The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-08-23

over roads not ne IT so we'll constructed as
the English and, ponderous as these
trains are, afford steady, comfortable
riding, in respect to which they are in
fnitely superior to trains of small, light,
| ierky cars TO be found in the old world.
There are, howey er, records of very fast
running in America. AS an example may
be instanced a trip made in July, 1885,
between East Buffalo and Weehawken,
400 miles, in which the average was fifty
four miles an hour, and in some dashes
/ the speed was at the rate of eighty-three
miles an hour, a rate probably never at
tanned on any English railroad. There is
a remarkably afternoon fast train between
New York and Philadelphia. From Jersey
City to Trenton, fifty-three and three
qaarter miles, it goes without stop in
of 52.3 miles an hour. From Jersey City
it runs to Germantown Junction, eighty
four miles, including the Trenton stop, in
100 minutes, speed of 50.4 miles an hour.
petition has been gotten up asking
the governor to offer a reward for the cap
ture of the murderer of Jim Phillips, who
was found dead in his oyster sloop off
Pelican island on November Z, 1886,
nearly two years ago. The murder of
Phillips has so far remained a mystery,
though it was evident that he was muir
dured, and two grand juries took a turn
at the case, but failed to throw any light
upon it. Phillips left Galveston one even
ing to go over to Pelican to get load of
oysters. He never returned. Later his
dead body was found in the cabin of the
sloop, with a cord about the neck and
| tied to an upper portion of the cabin.
There was also a CHASTITY wound discov-
cred on the top of the head of the de-
ceased, and bloody Ratchet found upon
the deck. The attempt at hanging
the body was bungling piece
of work, evidently done to lead to the
suspicion of suicide. The deck where
the killing had evidently been done was
covered with blood. The petition in ref
erence to this case is as follows Justice
demands that the proper authorities shall
lie I'VE nothing undone to secure the arrest
and punishment of the murderer of James
Phillips, who was murdered on board an
| oyster sloop about the 7th of November,
1886, when lying off Pelican island. We
presume that the officers of Galveston
county would have done everything in
their power to solve the mystery of that
terrible crime, but it is doubtful if they
will ever be able to do it without assist
ance from the state, and we think it would
be proper and praiseworthy for Governor
Ross to stimulate the work of protection
by Offering q suitable reward for the
arrest of the murderer. 1t is now
almost twenty-five months since
the terrible crime was COM
mItted in Galveston county, and in many
respects it was one of the most remarkable
crimes ever committed here. That rob
berry of the sloop could hardly have been
the main motive of the deed is self. evil
pent from the fact that it was we'll known
that James Phillips did not have any
money up to the time that he sailed to
Pelican island to take in cargo of oys-
tiers. Whatever the motive, it should be
traced till the murderer is brought to JUS
tice. And no consideration of cost should
be allowed to hamper the investigation of
the case. 1t will not do to have any
ground for the belief that the people of
this state are careless about the safety of
the home and sanctuary of human life.
The sloop was the murdered mans home.
Respectfully, (about dozen citizens. y
Galveston News.
A special from Brownsville of the 14th
says: Quarantine is in force against the
neighboring Mexican town of Matamoras,
and all communication between the two
cities is utterly suspended, to the great
inconvenience of hundreds whose business
relations embrace both sides of the river,
and to the destruction of commerce. The
cause for this was that the Mexican gun
boat Independence, which arrived at
Bagdad, on the Mexican side of the mouth
of the Rio Grande, Friday, two days out
from Vera Cruz, landed fifteen passengers
and baggage Saturday, and, without any
attempt to quarantine them, they came at
once to Matamoras, where they arrived
yesterday. The Matamoras junta de SAN
nidad held a meeting at o'clock last
evening with Mayor Milquiades
Torres presid ing, and, after
reading an official communication
from the Mexican consul in Brownsville,
and the proclaim alton of our quarantine
officer, Wolff, closing the ferry against
Matamoras, they took the following ex-
traordinary retaliatory action: "Con-
sidering that New Orleans is in the same
condition medico- topogra phically as Vera
| SluA, anu DO9luOo
ton that in the first named port there is
actually existing an epidemic of diph-
liberia without this being an obstacle
against the admittance of passengers and
freight, the junta, as a measure of pru
dence and precautioD, order that the
passes between Brownsville and Brazos
and this city, and its jurisdiction, Bagdad
be closed, the time of this prohibition to
continue the period that the junta con-
sider5 convenient, the mayor being in
accord with the junta, counting on the
official cooperation of the general in
chief of this military zone, which has been
solicited" This quarantine of cities where
there is no infectious disease is outrageous
Had they taken the most ordinary pre-.
caution against the admittance of infec-
ton by the passengers of the gunboat
Independents, or had General Vela chosen
to allow his family who arrived by heI
to pass few days in one of the lower
river ranches, all the quarantine difficulty
here would have been avoided. As it is
Matamoras has very small stock OF
flour, coffee, sugar and other necessities
in stock, and goods which arrived on the
steamer Morgan this evening will not be
allowed to cross. Matamoras merchants
are alarmed and fear scarcity, and are
treating for schooner load of groceries
to be sent from New Orleans to Bagdad
direct. An attempt was made to send q