FROM WATER TO FIRE, AND MAHAN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL CLOSED

 

Frank Moss.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, September 16, 1899.

FROM WATER TO FIRE.

Such Was the Jump in the Mazet Investigation.

SEVERAL WITNESSES EXAMINED.

An Effort Made to Prove That New York Firemen Contributed One Per Cent of Their Salaries to Tammany Hall—A Personal Statement Made.

   NEW YORK, Sept. 16.—The Mazet investigating committee's proceedings were dull and uninteresting. The first portion of the day's hearing was devoted to a continuation of the investigation of the two hundred million [dollars] Ramapo Water company and, although some of the testimony brought out was rather important, the audience seemed to take little interest even when former Mayor Wurster of Brooklyn was on the stand.

   Former Judge John F. Dillon was the first witness of the day. His testimony counted for little or nothing. As for former Mayor Wurster of Brooklyn, the evidence which he produced was technical and not easily comprehended by a layman.

   Louis F. Haffen, president of the borough of Bronx, seemed to think an increased supply of water was a necessity, but he was opposed to private ownership on general principles.

   Maurice F. Holahan, president of the board of public improvements, testified that under existing circumstances he would be willing to put through the Ramapo water contract if he had the power.

   From water to fire was an easy transition with Mr. Moss. At any rate the attorney for the investigating committee passed from the one subject to the other with remarkably rapidity. A dozen firemen who thronged the rooms of the supreme court building were called to the stand for the purpose of demonstrating that intoxication prevailed in the fire department, that the men were compelled to contribute 1 per cent of their salaries to the general welfare of Tammany Hall, and that other abuses prevailed in this section of the municipal government. Nothing sensational, however, was elicited.

   At the conclusion of the hearing Mr. Moss gave out a statement in reply to the typewritten document produced by Richard Croker. Mr. Moss explained that he had not witnessed the signature to the document to which Mr. Croker and Justice Van Brunt has objected, but that he had acted in good faith. He claimed that at the time when he was called upon to answer regarding his acts as a notary, that he was the attorney for the Society for the Prevention of Crime and that the opinion of the judges given out by Mr. Croker was written without his being accorded a hearing.

 

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

   According to a Chicago paper, Congressman James H. Mann of Illinois has a bill prepared for introduction at the coming session of congress to provide for an appropriation of $3,850 for the improvement of the government burying lot in Oakwood cemetery, known as "Confederate mound," and the further appropriation of $250 annually for the protection and maintenance of the lot. "Confederate mound'' in Oakwood cemetery is a plot of ground purchased by the government from the Oakwood Cemetery association in which are buried 12 Union soldiers who died of smallpox at Camp Douglas and 4,039 Confederate prisoners of war who were originally buried in the Chicago City cemetery and were removed many years ago to their present resting place. Such legislative action would be in line with the suggestion made by President McKinley some months ago in his address at Atlanta when he spoke of the duty of the government toward the graves of the Confederate dead.

   Militarism has its evils, and no one of us would care to live under a government which oppresses its people with all sorts of burdens for the benefit of the large standing army which many European nations seem to regard as necessary to their safety. But it cannot be denied that the army inculcates within men the desire and ability to administer public funds economically. It is said that the cost of collecting the customs in Cuba is less than in any other country in the world. The expense of collection is, of course, figured upon the percentage of the number of dollars received for each dollar invested in wages, rents, etc.

 

Inauguration at Auburn.

   AUBURN, Sept. 16.—The Auburn Theological seminary will reopen Sept. 20. Rev. George B. Stewart, D. D., president-elect, will be inaugurated on the 22nd. Rev. Francis L. Patton, D. D., LL. D., president of Princeton university, and other distinguished scholars will deliver addresses.

 

Gen. George A. Custer.

Custer's Indian Attack.

   The late Charles Osborn, the New York broker, and General Custer were intimate friends, and Osborn annually visited the general at his camp on the plains. During one of the Indian campaigns he invited Osborn and a party of friends out to Kansas and, after giving them a buffalo hunt, arranged a novel experience in the way of an Indian scare. As Osborn was lying in his tent one night firing was heard at the outposts and the rapid riding of pickets. "Boots and saddles!" was the order in the disturbed atmosphere of the night, and Custer appeared to Osborn loaded with rifle, two revolvers, a saber and a scalping knife.

   "Charles," he said in his quick, nervous way, "you must defend yourself. Sitting Bull and Flea-In-Your-Boots, with Wiggle-Tail-Jim and Scalp-Lock Skowheban, are on us in force. I did not want to alarm you before, but the safety of my command is my first duty. Things look serious. If we don't meet again, God bless you!"

   The broker fell on his knees. "Custer," he cried, "only get me out of this! I'll carry 1,000,000 shares of Western Union for you into the firm to get me home. Only save me!"

   But Custer was gone, and the camp, by shrewd arrangement, burst into a blaze, and shots, oaths and warwhoops were intermixed until suddenly a painted object loomed on Osborn's sight, and something was flung into his face—a human scalp. He dropped to the ground, said the Lord's Prayer backward and sideways until the noise died away and there was exposed a lighted supper table with this explanation on a transparency:

   "Osborn's treat!"—Chicago Record.

 

Cortland Opera House.

Clementine DeVere-Sapio.

Alex Mahan's Music Store on Court Street, Cortland, N. Y.

THE FESTIVAL CLOSED.

A Great Success from the Musical Point of View.

   The twenty-fifth annual music festival held in Cortland under the management of Mr. A. Mahan came to a close last night at the end of one of the finest series of concerts ever given in the place. This has been a red letter year for Mr. Mahan in the matter of his artists. No previous year can be remembered when he has had throughout the festival at all the concerts four artists who began to compare with the four principal ones of this year. In other years he has had some celebrities here for a single day, and others for another day, but never before has he kept them right straight through so that choir and patrons in general could have had the opportunity of hearing them at every concert. The result has been a class of entertainments in many respects much above the record of other years.

   The unfortunate feature in connection with this is that many have not seemed to appreciate this season the opportunities brought to their very doors and the audiences have been hardly as large as in most years. This is probably due in large measure though to the change of season for the festival, and should not be taken as a sign that Cortland is tired of music festivals and of a high class of music. For the array of artists that have been brought here during the last twenty-five years and for the cultivation of a musical sentiment as a result and for the consequent matter of education in constantly widening circles as to what is genuinely fine music the local public is indebted to Mr. Mahan in far larger degree than is realized at first thought. It is assuredly to be hoped that the rounding out of a quarter century of festivals will not mean their termination, but that Mr. Mahan may be encouraged to continue them till he shall at least have celebrated his golden anniversary in these lines.

   The concerts of Friday were in every respect quite up to those of Thursday and perhaps in certain particulars surpassed those of the previous day. The choir gave evidence of one day's additional practice and its work was very creditable alike to the singers themselves and to the conductor. Prof. Beall has left a very good impression behind him as a director of chorus singing. He came here almost a total stranger and had a very difficult position to fill, but he did his part well and to the satisfaction of all. Were he to be re-engaged for another year he would no longer be an unknown quantity in local circles, but a strong attraction. Prof. Beall is also the possessor of a fine voice, and during the afternoon yesterday yielded to the solicitation of the choir and favored them with several fine solos. Two very handsome bouquets were passed up to the stage last night—one for Prof. Beall and the other for Miss Fowler, the very excellent accompanist of the chorus.

   At the evening concert all of the artists appeared and were enthusiastically received. Dr. Jackson gave way in the first part to Miss Ethel Newcomb of New York who played a triple number upon the piano with fine effect. Miss Newcomb was originally a resident of Whitney Point, but has spent the last three years in Vienna studying the piano under the instruction of the celebrated teacher Leschetizky and is now about to settle in New York. Her playing was a delight to all her hearers. The duet "Excelsior" by Dr. Jackson and Mr. Walker was one of the finest [numbers] on the program. Mr. Walker's splendid voice was again heard to advantage in his solo "Danny Deever." The audience had a good opportunity for a laugh at his expense. As the hour was getting late and the numerous encores had lengthened the program very materially Mr. Walker evidently did not intend to respond, but the applause was continued and Mr. Walker came out three times to bow his acknowledgements. The last time his accompanist evidently thought he was going out to sing and followed him with music in hand. As he turned to go back he met her face to face and she had come out far enough for the audience to get a sight of her. A burst of laughter ran over the house and the applause was redoubled. The result was that artist, and accompanist very speedily returned laughing and Mr. Walker sang another fine solo.

   At the afternoon concert Dr. Jackson sang "The Holy City" with an effect upon the audience that is seldom equaled. It is a noteworthy fact that Dr. Jackson has on several occasions received a $50 check for singing that same solo a single time at two or three of the churches in New York. The doctor is now the tenor soloist at the Church of the Incarnation in that city. It must be owned that he was somewhat surprised recently to have the announcement made at a place where he was to sing that he was the soloist of "the Church of the Incarceration" of New York.

   Mme. Sapio was again the same [majestic] singer and the audience was as enthusiastic as ever over her solos. This lady has the distinction of having been the highest salaried church choir singer in America. For several years she was the soprano at St. Bartholomew's church at a salary of $6,000 per year.

   At the afternoon concert Miss Mabelle Adams of Homer appeared with a violin solo which was rendered in a way to add fresh laurels to her already excellent reputation.

   The orchestra, too, was highly appreciated at both concerts and its playing was one of the strong features of the festival.

   No small degree of credit for the fine effects produced by the different artists is due to the excellent work of their accompanist Miss Kate Stella Burr. Miss Burr is a former Cortland girl who has devoted her whole life to music with the result that she is now considered about the best piano accompanist in New York City and is in constant demand for concert work by all the stars. The position is an exceedingly difficult one to fill, with new music and new people continually brought before her and brief opportunity for practice together, but how well she fills it the audiences at these four concerts can judge for themselves.

 

"HUMAN HEARTS."

Manager Wallace Tells of the Play Next Wednesday Night.

   CORTLAND, N. Y., Sept. 16, 1899.

   To The Editor of The STANDARD:

   SIR—After the appearance of Hoyt's "A Contented Woman" at the Opera House, many patrons who had missed the performance reminded me that I should have more forcibly impressed upon them the merits of that attraction before their appearance here. This I had endeavored to do in every manner possible and while regretting that many people missed one of the finest attractions on our books this season, I am assured by the management and a number of prominent business men of Cortland, who have seen the play, that Hal Reed's beautiful play "Human Hearts," which comes to the Cortland Opera House on next Wednesday evening, will give equally as good satisfaction. No advance in prices. Regular house prices will prevail. Seats are now on sale at Rood & Co 's. Respectfully, W. W. WALLACE, Local Mgr.

 

FOOTBALL AT THE NORMAL.

Coach Givens Giving the Men Some Systematic Work.

   The candidates for positions on the Normal [School] football team are in daily practice at Athletic field under Coach Givens, and some good timber is being developed. A number of the old men are back, and there is good material in the new men who are trying for positions. About fifteen are out for practice each afternoon. The work so far has been in tackling, passing the ball and formation of the interference. Manager Hawkins is arranging a schedule which will include games with some of the strongest elevens in this part of the state. The first game will be played at Athletic field next Saturday, Sept. 23, with the Ithaca High school eleven.

 

BREVITIES.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Wm. F. Miller, Profits paid, etc., page 7.

   —The Beman box factory in Binghamton was damaged by fire to the extent of $3,000 yesterday morning.

   —Dogs killed a large number of sheep [belonging to] DeRuyter farmers last week. G. N. Ames lost fifteen, H. J. DeLamater twenty-two, and many others will die.

   —In Justice Harrington's court this morning the case of The People against John O'Connell, charged with assault on John W. Jones, was adjourned until Sept. 29 at 9 A. M.

   —Send in your items of news when they are fresh. We don't like to publish a birth after the child is weaned, a marriage after the honeymoon is over, a death after the widow is married again, nor the notice of an entertainment after the job work is done elsewhere.—Exchange.

   —Miss Lena B. Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Johnson, died of valvular disease of the heart at 3:30 o'clock this morning at the home of her parents on the Conable farm near the Port Watson bridge. The deceased was 23 years of age. Funeral services will be held Monday morning at 9 o'clock at the house and at 10 o'clock at St. Mary's church. Burial at Cortland.

   —Policeman Corcoran, who went to Syracuse a few days ago with a warrant for the arrest of Martin Miller, has received from Chief of Police Wright of that city a letter dated Sept. 14, in which he says: "Martin Miller was sentenced on two charges yesterday, to sixty days on one and thirty days on the other. Your warrant is deposited with Supt. John Markell at the penitentiary and you can obtain him when his time is out."