Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-15

with horse whip. 1t was his duty to arrest
the assailsnt, undoubtedly, but she was hts
wife. and the other was his companion in
filtration. Under the circumstances, he re-
fused to interfere. The Police Commission
ers dismissed him.
James Cuff, of Hillingly, Connecticut
who vas sentenced to State priscr for life
for murder In 1880. is now on his twenty
second year Of confinement. He has petit
toned the Legislature nine times for relief
without success. Since his incarceration
twenty nine life prisoners have been released
Internationally. The average time Of the
prisoners released was eight and one-half
years.
A clergyman writes to Northern journal
and says: "We shall keep Easter this year
on the anniversary of the day on which the
Resurrection really occurred. The only real
doubt now about the year OF that great
event is whether it was A. D. 20 or 30. II
the latter. the Paschal full moon fell that
year on Thursday, April 6; the Crucifxion
would be next dsy-April z, and the Resur-
rection April g."
Last Saturday afternoon two men named
Macaboy and Monahan, laborers on the
night turn In Gould's Tunnel, seven miles
west of stubenville, Ohio, on the Pan Han
die Railroad, had a dispute. They fought
inside the tunnel, then walked outside to
settle it. After several blows apiece, Mscs-
hoy fell and expired, cut in the heart.
None Of the laborers interfered. He had
been cut in the tunnel. Monahan fed.
Iron shutters TO windows are severely con-
demned since the recent disastrous fire in
New York. The experienced superintendent
Of public buildings declares that these sp-
planes, by preventing the firemen from
obtaining access to buildings when on fire,
have caused far greater loss than benefit.
Shutters may be useful, IN narrow streets,
In preventing the communication of the
flames from a fire opposite, but In such
cases it has been abuudantly proven that
wood shutters covered with tin are far more
efficscious than those Of iron.
There is proposition in Massachusetts, to
take another advanced step in the march Of
civilization. The movement is to abolish
the unanimitY feature of the jury system.
It is urged that two-thirds or three fourths
of the petit jury would he more apt to find
the truth and declare 1t than the full twelve
under the memorable rule requiring unan-
unity. The lawyers have been consulted,
and, while they are generally opposed to
the charge, many of them think a majority
rule would work well in civil cases.
One of the principal topics now before
the country is our lasting lament that the
American nag has ceased to float over the
briny deep. As Congressman Hewitt ex-
planned in his recent speech, by our navigs-
ton laws we forbid our citizens to buy ships
where they can get them as cheaplY as other
nations do, and by our tariff law we make
it impossible for our citizens to build and
run ships as cheaplY AS other nations can.
And having thus stranded and fenced in our
merchant marine, we sit down and grumble
because the ships that are floating free and
untrammelled do not carry the stars and
stripes.
An interesting fight is now going on in
Maryland between ex Senator WhYte, now
Mayor OF Baltimore, and Senator German.
The latter desires re-el6e tion, and the
former is known to be laying plans to re-
sumo his Senatorial chair. The fight IN
wolves the control of the Democrat party
in the State. Governor Hamilton sides with
Mr.. Whyte, and both are distributing the
patronage Of their offices to strengthen the
anti German party. Senator Bayard is
thought TO be giving Senator German his
aid. This gives the contest a national i'm
pOrtance, as 1t will probably prevent an
o'her BaVard delegation from Maryland to
a national convention,
Il is stated that during the past year the
Methodists have been very active making
converts among the Chinese Of Salt Lake,
and many OF the Celestials are renounclng
the faith of Confuclus to embrace the more
modern tenets Of Christianity. Those who
have bad the most experience in converting
the Mongolian have discovered that the
power Of song Is more potent lever to pry
under the edge of a heather unbelief than
the II fiuence Of prayer. AS soon as q Gel
estial can be taught to sing Sabbath school
hYms he is gone, so far as his old faith is
concerned. The ChiDese who have been
converted have not only stuck by their
change OF heart, but are studiouslY engaged
in the work Of evangeliziDg their fellow
heather who grope in darkness,
An enterprising inventor thinks he has
discovered the means of making our navy
Of wooden hulks somewhat useful. He
goes on the idea that a bullet fred at a
handkerchief suspended loosely in the air
will not pass through it, and he proposes TO
use cotton, silk, linen or gutta percha, or all
together, as armor. His idea is to construct
these materials, which can be dropped duri1 2
action over the sides OF wooden vessels, ana
susper ded by suitable contrivances at a short
distance from the sides. He does not think,
however, that the outlook in this country is
very promising, as rings, Congressional
committees and officials generally are too
deeply interested In iron, so has about made
up his mind to try European governments.
0ne of the latest ideas in railroad leg'sla-
ton is embodied in a bill just reported to
the Massachusetts, Legislature, the object of
which is to create special board to deter
mine the necessity for railroad before pri-
vate property can be taken for it without
the owners consent. Under the present
law the Railroad Commissioners have no
alternative but to grant any incorporated
railroad company q location for its tracks,
whether there is any public need for the
road or not. The effect of this has often
been that an organization which has begun
proceedings under the general law prepare
tory to obtaining a charter has, without
any pledge of good faith and without paying
in dollar, thrown a cloud upon the pros
poets Of property and impaired its mer-
charitable value for an indefinite period OF
time. Divers franchises have been granted
or sought, which thus iDjuriously affect ele-
gantiy built up suburbs of Boston, and It is
impossible for the owners to discover
whether the operations of these companies
are visionary or In good faith. This evil the
Bostonians propose to remedy by the law