New-York tribune., 1883-03-17
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

LOCAL MISCELLANY.
HEAVY SENTENCE FOR A MINOR OFFENCE.
Sour SOLDIER WAS PUNISHED FOR BEING ABSENT
TWO DAYS.
Even in time of peace the soldiers lot ls nGt al
ssntly one Of the Staten Island feryboats was
baking slow afternoon trip, aud Snu's aii scoats ats
Mo seemed impatient to get ashore hi9 m9sy
Se in at retreat OF may catch what benson uiu
aid one. one of his comrades.
Haven't Won heard about it : Well, Benson is.
Or was private in the 10th Infantry ana me, hg Was Mas
snte9eed to be and 10 be mpr
Sned three years at hard labor because ne was ao-
Sent for two days without leave" .o
"Whv that is impossible. He would not nave
been punished so severely that if he had deserted
outright and then been arrested" =. . that
But it is quite true. tell yo9 1t seems snar sar
Benson had been absent without leave three OF louI
times before that and had been tried ana pnhisneu
each time. When they made up the charges yes
specifications of the previous otienses S tos
which he had already been punished Mheh eh ne Was Ss
brought up for trial he admitted It hmt snat ins bs
right of the Court, to try him again
for the same offences de Ce Sbe ConTt against
hm. but of course the Court Overruled him, for ne
was only private When the sentence was sent
the term of imprisonment to one year pecauSc tge 10
BensOn's excellent record as a soldier e no
was serving his fourth enlistment ana hods Iniye @
regular discharges each OF whlcn certlheo W n nn
good character Well, the papers were sent 4n
TO Washington, heard lately tnnended tnao tad
officers when they were sent recommenueu
that the sentence be dsapproved on the ground tha1
a soldier, like any other man. cannot Do punlsneu
twice for the same offence Whether snat on has %
gone TO serve out his time at hard LABOR lose Iis
pay and be dshonorably discharged-all oecau se lie
was absent two days without leave; ..o.,no +o q
This little story was almost as interesting 70 d
TRIBUNE reporter who overheard II as IL was 10 the
soldier who related 1t.
THE WATER SUPPLY AND THE STREETS.
Commissioner Thompson has made his report of the
Department of Public Works for the quarter ended
December 81, 1882, with review tor the year
1882. In regard to the water supply the report
says:
Tne experience of 1880 and 1881 has demonstrated
he necessity of additional to give storage ca
pacily not only to supply the deficiencies OF droutns
which may occur in any single year, b1 10 carry h
strongest of the plan for new aquednet SUD
mitted year ago, that IL meets tue heeSsSlty i no
simplest elective and most economical manner PS
The construction OF dam aud reservoir near tne mouth
Of the CrotOD OF thirty two thousand million gallons ca
pacity, receiving the drainage OF tle entire So
Numberless complaints are received from people VINO
have been accustomed In years past TO ndye ,e ~S &
running their top floors that IL Is now devereu no
higher than the second and in come instances he n OF
Eor mooF T6e o 70 ae m Wser those Who
receive 1t on the second noor at any tune o. TUG u %
crease in the head or pressure will tue neyl
table consequence OF the growth OF tee city In budss
new streets and tnat the water can only DO had AT
higher level by the use OF pumps. , ~
In regard to pipes and wires under the streets the
report has these suggestions:
The enormous increase of structures AMI conduits
under the payements renders the maintenance OF Ine
street aces more difficult from year TO year: Inc
work OF the companies only in its commence
peut. One steam company m has so,ohsnv nSs SSes SSes
recently been authorized to lay pipes The
thousands of miles Of telegraph wires IN tne cy NH T
evils referred to will therefore be constantly extended
and multiplied In view OF these 'of of
Constructing single large tunnel under each street 10
d al the and trapspor
ton in the hope thar some OF tue enghSerng
shspe s. Such shs should be large enough to afford
access in placing and repairing sewers water pipes gas
eie, c with side Openings for house connexions.
swINDLING FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.
ADeut twenty-five persons have called at the
Leonard Street Police Station and recognized caro-
line Meyer since her arrest on ih9rsaay as "a a
woman who had swinded them out OF money oy
plausible stories OF distress. II appears ina. the ,
woman has been engaged in swlndhng eharltapIy
disposed people for twenty-five years. One phyysl-
clan stated that she called on him in 1860 and by
telling a woefu tale obtained money from nun.
She has Eeryed term IN the penltentlary lot
similar offence. She has not confined herseif 10
this city. but has travelled from place tn place:
Court Yesterday. She is forty-seven wears old,,
native of Wsrtenburg, Germany, and says that she
has no home. Those who appeared against her yes.
terday were Jefferson Van Nattan, b"okkeeger at at
No. 54S Pearl-st Dr. Charles f. hackley OF No. 10
West Thrty-sxth-st; Mrs A. II. Deyerseh' OF u,' 40
27l Putnam-ave., Brooklyn, and Mrs. r. Z. VIII
Jams. of No. 387 Waverley-ave., Brooklyn. FROM
the two ladies the prisoner obtained $50, and from
DR. Hackley 81 so.
The woman was held for trial. 1t is probable
that many more of her exploits will be heard Of
The detectives are OF the OPINION that she Is pos
sessed of real estate acquired by her swlndllng,
though she maintains that she is pennless
CARRYING OFF SALMI MORSES CHAIRS.
To complete the furnishing of Salmi Morse's
Theatre in Twenty thirdst., about 900 chairs were
ordered of toe Composite Iron Works. through its
treasurer William r. Pitt. On the delivery OF the
chairs payments were made bv MIR. Morse amount
ing in all to $1,000, leaving a balance OF aoout
$500 Mr. Morse said that a numbtr OF The chairs
fell apart in the rehearsal when the police inter
fered and he refused to the balance unless they
were repaired and secured to the floor properly.
Mir Pitt agreed TO do this, and for that purpose
aalled at the building a week ago last Monday and
b the absence of the janiior, according to MI Morse
detached number of th. seats from the chair
frames and carried them off. Mr.. Morse at once took
kteps TO replevIn the seats, and he secured sum-
mons from Justice Gardner, in the Jefferson Mar
let Police Court yesterday, for Mr. Pitt Al the Of
fee of the Composite Iron Works it was stated that
1he chairs were to have been paid for on delivery,
md that several fruitess demands had been made
kor the balance of the bill The chairs it was stated
were erected substantially.
THE DEMAND FOR CUBAN SUGAR.
INQUIRIES among sugar re6ners and importers yes
brday with regard to the sudden impetus IN the
Importation of Cuban sugar disclosed the fact that
the original demand for Steam charters was caused
by the crop being three or four weeks later than
usua ships went there early in the season. and
finding that they could get no cargoes, went tC
fhpr freight. Hence.