smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

There is mystery about the fate of Kate
Riedl which in the cause OF justice should
be unravelled. The young girl found dead
on Staten Island cannot speak. Her voice
was silonced before her body was discov-
cred. The one thing certain is that she died
by poison, and the supposition is that the
poison was one which kills instantaneously
and surely. Either she committed suicide
knowingly, then, or the drug was admins
tered to her by another person, or she was
induced by some one to swallow it, in igno-
rance Of its deadly effect. Everything that
has come to light about the girl thus far is
adverse to the theory of intentional self
destruction. She was young, good looking,
without moral scruples regarding her course
of life, willing to enjoy herself as we'll as
she could, and not in immediate
suffering or poverty or fear Of dis
grace. She had been mother be-
fore, and it is only reasonable to believe
that the prospect of becoming mother
again could only have been annoying to her
inasmuch as it was likely to entail on her
the care of child. There is no reason to
suspect that her condition would have
driven her to suicide while there is good
ground for supposing that the chance of
of an infant might have induced her to
adopt any supposed remedy that might have
been suggested or offered by some person
in whom she placed confidence But, if she
had determined to take her own life, no
reasonable cause can be assigned why she
Staten Island, and died by her own hand in
retired spot on the public highway.


Let us suppose that some person, on whom
she was burden, and whose anxiety to be
rid of her was increased by the knowledge
of her condition, had resolved to take her
life. It would have been easy and natural
for him to have persuaded the confiding girl
to consent to escape tho coming burden to
have given her drug and made her believe
it was a swift and certain relief from her
condition when in fact it was deadly
poison to have induced her to 60 to Staten
Island or some other place where she was
unknown instead of taking the medicine in
her own room where inquiry might be made
as to the cause of her illness, and under this
pretence and by means Of this trap to
have caused her death. 1t would be well
for the police to direct their investigation to
the discovery whether any person went with
the poor girl to Staten Island shortly before
her death, as such visit might have been
made for the purpose of selecting q spot
suitable for taking the medicine with which,
under this theory, she would have supposed
she was supplied; whether any person be-
trayed knowledge that she had gone to
Staten Island, and whether any person an
swering the description of those associated
with the deceased can be found to have pur-
chased prussic acid or to have been in a
position to obtain possession of such a
deadly poison. Certainly tho case requires
much more searching inquiry than it has
yet received.
Year: 1877

Should There Bo an InvcsngnttOn


Governor Bedle no doubt acted con-
scientiously and in his own judgment
simply performed his duty when he deter
mined on enforcing the sentence of the law
in the case Of Oschwald and Ryan, the re-
puted murderers of Officer Brock. Tho
Governor believed the men to be guilty.
In his own words, used to q HERALD re-
porter, 'there was not shadow of doubt in
his mind" as to their guilt and hence
his refusal to interfere with their
execution. But other persons, just as con-
scientious as Governor Bedle and quite as
anxious as he can be to bring offenders
against the law to punishment, are not SO
well satisfied that Ryan and Oschwald were
the real murderers of Officer Brock, and
they desire, in Justice to the dead as well as
to the living, That oil doubt on the question
shall be cleared away.


Why should not the case be thoroughly
investigated, and why should not the anony-
nous letters and all other clews that are
likely to lead to the discovery of the truth
be vigiantly followed up? Governor Bedle
and Judge Depue are sound lawyers and
honest men, but as such they will
not insist on tho infallibility OF
their judgment. 1t is just posi-
Bile that tho strong and unyieldine
belief in the guilt of the two dead men en-
Year: 1877

lnsidious Hostility TO Rapid Transit


week or two since. and another in the Sen.


ate more recently, Of which the effect would


be to embarrass obstruct, postpone and de-


feat rapid transit. Bills got up with this


intention deserve and must expect no mercy


from the people of this metropolis. The
Assembly bill was drafted, or at least intro


duced, by q prominent member from
this city. No city member who has q
proper regard for his reputation con afford
to stab rapid transit under the fifth rib, or
to lend himself either desienedly or un-
knowingly to the artful schemes Of the horse
who aids these companies in their efforts to
defeat rapid transit need ever expect an
other election from our citizens. If he is
blind or stupid enough to be bamboozled by
the horse car companies he is unfit to be q
member of tho Legislature, and if he lends
against him is still worse. Even if he is the
innocent dupe of the horse car companies
he cannot escape imputations fatal to
his honor. These soulless corporations are
known to be wealthy and unscrupulous (;
nobody doubts their willingness to spend
money profusely to defeat rapid transit ;
and when q city member acts against the
nearly unanimous sentiment Of his con-
stituents in serving the ends of these COR
porations they will be apt to put their own
construction on his motives. In proportion
as he is man of known intelligence will be
and not IN accomplice. The Assembly
bill to which we have referred is framed for
the purpose of embarrassing the rapid transit
companies by raising and prolonging ques-
tions respecting compensation to owners of
private property. The present rapid transit
law gives them sufficient protection, and the
stealthy object Of the new bill is to enable
them to institute vexatious and dilatory
suits in the courts and to obstruct rapid
transit under the mask Of feigned solicit
tude for private rights of property Every
such deceitful mask must be torn off and
the abettors of the horse CIR companies be
exposed to the gaze Of their betrayed fellow
citizens. The Senate bill introduced day
or two since by SenatorWagstaff also from this
city, discloses equal hostility to rapid tran
sit under different disguise. 1t in effect
prohibits any but underground roads
through the centres Of blocks, and contains
provisions respecting compensation which
would enable private owners to stave off
their construction forever by dilatory pro-
ceedings in the courts. We say, and say
with emphasis, that no member of either
branch of the Legislature from this city who
values his reputation, can afford to be the
open or the covert tool of the horse car COM
panies in their deadly hostility to rapid tran
sit.
Year: 1877

The CARNIVAL, which was thought to be dead,
is rcsuscitatcd, and its friends predict its sue
cess. Anything that will add to the innocent
amusements of the city is always welcome, but
It should be known who are to be the managers
of the proposed festival before the public in
dorscs it. If are to have n carnival in New
York VIC cannot be too careful about the manner
in which it is planned and executed.
Year: 1877

be due to them for the escape of the Repub-
lie from stupendous peril and the deliv-
erance of the South from a more malignant
form of federal domination than they have
yet experienced.
Year: 1877

Progress OF tho Count Yesterday.


good deal of time was wasted by the
filibusters yesterday, but they gained no
real advantage. Great credit is due to
Speaker Randall for his vigor and
frmness in ruling against dilatory
motions, and to Mr.. Fernando Wood
for the parliamentary skill and invincible
persistence with which he confronted
the obstructionists There is good reason to
believe that the business will be ended
to-day, to the great relief of public anxiety.
The filibusters made a desperate fight yes
terday throughout the greater part of the
day, and succeeded in consuming seven or
eight hours over the case of South Carolina,
which ought to have been despatched in two
They were at last brought to terms by
Mr.. Wood, who compelled them to
choose between q more reasonable course
and an all night session for the purpose of
completing the count. A vote was taken on
the South Carolina decision Of the commits
sion notice was sent to the SenAte the joint
convention reassembled, and the votes of
South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas were
counted in regular order Then the Vermont
certificate was opened and objected to, when
q disgusting scene was enacted by the
irrepressible filibuster, Springer. Springer
was not drunk, but had he been he could
not have committed more fagrant breaches
of parliamentary decorum. His headlong
zeal and strength of lungs did not permit
him to be easily put down, and he received
more than was due ofthe indulgence usually
bestowed on maniac. After the objections
to Vermont had been presented the Senate
retired, when the House took recess until
ten o'clock this morning. The counting of
the votes will undoubtedly be successfully
concluded to-day in spite of the ranting, OBJ
structive flibusters. After Vermont, Vir-
ginia and West Virginia will be counted
without loss of time, and if the filibusters
make a fight on Wisconsin the House will be
kept in continuous session until that last
State is disposed of. The Senate behaved
admirably on the Vermont case after retir-
ing to their chamber. With prompt unan-
unity they voted down the objections as
frivolous and are ready to go again into
Joint convention as soon rs the House shall
give them notice. We are at ''the begin
ming of the end"
Year: 1877

Board can increase but not decrease the
rate of toll fixed by the Legislature for the
year it might be well if Lieutenant Gov
ernor Dorsheimers policy should be
carried even further than he proposes. The
rates should be put by the Legislature SO
low as to be merely nominal, leaving the
Canal Board management as flexible as that
of the railroads and enabling the canals to
meet and compete with the railroad trick of
reducing freights during the season of navi-
cation. five pursue this policy we shall
have tolls low enough to satisfy oil interests
and the power to compete at oil times with
the railroads. We shall also insure the per-
manency of our canal system, which is OF
great importance to New York, and which
would be endangered by making the main
tenance of the canals charge on the State.
Year: 1877

THE PROJECT of new thoroughfare along tho
line of the Brooklyn Bridge roadway docs not
seem to make rapid hendway. The owners of
real estate in the Fourth ward are still in doubt
as to their real interests.
Year: 1877

OPERATIONS ON FLOOD Rock, in the Hell Gate
channel, are once moro progressing, and General
Newton is again busy directing tho excavation
of that dangerous obstruction to naviga-
tion. We print elsewhere some interesting
details regarding the work With regard
to the effects of the clearing out Of
the He'll Gate channel on tho tidal cur
rents, we would repeat the statement
made by the HERALD while interpretations for tho
removal of Hallctt's Point Reef were approaching
completion. BY increasing the section of the
channel tho currents will be increased some
what in force, but decreased in duration. The
absence of distractions will render navigation
safe for the largest ships; therefore, although
they may be carried through the channel with
increased speed, no apprehcnsions need be enter
tanned on that account.
Year: 1877

commerce large amount Of the capi.
tai which had heretofore been invested
in enterprises demanding thousands Of
laborers Of all classes. Again ve may
premise that the present unsettled con.
dition of the Presidential question has
somewhat to do in causing : lack Of
confidence in men Of capital in engag.
ing in enterprises vhicn would other
wise furnish occupation, for . large
portion of their idle laborers. It is
then of the utmost Importance, to tho
country that the Presidential question
should be settled as speedily y possible
and taat confidence should be restored to
the ordinary great channels Of industry,
which will keep the laboring and pro.
ducing classes of the country we'll en-.
ployed.
Year: 1877

The number OF able bodied men in
New York out Of employment is esti-
mated at 50,OO0.- 0.-Er.


New York is not the only city or
place where large portion of the able
bodied men are out of employment. A
similar condition Of idleness pervadcs
the whole country to greater or less
extent. Even this coast is beginning to
show many idle men. There is cause
for this. Some of these idlers are con-
stitutionally so, and if opportunities for
employment were ever SO abundant, so
long as they can bum their living, they
will avoid work. But there is another
class at present, and We think much the
larger class that are willing to work and
prefer to earn their daily living by hard
labor rather than live upon the charities
Of their friends, and these cannot find
employment. What are the causes Of
this state and condition of the working
classes? A very large class of the labor
ing population of the country have been
accustomed to labor for hire, have never
been accustomed to plan work for them
selves and in all the enterprises in
which they have been engaged they
have been simply employees of men of
capital who set in motion aud kept in
active operation enterprises of magni-
tude which required multitudes of labor
ing men and women to carry them for
ward In the east during the war of
the rebellion, articles of consumption
for the troops were in great demand and
at enormous prices, which stimulated
the great industries that produced and
manufactured them; and in the alb.
sence Of thousands who were in the
ranks of cur army, all labor remaining
at home was in great demaud and prices
r
good. The war closed and with the
close ceased the demand for these pro-
ducts, leaving in many cases large
stocks on hand in the ware houses of
the east. Owners and managers foresee-
ing no further market suspended opera


tions and y, discharged their employees
and sent them drift. With the dis


banding of the army returned home
thousands from the war, who also were
without employment. The accumula
tions of the laboring classes during the
war enabled them to survive for several
years without much labor and, the pay
Of the soldiers enabled them to comfort
ably survive the change for time.
But extravagant habits of living formed
in the flush times of the war has since
exhausted their previ1us earnings and
now they feel the necessity for employ
ment, while the owners aud projectors
of the great enterprises demanding la
Dor do not yet feel justified in engaging
in these enterprises but to limited ex
tent. Again large numbers of men who
formerly invested their money in these
enterprises and made fortunes during
the War, have Withdrawn their money
from them and invested it in govern
ment bonds and other securities, and
are perfectly content to realize the
government interest thereon so that the
government itself has Withdrawn from
'-the channels Of trade, manufacture and
Year: 1877

NEW MAIL RoUTE.-The Government
has establisheda new mail route between
West Chester and Lenape, better known
as Sager's Station on the Wilmington &
Northern Railroad. The new route will
not go into effect until the 1st of June,
and Messrs. Woodward & Seeds, of our
Borough, have been awarded the contract
for carrying the mail over the new route
This award is just one, as they have
been for long while carrying both let
ters and papers as accommodation to the
people here and at the other end of their
stage route.-West Chester Netcs.
Year: 1877

If there WAS one man more astouished
than every other man in the United States,
it must have been President Grant, Satur-
day morning, March Bird, on waking up and
finding that Packard's gang were still in the
State House on St. Louis Street. If words
mean anything, Grants message to Pack
ard and Nichols Sithdraws his declaration
of the StGtu quo and leaves the two govern
ments to their own strength. He says,
frst, that no State Government in Louisa-
ma must longer be maintained by the use
of the military, and secondly, that the
troops will be used for nothing but to pro
tect life and property from mob violence,
and, that, when the State authorities cannot
do it


A mob is an undisciplined, unorganized,
riotous assemblage of the populace. A
State militia has none of these character
istics; it is organized, officered, subjected
to discipline, controlled by its commander
and obedient to the government.


Gen. Grant was making no allusiou to a
State militia when he spoke of a Mob.


What then did he cxpectH Simply that
he would not be misunderstood, that the old
military instinct of the South with which
he is 81 we'll acquainted would seize the
situation, that within an hour after his
message had reached here the State House
would hc formally invested and that he
would hH reading the details Of its capture
over his coffee next morning.


Instead OF this there is tim;dity, there is
hesitation, ther'is misrepresentation, there
Is nothing done. there is nothing left to
Year: 1877

+ Geu. Grant bat to ruminate over the ole
+ saying: How are the mighty fallen!


Oar readers will bear witness that


we have uniformly set our faces as flint
against any policy which could result in a


coutlct with the United States troops, un-
lees the movement were universal through


ont the Democracy of the whole country.


Bat it is totally different matter when q


collision with armed miscreants within the


State will not imply conflict with the
troops.


The FREQ and sovereign State of Louisiana
finds its civil authority detied and its police
supervision repelled by an audacious party
of outlaws who have taken possession of a
building in its capital city. These men
lock their doors aud refuse admission to
off GERS of the law having the right to enter
with civil process Is it becoming in the
State authorities to permit virtual IN sur-
rection of this sort for one single hour7 If
outside and IRE sistib!e force is brought to
bear on the State authorities, such rs that
of the National army, t, prevent their free
action. We have always ccntended that they
should submit for the moment, but when
there is no such force what does honor,
what does self respect, what does good
policy require9 Instant, indignant, over
" whelmng action.


Well, it is culy another piece of our bad
uck, eo-called. The emergency comes upon
us at the very moment when our chosen
leader is ill-too i'll for personal control of
affairs. The public had and has every con-
ilence in Gov. Nicholls, not only as to
his courage, but as to his sagacity and
in seizng critical moment.
Iia WAS, however, unahin to command ard
Ais suhosdInetes have been uneQual to the
Year: 1877

AS will be seen by the programme on our
ffth page, the Fortieth Anniversary of oar
splendid Fro Department will be celebrated
to-day by grand parade. Despite the shabby
treatment of the hremen by Government
which has failed to pay the comparatively
small sum contracted for, the Department is
in frat class condition, thanks to the patrio-
1ism and lberality of it's members, and the
parade to-day will. no doubt. be equal to if it
does not surpsss that of former years. Let all
our oitzens honor the gallant boys by turning
out to see them.
Year: 1877

At the moment of going to press we learn
that the several Irish organizations of this city
who have in contemplation the celebration of
St. Patrcks Day, have determined to postpone
the parade until the following day, Sun
day March lS:h. This we think a wise
move under the circumstances iuasmuch
as it will afJrd an opportunity for many
gentlemen to participate therein, who would
find it very iuoonvenient other wise TO do
50, particularly on Saturday, the busiest day
Of the week. The festival being religious
one, the postponement is in cousonance with
the action Of the Church, which very often de-
fers the celebration of saints days, which fall
during the week, to the following Suuday.
Year: 1877

Tho President considers tho appointment
and removal Of foreign representatives q
matter wholly within his discretion and con-
trol, md In no way subject to tho ruleswhich
obtain In tho civil service. 4 gonoral chango
in tho diplomatic service will accordingly DO
Year: 1877

in every respect, and at the same time to Of
fer it at the most reasonable rates. When
large quantities are ordered liberal discount
win be given for cash.


The quality Of this Phosphate has not been
suffered to deterioraie in the least, and is ac-
knewledged to be one Of the very best and
strongest manures in the market.


The New Jersey Company are also manu-
featuring an
Year: 1877

All the world loves to talk about
dreams. The streaks of insanity which
French philosopher declares runs
through every mans brain show their
edges IN sleeping. if not in working
hours, and as for supernatural element,
who Is wholly withour superstition in
regard to dreams! Two English ladies
were recently in attendance upon their
brother, who was ill Of common sore
throat severe and protracted. but not
considered ss dangerous At the same
time one of them had borrowed q
watch from u female friend, in conse-
quence of her own being under repair
The watch was one To which particular
value was attached. on account of family
associations. and some anxiety was ex-
pressed that it night not meet with any
injury.


The sisters were sleeping together in
room communicating with that Of
their brother, when the eldest one Of
them awoke III u state of great agita-
ton ; and having aroused the other told
her that she had had IA frightful dream
II dreamed" said she, that Mary's
watch stopped, aud that. when l told
you of the circumstance, you replied,
Much worse than that has happened.
for James breath has stopped also 7 I"
naming their brother who was i'll.
To quiet her agitation the younger sis.
ter Immediately got up and found the
brother sleeping quietly, and the
watch, which had been Put in drawer,
going correctly.


The following night the very same
dream occurred, followed by similar
agitation, which was again composed in
the same manner, the brother being
again found in quiet sleep and the
watch going we'll. On the following
morning, soon after the family break
tasted. one Of the sisters was sitting by
her brother, while the other was
writing u note in the adjoining room.
When her note was ready for scaling,
she was proceeding to take out for the
purpose the watch. which had been put
in her writing-desk, when she was
astonished to find it had stopped, aud
at the same instant she heard q scream
from her sister in the next room. Their
brothed had been seized with sudden
fit of suifocation and had just breathed
his last
Year: 1877

A star above the steeple-top.


In twilight but feeble spark,
Is hanging as the shadows drop.


Aud brighter burns as comes the


dark


Let not your courage from you go


hen common troubles drag YOU


down


Your face that now is white for woe,


With sunny JOY may yet be brown.
BE pure in heart. in peace or pain;


Obey the still small voice that calls;
The star above the steeple-vane


Shines stronger as the darkness falls.
Hope. like diamond in the coal,


Shall shine, however black the night;
Keep well your eyes in the goal,


And do not tire, but trust nd fight.
Because the path has led your feet
To places bleak and bare with blight,
Seek not for safety in retreat;


Still forward go and look for light.
And X IN vain you seek ray


OF sun to break the clouds of sorrow,
Still fight 1T out-work we'll to-day.
Aud do not fear about tomorrow.