WIFE BEATER PUNISHED

Silent movie frame depicts "White Caps" in action.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, March 7, 1890.

A Wife Beater Punished.

Newman Mattison Treated to a Coat of Tar and Feathers.

   Current report has it that the people of Harford have been not a little annoyed and provoked of late at the conduct of one Newman Mattison who arrived in Harford some months since from Ohio and laid siege to the heart and hand of his cousin, Orlando Mattison's fair widow. His suit was successful. The widow consented to relinquish her pension of twelve dollars a month and the couple were married by a clergyman in Berkshire.

   Mrs. Mattison was a daughter of S. C. Tripp, a jeweler, who did business on South street in this village some years since, and, like her father, had something of  a will of her own, and quite likely was not always prompt to respond to Mr. Mattison's demands. It was soon openly intimated that he had treated his wife to a whipping.

   Later on other whippings are said to have followed and the excitement reached a climax last night when twenty or more persons, in disguise, styling themselves "White Caps", took Mr. Mattison out in front of his place of residence, and after having divested his person of clothing, except pants and shoes, in the presence of Mrs. Mattison, who stood in the doorway an intensely interested spectator, applied a liberal coat of warm tar brushing it well in and finished off with feathers in wasteful extravagance.

   The better class of people in Harford this morning express themselves as very much humiliated and chagrined that any breach of the peace should have occurred to mar the good name and reputation of the place, and are not slow to brand it as a most shameful transaction, but they have little sympathy for the victim.—Dryden Herald.

Village Elections.

   Notice is hereby given that the annual election of officers of the Village of Cortland will be held on the 11th day of March, 1890. The polls will be open from 9 o'clock A. M. to 4 o'clock P. M. of that day.

   The polling places fixed and provided by the Board of Trustees in the respective wards of the village are as follows:

   First Ward—The shop of St. Peters & West, Squires Block, Main street.

   Second Ward—Firemen's Hall, Main street.

   Third Ward—The office of Harrison Wells, Clinton avenue.

   Fourth Ward—Nottingham's shop, Main Street.

   The officers to be elected [for one year term—CC editor] at said election are:

   A President, in place of Irving H. Palmer.

   A Trustee in the second ward, in place of David C. Beers (to be elected by the electors of the second ward only).

   A Trustee in the fourth ward, in place of Henry Kennedy (to be elected by the electors of the fourth ward only).

   Three Assessors, in place of Samuel Freeman.

   A Collector, in place of George T. Latimer.

   A Treasurer, in place of Fitz Boynton.

   Three Commissioners of Union Free School, District No. l, for the term of three years each, in place of D. F. Wallace, George L. Warren and F. W. Kingsbury.

   One Commissionerof Union Free School, District No. 1, for the term of one year, in place of Charles E. Selover, resigned.

   A Police Justice, for the term of three years.

   Three Inspectors of Election for the 1st ward (who shall be elected by the electors of the first ward only).

   Three Inspectors of Election for the 2d ward (who shall be elected by the electors of the second ward only).

   Three Inspectors of Election for the 3d ward (who shall be elected by the electors of the third ward only).

   Three Inspectors of Election for the 4th ward (who shall be elected by the electors of the fourth ward only).

   I. H. PALMER, President.

   HENRY KENNEDY,

   DAVID C. BEERS,

   CHARLES H. MANN,

   CHARLES T. PECK,

   Trustees.

 

HERE AND THERE.

   Charter election next Tuesday.

   Marathon charter election will be held on Tuesday, March 18th.

   Chas. Hooks, of Marathon, captured a grasshopper alive and kicking, last Friday. [Feb. 28, 1890—CC editor.]

   The annual reunion of the 185th Reg't, N. Y. Vols., will be held in Homer, June 11th.

   At the examination for teachers' certificates held at the Normal on Tuesday, eighty applicants appeared.

   Health officer Moore makes the following report for the month of February: Deaths, 6; births, 13; marriages, 9.

   The Kings Daughters are specially invited to meet at Mrs. W. P. Robinson's, 11 Reynolds Ave., Saturday afternoon at 2:30 P. M. for sewing. By order of Committee.

   Parents wishing to enter their children in the Kindergarten department of Miss Ormsby's school should make application before April 1st, either at her present school at 44 Church street, or at her home, 17 Court street.

   Cooper Bros. are making patterns for the manufacture of Mr. W. W. Kelsey's patent hot-air and hot water furnace. They expect to go into the business on an extensive scale. Those who have tried the furnace pronounce it the very best thing of the kind in the market.

   Mr. C. L. Kinney, formerly with the Cortland Top and Rail Company, is making arrangements for the organization of a company for manufacturing drop forgings and carriage hardware, to be located in this village. Further particulars will be given in a later issue of the DEMOCRAT.

   Mr. A. Mahan's sixteenth Music Festival will be held at the Cortland Opera House, June 2d to 6th inclusive. Dr. H. H. Palmer will conduct the festival. Rossini's great work, "The Stabat Mater,"' will be given on one of the concert nights with the great festival chorus. Full festival orchestra and the best vocal soloists to be obtained in Boston and New York.

   The Utica Saturday Globe, of last week, contained an excellent cut of Mr. James H. Sinclair, local editor and business manager of the Chenango Union, together with a short biography. Mr. Sinclair formerly lived in this place, and has still many old friends here. He has been connected with the Union for the last forty-two years, and enjoys the reputation of being one of the best local editors in central New York.

   A comforting assurance, says an exchange, comes to those who live through an attack of the grippe [influenza]. It is announced from medical headquarters that this country is to suffer a scourge of the cholera next summer, and those who have had the grippe will not be liable to an attack of the dread disease. Medical scientists claim that the grippe serves the same purpose in preventing the cholera that vaccination does in preventing the small pox.

   The justly celebrated Bernard Listeman Club will give a grand concert at the Cortland Opera House on Thursday evening, April 10th. Mr. Listeman is one of the truly meat violinists whose reputation is worldwide, and the entire club is without doubt the best in the country. Miss Lilian C. Smith, the well known contralto, will sing at this concert, making altogether one the of the most attractive programs ever presented to a Cortland audience. Mr. A. Mahan brings the club here and will announce full particulars later.

  

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   Maggie Florence, of Middletown, aged 34 years, who recently died, weighed 400 pounds.

   Eri Gray, who was 105 years old last December, voted at the town meting at Roxbury, Delaware county, last Tuesday. He is in excellent health and spirit.

   The gross earnings of the New York railroads last year, as submitted to the State Board of Railroad Commissioners , were $153,537,208, and net earnings $51,807,715.

   Attorney-General Tabor has given an opinion, upon request of F. W. Hartman of Downsville, as to whether a proposition to raise money to build a town hall must be voted on by ballot or can be passed by viva voce vote, that the vote taken under the act of 1847 may be taken viva voce under a resolution to raise money for such purpose.

   Alonzo, Edward and John Grosbeck paid to Assistant District Attorney Townsend last Saturday $100 penalty and $30 costs for catching fish in a trap net in Oneida Lake. Hezekiah Petrie also paid $100 and $29 costs for a similar offense. There are indictments against several other fish pirates of Oneida Lake, which will be tried next month, if not settled.

Tabooed Coins.

   Last Monday the House Committee on Coinage, Weights and Measures ordered a favorable report upon Representative McKenna's bill to discontinue the coinage of the three dollar and one dollar gold pieces and the three cent nickel pieces. A favorable report was also ordered on a bill giving the Director of the Mint power to cause new designs or models of authorized emblems or devices to be prepared and adopted in the same manner as when new coins or devices are authorize. No change in the design or die of any coin, however, shall be made oftener than once in twenty-five years.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.— Bainbridge is one hundred years old, the first settlement having been made there in 1790. The citizens of that town propose to celebrate their centennial anniversary.

   Rev. E. V. Bowker, who was arrested two weeks ago on a charge of criminal libel, on complaint of James Wheat, of Plymouth, was examined before Justice Hall, at Preston, Wednesday of last week. Hamilton Phelps, Esq., appeared for the prosecution, and William H. Sullivan, Esq., for the defense. But two witnesses were sworn—Rev. M. W. Fuller, to whom the alleged libelous letter was written, and James Wheat, who claimed to have been slandered. A motion was made to discharge the accused, and after argument the motion was granted. The evidence was not very damaging to Mr. Bowker.

   MADISON.— Chittenango Falls is soon to have a new paper mill.

   One thousand men are harvesting ice at Oneida Lake.

   Joseph Smith, of Sidney, has a gander over 90 years old.

   Miss Betsy Wormwood, of Oneida, celebrated her 99th birthday, Sunday.

   Two Canastota papers, the Herald and the Bee, were consolidated last week and will henceforth be known as the Canastota Bee.

   Miss Alice Coon, of DeRuyter, fell on the ice a few days since, and injured her spine so seriously that her recovery is very doubtful.

   Frank DeVaul, who recently disappeared with a horse owned by landlord Webb, of Chittenango, was arrested, settled, and is now in the Utica insane asylum.

   Friends are making an effort to secure the pardon of old Fritz Lipe, sentenced to prison for life, for the murder of "Cedar John," at Stittville, about two years ago. The prisoner was convicted on purely circumstantial evidence, and many believe him to be innocent of the crime.

   Luke E. Hitchcock, a veteran of the late war, who resides at Hoboken, five miles west of Oneida, is down with the smallpox. He was taken ill Thursday, and is quite sick. The town authorities have quarantined the premises and will make an effort to prevent the spread of the disease. Dr. Taylor, of Canastota, has the case in charge.

   TOMPKINS.— Base ball matters are coming to the front in Groton. A good strong nine has been organized. The boys will have new suits, a new name and are arranging to put their finances in good shape. Some lively times on the diamond may be expected this season.

   The farm of W. A. J. Ozmun, North Lansing, sold Monday on a foreclosure, was bid in by the Ladies' Union Benevolent Society of Ithaca, which organization held a large mortgage on the property.

   A Lansing farmer took some No. 1 butter to Ithaca, last week and could find but one dealer that wanted to buy at any price and he offered the munificent sum of seven cents per pound, yet we are informed that consumers in that city have to pay these same dealers twenty and twenty-five cents per pound. It won't be long before the farmer will have to take the earth with his produce when he markets it. They will soon want it.

  

Item.

   Wickwire: "There are a heap of things a man thinks he knows until he has an occasion to air his learning, and then he finds out that he is not so smart after all."

   Yabsley: "What got you into that state of mind?"

   Wickwire: "My ten year-old nephew has been at my house for a week."