SOLICITED SUBSCRIPTIONS AND REV. ANNIS EASTMAN

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, October 16, 1896.

SOLICITED SUBSCRIPTIONS.

James C. Truman Accused of Violating the Civil Service Law.

   NEW YORK, Oct. 16.—The World today publishes the following:

   When the first guns of the present national campaign were fired the civil service commission, acting under instructions from President Cleveland and Attorney General Harmon, sent out a circular to all the federal departments, warning the chiefs thereof to be especially vigilant of the civil service law, which makes it a high misdemeanor, punishable by a heavy fine, to solicit political subscriptions from government employes.

   Posters were put up in the custom home to this effect, and on a number of occasions permission to solicit subscriptions was refused politicians by the collector.

   Upon reaching his office yesterday morning Collector Kilbreth was informed that all clerks in his department had received circulars in direct defiance of the law.

   The circulars, which are signed by James C. Truman, after a lengthy appeal for funds in the interest of the Democratic party, request that contributions be sent to Democratic headquarters or to Elliot Danforth, chairman of the finance committee, Bartholdi hotel, Now York city.

   Collector Kilbreth at once stopped the distribution of the mail and sent for Colonel Dudley F. Phelps, chief of the law division, with whom he remained in consultation for several hours.

   Both stated that the sending of the circular was a flagrant violation of the law, but it was decided to report the matter to the attorney general before causing the arrest of the senders of the circular.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

A Characteristic Assault.

   It could scarcely be expected when the Popocratic National campaign is being conducted on lines of false statement, false reasoning, shameful misrepresentation and personal slander, that the campaigns of that party on local issues should be run on any very different principles or lack of principles. It is not surprising therefore to find in The Cortland Democrat of October 9 the following statements in reference to Mr. Van Buskirk, candidate for school commissioner in the northern district of this county:

   Mr. Van Buskirk, the Republican nominee, was unable to secure a percentage large enough to obtain for him a second grade certificate under the uniform examination system. He possesses hardly a common school education. The Democrat would like to inquire if it is not a fact that Mr. Van Buskirk did leave a district school in Onondaga county a short time since because he could not obtain a third grade certificate?

   The statements above quoted are absolute, unmitigated and malicious falsehoods. We make this assertion, not only on the authority of Mr. Van Buskirk himself, but of one of the best known and most trustworthy Republicans in this county who has known him from boyhood. Mr. Van Buskirk has an excellent academic education, has been a hard student all his life and has made himself what he is by earnest and faithful work. He has had a large and successful experience as a teacher, and would make an equally successful commissioner.

   The closing sentence of the above quotation from The Democrat is the most contemptible of all. Too cowardly to charge directly that Mr. Van Buskirk had to leave a district school because he could not obtain the necessary certificate to teach, The Democrat "would like to inquire" if this were not so. Why didn't it make the inquiry personally, instead of trying to injure Mr. Van Buskirk by asking such a question in print? Or why wasn't the charge made openly and squarely, if it were true? Was it because the editor of The Democrat was afraid he would have another libel suit on his hands, and be made to pay damages?

   We are authorized both by Mr. Van Buskirk and by friends in his behalf to deny utterly and absolutely the charge so meanly insinuated. It is without the slightest foundation. Had there been any, the charge would have been made directly.

   The pitiable demoralization in intellect and conscience of those who have deserted true Democracy for Popocracy and a dishonest dollar, could not be better illustrated than in the case of The Cortland Democrat. The public should make due allowance for its utterances under the circumstances. "Pity the sorrows," etc.

   ◘ The publishers of Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly show their confidence in McKinley's election—as well as their conviction that if he is not elected life will not be worth living or business worth trying for—by offering to take advertisements for November and December subject to the condition of "no charge" if Bryan is elected.

   ◘ The silver dollar is no longer a 53-cent dollar. The fall in the price of silver has reduced the value of the "cartwheel" to less than 50 cents. Wheat goes up and silver goes down, but Bryan's tongue goes on forever.

Rev. Annis Ford Eastman.

REV. ANNIS EASTMAN

Coming Next Week—How She First Came to Preach.

   Rev. Annis Eastman, assistant pastor of Park church, Elmira, is to deliver a lecture on Robert Louis Stevenson at the Presbyterian chapel next Tuesday evening, Oct. 20, for the benefit of the Ladies' Aid society of that church. Admission 25 cents.

   We are permitted to quote from the personal letter of an intimate friend of Mrs. Eastman to a Cortland lady. The writer knew Mrs. Eastman well in Canandaigua in the days when she first began to preach and when she was first led to that work through the ill health of her husband. She says:

   Mrs. Eastman's entrance into the ministry was so gradual that the story would be a long one—just step by step—with no more idea of such a result as either you or I have at this minute. I think her first work in this direction was after her husband's health had failed, and he had given up our pulpit, when she was teaching in Granger Place school to help support her family. She conducted their Sunday evening religious service, giving what they called a Bible reading. Then he was invited to preach as supply for some months at East Bloomfield.

   As his health failed more and more, that church suggested, that any time he was unable to come they would like her to take his place and give a Bible reading. No one thought of calling them sermons, but they were all the same. The next providential leading was speaking in connection with the Congregational Home Mission union, the Women's society, and then a settled position in one of their little churches at Brookton. While there the question of ordination was suggested to her and pressed upon her. After full consideration she felt that she was called unto this work and accepted the call, and I am sure—notwithstanding all the opposition she has met with—in the part of preaching only—she has never regretted it. She is still the same sweet, ladylike, womanly woman everywhere.

   I met Mr. Eastman on our street yesterday, and I thought of your question. He seems perfectly well now, is really fat, and I thought it was the result of a woman's work in standing by her convictions and doing her duty notwithstanding the most hurtful opposition—I mean the kind that hurts by sneers and snubs. To sum it all up I should say it was the work of providence, leading her to earn needed supply for her family when the husband and father was entirely unable to do it. She had to do something and might have taken in washing, or boarders, perhaps, but neither of these was she fitted for so she did "the next thing."

   How well I remember hearing of her starting off to preach one stormy Saturday when he, calling her by some pet name, bade her good by saying, "I never married you for this.''

A Stalwart Republican.

   Mr. W. H. Livermore, founder and for several years editor of the Cortland

Weekly Journal, but since 1872 until May, 1894, an employee in the government printing office at Washington, is in town to-day to register and proposes to be on hand on Election day to vote for McKinley and Hobart. Mr. Livermore has retained his residence in Cortland, and has voted here at every presidential election beginning with Grant's first candidacy and at a number of congressional elections besides.

   In 1888 the Democratic head of the government printing office refused Mr. Livermore a leave of absence to go to Cortland to vote, and he defied partisan tyranny and went without leave. He was discharged after his return, but through the efforts of Hon. Frank Hiscock and Hon. Warner Miller was reinstated.

   Mr. Livermore lost a leg in the Union army when he was only seventeen years old, and his Republicanism is therefore, very naturally, of the thoroughbred, stalwart variety. If it were not, he would hardly go to the trouble and expense of two journeys to Cortland in order to vote for the coming president and vice-president of the United States.

A MIDNIGHT BLAZE

In the Law Office of B. A. Benedict—Thought to be Incendiary.

   The fire department was called to the Wickwire block, 27 Main-st., a few minutes before 12 o'clock last night to extinguish a blaze in the law office of B. A. Benedict. The fire was discovered by the family of Mr. James M. Shelton, who live in the fourth story of the block, who were awakened by the smell of smoke. The alarm was turned in by Officer Jackson, who pulled box 333 at the engine-house and the department quickly responded.

   Only one stream of water was turned on and this was through the hose of the Orris company who used their ball nozzle. The stream was shut off after only a few minutes, as one of the fire extinguishers from the hook and ladder truck was used by Mr. B. H. Bosworth and the blaze was soon extinguished.

   The fire was handled in an admirable manner and great credit is due the firemen for putting it out without flooding the building with water. The water ran down into the shoe store of McGraw & Son, but did no particular damage.

   The fire was located in the room at the rear of the main office and was confined to a bookcase in which were books, reports and legal blanks. The bookcase and contents were entirely destroyed, the woodwork in the corner of the room charred and the walls and ceiling blackened. Mr. Benedict estimates his loss at over $500, some of the books burned being quite expensive. He had no insurance. The loss on the building is fully covered by insurance.

   A cloud of mystery surrounds the fire, but there is any quantity of evidence to show that it was of incendiary origin. Mr. Benedict stated to a STANDARD reporter that he left his office at about 10:30 o'clock. He left all the front window shades up and the transom over the main office door was open. When the fire was discovered these shades were pulled clear down, entirely covering the windows. The dust that had collected over the door and below the transom was wiped off in places and there were marks and scratches on the door, showing that the intruder had climbed in through the transom. Two drawers were found to have been taken from the desk in the private office and the papers ransacked. The nickel knobs had been taken from the hinges to the safe. The floor was strewn with burnt matches. The door lending from the private office was found unlocked, the miscreant having evidently made his exit this way by throwing back the spring lock. Mr. Benedict has not yet missed anything more than what was burned.

   Just the object of the midnight raid is only a matter of conjecture, but the most acceptable theory is that the intruder was in search of some papers or documents of Mr. Benedict's or in his possession, and that failing in finding them he determined to burn the building and thus destroy them. No clue as yet has been discovered to the perpetrators of the deed.

BREVITIES.

   —Attention is called to a "Protection Song'' published in another column which is composed and arranged by J. B. Hunt of Cortland.

   —The sign, "The Kremlin," was yesterday afternoon put up over the entrance to the handsome and newly renovated and refitted hotel on Court-st.

   —The Lehigh is soon to commence work on a fine new depot at Freeville, which has been talked and talked about for years. It will be built at a point just south of the crossing.—Tioga County Herald.

   —The STANDARD is indebted to Mrs. J. W. Hubbard for a generous sample of the celery which she raises in such large quantities in her market garden near the village. It is about the finest that we have ever seen or tasted.

   —New advertisements to-day are—Bacon, Chappell & Co., Jackets, capes and suits, page 5; Dey Bros., dress goods, page 7; Bingham Bros. & Miller, nobby suits,  page 8; I. Whiteson, clothing, page 6; A. H. Burgess, grand musical treat, page 7.

   —Five convicts were on the southbound D., L. & W. train at 10:22 this morning being transferred from Onondaga penitentiary to the Elmira reformatory. They were chained together and were in charge of an attendant from the reformatory.

   —There are two corrections in figures in the recently published reports of the Cortland Hospital association owing to errors in the type. The amount received from patients' board since Feb. 1, should have read $583.02, and the amount received from bequests should have been $1,100.

   —We learn from our special correspondent on the spot that [Teaching] Institute Conductor A. C. McLachlan and Prof. D. L. Bardwell had an experience at Canastota a few evenings since which vividly recalls the adventure of "Mr. Pickwick'' with "the lady in the yellow curl papers." For further information apply to the parties interested.