Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-20
AS YOU LIKE 1T.
Stray Leaves From Reporters Note
Book.

Stray Leaves From a Reporters Note
Book.
THE country is being inundated with re-
productions of scenes at the Worlds fair,
''trips around the world" etc. About half
the daily papers of the country ranging
in importance from the Podunk Gazette
up, are filed with faring advertisements
of cart portfolios. Dozens of columns of
space that ought to command price are
occupied with enticing announcements of
how the intelligent reader may enjoy the
inestimable advantage of procuring a SUI
perb work, on the installment plan, by
cutting out a stipulated number of cou-
pons and presenting them with a certain
amount of cold cash, always more than
enough to pay for the work of art, at the
Office of the most enterprising newspaper
in creation. When the favored subscriber
has all his numbers and reckons the costhe
will discover that he has paid pretty dearly
for his whistle. The object of the news
paper publisher is to boom his en-
culation and incidentally to make
few cents while posing as a philan-
thropist. The merchant who pays ad-
vanced rates for advertising in paper
whose circulation is inflated by the coupon
method, is q victim of bunco.
The woman who left the relief bureau
in a "huff'' because her application for
turkey was refused has been fairly out
done. The other day well dressed
young fellow of twenty-five or there
abouts, called at the bureau and wanted to
know if they had any skate straps to give
out. And he actually seemed disappointed
at not being supplied. He afterwards ex-
planned in the presence of the reporter
that he was out of work, was without
money, wanted to skate and had no straps,
and if that wasn't case demanding the
attention of the relief bureau he would
like to know what was.
x*x
SPEAKING of the briggs case a gentle
man, who was very positive in his opin-
ions, indicating that he was not talking at
random, said to the reporter the other day:
Counsel for the defendant are looking
every day for an announcement that the
plaintiff has abandoned the case. It is
well understood on both sides what evil
dence can be produced in reference to the
town plot specification. 1t is also under
stood on both sides what evidence can be
produced as to the specifications locating
misconduct at Shows greenhouse in mid
winter. The only two remaining specif-
cations are as to misconduct on two occa-
sions at the briggs homestead on Hillside
avenue. In relation to these it is known
that Mrs Morton was not at home on one
of the dates mentioned in the specifca-
ton; that the servants know nothing what
ever of any wrong doing or suspicious cir
cumstances. This, then, leaves but one
specification to be disposed of; and there
seems to be nobody to testify as to this
one, except Mrs Morton and the plaintiff,
George briggs. Mrs Morton has left town
evidently with the purpose of avoiding any
further contact with the details of this
proceeding. If all this is true there is
very little left of the plaintiffs case, eX-
cept that some very inquisitive neighbor
may go upon the stand and testify that
Colonel Burpee was seen going into the
briggs mansion during the absence of the
husband and of Mrs Morton. But it
would not take very astute defendant to
explain this by saying that Colonel Burpee
was the defendants attorney; that George
briggs had been abusing her and squan-
dering her money, and that she called in
her counsel for advice as to whether she
could not obtain divorce for abuse or get
him arrested; and it would necessarily
take over two hours to talk over all
of these matters. And it would
be eminently fitting, so it might be
said, that such conversations and dellbera-
tons would be in the absence of the hus-
band" The defense will probably work
upon these lines when the case comes to
trial.
The big shaft of red granite for the bat
tie monument at West Point which passed
through Waterbury the other day, has ar
rived safely at that place. The monolith
is All feet in length, is round, and G. feet
in diameter at its largest end. Its weight
is ninety two tons. On account of the i'm
mense weight of the train the empty cars
alone weigh about ninety tons) n some
what peculiar plan was adopted to get it
in safely over the bridges of the railroad
between Hartford and Fishkill. When
the train approached the, bridge flying
start was taken. The engine was I'M
coupled from the cars, and the latter went
flying over the bridge at lively rate of
speed. The engine was caused to make a
running SWITCH" and went over after the
cars had reached the other side and were
stopped by the brakes.
THE state board of health is preparing
to make it interesting for physicians who
fail to comply with the law regarding regis
tration of births. 1t is claimed that prac-
titioners, whether reputable or not, mani
fest unusual Indifference in the matter of
registering births and deaths. 1t is the in
tention of the county health officers
throughout the state to issue a notice
through the papers to the effect that there
after the first violation discovered under
these heads will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent. County Health Officer
Hoadley reports sixty-four violations of
the law in Waterbury during the past year.