ASSEMBLY SPEAKER COLE EXPLAINS $4,000 IN HIS PRIVATE BANK ACCOUNT

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, March 29, 1889.

PAGE TWO/EDITORIALS.

   The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Fremont Cole, arose to a question of privilege last Saturday, and made the following explanation in regard to the sum of $4,000 that appeared upon the credit side of his private bank book about November 1st last:

   "Then the State Committee, in its kindness, in its generosity, realizing the fact, I presume, that I was in the native county of Governor Hill, that we have a large vote is questionable, sent quite a large amount of money into that county. Of course, my friends, perhaps that was not a wise thing. Perhaps it was not a wise thing for me to be the receiver of that money. Yet I have explained the facts. I have withheld nothing. I have told Mr. Seward and the other attorney the places where that money came from. "It came from Republicans high up in official life; it came, a large part of it—almost all of it, with the exception of a few hundred dollars—from the State Committee, and yet they say that should be explained."

   Here is a very frank confession showing that Republican boodle was flying about the State promiscuously last fall and that the present speaker of the Assembly was considered as the proper disbursing officer for his county. Some weeks since, the N. Y. World charged that Mr. Cole used money for the purpose of corrupting voters in his county, which charge he vehemently denied. Last week some of the members of the Assembly Ceiling Committee went to Watkins, the home of speaker Cole and investigated his bank account. Cole did not expect the committee would go there and of course he was not prepared. The investigation of the committee forced Cole to tell how he came by the money and he claimed that it came from the Republican State Committee instead of the Ceiling steal.

   Mr. Cole has undoubtedly run his race.

Five Thousand Dollars Enough.

Chicago News (Ind.)

   Five thousand dollars is deemed sufficient pay by many sensible, hard working statesmen. The pernicious practice of sending millionaires to Congress to set the pace of living has caused some less fortunate Congressmen to feel their comparative poverty. But display has nothing to do with legislation. Hard-headed men get along very well on $5,000 a year at the national capital. Ex-Congressmen appear to think themselves lucky when they get a $4,000 salary as an assistant to a Cabinet officer. The people of the United States do not care to furnish their legislators with champagne and trotting horses. The Congressmen should cultivate economy and contentment.

VIRGIL.

   Elsworth Hollenbeck has moved into Nathan Spencer's house and is to work for Mr. Spencer the season.

   Elder Jones preached for the Baptist people the two last sabbaths.

   The funeral of Mrs. John Foster was held on Wednesday last, at her late residence. She leaves a little girl one week old. Again we are called to mourn the loss of one in the prime of life.

   Mrs. Rudolph Price is on the sick list, but is reported as better.

   Miss May Price was married to Mr. Charles Jennings at the home of her parents on Thursday last.

   It seems strange that there are a class of people in our little borough that are of such a quarrelsome disposition that they cannot even attend an auction without getting into trouble.

   Another visit by the White Caps is reported in our town upon the parties aforementioned, cautioning them of their conduct and asking the citizens to assist in the effort of quelling the nuisance that has been going on of late, and we are really in hopes that it will be stopped, although the offender on this occasion has already said that he sleeps with five locks between himself and the outside door and also a revolver at hand. It looks as though he had better reform than to have the white caps execute what they have notified him they would do, if I am correctly informed.

   Could we only once more hear from State street as being quite and harmonious, how peacefully the lovers of gossip would rest until some other subject appeared on the scene.

   Mr. Editor, it is with regret that I cannot remain with you as correspondent longer, but as business calls me away I shall have to leave it to some other to pen the news of the town, which I have no doubt they will, and will do justice to your readers. Not having written so long as your correspondent, prior to my starting in the business, I do not feel at liberty to say that I have taken your paper out of the gutter as it were, and increased its circulation by lugging your paper, but I do feel as if I can and do truthfully say that I have done the best that my feeble mind could direct me, to inform you in regard to our bass wood pole and other political efforts put forth by our opponents. While perhaps it has made heart burnings for some it has caused others to rejoice. While your humble servant has shown politically some aspirants for office as others see them, it has been done with a pure motive and politically a contrite heart, while your former correspondent has said cuss words about the articles; we have at all times been willing to clasp hands across the bloody chasm as neighbors with him and say, thy will be done not mine, for thou God seest me. Now wishing your paper success and you prosperity, I also wish my successor as correspondent success hoping that some one will write, for it is very nice for those who have moved out of town to see what is going on where they once lived, and as I draw to a close I must say that I regret to leave this town, not because I have been caught jumping on to a dry goods box and introducing talent such as never before visited Virgil, but because a change of business compels me to, and I remain as ever,

   CUMMIN. [pen name]

MARATHON.

   Chas. Myers, of Binghamton, N Y., was in town Monday of last week.

   J. C. White, of Syracuse, N. Y., was in town last week tuning up pianos for his patrons.

   Miss Ella Cusic is visiting her sister, Mrs. Wilson, at New Milford. Pa.

   Wightman's cheese factory will have all the milk they will be able to attend to, as many more farmers are to bring their milk than there were last year.

   Ralph Mitchell, who has been with John J. Wheaton for some time past, has accepted a position with C. F. Thompson in a market at Cortland.

   Jacob Glover, who resides near Texas Valley, N. Y., fell out of a tree, Tuesday of last week, and broke his leg. Dr. McBirney, of Willett, attended him.

   Mine host Tarble, of the Marathon House, gave a party Saturday evening last. Some fifty couples attended. Over one hundred invitations were given out.

   Dr. U. H. Brown, of Syracuse, performed a surgical operation, Sunday afternoon last, on the right eye of Geo. Harvey's little son. A tumor had formed from the ball and made it necessary to be removed. Drs. Reed, Barnes and Trafford, of this place, assisted him.

   C. C. Carley and wife, of Homer, spent the Sabbath in town.

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     *  [pen name symbol]

McGRAWVILLE.

   Dr. M. R. Smith and wife returned from Albany on Friday evening where the doctor has been attending lectures the past winter. He will resume the practice of medicine here.

   H. A. White died on Sunday evening. The remains were taken to Redwood, Jefferson county, N. Y., on Tuesday, for interment. Mr. White moved to this place about a year ago and during his brief stay here made many friends.

   Mrs. Cora Garda, wife of Louis Garda, and daughter of Deacon Charles L. Kinney, after a long and painful illness, died on Monday morning. The funeral will take place at the Baptist church on Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

   Alonzo Brooks, now studying for the ministry at Cazenovia Seminary, spoke to a full house at the M. E. church Sunday morning.

   Rev. Mr. Eels of Auburn Theological Seminary delivered two interesting sermons at the Presbyterian church last Sunday morning and evening.

   Orson Warren preached at the Baptist church last Sunday morning.

   James Andrews lost a valuable cow on Tuesday.

   The large frame containing the photographs of the Odd Fellows of McGrawville Lodge, now on exhibition at C. B. Warren’s drug store, attracts much attention. The work was executed by McGillivray & Thompson and presented to the Lodge.

   C. A. Jones has been appointed post master in this place, in place of M. C. Bingham

   NEPOS. [pen name]

HERE AND THERE.

   Large crowds are attending the revival meetings now being held in this place.

   Belvia Lockwood will lecture in Cortland Opera House, this Friday evening. Subject, "Is Marriage a Failure?"

   William Martin, of the Excelsior coal yards, is making arrangements to build a large coal dump on the site of his present yards.

   The Cortland Desk Company’s offices are located in the building in rear of O. Ingraham’s residence on Port Watson street.

   Richard Hiscock, father of United States Senator Frank Hiscock, died at his home near Preble, Wednesday morning, aged 91 years.

   The C. M. B. A. society have rented the third floor of Beaudry's building and are fitting the same up for a place to hold their meetings.

   The board of village trustees met last Thursday evening and elected Darwin Totman Street Commissioner, and Fred Hatch Village Clerk.

   Prof. Dutton's stereopticon illustrations, "A Tour Around the World," gave the best of satisfaction to the small audience present last Friday evening. He deserved a full house.

   Samuel Miller has purchased an interest in Kingman's livery, at the Messenger House stables, and the business will hereafter be conducted under the firm name of Kingman & Miller.

   Repairs and alterations are being made in the interior of the Universalist church. The interior is to be entirely remodeled and opera chairs will take the place of the uncomfortable and unsightly seats now in use.

   The insurance adjusters have allowed the Cortland Desk Company $3,000 insurance on contents of building and $500 on contents of the office. This does not cover the loss by a considerable. The building was insured for $1,200, but the insurance has not yet been adjusted.

   The Board of Supervisors of this county have passed a law prohibiting the catching of fish until May 1st. Hunting is prohibited until Sept. 1st. Persons convicted of either offense are subject to a penalty of $25 for each offense. There are quite a number of people in this county who pay no attention whatever to these laws. Game constables in the several towns should prosecute every person offending.

   Last Tuesday evening quite a crowd of citizens assembled on the corner of Main street and Clinton Ave. Some one had discovered Venus, the evening star, shining with great brilliancy in the west and had ventured the theory that it was a balloon containing an electric light which had been sent up by H. W. Warner & Co., the patent medicine men of Rochester. A bet of fifteen dollars was made on the spot, but the man who believes in the balloon theory refuses to be convinced and the bet has not yet been decided. Truly "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

  

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   The scheme to supply Syracuse with water from lake Skaneateles is meeting with much opposition at Albany.

   A girl at Latonia, Pa., recently eloped with a man who had no legs. She trundled him off in a hand cart.

   Theodore Steinway, of Steinway & Sons, piano makers of New York, died Tuesday at Brunswick, Germany.

   Twenty-five hundred men, women and children are employed in the Government printing office at Washington.

   In the State Senate, Friday, Mr. Arnold introduced a bill appropriating $47,000 for furnishing the Normal School at Oneonta.

   Senator Wade Hampton, of South Carolina, has sent two flags to Senator Quay to be restored to the former owners, the 65th Pennsylvania Volunteers, 5th Cavalry.

   "Boscobel," the country home of the late Henry Ward Beecher, at Peekskill, has been sold for $75,000. It cost Mr. Beecher over $300,000, the house alone costing $75,000.

   At the annual meeting of the Bell Telephone Co. in Boston, Tuesday, the net earnings for 1888 were reported to be $2,414,205. The number of subscribers is 171,454, and miles of wire 170,471.

   District Attorney Gallagher, of Richmond county, has become insane from over-work. He imagines that he is in danger of being killed by electricity, and frequently drops on his knees and prays to be delivered from the supposed evil influences around him.

   Mrs. Palmer, of Clinton, is at Glens Falls to be treated by the faith cure for ossification. Her legs, arms, neck and back of her head have been solidified. She is blind, and her upper teeth are gone. Her jaws are locked, but she is able to talk. She can move her fingers, but that is all.

   It is estimated that the present population of the United States is 64,000,000. The total increase is said to be 100,000 a month, exclusive of immigration, and last year the increase by immigration was 518,000. At this rate the next census, which will be taken in July, 1890, will show about 67,000,000.

   Oscar S. Straus, Minister to Turkey, and one of New York's leading Hebrews, has been blackballed for membership in the Manhattan club. The affair causes great indignation among the club's Hebrew members, and the Christians aver that Mr. Straus is the victim of a growing sentiment against the admission of his race to membership in the club.

N. Y. S. Assembly Ceiling Fraud: http://stevenwarran.blogspot.com/2011/12/mr-strahan-gets-a-for-double-entendre.html

White Caps (scroll down when link opens): http://www.weirdwildrealm.com/f-edwinporter8.html