Telegram-herald., 1889-09-27
CAPITAL NOTES.

General Benjamin F. Butler is said to
take great pride in having won a suit at
law few years ago whereby a young
man, mere boy in fact, was given ;25, 600
The General relates this case with evident
relish, as indeed he does every thing done
by him which has worked benefit TO others
II seems that the Pennsylvania Military In
stitutc at Chester fired salutes in honor OF
tho French visitors TO the Yorktown cen
tennial, and by the premature discharge Of
a cannon a student named Fred Merrick
had both of his arms blown Off he was
not seventeen years Of age, and the acci-
dent left him IN helpless condition. HIS
guardian entered suit for damages on the
ground that the officers Of the Military In
stitute were responsible for the accident,
for placing 50 young student on duty with
which he was unfamiliar. The defense
very properly pleaded that the accident was
owing 70 contributOry negligence on the
part Of the boy. General Butler was en-
ployed a. counsel for the youth, and so sue
cessful was he in his effort with the Jury
that they awarded the young man s25, 600
damages. He is helpless, and life will be
drear enough 10 him" said General Butler,
without having poverty and bread-winning
TO harass his mind" The jury thought so
TOO.
The greatest library in this country Is
under the dome Of the Capitol at Washing
ton There il 4 copy Of every book now ex-
tant somewhere on the shelves o. the Con
gres sional Ebrarv. Instead of being a
pub ic benefit. however, the library il but
httie used. II is open from nine o'clock
until four o'clock daily, when business men
can not visit IL. but il closed on Sunday
,f I. %
uight. save TO members Of Congress when
the two Houses are Ia session Il IS hoped that
when the new library building is completed
tho library VIII be thrown upcn 10 the
public a. such hours "a 20 make 10 great
public educator. Washington City Is be-
coming q residence If students and artists
Hundreds Of clerks iu departments burn
tee midnight oil in the study Of law.
medicine or theology Ample oppor- lnitles
are offered them, for there are colleges
which devote their energies aud abilities %
the education OF this sm 3tiOus aud worthy
class Of people. But think what an al
ilrct The great Congressional library would
bs 20 tde poor student II it were accessible
a. reasonable hours
Postmaster General Montgomery Blair
lscd 20 give royal entertainments az his
splendid mansion out ia the country near
B.adeusburg. Statesmen. military and
naval officers. diplomats. men Of rank and
rcuown were his favored guests. Ia july.
f~fi4. however some % the men who had
of-en been bi3den 70 his board came rudelv
and unbidden. Juhal Early made his dem
cnstrstion upon Washington and almost
captured ne city. Wit1 John c. Brecxen-
ridge and other Southern notables he
camped In Montgomery Blairs grounds
aud used his es.dencs a. a. army head
quarters for three days. Whsn tie Sixth
Corps cane up from The Army Of th-
Potomac and drove he Coufederstes svaT.
Mr. Brecz zenridEe left note, saying
This = the first time ever cane IN hidden
here. and 10 = ths frst tire I vas ever
driven away. never dreamed that Mont
gonery BAR could Be - unhospitsbie."
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