The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-07-24
NUMBER 80.

pected to keep for the coming month of Au-
gust: Temperature-mean, or normal, 63o
warmest month, thatlof 1892, with an aver
age of 60; coolest month, that Of 1887, with
an average of 60o; highest temperature, 91o
on August 10, 1893; lowest temperature,
$50, on August q, 1894; average date on
which first killing " frost occurred in au-
tumn, September q average date on which
last killing " frost occurred in spring, Nav
1G Precipitation-average for the MONTH
4.65 inches; average number of days with
.01 of an inch or more, IA; greatest monthly
precipitation, 6.98 inches, in 1890; least
monthly precipitation, 159 inches, in 1889;
greatest amount of precipitation recorded
in any twenty-four consecutive hours, 2.11
inches, on August and 3, 1894; snowfall,
none. Clouds-average number of clear
days, 8; partly cloudy days, II; cloudy days,
IL. Wind-the prevailing winds have been
from the south; highest velocity was 48
| miles from the west on August 10, 1892,
W. f. MCCLURE, the veteran dealer in
family groceries at the capital, passed away
early on Saturday morning, July 90 His
health began to fail in the spring. He stoutly
withstood the encroachments of disease,
and only until recently entirely relinquished
his business. Mr.. Mcclure was born in
! Chelsea, June TO- 1917 Previous to settling
in Montpelier, about thirty-n nine years ago,
he had seen something of life in other places
and parts of the country, having for time
had charge of body of men in the construc-
ton OF the Chicago and Illinois canal.
During his residence in Chicago he was a
member Of the first fire department of the
embryo metropolis of the West. In Mont
pelier he had been bookkeeper for Barnard
q Langdon and subsequently for e. r.
Skinner. For nearly generation past his
name has been familiar to the Montpelier
public as dealer in groceries, and for some
twenty-five years of this time his attendance
at his store in Hazen building has been as
constant and regular as the rising and going
down of the sun. His death breaks the last
link that bound the business life of the old
Montpelier to the new. Mr.. Mcclure was q
good citizen. He possessed kindly nature
and a genial disposition He was friendly
to all men, and all men were friendly to him.
His departure is regarded with sincere sor-
row, and many hearty eulogy is spoken
for the old merchant.
In United States district court, last week,
the cases against Ezra Hulett for selling
spirituous liquors without government IL
cense, and against Albert Goddard and Loren
Green, for forcibly breaking into a United
States post-office, were continued. George
M. Douglass, former postmaster at West
Rutland, pleaded guilty to embezzling S110
postal funds. Later, Hon. W. p. Dilling-
ham, his counsel, asked that sentence be
suspended that he might examine the case
of the respondent The first jury trial,
United States against Frank Halock of
forcibly breaking into United States post
Office occupied nearly three days. A YER
dict Of not guilty was rendered. District At
torney j. III. Senter and G. W. Wing for the
government, and D. J. Foster of Burling-
ton and Frank Plumley of Northfield for
the respondent The case of United States
against Joseph Drohart for selling spiritu-
GUS and malt liquors without license, was
continued, as were the three cases against
James NJ. Chamberlain. On the coming in
of nrt Mnn1ou off inrp
paneled in the case of United States against
William Eldredge, alias Brooklyn Slim"
for forcibly breaking into United States
post-offce. United States District Attorney
j. III. Senter for the government; D. ]. Fos-
ter of Burlington for respondent. verdict
of guilty was rendered.
THE discovery by the Masonic fraternity
that George Johnson, who recently had a
partial shock of paralysis at the livery
stable of G. G. Downing was brother
needing help, has brought to light most
interesting story. Mr.. johnson was en-
tirely without money, and was taken by the
Masons to the home OF Horace e. Bliss, on
East State street, where he could be prop
. erly cared for, and the lodge at Dover
Plains, N. Y, to which he reluctantly as
sented that he belonged, was notified. Last
Saturday member of that lodge and a
daughter of Mr.. johnson arrived in Mont
pelier and made known the fact that Mr..
Johnson's real name is George Hufcut, He
was prominent and worthy citizen OF
Dover Plains, owning the finest residence
in the place. Through signing notes for
large amounts that he eventually had to
pay, and through the rascality of business
,, partner, he became deeply involved, and
seventeen months ago he left Dover Plains,
not telling his wife and daughter where he
; was going. He was traced to New York
city, where a systematic search failed to
, find him, and he was finally given up as
dead. Nothing further was heard from
him until the letter from f. d. Dewey, sec
retary Of Aurora Lodge, was received last
t week at Dover Plains. Mr. johnson, as he
was known, was at the Exchange Hotel for
several months after he came to Mont
pelier from New York, but never COM
muncated with his family. He felt the loss
3 of his property as a disgrace, and preferred
that his friends should think he was dead.
The meeting between the father and
daughter was one that would have wrung
tears from the hardest heart. A new suit
of clothes was purchased for him, Monday
morning, and he was taken to Dover Plains
by his daughter and the gentleman who
accompanied her. He has very large cir
Gle of friends there who were profoundly
stirred when they heard that he was still
alive and in want, and they had planned
for him very hearty reception. Had Mr..
Hufcut died at the livery stable of Mr..
, Downing when he received the shock, his
family and friends at Dover Plains would
have forever been in ignorance of his fate
'Tis pleasant story to tell, the best part OF
it being that 1t is true.