smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

The first witness called was Speaker Blame,
who testified as follows:


wish TO state without reservation qualification
that never owned share OF stock in The Credit Mob
ier in my life, either Dy gift purchase, in any
whatever; nor did receive either directly indirectly


single cent derived in any shape from the
Credit Mobilier or from the Union Pacific Railroad
Company; person holds did hold for me any
stock IN either corporation agent or trustee in any ca
paclty whatever wish my testimony to be taken as
exhaustive and intended to exclude every form or
phase of ownership in tho Credit Mobilier or the
Union Pacific Railroad, both past and present. i
desire further to state that time in the Spring
of ls6s-the precise date 1 will not ailirm-Mr. Oakes
Ames asked me one day would like to purchase some
stock in the Credit Mober; he said 1t would prove
good investment and he could sell me 10 shares of the
stock at o rate somewhat above parI think some $1,000
for the shares had conversation In regard TO
the matter and Mr. Ames told me very frankly that in
regard these shares, there lawsuit either pend
ing threatened though he said his right to sell the
shares was perfect and undoubted; concluded that


did not desire to purchase tho stock and therefore de-
cned MI Amess ofer beg TO say, however in justice
to Mr. Ames but especially in justice to myself,
that it never once occurred to me he trying to
bribe me or IN any way influence my vote action a
REPRESENTATIVE; understood him 10 that he was
the owner Of Of the stock than he wished to carry
and was Offering Of TO friends at cost and interest
TO him, a slight advance over par value. The amount
offered me was very small and made little impression
my mind indeed, well nigh forgotten until recalled
by the incidents which led TO this investigation Mr..
Ames never offered any OF the stock at any other
time than as have just narrated any OF the
stock ever offered to any time by other
or corporation Mr.. Amcs present when Mr.. Blaine
gave his testimony and stated that 1t accorded with his
own recoectons Of the conversation between them on
the 1sth Of December.
Year: 1873

The New York sun reiterates the charge
that Gen. O. L. Babcock, private secretary of
President Grant, has been detected in rObbing
the United States Treasury Of great sums Of
money by supplying the District of Columbia
Ring with fraudulent vouchers. Tho Sm
SAYS - a-


The statement of our correspondent are cor
robOTated by a1lidavits from a competent and
experienced engineer also by the sworn evil
dtnce of Boss shepherd and one of his con-
tractors. The charges of fraud are so spcciii-
cally made and so thoroughly proved that 1t
will defy the ingenuity of the most ingenious
white washing committee ever construct ed to
mitigate in the slightest degree the force Of
the terrible accusations brought against the
Presidential favOli,o who has so long been
Kept IN prominent civil offices in defiance of
law.


1t is shown in addition to what has hereto.
fore Deen published, that in one instance
through a fraudulent certificate supplied by
Gen. BabcOck the large sum of SIG, 4l0 was
drawn from the United States Treasury for
work which it was pretended had been done
on Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets, while
in fact not one dollar had been expended for
the grading in those streets which was charg-
cd against the United states. Surplus earth
from cuttings i'm other streets was simply
dumped there, the contractors receiving no
pay for this work. The worst of the job is
that according to the evidence of the contrac-
tor ne'Only received 20 cents per cubic yard
for the cutting, which was done in other stS.
while BabcOck has certified to a charge of 40
cents for this cutting when the work really
cost only 20, and 40 cents more for filling,
which cost nothing at all, making so cents per
cubic yard, of which 60 cents per yard is pure
swindle and robbery.


Again near the 2 street circle, the centre of
Ring real estate speculation, there is little
triangular space made by the intersection of
two streets. This little triangle is not Gov
eminent reservation, vet Gen. BahcOck charg
eS against the United States 81. .695 20 for grad
ing around Government reservation where
no reservation exists, besides giving false
measurement of the earth actually taken
away at that point. Thus far only three
measurements have been examined out of
two hundred and eighty-sX which were certi-
fedby BabcOck. II all his work is to be judged
by the examples we have given it affords n
wide field for conjecture as to the total
amount of the swindle in false certificates for
grading alone
Year: 1873

MINISTER RoBBED.-The Icdaey of Monday,
says, the residence Of the Rev. Mr. Manship, on
North Broad street, was entered al the rear, du-
ring the Masonic procession, and robbed OF some
silver ware Tue thief certainly did not know
whose house be was plundering, or he could mol
have had the conscience 10 have committed the
act. He should by all means return that ware
Mr.. Manship has saved many man like him from
the whipping post who might have gone there
had 1t not been for the urgent and eloquent plead
ing Of that active and useful iitllc preacher.
Year: 1873

One Of the most singular cases in the
annals OF crime, IS that of Rev. VIVIAN
FL. Mole, a clergyman of the Church of
recently vicar of Easton,
near Middlesborough, who was seq
England, last month. to seven years
penal servitude for forgery The pris-
oner, up to the time that his offense
was discovered, had always maintained
an unspottedreputation. He had been
the recipient of numerous honors, was
a fellow of the society of arts, a mem
Der Of the geological society, the hor-
ticulturd society, and other similar
bodies and societies in London and
elsewhere. He was the president of
local institute for the education and
improvement OF the people, and hon
orary chaplain of the First North York
artillery corps. He began his minis
terial labors in 1859, as missionary in
in charge of a Jorge district in MiddIes-
borough, entering into the perform
ance of all his duties with an apparent
earnestness and zeal which won for him
the entire confidence of the community
and of his ecclesiastical superiors.
As the result of his earnest work, the
district of Holy Trinity was formed,
and he was placed over it by the pre-
sent Archbishop of York. There he
pursued his labors with increasing en-
ergy aud excellent results, command
ing the respect and good will of all
classes. But in an evil hour he enter
ed into speculation, and purchased a
large number of shares in a mutual
society, from which he believed he was
certain to realize large profits To
carry out bis speculation he borrowed
Ell, 900. which he was unable to repay.
Becoming involved deeper and deeper
in financial difficulties, he resorted to
forgery, holding the fatal delusion that
his fortune would change, and that he
would make enough from his invest
ments to replace the forged scrip GER
tificates which he issued. The result
was his detection, trial and cnnvict1on,
and his sentence already recorded. On
the discovery of his crime he made no
effort to deny the charge OF forgery,
but plead guilty to all the indictments
found against him.
Year: 1873




The Kansas City Journal of Com
merce publishes an account of dou-
BILE murder at Vinita, Indian Territory,
at the the Junction of the Atlantic and
Pacific and Missouri and Texas Rail
ways on the 18th inst. A man named
Ruck kepta saloon; two quarter
Indians, George and Jesse Cochrane,
were in the same business, and an Ill
feeling existed between the brothers
and Ruck. Ga the 18th the Coch-
rane brothers got drunk in Ruck's
saloon. il man named Morgan, a
brother-in-law, stopped the row, but
after he had gone the row again COM
menced, when Ruck put Jesse Coch-
rane out, and returned for George, who
resisted, when Ruck snatched a h1cko-
ry stick and gave him terrible blow
over the head and then dragged him
for an hour or more, when some parties
thinking he was about sober went to
him and found that he was dangerous
ly hurt, He was taken to Mr. Morgan's
house, where he died about 6 o'clock
p NJ. Mr.. Morgan, as soon as he learn
ed that Cochrane would die, went to
Ruck and told him OF it, and told him
he must go with him to the house.
Ruck refused, and Morgan drew re-
volver and made him go. He was there
pinioned securely to the bed on which
Cochrane was lying. He uttered not a
word or attempted in any way to excuse
himself for the bloody deed he had
done. Cochrane, after his death, was
taken from the bed, laid out on board
in the same room and prepared for
burial. Buck was then put in the
same bed and, it is said, slept soundly
through the night. He was told
repeatedly during the afternoon by
Jesse that if his brother died he had
to die too. He would keep him there
until the fate OF his brother
was known. Early next morning Jesse
came in and woke Ruck up and told
him to get up and follow him. He re-
fused, but was compelled to 90 as bid
Jesse told him to take last look at his
victim, as he was going to avenge the
death of his brother. He then took
him around to the back of the house
and told him to run Ruck again re-
fused to do as bid, and Cochran gave
him push and then shot him, the ball
striking in his left side. He fell on his
Fnees and rolled over on his face, when
he was again shot three times. Coch-
ran then mounted a horse which stood
near at hand and left Ruck lived two
hours, but was. not conscious during
the day. He was hastily buried with
his clothes on, and that is the last of
another horrible murder.
Year: 1873

A shocking STORY comes from Africa
A treaty having recently been conclud-
ed between the King of Bonny and the
KING of Opobo it was, in accordance
with the ancient custom, ratified by
sacrificing slave in a very peculiar
manner. From the crown of the head
down over the trunk an incision, as if
for halving, was made; then several
stout men seized hold of the victim,
while some others hacked the body
into two parts along the line indicated
through the incision. One half OF the
body the representative of King Bonny.
anl the other half the ambassador Of
King Opobo flung into the sea, by
which the contract was considered If
revocably sealed. King Bonny tried
very earnestly to avoid this useless
and cruel part of the ceremony, but
the Africans were not to be dissuaded
from abandoning time-honored Gus
tom. The victim himself did not ap
pear much disturbed by the fate in
store for him. His consolation was
that his butchers would be repaid with
the same coin in the next world.
Year: 1873

The British voyager round the world
the Challenger, was last heard from at
St. Thomas. The trip from Teneriffe
had taken 80 days. Experiments with
the sounding line showed that off from
the African coast runs a rather level
bottom which deepens gradually to a
depth OF 1926 fathoms at about one
third of the way across to the West
Indies. Further west five hundred
miles there is a comparatively shallow
spot a little less than two miles in
depth. The dredge brought up from
the deepest spots quantity
of dark red clay containing
just enough animal life to
to prove that life exists at all depths.
One Of the discoveries of the cruise is
a new lobster, perfectly transparent.
And there is a crustacea without even
the trace OF an eye, and delicate little
claws. At short distance from Ten
eriffe a new kind OF white coral was
brought up. It was as large and heavy
as the pink coral of the Mediterranean,
but it was, unfortunately, dead. The
ways and manners of these dredgings
have proved to the Challenger's salts
faction that the bottom of the sea, even
ut very great depths is not so smooth
and free from rock as it has been sup
posed,
Year: 1873

A writer in the ST. Louis Globe thus
pays compliments to the ubiquitous wretch
whom all pedestria Ms hate The man
who walks the streets carrying an UNI
brella under his arm, was at the corner of
Fifth and Vine this morning He stopped
suddenly to speak with a friend, and a
man behind him nearly broke the point of
the umbrella off by running his eyes
against it. The man swore and the um-
brella chap wheeled suddenly, tearing of
young lady's back hair. II turned to
apologize, and jabbed the end of the um
brella into a very tall polioeman's stom-
ach. Policeman administered a jerk and the
umbrella point tore off portion of small
boys ear, and Immediately after carried
the starboard corner of mans mouth up
into his front hair. Stepping back in dis
may at what be had done, he rammed the
umbrella down bystander's throat and at
the same time he fastened the hook handle
tthe probabilities are that the handle was
not only hooked, but that he hooked the
entire umbrella) into a colored citizens
wool. In his effort to get his umbrella
loose, the unfortunate owner OF it upset a
fruit and candy stand, and plunged head
foremost into one of Squire's plate-glass
windows. In the excitement and con-
fusion that ensued, the umbrella was put
into hack and driven to the hospital and
the man was taken to an umbrella store to
undergo repairs.
Year: 1873

Late California papers say: There
is a little Chinese girlin San Francisco,
eight years old, whose Hong Kong
mother, about eight months ago, sent
her out to buy something forthe house,
when the girl was kidnapped and taken
on board a vessel bound for San Fran
cisco. There she became slave, and
on the arrival of the vessel passed in
TO the possession of Chinese woman
in the Chinese-American colony. She
was, according to her statement, con-
stantly beaten and otherwise shame
fully abused. She at length consulted
with another slave girl in the same
house, and the slave advised her to
run away, as no money had been paid
for her she could not run away her
self, because she cost her mistress
$4O0 The little girl did run away and
soon met a kind Chinaman to whom
she told her story he pitied her, and
took her to a nice lady who promised
to protect her. In a day or two an
advertisement appeared in the papers,


offering $500 for the lost, strayed or
stolen girl, and her hiding place was
finally traced by some one who was
lookir out for the reward. Prepara-
tions were made to catch her, but the
lady moved her charge to another place
of greater safety. She does not intend
to give the little girl up to her coun-
trymen, and she (the little girD believes
if she were to be returned to them she
would be tortured to death and her
body exhibited in the Chinese quarter
as warning to other slaves. The pa
pers say such things have been done
Year: 1873

Five bodies foated down past those
engaged at the wreck, and have not
yet been recovered. There are there
fore supposed to be 80 bodies, at least,
still unfound most of them, it is
thought, are under the wreck of the
hri6pp
Year: 1873

After a steady and persistent effort
the voters of this village, with the help
Of the women and minors of proper age
to sign memorial, induced our town
council to pass an ordinance, prohibiting
the opening and keeping any place, for
the sale OF intoxicating liquors, inclu-
ding Beer, Cider, and similar guzzles.
The effect of this was to add greatly to
the sobriety and good order OF our viii
lage. Of course, we have not reached
perfection: and now and then one of cur
citizens gets drunk, or gets his whisky
bottle filled, and then fills himself and
cronies. But this is not an every day
ocurrence; and it is rare enough to eX-
cite remark and the question-where did
he get it? Why he was over to Ashtabu-
la, is the ready answer, YOU kn)w it can
always be got there, i'll any quantity
Such one and such one always comes
home tight from Ashtabula, when he
would be sober for weeks here, unless
lie should meet some Of the right fel-
lows who had been there, and got pull
from their bottles.


Now this kind of remark might be
applicable to other places; but Ashtabu
la is the handiest to us, and the odium
of furnishing liquors to get drunk
with falls upon that place. 1t is handy
to get liquor there, and it is handy to
to cast the blame there. So our neigh
bors will have to bear it.


Ashtabula is nice, pleasant town,
and is growing, aud likely to improve,
with its new railroad facilities, still far
ther. 1t is so to speak, taking fresh
start; and although it may not be much
Of our business, we feel inclined to busy
ourselves SO far as to suggest to the
Borough Council of that place, that they
would do good thing and great thing
if they would pass such an ordidance
as we have in force here; and if the said
council will not do it, it would be just
as well for the citizens to urge them to
doit, till they do. They will, if they
are made to understand that the public
sentiment is in favor of shutting up the
drinking shops. If puplic sentiment is
not in that shape-why, Heaven help
the place,


We hope to see our neighbor village
make this reform and rid itself of the
roproach of having drinking holes and
deadfalIs to catch its own people, and
giving us and others occasion To lay SC


much of our sins ut their doors; for W.
; like Ashtahula and its people, and there
fore wish them well.
Year: 1873

NORWICH, N. T., April 3, 1875


The water the Chenango River very high
and travel is entirely interrupted on the New York
and Oswego Midland Railroad Some portions of
the track from three to four feet under water.
The track Is twisted out of shape by the water
Up to this time serious damage is done that
would hinder the resumption OF business when the
water goes down.. No trains have passed over the
road to-day between Norwich and Binghamton.


Considerable damage is reported to the track
near oxford, N. Y. About thirty rods of the en-
bankment has been washed out, and the track Is
under water in number OF places One train
came over the road from Utica TO Norwich and an
attempt has been made to run the train
back to Utica, but with what success is not
to extent, but not seriously as yet.
We have just received a telegram notifying us of
the breaking away of q large canal reservoir, at
Eaton, New York, and that the water Is all coming
down to Chenango River What effect That may
have cannot yet be determined. The water Is fall
ing little this afternoon, but we have not yet got
the Hood from The reSerXOlr.
Year: 1873

SOMETIME ago New Hampshire
farmer discovered large toad near
his beehive, actively at work catch
Ing and devouring bees. With that
wonderful forbearance and kindness
of heart characteristic Of all New
Hampshire farmers. Ire tenderiy pick.
ed up that frog aud carried him half
mile away from the hive. The next
morning that Identical frog was back
again at the old stand, actively at
work "a before. He again took him
up. carried him long mile away, and,
dropped him. But in twentyiour
hour he was back again, reducing the
number of bees as successfully rs ever.
Year: 1873

The money awarded to the United
States by the Tribunal of Arbitration at
Geneva was paid by her Majcsty's
Government a few days in advance OF
the time when it would have become
payable according to the terms of the
treaty.


In compliance with the provisions of
the act OF March 5, 1873, il was at once
paid into the treasury and used TO re-
deem SO far as it might the public debt
of the United States, and the amount so
redeemed was invested in a five per
cent. Registered Bond OF the United
States for fifteen millions five hundred
thousand dollars, which is now held by
the Secretary of State subject 10 the
future disposition of Congress.


/ renew my recommendation at the
opening of the last session of Congress,
that a commission be created for the
purpose of auditing and determining the
amounts of the several direct losses
growing out of the destruction of ves-
sells and their cargoes by the Alabama.
the Florida, or the Shenandoah after
leaving Melbourne, for which the suffer-
ers have received no equivalent or COM
pensation, and of ascertaining the names
OF the persons entitled 10 receive com
pensation for the same, making the
computation upon the basis indicated
by the Tribunal of Arbitration AT Gen.
eva, and that the payment OF such losses
be authorized TO an extent not to exceed
the awards OF the Tribunal at Gene
va.
Year: 1873

The Depot Of the Camden and Amhoy Railroad
is On fire and burning The FIRE plugs are all frOzs
up. Seven steam engines from this city have
started for the fire. Great damage is certain to
result. Tho danger of the flames spreading and
the distraction Of the town is feared.
Year: 1873

with bath, we may attempt a clean discus
sion with him"


The illustrious editor was simply careless
of his attire, though fastdiOuSy neat. He
was always so busy that, when he rose in the
morning, he put on the first thing he found,
and sometimes he did not put it more than
half on. His clothes never seemed to tit him,
or, rather, he never seemed to fit his clothes.
The wonder with many Of his acquaintance
was where he bought them, or ~heIher they
did not grow, so unique often were their cut
and pattern. Clothes, repeat, were a tender
theme with him and he displayed the highest
breeding by never alluding to what he wore.
1t is supposed he got his garments ready made
Il have been told his wife was in the habit
of purchasing them), and, to save time, he
took the first articles offered. He was the
enly New Yorker of note who repeatedly
appeared in the street in the morning in a
dress-coat. But he made ample atOnement
for this by presenting himself up town at for
NAL dinners in paIetot, or some peculiar gar
ment that defed indenti6cation. Whatever
may be thought Of Mr.. Greeley's quaint
rament, he was excellently dressed according
to the Brummel canon, because after being
with and listening to him one could not re-


member what he had on. He could talk


away his clothes in the briefcst space
.JuniuS Henri BroUne, az Hdrper'S 4ndgdzin


for AprH.
Year: 1873

CONVERTIBLE BoNDs.-Few people under
stand the real nearing Of convertible bonds.
Here it is, given by a correspondent A board
of directors of railroad or any corporation
that issues bonds, finding the operation OF
their property Improbable and running them
in debt, have the power by explicit statute to
thus increase the capital stock Of the company,
sell it, and apply the proceeds 10 make up
deficiencies and to the payment Of dividends.
1t is very easily managed. Finding they must
have money the board votes to raise it on
convertible bonds" One or two bonds are
issued for the whole amount, and are imme.
diately converted into stock. Twenty-four
hours accomplish the whole thing, and the
shareholders wake to read in the morning
papers that the capital of their compeny has
been doubled without their knowledge, and
that the stock is on the market for sale for
what it will bring. Any one familiar with the
stock transactions OF the past fifteen years can
recall the wrongs perpetrated upon stock
holders by the sudden aud unexpected increase
of capital stocks