The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-27

! purchases. Among other laches cited, it
was stated that 81 600 worth of open
and exempt purchases was made of six
| individuals. one of whom rendered an ac-
| count for over 100000. Supplies
were bought virtually without COMPETE
ton, and over $4,000 was paid as commits
sions during the fiscal year of 1888 to
Seligman Brothers, London, and nearly
g. 600 in interest. In the Auditors opinion
the commissions were about twice too large,
and the interest wholly unnecessary. The
recently discovered irregularities in the
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, it was
| stated, were mostly committed upon the
continuous hospital fund, whose large, I'M
| expended balance seems to have proved a
peculiar temptation.
| THE National Cattle Convention, which
met at st. Louis November 18th, and after
ward, was the wealthiest convention ever
held in the Union. One company alone
represented 20,OO0,OO0 cattle.
| A Boston ship-the Alert-bound from
New York for Shanghai, and carrying
100000 gallons of kerosene oil, was recently
struck by lightning near Pernambuco and
burned. The officers and crew were saved.
A RECENT fire at Haverhill, Mass, de-
stroyed hotel and several stores, end in
volved total loss of about 200. a
girl was fatally injured in jumping from
| the hotel windows, and the inmates gener-
ally experienced very narrow escapes.
| AN unusually important decision was
rendered recently by Judge Snipman, of
the United States Circuit Court, New York,
in favor of the Government and against the
Lamar suit for the value of a lot of cotton
confscated during the war.
A FEW cases of yellow feveri! New York
few days ago created no little excitement.
THOMAS c. MCCULLOCH, a well-kuown
boot and shoe merchant of Nashville, Tenn,
was lately convicted and sentenced to six
years Imprisonment for settio. fire to the
store of Oliver & Co., of which arm he was
a member.
THE existence of a conspiracy to kill
Orange d. Douglass, the detective and
Deputy Marshal, who was the principal
witness against John E. Stearns, city side
walk inspector of Chicago, and brother of
Mayor Harrison's wife, William Clingen,
clerk of the Harrison street station,
and Frank A. Owens, of the Union
League Club, with illegal registra
ton of voters, was recently claimed
by United States Attorney Tuthill.
Douglass was waylaid on Center avenue
after dark, not long ago, by no masked
men and beaten over the heaC uItil uncon-
Scio2e, when he WAS left for dead. He lay
by the roadside untl morning, when he
was discovered and taken home. His jaw
and shoulder blade were broken and his
countenance pounded to jelly. Mr.. Tuthill
said that he heard that a conspiracy to kill
Douglas had existed since Stearns, Clingen
and Owens were arrested, but he did not
wish to say anything about it. He stated
emphatically that the attempt on Doug
lass life would not aid the defendants in
the prosecution which the United States
was conducting against them. 1t only in
Dictated how desperate was their case when
they attempted to kill the principal wit
ness.
AN acquisition was made to the Balti-
more & Ohio lines recently by the purchase
at auction for $4,000 OF the Pittsburgh &,
Southern Road, running from Pittsburgh
to Washington, Pa. The Baltimore & Ohio
has operated the road for nearly two years,
but its recent sale for debt gave Mr.. Gar
rett's company entire possession and abso-
Lutte control.
AT a recent session of the National
Cattlemen's Convention at st. Louis, No.,
committee was appointed to confer
with a similar committee appointed by the
Chicago Livestock Convention. A con-
stitution and bylaws of the proposed as
ISOLATION were adopted, and the body
viii be known in the future as the
National Livestock Association Of Amer
lea. Its general object will be to promote
the interests of the live stock industry.
After long debate resolution was
adopted praying Congress to open a Ma
tional trail from the Red River northward
TO the boundary line between the United
States and British America. 1t was also
decided to ask Congress for an appropria-
ton to aid in the suppression of pleuro-
pneumonia. Several other resolutions were
read and referred, and the Convention
listened to number of papers on pleuro-
pneumonia and other cattle diseases.
A DEFICIT of 81 200 was lately discovered
in the accounts of Rev. j. Mexican, Post
master at Boise, Idaho, by Postal Agent
Brannaman. The postmaster was sus-
pended and his Office put in charge of his
bondsmen. No explanation was given by
Mexican or his clerks.