Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-02-18
e. A. SPEAR,
UNDERTAKING
AND
Enbal1ning,
WOODSTOCK, VERMONT.
225-Y A9
Msxs. IYtHSA;S r,e1z GE
lS4GL4H1g LH1
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


Governor Roosevelt la. clearly de-
fnel his attitude toward criminals
awaiting the intlicton of the death
penalty. The governors remarks
were occasioned by the question as to
what influence was being brought to
bear upon him in behalf of Mrs.
Martha Place, the Brooklyn woman
who murdered her step daughter, Ida,
who has been condemned to die
in the electric chair on March 20, and
in whose behalf the ex-governor has
refused to interfere. With this case
in mind the governor said he would
Judge every case, whether it concerned
man or woman, strictlyupon its merits,
and that visiting committees and
long petitions would be of no avail.
The governor let it be understood
that the question of sex would not de-
ter him from allowing the law to take
it's course. If woman is entirely
blameworthy of murder the governor
will Judge her on precisely the same
plane as he would man. He has no
patience with the maudlin sentlmen-
tality which surrounds murderer
condemned to die and especially no.
tceabe when the criminal is a woman.
The governor sud he had no kindly
feeling for the criminal, and that his
sympathy went ont to the wronged.
and not to the wrongdoers. If he
should find ont that II girl committed
infanticide, he said he would punish
the man in the case every time he
could catch him. The governor con-
cluded with the statement that he
would always gladly receive facts cal
culated to throw new light on the
cases which come before him. but the
mere petitions for pardon will be of
no avail.
A neat little sensation, based upon
n not unwelcome fact, has just been
sprung in the matter of the legislative
investigation of Surrogate Arnold s
office. The Assembly investigating
committee came to town prepared to
formally begin it's work. but it went
back to Albany with the Investigation
off, the surrogate having resigned or
agreed to resign and the way is open
to the appointment of his successor by
the governor pending an election next
fall. 1t is better so. The committee probe
would undoubtedly have reached inca
pncity and favoritism rs causes respon-
sible for the exasperating and intoler-
able conditions complained of by the
legal fraternity. But it is not likely
that anything criminal would have
been developed. For this reason the
public eau receive with qualification a
settlement which will probably save
the state very large sum in the way
of committee expenses, and the Legs-
lature and court OF appeals the embar-
rassment of summer labor on impeach
ment proceedings. The surrogate y
friends have advised him wisely, and
he has displayed a commendable I'M
derstandng of situation and its
assured sequel.
Bishop Potter's idea OF church
saloon, otherwise to be known as n
squirrel inn, is going to be realized
here. A building in the lower end of
the Bowery has been leased Cor the
purpose right in the midst of scores
of other saloons in that festive quar-
ter. All the features of the regular
saloon, aside from the liquors
sold, will be adopted, and
fads and other suggestions of
religious nature are to be rigidly
exclIdel. The experiment stands thus
i'll theory. If followed ont in every
detail, the success or failure of the
experiment when the place is opened
for business will determine il Bishop
Potter is right or wrong in his theory.
He still believes that patrons of the
regular saloon go there only for the
club and social features.
The recent death here of Rev. DIR.
Charles Seymour Robinson was the
death of Presbyterian churchman as
widely loved as he was widely known.
He was peculiarly active and success
full in pushing the work of church or.
ganizaton. aud his compilations oI
song books for congregational use
have attained great popularity. II is
matter of great regret that he leaves
nncompleted book upon Egypt and
the Holy Land, i'll preparation for
which he had made several trips to the
Orient, aud tn the construction of
which ha h,J .loy,ta1 mucL loho,.