OSCAR WILDE RELEASED FROM JAIL AND CORTLAND RURAL CEMETERY

Oscar Wilde.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, May 19, 1897.

OSCAR WILDE RELEASED.

   LONDON, May 19.—Oscar Wilde, who was sentenced on May 25, 1895, with Taylor, a companion, to two years' imprisonment at hard labor after having been convicted of immoral practices, was released from prison this morning. Wilde, who seemed to be enjoying robust health, goes to Paris immediately, but he proposes to return to this city and engage in literary work. He says he does not intend to hide and that he will write over his own signature.

SUSPENDS HOSTILITIES.

Greeks and Turks Arranging an Armistice.

POWERS WILL ACT FOE GREECE.

General Smolensk's Forces Ordered to Rejoin the Main Army—Probable Ending of the War—Czar Urged the Sultan to Consent.

   ATHENS, May 19. —The communication from the Turkish to the Greek commander at Arta, which followed the raising of the flag of truce by the former, was in Turkish and ran as follows:

   "On condition that no Greek soldier belonging to any arm of the service remains on territory of the Ottoman empire, we have orders that an armistice shall be concluded on sea and land, with a view of arriving at an understanding."

   The Greek commander wired here for instructions and the government replied.

   "We authorize you to suspend hostilities in order to discuss the condition of an armistice."

   The government, in notifying the envoys of the powers to this proposal, said that as Greece had entrusted her interest to the powers, it was for them to negotiate the conditions of an understanding.

   General Smolenski's brigade has been ordered to proceed to Neamizila, whence it will be conveyed in transports to Stylis, on the Gulf of Lamia, and rejoin the remainder of the Greek army via Lamia.

   It is officially stated that the retreat of the troops of Crown Prince Constantine towards the Othrys mountains was effected in good order, and it is added that the entire Greek losses were 220 men, in which number are included many officers The Turkish loss is said to be 1,000 men.

William J. Calhoun.

DENIAL FROM HAVANA.

Ridicule Statement of Suffering by Americans.

ADMIT THERE MAY BE A FEW.

They Say That Now Congress Has Voted a Relief Fund There Will Probably Be 6,000 Applicants for Succor—Reception to Calhoun.

   HAVANA, May 19. —W. J. Calhoun, the special commissioner of the United States, who is investigating the death of Dr. Ricardo Ruiz, a naturalized American citizen, visited the Spanish casino which was decorated and illuminated in honor of the 11th birthday of King Alfonso.

   Mr. Calhoun was accompanied by the Spanish consul at Philadelphia, Dr. Jose Congesto, the mayor of Havana, Senor Michael Diaz, and by Dr. Jever, who acted as interpreter.

   Mr. Calhoun admired the building and expressed appreciation of the courtesy with which he was received. After the guests and their hosts had partaken of refreshments, the secretary of the Casino toasted "Peace for Cuba and Sincere and Unalterable Friendship Between the United States and Spain."

   Dr. Jever then toasted "President McKinley" in English, which was responded to by Mr. Calhoun. After some preliminary remarks of a complimentary nature, Mr. Calhoun said that when he received his appointment to come to Cuba he formed the idea that he was going to a foreign country and abandoning his own; but the hospitality he had met with in Spanish territory made his residence here so pleasant that he began to believe himself among his own people, and yet was almost forgetting his own country, while longing for the approach of peace and progress for Cuba.

   La Lucha editorially impeaches the accuracy of the consular reports as to the distress of Americans in Cuba, upon which President McKinley's special message to congress was based, and questions whether there are actually 600 hungry Americans in the island.

   The paper adds: "But now that congress has voted the $50,000 there will soon be 6,000 alleged starving Americans anxious to figure in the consular disbursements."

FAITH SCIENTIST'S CRAZY DEED.

Dropped Her Five Children Into a Cistern—They Were Rescued.

   BRANTFORD, Ont., May 19. — Mrs. Russell, while in a state of dementia, took her five children, the eldest a girl of 11, and the youngest a baby of 3 months, and dropped them one by one into the cistern, which she covered and then left. Some time afterwards she told a neighbor, who hurried to the scene, and the children were taken out and all resuscitated.

   Mrs. Russell was arrested.

   The woman, who is about 48 years of age, is a faith scientist, [and] said that the Lord had revealed to her that the children were cursed and should be removed.

SHOT AT HIS WIFE.

Failed to Kill Her and Then Committed Suicide.

   About 5:45 Monday afternoon Austin Brown of Whitney Point, N. Y., while under the influence of liquor, attempted to shoot his wife and then shot himself. He entered his house about 5:30, and after looking around a little, said his wife did not keep the house in good shape. He then started towards her with a revolver in his hand. As he approached her she struck his hand up, thus saving her life and keeping the ball, which entered a finger, from doing serious injury. She then ran out of the house but almost immediately heard another shot, and on going to the house found him lying upon the bed with a hole in his head. The ball entered the skull near the right ear and came out over the left eye. He lived throughout the night, but died at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning. He leaves a wife and eight children.

NEW TOWN ELECTION LAW.

Changes Made by the Bill Signed by the Governor.

   ALBANY, May 19.—The new town election bill made a law by Governor Black yesterday, provides first for biennial town meetings where now there are in many towns annual ejections. Annual elections are entirely abolished. In addition to this, supervisors, town clerks, assessors, commissioners of highways, collectors, inspectors of election and constables shall hold office for two years.

   Of the four justices of the peace two are elected biennially. Town boards are to hold two meetings annually, the last one on the Tuesday preceding the biennial town meeting and on the corresponding date in each alternate year.

   Town auditors shall be elected for two years each. Town meetings elect as follows: In each town, in spring of 1898 one supervisor, one town clerk, one highway commissioner, one assessor, one collector, one or two overseers of the poor, not more than five constables and two inspectors of election for each district, all for one year. In spring of 1898 one justice of the peace for four years. Spring of 1899, two justices of the peace for four years; and at the biennial town meetings thereafter two justices of the peace for a like term; two assessors, one for two years and another for one year, beginning at the expiration of the term of office of the assessor whose term will expire in the spring of 1900. At every biennial town meeting thereafter three assessors for two years.

JUDGMENT REVERSED.

The H. M. Whitney Co., Respondent, Vs. Theodore Stevenson, Appellant.

   A decision reversing a judgment rendered by a referee was yesterday handed down by the appellate division at Albany in the case of The H. M. Whitney Co., respondents, against Theodore Stevenson, appellant. On Aug. 17, 1896, a judgment for $2,360.86 was entered against Mr. Stevenson in favor of the company, who brought the action to recover on seven promissory notes. The case was referred to H. A. Dickinson. The defense of Stevenson was that the notes were given to accommodate the plaintiff, without consideration, and that he had a claim against the company which amounted to more than the amount of the notes. The referee decided against Stevenson, and be appealed. Several grounds of error were assigned, but just what grounds the reversal was based upon, will not be known until the opinion of Justice Herrick is received. The decision reverses the judgment, discharges the referee and grants a new trial. H. L. Bronson is the attorney for the plaintiff and J. & T. E. Courtney are attorneys for the defendant.

Funeral of Lieutenant E. D. Van Slyck.

   The remains of Lieutenant E. D. Van Slyck, who died in Hamilton, Sunday evening, arrived in Cortland at 12:27 this afternoon, and were met at the train by the members of Grover post, No. 98, G. A. R., who escorted the remains to the Cortland Rural cemetery, where interment took place. The bearers, all veterans of the Seventy-sixth Regiment, N. Y. Vols., were William J. Mantanye, Martin Edgcomb, Oscar P. Miner, Joseph R. Birdlebough, Benjamin F. Taylor and Nelson W. Smith. The bearers acted as a guard of honor. At the grave the burial service of the G. A. R. was used, in charge of Senior Vice Commander George W. Edgcomb and Chaplain H. M. Kellogg. Three volleys were fired over the grave by a gun squad, and ''Lights Out" was sounded on the bugle by John C. Seamans.

AT THE CEMETERY.

Spring Work Progressing and Improvements Being Made.

   Superintendent B. B. Morehouse is pushing his work at the Cortland Rural cemetery as rapidly as possible, and it will be in fine condition by Decoration day. Nearly all the drives and walks have been hoed out, trees and shrubbery trimmed and lawns mowed. The recent addition of several acres on the north side has been graded and seeded and the lot corners indicated with marble markers. The buildings owned by the Cemetery association are being repainted and put in first-class repair. Superintendent Morehouse keeps a watchful eye upon all the needs of the cemetery and keeps it in first class condition.

   The cemetery now comprises fifty-five acres of ground. In reply to a question as to how many graves it contains the superintendent replied that he could not tell. He has records covering the last eight years and he can tell the exact number buried there during that time, but the previous records are inaccurate and incomplete, but judging from recent years it would be safe to say that the cemetery contains more graves than there are people living in the village corporation [approx. 10,000—CC editor].

BREVITIES.

HER SCRIPTURAL TRA1NING.

Did you ever notice this,

When a fellow steals a kiss

From a righteous little maiden calm and meek,

How her Scriptural training shows

In not turning up her nose,

But in simply turning round the other cheek?

—The Cornell Widow.

   —A regular meeting of Grover No. 98, G. A. R., occurs to-night.

   —Mr. A. H. Milk has moved his family to 21 Lincoln-ave., where they have a larger and more convenient house.

   —There will be a special meeting of Cortland chapter, No. 194, R. A. M., to-night. The most excellent degree will be conferred on three candidates.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—H. G. Stone, Dress Goods, page 6; Baker & Angell, Shoes, page 7: Bingham Bros. & Miller, Swell Suits, page 8.

   —A number of Cortland people will attend the organ recital to-morrow evening at Crouse college, Syracuse, by Mr. Clarence Eddy, the renowned concert organist.

   —Mr. Dudley S. Phinney, who for the past three years has been the proprietor of the Cayuga Lake House at Sheldrake, N. Y., will take charge of the house again this season.

   —Mr. W. G. McKinney of the firm of McKinney & Donbleday, has leased the handsome residence now being erected by W. W. Kelsey, and will take possession as soon as the house is completed.

   —The Eureka club will give a private dancing party in the pavilion in the park to-night. McDermott's orchestra will furnish music. Cars will leave the Messenger House at 7:30 and at 8:15. About twenty couples are expected.

   —The Utica chamber of commerce last night began the agitation of a scheme for a railroad twenty-two miles long from DeRuyter to Randallsville on the Ontario & Western R. R. to give them connection with the bituminous coal regions. The Ontario & Western R. R. runs into Utica.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Artie Ensign is visiting his sister, Mrs. Geo. E. Gale, in Binghamton.

   Mr. George Sutliff is reported as improving as fast as could be expected.

   Steve Waters and E. J. Humphries were in Cincinnatus on business Tuesday.

   Albert Sheehy and Miss Libbie Topping spent Sunday in Willet with Miss Emma Barnes.

   A. E. Seymour is the possessor of a new wheel.

   The Men's League Wheel club took their first ride Tuesday morning, assembling at the league rooms at 5:15, when the colors of the club formed in neat rosettes were presented to each member, the course being to the Shearer schoolhouse and return finishing at C. D. McGraw's residence, where a photograph of the club was taken. The first ride was enjoyed by all.

   Leon Tarble, while on a pleasure trip south of this village, came into contact with a barbed wire fence and both himself and clothes suffered considerable damage.

   McGrawville now has a snake charmer, at least he carries them in his hat.