WHY RAISE VAIN HOPES?

Nikola Tesla.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, December 2, 1896.

WHY RAISE VAIN HOPES?

Tesla Holds Out No Promise to the Blind.

RECENT X RAY EXPERIMENTS.

The Great Electrician Fails to Confirm Some of the Recent Reports and

Believes Little Good Can Come of The Theory.

   NEW YORK, Dec. 2.—The Electrical Review, New York, publishes today an exhaustive communication from Nikola Tesla on his latest experiments with the X rays, which it characterizes as conveying a wealth of suggestion and most important and timely information. Tesla states that the sunburn effects noted by so many experimenters are not due directly to the rays, or Roentgen streams, but to the ozone generated by the rays in contact with the skin. He says:

   "Nitrous acid may also be responsible to a small extent. The ozone, when abundantly produced, attacks the skin and many organic substances most energetically, this action being no doubt heightened by the heat and moisture of the skin. Owing to this I have always taken the precaution when getting impressions with the rays to guard the person by a screen made of aluminum wires, which is connected to the ground, preferably through a condenser.

   "The radical means, however, of preventing such actions is to make impossible this access of the air to the skin while exposing, as for instance by immersing in oil."

   The inventor, in referring to the recently widely heralded experiment for making the blind see by means of the Roentgen rays, regretfully remarks:

   "Is it not cruel to raise such hopes when there is so little ground for it? For, first of all, the rays are not demonstrated to be transverse vibrations. If they were, we would have to find means for refracting them to make possible the projection of a sufficiently small image upon the retina. As it is, only a shadow of a very small object can be projected.

   "What possible good can result from the application of these rays to such purposes? I cannot confirm some of the experiments reported. For instance, when a hand is put before the closed eyes it is easy to distinguish the shadow, much the same as before the light of a candle; but, when the tube is inclosed and all light from the same excluded, I fail to get such an impression. The latter is, therefore, chiefly due to ordinary light."

   The inventor concludes his latest contribution with an account of his method of making X ray impressions which will be of practical value to physicians and experimenters the world over.

Fitzsimmons-Sharkey Battle.

   SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 2.—Interest in the fight tonight between Fitzsimmons and Sharkey is increasing and the Mechanic's pavillion will probably be crowded. Sharkey is still confident of the decision, although the betting is all against him. The most favorable betting for him is even money to within the last six rounds. The wagers on the entire 10 rounds are about 3 to 1 in favor of Fitzsimmons. When Fitz puts on the gloves tonight he will weigh close to 175 pounds, and Sharkey will scale about the same figure. No referee has yet been agreed on, and if none is chosen by noon the National club will select a referee without regard to the wishes of the contestants.

New York State Assemblyman Theodore Roosevelt.

RAINES LAW INQUIRY.

Commissioner Roosevelt Speaks In Commendation of the Measure.

   NEW YORK, Dec. 2.—Police Commissioner [Theodore] Roosevelt was before the Raines law commission.

   Mr. Roosevelt briefly addressed the committee. He thought that the bond between the police and the saloon keeper had been broken by reason of the existing liquor laws and that political corruption had been reduced to a minimum. The benefit of these things, he declared, could not be overestimated.

   "Having spoken freely in criticism of the new law I feel that I ought to say this: I would rather have the new law with its many defects than the old law. And this statement, you will understand," said Mr. Roosevelt, with a broad smile, "now that the campaign is over, is said without the slightest regard to political or any other effect.

   "I would further suggest that there ought to be a law discriminating between the man who goes to a bar and takes his drink on Sunday and the man who goes to a family resort with his wife and children and makes the occasion a holiday or an outing. I say this, although realizing how difficult it might be to frame such a measure."

Capt. Gen. Valeriano Weyler.

HUNGER HIS WEAPON.

Weyler Inaugurates a War of Starvation.

FERTILE VALLEYS DEVASTATED.

Horrible Stories of Brutality on the Part of Spanish Guerillas—Women Put to the Sword or Buried Alive

—Advices From Havana.

   CINCINNATI, Dec 2.—A special from Key West says:

   Weyler's threats that he would starve the Cubans out seems likely to be carried out, as from all reports from Mariel, near where Captain General Weyler is now, the work of destruction is being carried out fully.

   The Spanish army sweeps everything before it, killing beeves that it cannot use, burning cornfields and small stores with their provisions, and leaving a wide waste of ruin and desolation in its wake.

   People vainly implore Weyler to leave them provisions to keep them alive, but his brutal officers refuse with oaths and insulting words, if not worse.

   Over 300 refugees have come into Mariel since Weyler went out this last time, all giving the same story of rapine, plunder and murder.

   A Spanish guerrilla captain, named Coleazo, is accused of murdering over 100 persons in the valleys, 100 miles south of Mariol, during the latter part of November. In one instance he is accused of confining a number of women and girls in a church, and after they had been repeatedly abused and maltreated by his men, burning the building with them in it.

   Many other outrages, all as horrible, are charged to him and his company.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Spain and Civilization.

   The Utica Herald calls attention to the fact that the decline of the Spanish empire is the most striking illustration history affords of the retributive justice that follows government by the sword, conquest due solely to avarice, and the establishment of a civilization that has stood in the way rather than been a help to universal progress. For seven centuries Spain has had a place among the Christian nations of Europe, and during that long period what achievements can she point to as entitling her to retain that place, or calling for the sympathy of the world, now that she is threatened with the loss of one, if not all, of [her] colonies, and possibly in the near future with even dismemberment at home?

   Here is a country with an area almost as great as that of its neighbor, France, with a people speaking a similar language and professing the same religion as the French, with a soil as fertile and a climate as fine, with a much larger extent of sea coast and therefore larger possibilities of commerce. And yet the civilization of France is so much superior to Spain's that a comparison of the two would be ludicrous. One country has helped to make civilization, and then kept abreast of it; the other has clogged the wheels of its possible progress with tyranny, with greed, with cruelty, with bigotry, with intolerance and with ignorance, until it has been left far behind in the world's race, its only power, that of dominion, being more and more curtailed, and finally so weakened that it is in danger of losing its last possession in the western world, and also the last one in the orient.

   Again we ask, what in the seven centuries of her existence has Spain done to entitle her to sympathy in her present dire distress? To science and invention she has contributed little. To literature she has contributed something, but few of her men of letters, outside of Cervantes, whose genius was superior to its environment, hold rank with the famous writers of other countries.

   In the earlier days, it is true, there were historians, romanticists, dramatists and rhymers, like Garcilaso de la Vega, Boscan, Las Casas, Herrera, Mendosa, Mariana, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, Calderon, Solis, Feyjos, Yriarte and Conde, but little of what they wrote—and some of them were prolific—has come down to permanently enrich the literature of the world. In the later days arose Juan Valera, Modesto Lafuente, Castelar and a few others, but they have only succeeded in calling attention to the lack of other men of genius.

   In painting there are only three great Spanish names—Spognoletta, Velasques and Murillo. Although the Spaniards have an ear for harmony, they have given to the world no great musical composer. In education they have always been behind the people of other Latin nations. Their statesmen have not been able to rise above intrigue in determining a national policy. The system of government has been vacillating, more or less oppressive, and generally framed for the classes rather than the masses. Popular discontent has often found expression in riots, and occasionally in revolution. There was a republic a while ago, but owing to the jealousy of leaders, and the indifference of the people, the monarchy was restored.

   While the terrible practices of the inquisition have long since ceased, the old spirit of intolerance has not been obliterated, and superstition and bigotry have more influence than argument with the masses. The morals of the common people, however, despite all restraining influence, are about as bad now as ever. The revolting sport of bull-fighters is the national pastime. It is so well patronized that during the past season the leading toreador earned $61,000 or nearly twelve times more than the salary of Premier Canovas. In the "high class" fights alone 1,218 bulls and over 6,000 horses were killed.

   But it may be said Spain should at least be given the credit of discovering a new world. To a certain extent, yes. But it needed only a little more discouraging of Columbus, and some other nation would in all probability have made the discovery. As it was, Spain did not treat Columbus any too well. She gradually took possession of the western hemisphere from the Mississippi to the Amazon, and from the Rocky mountains to the Andes. Did her adventurers roam over this vast domain wholly in the interests of civilization? By no means. Their sole purpose was to find gold. In their pursuit of this the Spanish invaders made a hell on earth of the fairest lands the sun ever shone upon.

   In Mexico and Peru they wrecked an older civilization than that of Spain, pillaged, imprisoned and slaughtered the people who had built it up, and actually destroyed as much as possible the records of it. In time Spanish colonies took the place of native communities, but these no sooner began to show prosperity than the mother country began to levy exorbitant tribute on them. The result later was the gradual revolt of these colonies until the last of them succeeded in throwing off the yoke of Spain, and there was not a foot of the immense country she had steeped in blood to conquer that she could call her own. Two islands in the West Indies alone remained to her. She continued her blood-sucking policy in the government of these, to the end that she is again confronted by a revolution that is likely to cost her one of her first and fairest discoveries.

   Again we ask, is there anything Spain has done or been that entitles her to the sympathy of the civilized world now that she is in the final court of retributive justice?

MUST BE INSANE.

Dr. Charles J. Laffin Committed to a Hospital for Examination.

   On Monday the dispatch columns of The STANDARD contained an account of shocking cruelty inflicted by Dr. Charles J. Laffin of New York upon his wife and of his arrest on the charge of assault and commitment to the Bellevue hospital for examination as to his sanity.

   More complete details since made public and also the previous record of the doctor make it apparent almost beyond any doubt that this man is the same Dr. Laffin who on April 9, 1893, was married to Miss Mary O. Andrus of Binghamton, a graduate of the Cortland Normal school, and who that year accompanied by his wife went to Africa as surgeon of a missionary party sent out by the Presbyterian board. Mrs. Laffin had many friends here in Cortland who remember her very well. Dr. and Mrs. Laffin before their departure for Africa, both spoke at a meeting in Binghamton of the Woman's Missionary society in connection with a session of presbytery, at which several Cortland delegates were present and a little later Mrs. Laffin, while on a last visit to Cortland, spoke before the Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbyterian church of her prospective work in Africa. Mrs. Laffin died in Africa in 1894.

   It appears from the New York papers that the Dr. Laffin who has now acquired such notoriety for his cruelty was born thirty years ago in Australia of English parents, and ten years ago came to this country. In 1887 he went to Africa with an expedition under Bishop Taylor. He spent three years in Central Africa and the South Sea islands. In 1890 he returned and entered the University Medical college, from which he was graduated with high honors in 1893. He returned to Africa as surgeon of a missionary party sent out by the Presbyterian board. He stayed for two years on the western coast of Africa, where he contracted the much-feared African fever. He was for many weeks out of his mind. When he recovered he took the first opportunity to return to New York, reaching here in September, 1895. He got an appointment in the Loomis laboratory of Bellevue Medical college. He again was attacked by the African fever, but recovered after a short illness.

   Though no reference is made here to the death of Mrs. Laffin, this record corresponds so exactly with the life of Dr. Laffin who married Miss Andrus that there is little doubt that they are one and the same individual. Only one Dr. Laffin was ever sent to Africa by the Presbyterian board and he is known to have been born in Australia and he married Miss Andrus.

   On June 25, 1896, Dr. Laffin was married to Miss Clare Freeman of Nova Scotia, whose sufferings have been so dreadful. She has borne it all in silence and it was only by chance that her brothers learned of it and caused the arrest of the husband. It is believed that the African fever affected his mind and that he is thoroughly insane. The beginning of his strange acts was on the day following his marriage. Dr. Freeman, the brother, said in court:

   "My sister assures me that Dr. Laffin's cruelties began the first week of their married life. Her body is covered with scars and bruises inflicted by him. A trifle would excite him, and his rage would be devilish. He repeatedly beat his wife, and one of his pet tortures was to dislocate her joints and snap them back into position. Several times, my sister tells me, he held her by the throat upon a bed until she was black in the face. At intervals of two or three weeks, he has taken poison—arsenic or morphine, and once be took fifty-nine grains of opium in one dose. Poison seemed to have little effect upon him."

   Two weeks ago Mrs. Laffin announced her intention of visiting a friend, Miss Irmscher, at 129 East 10th-st. The doctor said she was going to meet a man and insisted upon accompanying her. At Miss Irmscher's house he drew a knife, and holding it against her throat, threatened her life, and called Miss Irmscher to witness that if his wife ever was found dead, he would be the cause. He also said that he expected his wife to poison him.

   Lemuel Freeman, another brother of Mrs. Laffin, testified that for two weeks he had spent as much time as possible with Dr. Laffin. He became convinced that the doctor was insane.

   On Monday Dr. Laffin for three hours beat his wife, she says.

   In court the doctor said his home was a heaven without his wife's relatives, and that she was the best wife in the world. The next minute he called her a liar.

   It seems a very sad case, but apparently the insanity is entirely due to the fever, for the first Mrs. Laffin wrote a number of times from Africa to a Cortland friend to whom she spoke of her pleasant life there and her enjoyment of her work there with her husband.

A BUSINESS CHANGE.

Mr. Thomas P. Bristol Sells Out to His Partners.

   Messrs. Case and Ruggles of the large dry goods firm of Case, Ruggles & Bristol have purchased the interest of the  junior partner, Mr. Thomas P. Bristol, and will continue the business at the same location, 71 Main-st. Mr. Bristol stated to us that he had sold his interest because he had a satisfactory offer from his partners and because he had another line of business in mind which he thought would prove to his advantage, though it was not yet far enough along so that he considered it advisable to speak definitely of it. It is to be hoped that it will not take Mr. Bristol out of town.

   Mr. Case, the senior partner, says that there will be no marked changes in the conduct of the business, though they anticipate branching out somewhat and carrying an increased stock and a larger variety. Everything, however, will be conducted in the same reliable manner as in the past, and the public may be assured that every facility will he offered them for obtaining just what they want in this line and at satisfactory prices.

  

BREVITIES.

   —The clothing stores are now open evenings.

   —At the regular meeting of the A. O. H. to-night the election of officers for the coming year will take place.

   —The regular monthly meeting of the board of directors of the Tioughnioga club will be held at the parlors of the club this evening at 8 o'clock.

   —New advertisements to-day are—W. J. Perkins, Toilet Articles, page 8; Cortland Village, Paving Railroad-st., page 2; Glann & Clark, Santa Claus Has Sense, page 4.

   —The C. M. B. A. is making arrangements for a reunion to be held at the first meeting in January when the newly elected officers will be installed and when several of the grand officers are expected.

   —The basin of the skating rink is to-day being pumped full of water. It is expected that Jack Frost will do the rest and that there will soon be skating. Due notice will be given in The STANDARD when the ice is ready.

   —The meeting of the Volunteers of America in the W. C. T. U. rooms to-morrow night will be preceded by an open air meeting. Lieutenant Colonel

Woolley and wife of Buffalo, who are in charge of the New York and Pennsylvania state regiments, will be in attendance.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   B. H. Randall is having a large furnace placed in his residence on Elm-st. It is next to the largest size of the Perfect hot air furnaces made by Richardson, Boynton & Co., and is being placed by W. W. Bennett of Cortland.

   T. Wheelock of Vienna, N. Y., was the guest of his nieces, Mrs. F. D. Graves and Miss Hattie Wade Tuesday.

   The hot water boiler in the kitchen of H. C. Johnson got on a "bust" Monday and the bottom was forced loose so that it was necessary to send it to the factory for repairs.

   Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cummings have returned from their bridal tour of two weeks and are now at home on Centre-st.

   The young people were in their glory last evening for the ice on Burlingham's famous skating rink was simply perfect. This pond is on top of the hill north of this village and is only a pond in the winter months, for it raises a crop of hay in summer and of ice in winter.

   About 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon Myron Fish, who is employed in the feed store of Humphries & Stafford, while clearing ice from the pipe which conveys water from the creek to their boiler, in some manner caught his left hand between the pipe and wall. The nail of the index finger of that hand was loosened, so that it dropped from his finger and another nail nearly had the same fate. His hand was dressed by Surgeon C. D. Fish in the absence of other medical aid.

   The number of scholars enrolled at the academy during the first day of the winter term was 178, divided as follows: Academic, 87; intermediate, 48; primary, 43. Among the new scholars enrolled are: Irene Carr, Rollo Briggs, Adelbert Cooper, George Webster, Clinton Gates, Henry Shuler, Elbert Crane, K. Moss Walker, Eben W. Phelps of this place, Ernest Bingham, Floyd and Lottie Gilbert of Solon, Frank Turner of Freetown and W. G. DeEll Humphries, Libbie and Edith Humphries of East Freetown.

   As Reno G. Hoag of The STANDARD and nephew George were victims of the mumps on Thanksgiving and unable to eat their share of turkey, they determined to get even and after Mrs. C. S. Hoag had placed the remains in a secure place from stray cats, etc., viz., a boiler, they captured it and hid it in the cellar for future dissection, but lo, when they came to get the fruits of their deep laid plans, [the family cat] had been ahead of them. They have our sympathy.