The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-25
GOSSIP
FROM GOTHAM
New York City Face to Face With a
Milk Famine.
COUNTESS IN POLICE COURT
A Painters Great Pcril-Huns Sus-
pended in Air 125 Feet from the
Ground-Turned His Hair Gray.
Dies from Hydrophohia.
COUNTESS IN POLICE COURT

NEW YORK, July 24.-New York is now
face to face with a scarcity of milk, when
threatens to develop into famine
The price of the commodity on winch SO
many thousands Of homes among the poor
depend, and which is the staple article OF
diet fer so many thousands Of New York
babies, has lately been advanced. 1t needs
only a continuance Of the present hot spell
throughout this State to so aggravate the
conditioIt of things that the poor Will feel
sharply pinched
Hot weather is in fact the direct cause Of
the present scarcity of milk. 1t not only
decreases the supply by scOrchtng the pas
lures SO that the COWS give less mix, put
it considerably increases the demand. More
milk is drunk and more used in ice cream
during spell of unusually oppressive heat
than IN normal summer weather.
Small grocers throughout this city We're
notified on Monday, July 16, that the price
of milk had been advanced one-quarter of
a cent a quart That is, the price Of a
forty quart can, which had been on the
average $3.50, was raised to $1.40.
This was the result of two advances de-
creed by the New York Milk Exchange,
which meets in Harrison Street, OF one
eighth of cent quart each, amounting in
all to ten cents a, can.
a PAINTERS PERIL.
To avoid attracting a curious crowd
Joseph Henry Speer. Bloomfield house
painter. chose 4 o'clock yesterday morn
ing. when the streets were deserted, to
climb to the top of a liberty pole on the
Bloomfield common to make repairs
He had made his way to the top, 12o
feet above ground, and was working in
the dim light, when a policeman saw
the dangling end of the supporting rope
which Speer had tied in half hitch
about his leg.
The policeman glanced upward, but in
the semi-darkness did not observe the man
aloft He gave the rope a vigorous jerk,
to see if it would come down, and walked
away.
The pull of the rope brought Speer head
downward Suspended only by the inse-
cure fastening on his leg, he swayed help
lessiy Death seemed certain He was 50
Mortified he could not cry out Seconds
If awful suspense followed. He expected
?e slight support would snap and he would
be hurled TO the ground.
Finally the wind swayed his body around
SO he could clutch the pole He managed
to release the knot and slid TO a crossbar,
where it was half an hour before he re-
gained sufficient strength to continue 10
the ground.
His nerves were wrecked by the terrible
ordeal and his hair turned white.
DEMAND BLACKMAIL-
It is declared by William Malberg, who
leases the apartment houses at Nos $40 and
$40 Wcsts Fifty-ninth Street, that because
he has refused to give money to the police
twelve of his tenants have been driven out
by the persecution of Captain John j.
Donohue's men within the last three
weeks, while those who remain are re
peatedy subjected to insult. Malberg said
yesterday that he would go TO Police
Headquarters and lay the matter before
the Commissioners.
When the charges were called to the at
tention Of Captain Donohue, at the West
Forty-seventh Street police station, he said
they were not worth paying attention TO.
He would take no steps to make Malberg
either retract or prove his assertions
This man Malberg is a liar, he said
DIR. James Haley, q veterinary surgeon,
OF No. q East Third Street, died in Bel
levue Hospital at nine O'Clock last night
from hydrophObia, the result OF q dog
bite received last May.
Barking. snarling and swapping like
dog at the nurses and attendants, Dr.
Haley had been q patient little more
than twenty-fOur hours when death re-
l;eved him from the agony of the par
oxysrns into which he was thrown Dr-
Haley was bitten while doctOring an Italian
greyhound which had bitten several per-
sons, but as that was three months ago all
fear Of the disease developing had been dis
sipated-
A COUNTESS IN COURT.
Two young women, each Of attractive
personality, made a pathetic picture in JET
fersOn Market Court yesterday afternoon.
One Countess Festetics, known in this city
as Mrs Annie n. Duke, was q prisoner
charged with the larceny OF a valuable
lorgaettc, The other the complainant, was
Mrs Dora Redstone, until recently the
warmest personal friend OF the Countess.
1t was made apparent that the case was
the outgrowth OF a quarrel. and Mrs, Red
stone seemed even moro anxious 10 with
draw the complaint than her one-t!me
friend was to have her do so. Magistrate
Mead quickly settled the affair by ordering
the discharge of Countess Festetics on the
ground that no crime had been committed,
and that the only suit that could rest would
be one brought in 4 civil court
Mrs RedstOne, who is about the same
age as her friend, is even a more handsome
woman than the Countess Festetica. Both
were gowned in stylish manner yester-
day, and seemed TO be sadly out of place
amid tho dingy' surroundings OF Jefferson
Market Court. Each was in tears when the
case was called. Mrs. Redstone asked
permission to withdraw her complaint but
refused 60 accept the proffer of friendship
mazda by the Countess.
After Magistrate Mead had dismissed
the casa the Countess went out into the
street and there awaited Mrs Redstone.
When the latter appeared the Countess re-
sumed her attempt at q reconciliation The
other simply waved her off, with her voice
filled with sobs. saying that she had for
given but could never forget.