The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-12-19

AN entire herd of cattle, twenty-eight
in number, the property of milkman
Richardson, renting the Baxter farm, in
Burlington, was slaughtered last week
Some weeks ago these animals were
tested by DR.. Rich and condemned.
Every one was diseased, and 50 ne
were in frightful condition. Milk
had been furnished TO the city of Bur-
lington from this herd, and the people
of that locality are still using the milk
of other herds whose reputation for
soundness is no better than was that of
Mr.. Richardson. Very likely every
other community in the state, in a
greater or less degree, is similarly ex-
posed to the diseases that follow the
use of dairy products vitiated by the
germs of consumption. Tue conse-
quences to humanity, particularly to
young children and persons predis-
posed to disease, are appalling. The
legislature treated the m after with Grim
inal indifference. One representative,
with hardly peer as a demagogue, de-
clared that the indisputable demon
stration of the existence of tuberculo.
sis among the cattle of the state, and of
the destructive effect of the products of
tuberculous animals on human health
aud life, was all scare" With the
art and semblance of Mephistophees,
he rang the changes on the word
" scare" dragged in the name of the
governor to SUI stain his Satanic TRADE,
and, to the everlasting disgrace of the
house of representatives., it must be
said that this enemy of his kind pro-
cured changes in the pending law that
deprived it of even the small degree of
virility the trainers put into it. The
example of noted physician of the
state is worthy of imitation in this con-
nection. He advises his patients, into
whose family the milk of INFESTED cows
is coming, to change their milkmau,
and recommends one who knows by
the tuberculin test whether or not his
cows are healthy. Municipal legisla-
ton should be invoked to remedy as
far as possible the delinquency of the
la vmakers in this matter of vital i'm
portance.
AN earnest that the Lexow commit
tee, investigating the municipal affairs
of New York city, will proceed to the
end, with impartial thoroughness, of
the trail it has struck, is found in the
advance, during the past week, to the
uncovering of corruption in higher
quarters of the city government. Po-
lice Captain Creeden has confessed
that, after repeated failure to secure
pro motion on the score of his merits,
his friends were constrained to raise
the sum of S15 900 which was demanded
as the price of promotion to captaincy.
OF this sum, he AYERS. $4,000 was paid
to John j. Martin, the agent in the
transaction of Judge John r. Voorhis,
then police commissioner, and the
party who, it is believed, received this
sum as the price of Creeden's.appoint.
ment. The $4,000 remainingithe tes-
timony shows was kept by an interme-
diary named Rappenhagen. Another
applicant for the promotion for which
Creeden was working, who had offered
S12 900 for it, the sum originally de.
manded of Creeden, compelled the lat
ter to raise his offer to $4,000. These
things, at first denied, were finally con-
fessed by Creeden and Rappenhagen.
Important when considered alone, this
case derives its greatest significance
from the fact it is known to be one of
many others in which promotions have
been bought by the payment of large
sums Of money exActed by officials
holding the appointing power. Creeden
is commended for his confession and
assured immunity from punishment, or
even dismissal from the force, in the
hope that others will be encouraged to
con 'ess and that through this, the only
open avenue to proof, the committee
may reach the chief criminals in this
dark drama of bribery and corruption.
Evidence was also presented to the
committee, duplicating Richard Croker,
the ex-boss of Tammany, in the re-
ceipt of the spois of corruption. 1t is
a noteworthy fact that the accused,
with one accord, pronounce as lies the
evidence of their guilt, and stoutly
maintain their innocence. ,