Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-03-18
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S8LA4A1 A41
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.


north end of the Tombs prison in thu
days before death in the electric ,hai
was adopted in this state as til,
punishment for capital crimes, was
dragged from its resting place in the
cellar of the Tombs Yesterday by order
of Warden Hogan, and was sawed in
to trewuoa. II has lain IN disturbed
for almost ten wears. Fearer Siml son
is the only man of the present fo,ce at
tho Tombs whose tenuleof oil, e goes
back to the time when the gnllows wasia
use. Simpson is now 73 wears old
He startei in MS IL prison keeper in
1S49 and has been in the Tomb' since
1883. He said that tie last execution
which took place within the walls of
the city prison was on Aug. %, 1889,
when four men were hanged in the
short time of 20 minutes. The mel
were Packenham, Nolan. Lewis nnd
"Handsome Harry Carlton. The
first three We're han sed for killing
women in drunken brawls. Hand
some Harry shot Policeman Bennett
in Il saloon. He was sentenced to die
in the spring of 1889, bnt secured u
respite and was finally hanged with
the other three.
A violin that was once the property
OF Louis XVI of Franc, now reposes
III the place of honor in the safe of
Victor >. Fletche", IN this city This
royal instrument. ever since it was
turnel ont from the shop of Nicholas
Amati in 1860, h,s been in apprecia-
tive hands. Asa conse luence, it is in
a peri, ct state of preservation. The
yarnish is as fresh aud clear as if it
had been applied year ago. The
king, rs n mark OF special favor,
presented the instrument to Artot,
famous virtuoso and composer. In
the course OF time it found its way
into the hands of Divide Musin, who
sent it to the Worlds fair at Chicago,
in 1898, where it was on exhibition.
Musin sold it to Max Bend y, who
sold it to its present possessOr. 1t is
accompanied by gold mounted Tour,e
bow, vn'ued at $l50. The instrument
is ornamented with the royal coat of
arms aud feur de lis. Its tone is
exquisite. 1t is valued at $1,000.
Michael Angelo Woolf, who has just
died here, may be characterized as the
Raphael of the modern city's Slum-
Children. His humorous portrayals
OF the life of the gutter-snipe were not
only sure prOvokers OF laughter, but
there was always in them, also. n deli
cate pathos and. sympathy, rs we'll
as sc leral refinement of manner
and matter in the little story
or 'take-off' that marked the
best work of tn, elder English
masters of comic drawing in London
Punch. Mr.. Woolfs success in touch
ing off the whimsies of the street
gamin world produced horde of imi-
tators, and from their shortcomings
his work has suffered somewhat il
popular esteem; but in spite of theit
cheapening limitations, the fact is gen
orally recognized that Mr. Wool
started out upol new line in illus
tration, which lie followed artistically
and with loving as we'll rs laugh
ing mind.
The regretable occurrence at the
Sportsmen's show here, whereby a
high diver was fatally injured, again
calls public attention to the foolhardi-
ness of athletes who engage in such
feats. High diving should be pro.
hibited. or at least restricted, by
legal enactment There never is any
danger, of course, until some one gets
killed or manned for life. Up to cou-
pie of years ago, acts in which high
diving was feature We're frequently
seen in the vaudeville theatres, but an
accident, resulting in death, led the
most influential manager OF that form
of entertainment to forever prohibit
such exhibitions in his theatres, and
no one ever misses them. There is u
law against suicide, and recklessness
of this kind is not far removed from
the deliberate taking of ones life.
The fight in the city between Tam
many and the elevated road is grow
ing still more bitter and venomous.
1t seems to be an instance of black
mailing an institution that is quite
open to blackmail because of the fact
that the rights OF the public
have been ignored for years by tina!
institution under the protection of
Tammany. In effect the case is
about as if any law-breaker should re-
fuse to pay out money to the word
"pantata any longer, and the Tam
many police should then swoop down
in a righteous raid. In the present
instance, both Tammany and the ee-
vated suffer somewhat, but the public
may apparently get some benefit. The
old saw as to the advantage which
comes to honest men when thieves
fall out, is again justified in its wis
dom.
The bill to reorganize the police de-
partment of this city has run
up against q snag, and Governor
Roosevelt is not particularly sorry.
OF course he is interested in the well
fare of the New York police, but he is
likewise interested in the principle of
local self government. Meddling with
Go.ham's police establishment will
not help that cause.
The recent dinner 10 Carl Schurz
was an interesting event and good
taste pervsded 1t in the omission of
features that could offend in the poll
tics of the day. Governor Morton of
New York and other Republicans were
present and Mr.. Schurz, in his speech,
modestly and gracefully acknowledged
the honors paid him.
kNICKERBoCKEE.
General Booth All Right.
London. March 14.-Inquiries made re.
garding the dispatch from Melbourne,
HyiaAexi@ L.