New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-24
TOWN TALK-ABoUT PERSONS AND THINGS
PERSONAL, LEGAL AND THEATRICAL.


PERSONAL, LEGAL AND THEATRICAL.
THE GREAT CmcKEN-BUTCHER-Eli Robbins whe
died on Thursday in Brooklyn bad stalls In all the city
markets of this city and Boston for the sale OF poultry
He was Familiarity spoken of as " the great chicken.
butcher" as might speak OF large cattle-raiser
IN the West. His residence at Smith and Livingston
sts Brooklyn was regarded at time as
among the finest In the city. His sales Of
dressed poultry and game amounted to many Thousands
OF birds each day. standing orders from the city hotels
forming the bulk of the business Although the founda-
ton OF his large fortune laid in this business large
part wealth the result of real estate opera
tons along Futon before that street really de-
fined Twenty five years ago, buying the Commons"
through which Futon-st has since been extended was
not unlike the purchase ut the same period Of lots on
Fifthave in the vicinity OF Central Park. Both we're
unsupported bonanzas.
"CHARLEY" BAcKUs's HABITS" Nearly all the
obituaries of dead Minstrel said one of his Longest
and warmest friends give the idea that he was psrs-
monious the degree OF sngness. That was not the
case as all who had business dealings with him will
testify. He sckler for the letter of contract
and would not pay than he thought services or
whatever wished to buy WORTH but II he did NOS
like your price that end Of the bargain. he
thought 1t fair he paid cash and wasted no words His
reputation for he knew very we and attrib-
uted to the class of fellows who were always opening
wine and expected him in vain to do the same thing he
once alluded to 1t by saying: oh let 'em talk about
sngy Charley They won have to subscribe or get up
a benefit to bury him when he Dies" He turned
Rochester doctor out Of his house for telling
him, who never drank anything but
glass OF claret at dinner, that his recovery
depended entirely his abandonment OF habits OF dis
spation He afterward said that the old country fool
evidently thoughit safe TO assume that because he
was minstrel he was drunken loafer" He had sew.
era physicians in consultation during his last illness.
and much astonsed his friends after they gone BY
accurate limitations Of the looks, manners voices and
language OF fach OF them When told that he had little
chance Of life he sent for his relatives and APOLOGIZE
caIy told them of his intention Of leaving nothing to
them and everything to his wife, because they had
enough Of this worlds goods He made his viii accord
ingly. OF the four partners In the San Francisco
Ministries as organized here, Bernard Birch, Wambold
and Backua, Backus not only the youngest and
strongest but apparently the heathiest. Wambold aud
Birch have been invads for Birch was one or
the few survivors OF the OF the Central America
and was cast away raft in midocean for week,
greatly embedding him in after years. Yet Backus Is
the first 20. For years past-after their establish
ment Ia Broadway opposite the Sturteyant H0use-the
partners have been accustomed to calculate that every
performance averaged each of them fifty dollars
THE DrnroRs' PRISON." Ludlow Street JAN" said
LAWYER on reading the recent OF the Grand
Jury is the only debtors prison In country which
has abolished imprisonment for debt IL is true that
fraud in connection with tho Indebtedness must DC al
legged but az orders Of arrest granted on er pdre
allegations the grossest ourages possible and prac-
tcally the law thus cruelty Furnishes what may be mis-
fortune not crimeD Several years ago The TRIBUNE,
for the purpose OF Investigating this institution had one
Of its reporters committed by due process OF law
strictly following all the forms In court and the sherns
Office for q paltry debt OF $50. One reporter lent
his associate S20 aud subsequently, hearing his DEBTOR
ia fhn
affidavit OF indebtedness and the allegation that tho
debtor was about TO leave the State The Judge signed
the order without looking at It, the Sheriff seized the
man on the street aud hurried him of TO Jail after oer
ing to provide him bail for pay. The subsequent ex
posures led 10 general Jail delivery one OF the Judges
OF the Court taking upon himself to examine all the I'M
prsoned persons, and dschargins several OF those
whose cases were OF great hardship There ought to
be- said the same lawyer quoted above "no order OK
arrest granted without hearing being accorded before
actual IMPRISONMENT, and the Court should insist on
thorough proof Of the fraudulent intent We have suca
examinations in lunacy cases."
TRIAL IN DEFENDANTS ABsEScE.-"I 1t Is rare thing
for prisoners TO be tired their absencen this country
said a prominent lawyer In the Sessions Court
abiding the conviction Of the woodha Sisters before
Justice Ford. ait is common enough IN France aud
England" he added, and sentences now hang there
over the heads many persons who are In this country
Even non-resdents OF those countries ana ctzens Oh
this country are under m contnmdeidn, as us
called Notably there is the case OF General John u
Fremont as president of some corporation who is under
sentence in France There somewhat interesting
case tried in London years ago of one Mary Graham
wo had taken refuge this city. 1t Ia singular cir
cumstance that her lawyer the same who defended
the woodhall sisters in their absence" "wi the wood
halls be produced ." "0h should say 80. Their
offence Is simple assault and their interests here are
too large TO permit OF their going away And to 20
away would be a confession OF wrong doing in the Gill
case"
BITS OF CRITICISM.