Friday, January 31, 2014

SAND BANK HOUSE, AND DAN GRIDLEY'S HARD LUCK



The Cortland News, Friday, December 24, 1886.
DISORDERLY HOUSE RAIDED.


   Saturday night seemed to be a good time for the [police] officers. They had warmed themselves up by raiding a saloon, and not having had enough concluded to "make a break" on the low den known as the "sand bank house," and kept by Mrs. W. A. Carpenter.
   Accordingly officers Van Hoesen, Edwards and Miller started for that place and succeeded in capturing Mrs. Carpenter and Ida Wilcox, inmates of the house, and Arnold Horton and “Ed" Landers, visitors. On Sunday night Mattie Carpenter was also arrested for being a prostitute. It will be remembered that this house was cleaned out about six months ago and the inmates sent to the [Onondaga] penitentiary.
   They were taken before Justice Bouton on Monday and the case was adjourned until this morning at 10 o'clock.
   Landers and Horton paid a fine of $11 and were released.
   Owing to the lateness of the hour we cannot give any information in regard to the others.


BAD CITIZENS.
They Make Things Lively In a Saloon—Free Fight—Street Blockaded—Nearly a Riot—The Police Take a Hand.


   Last Saturday evening between 6 and 7 o'clock, a free fight took place in the saloon on the corner of Main and Railroad [Central Ave.] streets, of which Frank White is proprietor. It seems that there had been some trouble between White and Fred Graham over which blows were exchanged, at which John Graham also took an active part. This was the beginning of several other fights, and a general knock-down was indulged in, which caused several men (?) to carry black eyes.
   About 7 o'clock a large crowd gathered in front of the saloon, and it was almost impossible for people to pass, therefore Sheriff Van Hoesen went in and ordered the saloon closed. Mr. White did so, and hitching up his horse proceeded to take a ride. When near the Congregational church Fred Graham stepped up and pulled him out of his cutter and struck him on the head. This enraged White, and he immediately secured a shot gun and started for his saloon, which he again opened.
   The Sheriff again appeared and arrested White and Charles Townley. They were given a hearing before Justice Bouton Sunday and were fined $14.50 each, which they paid and were released.
   At 11:50 o'clock Saturday night John and Fred Graham were arrested for public intoxication, to which Fred pleaded guilty and John pleaded not guilty. Their examination was held Monday evening before Justice Bierce, who fined them $11 each, which they paid and were released.
   Perhaps this may be a good lesson which they will not soon forget. There was some talk of the authorities closing the saloon but we are not informed as to that. It would at least do no harm as there are more drunken brawls in that one place than any other in town. It seemed at one time as if there would be a riot and some one suggested having the President of the village call out the fire department and attach to a hydrant and clean the place out.
   The officers should he given great credit for doing as they did, but still there are some grumblers who think they did wrong. It would probably suit such people to let men run the streets in a drunken condition and fight whenever they felt like it. We hope the officers will repeat the dose should the occasion require, and that seems to be the feeling of the majority of people with any common sense.


IT IS DISGUSTING.


   We have never been able to make a dollar in the printing office, if we only work ten hours for a day’s work and yet, plenty of men claim ten hours is enough for a day’s work. A man comes to this office at 5 o'clock in the morning, builds a fire, sweeps and at 7 o'clock the workmen are ready for their cases and, many a night the presses are run till 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning, and this work has thus been driven in this way nearly half the winters for ten years; and yet a poor man came to us last week for work, agreeing to labor evenings, which he did not do, and yet when the other men had been up all night, and he was asked, if he would not build a fire at the office between 5 and 6 o'clock, his answer was that he had served a four years' apprenticeship at that business. We know one thing for certain, and that is at the present prices for printing a man who is not willing to labor in and out of season and work hard cannot make a dollar. Plenty of poor men in this country who claim they want work, but they only want a good boarding place, and some one to build fires for them, and pay a good price for their society.— Whitney's Point Reporter.
   We at one time worked for the man who wrote the above article and he has always been growling on this one subject ever since we knew him. Give us a rest. If you can't make anything at the printing business go to husking corn or work on the road.


M. F. Cleary, past president, Cortland Fire Department, Emerald Hose [Grip's photo].



CORTLAND AND VICINITY.


   Wickwire Bros. have had an elegant sign put up on their wire mill on South Main street.
   A very fine cut of Joseph P. Cleary, Chief of Police of Rochester, was published in last Sunday's Syracuse Times. He is a brother of Mr. F. Cleary, of this place.
   The Board of Trustees held a meeting last week at which they organized themselves into a Board of Water Commissioners, and elected Frank Cobb as President, W. H. Newton as secretary, and A. M. Schermerhorn, treasurer.
   The annual election of the Cortland Fire Department occurs next Thursday evening. F. W. Kingsbury, of the Hooks is mentioned as a candidate for Chief, and Oscar Raymond, of Water Witch, as first assistant.
   Odd Fellows Hall, which has been adorned by new paper and paint, was opened Tuesday evening to about 100 of the order and their friends. Mrs. Cassie Ward Mee delivered a very interesting address which was listened to with evident satisfaction. It was intended that there should be music and speaking, but as some of the members were detained it had to be omitted. They now have one of the finest lodge rooms outside of New York City.
   George White and "Joe" Dodd were struck by a passenger train last Friday night on the D. L. & W. railroad while in the act of crossing the track near Blodgett's Mills. The horse was killed. The men were taken aboard the train and carried to Marathon, where it was found that they were quite badly bruised and it may prove that their injuries are fatal. Later we learn that they are both improving.
   Another arrest was made by the Sheriff on Tuesday evening. "Matt" Graham, who lives near the sand bank had too large a load of tanglefoot, and was running his team through the streets, endangering the lives of people. He was given a night's lodging at the hotel Van Hoesen [county jail].
   Last Friday John P. Whiting, alias Joshua P. Whiting, was arrested on a warrant issued by Justice Bouton for abandonment and non-support of his wife, Adeline Whiting. It seems that he was divorced from Adeline, his first wife, and was living with a woman by the name of White when he was arrested, but a few years after the divorce they agreed to live together again as man and wife without having another marriage. They have one son about twenty-one years old.
   A warrant was issued last Friday on complaint of Oscar Cole for the arrest of A. Mosher, whom he charged with stealing a gold ring, $22 in money, a gold pin and a pair of boots. Mosher was found at the house kept by Mrs. Carpenter, which was raided this week, where he claimed he was boarding. The girls had possession of everything. Cole was arrested for intoxication. He received back the pin which the Carpenter girl claimed had been given to her. On examination Mosher was discharged as there was not sufficient evidence to hold him. Cole claims that he had been drugged.
   Dan Gridley seems to be in hard luck. About twelve days ago he and his wife had a nice little social party at the Gridley mansion [sic]; Daniel was pugilistic, but his wife stacks up something like 200 pounds. In the first round she knocked Daniel out of time and then had him arrested. Daniel was fined $11 or ten days, and served his time, being released last Wednesday. But his wife didn't propose to have him untied for any length of time, and so poor Daniel was again arrested on a charge of assault and is now at the Hotel de Van Hoesen willing and waiting for some one to bail him.


A SAD ACCIDENT.


   R. D. Topping, one of the carpenters working on the Beaudry block, received injuries last Saturday, at 1 o'clock, which caused his death at about 5 p. m. of the same day. It seems that he was standing on a nail keg in the second story, and in some manner it tipped over, precipitating him through a door to the ground floor. He struck on his feet on a stone hatchway. He was immediately taken to his home and Dr. Henry was called, who did all in his power, but it was of no avail.  As there were no bruises on him, or any bones broken, it is supposed that he was injured internally. The funeral was held Tuesday from his residence on Groton avenue. He leaves a a wife and two children, one a young man of about 20, and a little girl 13 years old, to mourn his loss.

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