Cleveland-Blaine Election Contest, Lunacy and Fire

The Cortland News, Friday, November 7, 1884.

Commission in Lunacy.

   In September, 1883, Mrs. Mary Anderson was taken to the County Insane Asylum on complaint of her husband, Theodore Anderson. At two different times between that time and last Monday she made her escape but was taken back, each time under protest from her that she was not insane.

   On Monday last she again left the asylum and found friends who interested themselves in her behalf. Mr. Hillsinger, keeper of the alms house, under direction of the husband, made application to Judge Knox for a commission of physicians to pass upon her mental condition. Judge Knox accordingly appointed Drs. Dana and Hughes who examined the woman on Wednesday last and made their report that Mrs. Anderson was of perfectly sound mind.

   Mrs. Anderson is of Swedish birth and came to this country about five years ago, when she was but nineteen years of age. After remaining in New York for a few weeks she came to Cortland, became acquainted with young Anderson, who is two years her junior, and married him. One child, a boy, is the result of the union.

   Mrs. Anderson is a good looking woman, and with the exception of her broken language, converses intelligently upon all subjects, and seems to be well informed. She shows the traces of care and sorrow, the result of her confinement at the alms house, to a great degree, and says that rather than go back she will kill herself.

 

FIRE ALARM.

A Burning Chimney Causes a Lively Run for the Laddies.

   About 9 o'clock yesterday morning a fire alarm was sounded, causing the fire department to turn out in a hurry. The cause was the burning out of a chimney at No. 36, Monroe Heights, owned and occupied by P. J. McNulty. A couple of lines of hose were strung from the hydrant at the Cortland House, but as everything was then under control no water was turned on.

   The chimney was discovered to be on fire about a quarter past eight, but a close watch was kept, thinking that if anything did happen they would be in readiness to check it. Everything went satisfactorily until a few minutes before nine, when it was found that the chimney had become so heated that it set fire to the joists in the attic, and the occupants began to move out the furniture and an alarm was sounded with the results as above written.

 

A SUIT FOR DAMAGES.

Proceedings from the Fire of September 4.

  An action was brought on Monday last, by Forbes, Brown & Marshall, as attorneys of Mrs. A. G. Smith, of this village, for herself and as assignee of the claim of A. G. Smith, against Lewis A. Hazen, tor $9,500 damages claimed to have been sustained by his burning out of the chimney in the Hazen block on September 4. The complaint alleges, we understand, that Mr. Hazen set fire to the chimney knowing it to be imperfect and consequently endangering surrounding property, and that after so setting it afire, he failed to properly watch it, and did not use proper precaution, to prevent damage resulting therefrom.

   Mr. Hazen, it will be remembered, set the chimney on fire on the morning of that day, by advice of several citizens, and with a view of burning it out when it could be watched rather than to have it catch from the stoves at a time when it could not be seen to. Instead of burning out quickly as he expected the fire smouldered all day, and in the evening he stationed Mr. Burt Adams in the building to watch the chimney and if any trouble resulted to attend to it.

   As is now known the chimney became so hot as to set fire to the building and it and the adjoining Smith block, Mack block, and Mrs. Smith's dwelling house were destroyed. The question at issue is of course whether Mr. Hazen used proper precaution or not in doing as he did. The facts are well known by our readers, and comments from us as to the merits or demerits of the action are not expected and are not necessary. The points will be decided when the action is tried, either for one side or the other, and until that time the case will furnish much food for discussion in the neighborhood.—Marathon Ind.

 

ELECTION IN CORTLAND.

   Election passed off very quietly in Cortland notwithstanding an extraordinary heavy vote was polled. In the evening members of the different parties wended their way to the headquarters of the several factions and waited for the returns. The returns from Cortland and some of the other towns in county came in early and as they showed gains or losses howls and cries of "good enough," ascended in the air.

   The Republicans had the office and reading room of the Messenger House for their use, and an immense crowd assembled there. After Cortland, Cincinnatus, Homer, Taylor, Solon, Scott and Harford had been heard from, all inquiries were made tor Truxton, the hot-bed of Democracy in the county, as it was expected by many that that town would give a small majority for Blaine.

   Several bets of small amounts—ten dollars or under—were placed. About 8 o'clock, Mr. G. H. Buell received a telegram stating that Truxton had given a majority of 6 for the Republican electors, and cheer after cheer rent the air.

   Soon returns from different parts of the State began to arrive, the first being favorable, but as the next bulletin arrived the air seemed to be turning a very dark ultra-marine color, and the cold became so intense that some of those who a moment before had been perspiring freely, had to put on their overcoats. This state of affairs continued for about an hour when things began to assume a rosier hue, and as the favorable news began to come in, cheer upon cheer rent the air.

   Soon the betting men were in full blast and considerable money was put up, mostly upon the State. Along about twelve o'clock few were the takers among the Cleveland men, and the sports started out in quest of new fields and pastures green.

   A young member of the unterrified had been dispatched from Democratic headquarters to pick up a few dollars. He began by saying that he wanted to bet $500 to $300 that Cleveland would carry the State, but so much money was immediately presented to his view that he concluded to withdraw by saying they could get it by going to the Democratic headquarters. Immediately about a dozen of the sports went up there, but the man with the bundle had just left.

   At the Democratic headquarters about the same scenes ensued as at the other—good news calling forth cheers—and bad news being received with stolid composure. A great many of them proposed to stay there until they knew for certain whether it was Cleveland or Blaine, but along about three A. M. the parties disbanded and concluded to wait until "s'mother eve."

   Wednesday was a day of longing and listening and hoping. Several times we would notice two members of the same political parties coming from opposite directions. They would walk along as it they did not see anything until within a few feet of each other and then gently slide up to one another’s side and whisper in a mysterious way, "heard anything new yet."

   These scenes were repeated at frequent intervals throughout the day; each party hoping and expecting momentarily to hear either a glad shout or a dismal political death knell.