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| Clip from Harper's Weekly, Sept. 9, 1899. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, June 7, 1899.
MAZET INVESTIGATION.
Charges of Corruption Against Captain Price.
LAWYERS ARE BARRED OUT.
Lawyer Henderson, Captain Price's Counsel, Afterwards Arrested and Released on Three Hundred Dollars Bail. Paid For Police Protection That Did Not Protect.
NEW YORK, June 7.—When the Mazet investigating committee resumed its session the first thing done was to declare that in the future, none of the witnesses subpoenaed to appear before the committee should be represented by counsel. This was followed shortly after by the excluding from the court room of Police Captain Price's counsel, H. C. Henderson, who created a slight sensation at the previous sitting of the committee last week. He was given to understand that if he wished to attend the hearing it would be only as a spectator.
The committee then, in an attempt to show corrupt practices by Police Captain Price in the Tenderloin district, brought out from John C. Ellis, former proprietor of a Sixth avenue resort a story of "protection" that did not protect. His statement involved ex-Alderman A. B. Waite. Ellis stated that Waite came to his house in West Thirty-eight street last October and collected $200 for police protection for the resort he was running in Sixth avenue. Ellie said he offered Waite a check for $50 to make up the agreed monthly installment of $250, but Waite refused the check. Ellis said that he took the cash to Waite's house that night and paid it to him there. The payment, he said, did not secure the "protection" promised and the police harassed him as much as ever. Ellis then placed the matter in the hands of a lawyer and had two summons issued for Waite, but the latter did not answer that.
Another proposition made to him, Ellis testified, was by a man who was described to him as Chief Devery's standby in times of trouble, who wanted half the receipts of the resort which Ellis was then proprietor of. Another offer came from a man who, he was told, was a central office detective, who wanted him to back a policy game for $7,000. The witness said he was forced out of business.
Other testimony related to the payment of political assessments by candidates for judge and to the sale of liquors on Sundays and alleged violations of the building laws by a fourth rate theater.
When William R. Nelson was called to the stand, he immediately started in to show his contempt for several of the Mazet committee. He gave his testimony defiantly and at one time accused Mr. Moss of attempting to blacken his character. At this Mr. Mazet pounded his desk vigorously and called the sergeant-at-arms. Nelson said he had given bonds for many persons in the Tenderloin district and sold whisky to several resorts of that locality.
Late in the afternoon Magistrate Olmstead issued a warrant for the arrest of H. C. Henderson, Price's counsel, charged with disorderly conduct. The charge was preferred by Counsel Clarke and Sergeant-at-Arms Crawford and was the result of the wrangle at the session last week. Mr. Henderson gave bail in $300.
DOOMED TO DIE.
Only the Governor Can Save the Lives of Four Murderers.
ALBANY, June 7.—Only the interference of Governor Roosevelt with the sentence of the courts can save four murderers from the electric chair. The court of appeals, in session at Saratoga, affirmed the decision of the lower courts, sentencing to death John Kennedy, colored, of Buffalo; Lewis Pullerson, colored, and Michael McDonald, white, of New York city, and Oscar E. Rice of Westfield, Chautauqua county.
Kennedy's crime was committed in Buffalo on Oct. 9, 1898, and the victim was another negro named John Hummings. The latter and Kennedy had just parted after a fight over a woman, in which both had been severely handled. Kennedy went out of the room, borrowed a clasp knife and in a few moments returned in search of Hummings. The couple grappled and then Kennedy pushed the other away from him and ran from the room. The knife remained sticking in the victim's body. Hummings pulled it out and sank to the floor, where he died in a few minutes. He was sentenced to be electrocuted in January last at Auburn.
Pullerson, who is also colored, choked his white mistress Kate Smith to death at 327 West Thirty-ninth street, New York city, on March 11, 1898, because, as he alleged, she was unfaithful to him. Justice Fursman of Troy sentenced him to be electrocuted at Sing Sing the week of Aug. 15.
McDonald shot and killed Stephen Titus, a timekeeper employed by Eastman company on Eleventh avenue, New York city, on May 4, 1898. His grievance was that he endeavored to collect $1.17 of Titus which he claimed was due him for overwork, whereupon the latter called him a thief and threatened to do him violence. His execution was fixed for the week of Aug. 22 at Sing Sing.
Oscar E. Rice, the last one of the quartet, stabbed his wife Mary to death with a pocket knife at Westfield, on March 25, 1898. He had not lived with her for some time prior to the murder. He was to have been electrocuted at Auburn the week of Aug. 7 last.
PRESERVES THE FORESTS.
Moose River Cannot Be Used For Transporting Lumber.
ALBANY, June 7.—The court of appeals affirmed the decision of the lower courts declaring unconstitutional the law passed by the legislature of 1894 making Moose river and its tributaries public highways for the floating logs and timber. The decision is rendered in the case of W. S. Decamp, an Adirondack landowner, against Lemon and Edward Thompson, lumbermen, and is looked upon as a great victory for those in favor of forest preservation as the decision makes it impracticable to get timber out of the woods except at great expense.
The Decamps brought suit for damages for crossing their land and were awarded $1,805. The defendant lumbermen fell back upon the legislature and got a bill passed declaring Moose river a public highway for floating logs. The Decamps got an injunction, and questioned the constitutionality of the law.
The courts hold that the declaring of the Moose river to be a highway was not for public but for private purposes, since it was merely to assist lumber interests and was therefore unconstitutional.
It is understood that the lumbermen have cut 19,000,000 feet of lumber and that the decision prevents taking it out. Dr. Seward Webb may become involved in the matter as the Thompsons purchased their land from him for the purpose of taking out the lumber.
GRAND LODGE ELECTIONS.
W. P. Pownall, Grand Master; Charles W. Meade, Deputy Grand Master.
NEW YORK, June 7.—The grand lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of the state of New York, in session here today, elected W. D. Pownall, grand master; Charles W. Meade of Albany, deputy grand roaster, and Charles Cushman of Buffalo, senior grand warden. It was expected that there would be a contest over the deputy grandmastership but at the last moment the contestants withdrew and Mr. Meade was elected by acclamation.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
The magazines are doing their best to make our war with Spain ridiculous by overdoing it. They have rushed to the chronicling of heroic small beer [sic] without the slightest sense of proportion, and have so exaggerated and overpictured and oversung the skirmishes of a mighty nation with a decrepit nation that a great many people are calling a halt to this kind of effusive literature. Thousands upon thousands of Americans who have not forgotten the majestic proportions of our civil war wonder if these magazines ever heard of that stupendous contest, some of whose battles killed more men than were engaged in the whole of the Spanish war. It is well to preserve in literature the bravery and the patriotism of our soldiers in whatever feat of arms these qualities may be shown. But why lose all sense of proportion? Back of the San Juan hill and the destruction of Cervera's ships still looms up the incomparable crises of Gettysburg and Antietam and Pittsburg landing, at which the heart of mankind stood still and all the world wondered. The courage and daring of our country are undiminished, but the demands and the opportunities are not always the same. We have a great many more artists at work now than then, but the canvas is not so large.
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| M. F. Cleary in fireman's uniform. |
THE MAPLE CATERPILLARS.
How to Dispose of Them—Spraying Begun in Some Cases.
The important theme at present in the minds of every one is how to dispose of the worms which seem making such havoc with the shade trees in town. The maple trees in the forests outside of the village in some directions are already fairly riddled. One has but to take a glance at the appearance of the woods on the top of South hill, east of Pendleton-st., to see what the effect is. The worms seem not to have gotten in their work in full yet in the woods lower down the hill.
Various means are being taken to prevent the worms from going up the trees. The Scientific American recently recommended cotton batting. Mr. W. W. Hout says he has found that the most effective means. He takes a roll of cotton batting and puts it around the tree the full width of the roll. A string is tied tightly at the center of the width and both edges turned up. The result is that the worms crawl up under the cotton batting, can't get by the string and tumble all over each other in a vain effort to get up. They can't get over the cotton batting.
Some are trying tar. In many cases the tar is not painted on in strips sufficiently wide and the worms are able to crowd through without getting stuck. Mr. A. B. Nelson is the originator of the scheme to dust the tar with common flour after it is painted on. This makes it even more sticky than before and the worms give it up. Others have found this effective too.
But the question is raised by those who have been studying into the matter whether the dotted worms that are crawling all over the ground and up the trees are actually the ones that do the eating. It is contended that these are perfectly harmless; that they are simply looking for a place now where they can encyst themselves and change into a butterfly that will some day lay the eggs that hatch into the eating worm. Eggs have been seen on many leaves, and these are hatching out. The result is an army of worms already up the trees and above all tar or cotton batting. To counteract the influence of these some people are spraying their trees with a solution that it is claimed will destroy the hatching power of the eggs and will kill the worms that are already hatched and are beginning to eat.
The village authorities of Oneonta have directed the street commissioner to set a force of men at work driving the worms from the trees by jarring the limbs. They call upon all property-owners to put up cotton batting, tar, tin or other means to prevent the worms from returning to trees after once being driven out. Oneonta was a severe sufferer from these pests last year and has discovered that effective measures must be taken or every shade tree will be lost. The worms seem to go in sections, their invasion upon some sections being especially severe. It will doubtless be wise for Cortland to make some concerted effort to save our trees.
Mr. M. F. Cleary calls attention to the fact that the worms which are at work upon the elm trees in town are of a different species from those that work on the maples. The elm leaves first present the appearance of having been stung, the leaves dry up and wither away and a gust of wind will blow them off. The eggs are deposited upon the underside of the leaf. The sun hatches them out and in a few days millions of worms are ready for work. The most effective means of getting at these pests is by spraying.
With reference to the maple worms Mr. Cleary thinks their work for this season is just about over. Within a few days they will be likely to encyst themselves and next year the crop of worms will be many times as great as that of this year. The greatest curse to the public at the present time, says Mr. Cleary, is the small boy or his larger brother with the air gun or other gun, who shoots birds. Robins and orioles are gradually disappearing, though it is against the law to kill them. But with their disappearance come all manner of worms. These birds especially are fond of worms. Woodpeckers feed upon the larvae that are deposited in the bark of trees and prevent their hatching out into worms. Take some more stringent measures to protect the birds and increase the birds and there will be less fighting against worms, for we shall have all the birds fighting on our side.
Arms Full of Dog.
Village Clerk Fred Hatch yesterday afternoon became the possessor of a remarkably handsome St. Bernard puppy about 7 weeks old. He weighed upwards of twenty-five pounds. He was too young to follow the genial clerk, he had not been taught to drive and, his neck being as large as his head, a collar would slip off and prevent leading to good advantage, besides he was not well halter broken. Consequently the only way to get him home was to carry him. So the clerk was observed traveling up Tompkins-st., through the heat of the afternoon with his arms full of dog. There was a prospect of a shower, and speed was desirable, but not conducive to comfort with the existing state of the mercury. The clerk clasped his hands together beneath his dogship and gritted his teeth together when he did not need to open them to catch a breath, and struggled on. Doubtless his arms grew tired before 94 Tompkins was reached, and doubtless by that time the puppy seemed to have quadrupled in weight, but he is a fine dog just the same and Mr. Hatch is to be congratulated in possessing him.
THE PARK SERVICE.
Cars to the Park Every Day After June 11.
Beginning Sunday, June 11, [trolley] cars will be run to the park each afternoon and evening. For the present a car will leave the Messenger House at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and every forty minutes thereafter during the afternoon and evening. Additional cars will be put on as the season advances or as the occasion requires. The park pavilion will be open for the use of visitors. The park itself has been cleared up and is in fine condition for the summer. There is nothing to compare with it in the vicinity as a place to spend a few hours in a cool shady place or as a resort for picnic parties, and access to it is always easy while the cars run.
Barber Shop Change.
Abe Newman, who has been in the barber business in Cortland for three years and who for the last year and a half has been conducting a first-class shop of his own in the Democrat building, has this afternoon sold out to Myron Babcock of Homer who a few weeks ago sold his shop and business in that village to W. F. Potter of Cortland. Mr. Babcock takes possession immediately. William Tifft, who has been with Mr. Newman for some time, will remain with Mr. Babcock.
Mr. Newman has made for himself a reputation as a first-class barber. He has also won many personal friends who will be sorry to see him depart from town. He is somewhat out of health and after recuperating for a little will undoubtedly re-engage in his chosen business, but not in Cortland for the present at least.
POMONA GRANGE.
Quarterly Meeting Held in Good Templars Hall—Good Attendance.
The second quarterly meeting of Cortland county Pomona grange was yesterday held in Good Templar's hall and was called to order at 10:30 o'clock by the worthy master, N. F. Webb. Every officer was present. A committee on the applications for membership was appointed and reported favorably on several applications. The election and initiation of new members then followed.
In the rollcall [sic] of subordinate granges nearly every grange responded and almost without exception reported itself in a prosperous condition.
It was decided to have a picnic or excursion in the fall as has been the custom of late years and a committee was appointed to take the matter in charge.
Memorial services were held for several deceased members. Mrs. B. R. Knapp recited a poem containing a good moral for all husbands, Mrs. George H. Hyde read an essay in which she compared the so-called "good-old times'' with those of the present, and showed conclusively that the world is advancing and not going backward.
The question box was opened and found to contain a number of timely questions, which were discussed in an able manner by the members. Among these questions were the following: "Is the Acquisition of the Philippine Islands desirable for the United States?" Messrs. W. L. Bean, M. S. Nye and M. M. Brown spoke in the affirmative and George H. Hyde in the negative. "Is it right and proper to celebrate Decoration day by dancing and playing ball?" Messrs. Kirkup and Brown spoke in the negative and no one in the affirmative.
In reply to the question "How can we create more interest in the subordinate granges" Mr. Greenwood recommended literary exercises, occasionally a feast and also grange fairs.
J. L. Smith of Marathon replied to the question "What encouragement have the milk producers of the F. S. M. P. A. at the present time." Mr. Smith said that the association in his town had by unity of action and by refusing to furnish milk for 54 cents for a forty quart can got the price advanced to 60 cents per can for June.
George H. Hyde, president of the Cortland County Agricultural society, requested the patrons to make known their wishes relative to the fair the coming fall and asked their assistance in helping to make the fair one of the best in the state.
It was decided to hold the next quarterly meeting of Pomona grange on the first Tuesday in October instead of the first Tuesday in September as usual. At 4 o'clock the worthy master closed the grange meeting with his accustomed promptness and all present thought the day had been one of profit and pleasure.
BREVITIES.
—A regular meeting of the board of directors of the Tioughnioga club will be held this evening at 8 o'clock.
—A rehearsal of the Choral society will be held at the Conservatory of Music this evening. A full attendance is desired.
—New display advertisements to-day are—H. B. Hubbard, Fine table delicacies, page 5; O. V. Tracey & Co., Coffee, page 4.
—The Kindergarten association will meet to-morrow afternoon at 4 o'clock at the kindergarten room at the Normal school building.
—The business meeting and social of the First Baptist Y. P. S. C. E. which was to have been held this evening is postponed one week.
—After July 1, 1899, all four banks in Cortland will close their doors at 3 o'clock in the afternoon instead of at 4 o'clock as at present. The hour of opening will continue to be 9 o'clock.
—The management of the Burrill Comedy company has invited the Cortland baseball club and the Auburn team who are the visitors here over night to attend the play at the Opera House to-night.
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