davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
'Ehe Grant IL Ward ContrncGs.

New YoRK,-Ex-Senator Jerome b.
Chafe was before Referee Hamilton
Cole to prove his claim to some Unit
ed States registered bonds, valued at
$375,000 and some West Virginia
bonds, valued at $125,000, which he
had loaned to the firm of Grant &
Ward. To questions by Colonel Geo.
Bliss he said that his son-in-law, ". S.
Grant, Jr., wrote to him in April of
last year saying that Grant & Ward
had need for more money in their
business and that they did not want
to take any outsiders in the business.
The ex-senator pledged 100000 in
registered 4 per cents with the Fourth
National Bank and loaned the money
to the firm. For this he received no
return, the firm merely paying the in
terest on the loan. In October young
Grant induced him to go in further
The bonds were redeemed and then
100000 in United States registered
bonds, worth on the market $375,000
and $125,000 in West Virginia bonds
were transferred to the firm. Young
Grant said the money was TO be used
| in very profitable contracts and the
ex-senator was TO receive one-half Of
the profits. When cross-examinec by
G. w. Bangs he said that he dSl not
know how much he had drawn in the
way Of profits The firm notified him
from time to time that certain profs
had accrued and had been placed tC
his creeit.
"About how much did you draw
"Between $35, 600 and $4,000"
"Did you inquire about the con
tracts?'
eyes ] talked about the contracts tC
Grant and 10 Ward. asked about
the security and whether they were
sure to be profitable. / was assured
they were perfectly safe and | was
told not to worry about them"
"What was the nature OF tho con
tracts?"
81 was told that tho money was loan
ed to railroad contractors, but / die
not gct very definite idea OF the bus
mess. was put off more easily ther
than should be now"
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02

1t must be borne in mind that the
charges made against Blaine have all
been furnished by his former comrades.
The largest bolt in our political history
is the one that deserted Blaine after
his nomination at Chicago. They
constitute the very cream Of the think
ers and purity of the party. This was
occasioned, as they say, on account
of the methods he used while Speaker
of the House to rule so us to put mon
ey in his pocket out Of the public
treasury. The Democrats are using
these facts as they ARG offered by
Blaine and his former friends
HoeH
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
ElIiteracy in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts, is becoming some
what alarmed at the growth Of illitera-
cy, as she may well. be. The last
census showed that there was in the
state 1855 persons above the age of
ten who could not read, being 5.3 per
cent. OF all persons above that age,
proportion which is exceeded by no
other eastern state except Rhode
Island. The last legislature passed
law which it is hoped viii tend to
check the advance of this percentage.
1t provides that any person who em-
ploys a minor fourteen years OF age
who cannot read and write shall for
felt from S20 to $50, and that any per-
son who employs u minor. over four
teen year Of age who cannot read and
write, providing such minor has been
for one year resident Of city or
town wherein free evening schools IRE
maintained, shall forfeit from 500 lo
800 for every such ofcnse. to go to
the benefit Of the evening schools
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
fucker and Blaine.

There is going the rounds of the
press, and especially is the Republi-
can portion thereof, statement that
Blaine at one time used John Ran
dolph Tucker very badly. The shoe
is on the other foot bne Of the most
memorable scnenes in cur Parliamen-
tary history, is the one wherein is de-
tailed the encounter between Blaine
and Tucker. They kept the House
of Representatives in continual roar
by reading from decisions os the Su-
.prome Court of the United States
and the Constitution of the same,
while Blaine was continually asking
from what they were reading. Blaine
is no lawyer and the twitting him
about the same canstitued the pas
time Of the House and Senate while
he was in those bodies, he can make
more blundors about the law than any
man in public life.-NdsAeiUe World
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02

WASHINGTON, July 25.-Much con-
Germ has been felt in postal quarters
as to the results of the reduction OF
letter rates upon the receipts Of the
department. From the report com
pleted to-day by Third Assistant Post
master General Hazen it appears that
the gross receipts for the quarter end
ing June 80, 1884, aggregate $685.
1890 This is for the 159 letter
carrier offices. For the same quartz,
last year-the gross receipts were $5,.
ass, 5,S24,14, The decrease is therefore
only $S15, 5,271 ,S4 and is quite satisfac-
tory TO the department. OF the 15e
Offices there is an increase Of sixteen,
showing an advance already in com
parison with the previous quarter
The Cincinnati office shows a gross
receipt Of $150,011,78, falling off o.
S13,637,27 from the corresponding
quarter OF last year Philadelphia
shows 1891 1889, decrease OF S5,
951 "a: Pittsburg, s7s,O75,72, a de
crease Of s6,-1l5,96 Newark, ". J.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02

IA. C. Burton in Brooklyn Eaglel
This ia the dude from. DudcvIlle.
This is tho maid with golden hair
The soft blue eyes and languid air,
That was mashed on the dude from Dudeville
This Is her brother q slugger bold;
Who thumped the dude when 10 him was told
That his sister the maid with the golden hair,
And soft blue eyes and a languid air,
Wes mashed on the dude from Dudeville.
This Ia the father who saw the fun
But said not a word till the thing was done
BY his SON. the tough young slugger bold,
Who thumpsd the dude when to him was told
That his sister the msid with the golden hair
And soft blue eyes and languld air,
Was mashed on the dude from Dudeville.
This is the bulldog, true and tried,
That caused the dude to "git up and slide"
When unloosed by the father who saw the fun
But said not word till the thing was done
BY his son, the tough young slugger bold
Who thumped the dude when to him was told
That his sister, the maid with golden hair,
And soft blue eyes and languid air,
Was mashed on the dude from Dudeville
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
Keen Observation.

The other night when Mr.. Harver
Blades, well-known official of Arkan-
sas, went home he had reached that
close-observing stage of intoxication
when man stops and minutely ex-
amines the most unimportant objects
and makes wise comments. In this
state of drunkenness q man takes no
tice Of every household article. Ev-
cry hair demands certain amount of
attention. After sitting down with
studied gravity, Mr.. Harvey Blades
noticed feather lying on the floor.
He debated for q while whether or not
it would be an illustration OF sobriety
to remove it, and, remembering that
he had often seen his wife pick feath-
ers from the carpet after having jam
med the pillows in making the bed,
he arose, took up the feather, examin-
ed it moment, raised a window, and
threw it out. This performance did
not entirely satisfy him, for in his
mind there lurked suspicion that
his wife might fancy him to be drunk
In looking around for another test he
discovered the water bucket. He knew
that to bring bucket of fresh wator be-
yond a doubt would settle the ques-
ton of his sobriety SO he took up the
bucket and went to the well. Feel
| ing around and IC.ss finding the "moss
covered bucket" but deciding that i
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
Scandals Aboua Public Men.

Scandals AbOua Public Mem.
The publicity given bya sensational
Pittsburg newspaper to malicious So
cial scandal on Governor Cleveland
recalls the growing tendency Of low
grade partisan malignity to assail pub
lie men i'll a manner that forbids alb
solute refutation. Such scandals are
not entirely of modern creation. In
the days of Washington, and again in
the days of Jackson and Clay, scam
dals were plunged into party contests
which invaded the inner sanctity of
the purests homes, and the social and
political demoralizations of war reviv-
ed social scandals as one Of the ready
weapons III partisan warfare.
There is not a prominent reputable
newspaper in the land that has not
been unsuccessfully approached to
give publicity to grave social scandals
against the conspicuous men of the
country. Even Lincoln, the embodi-
ment Of domestic purity, did not es-
cape, and the infirmities of President
johnson were magnifled into social
leprosy. Bitter resentments against
Grant and Hayes often summoned the
vilest social scandals to assail them
and the smothered malicious scandals
affecting the honor of both Garfield
and Arthur have failed in general pub
licity only because public journalism
frownod upon them.
Nor has Mr.. Blaine escaped the hoa
on Of the vile assaults OF vile men in
his domestic life. His ability and hiI
success make him a shining mark fol
the deadliest shafts of the malignant
Jealousy that stoops to the employ
ment OF the mcanest agencies, but lie
has not suffered by it, nor can any
man Of his open public career be stain
ed by the social defamer.. That Mr.
Cleveland should provoke like assaults
will surprise none. He has beon ex
ceptionally successful in the race fol
distinction, and that is his crime. Blu
in this case, az in the case of Blaine
malignant defamation overrcaches it
self and furnishes the antidote il
abundance with the poison. The fac
that social scandal is invented aftei
his nomination for President that wa
unheard of in his contests for Mayo
and Governor, when he had been nom
mated for both Offices as an exempla
in public and private life, is the con
| elusive answer to all that intensified
malice can conceive.
However the public acts of Cleve
land and Blaine shall be criticised il
the contest, the people are well assur
ed that both are men OF stainless re
pute in their social lives, and tina
either would bring no reproach upol
the nation as its Chief Magistrate
Scandals will, therefore, be unheedeC
in the struggle, unless it be to vindi
cate the integrity that may be mos
recklessly assailed.-Phila. Times.
-------e~-@
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
ASweetIleart's Shake.

"Say," asked Murphy Of young De-
Jones, as he saw that young man hm-
rying down side street as though he
wanted to avoid meeting, whats
the matterf You don't look very bill
arious."
"No, | don't" said Jones, grdmpily.
whats the matter? ! thought
you'd been to see your girl tonight"
"Thats the trouble. She gave me a
bad case Of malaria" =:
"Malaria?"
eyes, had the worst kind of a
shake"
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
Arahnr nnd Victoria.

President Arthur and Queen Veto
ria have exchanged congratlatory dis
patches on the rescue OF the GrcelS
party. OF course, these dispatches en-
braced nothing of a private character
inasmuch as they were transmitted a
public expense; but as both Of thes,
worthies must he very lonely in thei
! domestic relations, who knows wha
may come from this breaking of thu
ice-0Hcis,sah EeqSshy.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
How the New York Dailies Stand,

For Cleveland.-Herald, Sun, Times,
World, Star, Journal of Commerce,
Morning Journal, Truth, Tages Mach
richten, Stats Zeitung, Cou'r des
Etats Qnis, Post, Telegram, Dial,
Graphic, News.
For Blaine,-Tribune, Mail and Ex-
press, Comercial Advrt'sr
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02
must be at the bottom of tho well, he
began to turn the windlass. For ff-

hANob w nv bAlO bObptiii va bihO VOlAI nv
began to turn the windlass, For fi-
teen minutes nc turned the crank
deepest well ever saw" he mused,
and continued to grind Aftera while
his wife came out and said: Harvey,
what in the name of common sense
are you doing?". "Tryin' to draw n
bucket Of water. Deepest well ever
saw. Grindin for hour-bucket not
up yet "Why, don't you know we
had the well cleaned out and the
bucket has been taken OFF, Come on
away. You are as.dunk as q fool"
"Koones' observation ever saw"
said the gentlemen to himself, "Nez-
err saw the like"
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02

32,827,S0, a decrease Of $1,654,9O ;
Allegheny City, $9,235,9l, an increase
of $117,07 Camden, Pa, $5,OSS,s5, q
decrease OF 81 ,242,4O Erie, Pa, $9,-
017,30, a decrease of $1,164,40; Jersey
City, $15,71001, a decrease of $780, ;
Lancaster, $S,956,39, a decrease of $21,-
0S; Peterson, $G,S37 81, a decrease of
$2,176,9S; (; Reading, Pa, $l0,171,8 80, u
decrease of $416,0S Scranton, Pa, $S,-
910,9S, an increase of $Sl4,2S; Tren-
ton, N. j., $12, 2,567 90, u decrease of$l,-
1880; Williamport, $7,854, q de-
crease of $677,S2 Wilmington, Del,
$10956.67, u decrease Of $1,O4676
York, Pa, $5,S31,52, a decrease of
$S32,32.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-02

Reid and others had better take
warning from Longstreet's fate. After
using him they flung him like worth
less weed away.-Nashvale World.
, 1884-07-03

Last night about twenty IA loa1 mn
went out to Lake Minnehaha, where the
race was in progress, and after bull luz-
ing" around considerably until they had
frightened the bartender into setting up
the beer for the whole party five or six
times, they proceeded to take matters into
their own hands and run the place to suit
themselves. The result was the race was
broken up and about everybody
driven out. When refused admission
to the grounds, as they were at first, hey
jumped the fence and took possession. Ii
is charged that they actually compelled
the barkeeper to set up the beer an
against his will. If such be the case they
have probably got themselves into a ba
boat. Kimme in the meantime, an,
when the %bullioziug was going on, sen
word to The city of what was
going on, and Sheriff S~harpless
Deputy Sheriff .Hosford, Marsha
Schnitger, Policemen Sullivan, Thomasson
and Smith proceeded to the lake, bu.
when they arrived on the spot the would
be rioters had gone, Such men as these
twenty were are of that class who ar,
brave only when in strong force. 1t il
probable that the affair will be investigat
ed. and doubtless several arrests will b.
made to-day.
, 1884-07-03

New York, July 2.-Governments
are higher for Ale; railways strong; Texas
Pacific rose up to 45c; on semi-oiicial
reports, the August coupons will be paid
Stocks were buoynnt and excited to-day.
The bears are much alarmed at the turn
in affairs. Round amounts in leading
shares were taken with confidence for
home and foreign accounts, pun. bases
being due mainly to the fact that few I'M
portant railway corporations have de-
fAulted on the July interest. Reports
from the grain growing regions were of a
favorable nature, and this, with the pull
hshed views of Vanderbilt on the situa-
ton, hal much to do with the improv :
ment. Vanderbilt, Gould, White and party
were the buyers throughout. In the cary
dealing the bears rushed into cover, and,
in their haste, bid prices upon themselves.
The advance, compared with last night s
closing figure, ranged from | TO 5 per cent
In the afternoon there were sales to re-
alize and prices tel off / to ! per cent in
the general list and q in Union Pacific.
Near the close a firmer tone prevailed,
and there was a rally from ! to per cent.
The market closed strong compared with
last night. The closing prices are to 5
per cent higher; Union Pacific unchanged.
, 1884-07-03
A SCATHING LETTER
Which Shows Tangible Ear
marks of Nh Conkling.
Carter Harrison Nominated for
Governor Of Illinois.
Cleveland the Favorite of the
Sucker Democrats.

Special Dispatch to the Chicago Times.
WASHINGTON, June 3O.-The Post
this morning contained what purported
to be a letter dated New York, June %,
addressed to a Democratic delegate-at-
large to Chicago, and signed by an anti
Blaine Republican. The style of the
letter stamps it at once as the production
of a very able man, and for this reason,
in spite of being anonymous, it attracted
a good deal of attention. and many cues
tions we're asked about its authorship.
The letter is a scathing summary of
Blaine's qualities and his political career.
There are men here who know the author
and promise something further and more
open from the same source. Until the
Democratic nomination for the presidency
has been made, this eminent anti Blaine
Republican prefers to remain ~incognito.
The author of this ~incisive letter is n of
the most distinguished Republicans in the
country, and, though he now bolts. he
h. q alw ,ys been one of the most bitter
enemies of all boilers and Independents.
Politics never made stranger bed fellows
than when it threw the author of this
letter and George William Curtis into n
bed. He was for several years a senator,
and in the Senate he was second to no
one in his party. He has declined
a seat on the supreme bench, has
been prominently urged for a pre-
sidental nomination, and is now
in possession of a lucrative law practice.
Mr., Blaine's friends have claimed that
this gentleman would support the ticket,
but he himself has given no sign before
this letter. The letter begins with the
following sentence The opportunity of
a century has COME to your party
Farther OF it says 'Mr. Blaine repre-
sents the s-ensationalism, the greed of
power, the lust of Jobs, the scramble for
Office, the propensity for 'brilliancy' and
extravaganza of administration, which
Arthur has held in check to the disgust of
Republican politicians. 1t is Mr.. Blaine's
public record, and not the personal scan
dals that will array against him the con-
science and apprehensions of the conserv-
alive Republicans of the North, provided
the Democratic nominee is manifestly,
peculiarly, and pre-eminently an able cx-
FOUNDER of wise, safe, constitutional, and
honorable policies and principles
The writer speaks caustically of the late
legal-tender decision, and then says
STANDARD bearers who can lead oft-beaten
parties to power are not made by the
chances and bargains of political conven-
tons. They are found. The Republicans
did not make Lincoln or Grant. They
took them as the men of the hour, and
won. n n \ Mr.. Blaine is a states
man whose long public service is without
a single act or measure on the statute
books the paternity of which he would
care to claim who never asserted his con
v%ictions in his own party on any measure
until a party caucus had revealed the win
ming side, and whose whole career has
been that of a demagogue and boss
, 1884-07-03

WASHINGTON, July 2,-Confrmations:
Watson G. Squires, Of Washington Ter
ritory, Governor of Washington Territory;
Gilbert A. Pierce, of Illinois, Governor of
Dakota Henry S. Neal, of Ohio, Solicit
or of the Treasury Samuel A. Losch, of
Pennsylvania, Secretary of New Mexico (;
David z. b. Pride, OF Idaho, Secretary Of
Idaho; john w. George, Of Washington
Territory, United States Marshal Of
Washington Territory Penumbra Kelly,
of Oregon, United States Marshal Of
Oregon.
, 1884-07-03

New York, July AT u conference
of the Commissioners of Emigration and
representatives of the different stelmsh p
companies, he former proposed that the
latter paw for the maintenance Of i'm nj
grants landed here who had tickets to
various points of destination in the West.
The representatives of the steamship
companies declined doing any more than
they are now compelled to do by law,
which is to pay fifty cents a head on each
emigrant.
, 1884-07-03

sarily implied in the provisions
of the bill which is before
me, but when its enacting clauses are read
in the light of the ~reeitals of its preamble,
it will be seen that it seeks in effect the
practical annulment Of the findings and
sentence of a competent court. A con-
clusion at variance with these findings has
been reached after the investigation by a
board consisting of three officers of the
army, This board was not created in
pursuance of any statutory authority, and
was powerless to. compel the attend
auce of witnesses or to pronounce a
judgment which could be lawfully en-
forced. The officers in their report to the
Secretary of War, dated March 10, 1879,
state in their opinion, that justice re-
quires y \ r such action as may be
necessary to annul and set aside the find
ings and sentence of the court martial in
the case of Major General Fitz John Por-
ter, and restore him to the position of
which their sentence deprived him, such
restoration to take effect from the
date of his dismissal from office"
The provisions of the bill now under con-
sideration are avowedly based on the as
sumptionsthat the findings of the court
martial have been discovered to be
erroneous, but it will be borne in mind
tn at the investigation which is called to
save resulted in this discovery, and was
made many years after the event to which
these findings related, and under circum-
stances that made it impossible to repro
duce evidence on which they were
based. 1t seems to me that the
proposed legislation would establish
a dangerous precedent, calculated to i'm
peril in no small measure a binding force,
and effect the judgments of various tribu-
nails established under our constitution and
laws. l have already in the exercise of
the pardoning power with which the
President is vested, RENTED a continuing
penalty that made it impossible for Fitz
John Porter to hold an office of trusS or
profit under the Government of the Uni
ted States. But | am unwilling to give
my sanction to any legislation which shall
practically annul and set at naught the sol
emn and deliberate conclusions of the
tribunal by which he was convicted, and
of a President by whom its findings were
examined and approved.
(Signed) CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
Executive Mansion, July ,, 1884.
WASHINGTON, July 2.-The reading of
the veto was received with applause on the
Republican side, and Kisses on the Demo
side. The Speaker announced that
immediate action on the veto would be in
order. General Slocum moved the bill be
passed, the objection of the President to
the contrary notwithstanding, and on this
motion demanded the previous question
under the constitution. Yeas and nays
was necessary, and it was taken.
The House passed the bill over the veto
by los to IS and adjourned,
, 1884-07-03

PEORIA, July 1.-The Democratic State
Convention assembled at 1890. Chair
man Oberly of the State Central Commit
tee eulogized Tilden, and said "Shan
we, i'll spite of the declination of Mr.. Til
den, nominate him for PRESIDENT" The
convention rose and cheered. General
McClernand offered a resolution declaring
it was the sense of the convention that the
odd ticket" should be nominated, but it
was declared out of order at this stage Of
the proceedings.
After some delay Ex-Governor John NJ.
Palmer was called on, and spoke at con-
siderable length on the question of free
trade and tariff, declaring in favor of tariff
for revenue only, and limited to the neces-
sites Of an economical government. He
said if he had the power of Him who said
Lazarus, come forth" he (the speaker
would say Samuel j. Tilden, come
forth" [Cheers.l Somebody had
said the committee on dele
gates at large to the national
convention had chosen him (Palmer) as
as one of the number. If that were true,
he would go to New York himself and see
Tilden. He would take no ones word for
it" This statement was received with
| great cheers and waving of hats and fans,
The speaker then proceeded But sup-
pose Tilden could not or would not run
what then ?" (Cries of cleveland, "
Mcdonald, Morrison and ''palmer'O.
The convention at $50 took recess till
1880, Canvass of delegates to the Ma
tional Convention shows a nearly unani-
nous sentiment for Tilden. If it
can be shown he would accept, After
him the majority favor Clevel. nd, and
under the unit rule he would probably gel
the vote Of Illinois. Some of the dele.
gates favor Mcdonald aud some Bayard
a state ticket was nominated as follows
Governor, Cart II. Harrison, of Chicago
fbr Lieutenant Governor, Henry Setter
of st, Clair Secretary Of State, Michae'
j. Dougherty, Of Knox; State Treasurer
Alfred Orendorf, Of Sangamon.
Craig, Davis < Co. can supply You witt
a complete outfit for house furnishing
G,-,.,,., - oil t;nJa n,r,,t, -