The Cortland
News, Friday, April 24, 1885.
The Worst Kind of Brute.
Monday
evening, Henry St. Peter swore out a warrant against John C. Seamans, a barber
doing business over 15 North Main street, charging him with assault and battery
in beating and kicking his wife. The warrant was placed in the hands of officer
Miller who succeeded after quite an exciting chase in capturing his man and
lodging him in jail.
Tuesday morning Seamans was brought
before Squire Bierce and plead guilty to the charge, and was sentenced by his
Honor to three months at the Onondaga Penitentiary.
According to Mrs. Seamans’
story, her husband came home about 11 o'clock Sunday night in a beastly state of
intoxication, and proceeded to make things very lively for those in the house, and
after beating Mrs. Seamans on the head and shoulders, and kicking her in the
stomach and abdomen finally wound up by turning her out of doors and keeping
her out the remainder of the night with only her night clothes on. Again Monday
evening he went through the same tactics, inflicting serious injuries on the
head and shoulders of his wife. She finally made her escape from the wretch and
found a refuge with her brother, Mr. St. Peter.
Mrs. Seaman's is about to
become a mother, and it is feared that her injuries are of a more serious
character on that account. Seaman has been abusive and ugly to his family more
or less for two years, and twice or three times before an officer has been called
in to protect Mrs. Seaman and the three children from the violence of this
brute, who has at last had justice meted out to him in a measure.
Cut His Throat.
William Ellsworth, a man about thirty-three years
of age, suicided [sic] on Wednesday afternoon, near the brick school house, one
and a quarter miles west of this place [Cortland], by cutting his throat from
ear to ear with an old rusty pocket knife. The ghastly deed was performed while
Ellsworth was on the side of the road, directly opposite the school house, and
was discovered in the act by passersby, who succeeded in taking the knife away
from him after which he grabbed a large stone from the ground and proceeded to
beat himself in the face in a horrible manner.
As soon
as possible Dr. Jewett was called, but before he reached the scene Ellsworth
had breathed his last.
Ellsworth
has been a hard drinker for several years past, spending all the money he could
procure for intoxicants, and was probably suffering from an attack of delirium
tremens at the time he took his life, as he has acted strangely for several
days past.
Coroner
Bennett was notified but decided that an inquest was unnecessary.
Fire in Preble. [This report dated
April 21, 1885.]
At ten o'clock Tuesday evening a fire broke out
in the saloon building in Preble, and before the flames could be got under
control five buildings were entirely consumed. A dwelling house belonging to
Mrs. G. Collier, the drug store occupied by Hobert Cummings, who had just taken
possession, the saloon building occupied in the second floor as a dwelling, the
post-office, harness shop, and boot and shoe shop occupied by R. Conine, over
the post-office, and the large hotel barn, were all blazing at once and at this
time things looked very discouraging.
The spectators soon got their
wits about them and turned their attention to saving the hotel, which was on
fire in a number of places. Thanks to an accident a cellar close by had about
two feet of water in it, and this was carried to the top of the hotel in pails and
tubs where four young men were kept busy in throwing it where it would do the
most good, the flames almost lapping them in their faces.
At times it seemed as if the
hotel would go, but the boys cried tor water and held their ground nobly until
the flames were extinguished. Had it not been for the cellar of water, five
more buildings would have been consumed in spite of all that could have been done.
Most of the contents of each building were saved, as there was plenty of help
who could do nothing else. There was some insurance on part of the property while
others have none.
It is supposed that the fire
was caused by the explosion of a lamp, but some circumstances look a little
suspicious, as pointing to incendiaries. This should be a warning to our town
to purchase something in the shape of a fire apparatus, as we are liable to
have conflagrations at any time.
Preble. [This report dated April 20, 1885.]
A. Cummings has bought a
five-year old chestnut colt, and it must be a fast horse for he says
"he'll take no one's dust." We hardly think he will at present. If
the gentleman had said mud, we would have tested the speed of his horse.
Robert Van Buskirk says he is
milking thirteen cows and is getting 26 pails of milk per day. If there is anyone
in this county can beat these figures, please inform us through the NEWS.
We notice that a few of our
farmers are buying hay at $15 per ton.
Last Monday morning, being so pleasant
and warm, it was laughable to see the farmers ploughing in the center of the
fields, with teams and plows, while it was a difficult matter to get through
the [snow] drifts to the field.
The Bennett Hollow school
commenced Monday, under the supervision of Miss Anna Moore, of Christian
Hollow.
Albert Cummings, of whom the
inhabitants have been anxious to know where he and family were going to pass the
summer, have at last treed him in part of Fred. Van Hoesen's house, on Railroad
street.
CORTLAND AND VICINITY.
Cincinnatus robs the bakery on
the cake question. One man, in that town, R. Locke, has shipped nearly 700 thus
far this season.
The sugar festival at the M. E.
church Wednesday evening netted the Young Peoples Association between twenty
and twenty-five dollars.
At the Prize Declamation
contest under the auspices of the Normal Debating Club, at the Normal chapel
last Friday evening, Nathan L. Miller was awarded first prize and Vernon P. Squires
the second.
Emerald Hose company, No. 4
have purchased of Wickwire Brothers the lot corner of Church and Railroad
[Central Avenue] streets, and will soon commence the erection of a two story
brick building on the same. The first story will be used for their apparatus,
and the second story for parlors and reading rooms. The price paid for the lot
was $1,500.
L. D. C. Hopkins & Son, the
wide-awake market gardeners will please accept our thanks for half-dozen heads of
nice fresh lettuce from their green house. They always raise the best vegetables
and manage to get into the market a little ahead of any other house in this section.
Tuesday forenoon, while
operating the buzz planer at the Stockwell Wagon Factory, Mr. D. B. Wilson,
lost the end of a finger on his right hand, feeding it into the planer by
accident. Mr. Wilson met with a similar accident to another finger of the same
hand in a similar way about a year ago. — Marathon Ind.
The new game law says that at the present time
pickerel, rock bass, perch, bull-heads and suckers can be caught legally. If a
black bass gets on the hook by mistake the angler must throw him back into the
stream. It is unlawful to catch black bass until after June 1st. Brook trout
cannot be caught until the first of May, instead of April as heretofore.
Messrs. D. S. Hoag and John
Ballard have leased the Mammoth [roller skating] rink and will open the same,
Saturday evening of this week, with a race between Burdick and Lumbard. Since
these two raced together last Burdick has reduced his three-mile record to
11:52, being better time than Lumbard ever made. We are in hopes to see a big
turn-out Saturday evening. Admission as usual. Complimentary tickets issued by
the old management will not be accepted.
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