smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

| FATAL COLLISION ON THE DELAWARE
RAILROAD-TwO YOUNG LADS KILLED
THE coRoNER's JURY RENDER YER


DICT OF GROSS NEGLIoENrE.
On Thursday evening, at six o'clock a
terrible accident occurred on the Delaware


railroad, near Gums station, which result
cd in the death of two young lads, the one
a negro and the other nephew Of Gov.


Cochran. 1t appears that about half-past
five O'Clock, Engine 6S, was detailed from
Middletown to take number of cars from


Townsend to tho former place, and was
rushing along at the rate Of fifteen miles


an hour, pass Gums station, a small
crossing about two miles from Middletown.
Just as the engine had reached the crossing,
a team Of Robert Cochran, containing load
ofpeaches and drawn by colored lad named


David Brinkley was attempting to cross the
railroad, but too late and the cowcatcher
struck the wagon and hurled the team far
out into the road. The mules were in
stantly killed and after the engine had been
stopped Brinkley was found stone dead on
the step of the cowcatcher, Y h0sfibly
crushed about the chest and back. A young
son of Mr.. Cochran and nephew of the Gov.
ernOr who bad been seated on the baskets
in the rear of the wagon had been hurled up
a steep bank, at the point where the road
crosses the rails, where he was found in an
insensible state but still alive. He was ta-.
ken back to Middletown along with the body
Of his dead companion, where every care
that could be procured was furnished but
he expired yesterday afternoon about four
o'clock.


Yesterday morning, Coroner Groves went
down to Middletown and held an inquest on
the body of the colored boy.


Several witnesses were examined, the
drift of Investigation being to discover
whether the engineer had given the proper
signal when he approached the crossing. j.
Thos. Budd testified that he very distinctly
heard the sharp shrill blow of the engine
when she approached the crossing, and could
not have been mistaken.


Several others testified to the same effect,
but Benz. Gibbs, Esq, most positively dc
MED that any signal had been given at the
proper point. The conductor of the train
did not know whether any signal had been
given or not. The engineer and fireman
both were positive that the usual blow had
been made at its usual time.


The jury returned verdict to the effect
that Davis Briokley came to his death by
being struck by engine 6s, and that the &C
cident occurred through gross carlessness
on the part of the engineer, conductor and
fireman in not giving the proper signal at
Gums crossing.


Coroner Groves received dispatch yes
terday afternoon that young Cochran had
died at four O'Clock, and will 20 down this
to hold another inquest.


The verdict of the jury is not favorably
received by those who are acquainted with
the circumstances, and it is certainly from
what we can learn from the evidence un-
llst and not sustained by the evidence. The
matter will be more thoroughly investiga-
ted
Year: 1875

Some one has been calculating that for the
last two years two million men and women
have been deserving employment in vain,
and that the loss to the country by their en-
forced idleness amounts to one half the
national debt.
Year: 1875

The Washington correspondent ot the


New York Sun tells the following story


No less person than engineer-in -chiel


of the navy, w. w. w. Wood, came


hobbling like a wounded soldier, and


with his ankles bandaged, into Welker's


this morning in search ot breakfast.


"Gout, gout," said |; "too much oil
/ Robeson's old MADEIRA"


mo, no" he replied solemnly. "Rat,


rat" and be proceeded to tell me OF a
desperate combat, lasting nearly an
hour, thst he had with a monster rat the
night before. The family being away,
and the rats not getting anything to eat
for some days, had become hungry and
desperate. Mr.. Wood was sleeping
alone in a back room, the bed being aesr
the door, About one o'clock in the morning
he was awakened by severe pain in his
loot. and heard something jump heavily
TO the floor. A light revealed The tact
that cash had been made on the bali oi
his ielt foot, from which the blood was
flowing foeely.


AS there was no eat in the house, Mr..
Wood at once concluded that il was rat
and that il had made its exit After
washing and bandaging the wound, he
again stretched himself on the bed and
Tell into q doze. The rat came ut him
again. this time making an ugly cash in
the heel OF his right loot. Alter handbag
ing the second wound, Mr.. Wood went
in search OF tho rat, resolved TO eXtermi-
nate him il possible. But his ratship had
eaten his way into 4 bureau in the front
room. A screw-drver was brought into
use and one by one the draws were open
cd and there in the lowest one was found,
TO use Mr. Woods own words, MIR.
Rat, half as big as the water pitcher.
and looking directly at me with pair OF
the wickedcst eyes. Then he made
desperate jump directly in my face Mr..
Wood had shut the door. and the only
thing he had to defend himself with was
q small rattan. The rat made desper-
ate fight with him, more than dozen
times jumping TO the top Of the beureau.
thence in Mr. Wood face and al his
throat. Tho combat lasted nearly AL
ho1r by the clock, when. tinding that hc
could neither kill nor wound the lnlurial-
ed thing, aud that he might get more
seriously njnred, he withdrew. leaving
the rat in possession of the field. and,
indeed the victor.


Wood woited for morning and his SER
want man TO arrive. In the meantime the
rat went desperately to work gnawing at
the door. in order 10 again attack The
chief engineer, and had got more Than
halt way through when the servant came
and the two entered the room armed with
stout sticks, TO renew the combat. Re.
moving all the furniture but the bureau,
into which the rat had again retreated
they drove him out and renewed the
fight. The iniuriated creature fought as
desperately as before, now jumping at
the throat OF one oil his assailants. now
at the other, inhicting ugly wounds on
both; and it was not until the battle had
lasted twenty minutes that the rat was
killed. His big head is now exhibited at
the navy department as d trophy.
Year: 1875

A man digging well in New Jersey
came across hoop skirt eighteen feet
beneath the surface OF The ground. and it
flew up and struck him across the nose
just as naturally as if he had come across
it in an ley.
Year: 1875

The Lives Insured by the Society are carefully
selected in different parts of North America and
Europe, furnishing, by this broad field Of opera
tions, an additional and exceptional safety to the
Policy holders. The Insurances are made only on
the Mutual Principle. The Surplus Premiums are
returned annually to the Insured.
Year: 1875

Recently the local paper at Grass
Valley said: The prettiest girl in Grass
Valley doesn't carry herself straight
enough when promenading." For
week after all the Grass Valley girls
stalked about like so many ramrods,
Year: 1875

From Cincinnati Gazette.


Who the Democratic candidate for
President in 1876 will be it would not
be safe to predict at this early day, but
that Senator Thurman, of Ohio, con-
siders himself the coming man is pretty
well understood. This accounts for
his prominence in the Louisiana debate
in the Senate. The next day after the
scene in the Louisiana legislature Mr..
Thurman introduced resolution call
ing upon the President for the facts,
and without waiting for a response,
proceeded to discuss the question, de-
nouncing the President, Gen. Sheridan
and the Republican party. So anxious
was he to erect platform for the DEM
ocratic party in 1876 and to place him.
self upon it, that he could not wait for
the facts. He put himself forward on
the White League side of the contro-
versy, and by his deliverances in the
Senate, and by the deliverances of
some of his Democratic party squarely
on the White League platform. Dur
ing the whole debate on the Democrat
ic side there was not one word of CEN
sure of the lawlessness that prevails ia
Louisiana and other parts of the South !;
of the ostracism that is practiced on ac-
count of political differences of the
spirit of assassination in the air; of the
thirty-five hundred murders commit
ted in Louisiana alone; of the terrorism
that in mary places prevented the Re-
publicans from depOSitinp their ballots,
except at the risk of their lives; of the
manifest determination on the part of
the White Leagues to trample under
foot the constitutional amendments,
and to get control of the Governments
of the Southern States at any cost, and
in any way that may be deemed neces-
sary. Not one of all these effenses was
condemned or censured, either directly
or indirectly, either severely or mildly.
Their whole vocabulary of denunciation
Year: 1875




THE official report OF the officer who
made an unsuccessful effort to find the
murderers of one Aston, a colored citi-
zen of De Soto parish, Louisiana. has
been received at Washington. After
describing his search after the murder
ers, he says:


"In no community where have yet
been have [ found the condition Of
things as unfav0rable as in the parish
Of DE Soto. There seems to be a perfect
condition of lawlessness, and The. ne
groeS are in continual state of terror,
and hopeless as to their prospect If OBJ
tanning justice from the parish courts.
The whites, as far as l could learn, are
members of the white League and
are bitter in their enmity to the blacks,
and unquestionably intend to adhere
to the resolution oil the League, entered
into before the election, to drive out Of
the country, or kill if they remained
all cOlored citizens who voted the Rad
ical ticket. The murder of Aston is
the first fruit of this determination,
and unless the law takes prompt and
severe action toward the murderers of
this man, other crimes still more afro
cious Will unquestionably follow. l
visited the scene of the Aston murder,
and from all the circumstances in the
case am free to denounce it as one of
the most barbarous and unwarranted
murders which has ever come under
nv notice."
Year: 1875

WE to-day turn The Democ ratio roost-
er upside down, and acknowledge the
defeat OF the Democratic party in the
election of the demagogue Andrew
johnson to the United States Senate.
The rival Democratic candidates fought
each other bitterly, and would not
give way, which undemocratic and un-
patriotic course caused their defeat.
The Ledger regrets the result, and
goes into mourning over the disgrace
cast upon Tennessee by a Democratic
Legislature Memphis Ledger.
Year: 1875

The witty division of the human race
into three classes-men, women and
the Beecher family-is almost daily
in the great scandal trial.


The total value of the silver base
coinage at the Philadelphia mint last
month was S462, There was no
gold coinage during that period.


The strike at Fall River as yet has
thrown less than thousand people out
of employment, and it probably will
not spread to any great extent


There Is new question of boundary
between the United States and Cana
da to be settled. This time it is the
Southern line Of Alaska that is in dis
pute.
Year: 1875

fcation of the issuance of his recent
pamphlet, and BISMARCK in Germany q
fresh impulse in prosecuting his policy
towards the Roman Catholics, in that
they both can adduce it as proof of their
positions-that members of that church
are dangerous citizens because they con-
fess allegiance to the Pope and the
church, rather than to their lawful rulers.
1t is greatly to be hoped that no such
course as the above will be adopted in
this country, for its effects will be exactly
similar to that in Great Britain. 1t is
plainly visible that at this moment, there
is strong feeling in the country IN
favor of recognizing the old
Know Nothing party. y senti-
ment opposed to the freedom of
conscience, is gaining ground daily.
Should it appear that on al occasion such
as this, our Irish fellow citizens are will
ling to declare themselves as anxious to
lose sight of their home nationality, and
merge it solely in their church, this op


position will gain ground and strength.
Let them celebrate if they will, what
all our naturalzed citizens are at liberty
to celebrate, the days devoted to national
traditions and "reminiscences; but
if they exhibit in our
midst, that same Ultramontane spirit
now being manifested across the ocean, 1t
will be received by many friendly to
them now As people, with apprehension
and disapprovsl. 1t will greatly tend to
add recruits to that political party which
seeks to make war upon one of our tunda-
mental principles of freedom, the right
of every man, Protestant, Roman Catho-
lie, Jew, Turk, Chinaman or what not, to
exercise his religious views
according to the dictates of
his own conscience. For this reason, if
for nothing else, we maintain that it is
their duty to keep their church in the
background here, and celebrate this CEN
tennal simply rs the occasion of the
hundredth birthday of one who contend
ed only that this great principle of liberty
should be guaranteed to his country.
Year: 1875

Hon. G. +, Clarkson, the Agricul-
tural editor OF the State Register, 10
giving his view OF the political situa-
ton Of the South. based upon his own
personal inspection during bis recent
visit to the South. His description may
be summarized a. follows, which We
,ake from an exchange:


Tho South was greatly exhausted
BY the war, and Its return to prosper
ity is delayed by causes we'll nigh in.
evitable from its social and political
condition. The former ruling element
cannot abide negro equality, and reso.
lutely pursues its purpose to secure
absolute control Of affairs-some,imes
By seeking to betray negro officials
and legislators into ridiculous course
OF conduct, and At others by defraud.
ing them of their political rights. In
many sectiona the rich and Intelligent
stand aloof and leave politics to the
turbulent and desperate. The latter
are as hostile as ever to the Union, and
would gladly welcome . new revolt.
Butthe prevailing idea among the
whites is, that united South can put
the Democratic party In power, when
they will be able to remand the blacks
to servile condition, and to stiae any
dissatisfaction in the North by the
power of the general government.
They are very anxious to put the Re-
publicans In the attitude ofrcbels, and
let them know how 1t seems to fight
the flag. There Is q professed desire
that Northern men should come among
them, bringing the necessary capital
and enterprise to develop the resources
of the country, and to revive its droop.
ing industries; but all who 60 must
decline Office, or be assailed as sscarpet-
baggers" and "scalawags." The press
is mainly violent and incendiary in it's
discussions of public affairs; and in
view OF its influence upon tho large
class whom the war left desperate for
any venture, and upon the idle and
thriftless whom emancipation depriv-
Of the means Of support, the situation
Of the South 10 by no means encourag-
ing for the future.
Year: 1875

Those people who have made up
their minds that Mr.. Beecher Is guilty
no matter what the evidence may. be
now declare that he is boldly and de-
family pcrjuring himself. "Oh, the
rarity Of human charity under the
sun ~
Year: 1875

AS this is the season tor this opera.
ton, q few words of advice may be
beneficial. But there are men whose
experience and practice are more ex-
tensive than ours. So we give our
readers the advice Of E. S. Hnlbmade
at the Alton horticultural Society:


"Ground should be prepared as
soon as it can be worked, and the
trees set. If possible, before the buds
begiu to swell. The sweet cherry and
pear, If delayed until the buds are
much swollen, hardly succeed at ALL
The roots OF all trees should be exam
ined and the email bruises made in
taking them up, cut out and the shat
tered ends Of the roots cut of with q
sharp knife. Have ready . largo bar
rel or tub half full or more Of strong
tobacco water. Into this put from Z
pint to . quart Of soap to each bucket
full OF water; stir until the whole ID
we'll mixed, and then stand your tree'
In this two hours or longer before set
ting. On taking out one lot after an.
other may be set in. have often lef'
trees in over night without injury
This treatment is equally good fol
grape vines-in fact for all plants. I'm


merse vines and small plants, top ani
all. Remember oil plants may hav,
lice on their roots, and this treatmen
will kill the last one OF them. I hav,
sometimes used unleached ashes In
stead of soap and tobacco. with th'


hest results. thro wing In two or thre'
quarts to each bucket full Of water


In setting the trees spread out th


roots about equally on all sides, with


out bending them moro than necessary


Cover with loose earth, and II you Cal


tramp It In firmly without making /
adhesive do 30, otherwise press It Il


lightly, covering the top roots, -.


not more than ono inch deep. The
throw In about three inches Of oil,
loose manure, and cover this Wit
earth to the depth Of ono or two inches


thus double mulch 10 secured whiol
will retain both air and moisture abou
the roots and stimulate double th
growth that mere covering Of col
would do"
Year: 1875

A word is easily spok Ell, but it may
save kind man from stepping into
some gulf; a smile can be seen by
those whose ears are deaf. Slender,
firm hands are powerful where chains
would break asunder. Oh will make
lamp burn brightly, but vinegar will
quench its glow.
Year: 1875

A man died at West Liberty, Iowa,
lately, who expressed an earnest de-
sire that he should be buried on the
farm where he formerly lived, near
Des Moines. His wife sought to full
fill the wishes of hersdead husband
She procured burial case, and started
on her sad errand. She arrived at the
place of burial, a stranger to every
body. Of the station agent she in
quired as to the location of the farm
where her husband was tobe buried,
and, on being told, he quickly fore
saw very unpleasant affair. The
widow had come to bury her husband
on the premises of man whose daurh-
ter, then at home, was the wife of the
deceased. The agent, after some con
sideration, deemed it best to inform
the widow of the facts. She received
the story with perfect astonishment,
and could scarcely believe her late
husband guilty of such baseness; but,
on being assured that il was so, she
became indignant, and left the body
with citizens to be conveyed to wife
No. (whose first knowledge for years
of the whereabouts of her husband was
his arrival in burial caskeD to be
disposed of as she saw fit. 1t has just
been discovered that the man had still
another wife in Missouri. -S@
Year: 1875

The Press doesn't admire the tone OF
the published extracts from the report
of the Alabama Investigating Commit
tee. They so completely take the breeze
from the sails of its "outrage" wind
mill that the old thing is at a standstill
Nothing short of a second Anania:
Hayes report will be able to set it go
ing, and where second Ananias is tt
be found is the question for the pre-
sent with out contemporary.
Year: 1875

The FRENCH PLAY.-The idea in O.
French play may be unhealthy and per-
nicious, but its development is marked
by tendency toward refinement which
characterizes the French in all they do


Leaving aside the moral question, the
ugly in art can hardly be said to exist on
the French stage The drunken, sprawl
ing louts with which the eyes of the Eng
lish-speaking spectators are familiar are
not tolerated here. A certain kind of
loose dancing, common to the public
balls of Paris, which is seen in the thea
ter across the Channel and the Atlantic
in all its reprenensible extravaganza is
only indicated on French stage. | have
seen in what is considered one of the best
class theaters in London a stout man
drop down with a heavy thump into a
woman S lap. This would be objected to
here, not so much because Of the impro-
priety of sitting in such place, but be-
cause of the coarseness of such situa-
ton. For the same reason there is no
low comedian. as in Englfsh-speaking
countries. The drunken buffoonry Of
Toodles would not amuse nor the maud-
lin drolleries of Diggory. The pulling
away of chair from person as he sits
down would hardly meet with approval
in a theater of the Barriere The Gallo
spectator demands an exhibition of the
pretty and the graceful in speech, action,
decoration, and in these he is as exacting
as be is indifferent in the moral features.
Albert Rhodes IN The. GALAXY.
Year: 1875

Inquiry among the leading bankers and
merchants proves not only that the mon
ey crisis is entirely past. but that business
is rapidly settling back to its healthy nor
mil condition. Money is becoming more
plentiful-although it can hardly be said
TO be easy as yet. Mondays collections
were extraordinary good, considering all
the circumstances, and an Improvement
over those of the preceding steamer day
The leading bankers state that the great
bulk OF obligations falling were promptly
met. partial payment made on others,
and in a few instances extensions were
asked and granted. The Bank of Califor-
MIA will open their doors for business on
the first Monday in October, when sew
eral millions will be added to the coin cir
culation. Considerable shipments of
coin are now in transitu from the East,
and arrangements are pending to still fur
ther relief. Very little of the money
withdrawn from the banks on the two
days Of the run has yet found its way
back but with the complete restoration
OF public confidence it will soon be put
into circulation and add materially to the
volume of our available financial re-
sources. AS the money market becomes
easier the demand increases for leading
stocks, which the quotations of the Cali
fornia Board show to be constantly ad-
vancing in price. Altogether the out
look could not be more encouraging, and
and it is matter of wonderment, when
all the events of the past few weeks are


mentally grouped together. how we could


have reached so satisfactory a condition


in SO short tines. F. Post, 18th.
Year: 1875

The British ship Jessie Osborne, on
her trip from England to Australia, met
the ship Glance returning home in mid
ocean. The eoutward-boundv vessel hailed
the homeward- bound one as if in distress
The captain of the Osborne informed the
captain of the Glance that one of his
crew had gone mad and stationed him.
self up in the rigging and could not be
induced to come down. He had with
him chisel, with which he was contin-
ually cutting the ropes, and he had in
jured some of the crew by throwing
blocks down on them. The madman had
now been in the rigging for five days.
and every threat, pelsuation and other
inducement failed to dislodge him. The
captain of the Jessie Osborne did not
know what to do with this mailman, and
called in the officers of the Glance to adj
wise with him and his officers. The
Glance advisors went aboard the other
vessel and took a view of the situation
The madman was immovble. A consul
tation was held and it was resolved to
shoot the mailman and bring him down
in that way. The best marksman among
the crew was selected as executioner He
fired three shots from revolver before
he hit the man, who managed to shield
himself by dodging behind the rigging.
Finally the fatal shot was fired, and the
maniac came tumbling down like bear
out of tree. When he was quite dead
the body was thrown overheard and the
vessels separated. The execution took
place in the presence of both crews, and
the Glance brought home the news of this
strange incident at sea.