smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

lie DlED w 1IAOl IlEE @A'
C.. Kerr, of Indiana, the Speaker of the
United States House OF Representatives, in
Washington, died last Saturday at the Rock.
bridge Alum Springs, Virginia-lost his life
at the spot where it was hoped he might
regain his health; at least his friends hoped
so, but he did not. He was sure that his
life was fast ending and was fully prepared
for the issue. He was member of the
Presbyterian Church, and no Christian,
however pronounced, ever met death with
a firmer resignation than he. We speak
of this mans death not because we think
it will be news to our readers, but because
it enables us to hold up the better side of
men in public life, and give an offset to the
too generally accepted notions of the day.
Mr.. Kerr was, to speak in common par
lance, politician, and the general faith
manifested towards this class of our fellow
citizens is not such as accredit to them up
right lives or Christian deaths. And though
Mr.. Kerr died in "the full triumphs of
faith" still his life was not moro marked in
this respect than Vice President Wilson,
Mr. Sumner, and a number of other public
men who have recently gone to their final
reward. The point is, that our public ser
wants are not the loose set in morals and
honesty that fippant public expression
accuses them of being. The morale of the
Congress of the present day is higher than
during the "good old days gone BY" We
are told over and over again that public
vice is not nearly so common now in our
halls of legislation as formerly, and yet we
are forever hearing the sigh for the brains
and morals of the past age, as if all the
good went out with our forefathers and all
the bad left to the present men Of the Re
public. There never was time when the
conduct of our officials was so thoroughly
watched and exposed as now. This feature
has grown to such prominence as to be de
cidedly dangerous to shaky regulations
No man can come before the public nov
without having his character and conduc
thoroughly ventilated; in the early days o
the Republic there were not enough greedy
newspapers to do this.


Another matter in connection Will
Speaker Kerr's death-it again reminds u
ofthe number ofour distinguished men whc
have "risen from nothing" He was til,
son of a poor Pennsylvania farmer; taugh
school for a living and an education
finally made enough to graduate at classi
cal school and study law in Kentucky
went to Indiana and married schoo
marin older than himself Thus he started
and ended his life as the presiding Office
of the U. S. House of Representatives
Two-thirds of the Americans who hav
attained to eminence have had an Origin
equally as humble.
Year: 1876

This is a fast age. The fact was cxem-
plifed the other day on an open car of the
Gates-ave. line, Brooklyn. Three young
women of respectable appearance took pos
session of one of the rear seats usually re.
served for smokers. When the car started
each drew from her pocket cigar, obtain
ed light, and proceeded to smoke with
the utmost equanmity. Nothing else
about their conduct or speech was of doubt
full or unusual import. They smoked all
the way to their destination, distance of
nearly three miles. In general it is a
sad sight when an American girl takes a
lighted cigar between her teeth, even if
she does not make mistake as to which
end goes in. But in this instance there
were no unpleasant results apparent. The
smokers rather seemed to enjoy them.
selves. OF course the other passengers on
the car made invidious remarks; but pro
badly they were not believers in woman's
progress.-N. y. Tribune.
Year: 1876

HARD TO SETTLE.-A month or so ago,
our readers may remember, an account was
published of the rather singular death of
pretty rich old farmer named Downey or
Downing, living in New Castle Hundred,
near Bear Station. A week or more after
the old man was buried his two sons, John
and Edward, had the remains taken up and
an inquest held over them, because they
thought their father had been poisoned by
their mother, whom they openly accused
of living in criminal intimacy with man
named Phillips, a good-looking farm hand
employed by the old man. But the inquest
resulted in nothing, though the stomach
was sent to Philadelphia and Analysed for
two weeks by Prof. Rand. 1t was decided
that there was no poison in it, so the matter
was dropped, and Phillips has been living
with Mrs. Downey every since. But one
evening last week, as Mrs. ID. and her
daughter and Phillips were sitting together
on the porch of her farm house, Phillips
was shot by some one, and later in the
night the room where he slept was pierced
with bullet holes. The bombardment was
fearful for while. Phillips was not much
hurt, however, and on Saturday he went to
Wilmington and lodged complaint against
the two sons, but nothing could be proved
against them. One of them, however, was
bound over in $500 to keep the peace.
Year: 1876

4 CONVENTION TO REFORM ogR SPELLING.
Among the numerous conventions held
in Philadelphia last week was one by the
Philologists. Says the CommerciL cores
pondent:


The PhilolOgists have made the sensa-
sation of the week in the convention line.
The attempt TO reconstruct English written
language on phonetic principles is not
new one but the believers in this reform
have apparently saved up for the present
time in order to make a demonstration of
the most pronounced sort. They contend
that we should spell words as we pronounce
them that by so doing the language
would be much more easily learned; that
early school training would be greatly
simplfied that the task of acquiring the
language by foreigners would be much
lighter, and that English would be much
more used by people of other nations in
consequence, resulting in increased pros
perity to English speaking governments
in many ways; and that an immense saving
would be effected in printing by the drop
ding of silent letters, and redundancies oi
various kinds. 1t looks all very we'll or
paper, as q theory how it would appear il
practice is another matter. Mere prejudice
in favor Of existing forms need not be re
gafdeQ, altnOuEn II ls very stIti.t. ~
may be sure if all the advantage name,
were certain to attend phonetic spelling
and if there were to be no opposing lad
vantages, that no amount Of laH'.'
ridicule would prevent the ne" sPelua
coming into vogue on the instant. Tn
fact that people cannot be brought to Sc
the advantage is a proof that there is


greater current the other way, and that cul
rent points directly to this fact that if W
are to spell uniformly by sound we mus
have a uniform pronunciation. How sha
we get that uniformity? Is it possible t
get if? As the case stands, however pronul
Citations of word may vary we have a ce
tain formula which represents that wor
or sound. If it is sometimes arbitrary,


still answers the purpose, and perhaps it
not always as arbitrary as the phonet
reformers would have us believe. Goo
reasons can be given for most of the col
tradictions in English spelling. IT is vel
however, to have the general discussio
which this convention has provoked. 1t
a topic which makes people think, an
many person only now realizes how de-
his native tongue is to him, as he not
these proposed liberties to its written forr
Year: 1876

Judge and Jury have been worrying
over dog case in Memphis, Tenn. Moth
ing could have been simpler than the issue
of fact. A negro stole a Newfoundland
dog but the law in regard to property in
dogs always has been past finding out. The
prisoners counsel argued that under the
common law dogstealing was not a crime
or an indictable oifcnse, and that no statute
exists in Tennessee making dogstcaling a
punishable oilense, such as larceny. Judge
Adams held that the stealing Of dog was
not a larceny or an indictablc oticnse, and
that the demurrer Of the defendant to the
indictment on this ground was good. The
Attorney General then raised the point that
the collar on the dog was personal property,
and the defcndent could be held to answer
for theft: but the adrot attorney on the
other side retorted that the negro took the
dog, and that it was the dog, and not tho
negro, that was responsible for the collar
! The prisoner was finally discharged. Now


the old question comes up, If dog is not
property, is the dog tax constitutional?
Year: 1876

THERE now remains in the Treasury less
than two million dollars in fractional currency,
consisting of fifty and twenty -fve-cent notes,
the supply of ten-cent notes having been vir-
tually exhausted. 1t is expected by the
friends of the measure that the so-called silver
bill will pass through Congress in few days,
and that the payment of silver in redemption
for mutulated fractional currency will be be-
gun soon thereafter. Treasurer New is of
opinion that very lite if any silver put in cir
culation will be exported, and that no material
advance in the price of silver will be caused
by the free use of siver coin, as proposed by
the pending bill. The twelve million dollars
of silver coin in the Treasury embraces two
million dollars in new twenty cent pieces,
those which, in making change, have been so
favorbly anticipated.
Year: 1876

SOME of the gentlemen who helped set up
the mule story on Secretary Bristow are now
trying to have the Judiciary Committee over.
haul it for the purpose of giving it an appar.
ent dignity. The same set are also at work
on cotton case, which they promise shall be
real dynamite and not sheet-iron thunder II
will be ready for the public in few days.
Year: 1876

The political millennium is at hand. The
wolf and the lamb are lying down together in
happy accord. The Democratic State Con-
vention, which met in Lancaster on Wednes-
day of last week, indorsed Grant and the Re
publican party. 1t declared, in regard to the
amnesty question, ''that the recommendation
of such measure by President Grant in a
public message, and its endorsement and pass
age by Republican House of Representa-
tives at former session, constitute full proof
that such measure is fit, judicious and time,
ly" This is the first time we have heard the
Democracy admitting that either Grant or the
Republican party had done anything that was
timely and judicious, or that their action on
any question constituted full proof of any,
thing except bribery, corruption and misman.
agement. We are glad to note the change OF
sentiment which has taken place among the
Democrats it will certainly have good ef-
feet Pittsburgh Dispatch.


THE New York World correspondent, who





Blaine, writes of him as follows: In Washing
ton society Mr.. Blaine is great favorite, and
when it is announced that he is to speak, the
galleries are too sure to be crowded with ele
gantly dressed ladies, who doubtless fine
strange pleasure in contrasting his suavt
courtesy in the parlor with his aggressive bit
terness on the floor of the House. Among
his colleagues of both parties, when not in de
bate he is gay, affable and full of tact, tIt HI
has that abominable habit which has grown
up lately of holding out his left hand by wa,
of greeting, style of procedure which wen
out of fashion when men ceased to kneel Il
kiss the hands of kings. In the heat OF dis
cussion Blaine's manner can only be describ0'
accurately as well as briefly by saying it
that of bully. He acts as if the rules of tn
House were not made to bind him, disregard
calls to order, breaks in upon an opponent VIII
refuses to yield, talks down one to whom h
will not give way for question, and carrie
his points by shear force.
Year: 1876

CLYMER hurried Marsh and his wife
out of the country in order to save his
friends. This made it necessary for
the President to pardon him in ad-
vance in order to get him back to testi-
fy. This is severe commentary upon
the spirit of Democratic Investigations.
Year: 1876

A largely attended meeting of working shoemakers
held last evening, at No. 200 Chatham street
Michael Murphy in the chair. Among those present
other trades. The Chairman said that he sorry
isted among the public the origin and motives
OF the strike, II being generally considered TO
have arisen entirely through misunderstanding about
wages which far IRON the truth. He wished TO
state, for all that the had fault to lind
with the wages, and had objection TO the OF
machinery as they all worked on machines The only
trouble they had the subdivision of the trade.
Messrs. Hannah L. Reddish had brought five
men from Boston and made each foreman
or, in fact, rather middleman--over of
the tive branches OF the trade-viz lasting heehng,
trimming furnishing and finishing These middemen
then had power ~ pay the men exactly what they
pleased The men were ready and willing to work
with one boss and one foreman but decidedly objected
TO multiplicity OF masters.


The speaker said the men wero able aud determined
10 hold out until the 4th OF July If necessary. He
announced that through the assessment OF 81 head
the members at WORK the amount Of $3.50 per week
coming in to the common fund. The men in New
ark subscribed 500 per week the benchmen (section
No u, 500 per week; the lady shoemakers, $50 per
week, and tailors printers, horseshoers and other
trades gave their sympathy and moral support


resolution was passed condemning the action OF the
employers in the late arrests and another rendering
the thanks OF the meeting and the trade to Judge Gil
dersleeve and Assistant District Attorney Russell
remaining in court until six p NJ Thursday giving the
indicted men an opportunity to procure the requisite
bail


land and Van Glider Co. had subscribed TO the fund
Tor procuring counsel


rho indicted men will accordingly be defended by
Judge Cardozo aud Mr. Charles Spencer


mass meeting OF different trades will be held in tho
Cooper Institute early next week TO further consider
the present troubles.
Year: 1876

The mystery surrounding the strange disappearance
OF Senior Hogado still remains unsoved. Detective
Slevin, of the Fifteenth precinct who has charge of
the case yesterday opened the trunk OF the missing
at the Hotel Espano, but found nothing in it
cept some clothing His vase was also opened but it
contained only razor aud strop and some writing
paper.


The proprietor of the hotel at which Holgado
living although actively participating in the search for
the missing man, and fully convinced that he alb
Quoted for the purpose Of being robbed has found
tdines OF him. The Spanish Vice Consul is of the
opinion but Is equally at loss to account for the
whereabouts of Holgado. He is surprised at the in
ability OF the detectives To trace the mys-
tery He reterates the statement that he is p-
formed that Francisco Moreu is nephew of Holgado.
He thinks that the missing Spaniard not understand
ing English readily fell into the set lor him.
der the impression that his captors had legal authority
for their acts but he thinks the robbers found only
smoll of money upon the person of their victim.
1t is surmsed that Hogado, after being robbed, may
have been released, and some way failed far TO
turn up at the hotel


The proprietor of the house writes to say that the
statement that the interpreter and Mr. Hogado had
manned night out of his house is incorrect They
had visited the house mentioned Bond street. he
states, but remained there only few minutes The
guests of the hotel he adds eager If personal
friends of the missing gentleman TO clear up the mys
terry OF his strange disappearance.
Year: 1876

Several days ago Mr. f. X. Saures came to this city
from Havana, having in his possession two drafts
Gomez Co., drawn by Polledo Rlonda 4 Co. one
for S. $50 and another for s275O He desposted them
with the CASHIER of the New York Hotel Tor safe
keeping. Both drafts payable on the Sth
INST. the Bank OF New York. ON the day alter
them certified and then Endorsed, that they could
be made available at any moment, after which he
turned them TO the safe Not wishing them tho
Sth inst he lett them there until yesterday. Having
engagement yesterday afternoo with OF his
quaintances he lett the hotel with the drafts Ia his
pocket Taxing carnage at Union square he drove
Central Park and gone about hour. He rode in "A
Seventh avenue car on his return. On reaching the
hotel he found that the checks missing His FIRST
act to inform the police at the Fifteenth precinct
station house. Later IN the evening, accompanied by
the cashier OF the hotel ho went to the Central Oce
and related the above facts to Inspector McDermotL
general alarm tcegraphed TO all the police stations
and detectives will be detailed to-day to attempt lind
the thieves should the drafts have been stolen
Year: 1876

About week ago well dressed young walked
into the cigar store of Messrs Carpenter Gerad No
Is Beaver street, and giving bis name as George IL
Bender, asked TO look their stock OF cigars lie
at length selected boxes, worth $sl 81 and exhib.
tied cneck on the Market National Bank for s347,
saying that he would get it cashSd He returned
short time and said that being unknown to The
teller Of the bank the latter had refused to pay him
the money Mr. Gerad then agreed take the check
giving him the 600 cigars and another check tor
S266 Us change Amer the departure he sent TO the
Market National Bank and found the check
TO be forgery. Payment on his own check
immediately ordered To be stopped Detectives
Thompson and Titus yesterday succeeded in arrestng
the man. His real name Michael Harry, aged
twenty seven broker by profession and residing Al
the corner OF King ana Greenwich streets
Year: 1876

The excitement In relation to the defacaton OF GER.
tain police justices Jersey City intensified last
evening when a rumor circulated that an ex.
justice who Is charged with embezzng large amount
Lad lied. The amount not accounted for by him. as
f.r as asccraincd Is So 400 but this does not
than half his ofcial career ExJustice Shackle
tot admits that lie cut tho leaves from the police
showing his financial standing and asserts that
IL was purely hrs own business
Year: 1876

The venerable william Edwards expired yesterday
morning. At his residence Brooklyn at the advanced
age OF seventy nine years The deceased gentleman
lineal descendant OF Jonathan Edwards aud was
said In many TRAITS Of his character TO resemble that
celebrated thcoiogian and preacher He was tho
founder OF the Dime Savings Bank IN Brooklyn OF
that Institution be was treasurer for many years and
until his death the recipient OF an honorary salary
from H. He joined Mr. Beecher's church In 1851 and
was ever aitcTward devoted member
Year: 1876

To EDITOR oP THE HERALD


The statement in your paper of yesterday that the
interpreter OF the Hotel Espahol in the habit of
going out with Mr.. Holgado and that they remained
night occasion in Bond street is incorrect
On no occasion since his coming to the house has Mr.
Holgado remained out over night Please publish this
correction in justice 10 me. N ALDAB0.
Year: 1876

Prof. William Everett, of Harvard College,
is an independent voter who does not see the
necessity of gong into the Democratic party
merely because there are certain things he
does not like in the Republican party. He
has written letter to the Boston Advertiser,
explaining his position. lie says the inde-
pendent voter finds the discipline of the
Republican party Objectionable, but he is
unable to see how he will be any better off
in that respect in the Democratic party. On
the financial question he believes the friends
of honest money have the more to hope for
in the Republican party. As for civil service
reform, he does not see how any man is
going to find help from the Democracy in
that direction. lie exclaims: civil ser
vice reform from the Democracy Yes,when
Florida ships ice to Massachusetts from Lake
Okeechobee ~ Finally, be fails to see how
the Southern problem is going to be solved
by giving power to the Democrats, and he
feels no hesitation in resolving to vote for
Hayes and Wheeler.
Year: 1876

In the discussion between Settle and Vance,
the candidates for Governor in North Caro-
lima, Vance suffers terribly and he is unable
to refrain from expressing his actual views
and expectations. During the discussion at
Pittsboro, last week, Vance denounced the
Reconstruction Acts as frauds on the COnsti-
tuition, and asserted that the recent amend
ments to the Constitution are frauds, and
that the abolition of slavery is fraud upon
the Constitution" lie "declared that he
would never bow to the Stars and Strip
nor do honor to this flag as long as it pro
tected den of thieves" He is every way
fit to be associated with Wade Hampton
and the rest of that crowd. He is fail
representative of the class of men who give
tone and direction to the Democratic party,
in most of the Southern States.
Year: 1876

This scaudalous conduct gave great ohence
TO the prince. who demonstrated with his
mother On the unnatural alliance she paTIos5d
making But in the Chinese "Hamlet,
the Queen. instead Of showing any re
morse. calls in her lct0rs and or
ders them to chastise the prince Tor
his impotence, and tie y0 nng man is
accordingly held down on the floor and
slundly hambooed, after the native fashion
Of punishment just at this point the play
was suspended. "to be continued ou the
following evening or evenings. so that We
could not follow the adventures the prince
in his efforts to ayenge his fathers murder
and his mothers sin and folly, and could
only hope that he was more successful than
the Danish prince.


After the termination Of this act, and
while an act of another drama was IN pro-
gress, we were taken behind the scenes by
9 prominent Chinese merchant, and intro
duced to the artists lat home. The green
room is Of itself large hall, and was filed
with the extensive properties Of hrst-class
Chinese theatrical company. The perior-
mers were busily at work, dressing or
/ painting themselves in the hideous exaggcra-
tiOns which are traditional on the national
stage. We need not criticise our actors in
this particular if we compare them with
their fellows in the East, who make them
selves as monstrous and repulsiye as possible.
/ But to the Chinaman these exaggeratious
/ doubtless seem the most refined art.


The best reputed actors are paid sums
that show the high appreciation in which
! they are held. the salaries ranging from
thirty or forty dollars month for the ordinary
performer to four hundred and even to five


hundred dollars month for bright partlcu-
lar stars. When we compare these salaries


with the income of Cinnamon generally We
see that they are as much above the ayergt
as those Of our own most popular actors and


singers are above the earnings Of common


folks in civilized nations.
Year: 1876

Some of the papers have an idea that
Gov. Hayes is a feeble man physically.
Well, he weighs between $50 and 100 pounds;
can jump any ordinary fence in the State
upon which he can place his hands is an
ugly customer with the gloves in sparring
match is a good shot with the rife or
shotgun; is a pretty good muf1er in base
ball can ride any horse in Or out of Ken
lucky can cut a good swath with scythe
in anybody's meadow wouldn't make a
bad hand with cradle in wheat field
can plough as straight furrow through
fallow ground as the best Granger in his
county can throw Halstead, "back or side
holts,' five times out of six, and can tie his
right hand behind him and fling Deacon
Richard Smith over counter. There's
plenty of H-ayeseed in him.
Year: 1876

from the Democrat and Chronicle


Roscoe Conkling is rapidly increasing in
strength as Presidential candidate. The
fact that New York is to be the battle
ground, and the probability that Tilden will
marshal the Democratic hosts, intensity the
desire among the Republicans to have as
their leader ''the man Of New York"
Year: 1876

WASHING TON, May 19.-The reports sub
mitted by the Committee on the Freedmen's
Bank to day in relation to the investigation
OF that concern commenced with brief ac-
count of the origin and early history Of the
institution, from which the committee say
it is believed that if not originally conceived
in fraud it will be easy to discover how
naturally it degenerated into monstrous
swindle, and justified suspicion that it was
almost fraud from the start.
Year: 1876

LONDON, May 19.-To-day is gala day in
London, on account of festivities over
the return Of the Prince of Wales. There
will be dinner at Guild Hall this after
noon, and ball in the evening, at which
the Royal Family will be present.