The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 5,
1895.
LAWYER
KIDNAPPED.
HARSH
TREATMENT OF A BUFFALO MAN.
Imprisoned
In an Old Cellar and Held for a Ransom.
BUFFALO, June 27.—The police yesterday found
Octavious O. Cottle, a rich and well known lawyer of this city in the cellar of
an abandoned cottage on Baynes street, where he was being held captive by men
who wanted $2,500 from his wife as a ransom. He had been missing since Monday
morning. On that morning a stranger drove with him to a house on Chenango street,
which he was desirous of selling to one of Mr. Cottle's clients.
Mr. Cottle drove away with the stranger who
took him to the deserted house. It is in the center of the residence district
but the houses are not very close together.
Mr. Cottle entered the house in advance of
the stranger, and as the door closed on him he was attacked by the stranger and
another man who had been hiding in the hall. They gagged Cottle and dragged him
to the cellar, where preparations had been made for his reception. Handcuffs were
put on him and shackles on his legs and a dog collar about his neck and the
chain was fastened to the shackles so that he could not straighten up. In this
condition he was found by the police this morning, nearly unconscious. There is
no clew to the identity of the men.
BUFFALO, June 27.—A startling and untold
part of the Cottle kidnapping sensation was learned to-day from one of the
officials who made the investigation. This story fastens the identity of the
leader in the plot on John C. Emery, once a prominent citizen of Buffalo.
Some years ago Emery, who was living in
Cincinnati, was arrested for violation of the postal laws. He was tried,
convicted and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment, but escaped and made
his way to Canada. After a time he opened negotiations with Mr. Cottle, who was
an old friend, for securing a pardon from the Governor of Ohio, and offered to
spend money liberally to secure it. Mr. Cottle promised to do what he could for
him, and Emery paid over a large sum, said to be between $5,000 and $15,000.
Whatever Mr. Cottle may have done for his
client he did not get him a pardon, and Emery demanded the return of the money,
which was refused. Emery then wrote that he could not come to the United States
to sue for it, but he would take other means to get it. It appeared he then
obtained a confederate and planned this job.
It is also learned that ever since Monday
noon, Edward P. Cottle, the lawyer's son, was in Fort Erie negotiating with
Emery for the return of his father, Emery holding out for a larger sum than the
Cottles were willing to pay.
The man who drove Mr. Cottle to the Baynes
street house is George Allen, also an escaped convict. The police are trying to
find Emery, but so far have been unsuccessful.
LAWYER
COTTLE'S KIDNAPPER.
BUFFALO, July 2.—John C. Emery, the
kidnapper of Lawyer Cottle, has been identified as Claude Strong. His mother
and brother live here, the latter being a well known architect. In 1882 Strong
was arrested here for fraudulent use of the mails in connection with the
solarograph which, it was claimed, kept better time than a watch. He escaped
and went to Canada, remaining there several weeks. From there he went to
Cincinnati, adopting the name of John C. Emery.
The police have not yet found the slightest
clue to the whereabouts of the kidnapper. It is thought Emery has gone to
Europe by one of the National steamers.
He Felt
No Pain.
Frank A. Grover, the Rochester electrician
who received 4,000 volts of electricity in his body on Thursday night, making
him unconscious while he was at work for the Rochester Gas and Electric
company, in an interview yesterday said that sensation was painless. This is in
keeping with the theory that Dr. P. J. Gibbons of Syracuse has been advocating
all along and which other physicians and scientists have gradually come to
agree with.
In an interview Grover says: "I recall
that my arm came in contact with a brush and I knew I had received a shock.
That was the last I remember until I came to my senses and the men were working
over me. At first I wondered where I was and what they were doing with me.
After awhile it all came to me how I had received the shock. I did not suffer
any pain in the least. I received the charge so suddenly that I did not realize
the pain. From my experience I can safely say that the men who are electrocuted
in prison experience no pain. It is impossible."
When Dr. Gibbons was shown the interview
this morning, he said:
"That is what I have contended ever
since I first began experimenting with the theory which I have advocated for
resuscitation. I see that they adopted my method to bring Grover to
consciousness, getting their instruction from 'Cushing's Standard Wiring for
Electric Light and Power,' which the board of underwriters require every
electrician to have a copy of and to be thoroughly posted on. I consider the
saving of Grover's life to be a victory for me and my theory which I attempted
to have the State give me permission to use on criminals electrocuted in the
State's prisons.
"Another theory it refutes is that of
Electrician George D. Burton of Boston who says that after receiving a shock a
man does not lose consciousness but knows what is going on all about him. This,
I have held, is not so and I feel that Grover's experience substantiates my
opinion."
 |
| Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr. |
DIXON
FOLLOWS BRIGGS.
Will Not
Accept the Bible as Being Verbally Inspired.
NEW YORK, June 23.—Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr.,
in the Academy of Music this morning, followed Dr. Briggs and Rev. Heber Newton
in criticizing the Bible as not without errors. Mr. Dixon said that when he
spoke of the Bible as the work of God, he did not mean to say that every word
in that book was the work of the Redeemer. To do so would be to deny the known
truth, for there were errors in that book that were distinctively human.
"If it is insisted," he said,
"that I shall take the verbal expressions of that book as coming from God,
then will I reject the whole thing. But if it is only to be regarded as the
manifestation of Christ's religion for 1,600 years, then I will accept it."
The Bible itself, he said, does not claim infallibility, but is only regarded
as a guide to man's faith, as an ethical standard which it is to the advantage
of man to adopt.
 |
| Brockway block, Homer, N. Y. |
 |
| Homer Band on Main Street circa 1891. |
It is fast becoming evident to thinking
people that the most satisfactory place to trade is where the business is
managed on the nimble sixpence plan, with quick sales and small profits as a
motto. Of course it can be easily understood that it would be impossible for
any firm to sell dry goods, carpets, crockery and millinery at the price Mr.
Shepard is offering them were it not for the very low percentage of expense
necessary to conduct the business together with the benefits derived from
buying strictly for cash.
Mr. Shepard keeps a first class New York
city trimmer in millinery during the month of July, which enables any who have
not as yet completed their purchases in this line to get the best of
workmanship and owing to the lateness of the season at greatly reduced prices.
Any person who may visit this establishment will not be disappointed.
Store open evenings. Street car fare paid
both ways.
A New
Naturalization Law.
One of the bills passed by the Legislature of
this State at its recent session was the measure regulating naturalization. It turns
the business of making new citizens wholly over to the Supreme Court and the County
Courts. Application can be made at any time, but final action can be taken only
on days fixed by the courts, and fourteen days at least must elapse between the
application and final action. The applicants petition, verified by oath, must
state his age, birth place, time of arrival in this country and other
particulars, while great care is taken that the witnesses shall be of trustworthy
character. Governor Morton has signed the bill and made it a law.
NEIGHBORING
COUNTIES.
CHENANGO—Norwich voted down the paid police
proposition at Saturday's special election, but carried an appropriation of
$150 for public band concerts.
An inexhaustible supply of pure water has
been secured by S. C. Tinkham in Bainbridge at a depth of 260 feet. It is the
finest well in town.
F. B Mitchell of Norwich has been appointed
secretary of the State Fish, Game and Forestry Commission, with a salary of
$2,500 a year for five years. The most of his time will have to be spent at
Albany.
Chapman Strang, aged 12 years, the only
child of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Strang, was drowned in the pond near the electric
light station below Oxford last Friday afternoon. The boy and several
companions, who were attending a school picnic in the woods near by,
constructed a raft and went out upon the pond. The lad fell into the deep water
and his companions were helpless to save him. Harvey Stratton, a farmer who
resides near the pond, was notified, and recovered the body by diving. Doctors
who had been summoned were unable to resuscitate the lad.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Skinner
last week made the appointments to State scholarships in Cornell University.
The holders of the same are entitled to a four years' course of instruction in
the University free of tuition. Archie D. Gibbs, of Norwich, a graduate from
Norwich High School, received the scholarship from Chenango county, he having
had highest standing in the competitive examination held June 1. Ward L.
Fleming, of Guilford, also of N. H. S., stood second, and has an appointment to
fill a vacancy in a New York city Assembly district.
MADISON —Hop Growers' picnic at Sylvan Beach
July 27.
Peddlers must be licensed hereafter in
Canastota.
The Sylvan Beach policemen now appear in
uniform.
Truman Baker, the well-known stockman of
Earlville, was tossed by an angry cow the other day and badly bruised.
Frank Fox of Vienna, newly married,
quarreled with his wife Saturday, then drowned himself in Fish Creek.
The Madison County Patrons of Husbandry
contemplate opening a co-operative store at Oneida or Canastota.
John Mann of Cazenovia was badly bruised the
other day by a pulley block, which was hurled against his face with great force
by the breaking of a rope.
On Monday night about nine o'clock an Oneida
man soundly thrashed a man whom he found walking the streets of that village
with his wife.
The salary of the Cazenovia postmaster has
been increased from $1,700 to $1,800, and of Oneida's from $2,300 to $2,400,
owing to the increase in the business done.
A. G. Mott, an aged Canastota carpenter was
arrested Thursday on the charge of making counterfeit money. Over $100 in bogus
dimes, quarters and half dollars, and the tools to make them with were secured.
He was taken to Rome for trial.
TOMPKINS.—An Ithacan has a white rat.
The County Fair Sept. 9, 10, 11 and 12.
The Labor Advocate, of Ithaca, has changed
to the Ithaca Saturday Union.
An Ithaca tea company has a good
representation of a Chinaman in their doorway.
The water is so low in Cayuga lake that the
larger boats find it difficult to make a landing at certain points.
Postmaster Apgar's salary has been increased
from $2,800 to $2,900 and Postmaster Howes of Trumansburg from $1,300 to 1,400.
It is stated that there are now about fourteen
hundred skunks on a Brookton skunk farm. The refuse meat fed them is carefully cooked.
Every farmer should have the bulletins of
the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station. They contain much valuable
information. Send your address to Prof. I. P. Roberts, Cornell University, and
you will be supplied.
The Fresh Air Camp for New York city waifs,
at Freeville, will be opened early next month. The bill of fare for one day is
as follows: Eighty five loaves of bread, 12 pounds of butter, 24 pounds of
cheese, 12 pounds of oat flakes, 200 cookies, 200 pickles, 40 pounds of meat or
200 eggs, $2 for milk, 4 pounds of salt, quarter pound of pepper, $1 for
potatoes, 5 six-quart pans of beans, 5 six-quart cans of pudding, 50 cents for
oil and 3 cans of tomatoes.
Charles Blakesley, who a number of years ago
was tried and acquitted on the charge of killing his father, on Saturday jumped
overboard from the [steamer] Clayton, not far from Glenwood. His plan was to
get his hat which had fallen overboard and also to swim ashore. He was somewhat
intoxicated at the time and sank almost instantly. The water was dragged on
Sunday and Monday, but the body was not found. He was 38 years of age and
leaves a wife and five children.
 |
| Bob Fitzsimmons. |
PAGE
FOUR—EDITORIALS.
Russia and Japan are just now having an
argument that many believe will result in war. The disagreement was brought
about by the part Russia has taken over the settlement of the recent dispute
between Japan and China.
Rev. Thos. Dixon, Jr., refuses to ask the
bride, in the marriage services, to promise to obey her husband because it is a
"relic of barbarism" and because he is satisfied that no woman
intends to keep the promise when she makes it, although most of them will make
the promise freely enough. He therefore considers it wrong to compel her to
make a promise that she has not the least idea of keeping.
The testimony of medical experts in capital
cases is fast coming into disrepute and as a factor in determining the exact
cause of death, is practically valueless, and the medical men are themselves to
blame for the situation. The jealousy and hatred they entertain for one another
is exhibited on the witness stand almost daily and would be surprising if it
was not disgusting. Any well read and experienced physician ought to be able to
determine the exact cause of death in almost every case, and yet we find reputable
practitioners swearing directly contrary to each other. In the case of Bob
Fitzsimmons, who is now on trial in Syracuse for killing Con Riordan in a
sparring match in that city a few months ago, Drs. Totman, Kaufman and Smith
who made the autopsy swear positively that death was caused by a violent blow
on the chin or side of the jaw and they are supported by Dr. H. D. Didama. On
the other hand Drs. Benedict, Lane and McMasters swear that from the statement
given by the first named doctors of the condition of Riordan's head and heart,
the blow did not cause his death. Here are alleged reputable physicians who
disagree on a vital point. There is either a vast amount of scientific
ignorance or else a heap of extraordinary lying on one side or the other. Either
the blow produced death or it did not and every physician who has been sworn in
the case ought to know whether it did or not. Of course it is barely possible
that the man would have fallen to the floor and died without the blow, but the
average layman will believe that it contributed largely to that end.
HERE AND
THERE.
The electric cars are running through Main-st.
again.
Dorr C. Smith, Esq., took possession of the
Cortland House last Monday.
The festival for the benefit of St.
Stephen's church in Marathon will be held July 3rd and 4th only.
Emerald Hose Co. will spend the Fourth in
Elmira as the guests of the city officials. The band will go with them.
Fifty tickets were sold for the excursion to
Watkins Glen at the E. C. & N. station in this village Tuesday
morning.
Mr. C. N. Tyler has moved his grocery store
from Elm-st. to the store formerly occupied by Sanders, Cotton & Co. on Railroad-st.
Mr. Geo. Cass of Solon was tried before Dorr
C. Smith last Saturday on the charge of adulterating his milk. He was acquitted
of the charge.
Some grading is being done on the Erie &
Central N. Y. road, east of the Tioughnioga river bridge and preparations are evidently
being made for a more active campaign on the line.
The Cortlands defeated the Shamrocks of
Syracuse on the fair grounds last Saturday by a score of 11 to 3. The third
game between these clubs will be played on the fair grounds July 4th.
The Salvation Army meetings will be resumed
on Saturday evening at 8 o'clock. Capt. and
Mrs. Humphreys have sufficiently recovered from their long illness to be able
to conduct the same.
Mr. T. H. Dowd has been appointed justice of
the peace for this town to take the place made vacant by the resignation of
Justice Dorr C. Smith. He may be found in the office formerly occupied by his
predecessor in Masonic Hall block.
Justice Dorr C. Smith rendered a decision last
week in favor of Chas. T. Peck against Messrs. Doe, Nicholson & Deloya, sewer contractors, for
$198 damages and $11.97 costs. Plaintiff sued to recover for damages to his
shade trees and lawn on Greenbush-st.
Mr. H. H. Robbins has sold the Model market
in the Cortland House block to Mr. I. J. Smiley, who has been with Mr. A. B. Frazier
for the past seven years. Mr. Smiley understands the business thoroughly and
has many friends in town. He should have an excellent patronage.
The mail carriers wish that every one on their
route would remember these "don'ts." Don't stop your carrier while he
is on duty; don't give him unstamped letters; don't ask him to buy stamps for
you; don't call him back to receive mail after he has passed; don't detain him
while you write a letter; any of these, to you trifling tasks, may cost him his
position, for they are all against postal rules.
Kellogg
& Curtis announce a special sale in our advertising columns. It lasts only 20
days.
Elysium park is the latest. It used to be called
Gillett's grove and is located about two and one half miles southwest from Cortland
on the McLean road. It always was a favorite place for church picnics and is
said to have been handsomely fitted
up this
spring.
 |
| Grover Cleveland. |
Mexicans eat salt on their oranges.
Yates county promises a large peach crop
this year.
There is now a gold reserve of over $100,000,000
in the Treasury.
A baby elk was born in Ross Park, Binghamton
about a week ago.
Syracuse's two bicycle factories are over 3,000
machines behind their orders.
President Cleveland declined the degree of
LL. D. from Wilberforce University.
Philip Phillips, the famous singing
evangelist, is dying of consumption at his home in Delaware, Ohio.
The property held by Archbishop Kenrich for
the Catholic church in his diocese is valued at $50,000,000.
A new law allows boarding house keepers to
seize the baggage of patrons as hotel keepers are permitted to do.
There
will be no more cheap beer in Chicago, an English syndicate having formed a
$30,000,000 trust and put up the price.
There are fifty cities in England which cremate
their garbage, and as they are not run by politicians they do really cremate something
besides the taxes.
Elizabeth Huber of Hornellsville gave two
children poison and then took a dose herself last Thursday. The mother and one
child is dead. She was insane.
A Wilkesbarre man struck a match while sitting
on a keg of powder the other day and when he came down, examination revealed the
fact that he could not live.
A process has now been discovered by which
decayed teeth can be stopped with aluminium. Dentists have unsuccessfully experimented
with this metal for years.
Ella Stewart, a 14 year old Walton girl who
recently eloped with John Gross of that village, a man 30 years her senior, has
been returned to her home by her father.
According to our exchanges the peach crop in
the vicinity of Canandaigua Lake bids fair to be tremendous. Fruit has set so
heavily that the trees will hardly be able to ripen it.
General McAlpin of New York had $1,000 in
money and a gold watch stolen from him in Cleveland, O., last week while attending
the National Convention of Republican clubs.
Simeon Mickle, an Oneonta farmer, aged seventy-five
years, was buncoed out of $700 by sharpers who followed the Wild West show,
which recently exhibited here. He recovered $500.
The Wire Nail Manufacturers' Association, at
their meeting in Pittsburg on Thursday,
made another advance in price, so that the present price is about double that
at which nails were sold in April.
Mrs. James A. Garfield is said to be now
worth $500,000, almost all the gift of American people. When General Garfield died
his estate aggregated only $30,000. Mrs. Garfield lives in elegant, but quiet style
in Ohio.
Well diggers in Calvary cemetery at Fond du
Lac, Wis., have struck a vein of copper at a depth of about 100 feet and large
chunks of metal have been brought to the surface. It is a pure ore and the find
has attracted many visitors to the cemetery.
Columbia won the three-cornered boat race on
the Hudson last week. Cornell was second while the Pennsylvania boys did not
finish, their boat being swamped. The time over the four mile course was:
Columbia, 21 minutes 25 seconds and Cornell, 21 minutes, 46 2-5 seconds.
F. A. Ferris of DeWitt had both his legs cut
by a mowing machine Tuesday. He was in a lot mowing when the knives became
clogged and while he was trying to pull the grass out the team started up. His
legs were caught in the knives just above the ankles. All the arteries were cut
and the knives went through to the bone. But for the arrival of a farm hand he
would have bled to death. Doctors were summoned from Syracuse and hope to be
able to save both members.
A farmer named Parsons at Otisco, near Syracuse,
had an unruly bull which persisted in knocking down fences. Parsons sewed up
the eyelids of the unfortunate animal with two pieces of heavy wire sharpened at
the points, which he inserted as a physician would a needle. After taking two
or three stitches he twisted the ends of the wire together, and in this
condition the animal was found with his eyes terribly swollen and bleeding. The
justice let Parsons off with a paltry fine of $10.
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