smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

In the case of the examination Of Leopo L. Ncttel
the alleged Austrian fugitive, whose extradion is de-
manded by tho Austrian government all the testimony
taken both oral and documentary has been submitted
to Judge Batchtord, oi the United States District
Court appeal from the decision OF Commissioner
Osborn holding the defendant for tho action Of the
Executive. In presenting the case OF his client and
appealing The exception taken by him and overrulcd
by the Commissioner cx-Juuge Joachimsc laid par
ticuar stress upon what he dcoms the principal point
for tho Judges decision. He contends among other
propositions, that the whole OF the evidence shout
have been considered that there conceivable
legal reason tor the Commissioners rejection Of the
evidence offered the part oi the accused that uOns
Of the testified TO by HIM were contradcted that
there WAS nothing whatever IN his testimony incou'
ssent with truth defyng belief; that such rejection
Of the defendants testimony WAS arbitrary and legal
pervcrs on OF discretion necessarily submitted the
magistrate Counsel suggested that II was perhaps
TO tho Commissioners conscience shat the ae-
cused being lsraehte he might not have believed In
the sac.edness o the oath administered TO him, as II
between Jew and Christian there any question OF the
authenticity OF The scriptures Counsel commended that
there precedent 10 show where, alter An oath
had been legally administered without objection. and
after direct ana examnation that this question
OF religious belief has been allowed be entered


ali the Court bound to credit the assertion
OF the that the oath in form presented by Law
Is btnding on him or her 10 tell the truth. Counsel
he would feel deeply sgSrcved II the ruling OF thi
Court should mako precedent that Jews assertion
that his individual conscience satisfied by The forms
of law o! his country Is not TO be accepted, but
that ia order TO become credible witness he u
forced to submit to what the Judge may
believe be essential nies but which, in iact
only ceremonies wholly scparabe and distinct
from hs religion. whatever tcnets oil iaith may be IN
cuoed therein. This would DO the setting up OF ~
ecclesiastical test foreign our laws and repugnsnt "a
our constitution Counsel coutcnded this was ques-
ton very material TO the issue now, but had no bear'
ing on the case when before the Commissioner; that
ITS introduction had been objected To- but tna tho
Commissioner having admitted 1t, II vsatsd the whole
proceedings.


The Judge reserved his decision.
Year: 1876

A young man In Indianapolis boasted
the other day that he could stand nearer
q cannon that was being fired than any
other man. He then took position ten
feet On advance and three to one side Of
the gun. During the following night he
began to feel queerly and soon half his
body was paralyzed, and his physician
believes it will remain 80 permanently,
owing TO conclusion OF the brain.
Year: 1876

THE work preparatory to the blast
ing of the rock at Hallett's Point will
be brought to close in about amontl.
Everything is being putin readiness for
the final tremendous explosion, which
is to give New York a new doorway
,to the Atlantic Ocean, lessening the
time between this city and Europe by
twenty-four hours. The last Of Sep
temher has been fixed upon by Gen.
Newton. the United States engineer in
charge of the work, as the time when
the final explosion is to take place.


Many suppose that this rock is in the
middle of the stream, but it is a part
of, and projection from, the shore of
Long Island, running far out under
the water. Being on point around
which the stream makes bend OF
nearly ninety degrees, it causes the
current to set so strongly toward the
opposite shore of Wards Island that a
wreck is inevitable to any vessel which
attempts to make the passage when
there is not wind enough to carry her
through. Persons living near the
Point say that two or three vessels a
week are often thrown upon "The
Gridiron," the opposite rock, and that
many of these are SO shattered that
they are dismantled and sold for old
lumber. The removal Of the great
rocky bar upon the point will give the
current another and more direct course
and greatly deepen the channel.


The approach to the excavations is
along the shore, after leaving the
Year: 1876

rim of which is cork, that it may float,
the body attached to the rim being a
kind of sack or breeches" in which a
man may sit after he climbs in.
To their end of the rocket-line the
men on shore fasten the small rope
which runs through the pulley-block.
They do it in such way that when
the ships crew pull on the rocket line
they will drag the pulley-block on
board, with the small rope in it, the
tar0 ends Of aChich are held on shore.
With this rope block comes the tally
board telling them to fasten the pulley
high up on the mast by means of the
tail-string attached to the block.


Then the big rope, on which the life
basket is to travel back and forth, is
secured upon the pulley-rope, and the
men on ship pull that aboard and
fasten it up about two feet higher than
the pully-block.


Meantime the shOre-men stretch
their end of the hawser over the tall,
triangular frame and make it fast.


But first the elife-basket, by means of "a
pulley-block, is slipped on the hawser.
The two ends of the MANILA rope,
which runs through the pulley which
is fastened on the ship-mast, are tied
to this basket-ptlly.


And now the shore-peOple pull on
the little MANILA rope; they pull and
pull, and it glides around through the
ships pulley, and the lifc-basket runs
along the haWscr to the ship.


Then one of the crew climbs into the
basket, and the men on shore pull
again, on the opposite side of the rope,
and the Hfe-baSket, with its precious
load, comes running back to shore
along the hawser.


So it goes, back and FORTH until all
the crew have been brought across.
Some Of them get pretty wet, and some
get Soundly thrashed by the breakers,
but they are certain to be saved, as the
cork rim of the basket, being under
the arms, keeps the head above water.


In our country they sometimes send
closed life-cars to and fro Overthe haw-
ser. This car is entered from the top by
means of little trap-d0or. 1t contains
air enough to last four persons fifteen
minutes. | suspect the little girls
would prefer to come ashore from the
wreck in this nice, dry way, and per-
haps the boys would too.


Isn't this brave work for rockets
much drawer than even being part Of
the Centennial fireworks ?-J. a.
DougloSS, IN VH1e-Aw0he.
Year: 1876

had once before visited. He received
me heartily, and by and by l asked
him about William Acton. The re-
suit of all he told me was summed up
in his closing sentence. Said he:


"'I am sure William Acton was
Philip Acton's child-in fact, / know
it-and l am confident that Philip and
Betsey were married. The mother
died very soon after her child was born,
and we know that Philip always
treated the boy as his legitimate child;
and that he loved him as such | can
confidently affirm"


"On the following morning, after
breakfast, as | sat by the window in
the bar-roOm, saw coming from the
street the man who had saved my
child. He was walking slowly, like
one in trouble. Ipointed him out to
my host, and asked him who he was.
"'That is William Acton. Perhaps
you have heard of the trouble he is
likely to have with Laban Sarfurty


said had heard.


81 hope he may come out all right,
the host added, but | am fearful. He
has got hard and heartless customer
to deal with


Il shut my mouth and held my
peace until Laban Sarfurt called for
his final answer. I said to him:


Mr. Sarfut, l have been consider
ing all this time whether I could I'M
dertake your case with a clear con-
science-whether | should be helping
the side of justice and right in helping
you. | had concluded that could not
do 50 before | had seen William Acton,
to know him by name. now know
him for a man who nobly risked his
own life to save the life of my child.
For that deed | will reward him if l
can. | have not as yet accepted one
of your private disclosures; | have
gained from you nothing which you
could wish to keep from the public. l
cannot take your case, but, | tell you
frankly, that if you prosecute, l will
defend William Acton.


Il did not mind Sarfurt'S wrath.
He Tayed and SwOre and stamped, and
then he went off and engaged two law
yerS from Herkimer to take his case.
| called upon Acton and told him l
would defend him. if he would accept
my services, as | had accepted his. lie
took my hand and thanked me.


Il have made a great many pleas in
my life, but | think | never made a
better one than | made to that jury
on that OCCASION They We're out not
over five minutes. BY their verdict
William Acton was the lawful pos
SCISSOR of the estate his father had
left.


From that day l never hesitated
to refuse Il case to which | could not
give my heart. Such Il stand on the
part of lawyer becomes known, and
the public feels it; and what the public
feels juries are sure to feel.


Concerning William Acton, l will
only add that he became my bosom
friend. He always felt that he owed
his title to his valuable property to me !;
and knew that to him was indebted
for the home that was mine for thirty
years. He was very delicate in the
gift of that piece of property. He
decided it to my wife. The husband
of my oldest daughter is his oldest
son.
Year: 1876

A WEAK spot in boiler, or in any
! other device, does not improve by use,
and when machine breaks down at
point which is ascertained to have been
weak for long time, no one is i'm
! pressed with. the necessity Of going
into long discussion to S how that
mysterious agencies were suddenly
brought to bear upon the weak point
causing the break. The fact is, the
point of fracture was unable to sus-
tain the load imposed upon it. 1t did
its very best, but when the load was
not lessened, yet the deterioration of
metal continually going on, a time
came when, from inability to hold on
longer, the machine broke down. Is
there any mystery about it! Is
there any mystery about the fact that
a boiler of six and one-half feet IN
| diameter, running at pressure OF
seventy-tive pounds to the square inch,
with one of the sheets corroded to the
/ IllIlHeSS u )dptl, Chpioiou, osoiiS ~


rious damage? We think not, and we
furtherthink that all efforts to surround
such cases with mystery are worthy
only of those who have scared so hlgh
into the regions of theory that they are
reluctant to step down before, and
into, the presence of facts and common
sense. Boilers should be periodically
inspected, with much care, so that any
indications of weakness may be dis
covered before it is too late. There
are few if any defects that careful ex-
ternal and internal examination, with
chisel and hammer, will not discover,
and we would advise all boiler owners
to secure the services of some COM
petent man to examine their boilers
carefully at least once a year.-Report
of Hartford Steam Boiler and Ins2'ec-
tion Company.
Year: 1876

As POOR as church-mouse,
As thin as rail;
AS fat as a porpoise,
As rough as gale;
As brave as lion,
AS spry as cat;
As bright as sixpence,
As weak as a rat.
As proud as peacock,
As sly as fox;
As mad as March hare,
As strong as an OK;
As fair as lily,
As empty as air;
As rich as Crpsus,
As cross as q bear.
As pure as an angel,
As neat as pin;
As smart as q steel-trap,
As ugly as sin;
As dead as door-nail, .H
As white as a sheet;
As flat Is an-cake,
As red as q Deet. H
As round as an apple,
As black as your hat;
As brown as a berry,
AS blind as bat;
As mean as miser,
As full as q tick:
As plump as a partridge,
AS sharp as stick. -...
As clean as a penny,
As dark as pail;
AS hard as a milestone,
As bitter as gall;
As fine as fiddle.
As clear as bell;
As dry as a herring,
As deep as a well,
As light as feather,
As hard as a rock;
As stiff as u poker.
As calm as a clock:
As green as gosling,
As brisk as bee;
And now let me stop,
Lest you weary of me.


Boston gazette.
Year: 1876

An incident occurred on recent trip,
says a correspondent, over the Union nPaciiic
Railroad that may be of interest to our
readers. We were rolling along between
Salt Lake and Omaha, when | made my
way into the smoking car to enjoy cigar
I noticed a group gathered in the centre Of
the car, and crowding my way up, saw two
men gambling.


One was o well dressed man, but bearing
the general appearance of blackleg; the
other was vcritable miner, just as he came
from the mountains, with long, grizzlcd
beard rough, coarse, and dirty clothes, but
with lots of gold The play was for quite
large stakes, and heard whispers that the
gambler was about to fleece the miner, and
much sympathy was manifested for him.


The game-draw-p -poker-stil went on,
with hardly word spoken by the players ;
till finally, when large sum on the board,
the gambler being called to show his hand,
threw down three aces and two queens, and
reached for the money the miner stretched
over aud held his hand, and laid down two
aces, showing, of course, five aces in the
pack. lie then reached back, and drew a
large navy revolver, cooked it, placed the
muzzle directly between the eyes of the
gambler still holding his hand.


Not word was spoken, but each looked
steadily into the eyes of the other Soon
the hand began quietly to move from the
money the form of the gambler to draw
back, and still the revolver followed. He
stepped into the aisle, and here the scene
became so uninteresting to me and several
others that we dropped under the seats.
The gambler slowly backed toward the
door, with the revolver following until the
door was reached, and he passed out.


The miner coolly let down the hammer
of his revolver, replaced it in his pocket,
swept the money from the board into hi:
pouch, quietly lighted his pipe, and settled
back into his seat as ifnothing had happen.
ed. The strangest part of the whole busi-
ness was that not Il word was spoken from
the time the gambler laid his three aces on
the board until the time he passed out the
car door. | took seat near the miner
afterwards, and chatted with him about his
experience in the mountains, and he seemed
pleasant and intelligent We did not refer
to his little episode with the blackleg. ...


have never witnessed such thrilling
scene, or one in which such extreme GOODNESS
was manifested as that by the miner. ..
Year: 1876

NAroLEoN's lIAprIEsr DIY.-When Ma
poleon was in the height of his prosperity,
and surrounded by a brilliant company of
the marshals and courtiers ofthe empire, he
was asked what day he considered to have
been the happiest of his life. When all
expected that he would name the occasion
OF some glorious victory, or some great polit-
ical triumph, or some august celebration, or
other signal recognition of his genius and
power, he answered without moments
hesitation, THE happiest day of my life was
the day ofmy first communion Al a reply
so unforeseen there was general silence ,
when he added, as ii to himself, 4 was then
an innocent child
Year: 1876

Grace Greenwood writes from Paris to the
New York Times i. Our party entered the
catacombs at the old BoTieye u Enter, an
entrance that seems a little like a reverse of
proceedings. At this point each visitor,
after being provided with a candle, descends
neary hundred steps of a dark winding
stairway to passage, damp, and of course
utterly dark. From herewe walked through
a perfect labyrinth of other narrow pass
ages, all doubly somber from the heavy
coating of candle smoke on the rock over
head walked for nearly half an hour before
coming to the great depository of bones
On each side all the way through the old
quarries, opened other arched passages, lead
ing off into awful distance and darkness
ways barred by chains or marked "danger-
Gus" We passed caverns like drifts" in
mines, and once we came upon a railing sur
rounding Il pit whose gloomy depths we
yainly sought to sound with the trembling
light of our candles. TO those in the rear
the effect Of the long lire of lights flicker
ing, waving, passing in and out the dark





arches, winding and doubling was some
thing strangely weird and awful. All, am
sure, except those brave young Frenchmen,
who kept up their courage with cat-calls and
cock growing, felt oppressed by the very
darkness and silence which we were so bold
ly invading For ourpart, we were inclined
to speak low, and to watch anxiously each
her bit of candle, for no friendly echoes of
our voices came back from the gloomy
passages, only duh, warning roar and the
heavy night beaten back for Il little space
by our tapers, seemed about to rush upon
and oyer-wholm them and us, Surely there
ii difference between tho darkness of ever
so somber spot which at some time ha.
known daylight, and that Of place which
no ray OF sunshine has ever reached The
Year: 1876

The emigration from Ireland 10 no
longer what it was ten or twenty years ago.
Only little more than fifty Thousand per-
sons emigrated last year, and the promise
is that this year the number will be even
less-less than in any year since 1851. This
shows that the situation of the people 10
improving, that the evils of overpopulation
have been alleviated by the vast emigration
of the past quarter Of a century. It indi-
Gates perhaps still more that the bad times
in this country have discouraged intend
ing emigrants from crossing the ocean.
The steamship lines between here and
Europe are either making no money or
losing money. They feel the loss Of the
passage money of emigrants. The Centen.
nial will be year remarkable for the small
addition of foreigners it made to our popu.
lation.
Year: 1876

TIE President has signed the silver re-
sumption bill and the Secretary Of the
Treasury is getting ready to begin the issue
Of silver coin in exchange for fractional
currency. Silver being 40 cheap at present
that it can be substituted without any
shock or disturbance of value. Z Its substi-
tuition vii, have no direct bearing upon the
problem of gold resumption. GaoG 49, a,l
Year: 1876

This is question which rules the
actions of most people to q very great
extent. We are all frequently 80
Impressed that we are glad to stop
and consider it, before coming to a
determination upon any eubiect,
even wbileI begin to write 1 am
hailed with the question as to what
'Sbe' will say concerning this article.
And the truth is | am not able to
give satisfactory answer, but shall
continue regardless of 'her' opinion.


It seems 20 be one of the weak
points in man kind to be always con-
snlting the opinions of Mrs. Grundy.
The child is thus impressed at O very
early age. It soon begins TO fear th at
che will object to its shoes, hat, coat
or something else; and as time paes,
es the child becomes more deeply
impressed with the idea that it is far
better to please 'her' in every par
ticular if possible, and tbus it keeps
Non wearying with this idea, until the
boy in his 'teens' enters school quite
puzzled as to the best manner in
which TO gain 'bcr' good will. And
when defamation day comes he is
more puzzled than evcr-he is SO
fearful that she will be displeased
that, but f)r it heing required by his
teacher, he would conclude in most
instances not TO make an effort at all.
But when he does try. either from
Compulsion or voluntarily, his mind
is often 50 absorbed with this thou oht
that he makes q failure and is then
mortified worse than ever, whereas
if he had undertaken his duty regard
less Of what she might say, he would
have been most likely to have sue
ceeded.


Again the young ladies are often
troubled concerning this same ques--
tion. is one among thcir highest
aimes, and in fact, it is the height of
the ambition of some Of them to
please Mrs. Grundy. An association,
q camp meeting or something of Tho
kind is coming. Miss e. desires TO
make very fno appearance on
these occasions, which, bv the way,
she does at any time. Bnt she dee
Hires to be particularly fascinating
and must therefore make some pur.
chases. TIE millinery establishment
must be visited al once, and uic man
tua-maker must have a speedy call,
besides many other things she is to
arrange with her own hands, but at
this uDcture the more considerate
mother pnts in her appearance and
suggests that they are rather short
up in many matters, and that she
had better give up her new ideas and
appear on these occasions as hereto
fore But here the tormenting thought
comes with force that she exclaims
in somewhat fretlul manner, 81
will be laughed at" I've got moth
ing fit to wear" "IfI can't 90 like
other folks l won't go at all" And
thus comes the unnecessary trouble,
from having too great q desire to
please "Mrs.. Grundy." But must
stop for this time, as perhaps / shall
have something to say concerning
this great "Mistress" at some future
time.


JAAYTouEM.


Pickens County, July 8.
Year: 1876

SUGGESTION 'AT wAsHINGToN TO PUT THE


SENATOR FROM MAINE IN THE CHAIR.


Special Dispatch to the N. Y. Tribune.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.-Infuential Re-
publicans here talk of the election of Mr..
Blaine to the Presidency of the Senate as
an event likely to enrue Immediately after
the re-assembling of Congress. If such
action should be taken it would OF course
be to provide for a possible contingency
which might leave vacancy in the offices
OF both President and Vice-PresidentO OF the
United States after the 4th Of March, and
devolve the powers of the Executive upon
the presiding officer of the Senate.
A prominent Democratic newspaper lately
suggested that if Hayes should be de-
clared elected by the votes Of Florida and
Louisiana the Democratic House would
refuse to go into joint convention in Feb
ruary to count the vote, and would thus
make the election incomplete and abortive.
II there should be disposition shown to
take such course it may be regarded as
certain that the Senate will SEQ that the
Government is administered by competent
and resolute hands in the interregnum Of
year which would elapse before new
election could be held under the Constitu-
ton, and the President then chosen inau-
gurated. 1t is scarcely probable that Mr..
Blaine would accept the place under other
circumstances than these. The Presidency
of the Senate is seldom desired by it's in
fiuential members, because the occupant
of the chair is deprived of opportunity for
taking par5isssho Hsscuesicne and work of
the body, anu has in the way OF compensa-
tion for this loss almost none of the power
possessed by the Speaker of the House.
Year: 1876

London Saturday Roview.l


Although the celebration of an
niversaries has been lately over
done, the Swiss may be forgiven for
reminding Europe that, on the I'd
day Of June, 1476, the battle of
Morat was fought. 1t is difficult
to exaggerate the importance to
civilization of the events of which
the Swiss victory over the Duke of
Burgundy is the most conspicuous.
The life of that rash and head
strong prince is strangely mixed up
with the history of two republics
whose rise was assisted by his death; !;
and when we remember how much
of religious and civil liberty the
world owes to Holland and Switz-
erland, we may allow that the hardy
foresters who fought afterward for
whoever would pay them, fought
ON that day for all mankind. The
military glory of the Cantons, like
the naval fame of the United Prov
inces, belongs wholly to the past.
1t is not so much the character Of
the people as the circumstances of
the world that have changed.
Great powers become greater, while
small powers remain at best the
same; and they are glad to embrace


that neutrality which their mighty
neighbors fnd' it convenient to
allow,
Year: 1876

at anything forced upon him by
violence; the Emperor will not lis
ten to anything you may have to
say, whether from yourself or those
who hire you to abuse the laws of
hospitality and oppress men who
relied on your country'S generosity.
/ have done" And he resumed his
book. Sir Hudson Lowe then said
quite calmly: "From General Bon
aparte's treatment of the commits
sioners whenever they have visited
Logwood, they decline coming
hither again, but they shall be sent
for to see the orders which have
arrived duly executed by every indi-
vidual whom they may concern,


without any distinction Of persons. "