The morning call., 1890-11-30
MEN WE MEET
ABOUT TOWN.
Scraps of Information Gathered
Here and There. :.
Peculiarities Of the Law-Value Of Auto.
graphs-A Blessing in Disguise-The
Australian Ballot.

a conspicuous Dgure lot SeVerhl QayS
among the guests at a downtown hotel has
been State Senator elect r. B. Carpenter of
Los Angeles, whose tall form and rugged
yet kindly face make him man not easily
to be overlooked in a crowd. Although near
ing the close OF his allotted three score and
ten, he retains the vigor of middle age and
the good nature Of boy. His biography,
if written, would an interesting one, for he
has been associated in his life with some of
the most notable of the great men of the
nation. 1t was in the office Of Henry Clay
that he learned the profession Of the law,
and for several years he acted as clerk to
that brilliant and popular statesman. Later
in life he was chosen by General Grant,
then President of the United States, to act
as Federal Judge in South Carolina during
reconstruction days. Subsequently he
drfted to Los Angeles, and at the late cleo
tion was chosen State Senator. He is a man
of strong convictions and keen ability, and
will be heard from this winter.
REGULARITY OF THE LAW.
1.-THE law is not always just, and through
its peculiar workings innocent men are
often made to suffer-" remarked Samuel D..
Shortridge to a CALL reporter, on Montgom-
cry street. 81 was called upon not long ago
to defend man charged with the crime of
murder, and through the evidence of three
men he was convicted. His trial was fol-
lowed Immediately by that of another man
as an accessory, and the same men were
called in as witnesses in the second case.
The second man was acquitted, but not until
the three witnesses had completely contra
dicted the evidence given in the first in
stance. OF course filed petition at once
for new trial, but the Supreme Court could
4t,n rrf fl.n ri ln-
case in question. and my petition was de-
MED. This was strictly in accordance with
the law, but not one man out of hundred
but would say that new trial-wOuld have
been just"
SUCCESS IN JOURNALISM
'E. NJ. Scripps. Cincinnati" written. in a
bold. firm hand, appeared or the register at
the Palace Hotel last night, shortly after the
arrival Of the overland train. His name is
not familiar to the average Californian, but
east of the Missouri River lie is known as
one Of the most enterprising newspaper
men in the United States. Still young
man-he is probably not more than 30 years
of age tc-day-he launched out with but
little money few years ago as the founder
of a penny paper in Cincinnati. 1t proved
an immediate success. and TINS encouraged
he looked around for other fields in which to
repeat the experiment.. In. everything he
has undertaken he has been marvelously
Scripps League, which owns five large daily
penny papers. the circulation Of which will
aggregate fully 100000 copies.
AN AUTOGRAPH COLLECTOR.
Autograph collecting has never become
as popular here rs it is the East" said an
enthusiast on the subject in conversation
with CALL representative, but there are
in this city few very creditable collec-
tions. 1t is an expensive hobby, and that
perhaps prevents many from indulging in
it, who would otherwise do so. Among auto
graphs Of persons now living it is probable
that Mr.. Gladstone's is most in demand, but
as he makes it point to reply to every re-
quest OF that nature, his signature has be-
come drug on the market. Boulanger's is
often seen, and is worth about 81 each,
while that of Bismarck will bring three
times that amount Mr.. LincolL's is in de-
mand at prices ranging from S10t to SIS each,
while the first NapOleon's sell readily from
are to be had in abundance, at very small l
figure, while Senators aud Representatives
Of recent years have little or no value"
THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
DIR. r. G. Meyers, Chairman of the Re-
publican County Committee, has given a
little time TO the study OF the Australian
system Of voting as compared with that in
practi al working has developed one very
strange phase Of human nature. Educated
men, he says, who vote under 1t for the first
time, according to those who have watched
the matter, are very careful to make inquiry
of the clerks as to the proper method Of
preparing and deposi.ing the ballot, while
the uneducated. on the contrary, are apt to
scratch it SO as to vote only the staight
party ticket. AS is 50 often the case, they
are averse to exposing their ignorance. and
the result is that less scratching is done as q
rule than under the old system.
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE.
zone of the greatest blessings to the deal
ers in our line, "~said Handbook
man yesterday, "are the class of men who
hang about the stores and dig around among
the many volumes slowed away in the odd
nOoks and corners. Most of them are men
of very limited means and buy very little,
but are always on the alert for a bargain.
They serve us in a way, however, that the
general public little suspects, but which We
fully realize. Nothing destroys books SO
quickly as the accumulation Of dust, which
gets into them aud creates sad havoc. Now
the hanger>-on, by constantly going over
them and dragging them from the shelves,
keep them from the inroads Of the dust and
save US many dollars from year to year"
HAS IT ALL FIXED.
Senator John p. Jones of Nevada, who
for twelve years has represented that State
in the Senate of the United States, left for
Santa Monica last night alter stay of sew
eral days in this city. For time it looked
as If his chances Of reelection were en-
dapgered by the candidacy. of Frank G.
Newlands, but the latter has evidently come
to the conclusion that the fight is hopeless,
and it is said that he has withdrawn in
favor OF Senator Jones, who will be re-
elected without opposition.
On the Piedmont.
Yesterday afternoon double team at
tached to an express wagon that was being