The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-19
AT THE HOTELS.

AT The HOTELS.
The decision OF the Oklahoma tegisla-
ture to retain hanging IS the Official
mode OF INJECTING the death penalty IN
Oklahoma. turning down propositions 10
substitute electrocutiOn for it. and to
abolish the death penalty entirely, again
calls attention 70 the fact that there
have been very few hsngings in Okla
bona. at any rate II the western half
Of the State, although It has been the
legal punishment for capital crime since
Oklahoma Territory was organized, IN
1889"
Col. K. J. Russell. Of Guthrie. Okla. who
Is at the Raleigh, made this statement
last night
"But one nan was ever legally hanged
in the Territory Of Oklahoma. continued
the okIahoman; that pes negro named
sIillgsn. hanged IN $40, al Oklahoma
City. There were also but foar lynchings
during the eighteen years Of territorial
government. and for one OF them several
OkIahomsns are still serving time in the
Federal prison at Leavenworth, Kans-
and one Iynehing since Statehood
ION the Indian Territory side Of the
State there were numerous hangings after
the United States courts we're esta blished
IN the Territory. and Still before that
time, when the Federal court at Fort
Smith. Ark, had jurisdiction over Indian
Territory. many Indian Territory criTni-
nails met their death on the gaIlows az
Fort Smith, sentenced TO death by Judge
IT, c. Parker famous as the hanging
Judge George 1fuidOon. the hangman
at Fort Smith during most Of the Parker
regime. says that he hanged eighty-seven
men. the great majority OF them from
Indian Territory"
In the observatory OF Columbia Uni
rersity is one Of the most accurate clocks,
according to James G. Fields. OF New
York, who is at the Raleigh. Mr. Fields
Is deeply interested IN astronomical re-
search. and is here in connection with
his studies.
This clock" continued Mr.. Fields. has
run for several months with a mean error
OF only fifteen-thousandtbs OF second
and maximum error OF thirty-thou-
sandths Of a second day. That means
that il does not vary more than half
second a month, or six seconds q year
Compare this with the first pocket
timepiece, the animated egg OF Nurenl-
berg which required winding twice q
day. and varied On hour and a half IN
the same time Compare It with some
Of the highest priced watches manufac-
tured to-day, which often vary more than
Ten seconds q week, and you VIII have
some idea Of the refinement IN the science
| OF measuring time Yet even this accuracy
/ is surpassed By some famous timepieces-
There have been clocks or watches that
have varied less than a second IN PERIODS
as long as ter years.
The clock az the University o. Co
/ lunbia Is an astronomical clock. Il Is
surrounded BY e glass case, in which
partial vacuum Is maintained and IN OF
/ der that the case may not be opened OF
disturbed the winding is done auto
rnaticaIIy by electricity The clock is SET
iup in q room especially constructed 10
! keep II free from far or vibration. The
/ temperature and barometric conditions
1 are maintained practically constant, ana
every possible precaution IS taken 20 min
/ imize the errors OF the running rate
/ 1t is not generally appreciated that
I clocks OF the present type. although used
as far hack as the twelfth century, and
j possibly earlier. were but fair timekeep-
/ ers until several centuries later IN fact.
iit has only been within the last few dec
AIDES that really accurate clocks have
/ been manufactured Those with ths
7 astronomers used in their observations a.
/ the end Of the fifteenth century were 50
4 unreliable that modified forms Of the
water clocks OF the sncieuts we're often
/ employed as q check upon them Calico 5
( discovery OF the fsochrOuism a the
pendulum from the swinging chandelier
4 in the Church OF Pisa vas OF great value
4 in its application 10 the measurement OF
\ time The invention Of Tire meTcurisl and
compromising pendulum has aided ma
4 terfally in cutting down the errors o.
the running rate and controlling the no
! tons OF clock mechanism
Henry r. Ferguson. Of London, Eng
7 land. is at the Shorehsm- He IS on a
sightseeing tour Of this country, and.
Il speaking OF London as a city Of life, Mr..
Ferguson said that London was very
! much amused. = not little angry, that
: Americans. through the columns Of soma
OF their own papers. should devote 50
much tine and energy 10 accusing London
Of being such a very duh city
IF Americans ate less when the cams
! 10 London" continued Mr. Ferguson. ats
regularly and more leisurely, not boiling
; food. washed down with ice cold water;
went To bed at reasonable hours, and did
not Law themselves open 10 the tortures
OF indigestion, they would not find Lon
don so dull as they would fam make i
out 10 be.
An American first nighter, who did not
like London and Londoners. al least not
very much. when he first came 20 London
lust a little over 8 year ago, has become
a fervent convert. He loves London now
ana everything in It. He has contracted
regular habits. never suffers from ind
gsstion, is one OF the hspPiest men u
London, thinks the narrow. crowded
Strand the most interesting thoroughfart
he has ever walked over. and he has SC
he says. been il every city in the woTl1
worth visiting
What London dull2' he exclaimed p
answer to a query. Flag those A5aeri-
cans who say London Is dull It is only
the weather that Is dull sometimes II
London
Tt may be that Americans regard Lon
don as dull because they don't hustle
sufficiently. II an Englishman and 81
American entered a New York restaU
rant together, the latter would finish NJ;
meal and Indulge in a nap before th'
Britisher had got half way through Th'
American can arrive at the middle OF TIT
table d'hote dinner. catch up with tht
Englishman, who is five OF six course.
ahead, and stilI beat him by s couple o.
laps That the American IS the typica
hustler Of the world is not 70 be doubted
UnQuestionahly. there IS not the same
variety Of life, socially, in London rs II
America
Governmental Extravaganza.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Extravazance apnears 10 be the Be