The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-07-14
NEWS OF CONNECTICUT
HAPPENINGS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF
 THE STATE.

Mayor Prcston's Idea of the Controllers of
 the Chicago Convention-State Commis-
 sion on Diseases of Cattle Under Investi-
 gation-Ravages of Army worms--Con-
 gressman Hill Thinks Bryan Very
 Weak Candidate-other State News.
 Hartford, July Ex-Governor Coffin this afternoon held an inquiry into certain allegations against the state commission on the diseases of domestic animals. It has been asserted that cat tie have been killed by their orders which were not affected with tuber- culosis and that the commissioners have appraised them beyond their value. These allegations the commits sioners deny. There were present at the hearing Governor Coffin, Executive Secretary Haines, J. A. Turner of this city, pr. Lyman, veterinary surgeon, and the commissioners.
 RAVAGES OF ARMY WORMS. Hartford, July 1S.-The ravages of the army worms in East Hartford are so great that many farmers cut their hay in the meadows yesterday. All the crop will be cut this week in order to escape the pests. The worms are work ing northward and some sections of the meadows have not been visited yet. The loss so far is about one-third of the entire crop. This will be greatly in- creased if the hay is not cut at once. A WILD-EYED LOT. Hartford, July 13.-Mayor Preston and the other delegates from Connec- ticut to the Chicago democratic con- vention reached home early this morn ing. Mayor Preston, who was a dele gate at large from the First congress sional district, described the men who controlled the convention as "a wild eyed lot He is against an independ- ent democratic ticket for presidential electors and is not yet willing to say that he will not vote for the Chicago ticket. He thought the nomination of Sewall a sop to catch votes in the east. | PROBABLE SUICIDE IN A WELL. Norwalk, July 13.-John Chichester,
 
 threw himself into a well on his prem ises last night. He went in head fore | most and dislocated his neck. A neigh bor heard the splash and went down the dark well and pulled Chichester out of the water. Other help was soon at l hand and both men were rescued. When Chichester was pulled out, seven min- utes after he fell in, he was dead He leaves a wife and three children. The we'll was twenty-four feet deep, with four feet of water
 CATHOLICS ANNUAL MEETING. Middletown, July 13.-The annual meeting of the state council of the Catholic Benevolent Legion will be held in Lower Masonic hall tomorrow, be- ginning at Il o'clock. Each council in the state is entitled to three represen- tatives.
 DATE.
 Winsted, July 13.-E J.. Hill in an l interview to-day stated that Bryan was, in his opinion, the weakest can l didate that the democrats could have selected. When questioned on state is- l sues he replied that he was confident ! that Lieutenant Governor Lorin A. Cooke would receive the entire vote I of the Litchfeld and Fairfield county delegations to the state convention for I the gubernatorial nomination.
 l $5O,O00 FIRE IN PORT JEFFERSON. Bridgeport, July 13-Word has been I received here of a disastrous fire which | occurred yesterday at Port Jefferson,
 l.. l., during which Frederick Darling's big department store and the building
 adjoining were burned to the ground.
 The volunteer fire department could do
 nothing to subdue the flames. The 1 damage is estimated at $5O,O00, all of
 which is covered by insurance. l DROWNED WHILE BATHING. Middletown. July 13.-John Mahoney, l tWenty-four years old, of Colchester, employed in Millington, was drowned | Sunday in Newtons pond, Moodus. With a party he went there bathing
 and challenged two of them for a race
 from shore to shore. they in a boat and
 he to swim. They started and on look | ing back saw Mahoney go under the
 water. Supposing he was swimming
 under water they finished the race. On l their return they found his dead body
 at the bottom of the pond