off to an insane asylum
at the instance of his wife. Friends
secured his release. Money was the
cause of the trouble.
The Garfield Monument Committee
of Cleveland still require Sl25,OOO in
addition TO what has been received OF
pledged to carry out the plans for the
erection of suitable memorial over
the late Presidents grave.
A Southern Pacific passenger train
from Ell PasO, Texas, Wednesday morn
ing, was boarded 10y highwaymen, who
robbed Wells, Fargo & Co.'s agent OF
a large sum and escaped.
Guiteau demands that those Office
holders who secured their present pO-
sition through his act send money to
his counsel to defray expenses of his
trial.
Typhoid fever has broken out in
Jersey City in the most virulent form.
This new trouble, added to the small
pOx visitation, places the Board of
Health in a bad position.
An uprising of the Utes, Piutes and
Navajoe Indians is predicted in the
spring.
A severe tornado passed over Mem
phis recently doing great deal of dam
age near the city.
Senator Anthony would have the
transmission of the Office of President
through the whole Cabinet, after the
President and Vice President.
Drowned while skating: One daily
paper, on Tuesday of this week, had
all these accidents: Robert Berth's
two sons were drowned at Holden,
Mass, Sunday while skating Skating
school children broke through the ice
at ShebOygan Falls, Wis, Sunday, and
seven were drOwned.-Louis Mengle
and Katie MacIntee of Fond du Lac.
Wis, each about I8, were drowned
while skating on Lake WinnebagO,
Wis, Sunday Willie, son of Samuel
ID. Witt, was drowned while skating at
Ashland, n. H., Monday. - James
Burns, nine years old, and Fred Grant
~, were drowned while skating at Do
yer, n. H., Monday.-Bertie and Owen
Atkins, and 10 years old, were
drowned in Starr pond, MiddletOwn,
CT, Monday afternoon, by breaking
through the ice while skating. They
were orphans.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23

testimony of Gen. Reynolds of Chica-
go, who interviewed Guiteau July 10,
shows that it was not until that date
that the inspiration theory was devils
ed, and that Guiteau only then plan
ned it when he learned that the men in
politics upon whom he had relied for
aid were denOuncing him as the vilest
of his race. And the New York Tri-
bune voices the sentiment of the pub
lie when it says: "No man can read
the cross-examination of Guiteau and
entertain doubts of his sanity. He
knows thoroughly the bearing of ev-
cry question asked him, and sees with
remarkable quickness whenever an at
tempt is made to establish a point
against him. A man who is able to
gauge exactly the weight of questions
asked him must be capable of Judging
accurately of his own responsibility in
so great Il crime as murder. There has
not been the slightest symptom of in
sanity developed by his cross-exami-
nation, but there have been startling
revelations made of his malicious ma
ture and utter wOrthlessness."
The death of juryman's wife has
interfered somewhat with the trial
But it was resumed again Wednesday
and, as it now seems, the result will be
verdict in vindication of the people
against whom this terrible crime was
committed.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
st. bloomsbury. VI, Friday. Dec. IS, 1881.

President Arthur's choice of Hon.
Frederick +. Frelinghuysen, of New
Jersey, as Secretary of State appears
Ia he generally approved as a mOder-
ate act, and it is not expected that
the new Secretary will prove unfit for
his position. He has had much ex-
perience in state and national affairs,
and has just passed his 9th year. He
was graduated from Rutgers College
in 1896 and came to the bar three years
later. His first public office was that
of Attorney General of New Jersey,
which he held for five years, 1861 &c.
Ia the latter year he was appointed
United States Senator to fill vacancy
and in 1867 he was elected to fill the
unexpired term which terminated in
l-69, and in 1871 he was elected for a
full term of six years. On the expira-
ton of his term, in 1877, he retired to
private life In 1870 he was appoint
ed Minister to England, but declined.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
Horrible If True.

The following account of a horrible
Mormon crime is given in the Salt Lake
correspondence of the st Louis Repub-
lican. If it is true, it reveals the true
inwardness of curse which the nation
has suffered to remain comparatively
unmOlested, but which calls for stern
measures and speedy enforcement of
them:
One crime, which was committed
here only short time ago, | must de-
scribe. Mrs. Maxwell came to Salt
Lake City with her husband i'll 1869.
Two years afterward her husband took
another wife and one year subsequent
he was sealed to IA third. Mrs. Max
well had two sons aged respectively IA
and 10 years. Their father urged them
to 90 through the endowment house
and become MOrmOns, bound by all the
Oaths of the church. Mrs Maxwell OBJ
jected, and in order to prevail over her
sons she told them the secrets of the
endowment house. The penalty for
revealing these secrets is dismember-
ment of the body, cutting of the throat
Maxwell overheard his wife, being i'll
an adjoining room, and forthwith he
informed the elders, who sent for the
unfortunate woman and her two sons.
They were taken into what is called
the clark pit" blood atoning room
under Brigham YOung's house. The
woman was then stripped of all her
clothing, and then tied on her back to
large table. Six members of the
priesthood then performed their damn
able crime they first cut off their vic
TINS tongue, and then cut her throat,
after which her legs and arms were
severed. The sons were compelled to
stand by and witness this dreadful
slaughter of their mother. They were
then released and given "a hours to get
out of the territory, which was then an
impOssibility. The sons went directly
to the house of a friend, to whom they
related the butchery of their mother,
and getting a package of provisions
they started but on the following
morning they were both dead-they
had met the Danites. One other case
similar to the above occurred about
five years ago in the city hall. These
are truths, and the lady to whom the
sons told their story is willing to make
affidavit to the facts if she can be guar
anteed immunity from Mormon ven
geance.
In connection with this affair, some
interesting facts are developed regard
ing the present status of the Mormon
community. Since Brigham YOung's
death, the care of the spiritual and
temporal affairs of the Mormon church
have been divided, President Taylor
taking the former, and four elders,
Hooper, Eldridge, Jennings and Little,
the latter. There is an annual income
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
Vermont News.

The Goddard copper mine at Cor
NTH has shut down because ore is
scarce, leaving good many employees
i'll hard fix.
Ira Carr, a Calais farmer, died re-
Gently, and, though an autopsy shows
that heart disease killed him, one of
his women relatives persists in saying
that she poisoned him with strychnine
and is sorry for it. She is sister of
Martin who killed two Calais men 20
years ago and said the Lord made him
do it.
More than $3.50, 900 year is collect
ed at the st. Adams custom house.
This is a larger amount than is taken
at any other port i'll the district and the
officers think that they ought to have
better headquarters.
The President has nominated Jasper
II. Orcutt to be postmaster at North
field, and Charles H. Manser to be post
master at BrattleborO.
Rev. Edward X. Atwell of st. Pauls
Episcopal church at Burlington accepts
his call to Toledo, o. He leaves about
January |. Rev. j. Isham Bliss will
Officiate temporarily. Mr.. Atwell has
been rector of st. Paul's for IA years.
Charles Stafford of Woodstock has
bought the huge panther which was
shot at Barnard recently and is show
ing it around the state at 10 cents a
head. He took in SCI at Montpelier
and reaped harvest at Burlington.
Chauncy Fracteau of Glover was
killed recently by a falling tree top,
while he was chOpping in the woods.
The freight traffic over the Rutland
division of the Central Vermont rail
road is larger at present than at any
time for many years.
Grace, the six-year- daughter of
Lyman F. Pettee of Brooklyn, n. Y,
broke through the ice of Deertield
river in Wilmington the 18th, and was
drowned.
Lemuel Spaulding of Hartland, aged
95 years, made a feeble and very inef-
fectual attempt to cut his throat with a
dull jack-knife.
II. g. Burleigh & Bros steam saw
and planning mill at Larabee's Point
was burned the 18th.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23

of 81 ,OOO,O0O from tithes, and an in
crease in church membership of from
1900 to $500. Montana and Idaho get
the bulk of the recruits, while in Utah
there is considerable influx of Cen
tiles. In Idaho, where the total pOpu-
lation is but 10000, there are 10000
MOrmons. Gov. Neal of that territory
declares that the Mormon church is
distinctly Unreasonable" organization,
and thinks that all who pass through
the aforementioned take an oath OF
hostility to the government.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23

molested if they sold iudiciously, the
Messenger denies it, and says: The
Swanton committee propose to make
just as clean n sweep as do our own
committee, hotels included.
Lawyer McGettrick, in the mass
meeting at st. Adams Monday night,
argued that the regular authorities
were as competent to enforce this law
as any, and when we go outside of
them "a mistake is made. If the off
GERS are not satisfactory, remove them
and elect better ones. st. Adams is as
law abiding a place as there is in New
England, and it is unfortunate at this
time to array hostile elements. The
law provides for these matters, and at
this time the proper thing to do is
to go slow and try to put stop to the
present movement, before the interests
of the town are jeopardized.
In reply Rev. Mr.. Van Norden said {:
This advice had been given years ago.
The public has waited % years and
the law is not enforced. The commit
tee is not an extra judicial tribunal.
! The machinery of the law must he put
into motion by individuals, and it is
in that capacity that the committee
acts. Our legislature authorizes this
and we have deputed the committee to
act for us. l used to doubt the expe-
diency of a prohibitOry law but
have got over that. We must defend
it. 1t is impossible to go back. Sup
pose we should recede and beg the
landlords to open again. We should
not relieve them from dread of mOlesta-
ton. Our hotels have committed an
offence against this community. They
have a right to close, but a combina-
ton is "A conspiracy and an offence
against public morals.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-12-23
Christilsas-tide.

On Sunday next occurs the anniver-
sary of the SaviOur's birth, AS celebra
ted now. and the whole of the week
following will he observed as holiday
season, wherein the blessedness of
giving and the delight of receiving will
lie demonstrated a. they have been
over aud over again for hundreds of
years. The observance of the 25th of
December as the anniversary is as
337-:}52 The Eastern church had
previously observed the 9th of January
in commemOratiOn both of the baptism
and the birth of Christ. Before the
end of the fourth century the East and
the West had exchanged festivals-the
West adopting January 9th in com
memoration of our Lords baptism, and
the East adopting December 25th in
commemOration of his birth. The ex-
act date of Christ's birth seems not to
have been known to the early church,
and can not now he determined. But
nearly all Christendom celebrates it on
the 25th of December. Among the
causes that fix this period, the most
powerful perhaps is said to he the fact
that "most heather nations regarded
the winter solstice as the beginning of
the renewed activity and life of the
powers of nature. The Romans, Celts
and Germans, from the oldest times,
celebrated the season with great feasts.
At the winter solstice the Germans had
their Yule feast, and believed that dur
ing the twelve nights from December
25th to January 9th they could trace
the personal movements on earth of
their great deities. Some of these usa-
ges have partly survived to the present
day. But the church sought to Danish
the heather element by introducing its
grand liturgy, besides dramatic repre-
sensations of the birth of Christ and
the first events of his life. Hence the
so-called Manager songs and Christ
mas carols Hence also the Christmas
tree, with lights and decorations, and
the custom of reciprocal presents"
Christmas then became a universal
custom, and it has seemed to grow in
favor with the passing years. Only in
certain denominations is it observed as
a specially religious festival, but by
all it is looked upon AS holiday
fraught with the best of feeling, re-
plete with tokens of goodwill, and an
occasion when friend may prove to
friend that he is not forgotten. 1t is
becoming more and more season of
gifts - the inspiration being drawn
from that joyous day eighteen hundred
years ago, when Gods best gift was
bestowed upon man. As the shepherds
and wise men showed their apprecia-
ton of the event which brought "goOd
will toward men," by bearing gifts so
to-day we show our appreciation and
emulation of the spirit of that occasion,
and our good will toward each other
by observing this anniversary as gift
season. And if, especially at this time,
we do not forget those upon whom
fortune has frowned if we attempt to
gladden. the hearts of the pOor-we
shall be carrying out the example which
the Chist-child was destined to set
before us, and shall win the apprOba-
ton of him who, to gladden. our hearts,
gave his only begOtten Son.