A FROG IN HIS STOMACH AND THE SOUTHWORTH LIBRARY

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, October 4, 1895.

A FROG IN HIS STOMACH.

James Foley Believes He is a Walking Aquarium.

   ROCHESTER, Sept. 27.—James Foley of Wheatland is about to sue Philip C. Dickinson for $5,000 damages for injuries to the plaintiff's health, alleged to have been caused by drinking impure water purchased from the defendant.

   The parties reside near each other on a farm, and Foley purchased his water supple from Dickinson for $12 a year. After using the water two years Foley experienced violent pains in his stomach. Medical aid was summoned and the doctors thought he had dyspepsia.

   Shortly afterward, while playing dominoes with his family one evening, a grunting sound was heard, causing the children to jump and exclaim "What's that?" Suddenly it dawned upon Foley that he had swallowed some live thing while drinking the water.

   He came to the city and sought legal advice today, but no lawyer has been found who will take his case. Foley claims the animal inside him is a frog. He says that recently in church the frog kicked up a fuss in his stomach, singing and roaring until, disturbing the meeting, he walked out of church.

MARRIED BY THE MAYOR.

An Italian Section Hand at Preble Takes a Bride From Syracuse.

(From the Syracuse Herald, Oct. 2.)

   Vinzeze Tucci of Preble, a strapping section hand on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad, aged 24, and Ginoeffa Natartomase of this city, aged 27, and both natives of Italy, were married by Mayor Amos at 11 o'clock this morning at his office in the City Hall. They waited patiently for an hour before the Mayor appeared, and in the meantime the frequenters of the City Hall told Alderman E. J. Mack that he had better perform the ceremony himself. The Alderman, however, said that he had never performed a marriage ceremony, and he refused to make this the first occasion. His refusal was attributed by some to his well known modesty, which, it was thought, would not permit him to kiss the bride without a blush.

   When the Mayor had pronounced the parties man and wife, Clerk Sackett went out and brought a brilliantly illuminated marriage certificate, which a couple of newspaper men signed as witnesses.

   "Aren't you going to break precedent on this occasion and kiss the bride, Mayor?" inquired the Herald man.

   "I guess I'll leave that to the witnesses," replied the Mayor, looking critically at the bride. The witnesses, however, kept their seats.

   The bride and groom left for Preble on the noon train.

E. & C. N. Y. R. R. Engine No. 5 at Cortland Station in 1899.

THE ERIE & CENTRAL NEW YORK RAILWAY.

Work Going Forward—The Rolling Stock Purchased and Will Soon Be on the Ground—The Injunction Proceedings.

   The work of driving piles for the bridge over the Tioughnioga river in this place was begun on Tuesday and has been pushed along rapidly since, under the direction of contractor David Murphy of Syracuse. The machine in use is a new one and is of the latest and most approved pattern. The machine will drive twenty-five piles per day and there are one hundred and thirty-two piles to be driven. Those driven on the approach to the bridge [near Kellogg Road] are sixteen feet long and those to be put down in the river are twenty feet long.

   Last week the Construction Co. closed a contract for the rolling stock. The engine is a new one and is ready to ship as soon as it is needed which will not be until the track has been layed across the bridge. A handsome passenger car is also ready and will be shipped as soon as it is needed. It will require two or three weeks to complete the box and platform cars, but these will be on hand as soon as they are required for use.

   The grading is finished as far as Solon where contractor Benson and his men are now at work. The force will be largely increased on the grading as soon as East Freetown is reached which will probably be sometime next week. The Construction Co. intend to have the grading on the entire line finished by the first of next mouth if possible.

   The injunction procured by the Randall estate was argued last Saturday before Judge Smith at Elmira and the same was modified so far as to require the taking of evidence before Judge Eggleston on the question of adverse possession. The Railroad company claimed on the argument that they had been in possession of the property for over twenty years which the other side denied. Judge Eggleston was required to take evidence on the question and report next Monday. We understand now, however, that an amicable arrangement has been arrived at which will allow the Railway company to go forward with the work and that the question of damages will be settled before a commission later. Under this arrangement the company is pushing the work as rapidly as possible.

Administrators' Sale.

   The administrators of the estate of the late Lewis Underwood will sell at auction on the premises 1 1/2 miles east of the Baker school house in Freetown on Monday, Oct. 7 at 10 o'clock A. M., 23 cows, mostly grade Holsteins, 2 yearling heifers, 2 work horses, 1 top buggy nearly new, 1 platform wagon, 1 pair pleasure bobs, 1 Portland cutter, 1 swell body cutter, wagon poles, 1 buggy, 1 seed drill, 1 harrow, 1 mower, 1 sow and pigs, 1 lawn mower, forks, hoes, shovels, cradles, plows, cultivators, 1 bob sled, 700 sap buckets, evaporator, drawing tubs, sap sled, storage tubs, grind stone, etc., etc. Also a quantity of hay, straw and buckwheat. On sums of $10 and under cash down, over that amount 8 months credit. A. B. Gardner, auctioneer.

A Sudden Death.

   Dr. Frank B. Smith, who has been located at the Crandall House for several months past, died very suddenly at his home in Rochester on Wednesday. For over a year the doctor has been in poor health from over-work. At Scranton, early in the Spring, he was attacked with LaGrippe which made heavy inroads upon his naturally strong constitution. On Monday he was found in his room at the hotel unconscious and his family was notified and be was removed to Rochester on Tuesday. The doctor had been a very hard worker and made several trips across the continent and had a large circle of acquaintances.—Binghamton Republican.

   Dr. Smith spent some time last winter practicing his profession at the Messenger House in Cortland.

BURNED TO DEATH.

LITTLE MINNIE NIXON PLAYED WITH MATCHES.

Her Injuries Prove Fatal—She Was a Bright Little Girl.

   At about 5 o'clock Tuesday afternoon last, little Minnie Nixon, the five year-old daughter of Patrick Nixon, a switchman on the Elmira, Cortland & Northern railway, was so severely burned at her home, No. 20 Duane-st., that she died at 9 o'clock the same evening.

   At the hour named Mrs. J. H. McCarthy, who occupies a part of the same house with Nixon, heard screams in the rear of the house and a moment later saw the child pass the window with her clothing on fire. She ran to the child's assistance telling her daughter to bring something to wrap about the girl. The daughter brought a shawl but it was not large enough to smother the flames. Neighbors came hurrying to the spot and brought pails of water which was thrown upon her and the fire was extinguished. She was carried into the house and Dr. A. G Henry was summoned. The body and limbs were terribly burned and portions of the flesh came off when the clothing was removed. Her hair was burned close to the head. She was conscious but all feeling had left her. She was next to the eldest of five children. Mrs. Nixon was ill in bed and unable to minister to the wants of the unfortunate child.

   It is not positively known how her clothing caught fire but it is believed that she was trying to light a bonfire with matches.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

Gen. Nelson A. Miles.

   ◘ Hon. William J. Gaynor, one of the judges of the Supreme Court, has been nominated by the democrats and anti-machine republicans for mayor of Brooklyn.

   ◘ The democratic senatorial convention for this district was held in Binghamton yesterday. Emanuel Bronner of that city nominated for senator.

   ◘ At the democratic judicial convention held in Binghamton yesterday, the nomination of George F. Lyon for Judge of the Supreme Court was indorsed.

   ◘ "Cut and dried," is the way the Syracuse Post heads its mention of Mr. Platt's Saratoga [Republican] convention.

   ◘ Gen'l. Nelson A. Miles, the renowned Indian fighter, has been appointed Commander-in Chief of the armies of the United States, since Schofield retired. The selection is a good one.

   ◘ Within three months after the firing upon Fort Sumter, Spain recognized the Confederacy. The Cubans have been fighting for nearly a year now, they have formed a Republic and set up a government; they have asked this great, liberty loving Republic to aid them in their struggle by giving them the recognition they so richly deserve—Kingston Argus.

   ◘ "All I will say about prohibition," said Dr. Bayard, President of the Canadian Medical Association, in his annual address to that body, "is this: It was tried in the Garden of Eden and failed." There is a world of truth in this simple statement. So long as mankind possesses that spirit of disobedience inherited from his original parents, prohibition can never wholly prohibit.

The Southworth Library.

   MR. EDITOR:—For the benefit of your many readers in our neighboring towns, for whose benefit the Southworth Library was authorized, give this article some of your valuable space. The decision of Judge Parker referred to by this paper was made from an argument that conceded the part of this association known as librarian was a servant. Many good men deny this and believe that the librarian when properly secured, constitute one of the organs or part of said association, and a part without which the association cannot be organized into a Public Library.

   1st—Jennie McGraw Fisk gave to three trustees the sum of $30,000 in trust for the following uses and purposes: I desire that they with such associates as they shall select, shall procure under the laws of the State of New York, a corporation or association to be organized at Dryden under the Southworth Library Association. The object and purpose shall be the building, support and maintenance of a public library in said village of Dryden, N . Y.

   The trustees shall transfer said trust fund to said association upon the trust and condition that no more than $15,000 of said fund shall be expended on real estate, buildings and furniture, and that the remainder shall constitute a fund to be invested and the interest or income thereof to be applied to the purchase of books and other necessary expenses of said association, excluding, however, salaries of officers and pay of servants.

   If this purpose be not accomplished within three years after my death the trust shall be paid to and distributed with my residuary estate. The trustees secure the real estate, erect the buildings and put in the furniture and collect and store the books.

   These are associated together at Dryden, N. Y., and they refuse to use the fund for the other necessary expenses of the association as the will directs. And now the trustees refuse to add the librarian to the otherwise complete association and of course are unable to organize the parts into a public library, which was the sole purpose of the testator. The cause of this condition is a claim on the part of the trustees that the librarian being a natural person must be included within the phrase officers and servants. An effort has been made by a petition to have the citizens of Dryden village raise a sum of money annually and give to the trustees of the nearly complete association that they may be able to add the missing part and organize the Southworth Library Association into a Public Library at Dryden.

HERE AND THERE.

   The Dryden Herald issued a newsy daily during the fair last week.

   Charles Hickok of Syracuse has taken possession of the Hotel Windsor in Homer.

   Cortland Commandry, K. T., will give $5 each year to the Cortland Hospital for five years.

   The annual reunion of the old 76^th Regiment was held in Newark Valley on Wednesday.

   The Normal foot ball team defeated the Dryden team in the latter place last Thursday. Score 30 to 0.

   George Schouten of this place, aged 17 years, has left home and his whereabouts cannot be ascertained.

   Mr. Sanford Baldwin is building the M. E. church hitching barn. It will be 75x50 feet with 12 foot posts.

   Teachers' examinations for second and third grade certificates will be held in the Normal building to-day and to-morrow.

   Last Friday Lynn Atwood had his left arm badly cut by a saw in the shops of the Cortland Door and Window Screen Co. Dr. Higgins dressed the injury.

   Luigi Santangelo, the Italian who was charged with stealing a sheep from Frank Welch's pasture last week, settled the matter satisfactorily and was discharged.

   Under a new law the pay of judges and inspectors of elections will hereafter be $3.50 and of clerks $3 without regard to how long they are engaged in holding the election and making up the returns.

   The fact is not generally known that teachers of schools and janitors of state schools are special policemen, and have the right to arrest any person not properly conducting themselves on the premises. [Italics added--CC editor.]

   Last Thursday morning lightning struck the house of Mr. F. A. Crossly at Tula, N. Y., destroying the chimney and doing considerable injury to the interior. None of the occupants were seriously injured.

   A law now on the statute books gives commissioners of highways full authority to erect signs at road intersections. If they do not do it, any five taxpayers of a town or twenty of a county can, by petition, compel them to do so. This law does not appear to have been applied in many instances but it is ready for any who are disposed to use it.

   Upwards of fifty people were relieved of their pocketbooks on the Dryden fair grounds last week Wednesday. Served them right. They should have attended the Cortland fair where pickpockets do not ply their trade.

   Mr. J. W. Brown has purchased D. C. Beers' interest in the Grant-st. grocery and possession was given last Monday. Mr. W. W. Watkins, who has been with Mr. Beers, will be a member of the firm, which will do business under the firm name of J. W. Brown & Co.

   Mr. John O'Connell of the Cortland & Homer Traction Co. is negotiating with the city fathers of Marathon with a view of furnishing that place with an electric light system. He has been granted a franchise and will put in the plant and have it finished by Nov. 1st next.

   The "Slim Jims" and the "Portly Joe's" of Homer played a game of base ball on the green in that village Tuesday afternoon for the benefit of the Old Ladies' Home. The players were dressed in fantastic costumes and the game was an interesting one. The sum of $32 was added to the treasury of the [Brewster] Home as the result. Owing to the fact that the "Portly Joe's" were born tired, the "Slims" won by a score of 28 to 20.