CONCERNING GRAND JURIES, MR. KELLY AND MRS. STROWBRIDGE

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, June 19, 1891.

Concerning Grand Juries.

   The last Grand Jury took occasion to make a written statement to the court, signed by the foreman Mr. Charles T. Peck of this place, and J. W. Patrick of Truxton, clerk. The statement condensed is as follows:

   At the town meeting held in Solon last February, Henry Kelley, the supervisor of the town, and a candidate for re-election on the Democratic ticket, acted with the Justices as a member of the board of inspectors. That "gross and almost inexcusable irregularities appear," and that "the certificate of election signed by said board, whereby they certified to the election of a candidate who had a lesser number of votes than another candidate running for the same office at such election, and contrary to law, and by allowing said supervisor to appoint a certain officer to hold office, who had not been elected thereto, according to law, upon the simple authority of an unreliable newspaper comment, instead of making themselves conversant with the election law and strictly adhering to its provisions.

   The statement was entirely unnecessary and uncalled for, and the publication of the same in the Standard of last week was intended to make political capital and at the same time injure Mr. Kelly, who is an honest man and a worthy citizen.

   The paper referred to is the Cortland DEMOCRAT, and its statements are as reliable as are those of any member of the late Grand Jury. The law had just been passed and the provisions of the law were given as carefully and correctly as possible without having a copy of the same in hand, and it turned out that it was entirely correct, and the only trouble was in understanding its exact meaning. We venture to assert that not a single member of the Grand Jury knew anything about the law at the time, further than the condensation of the same published in the DEMOCRAT. Why then should they censure Mr. Kelly for not being possessed of information that it was impossible for any one to obtain?

   Here is the great crime which Mr. Kelly committed and for which a gang of republicans tried to procure his indictment. At the town meeting in February last, there were more candidates on the ticket for Inspectors of Election than the law required, the law having been changed after the tickets were printed and before election, and it became necessary to select one of the candidates on the democratic ticket when the board canvassed the votes and leave the other off. Henry Monroe was one of the candidates but the other candidate was appointed with the full concurrence of the board. It turned out that Monroe had one more vote than the man appointed, and Monroe, egged on undoubtedly by certain republicans who were anxious to create trouble in the democratic party in Solon, went before the Grand Jury and endeavored to have Kelly and the Town Board indicted. Was ever such a row raised over such an insignificant matter? The office is important to the public but not to the individual as the fees are hardly as much as the service is worth.

   If Kelly and the board had committed a crime, why didn't the grand jury indict them instead of offering an apology to the Court for their neglect to do so? The board of canvassers of the town of Cortlandville, always Republican, have committed the same crime for which Kelly is censured repeatedly. For many years the board appointed from the Democratic ticket the candidate for inspector who had the least number of votes, simply because they knew that the other candidate understood the law and would be better able to protect the interests of the Democratic party than the one they appointed. The district attorney should present these parties to the next grand jury. The DEMOCRAT promises in advance to furnish the evidence.

   The DeRuyter New Era of last week [June 11, 1891, County & Vicinity, page two—CC editor] contains the following:

   "The Cortland county grand jury failed to find an indictment against the notorious Mrs. Strowbridge. An uncle of the young man most interested was made foreman of the jury, and the district attorney is said to have slighted the case very noticeably."

   The DEMOCRAT begs leave to suggest that the Hon. Walter Lloyd Smith is entitled to a statement or apology, on account of the deception evidently practiced upon him in procuring the appointment of the foreman of the late grand jury, and we are not particular whether the same be signed by the foreman or the district attorney, or by both. A district attorney who desires to do his duty would not permit a man to be appointed foreman of a grand jury, whose relative had an interest in the findings of the same, if he could prevent it, and there is no question but that he could prevent it if he chose to do so.

He Took an Overdose.

   Bird S. Brink of Marathon, registered at the St. James Hotel in Syracuse last Saturday evening, as "B. S. Brink, Cortland," and was assigned a room. Sunday he did not appear and as the employes could get no answer from repeated knockings on the door, the proprietor forced the same open and found Brink in an almost unconscious condition. Empty morphine, chloral and alcohol bottles were found in the room.

   Dr. A. C. Benedict was called and under his ministrations Brink was slightly revived and is expected to recover. Brink was in the habit of taking large doses of drugs and liquor, and it is thought he must have taken an overdose. He was acting as agent for a bookholder chair attachment, and his books showed that he had been very successful in taking orders. He is well known in Cortland.

Important.

   Those of our readers who have no system of sewerage where they live, should be warned to be scrupulously careful about the manner in which they dispose of dishwater, washing suds and the like. Never have one place to empty these but distribute them at the roots of various trees and shrubs and away from the well or cistern. Washing suds should never be allowed to stand. Throw them away as soon as the washing is finished. Above all things avoid a barrel sunk in the ground as a means of drainage.—Exchange.

Cortland County Medical Society.

   The Cortland County Medical Society held its eighty-third annual meeting in Cortland on Thursday afternoon. June 11.

   The members present were Drs. F. D. Reese, J. Angel, F. W. Higgins, H. S. Edson, A. J. White and H. T. Dana, of Cortland; D. H. Stone, G. D. Bradford and F. H. Green, of Homer; L. G. Smart and C. R Trafford, of Marathon; H. C. Hendrick, of McGrawville; H. D. Hunt, of Preble; W. Y. Bliss, of Tully, and Dr. Tours, of Buffalo.

   The officers elected for the ensuring year are:

   Pres.—Dr. L. G. Smart.

   Vice-Pres.—Dr. D. H. Stone.

   Sec'y.—Dr. F. W. Higgins.

   Treas.—Dr. H. S. Edson.

   Librarian—Dr. F. H. Green.

   Board of Censors—Drs. H. D. Hunt, H. T. Dana, G. D. Bradford, and W. Y. Bliss.

   The President's address was read by Dr. F. D. Reese, giving a history of bacteriology, the rise of germ theory, and some practical deductions.

   The society gave a vote of thanks to Dr. Reese for his able address.

   The Secretary gave a report of the work done by the society during the past year. The total attendance has been 51; the number of scientific papers read 18.

   Dr. L. G. Smart, delegate to the American Medical Association at Washington, D. C, gave a report of that meeting.

   A discussion on Eczema was opened by Dr. D. H. Stone on Cause, Dr. M. L. Halbert on Symptoms, Dr. J. Angel on Prognosis, and Drs. W. Y. Bliss and C. B. Trafford on Treatment, with a case cited by Dr. H. T. Dana.

   A general discussion followed, showing that a great diversity of opinion prevailed in regard to the disease. Still many valuable suggestions on treatment were presented.

   The society adjourned at 5:30 to meet in August at Tully on an invitation of Dr. W. Y. Bliss.

   F. W. HIGGINS, Sec'y.

G. A. R.

   Late Wednesday afternoon, a telephone dispatch from McGrawville, announced to the comrades of Post Grover No. 98, G. A. R., that Inspector Walker of Tarble Post, with a delegation of about a dozen comrades and ladies of that Post and Corps, would be present at their annual inspection that evening in their rooms.

   Although the notice was short, the ladies of Grover Relief Corps rallied to the support of their comrades and the Post rooms were filled with a jolly company and a most enjoyable social evening was passed; after refreshments were served, speeches, singing and story-telling was the order of business until a late hour. It was suggested that the clock be stopped in order to get a little more time to finish up.

   Inspector Walker proved himself a "talker" as well as did Chaffee, Smith, Parker, Hendricks, and Henry. Major General Tripp spoke eloquently for the Relief Corps. Cliff "Wiles" bugled for Homer. Wright, Sager and Kellogg held the fort for Cortland, while Palmer and Edgcomb, assisted by Mrs. Dunsmoore at the organ, led the crowd in singing the old soul-stirring Army songs of the Camp.

Where to Spend the Summer.

   Cortland county people who contemplate visiting the Thousand Islands during the present season may hesitate in making a choice of quarters. Grand View Park, located on the point of land known as the Head, on Wells Island, has a magnificent, unobstructed view of the river for seven miles, while the grounds are admirable made especially so by abundant products from the floral gardens of Messrs. Hopkins, of this village. Muskalonge [sic] fishing is superb. This pleasant resort opened June 1 under the management of Mr. Geo. Babcock, late of the Empire House, Syracuse, and formerly a resident of Homer and Cortland. Descriptive information furnished on a lithograph map by sending 5cents to Grand View Park Hotel, via Thousand Island Park, N. Y. Parties leaving Cortland on the morning train will arrive at the Park in time for dinner.