Connecticut western news., 1881-02-23
NEW ENGLAND NOTES.
MAINE,

 Legislature abolishing imprisonment for debt.
 THE Senate unanimously adopted the report of the committee that the woman suffrage constitutional amendment ought not to pass.
 THE general conference of the Con- gregational churches of the State have presented memorial to the Legisla- ture asking for an amendment of the divorce laws.
 THE Maine Historical Society, having got into its new quarters at Portland, asks for loans of old relics, historical antiquities, etc., and naively states that arm chairs are especially desired, par ticularly those with authenticated his tory.
 AN INVESTIGATION of the town &C., counts of Thomas B. Swan, the Minot defaulter, shows that his dedication is larger than he admitted. He is sup posed to be in Canada, where he is safe, as the extradition treaty does not cover his case.
 c. W. GODDARD of Portland presents some startling figures in regard to the increase of crime in the State by means of comparison of the prison report for 1880 with that for 1851, showing that murders have increased 425 per cent. j; manslaughters, 400 per cent; murder ous assaults, 133; arson, 125, rape, 800 j; attempts at rape, 500; the average per cent. of increase being 379, and the number of convicts from 87 to 267. The increase in population in the same time has been IA per cent. Divorce and in- sanity are on the increase, and the per- centage of youthful convicts is also much larger. The number of convic- tions for murder and arson in 1880 was nine, or one in every 93, 900 persons. while there were but two in the State from 1920 to 184O, or one for every 4,000, ,000, showing an increase of forty three fold. Educational expenses have increased.
 NEW HAMPSHIRE.
 MANCHEsTER's county tax is $8, ,OOO less this year than last.
 THE New Hampshire Telegraph Com pany, of which ex-Governor Cheney of Manchester is President, expect to branch out in various directions the coming season, making connections with Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts.
 THE Supreme Court has decided that the transfer of fire insurance policy made payable to a mortgagee without the assent of the company makes the policy void. The Phoenix Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn.,, was the defendant in the case.
 VERMONT.
 THE State teachers association is to meet at Northfeld August 10, Il and 12.
 THE Randolph normal school has opened with an attendance of about 13O.
 MANY farmers in Orleans county are obliged to drive their stock half o mile for water.
 BEAR-K111Ne is profitable work, 2 Northfeld man having received $71 fo1 one-$40 for it's carcass, $16 for its skin and $15 bounty.
 THE State Prison at Windsor is to be extended fifty feet and new workshops built for it with the $2O, 900 appropriated by the last Legislature.
 THE State Superintendent of Agricul ture reports that he held 15O meetings in the towns of the State last year besides making speeches at agriculture fairs, festivals, etc.
 MASSACHUSETTS.
 THE pc etition of 30, 900 women of Mas sachusetts for the prohibition of thu manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors has been presented to the Leg islature. THE committee of the Young Mem Christian Association of Boston repor $12O,O ,O0O subscribed toward the neV I,111l ocl/ hot | ho f. $175, 1000.
 MRS. HELEN BIGE1ow MERRIMAN ha given $1, ,OOO to the Massachusetts his torical society as 8 memorial fund il honor of her father, the late Erastu B. Bigelow.
 AFRENcH family, consisting of parent and nineteen children, has been refused tenement in Fall River, to which the, brought their household goods, on tn ground that the yard was too small t. hold the children.
 THE number of births registered il Boston during 1880 was 1O,59O, an in crease of 383 over 1879; of mar riage 3,6O6, an increase of 473; of intention of marriage 4,184, an increase of 528 and of deaths S,612, an increase of 1, ,177 showing the death rate to have beel 23. .66 to each 1000 of the population. CONNECTICUT. THERE is quickening of religion feeling in the Baptist churches in Hart ford, and extra meetings are held, witt . some conversions.
 , THE post of the Grand Army of tn Republic, at Waterbury, will endeavo to raise $3O, ,0O0 to erect soldiers mon ument there.
 A NORWICH man has invented a shot gun shell and wad which he claims vii give shotgun greater throwing fore , than that of rifle.
 WETHERsaELD, which was once ia nous for its onions, as many as 50, O0' : bushels having been shipped in day now knows them no more, and the mer chants have to go to Hartfo for them
 A HARTFORD man has invented con trivance for announcing the stations o1 : railroad trains, which can be worked by steam from the engine, or by cleo tricity, and company has been formed with capital of $1O0,000 to manufac ture it.
 THE State poultry association has elected s. J. Bestor, president Charles Dennison, secretary William H. Pond treasurer; Joseph l.. Barbour, attorney and among it's vice-pr esidents art Henry T. Sperry, Alexander Harbisor and Charles A. Jewell of Hartford : IT IS stated that Liveryman w. B. , Martin, of Rockville, is to bring sui F for damages against one or two Stafford liquor-sellers under the civil-damagt act for selling liquor to his man, Phil lips, who got run away with at one o . ings January 4.
 IN Connecticut there are 5000 oyster