PREBLE'S LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE DEBATE CONTINUED—A BARE KNUCKLE FIGHT PROPOSED

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, January 11, 1889.

PREBLE.

   MR. EDITOR:— Through the columns of the DEMOCRAT of Dec. 21st, I endeavored to give its readers something of an idea of the Law & Order League of that town. In doing so anything that might be construed as reflecting either directly or indirectly upon the character or reputation of any individual was studiously avoided. No name save that of Mr. Klock appeared in that article; even the allusion to the fact that an arrest was made here by order of one of the members of the League was with the thought, and I still believe he acted in accordance with the rules and bylaws of the League, and for that society and not as an individual.

   In your issue of Dec. 28th, I see that E. M. Van Hoesen has made very grave charges against several men in this town and in the county. I think this wholesale indictment should receive a little scrutiny.

   First he accuses Mr. Klock of keeping the most disreputable house ever kept in this town. Now Mr. Klock has kept hotel in five different towns in this county, and I think he is willing to stand upon the record he has made, consequently needs no justification from my pen.

   Next, he says (our justice J. S. Cornue was out of town) thus indirectly charging that, the other three justices would not be commanded, or could not be relied upon by the League to perform their duties as officers of the law.

   Then the County Judge and Sheriff were called upon and he implies that they also were derelict in their duties.

   Again he says the complaint, indictment and trial was a farce from beginning to end, thus bringing a second indictment against the Judge, and also roping in the District Attorney, and even the jurors that sat upon the trial of the case, who had just taken a solemn oath to render a just verdict.

   But how about the complaint? I am told he swore upon the trial that he was one of the complainants. Does he wish to be understood that he was the first and principal actor in a farce, that was a farce from the very beginning, and he the beginner, a farce that cost the county several hundred dollars?

   Next, he dashes at Citizen and says 'I spot the man.' I am informed that he had Dr. Hunt in mind when he wrote that. He says, 'he would be a champion of the fair fame of our town and one of the strongest upholders of the whiskey ring.' Strange combination. My opinion of Dr. Hunt is, that he is a very modest gentleman, says but little about his own affairs, and much less about those of his neighbors, and as to the whiskey ring, I never heard of it before. The station agent here says that there is not as much liquor shipped into this town now in a year, as there has been in years past, in a month.

   Again he says, 'he would be supervisor if he could, but when in other positions of trust is flush and extravagant with the people's money.'

   Now, no one knows better than Mr. Van Hoesen, that Dr. Hunt has been urged by his party friends almost every year since he has lived here, to accept the initiation for supervisor and he has always declined, certainly not for fear of defeat for when his name has been placed upon the county ticket the vote he has received both in this and adjoining towns has been very highly complimentary. As to his extravagant use of other people’s money, I think the only office he has ever held in town is that of trustee of the village school and that position he has held four of the nine years he has lived in Preble, and last fall he was re-elected, I am informed without a dissenting voice.

   Then with the last dash of his pen he makes use of the term 'miserable sneak.' Now if the doctor ever turned aside while on his way to church on a sabbath morning, to sneak into a neighbor's house to commit an assault upon his brother-in-law, I have yet to hear of it.

   Now friend Van Hoesen if you are still dissatisfied, try again to 'spot the man,' and if you succeed better than you did before, I will take off my gloves and we will have one round with bare knuckles, and strike from the shoulder.

   CITIZEN. [pen name]

A Blaze in Homer.

   At about 7:30 o’clock last Sunday morning fire was discovered in the roof of the east end of Mechanics Hall, a long wooden building four and a half stories high, located on the comer of Cayuga and Main streets and nearly apposite the Mansion House. An alarm called out the fire department and four streams of water were soon playing on the fire. By hard work the firemen obtained the mastery and the flames were quenched but not until the roof and the entire top story had been destroyed.

   The building was erected 54 years ago and was used as a tenement house. There were nine families living in the building, and there was a saloon in the basement at the east end. Timothy Noonan owned the east section which was occupied by the families of John Driscoll and Charles Moore as well as his own. Noonan had $1,000 insurance. All these families saved most of their effects. The adjoining part was owned by Mrs. Mary Barker and was occupied by her and the families of John Kelley and Mrs. T. Galvin. Mrs. Barker was away from home, had no insurance, and lost all her effects. The others saved most of their goods.

   Jerome Baker owned and occupied the part adjoining on the west. He had a small insurance on building and saved most of his goods. Chas. A. Ford owned and occupied the adjoining section. He had a small insurance on  building and saved all of his goods. The west part is owned by Jas. Day of New York, and was occupied by W. F. Goodell and mother. They saved all of their effects. The insurance on this part of the building will undoubtedly cover the loss. The entire loss on building is estimated at about $2,500.

   The heavy rain and the fact that there was no wind favored the firemen and undoubtedly prevented the burning of adjoining buildings.

   It is not known how the fire originated, but it is thought that it started from one of the chimneys. It was a hard fire to get at and it is almost a miracle that any part of the building was saved. We understand that parties are endeavoring to purchase the property with the intention of putting up a better structure.

A Little Check-ered.

   On Dec. 22 last, Mr. W. Earl Seamans, of this place, drew a cheek upon the National Bank of Cortland for $82.25, in favor of D. McCarthy & Son of Syracuse, to pay for a bill of goods previously purchased, and enclosing the same in an envelope properly addressed, started for the post-office to post the same. Not hearing from the same in due time he wrote the firm asking them to acknowledge receipt of the check and was answered that they had not received it. Payment of the same was at once stopped at the bank.

    At about noon last Monday a man about 65 years of age, giving the name of Benjamin Newcomb, residence Michigan, presented the check to the bank for payment. Cashier Selover asked how he came by the check and was told that it was purchased of a Michigan man who had been in this place, but who had now gone home and whose name he could not remember.

   Mr. Selover telephoned to the Sheriff's office and Deputy Duell appeared and took him in charge and he was subsequently lodged in jail. It came to the knowledge of the officers that Newcomb had been visiting the family of Daniel Burke at Blodgetts Mills for some weeks and Burke was sent for. On his arrival Burke pronounced the old man's story false and stated that Newcomb picked the letter up in the street and opened the same in presence of his family. Newcomb was advised to return the check to the bank and promised he would do so. Burke supposed he had returned it.

   At a preliminary examination held by Justice Bouton the same evening Newcomb confessed that Burke's statement was correct. The examination was adjoined until Wednesday when the matter was amicably arranged and the defendant was discharged. It appeared that Newcomb was feeble both in mind and body and it was believed that he had been advised by others to present the check, consequently the bank declined to press the charge.

HERE AND THERE.

   The Homer Wagon Company have put a fire alarm box in their new building. The number is 422.

   Horace Robbins, an old and highly respected citizen of Cincinnatus, was found dead in bed on Sunday morning.

   The firm of Hollister Bros. has been dissolved. Mr. H. P. Hollister will continue the bakery business at the old stand.

   Mr. Jay Hopkins has sold his interest in the business of Hopkins Brothers and retired. The firm will still be Hopkins Brothers.

   The Talmadge Cart & Buggy Company have leased the old Cortland Wagon Company shops on Railroad street, and will take possession at once.

   The citizens of Homer village are talking about enlarging the corporation on the north, west and south. Brewery hill stands in the way of any growth on the east.

   E. J. Bockes was elected chief of the Homer fire department, last Thursday evening, Thos. Knoble assistant, C. E. Lawson secretary, and William H. Crane treasurer.

   Col. Frank Place, Superintendent of the Public Schools of this village, has taken an office with W. D. Tuttle, in the Wallace building. Office hours daily from 6 to 7:30 P. M.

 

VIRGIL.

   There was a surprise given Mrs. Anna Christman on Friday evening January 4th, by her Sunday school class, and others to the number of about forty. They presented her with a silver cake and fruit dish, as a memento of her interest taken in the school and especially her class. The presentation was delivered by Master Fred Switzer who, in a short speech, explained to the teacher the feelings of gratitude and friendship which existed with her scholars toward their teacher, asking her to accept this memento as a sense of their gratitude. To which Mrs. Christman responded in a few well chosen remarks which if remembered and practiced by the donors it would be profitable for them in after years. After staying till the large hours of the night they separated, all seeming to have enjoyed the party hugely.

   The M. E. Sunday school starts the new year with good prospects of success, with Mr. Martin Dann as their superintendent.

   At the discussion of the Templars it was argued that a young man was perhaps as near Heaven as he ever would be when he escorted a young lady home and received the parting kiss. How was it with thee, Fred, on the following eve?

   In looking over the appointments by the sheriff we notice the appointment of Aaron Overton of our place as deputy sheriff. The choice is a good one, and he has well earned it for he was a man all the way along. No Miller, no Reed, and then Borthwick like some of the aspirants for the appointment who got left.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   TOMPKINS.— The Ithaca department now numbers 399 members, divided as follows: Cayuga Hose 51, Rescue Steamer 42, Tornado Hooks 60, Eureka Hose 58, Torrent 49, Sprague Steamer Co. 44, Cataract Hose 56, Protective Police 39.

   Stephen Karnes and his brother, Jacob, of Lansing, had a narrow escape from death last week while dressing a beef. The carcass was wound upon a beef tree, in which a crow bar had been placed for a lever. The rope began to unwind and the flying bar hit both men on the head, breaking the nose and otherwise sadly bruising Jacob Barnes. Dr. Lockerby was summoned and took several pieces of bone from his face.

   Ever since an Ithaca man drew $3,000 in the Louisiana State lottery, the number of people who are tempted to invest their dollars in courting fickle fortune has constantly increased in this city, and now amounts almost to a craze. In nearly every gathering of men the monthly drawings are discussed, and purses made up with which to purchase tickets for the next drawing. It is said that many of the fair sex are also caught by this “razzle dazzle” and are regular investors.

Louisiana State Lottery Company: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_State_Lottery_Company