Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, May 9, 1900.
POSTAL FRAUDS TOPIC.
Havana Busy Conversing on the Subject.
FURTHER SHORTAGE IS FOUND.
Implicitly Believed That Others Besides Neely Were Involved in the Defalcation—Certain Persons Being Watched—Neely's Property Seized.
HAVANA, May 9.—The postal frauds are the principal topic of conversation in Havana, although as yet the papers have scarcely alluded to the matter. The department of posts admits a shortage of $75,000, but further investigation has brought to light the fact that in July of last year the receipts showed a falling off of about $12,000 over the average of the months previous and this shortage has been kept up ever since. It appears that about that time Director of Posts Rathbone gave orders for the destruction of $411,000 worth of surcharge stamps on account of the issue of a new stamp. This work of destruction was left in the hands of Charles W. F. Neely and his assistants, but it is now believed that none of those stamps were destroyed, the theory being they were sent out with the new stamps.
The Havana receipts amount to $13,000 a month, according to the books; but the other offices of the island only showed $3,000 or $4,000, amounts palpably absurd. It is astonishing that the shortage was not discovered before because the receipts at Santiago or Matanzas alone should amount to nearly $4,000. Absolute proof that something has been going wrong is shown by the fact that Auditor Barie reports the receipts of the island for the first five days of May as aggregating $6,000. Should this average be continued, it would mean a total of more than $40,000 for the month.
That others than Neely are involved is implicitly believed, although the evidence as yet is not sufficient to justify their arrest. Nevertheless, should certain persons attempt to leave the island, they would be taken into custody.
Neely has made investments here and in other parts of the island, having as a partner a postal employee. Carrydon Rich, who now holds the power of attorney for Neely, was appointed to fill Neely's place as chief financial agent of the Havana postoffice, but later the appointment was suspended.
The military authorities know little regarding the matter beyond what Colonel Burton, inspector general, reported, for the department of posts has been virtually independent of the military authorities and has reported directly to the postmaster general. The inspector general has merely made a quarterly inspection. On his former inspection tour, he found a shortage of more than $12,000, but such plausible excuses were given that he thought he was probably mistaken. When he entered on his latest inspection his suspicions were further aroused, and he resolved to prove matters to the bottom. This close scrutiny revealed features of the case which have not yet been made public. It seems that Neely kept scarcely any accounts which would bear showing, Mr. Rich, his own assistant, endorsing his accounts as correct.
Governor General Wood has ordered that all property standing in the name of Neely in Cuba should be placed under government control.
Neely's Prompt Cash Ball a Surprise.
NEW YORK, May 9.—Interest was shown at the Federal building in regard to the cash bail deposited by C. F. W. Neely of the Cuban postoffice department, who was arrested on Saturday at Rochester on a charge of embezzling $30,000 of government funds. The $20,000 bail required by Commissioner Shields was deposited in the form of two crisp new $10,000 gold certificates. Neither Neely nor his counsel, J. D. Lindsay, would make any statement in regard to where this money came from except that it was furnished by "friends of Mr. Neely."
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| William Bourke Cockran. |
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Mr. Cockran's Proposition.
Bourke Cockran is going South to address a conference of representative men to be held in Montgomery, Ala. They meet to promote the study of race conditions and cognate problems of the South and it has been rumored that in his address Mr. Cockran would advocate the repeal of the amendment to the federal constitution extending the suffrage to the black man. A reporter of The Sun asked Mr. Cockran if such was his intention, and he replied, ''I will not say that I am not going to take that position, and I will not say that I am going to take it."
It would seem from this, says The Mail and Express, that it is not impossible that Mr. Cockran may come out as a champion of the repeal of the amendment. If he does he will be guilty of the quintessence of premeditated foolishness. He might as well work for the repeal of the law of gravitation as work for the repeal of that amendment. The proposition would be construed all over the North, West and East, and rightly construed, as a belated and outrageous attempt to reopen the bloody chasm and re-wave the bloody shirt.
That the negro problem which confronts the South to-day is a perplexing one is generally conceded. But no Southerner who understands the fundamental feelings of the American people will try to solve the problem by suggesting that the ballot which was given to the negro as one of the logical consequences of the war, shall be taken away from him. Revolutions, like the one which emancipated the slaves and killed the abominable system of slavery, never go backward.
Hence we are inclined to think that the longer Mr. Cockron ponders upon the matter, the deeper will be his conviction that he cannot afford to lend himself to any such scheme. One of the inalienable rights of the black man is the right to vote. What has he done that it should be taken away from him? With this question goes another of equal force, can a government of the people afford to restrict its suffrage—to abridge the right after it has been once conferred? Would not such action be construed as an indictment of our governmental system?
The Sautelle Circus.
Cortland boys are now devoting all their spare time to earning and saving pennies or nickels, that they may attend Sig. Sautelle's new big 25-cent shows, which will visit this city for two performances Friday, May 11. This season Mr. Sautelle has a standing challenge that his is the largest, grandest and best 25-cent circus in the world, and backs up his assertion by a free display in the streets of a pageant which contains more than a mile of glistening, scintillating, enchanting, processional amazements, and later by a performance which is a world of wonders in three full hours. Among the performers are to be found born heroes of the gymnastic world in feats of skill and personal prowess, renowned riders, famous aerial artists, leapers, tumblers, educated animals and the funniest of funny clowns to be seen in no other show. Don't fail to attend May 11.
The circus will exhibit at Homer May 10 and at Cincinnatus May 12.
RUNAWAY ON THE GROTON ROAD.
David E. McAuliffe Slightly Injured—Two Horses Badly Hurt.
Yesterday forenoon about 10 o'clock a young man by the name of Jones, son of Mr. E. Jones of Texas Valley, was returning from Groton, driving one horse hitched to a road cart. When about three miles from Cortland the horse became frightened and started to run. Mr. Jones was thrown from the cart and dragged some distance until the lines broke, and the horse continued on down the road. David E. McAuliffe was driving along the road with three horses attached to a sulky plow. He heard the runaway horse behind him and started to jump from plow, but did not succeed in getting clear before the horse hit the plow full force breaking the seat and levers and striking one of McAuliffe's horses which was partially paralyzed by the force of the collision. Mr. McAuliffe sustained a badly sprained ankle and his left leg was somewhat bruised.
Dr. C. F. Wade was called to examine the injured horses. He found Mr. McAuliffe's horse so badly hurt that the animal had to be killed. Mr. Jones' horse was badly hurt about the shoulder and it will be a week before it will be safe to attempt to take it home. Mr. Jones was somewhat bruised, but not seriously hurt.
FRIGHTENED BY A RUG.
Team Ran Away—Bad Break of I. V. Johnson's Right Leg.
At 2:45 this afternoon the bay team of Fred L. Verreau, who lives on the Eisman place on the hill south of Cortland, was standing in the alley at the back door of the feed store of I. V. Johnson in the Squires building. A quantity of feed had just been loaded up. Mr. Johnson standing on the ground had the reins and was holding the team while Mr. Verreau did an errand across the street. Some one shook a rug out of an upper window of the block and scared the horses and they started to run. Mr. Johnson attempted to climb into the wagon when he saw he couldn't hold the horses from the ground, but failed to get in. His right leg was caught between the hub of the wagon and the corner of the block and both bones were broken and very badly splintered.
The team ran up Main-st. at full speed and headed right for the billiard room of the Cortland House. They would have gone straight through the windows had it not been for the fact that right at the curb the near horse fell and was badly cut at the knees. He was on his feet in a moment and they turned across the street with slackened speed and were caught in front of C. O. Smith's feed store.
Mr. Johnson was taken to his home on South Main-st. in a cab. Some one had gone before and had tried to break the news gently to Mrs. Johnson, but had scared her so badly that she thought her husband killed and fainted dead away.
Dr. Reese was called and reduced the fracture as best he could at the time, but the leg swelled up almost instantly to such enormous proportions that it was impossible to adjust the bones in the best possible way till the swelling can be reduced somewhat. The break is a bad one and the outcome cannot yet be forecasted with certainty.
On the way up the street the team collided with George Murphy's wheel which was standing by a curb. Mr. Verreau at once settled the damage.
Odd Fellow for Fifty Years.
H. W. Blashfield died yesterday at his home in the Cold Brook valley, town of Scott, at the age of 69 years. Mr. Blashfield has been a member of the order of Odd Fellows for over fifty years, and was a member of Homer lodge till the time of its dissolution about three years ago, and for years had been a Past Grand. The funeral will be held at the house on Friday at 2 o'clock and the burial will be in the Homer cemetery. The Cortland Odd Fellows are planning to attend the funeral in a body, and request all members of the order who can do so to go. Some arrangement under the management of the lodges will be made for transportation.
GIBBONS-O'BRIEN.
Wedding at Whitney Point Which Interests Cortland.
Mr. Michael Gibbons of Ithaca and Miss Elizabeth O'Brien of Whitney Point, at one time of Cortland, were married at 10:30 o'clock this morning at St. Patrick's church in Whitney Point by Rev. C. V. McGuire the pastor, assisted by Rev. James Gibbons of Auburn, brother of the groom. The bridesmaid was Miss Mary O'Brien, sister of the bride, and the best man was Mr. Frank Gibbons of Ithaca, brother of the groom. Among the guests were Mr. and Mrs. William Walsh of Cortland, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Gibbons, daughter Katharine and sons Martin and Frank of Ithaca, all of whom were entertained last night by friends in Cortland.
The bride was for several years a resident of Cortland and has a number of friends here.
Died in Peruville.
Mr. Adelbert Darling of Peruville died Monday night at 10:30 o'clock, aged 44 years. Mr. Darling was a brother of Mrs. T. C. Brogden who has been in Peruville during her brother's illness. Mr. Brogden expects to leave to-morrow morning for Peruville, at which place will occur the funeral at 11 o'clock of the same day.
INDEPENDENT TELEPHONES.
The Projectors of the Company are Ready to Name Stockholders.
Dr. C. D. Ver Nooy says that the promoters of the independent telephone company who are asking for a franchise for Cortland do not wish to go on and organize their company till they secure the franchise, but they expect to come before the common council at its next meeting next Tuesday night and present the names of seven reputable citizens who are all residents of the city of Cortland and who will agree to become the incorporators of the new company and agree to take all of the stock of the company, if other residents do not care to purchase some of it.
Dr. Ver Nooy says that an argument which he frequently hears against the establishment of the new plant in Cortland is that an additional company will mean more poles set in the streets and more wires strung over the streets. As a matter of fact the new company, he says, does not wish to set a single pole in the streets if it can avoid it. It much prefers to make a satisfactory arrangement with individual property holders to use their back yards and to set the poles behind the houses instead of in front of them. It is cheaper to do this, for the reason that the poles are then not in the way of anybody and that the linemen are not at all bothered by trees and by getting their wires through the branches.
Telephones by Wholesale.
D. M. Osborne & Co., have just entered into contract with the Empire State Telegraph and Telephone company to furnish thirty-five additional telephones for use in the various offices and departments of the big manufacturing plant. The company has already nine phones in the offices and shops and eight more at the homes of the heads of departments. The addition will increase the number to fifty-two phones, quite an exchange of itself.
For some time past a local telephone co-operative association has existed in the village of Port Byron. Now, an agreement has been reached by which these private phones, twenty-nine in number will be merged into the Bell system with connection with the outside world at large —Auburn Advertiser.
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| James F. Costello dressed in volunteer fireman's uniform. |
BAD BICYCLE FALL.
Mr. James F. Costello Seriously Hurt While Riding Last Night.
Mr. James F. Costello, superintendent of fire alarms, was seriously hurt last evening by falling from his bicycle while riding on Main-st. Mr. Costello struck the pavement on his right hip, but luckily no fractures were made. He was taken home in a cab and is to-day quite comfortable.
While eating his supper last night, the superintendent noticed the approaching storm and, without waiting to finish the meal, jumped on his wheel and started for the station that he might be there during the storm. It is always Mr. Costello's plan to be at his post of duty during such a storm as was threatened last night in order that he may be with the instruments and possibly save them from burning out if anything happened to the wires, and as he rode up the street his mind was perhaps more on the welfare of the fire department than on his own safety.
When about opposite Fireman's hall, and as he was about to turn from between the street car tracks, his wheel slipped on the wet rail and a bad fall was the outcome. Mr. Costello quickly picked himself up and managed to get inside the building, but that was all be could do and the next moment he collapsed utterly. A cab was called and the unfortunate rider taken home.
Mr. Costello, it will be remembered, was seriously hurt while attempting to put down some ties in front of the fire department at the time the Catholic church was struck by lightning, when Main-st. was being paved. From this he had never fully recovered, and this fall, which gave him a shaking up from head to foot, results more seriously on account of his former difficulties. Mr. Costello will probably be confined to his bed for some time.
In his absence from the station, Mr. Mead will attend to the fire alarms.
BREVITIES.
—The Ladies' Literary club met this afternoon with Mrs. F. D. Reese, 16 Tompkins-st.
—The new trial of Howard C. Benham, the wife murderer, has been set down for May 28 at Canandaigua. A panel of 200 jurors has been ordered drawn.
—The regular monthly meetings of Water Witch Steamer and Hose company and Excelsior Hook and Ladder company will be held this evening at 8 o'clock.
—A business meeting of the Epworth league of the First M. E. church is called in the church parlors at 7:30 o'clock this evening. A full meeting is desired.
—New display advertisements to-day are—S. Simmons, Annual sale, page 7; Burgess, Clothing, page 8; Palmer & Co., Drygoods, page 7; Cudworth, Optical talks, page 7.
—Mr. D. Lawrence Troup and Miss Bertha M. Ballard, both of Dryden, were married this afternoon at the parsonage of the First M. E. church by Rev. O. A. Houghton, D. D., the pastor.
—Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Gourley are to-day the happy parents of a boy baby who is initiated into the family circle with the name William Henry, in honor of his two grandfathers.
—The silk flag which was presented to Company H, Twenty-third regiment on May 9, 1861, by the ladies of Cortland, with a picture of Captain Clark, makes a display in Sager & Jennings' drug store that has been viewed with a great deal of interest to-day.
—We have another winter upon us. and a great drop in temperature. Thermometer at 77 degrees at 8 o'clock yesterday and 37 at noon to-day. The thunder showers of last night did much good as the country was very dry, and they cooled the air very markedly. Weather forecast says frosts will come to-night.
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