smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

In another column will be found an article
in which the authorities are presented on
either side of the argument in regard to
''blood stains" as these come up in murder
cases. Naturally this subject is of great in
terest in the presence of the Rubenstein
trial. By the use of the microscope and
otherwise a scientific gentleman has in this
case done a great deal to further the cause
of justice for the discovery on the prison
er's boot of soil proved to be identical with
the soil of the field in which the murdered
body was found, the discovery of fbres like
those from the woman's shawl, clotted in
blood, on the same boot, and the finding of
corn husks like those in the same field
these facts, aside from any other testimony,
are, perhaps enough to hang the man.
Fortunately, therefore, though the testimony
in regard to blood is of interest in this case,
it does not depend upon such testimony;
and we cannot be charged with putting
feather in the scale for or against the
prisoner when our article shows that no
person can be safely hanged on testimony
in regard to blood alone Upon the first
ODSeTNdJlOuS Ol DlOOu udu0 Dy Ju6 mlCrO-
scope it was thought that by the use of that
instrument human blood could always be
distinguished from other blood. Nay, it has
even been gravely argued that much finer
distinctions than this could be made in re-
gard to blood. Such o discovery became
very important in crimin4l Jurisprudence;
and many man has been hanged upon the
positive testimony of experts that certain
stains were caused by human blood when
but for such testimony he would have es-
capped. But further inquiry made experts
more careful; and the final opinion of scien-
tifc men is that the blood of certain animals
so nearly resembles human blood that the
microscope cannot distinguish between them.
No man now, therefore, can be hanged merely
on declaration that a certain stain is made
by human blood but this declaration may
still be an important circumstance in the
case
Year: 1876

dent Grant and Senator Conkling can invent
at their leisure between this time and the
14th of June, and hold in reserve for the
Pierce in 1852.


Under any possible circumstances, there
fore, the part which Senator Conkling can
play with the seventy votes Of New York in
the Republican National Convention is the
part of a Warwick, and it may be the part of
Napoleon. If he does not set the crown
on his own head like the French Emperor,
he may select the head to be crowned, like
the English Earl Justly conscious though
the Senator is of his own merits and abili-
ties, the association of his name with those
illustrious historical characters cannot fail to
please him. 1t always has afforded us
pleasure to observe the consistency of the
Senator's career to his sense of duty. Inde-
pendence of partisan obligations always was
crime in his eyes. Sumner, Trumbull
Schurz and Cox committed what he esteemed
not mere blunder, but a positive sin.
Such an unfaltering faith in the discipline
of his communion would entitle its possessor
to the highest honors OF the Church. Why
should it not reap corresponding honors in
the State If the Senator'S theory is correct,
that the political regeneration of the United
States is to be achieved through tightening
the girths of the republican party, there is
no good reason why he should not be the
candidate of that party for President in pref
erence to Blaine, Morton, Bristow, Fish,
Hartranft, Hayes or any other competitors.
We therefore observe with tender interest
the struggle for the control of the New York
delegation in which he is so ardently en-
gagged, and none of the little devices by
which he prosecutes his lofty purpose sur
prise us, although their ingenuity disturbs
even the composure of SO serene q soul as
Thurlow Weed.
Year: 1876

In the report of the Vineland trial it is
said that the friends of the accused are of
opinion that the Judges charge was against
him :" but the friends of any gentleman on
trial for murder are, perhaps difficult to
please on point like this From the out
line of the charge that has come to hand it
seems to us very fair; and in its relations to
the medical aspect of the case it is as
plain for acquittal as words can make it.
Perhaps the discrepancy between opinion
here and opinion at Bridgeton may be due
to the fact that the charge has got little
blurred in telegraphing for in subjects of
this nature, where the insertion or omission
of particle may alter the sense of whole
passage, this is apt to happen. AS reported,
the Judge said that if the abscesses to which
death was directly due were caused by the
wound which Lands gave then Landis
was responsible for the death, and
no failure of the doctors to deal
properly with the assesses removed
or lightened that responsibility. But there
was one aspect of the case in which Lands
could not be regarded as responsible for
Carruth's death, and that was in case the
effective agent for evil was the probe of the
doctors and not the bullet of the assassin.
If the assesses resulted from the injury
caused by the bullet Lands is responsible ;
if the assesses resulted from injuries caused
by probes and not by the bullet Lands is
not responsible. Now, on this very point
the evidence is as clear as daylight. Those
who assisted at the autopsy were unanimous
in their testimony that all injury done by
the bullet had healed that the brain was in
50 process of healthy repair" in the track Of
the bullet, and that the bullet itself was
guarded against as an intruder by the bar
riers that nature makes in such cases. 1t
was testified with equal clearness that the
assesses were at those parts of the brain
into which probes had been thrust and as
nothing but the probes had touched those
points these instruments were the only con-
ceivable causes of the assesses. Upon the
charge as reported, and in view of the testi-
mony as thus given, it is difficult to see how a
jury can do otherwise than acquit but juries
have ways of their own especially in New
Jersey, where there is an old fashioned preju-
dice in favor of hanging somebody when q
man has been killed.
Year: 1876

The interview with Cambridge graduate,
which we publish this morning, throws light
on the second of the only two points raised
by Cambridge in the way of accepting the
American challenge. The first, as will be
remembered, was that they could not ON
account of their June engagement at Henley,
row here as asked about July 20; but if the
date were delayed few weeks, this diff
Guilty would be met The plan, which we
have steadily urged, of making the new in
vitation for fours and at their own date, in
late August or early September, thus meets
their views exactly; and we trust that
the committee will leave no stone unturned
to accomplish this end. On the second
point, and that to which we would mainly
call attention now-namely, the allowing the
crew to be made up in part of graduates,
we are able this morning to furnish much
light. From the interview with the gentle
man referred to it will be seen that an un-
dergraduate at Cambridge or Oxford means,
not as here, one studying only for the degree
of Bachelor of Arts, but who, instead of as
with us, waiting till he has first secured
that, and then singing out his profession
and studying directly for it, takes up
course Of study at once on entering the
university at eighteen or nineteen, and APP
plies himself to it all the way. Thus about
everybody there, except the Fellows and
other officers of the institution, is an under
graduate. The rules of the Rowing Associa-
ton here bar all men studying divinity, law
or medicine, thus cutting off large number
who would there be eligible for the univer-
sity boat. But what Cambridge asks is if
we will consent to graduates-men who
are now through cambridge and scattered
everywhere-pulling in the same boat.
Happily our plan above mentioned meets
this case completely; for when volunteers
were asked by the HERALD correspondent at
the Cambridge meeting yesterday four at
once arose and offered to find two more if
cheered for their pluck. But by making the
race for fours there is no need of the addi-
tional two, and thus four men actually stand
ready to come once they are asked The
asking should be done in the very promptest
way Let the Regatta Committee see to this,
and if these four gentlemen do not have rea-
son before they leave this land to be de-
lighted at their manly step then we do not
know the temper of the American people.
That the plan will equally insure Oxford's
coming is self-evident, SO that if both are not
here it will be our own fault.
Year: 1876

ANGLICAN RITUALIsTs have a singular
faculty for creating much unnecessary theo-
logical discussion. These high churchmen
have strong tendencies toward sensational
ism, and their sensations generally end in
nothing A short time ago they were re-
ported as anxious to go over to Rome in
body, and now that the Vatican has declared
this to be impossible they say there can be
no basis for any such negotiations unless
the Vatican DEGREES are retracted- This
whole business is an absurdity, and we hope
we have heard the last of it, though we
doubt not there will be fresh agitation over
Hbtd Penzance's decision reported by cable
bfkis morning.
Year: 1876

The WHIsKEY FRAUDS in the West are still
productive of crimes. Now it is charged that
two Chicago Aldermen conspired to destroy
q public building in Milwaukee in order to
obliterate proofs of these frauds. The report
Is q startling one, but not surprising in view
of she Generalization which was the result
of the widespread conspiracies 70 defraud the
revenue in most of the Western cities.
Year: 1876

In HERZEGOVINA the insurgents have greater
faith in themselves than in the policy of the
great Powers They seem to recognize the
fact that it is only by fighting that nations
become free
Year: 1876

CAPTAIN DIGBY has been elected to Parlia-
ment from Dorsetshire The new statesman
Is the son of lord, and so, as we cannot see
anything else of importance in this election,
we try to find in it the dignity of English
politics.
Year: 1876

Somebody wrote to the editor of a paper to
ask how lie would "brcak an OK" Tie editor
answered:


" If only one OK, a good way would be to
hoist him by means of chain attached to
his tail to the top Of pole forty feet from the
ground. Then hoist him by rope tied to
his horns to another pole. Then descend on
his back fye-ton pile driver and if that
don't break him, let him start a newspaper
and trust people for subscribers. One Of the
two ways will DO it, sure. Homestead Herald
Year: 1876

The New York Sun say 1t is not
probable that there will be many illega


arrests during the pending campaign.
The enforcement act, by decision of
Chief Justice Waite of the United States
Supreme Court, delivered in October,
1875, has virtually been declared uncon-
stitutional, and United States Commits
sioners and United States Marshals, if
they have any sense of regard for their
own interests, will be careful how they
exceed their authority. Wherever they
attempt to do SO, sworn evidence should
at once be taken and authenticated, to
be used against them hereafter.


The mere presence Of troops in the
Southern States during the pending can
vass can do no harm, except that it may
intimidate colored voters who are tired
of being used as tools of the thieving car
pet-baggers. The officers of the army
as a rule, have no disposition to infringe
upon the right of the citizen to vote as
he pleases, and even if they had, they
are not fools-they can see the quite
revolution in political sentiment which
is going on, and they cannot be expected
to exhibit much enthusiasm in the Work
OF unlawfully interfering to prevent the
election Of the man who will probably be
the next President, no matter how this
or that special community may vote.
We have no doubt that our Southern
friends and the troops sent to overawe
them will get along very pleasantly to-
gether.
Year: 1876

We understand that question is now
mootted among the negroes of this
county, in their! secret night meetings
thai may give some annoyance to their
white leaders. 1t is known that the
negroes constitute large majority of
the Republican party in several of the
Hundreds. We believe this is so in St.
Georges and Pencader, especially. The
negroes have demanded to tie placed on
the juries of the County Courts-.hey
expected this as it had been done in
Maryland and some other States. But
they were not gratified although they
cast about one-half the Republican
votes. The Democratic Sheriff and Dem
ocratic Levy Court was not expected to
do this. But they expected it from Re-
publicans who were elected. They also
claim that as they cast so large a vote
in Wilmington their party ought to have
given them representative on the Coun-
ell ticket. These neglects have annoyed
some of the negro buc ks, and they have
been trying to settle down upon plan
Of their own. 1t is simply to fix upon
two of their own race in st. Georges,
Pencader or Appoquinimink and nomi-
nate one for the Levy Court and the
other for the Legislature. There is no
appeal from the nominations made by
the Republican party, since they hold no
County Convention, and hence the Re
publican colored peoples scheme could
be fully and successfully carried out.
This would put their white leaders to
the test. The Commercial is very anx.
ious to stop the discussion of the mat
ter. But the most clamorous OF its
colored brethren can't see the harm
there is in the scheme, and much less see
harm in the discussion OF it.
Year: 1876

1t is matter of general comment IN
the city that the frequent murders of
white men in the South by negroes are
not published or alluded to in the Com.
nsercial or Republican but let negro l q
killed and the columns of both papers
fairly run over with crocodile tears.
No mention is made in either of the late
horrible assassinations in Louisiana.
Year: 1876

The Democratic House of Representa-
tives exposed many of the corruptions
of the party in power, but we shall never
know the full height, depth and breadth
of its iniouity ontil the Democracy OBJ.
tains full control of the government
Then there will be abundant work for
the grand juries and the courts. The
only cause for alarm on the subject is
that we shall probably be compelled to
build more penitentiaries.
Year: 1876

When the mail-carrier handed Susan
b. Anthony her letters marked, ,"Vote for
Hayes, she wrote to the Postmaster to
explain that the Administration would
fine her if she did, and to ask him why
he thus added insult to in ur
Year: 1876

An American in Turkistan, in describ
ing what he saw, in Scri6ner's, gives us
this entirely new picture of the camel,
the ship of the desert: Ungainly, un-
amiable and disgusting in odor, they are
set down as q sort of cross between q
COW and cassowary. Seen in the dis
tance, they make one think of a big
overgrown ostrich, with their claw-feet
and their long necks, which they turn
about 30 as always to observe everything
which comes by, and stare at you with
their big vacant eyes until you have
passed fully out of sight. They seem to
stand cold very we'll, although they will
take cold and die if allowed to lie down
III the snow. Hence. during the winter
On the steppe, their bodies are wrapped
up In felt, which, when taken off in
spring, carries most of the hair with it.
and they then look entirely naked. Ii
they get an idea into their heads that
the road is long, or the weight too
heavy, or That some part of the harness
is wrong, they commence to howl. It is
not exactly groan nor cry, but very
human, shrill and disagreeable sound;
and this they never cease-they keep it
up from the time they start until they
reach their destination, varying their
performances by occasionally kneeling
down and refusing to advance; orif they
do go on, holding back in such a man
ner as to make progress all the slower.
In this case there is nothing to do but
to unfasten the animal, turn him loose
and tie his legs together, when he will
begin to browse about, poking the snow
away with his nose, and his driver will
find him when he comes back. Oamels
are much too stupid to go home, as any
other animal would, but they will con-
tinue to walk on in the same direction
their faces are turned. without ever
thinking of master or stable or anything
else. They are very revengeful, and in
the spring season the male camels are
very often dangerous. Many instances
are known where they have bitten per-
sons to death, and they then have to be
carefully muzzled. There was one com
fort to be got out Of them notwithstand-
ing-their walk was so quiet and saun.
tering, that in the morning, when it was
not too cold, we could read with ease in
the carriage, as there was not motion
enough to jolt the book.
Year: 1876

The trick known as the "basket
trick, -" which Heller, the prestidigitor,
Introduces excites q good deal of sur


p 'se, as it is only natural it should.
Tne conditions of the trick are simply as
follows: A large basket is brought out
and placed in full view upon bench
supported on four primitive wooden
IL gs and leaving an open space between
the basket AMI the floor. There seems
no possible way by which human being
once in could get out of that basket


without being zen. The basket placed


by Mr.. Heller and his assistant, Mr..


Heller next brings forward pair of
overalls which cover him TO the neck
and which have no outlet at the ends of
the sleeves or legs. When the overalls
arc drawn on and hood drawn over Mr..


III Heller's head aud attached to the main
garment by strings, there remains no
outlet for SO much as a finger of the per-
former to get through. But as Mr..


Heller is about to remove his coat for
the purpose OF donning this garment he
remembers that he is in New York in
stead of Australia-that is his carelessly
stated excuse-and screen, which
reaches up to the performers neck. ia
placed behind tho basket, and the per-
former retires behind this and effects
the change. So far as one notices, his
head does not once disappear during the
time he is employed in drawing on the
overalls. The last vision one has is CT
Mr.. Heller's own face disappearing in
the ample hood, and Immediately he
steps out from behind the screen, and,
with the help of his assistant, climbs
into the basket, the lid of which is closed
upon him and locked. AS far as any
human eye can discover this is Mr.. Hell
ler who has just gone into the basket,
but in the same instant-almost before
the cover is down-Mr. Heller makes
his appearance in ordinary evening cos
tune at the entrance of the theatre and
walks down the aisle, inquiring "what
was being done with him." He imme-
diately ascends the platform, opens the
basket and nobody is within. The ones
tion is still an open one. How did Mr..
Heller cease to be the man in the
basket, and whoever the man in tho
basket was, how did he get QUIT
Year: 1876

A man knocked at the door of house
near Whitestown, N. Y, demanded
something to eat, and being refused,
threatened to set fire to the roof. The
lady within refused to open the door,
and quickly slipped out of the house
by the back way and ran to her husband,
who was at work near by. The tramp
caught sight of the husband and ran of,
but was closely pursued. The husband
lost his breath and shouted to a neigh
Dor to follow the fugitive. The neigh
Dor ran for O while, but he too became
exhausted after he had passed the word
to third man. The last man was fresh.
end the tramp was led back to tho barn
III the rear of the house where he had
applied for admission. Then the three
men tied him up by arms and each of
them gave him rs many lashes as they
could lay upon him.
Year: 1876

An old statute has been unveiled in
New Jersey which declares that all
church entertainments, feats of legerde-
main and jugglery, circus performances,
variety shows, or any theatrical exhibi-
tion OF any kind whatever are illegal.
The preamble to the old statute recites
"Such shows and exhibitions tend to no
good or useful purpose in society, but
on the contrary to collect together great
numbers of idle, unwary spectators as
we'll as children and servants, to crafty
vain and useless curiosity and corrupt
the morals Of youth and straiten and
impoverish many poor families"


A case is being tried under the statute
and it will go to the supreme court to
test the validity of the section.
Year: 1876

Home had not spoken the word
for fifteen years.


As we went, Robert tried to prepare
me for a change in Susy.


She has had life OF sor1ow as we'll
as you, Ralph, and you must remember
she isn't the girl of eighteen you left.
She is nearly forty years old"


AS 1 drew hear, seemed to grow
young again, and wanted to rush
through without st piping moment.
But Robert refused; and he wanted to
get me into civilized clothes, and under
the hands of barber. He wouldn't
take such a wild man of the woods
home to the little, waiting wife.


So we stopped a few hours in San
Francisco. I had my long white hair
and beard trimmed, and my dress ar
ranged to suit Robert, and hnstaned on
toward home.


AS we approached the blessed spot
where my darling lived, could scarce
ly breathe, and l dreaded to frighten
her to death. In sight of the house, I
sent Robert ahead to tell her, and I
basely hid in the shrubbery, where 1
GOULD look into the window.


There she was the same dainty
figure-the same lovely face; but
dressed, oh, my God / in widows
weeds, and her bonny brown hair thick
ly sprinkled with silver.


l saw her rapid, eager conversation.
l saw the color come quickly to her
face, then leave it pale as death. I saw
her turn to the door, and fly And I
sprang to meet her and-and-


Well, can't tell about that.


On hearing her story, I found that
Robert had left out the tale of his own
gria'a. That he had warmly loved a
gentle girl, but never let her know it ;
had sacrificed his own happiness to
spend his life seeking me, and caring
fer my wife that she had married an
other, and Robert was forced to see her
tho very unhappy wife Of poor, mis-.
erahle wretch.


And what said the little woman, when
she knew thatI had stayedaway all these
long years, had blasted her life, disap-
pointed my brother life love, made deep
misery for four, by my stupid belief OF
piece of gossip that, even to hear re-
pea!ed, she shrunk from as though ii
| would wither herr T always knew she
WIS sn angel. She said, though with
quivering lips and fearful eyes
"Dear Ralph, let us speak of it never
again. It was dreadful mistake. Let
us be happy in the years we have yet to
i've, and leave-it to another life to ad-
just the errors of this"