smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

A Mystery of the Centennial


Grounds.


The Philadelphia Bulletin says: The
mysterious affair which happened last
Friday night bids fair to furnish work
for and to puzzle the brains OF the de-
tectives. The Boston Herald and the
Advertiser have jointly erected small
building upon Fountain avenue, near
the Holy Land, in the Centennial
grounds, and the correspondents of these
papers sleep in the building at night.
MIR. George B. Shaw, correspondent OF
the Herald, was returning to his room
about 9 o'clock at night. AS he was
endeavoring to open the door man
stea,hily approached him from behind,
threw one arm about him in such way
as to conine both arms and cover his
mouth, and with the other tore open
his clothing in front, and with a sharp
knife cut him three times in a horrible
and disgusting manner, the details OF
which cannot be printed. Having ac-
complished his work, the villain LETT his
bleeding victim. After repeated efforts
TO effect ali entrance to the bLildlng
MIR. Shaw finally succeeded, and threw
himself upon bed, where he was found
by the correspondent OF The Advertiser.
AS soon as a conveyance could be pro-
cured he was removed 10 the Pennsyl-
vania Hospital The room presented a
sickening sight. Both beds were sat
urated with blood, and the steps of the
wounded man could be traced by a
bloody trail, from the porch in front to
the bed where he was found. There
are many stories af1oat about the place
and the motive of The crime. While
Mr.. Shaw insists that he was assalled
outside the building and was helpless,
the broken bed in his room would seem
to confirm the theory that the attack
was made inside the building, and was
successful only after desperate resist
ance. Mr.. Shaw says he was followed
from the turnsule after entering the
grounds by the man who made the as.
sault. This is not confirmed by the
turnstile keeper. Two Centennial guards
patrol the avenue in front of the build
ings. Their posts are short ones, not
over two squares in length. They
claim to have been on their posts at the
time of the occurrence, and if there had
been any outcry. or if any unusual noise
had been made, would have heard it.
Quite length of time elapsed from the
time the outrage was committed till he
wss found by the Advertiser correspcn-
dent. In this interval of time he made
no attempt to secure assistance or to
make his condition known, which he
could easily have done by stepping a
few feet to the door, and slightly rails
ing his voice, called the guard. There
seems to haxe been no attempt made by
the Centennial guard TO capture the as
sailant. Capt. Helms, in charge Of the
detective force, was rot notified of the
crime al all, learning it accidentally from
a chance conversation late on Saturday
night. In company with Lieutenant
Millar, Capt. Helms went to the Penn
sy!vania Hospital Saturday night, but
was refused admission. A slight clue
has been found, and will be followed as
long as hope remains of bringing the
villain TO Justice.
Year: 1876

We publish in to-day's paper the act of our last legislature pro viding for the cancellation and re tissue of outstanding school warrants.

 Under thls law our county court has made an order in accordance with it's provisions, which will also be found in to days paper. This is a matter of importance to those holding school warrants, and we commend a careful perus- al of the law and the order to those interested.
Year: 1876

The agitation of the question whether convict labor shall be al lowed to supplant and drive out honest, free labor from our State, has awakened so much feeling, that there is not likely to be much peace between the laboring mas scs and the powers that be, until there is a solution of this matter. The feeling at the Capital and at Argenta had become so highly worked up that the City Council of Little Rock, passed resolution empowering and directing the Mayor to have the nuisance abat- ed.

 This action called forth a com munication from the Board of Commissioners of the Penetentia- ", to the Mayor and City Council, which we regret to know, fully sustains the Lessee in the very deleterious practice of working convict labor as he may choose.

 The Commissioners say: "The Lessee will be allowed to work the convicts of the penetentiary outside the walls and protected in so doing, until the same is de- cided to be unlawful by the Courts" From this we may in fer, that the Commissioners favor the position that when a convict ed felon is sentenced to "hard la- Dor Tn the State PrisOn," it means that the State may allow Lessee of the Prison in Little Rock, to create branch prisons all over the State, and supplant honest, free labor on the farm, in the factory, and in the mine, with the labor of felons? This is not very favor able opinion to the honest laborer, and will hardly be calculated to bring new acquisitions of "bone and sinew" to our State. Had our Commissioners decided, that the Courts when they sentenced a man to the penetentiary, mean that he should stay there until his time had expired, it is hardly probable that the Courts would decide the opinion to be errone ous.
Year: 1876

We are g.atified to know that popular indignation is beginning to manifest itself all over the state against the employment of con yict labor outside of its legitimate sphere. Particularly arc we glad to sec that the people at the capital-the people of Little Rock and Argenta-are moving in the matter. As will be seen by the resolution passed at large meet ing held at Argenta, which we publish elsewhere in to-day's pa per, the masses are getting in earnest about the matter, and 1t is to be hoped that there will be such a storm of indignation hurl- ed at the ruinous and demoraliz- ing practice that the nuisance anu worse bildil 't HuiotiiSC " III be abated and prohibited. Our community have on a former oc- casion expressed their repugnance and disapproval of the outrage, in no uncertain terms, but at the time they met with but little sym pathy or cooperation from any other section. We are therefore glad to see other sections waking up to realizing sense of the detrimcnt which this system is cal culated to entail upon the labor ing masses and the prosperity of our Stat. The spirit of the reso- lutions adopted by the Argenta meeting are the natural breathings which would reasonably be ex- pected to emanate from all honest freemen and lovers of justice, and we trust that the press of the State and the people at large will second any and all pcaceable and lawful remedies or measures to suppress the outrageous practice. If the state government of Arkan- sas is not able to maintain a state prison for the confinement and punishment of criminals, without letting out their labor in compea- tion with the free labor of honest, upright artisans and laborers- peddling it out all over the State we had better take in our sign.

 The Little Rock Evening Star ought to push this matter, and in its fight we hope it may have the moral support of the press thro'- out the State.
Year: 1876

The retiring Governor, of the State of Iowa, has invited the Legislature to take steps to do away with the requirement of uni Eimity in q jury to secure yer dict. This requirement he looks upon as an antique absurdity, which has for long time letter ed the administration of justice, and says that a change would conform the jury system more nearly to modern ideas and prac- tical common sense.

 The question here raised by Governor Carpenter is one of vast importance, and one, too, which would have a most important bearing upon the administration of the laws in both civil and crim- iral proceedings. The annoyance, delay and defeat of the admins tration of justice from the cause of struck juries, has for a long time been a source of great objec- tion to the jury system, and no reasonable objection can be urged against such amendment or modi- fication of the system, as would secure greater expedition and eff ciency in the conduct of trials by jury. Why the opinion of nine men of equal intelligence, with the same evidence and law before them, should not overrule that of three in the capacity of jurors, as we'll as in other transactions, is something for which no ample reason can be given.

 IfIowa will lead off in this new system, there is but little doubt that the healthful results of the change, would soon induce a gen eral adoption of the new jury sys' tenn by the States.
Year: 1876

shall be issued by the county clerk against the district where it was given, and numbered and registered in the book provided for that purpose. If any war rant is rejected it shall be SO reg istcred in the same book on a separate page.

 Fourth-The clerk, sheriff, and witnesses who may be summoned in any investigation provided for by this act, shall be allowed the same fees as are now allowed by law for similar services, to be paid out of the county treasury. Sec. ?. That the order of any trustee or board of directors properly drawn after the passage of this act, other than those of single school districts in cities and towns, shall be presented to the treasurer of the proper county within sixty days after it was drawn by said trustee or board of directors: Provided, That If such order is not presented within the above specified time, it shall be rejected and become null and void. All such orders shall be paid in the order of their present. ation. If there are no funds with which to pay such order, he shall indorsc the same not paid for want of funds, giving the date and signing his name officially. Within thirty days thereafter the holder of such order shall present it to the county clerk, who shall issue to him a warrant for the amount of such order at par, pay able only at the county treasur- CTS office when in funds to the credit of said district. He shall number and record each warrant in the book provided for such purpose, keeping separate rec ord for each district; Provided, That ii such order is not present. ed within the above specified time, it shall be rejected and be null and void.

 See. 3. All laws inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed, and this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

 Approved, November 30, 1875,
Year: 1876

The Grand Jury of Pulaski county have had the case of one of the guards, Mark Harris, pre- sented to them for investigation, on the ground of said guard vol untarily permitting the escape Of convicts from the penitentiary {; and m the course of their search they think they have discovered that there is a screw loose in the management; and the lessee is by them considered guilty of a gross violation of duty in permitting convicts outside oi the walls with out a sufficient guard, as they deem was the case in this instance. The jury in their report say; "Thcy feel that if there be no clause of the criminal law of the State winch is broad enough to meet such case as this presents so gross a violation of duty on the part of the superintendent, that there must be a check put upon such mismanagement by means of a forfeiture of his con tract, and they hereby give It as their unanimous voice that Ii such conduct be persisted in, the power indicated ought to be re- yoked for the protection of the people from the depredations oi these desperate men"

 Judge Williams in response to the report, stated that if they be lieved that the prisoners were sent out without a sufficient guard it was their duty to hold the les see equally responsible with tho guard, and the whole matter wal re-committed to the jury.

 The question with the homes laboripg people of the State nov is, will the lessee be held equally responsible, or will he swine ant dine' out of it.
Year: 1876

An act to provide for the cancel

 lation and reissue of outstand-

 ing school warrants, and to pro-

 vide for a uniform system of

 registering and issuing the

 same.

 Be it enacted, etc.

 Section l. That the county court of each county in the state shall, at it's first session after the passage of this act, provide for the cancellation ana reissue of all outstanding school warrants, in each school district in the county, and also provide for uniform sys- tenn of registering and issuing the same: Provided. That if they shall fail to take such action at said term of court, they may at any future time. They shall pro- eeed as follows:

 First-They shall provide a book in which separate record shall be kept of the financial condition of each school district.

 Second-They shall publish, in newspaper of the county, a copy of their proceedings, requir- ing all persons who hold school warrants or any other certificate of indebtedness against any school district in the county other than the single school districts of cities and towns, to present them within ninety days from the publication of said no tice of cancellation and reissue, and providing that if any person fails to present his school war rant within the above specified time it shall be rejected, and all rejected warrants shall be null and void. Provided: That if there is no newspaper published in the county, they shall cause mo- tices of their proceedings to be posted in the county courthouse, and in at least two conspicuous places in each school district in the county.

 Third-Upon the presentation of said warrants each piece shall be critically examined by the county judge ant county clerk, who shall determine the validity of said warrants, and tor the pur- pose of which investigation, the county judge may summons wit nesses where the validity of any warrant is in doubt. If they shall determine that it has bee I legally issued, new warrant
Year: 1876

The time for letting the con tract for extending the limits of the penetentiary and adding more cells is on the 12th of next month. That's business! Make room enough within the walls to hold all the convicts and then keep them there, and don't send them out to compete with free labor.
Year: 1876

The following are the resolu- tons unanimously adopted at the citizens meeting st Argenta last week:

 WHEREAS. The Memphis and Little Rock Railway company have thought proper, in defiance of public sentiment and the rights and interests of the people, to em- ploy convict labor at their shops and depot in Argenta, thereby deprivlng free labor of fair and honorable compensation, and bringing reproach upon our insti- tutions; therefore, be it.

 Resolved, l. That we, the citi- zens of Argenta, in mass meeting assembled, do hereby enter our most solemn protest and remon- strance against the perpetration of such an outrage, and in the name ofjustice, liberty and equal ity, demand the instant and i'm mediate discontinuance of the same.

 3. That the employment of convict labor outside the walls of the penitentiary is, of itself, an outrage upon justice and a scan- dal to good government; but when convicts are so employed as to crowd out free labor from it's ac- customed pursuits, it becomes 2 most grievous and intolerable wrong, and one which no free peo- pie ought to submit to.

 3. That the president of this meeting appoint seven prudent and discreet citizens to wait on his Excellency Gov. Garland with the request that he use all the constitutional power within his control to prevent the further em- ployment of convict labor in our community; and if it be found that the governor is not clothed with sufficient power to redrsss our grievances, that the authori- ties of the courts be invoked Tn our behalf; and if it be found that both the executive and judi cial departments of the govern ment are powerless to afford the desired relief, that we will then meet to consider how far the peo- pie are capable of directly exer- cising their sovereign powers to abate and remove an intolerable nuisance.

 4. That it is our firm purpose and determination that convict labor SHALL NOT be employed in our midst to the detriment and injury of our laborers and me chanics; and that as peaceable and law abiding citizens, we will adopt all peaceful and lawful rem edies to prevent such a wrong and outrage; but if it be found that the laws afford us no peaceful remedy for such fragrant and in tolerable wrong, that we hereby pledge ourselves to adopt such other measures as will be effica- cious in procuring certain and speedy remedy.

 5. That copy of these reso- lutions be presented to Gov. Gar land, and that the Little Rock Star and Gazette be requested to publish the same, with such re- marks as they deem proper and pertinent

 6. That this meeting, when it adjourns, shall adjourn subject to the call of the president.
Year: 1876

The Democratic National Elk exutiye Committee meets at Washington on the 22d of next month to determine upon the time and place of holding the National Democratic convention for the nomination of President and Vice President.
Year: 1876

vendor of land has g. equitable lien for the purchase money. If he takes an iniependent security, such us mortgage on the other land, or the transfer of negotiable paper, the presumption is that he means to waive the lien, and the onus IS on him to show that he did not. Nc such presumption will arise, however, from taking personal security on the purchase note. The onus is then on the purchaser to show that a waiver of the lien was intended.

 Decree affirmed, on the proof.
Year: 1876

having anything to say; after which
he proceeded in plain, connected and
really impressive language to state
his case. In brief, he related his en-.
gagements to work for Mr.. Wilkin-
son, their final disagreement and his
discharge without full payment, say
ing that directly after this occurred
he went into another room to get his
clothes, and seeing the the watch,
put it into his pocket and walked off
He concluded with an expression OF
penitence, saying, Il am now forty
anine wears old, | have never before
"wronged fellow man nor had n
key turned on me- A letter was
presented to his Honor from Herron's
former employer in Linn Co. and
witnesses to his conduct here exam
ined, after which the Judge said he
would be disposed to dismiss the de-
fendant, who had already had four
months in Co. Jail, did the law grant
him that discretion; as it did not he
should impose the nominal sentence
of thirty days in tie penitentiary-the
shortest term ever given in this
court
Year: 1876

"a SQUARE MEAL."-We are sure our
readers will thank US for calling their
attention to the very handsome adver.
tisement of the Excelsior Manufacturing
Co., of st Louis, as it would be useless
for US to try to say anything in favor of
their great CHARTER OAK COOKING
sToyE. The very Word suggests the
thought of well cooked meal followed
by easy digestion, vigorous health, and
desire to have and to do plenty OF
real work" to say nothinb of the comfort
of a happy, contented household.
Year: 1876

BAD AND BRUTAL.-That Clarence
sensation, referred to last week as "A
Curious Tale has by this time gotten
another tail TO it. The three parties
most conspicuous in the capture Of the
now missing stranger-Marshall Muir
ply, John Cosgrove and VIM. Pm
ney-were on Tuesday indicted by
the grand jury and few hours after
the return of the bill were arrested
by Sheriff Maynard, who left here af-
ter supper time and had the arrests
all made before the arrival Of the
train that brought the news of the
indictment. Murphy and Pinney
furnished bail on the spot, and Cos
grove was brought to Jail only to be
bailed out the next morning.


The affair is rather singular one,
and as each witness before the grand
jury repeated his "unvarnished tale"
on the street the facts are pretty well
known; and after all which can be
learned, about the same conclusion
as before is enforced, viz: That the
bad and brutal conduct of half-tip-
sy official in leaving wounded pris.
oner uncared for in a cold hovel is the
worst feature of the case. Time and
the courts will determine.
Year: 1876

THE GRAND JURY put in week
of steady work. Ten indictments
were the net results, with some cases
continued and a good many more
dismissed. All Of the indictments
found, so far at least as has been
made public, have already been noted
either this week or last.


In the case of Chas. Kelly, bound
over couple of weeks ago no bill
was found, as will be gathered from
a correspondent on this subject, who,
we think, puts the sodium" business
a little strong. We can't see as an
honorable discharge from criminal
charge must necessarily throw odium
upon any one.


DR.. J. F. Houser, whose possible
criminal connection with the death of
Alpha Robinson was brought before
the jury by coroner's inquest--a full
report of which was published in
these columns--also came off with
flying colors. After iull hearing OF
the case, including an analysis Of the
medicines by DR.. Rigg, the jury re-
turned no bill. And while we do
not mean t. cast reflections upon any
one, we wish to say right here that
we hope in the future either that
primary Investigations may not be
carried so far, or that subsequent
proceedings will go good deal
farther. Nothing but a bad effect
can follow from having the worst
suspicious aroused and fed, and then
having the whole thing dropped with.
out an opportunity to show the pub.
lie why and wherefore in such man.
nsr that all question is fully and
forever at an end.
Year: 1876

MORE THAN EvER.-Mr. II. L.
Dean returned last week from his
long sojourn at the East, during which
he has not only found time to dispose
of his poultry, butter, &C., but also
to buy, direct from the manufacturers,
a large and finer stock of everything


in the boot and shoe line than ever
before. These goods are now arriv-
ing and being opened at his store in
the City Hall building, where GUS
toners will be no less astonished at
the grand display than the low prices.
Year: 1876

THE "Dr. Hall building on the
west side of the Court Square, has
started around the corner, where il
will hereafter have to face on a less
prominent street. This building was
erected by Hall and Tuthill in ls4S


and was then the finest store-room ir
the place. The one adjoining, which
also goes to make room for the new
block, was built one year later. The
oak frames of both are solid enough
Year: 1876

A SUBJECT FOR THOUGHT Fault


finders say that too much attention is


paid to fashion in woman's dress. For
our part we think there is too little


Fashion would seem to be ordered by
the people who know comparatively
nothing. There are reasons aud laws
of taste and good looks. it should not
need to be said. The subject is one to
be studied, with pleasing results to be
certainly arrived at and solidly estab-
lished. Why do not some Of our most
cultured women take hold upon it p
This is womanly 6eld it must be
thought; or it is so thought at any
rate. And the range for womanly
effort is said to be narrow. The ground
at least is open, whether it be large or
small 1t is a wide field as it is now
could be worse than the drear-
mess of its barren spots. unless it were
The horriblencss of much of the growth
where it is not bare. May the hand of
sxillfull and graceful tiuage be speedily
brought upon it. May it be cultivated
with artistic taste And may we be
spared to see that day.