STATE COMPTROLLER MORGAN JUSTIFIED, AUTOMOBILE CARRIAGE AT MARATHON, AND VILLAGE TRUSTEES BUSY

 

William J. Morgan.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, July 11, 1899.

HIS COURSE JUSTIFIED.

Abuses or Mismanagement in Charitable Institutions Officially Reported.

   ALBANY, July 11.—State Comptroller Morgan has forwarded to Governor Roosevelt at Oyster Bay that part of the testimony taken in charitable institutions relating to the abuses of management, such as unsanitary methods of cleansing the inmates, solitary confinement, lashing to the floor and strapping of inmates upon their bare bodies. His reason for transmitting this part of the evidence is that the governor is the only official clothed with sufficient authority to reach abuses of this character—the supervision of the comptroller relating almost entirely to matters affecting the finances, and that of the state board of charities to matters of ordinary management; but, the governor has full power to appoint and remove boards of managers and through them, to reach superintendents and subordinates.

   The comptroller has taken this action sooner than he had intended doing on account of the great pressure brought upon him for the publication of the details of the evidence relating to these matters. He felt, however, that as the governor was the party who was to take whatever action was taken, it was proper for him to see the evidence before it was given to the press.

   The comptroller is in receipt of a large number of telegrams and letters congratulating him upon the stand he has taken, but there are three to which he attaches great value.

   One is from a manager of one of the institutions referred to in the comptroller's published statement. It is as follows, omitting name and date:

   "I don't know that you need any backing in view of the general approval expressed through the press of your action. I wish as one of the managers of—to say that so far as I, individually am concerned, it seems to me that you could do nothing less, and that your action was not only justifiable, but praiseworthy."

   Another is from a gentleman who has been actively engaged in the charitable work of this state for 15 years. He says: "I have been reading with great interest your able defense of your policy towards state institutions, and rejoice to find that you have started to uncover some of the rottenness which has existed in them for many years. All good citizens will approve your course. In my experience of 15 years I came across many abuses in the state institutions and have often wondered how long they would be allowed to continue."

   The third is from a prominent and influential citizen of a community in which one of the institutions is located. He says: "I have been interested in the matter of 'our board' or rather I prefer to refer to it as 'the board' of managers of the refuge here, for I have felt for several years that the management of the institution would be a stench in the nostrils of decent people when its workings were exposed as I know they must be sooner or later. I want simply to thank you for your action in this matter, and am sure you will have the moral support of the entire community, save the ex-managers and their friends, or those who have been profiting, politically and financially, in the rascally practices."

   He is also in receipt of a telegram from another manager who congratulates him upon his action.

 

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

   Mr. William Gillette, the well known playwright and actor, has commissioned Dr. A. Conan Doyle to dramatize his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, for the stage. It is interesting to observe how the stage clings to the conventional detective. Already a hundred plays present him and always in the same way. He lives in melodramatic literature with a strange vitality, and people never get tired watching him do the same things over and over. He first came prominently into the light in Tom Taylor's "Ticket of Leave Man," and since that day innumerable plays have given us imitations of Hawkshaw.

   Dr. Conan Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes has undoubtedly very much improved on that type, but it is questionable if he has gone one better on the three detective stories of literature which, outside of France, remain as the very best efforts to realize the sleuth hounds in romance. Those efforts may be seen in "Bleak House," by Dickens; "The Moonstone," by Wilkie Collins, and "Henry Dunbar," by Mrs. Braddon. The detectives in these romances have never been surpassed in popular English literature, and they have never been successfully played. That perhaps is a sufficient guarantee that they are true to the life.

 

Lathrop Was Acquitted.

   The trial of the case of The People against Jesse Lathrop, arrested at the instance of his father, M. M. Lathrop, was completed before Justice Harrington to-day [in Cortland] and the defendant was acquitted. The defendant showed that he went home on Sunday, July 2, for the purpose of getting some clothing, as his mother was doing his washing. The father claimed that he had ordered the son away when he saw him approaching, and that the son used threatening language, and committed an assault when he prevented him from entering the house.

 

Winton Motor Carriage.

MARATHON, N. Y.

   MARATHON, July 7.—Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Woodin and Mr. J. O. Boyler [driver and mechanic] who left Cortland at 9 A. M. this morning arrived at Marathon at 11 o'clock. When two miles out of Cortland their automobile carriage did not work well. On investigation Mr. Boyler remembered putting in a bolt at Cortland and perhaps he tightened it too much and on loosening that they moved off at a rapid rate. While in the narrows they encountered several large gypsy wagons going north which delayed them about forty minutes, and a screw being broken, which was repaired on reaching here. The run could easily have been made in less than an hour. They took dinner at the Marathon House and left later for Binghamton, where they will remain over night at the Arlington hotel and possibly remain over Sunday, as Mrs. Woodin has relatives there.

   From Binghamton they stop at Montrose, Tunkhannock and Harveys Lake, Pa., and thence home. They have travelled 104 miles without any accident. They have had the carriage one year and use it at their home as they live out in the country and have many hills to encounter. Their first carriage was not built heavy enough for the rough hills so the [Winton] company at Cleveland, O., built a heavier one for them which is the one now in use.

   Mr. Woodin speaks very highly of the roads in the state of New York, but would not advise people to purchase the automobile carriage unless they had plenty of means to enjoy the trip and a good machinist to run one and understand all the necessary repairs as the carriage is not yet up to perfection, there being much to experiment. Later they expect to visit at Boston, Bar Harbor and other eastern places of interest.

   Mr. Woodin is anxious to ship their carriage to New York and then make their trip through the eastern states with his carriage. Their carriage is so constructed that the seat will seat three persons without the wheels being any farther apart than a common carriage. Another year they may visit this section with a new two-seated carriage.

 

Admiral George Dewey.

THE MAN OF THE HOUR.

A Splendid Portrait of Admiral Dewey in Ten Colors.

   With the prospective return to the United States of Admiral Dewey and the celebrations that will attend his coming every family will want a portrait of this man, now the most celebrated among the American people. The STANDARD has anticipated this demand and has secured what is probably the finest portrait of him yet published. It is a magnificent portrait in ten colors, 10 by 21 inches in size, printed on heavy plate paper in a form suitable for framing. It is issued by one of the largest art lithograph houses in America, in the famous French style of color-plate work. It must be remembered that this picture is in no sense a cheap chromo, but an example of the highest style of illuminated printing. It will be an ornament to any library or drawingroom. Although it is fully worth a dollar, our readers can have the Dewey portrait for 10 cents by presenting a coupon which is found in another column with 10 cents at The STANDARD office. Pictures will not be sent by mail. In furnishing them at this price we cannot also pay postage, and we have not the tubes in which to mail them and prevent damage through rough handling. Bring the coupon and the money to this office. Call in and see the picture and you will want one at least.

 

Messenger boy with his bicycle.

VILLAGE TRUSTEES.

Bicycle Ordinance Talked Of—Paving Contract Returned.

   The board of village trustees held a regular meeting last night, and received from S. S. Horton an application for a permit to build a blacksmith shop on the south side of Orchard-st. just west of Gillette's livery stable. This is within the fire limit, and Trustee Thompson was appointed a committee to investigate and report. Mr. Horton expects to move the old Knights of Labor building from its present location between Cortland and Homer to the Orchard-st. location, where he has purchased a vacant lot. A number of new sidewalks were ordered.

   Trustee Thompson reported that stableroom for the village team could be hired at Gillette's livery barn on Orchard-st. for $48 per year, but no action was taken in this matter.

   A petition, signed by residents of Harrington-ave. and Stevenson-st. asking the laying of a sewer in those streets was laid before the board with the approval of the board of health. The estimated cost of the work is $250, and the property-owners on the streets subscribe $100 towards it. The petition was referred to the sewer board for its consideration.

   The clerk reported that the paving contracts for Tompkins-st. and Lincoln-ave. had been returned yesterday, executed by the Warren-Scharff Asphalt Paving Co. The board desired to consult with Attorney O. U. Kellogg before executing it for the village, and adjourned until this afternoon for that purpose. The company wrote that work would be begun within a very few days after the contract is executed by the village.

   The electric light bill for June, $472.56, was audited, half to be applied on the Traction company's share of the Main-st. paving assessment.

   The proposed bicycle ordinance was then taken up. The clerk read an ordinance which he had prepared, including all of the provisions of the ordinance enacted some time ago that were permissible under the new state law. The ordinance was not acted upon, the trustees desiring to take a week to think upon it. The principal features of the proposed ordinance are as follows:

   No person shall ride a bicycle, tricycle or other similar vehicle upon any public street, avenue, lane or other place within the village of Cortland at any time from one hour after sundown until one hour before sunrise, without carrying attached thereto a light of sufficient illuminating power as to be plainly seen 100 feet ahead. But this section shall not apply to any rider whose light has become extinguished or who is necessarily absent from his or her home without a light going at a pace not exceeding six miles an hour, when an audible signal is given as provided in Section 2 of this ordinance as often as 30 feet is passed over.

   All persons riding upon a bicycle, tricycle or other similar vehicle within the village of Cortland shall provide and carry upon all occasions a bell, whistle or other instrument which may be sounded, and when about to meet or pass pedestrians or other vehicles shall sound an alarm thereon which may be heard 100 feet distant.

   No person shall ride a bicycle, tricycle or other similar vehicle upon any public street, avenue, lane or other place within the village of Cortland, at a greater rate of speed than eight miles an hour, nor engage in such places any coasting or proceedings by inertia or momentum, with feet off the pedals.

   No person shall ride a bicycle, tricycle, or other similar vehicle upon the sidewalk of any paved public street, avenue or highway within the city; nor upon the sidewalk of any other public street, avenue or lane, or part thereof, within said city when the adjacent road surface is in rideable condition.

   There will probably also be a provision limiting the speed of riders when passing pedestrians on the walk to four miles an hour.

   The board met this afternoon in Attorney Kellogg's office, and after examination of the signatures to the bond and contract, it was thought that the signature of the American Surety Co. on the bond was incomplete, and so the contracts were returned to New York for correction, which will cause a further delay of a few days before the paving work can begin.

 

School Board Meeting.

   At a meeting of the board of education held at the superintendent's office in the Central school building last night, the resignation of A. L. Cole as janitor at the Owego-st. school was accepted, and N. J. Parsons was appointed in his place.

   The following bills were audited:

   C.F. Thompson, $4.10

   Unique Duplicator Co., 1.86

   McKinney & Doubleday, 71.12

   W. W. Wallace, manager Opera House, 30.00

   A. E. Darby, orchestra, 16.00

   F. E. Smith, secretary, 26.23

   Gas bill, .72

   G. J. Mager, fuel, 75.50

   The recommendation of the teachers' committee that Miss E. Louise Adams of Jordan be appointed kindergarten teacher was adopted, and she was elected at a salary of $440.

 

Cortland Park.

CORTLAND PARK PAVILION.

List of Attractions for All This Week—Evenings and Two Matinees.

   At the Cortland park pavilion all this week at 8 P. M. and Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30 o'clock Frederick H. Wilson Vaudeville company will give a series of entertainments. The company includes among its members Frederick H. Wilson, the singing and dancing comedian and monologue artist; Kent & French, sketch artists of Irish comedy, singing, talking and dancing specialties; Lord John Dudley, baritone singer; and Miss Marie Gebhard, German dialect, song and dance. Admission to the pavilion 10 cents.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The work meeting of Farther Lights of the First Baptist church will be held at Miss Harriet Robinson's, 4 Pearne-ave., to-night at 7:30 o'clock.

   —William A. Beach of Syracuse, former internal revenue collector, was stricken with paralysis at his home last Saturday. Dr. Vandewarker is of the opinion that the paralysis will be permanent.

   —Eight people from Cortland took advantage of the Lehigh Valley's $3.50 excursion to New York on Saturday night, returning on Monday morning. Others joined the train all along the line of the road.

   —Take a look at the handsome portrait of Admiral Dewey in the front window of The STANDARD office. A duplicate of that picture can be obtained at this office for 10 cents and a coupon properly filled out cut from another column of this paper.

   —The excursion tickets to Tully on Friday of this week on account of the Presbyterian church and Sunday-school's annual picnic and excursion will be good on the late train returning if any desire to wait over for that and spend the evening on the lake.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Chas. F. Brown, Soda water, page 4; Palmer & Co., Soap, page 4; D. McCarthy & Sons, Mill end sale, page 8; Gladding & Brown, Laundry, page 7; Cortland STANDARD, Admiral Dewey, page 6.

   —Mrs. Alvina J. Brown, aged 55 years, died at Ovid, N. Y., yesterday morning of cancer. The remains were brought to Cortland this morning and taken to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank Schellinger on North Main-st., where the funeral will be held to-morrow morning at 8:30 o'clock. Burial will be made at DeRuyter.