CORTLAND WIFE BEATER HOSED DOWN

June 18, 1886 page fragmented

The Cortland News, Friday, June 18, 1886.

[Cortland Wife Beater Hosed Down.]

   neighbor-

just over

to excitement

ago  August

of the town,

departed for

>w days brought

..ning young lady

rode. Higgins had

a clerk in his father's store

…in the village.

   The young couple had lived apparently happy until a day or two ago, when the report was current that everything was not progressing peacefully between the two. Yesterday two leading citizens caught the young husband in the act of deliberately and brutally beating his bride, who is a frail little woman of 19, for the cause of no more importance than the breaking of a plate. J. W. Lytle, one of the citizens who witnessed the brutal assault gave the husband a little practical advice, and further proceedings were postponed until nightfall.

   Yesterday afternoon the officers and members of Eagle Hose Company, of which organization Higgins is a member, made active preparations for a public demonstration of the indignation of the populace. About 6 o'clock last evening a false alarm of fire was sounded through the town, and among the firemen who hastened to the scene of the supposed conflagration was young Higgins. As he joined his fellow firemen, Higgins was suddenly seized by three men. Despite his struggles they held him securely until the hose was attached to the fire engine and a stream of water was placed in running order. A posse of six men then secured a large crate from the rear of a crockery store, and after the hands of Higgins had been tied behind him he was placed under the crate. The stream of water from the fire engine was then turned upon him. By this time a crowd of 500 ladies and gentlemen had assembled, among them being the leading society people of the town.

   Higgins succeeded in making his escape after a few moments, but was immediately caught and the swift stream of water was turned upon his face. After the victim had been nearly drowned he was allowed to depart.

TOWN CORRESPONDENCE.

Rules for Correspondents.

   A contemporary lays down the following pithy code of newspaper bylaws:

   State facts, but don't stop to moralize. It’s a drowsy subject. Let the reader do his own dreaming.

   Eschew prefaces. Plunge at once Into your subject, like a swimmer into cold water.

   If you have written a sentence that you think particularly fine draw your pen through it. A pet child is the worst in the family.

   Condense. Make sure that you really have an idea and then record it in the shortest possible terms. We want thoughts in their quintessence.

   When your article is completed, strike out nine-tenths of the adjectives. The English is a strong language, but it won't bear much "reducing."

   Avoid all high-flown language. The plainest Anglo-Saxon words are the best. Never use stilts when legs will do as well.

   Make your sentences short. Every period is a mile-stone, at which the reader may halt and rest himself.

   Write legibly. Don't let your manuscript look like the tracks of a spider half drowned in ink. We shan't mistake any one for a genius, though he writes as crabbedly as Napoleon.

South Cortland, June 17, 1886.

   The Salvation Army will hold the fort in this place next Sunday at 3:30 o’clock p.m.

   Death has again invaded our midst and another happy home has been made sad and lonely by its visitation. After an illness of nearly one year of heart disease, Mrs. Walter Wilcox departed this life on Wednesday morning the 16th inst., aged 65 years. Deceased leaves to mourn her loss a fond husband, besides a large circle of friends. The funeral services were held at the house on Friday at two o'clock p. m., Rev. C. C. Wilbor officiating.

   The only opportunity that may occur in your life time to hear one of the greatest temperance orators will be the appearance of Gov. John P. St. John [former presidential candidate of the Temperance Party--CC editor] at the Cortland Opera House on Monday evening, June 21. 

Preble, June 17, 1886.

   Hoeing corn is the order of the day.

   The potato bugs will make their usual call this summer.

   William Coon and wife, of Homer, were the guest of Hamil Coon and wife last Sunday.

   Mrs. Daniel Maycumber's body was brought here from Cazenovia for burial on Tuesday.

   We hear some complaint by the farmers that their meadows are going to be light. It is believed that the early frost must have injured them.

   A number of our musicians are attending Mahan's convention at Cortland this week.

   The death of Mrs. J. Kingsley occurred on Friday night of last week. She had retired as well as usual but before morning was a corpse.

West Homer, June 17, 1886.

   Quite a number are attending Mahan's Musical Convention in Cortland.

   A number of young men from this town went to Little York Lake fishing last Thursday. All reported a pleasant time and plenty fish.

East Homer, June 17, 1886.

   The summer term of school in district No. 12, Homer, closes the 2d day of July.

   School Commissioner Crofoot visited the school at East Homer and vicinity the 14th inst. His efficiency as a Commissioner of Public Schools is apparent and quite satisfactory to the patrons and teachers.

Somewhat Worried.

   The Democrat of last week is somewhat worried over the fact that the NEWS several weeks since had something to say in regard to the actions of one Charles L. Smith who was being privately examined before Justices Bierce and Bouton on a charge of bastardy. The Democrat charges District-Attorney Bronson with having "given away" the evidence to the NEWS, the Elmira Telegram and the other Republican paper [Cortland Evening Standard--CC editor] printed in this village.

   The article referred to by the Democrat was published in the NEWS on the 16th of April, and as the Telegram and the other paper alluded to had nothing in regard to the matter until after that date, and for other good and sufficient reasons, we are led to believe that the reports of the other papers were merely a re-hash of what we published.

   But lest the editor of the Democrat should lose some sleep studying over the matter, we will set his mind at rest in regard to Mr. Bronson furnishing us the testimony in the case, as he did not. Our information was received by judicious "pumping" of more than a dozen persons who, when they answered one question, were entirely oblivious to the fact that some one else had answered another one that all in all would make up a complete chain of the proceedings. That is simply the way in which we received our information in regard to the case of Charles L. Smith, aforesaid.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   The third district branch of the Medical Association of the State of New York held their annual meeting at the Court House in Binghamton yesterday. H. C. Hendrick, of McGrawville, Dr. F. Hyde, of Cortland, and Dr. Caleb Green, of Homer, each had addresses.

   With this issue the NEWS commences its seventh volume, under very flattering circumstances. When the present proprietors came into possession eighteen months ago, the jobbing patronage of the office was dead, and the paper nearly so. By hard work, reasonable prices, and by turning out  first-class job work, we have put that branch of the business on a sound basis, and we trust that we have made a much more readable paper than our predecessor did. At least we are led to believe so from the fact that our subscription list is steadily increasing. We do not propose to cry our own merits. If the paper is a good one, people will find it out without our telling them so.

MAHAN’S MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

   The [week long] twelfth annual Musical Festival under the management of A. Mahan opened at 2 p. m., Monday. The number in the choir this year is not as great as last, although more than at any other except that. There are now 375 members enrolled.

   At the opening the members of the chorus were almost unanimous in the opinion that Conductor Wiske was not as thorough as Mr. Palmer, but before two sessions were closed, they all came to the conclusion that a master hand was conducting them, and are now greatly pleased with his methods.

   Mr. H. C. Beebe has charge of the matinees and proves himself the right man in the right place, as the program each afternoon have been well selected and rendered. The concert Thursday evening was listened to by a large audience of people, every seat, nearly, being occupied. The solos of Miss Thursby, and the selections of Wiske's Quintette Club and the Lotus Glee Club were each enthusiastically received.

   We regret that the lateness of the hour prevents our giving a more elaborate account of the concert.