smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

Does a man disarm himself in order to
get the advantage Of an armed opponent
in a fight for life, or does swimmer tie a
stone around his neck when about to swim
swollen river? Something quite as wise
is the proposal to form a new party in
Louisiana by fusion of the old citizen
element and the conservative colored ele-
ment based upon negro equality and oppo-
sition to carpet-baggery, regardless Of
color. The strength and the only strength
of the old-citizen party heretofore has
been its pandering to the prejudice against
what they call negro equality" :" That
source of power once abandoned they


stand stultifed, self-disarmed, without a
flag, or standard, and for battle-cry
they have to adopt the exclusive, unpro-
gressive, unrepublican slogan ''Down
with carpet-baggers, black or white" If
this is to be regarded as political expert
ment it does not require much acumen to
predict its complete failure. In the first
place any proposal of alliance coming
from the defunct Democratic, anti-civil-
rights, star-car party to the colored ele-
ment, must naturally be regarded by the
latter with sharp distrust. The most igno-
rant plantation hand that ever afforded
by his dullness and gaiety under the chains
of slavery an argument against emancipa-
ton, has mental power enough to appre-
Year: 1873

Mr.. Hancock, who was the victim of a
brutal assault on Saturday night, seems
to be disposed to make the most Of the
occasion. His paper, the Herald, has been
full of it ever since But we have read his
statements with great care, and failed to
receive much information. The only
points that are quite clear, however, are
these: Mr.. Hancock was assaulted and
teaten. He expects the police to find out
right off who did it, and to arrest and
punish the guilty parties without delay.
This implies that the Metropolitans who
were not present are expected to know
more about the transaction than Mr..
Hancock himself, who was there and
saw his assailants. We will engage that if
Mr.. Hancock will point out any body he
wants to have arrested, the police will do
their duty But they have neither the
power nor the disposition to arrest the
whole city in order to sift out the mis-
creant. We know by long experience
that outrages are occasionally perpetrated
against private individuals and the
perpetrators enabled to escape de-
lection for time. Not long ago,
the Governor of this State was
shot at, in open daylight, in the presence
of large crowd Of people, and yet the
perpetrator has not been detected. One
arrest has been made, but there is abun-
dant reason to believe the person who shot
at the Governor has not been caught.
About the same time other personal as
saults were made, none of which were fol.
lowed by arrests, and all of which, includ-
ing the attempt upon the life Of the Gov
ernor did not create such cOmmotion in
the columns of our neighbor as the single
case that came nearer home. We are truly
glad to know that Mr.. Hancock was more
scared than hurt; but hope that he will
bear in mind the fact that if the outrage
committed upon him shall remain forever
unavenged it will not be the first instance
of the kind in the history of this city. Like
the man in the iron mask, or the author of
the Junius Letters, his assailant is likely
to remain forever incog., unless the victim
can furnish some clue to his identity more
pointed than any we have yet seen.


A policeman remarked yesterday that if
Mr.. Hancock had displayed as much vigor
and persistence in following up and point





ing out his assailant as he did in crying
murder" and belaboring the Metropoli-
tans for not having discovered the chap
who tapped him, they might have bagged
the game. A man who loses his presence
of mind and then his temper cuts sorry
figure,
Year: 1873

It is several weeks now since the city
Council took action in the case OF this
company. The Council ordered the grade
of the railroad to be reduced to common
level with the banquets. We believe
General Beauregard, president OF the COM
pany, was officially notified Of the action
of the Council, and we believe he acknowl-
edged receipt Of the communication.
Since shat time nothing has been done
Meantime, there is general feelings OF
indignation among the residents all along
the line of this road, at this continued
sighting of their wishes in this regard.
We call the attention Of the city Council
again to this matter, hoping that action
will be promptly taken by the Admins
tor Of Improvements and the City Attor-
ney to protect the rights of the people
against the outrageous neglect Of the cor
poration in question.
Year: 1873

We publish in another column Governor
Kellogg's executive order naming com
mittee of nine respectable citizens to whom
be delegates authority TO examine all out
standing obligations of the State, with a
view to ascertaining which are binding on
tbe State and which are fraudulent. We
trust much good will come of this investi-
CATION. We have faith in the acumen, pen
etratien and efficiency of the gentlemen
named, however, and know they will make
an honest and impartial report OF the facts
Is they ind them,
Year: 1873

The latest .boon to literary travellers is
'.Graphine. which is described by the Lon
don press as little packet containing four
small sheets of paper, and on cutting Oft a
little bit. no larger than ones finger nail,
and soaking it in tablespoonful of water,
it will produced beautiful purple e-colored
ink. This condensed writing ink can be
carried in the pocketbook, like court plas-
ter, and no traveller need in future take an
inkstand about with him.
Year: 1873

On recent trial in South Wales, to test
the validity of a will, 1t was proved That in
1867 the testatOr became impaired IN intel
lect to such an extent that be went to the
postoffice with postage stamp on his fore
head and requested to be sent by mail to a
nlace he mentioned,
Year: 1873

The regular monthly meeting OF the
school board will be held this evening at
the Council chamber, at the usual time.
Considerable interest will attach to this
session, since the committee on teachers
will announce the names OF the applicants
for teacherships who have passed success
ful
Year: 1873

The pale, sad-looking young men whom
one occasionally meets in the street are not
consumptive, are not mourning the loss OF
a friend, and are not divinity students,
They are breaking in tight boots.
Year: 1873

A Waterbury man has christened his
daughter Glycerine. He says it will be
easy to prefix nitro if her temper re
sembles her mothers. The man is living
who will be blown I'D by that girl.
Year: 1873

The House Judiciary Committee have not yet
taken any steps to inquire whether hetestimony
taken by the Poland Committee will warrant ar
ticles Of impeachment against any public officer.
1t is said that with one or two exceptions, they
will report against any such proceedings"
Year: 1873

How THE WONDER is WoRKRD.-The
readers of the Ledger doubtless obscrv~
ed in the cable dispatches notice that
the cable laid in 1865 "had failed, at
twenty minutes past twelve o'clock on the
day before; and that an electrician would
leave London in the evening to "locate
the fault" They of course understood
that it was the mission of the gentleman
mentioned to 60 to the shore end of the
cable on the coast of Ireland, to ascertain
at Uhat point Of the two thousand miles
Of cable buried under the sea the cable
had been injured or broken. And we
have no doubt some of them have won-
dered how it was possible for the electri-
clan to know, or to learn, schere the fault
or the break could be, considering that
some portions of the wire were thousand
miles distant from his point Of observa-
ton, and great deal OF 1T buried deep
from human sight two miles beneath the
surface of the sea- Yet every part Of
that long distance, and every fathom Of
thar vast abyss of water, are within the
reach Of the electricians Instrumental
hands, and within the ken of his scientific
eye. 1t is quite practical for him to "io-
cate the fault" or the break, within a half
mile of its actual position, no matter
where it be.
Year: 1873

Worn with the sorrowful vigils Of tho
past night, faint with his long fast, and
shlvering with cold, the soldier hurried
through the chilly rain-mist Of early morn
ing to the train. An hour later he was
ut B. He remained all day ia his
room at the hotel and then, just after
night-fall, having ascertalncd Mrs. Parks
address, went and concealed himself in the
garden at the west of the house.


IL must see her face though | dare
not trust myself to CALL" he said to him
self. He sat on the grass, under some
syringa bushes, in a remote corner, and
waited Tor lights to appear in the window
The night was dark and rainy About
nine O'Clock room on the groand floor
at the southwest corner, grew bright with
in. Then woman approached the win
dow, and sat down near it. ut is she,
he thought, and his heart beat thick ano
FAST. He rose from the grass, and crep
stealthily toward the house. He coulf
see her, now distinctly; it was the fac'
he had loved SO well, framed as Of old Ii
its golden hair, but older and wearing an
inofiable sadness. From where he stoot
he could see that she was alone, for tn
room was small and well lighted. Sh
was looking in his direction, and perhap
there was some mysterious attraction !
her gaze SO fixed and wistfhl, for, forget
ing himself, he stepped out Of his concea


ment into the path. Tho woman starte
! slightly, then, drawn by some stronge
Year: 1873

TIE IntslHgsnesr instances "the loss
Of fry odd thousand dollars in the
Wheeling Savings Institution" as an
example Of "the mismansgement asd
petty pluOder that have characterized
local administration" The funds
referred to did not come within the
control Of the present Council nor
il the present Finance Committee
in any way responsible therefor.
Upon the o!her ha d, the gentle
men most obnoxious TO the int<EhScn-
.ss criticism are now high in favor
with that journal aud the editor will
doubtless do his utmost to have them
restored to their former places Of
responsibility and trust.
Year: 1873

had he seen evidence SO conclusive and
damaging as this. He found the COM
miftee on privileges and elections unan-
imously reported the most material
facts.


Senator Carpenter replied that as a
member of the committee he dissented
from the finding Of facts, but had not
time to write his dissenting report.
Senator Thurman did not deny
what the senator said, but he found
the facts in the report upon
which they were called to act. III they
did not turn out a man whose election
was procured by fraud, or declare his
seat vacant until they obtained stronger
testimony, the power to do so might as
well be stricken from the constitution.
The legal argument was in a narrow
compass. The senate has power, under
the constitution, to judge of the election,
qualifications and returns Of its menu
bers, and therefore it could be no
violation of State rights to exercise the
power conferred by that instrument.


No further debate took place.


Senator Window offered resolution
that the committee on transportation be
authorized to sit during the recess and
report to the senate on the subject of
transportation between the interior and
seaboard, with power to send for persons
and papers.


The senate then went into executive
session and afterward adjourned.
Year: 1873




sworn to by seven of the jurors in the
Foster case, stating that his conviction
could never have been obtained but for
the belief by the jurors that the recon-
mendation to mercy would procure
com mutation of the sentence to i'm
prisonment for life, and asking the
governor to prevent the execution. The
governor said he would give the doeu-
ment his careful consideration.


Proceedings of the United States SENATE.


WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator
BOgy, of Missouri, said that during his
absence yesterday memorial was
presented from certaiD members of the
Missouri legislature asking the senate
to investigate the charges of improper
means, bribery and corruption in the
procurement of his election. He then
proceeded to relate the circumstances
under which he was elected. In that
contest it was alleged that money had
been used, but at no time was he or
his distinguished competitor charged
with using money. One man,
however, without political distinc-
ton, but of large fortune, was
charged with having made up his
mind to buy his seat, Immediately after
his (Bogy's) election.


A resolution was passed by the house
of representatives for the appointment
of committee to inquire whether the
money was Improperly used in the SEN
atorial election. After nearly one
month the committee made q lengthy
report in which it was said that there
was no evidence directly or indirectly,
to criminate the senator elect, Bogy, and
fully exonerated him. The COM
mittee also found that 10 MEM
Der of the general assembly had
received money, directly or Indirectly,
to influence his vote. AT his instance
the committee extended the investiga.
tion and made another report reaffirm-
ing their first report, and asked to be
discharged. This matter, it was thought,
was ended, but it appeared some of the
Republicans had presented memorial
to the senate asking for an investiga-
ton. This memorial was in general
terms. 1t did not say anything could
be proved, and this was indeed a
matter of very great importance.
Here was q State which had as bright a
record, and whose escutcheon was as
clear of stain as any other State, and
therefore he might well claim, as q right
due himself and State, that the senate
at once take up the case. If he had any
reputation for anything above another,
it was that of being an honest man, and
though he admitted he was an ardent
politician, he had never been charged
with corruption: He did not like to be
held up before the country as man
who had obtained a seat here by i'm
proper means. He could not vote to
expel or retain any member of this body
while he himself was subject to investi-
CATION. Under these circumstances he
should suspend his functions on all such
questions.


The senate then resumed the consid-
Grafton of the Caldwell case.


Senator Norwood said the senafe had
perfect and absolute power to declare
void an election procured by bribery and
fraud, and remit the matter to the State
for new election. ~ ~ s 80


Senator Thurman said the result of
his examination of the testimony was
that the election Of Caldwell was thor
oughly corrupt. He had examined
much evidence in his time, and never
Year: 1873

~
Giddy girls. you may laugh at your Grandpa
And enjoy putting pins in his chair
Doubled up is this fgnre and furroWed this
Very seant are these teeth and this hair.
You may speak of me still in your soft pretty
As the quaintest old image unhung;
But fond recollection survives my decay
was very gUod-IOoking when young
Half century does make a sort of Kind
OF difference. mark you. my dears,
And the brief way to reckon my age up, find,
Is in tens or dozens of years.
l must be about eighty or so, by the clock;
Butmy mind is little unstrung,
And my talent for counting has come to a block.
was brilliant at figures when young.
In the dash along hard living Regency days
was prince OF the fashion and style
When 1 drove in the Park with my carriage


and bays.


Even Brummell bent low at my smile
What was gold? A mere nothing. In pleasure


and play


Far and wide it got scattered and Hung
For though now ON the parish, L proudly can


say l 4A
- was rolling in riches when young.
Oh the nirting and frolic and fun that We had i
was called an Adonis in curls.
There was many feminine heart very sad
When married your GRANDMOTHER. girls.
had rivals; but what was rival to sne.
With my figure. my face, and my tongue
An, believe me. the squalld old pauper you see
Was dashing Don Juan when young.


Eu Fam.
Year: 1873




The distance between the two banks
at the point where the rope is stretch
ed across is. fourteen hundred feet,
one end being anchored directly op-
posite the Clifton House and the other
end in Prospect Park, about a quarter
of the distance from the railway in
cline to the new suspension bridge.
This is the widest point of the river
at which rope could be got across.
The rope used by the famous Blondin
was stretched further down the river
where the banks are only eight hum
dred feet apart. The entire length of
Bellenis rope is fifteen hundred feet.
1t is three-strand MANILA line, two
and O quarter inches in diameter. The
banks of the river at the points where
the ends are anchored are said to be
about one hundred and ninety feet
high. When we first saw the rope it
sagged down fully half the distance,
but subsequently it was somewhat
tightened by a eapstan turned by
horse power at the American side.
Still, however, the sag was as much
as sixty or seventy feet, and it seemed
impossibla that any human being
could walk up or down the inclines.
At the center the rope was ballasted
with sand-bags, and it was braced at
either side by a great number of guy
ropes. Signor Belleni claims that his
rope is the longest ever used by a
tight rope performer. -


Balleni stepped again upon the rope
and came down the incline to the CEN
ter with rapid steps-almost on a run
As he started, a boat, occupied by
three experienced men, pulled out
from the shore to- the center of the
river. Arrived al, the middle of the
rope, the Signor stopped and prepared
for his awful jump. In doing so he
lost his balance spole, which he had
intended to attach to guy rope so as
to slide down where it could be re-
gained. The pole fell into the river
and sunk. Signor Balleni unrolled q
line eighteen feet long composed of
strips of india rubber about an inch
in width. One end of this line he
attached to the main rope. Holding
the other end in his hands, he allowed
himself to drop bodily down, and the
crowds on the banks with bated
breath saw him fall straight down full
one hundred feet, striking the water
with q splash that could be heard
above the roar of the falls. AS he
struck he released his hold of the rub
Der line, which whipped back into the
air high above him. In the water the
Signor found himself equally at home
as ON the rope Three or four strong
strokes kept him above the food un-
til the boat was alongside him, and in
q moment more he was taken in.
Then the boat pulled to the Canada
shore, where the carriage and four
were in waiting. The Signor was
properly wrapped up IN blankets and
conveyed to his temporary residence,
the spectators of the thrilling exhibit
ton crowded about the vehicle and
giving vent to great deal of enthu-
eiasm.
Year: 1873




A St. Paul licorrespouden of the m.


Y. World relates the following


There is preacher, said to be lo-
Gated at Brainerd, the village at the
Mississippi crossing of the Northern
Pacific Railroad, whose name is given
as Williams. And there are three
or more. practitioners of the game of
three card monte, names and hahita-
tions unknown, who have lately ope-
rated with considerable success upon
travellers on the Northern Pacific
and Lake Superior Railroads. Among
their latest victims is the preacher
aforesaid, and how he fell into their


snare is thus told by the Brainerd
people, Sitting near the preacher was
q 5Verdant looking youth to whom a
couple of sfspOrt1 appearing men were
exhibiting their skill fgat three card
monte. From where he was seated


he could tell the winning card every,
time, and when finally the, Yerdant


youth put fifty dollar bill down on
q wager that he would select the right
card, and the good man was fairly
grieved to see the innocent youth, as
if blind to what was plain to be seen,
pick up the wrong card and lose his
money. The youth seemed to feel
bad about 1t too, but after watching
the dealers motions while, he emp
tied all his pockets and collected
another fifty dollars, which straight
way followed the first one into the
dealers pocket. Amazed that the
youth could not see what he saw so
plainly aud sympathizing with the
youths apparent grief oyer losing
every cent of his money, the preacher
resolved to recover IL and restore it to
its late possessor. After q little par
leying, the preachers watch was wa
gered against one hundred dollars of
the gamblers money S the deal was
made and the good man turned up the
marked card, but the wrong one His
good gold watch disappeared in the
gamblers vest, and at the next station
when the three, the two gamblers and
the sverdant youth, went from the car
and walked down the platform as the
train rolled on, chatting and laughing
like old acquaintances, the minister
began to suspect that the Verdant
youth and the two gamblers were con-
federates,. and he their dupe. But even
then his amazement that his eyes
should have so deceived him, as to the |
identity of that marked card was the |
predominant feeling ..5's, -.


The sequel to this true story is that |
when the gamblers learned that their |
victim was poor preacher, they sent
the watch back to him by express,
charges prepaid, just in time to save !
his amused but pitying neighbOrs |
from subscribing to buy him another,
Year: 1873

A case of the most abject poverty
which, in q measure, serves to show
the extremes in which many of the
poorer classes are placed, was report
ed by police officer at the Home of
Little Wanderers q few days since
The officer, in the performance Of
his duties, had his attention called to
two half clad children, wandering
about the streets with bare heads
and feet, in search of cold vietuals.
On investigation he found that these
children had o brother and sister
home in bed with no clothes to put
on. When the two became chilled
and tired they went home and
changed places with the others, who
then doned the rags and took their
turn at begging. The mother was a
widow, and she was obliged to leave
the children every day for her work
in another part Of the city. BY her
labor she earned SO week, two Of
which she gave for rent of the room
she and her children occupied. The
family of FIVE were obliged to live on
81 week and such morsels of food
as the children picked up from day
to-day-Boston Adr-rttSe-'.