Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, March 31, 1902.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Report Shows Decreased Idleness In Three Branches.
BUILDING ACTIVITY IN CITIES.
Immigration Increasing Very Rapidly. Southern Italy Sent the Largest Number—Few Strikes—Factory inspectors—Increase of Wages—Pension System Inaugurated.
Albany, March 31.—The quarterly bulletin of the state department of labor shows that for the last quarter ending Jan. 1, 1902, the decreased idleness in building, clothing and baking trades was noticeable.
The favorable conditions of employment indicated by the reduced amount of idleness in the building trade unions are also revealed in the statistics of buildings authorized by the municipal building bureaus in the large cities.
In New York city the number of buildings completed was 4,027 in the fourth quarter of 1901, as compared with 3,270 in the corresponding period of 1900, and the estimated cost of buildings, for which plans were approved in the last quarter of 1901, was $31,000,000 as compared with $22,000,000 in 1900.
From these figures it does not appear that the new tenement house law has seriously hampered building operations in Greater New York, as some have apprehended. Buffalo has recovered from the slight reaction following the exposition, and the estimated cost of projected buildings in the three final months of 1901 far exceeds that for the parallel period in 1900 or 1899. The same statement applies to Rochester, while in Syracuse the figures of 1901 were inferior to 1900, but superior to 1898 and 1899.
Immigration at the port of New York has been increasing rapidly. The number of arrivals in the fourth quarter of 1901 was 93,628, as compared with 74,423 one year ago and 83,265 in the preceding quarter of 1901. The increase was 26 per cent over the fourth quarter of 1900 and 12 per cent over the third quarter of 1901. The people from Southern Italy retained the lead by contributing 26 per cent of the immigration, the Hebrews following with 11 per cent, the Germans with 10 per cent and the Poles with 9 per cent, whose proportional increase since 1900 was larger than that of any other nationality.
The bureau of mediation and arbitration recorded 16 trade disputes in the fourth quarter of 1901. None of these were on a large scale, the entire number of employes involved having been 2,281 in 46 establishments, and the aggregate number of working days lost having been only 24,300.
For the first time the Bulletin contains a report of the quarter's work of the bureau of factory inspectors. It shows that 4,574 factories and bakeries and 1,370 tenement work rooms were inspected in October, November and December, 1901.
The number of applications for licenses to carry on work in tenements was 3,750 and the net increase in the number of licenses outstanding since the end of September was 2,426. At the end of the year the number of licenses in force was 31,213 of which 22,387 were in New York city. The number of accidents reported to the bureau in the fourth quarter of 1901 was 762. There were 15 fatal accidents, the majority of which occurred either in connection with elevators or with shafting.
A new feature in the 1901 report of the bureau of labor statistics which is summarized in the Bulletin is a table showing the increases and decreases in 1901 in the rates of wages of members of labor organizations.
The net result of all the changes was that 50,253 members of labor unions gained a weekly addition to their wages of $86.807, which is equivalent to an advance of $1.73 each per week.
The first large scale system of pensions for superannuated employes in this state has been established by the Metropolitan Street railway of New York city. At the age of 70 years employes will be retired on pension, those who have been in the service of the company 25 years receiving 25 per cent of their wages and for 35 years' service a pension amounting to 40 per cent of wages.
A SENSATIONAL SCENE.
WIDOW BENNETT CURSES THE THREE HOUSES.
At the Examination in Marathon on Saturday—Falls on Her Knees in the Court Room and Utters Imprecations Till Stopped by the Court—Reading the Testimony and Getting Signatures of Witnesses.
The examination in the case of The People vs. Orson A. House, John C. House and John H. House, who are charged with murder in the first degree in causing the death of George Bennett, was continued before Justice Miller in Marathon, N. Y., Saturday afternoon. Harry Gleason was recalled to the stand for cross examination by N. L. Miller, the special point of the questions being in regard to the tracks leading away from the house which he claimed to have seen and which he noted were made by new rubber boots.
In reply to questions Mr. Gleason said: When John H. House and I arrived at the House residence that night we went directly in at the front door without making any examination for tracks. We then came out of the front door with a lantern and examined the premises in front of the house. We went to the east of the house and there discovered tracks coming in the large gate. These were the tracks which led to the storm door. A track which I afterwards saw leading to the road was not there at that time. After I had gone around the house and made the examination and got back in front again I then discovered this fresh track which I have described as leading toward the road. This track came from the east side of the house, and the east side is where the storm door is. I can positively state that that track was made after we had gone from the east side of the house on our first trip around the house. (This last statement was objected to by District Attorney Dowd for the prosecution on the ground that it called for a conclusion. The objection was sustained and an exception was taken.) The tracks looked as though made by a man walking, not running. I should think the steps were 3 feet long. The track was made on a circle, so far as the house was concerned, with the concave side of the circle toward the house and the footsteps led from it cornerways [sic].
Direct examination by Mr. Dowd. I noticed that John H. House had very old rubber boots on that night. I did not notice what the others had on. We examined our boots the nest morning. We saw Bennett's boots the nest morning and John's. We noted the fact that all of us had on old boots and that the tracks in question were made by new boots. When we went around the house that night John H. and Orson were with us. I do not know where John C. was and do not know whether he had on old rubbers or new ones. I remember Orson said he had shot some one and came very near shooting himself. I heard John C. lock the door after us when we went out to investigate.
Cross examination by Mr. Miller. This track did not come from the front of the house where we left John C. House nor did it go back to the premises, so far as I know.
The examination of Mr. Gleason was characterized by frequent tilts between the opposing attorneys. Mr. Miller constantly objected to what he termed the cross examination of the witness by District Attorney Dowd inasmuch as the witness had been summoned by the district attorney for the people. Mr. Dowd insisted that though he had subpoenaed the witness, the witness was by no means his witness. He claimed that he was an employee of the Houses, and was decidedly hostile to the prosecution, and was trying to shape all his testimony to favor the Houses. The district attorney said he was in search of light on the subject regardless of whether he obtained it by direct or cross examination, and he had called this witness for the purpose of finding out what he was prepared to testify to and to get him on record as to these facts. The same was also true in connection with examination and cross examination of Mrs. Gleason, the wife of this witness.
The next witness was Thomas Hudson. His previous testimony was read over to him preparatory to his signing the testimony. The following facts were added to the previous testimony in reply to questions. John H. House had told witness that Bennett had moved away everything that had belonged to him; that nothing was left at the house except a stove and that they had bought that of the boy who came there after the goods. The boy was there to get the goods the Friday before the shooting occurred between 12 and 1 o'clock in the afternoon. When the boy started off with his load he got caught in a drift near the premises of this witness and had to unload his goods and leave them in his barn. He thought it was not until Monday, March 24, that the goods were finally taken away.
Leonard A. Landpher was called. He resides upon the first place in Lapeer from Marathon on the road toward the House place, and on the same road on which John Lynch resides. His testimony was unimportant. He had gone home at about 9:45 o'clock on the night of the shooting and saw no one on the highway after he left Marathon, and did not see either John Lynch or Geo. Bennett either on the highway or in Marathon.
Merton H. Dillenbeck being sworn testified that his age was 25 years, occupation was that of a merchant, his residence was East Freetown and that he is the town clerk of Freetown, and has the custody of all the papers filed in that office. Witness here produced a chattel mortgage filed with him and identified his own signature upon it as having filed it. He testified that he knew the handwriting of George Bennett, and said he believed that the signature upon the mortgage to be that of George Bennett. The mortgage was offered in evidence and marked for identification. The rest of the afternoon was devoted wholly to the reading over to the different witnesses of the testimony which they had previously given and which had been taken down in shorthand and which had now been written cut, and which was submitted to them for their correction and for their signature.
THE WIDOW'S CURSE.
The one sensational feature of the afternoon was when Mrs. George Bennett, the widow of the deceased, was put on the stand. She testified in addition to her previous testimony that her maiden name was Jennie Noynsack. After having signed the testimony she suddenly fell upon her knees in the presence of the court, and waving her hands wildly toward the three defendants, fairly shrieked, " I hope to God you three men will never have one moment of peace or comfort as long as you live if you are allowed to go free. You three big men and a bull dog pitched on to my man. You are rich people and you killed a poor man and left me a widow with no one to protect or provide for me. I hope you will be punished and you ought to be—"
She was proceeding further when the court interposed "There, there, Jennie, do not say any more, not another word; we are all through with you and you are excused; go back and take your seat." The excitement in the courtroom at this point was intense. Nearly every one, not in position to see well, rose to his feet, stretched forward with every effort to catch a view of the speaker.
At 5 o'clock the examination adjourned until this morning at 10 o'clock. It was understood that no more witnesses were to be sworn, but the sessions today were to be devoted to the reading over to the witnesses of the rest of the testimony and the securing of their signatures. Justice Miller will announce his decision when all is through.
A GENEROUS BROTHER
Paid the Fine After He Had Been Assaulted with a Razor.
David Finn was arrested by [Cortland] Officers Baker and Bowker last Saturday night, after he had viciously assaulted his brother, Cabman Ike Finn, with a razor. He was charged with public intoxication. This afternoon in police court Ike asked the court not to send his brother to the penitentiary on account of their aged mother, but to give him a fine. The court acceded to the request and imposed a fine of $10, which was promptly paid by the cabman.
Death of Mrs. C. B. Peck.
Mrs. Kate Hart Peck, wife of C. B. Peck, 10 Port Watson-st., died last Saturday afternoon at 5:15 o'clock from blood poisoning, aged 29 years, 1 month and 3 days.
Mrs. Peck was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Hart of Dryden. About eight years ago she was married to Mr. Peck and came to Cortland to live. She leaves, beside her husband, a little boy, Lyman, 6 years old, and a girl baby born last Tuesday. She is also survived by her mother and six brothers and sisters: Mrs. G. M. Hoagland of Groton, Miss Mary Hart of Plainfield, N. J., Arthur J. Hart of Cortland and Grover, D. W. and Mildred Hart of Dryden.
The funeral will be held from the house Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial will be made in Cortland.
GAGE E. TARBELL.
One of the Great Successes in Life Insurance.
Through the courtesy of Mr. Henry H. Putnam, publisher of "The Monthly Journal of Insurance Economics," Boston, Mass., we are able to present to our readers today a portrait and sketch by Mr. Putnam of Mr. Gage E. Tarbell, second vice-president of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of New York City, formerly a resident of Marathon in this county where, in law, politics and business, he led the "strenuous life" which has since grown even more "strenuous" in the great department of effort to which he has devoted himself. Both portrait and sketch, which appeared in a recent number of Mr. Putnam's Journal of Insurance, will be of much interest to Mr. Tarbell's many Cortland county friends.
W. C. T. U. Notice.
A regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. will be held on Tuesday, April 1, at 3 p. m. Devotionals will be led by Mrs. Marion Bryant. The program which follows will be in charge of Mrs. Anna Bentley, superintendent of Sabbath observance. Included in the program will be an address by Rev. Robert Clements who is especially strong and convincing on this important subject. All interested are earnestly invited to be present.
THE RAILROAD SALE.
BELIEF THAT IT WILL BE AN ADVANTAGE TO CORTLAND.
Surmises as to Who the Purchaser Represented—Strong Reason to Think That the Road Will be Extended to Connect with a Big Railroad System.
Mr. W. W. Montgomery of New York who bid off the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. last Saturday for $150,000 and paid the cash for it, left town without giving any account of himself beyond the fact that he represented certain private parties. Who these parties are is now the main question. Though Mr. Montgomery said nothing there were other visitors in town who were not as close mouthed, though none of them would talk for publication, but little hints were dropped and suggestive sentences were spoken that have caused many surmises to be made and some of them are probably pretty near the truth. Among other things it was stated that the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co., who held the bonds, could not legally own or run a railroad. At another time it was said that this company had too much money invested in these bonds to permit them to let the road be sold for $150,000. Some one suggested that what a company could not do as a corporation might perhaps be brought about by the members of the company separately as private individuals.
The conclusion reached is this, that some members of the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co. with probably some outside parties have formed a syndicate to buy the road. They will probably organize soon and operate the road. Because some of the men most largely interested in the Guaranty company are interested in the new move the price was permitted to be so low as it was simply transferring securities from one pocket to the other.
One of the parties in town Saturday talked a little about extending the road before he departed. It is believed that the road will be put in fine condition as regards the new bridges and the roadbed. It may perhaps be extended to South Otselic, but the big extension will probably not be begun before another year, though there seems little doubt but that it will be extended sooner or later. And the conclusion to be drawn from the remarks made is that where it will be extended and when will depend upon who will make the most advantageous terms among several railroads.
It will probably be extended to Hancock and Deposit. At the former place it will tap the Ontario and Western and at the latter place the Erie, giving two new lines to New York. Crossing the D. & H. at Nineveh it will open the door to New England and Montreal. But there is an idea that Deposit will not be the terminus of the road. The Pennsylvania railroad has long been trying to reach Syracuse and Lake Ontario. It is but a short distance-from Manunka Chunk, the present northern terminus of the Pennsylvania to Deposit. The course parallels the Erie road part of the way, but on the other side of the Delaware river. The Pennsylvania could make the connection and take advantage of the franchise of the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. to extend to Syracuse.
A Cortland man who is interested in this road has been putting together all the straws he could pick up from different things dropped by different parties who were in Cortland on Saturday and from what was said and from what he knows of the situation this is about the way he figures it out. Time will tell how correct he is.
BREVITIES.
—Local news on 3rd page today.
—A regular meeting of the W. R. C. will be held Tuesday afternoon at 8 o'clock.
—The Primary union will meet in the chapel of the Presbyterian church Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock.
—Miss Martha Roe gave a thimble bee this afternoon to a number of her lady friends at her home, 77 Railroad-st.
—The Brotherhood of St. Paul of the Homer-ave. M. E. church will hold a monthly meeting this evening at 7:45 o'clock.
—Cortlandville lodge, No. 470, F. & A. M., will confer the third degree at its regular communication Tuesday evening of this week.
—The young people of McLean and Groton gave Miss Anna Foote a pleasant surprise on Friday evening of last week at her home four miles west of Cortland.
—The remains of Mrs. A. M. Johnson are expected to arrive in Cortland at 7:09 o'clock this evening from Brasher Falls, N. Y. The funeral will be held from the First Baptist church at 10 o'clock A. M. tomorrow.
—Mrs. Clara Olds who attempted suicide Saturday morning recovered consciousness toward evening and her physicians now feel assured that she will soon be well again, as she has rallied steadily and constantly since returning to consciousness.
—New display advertisements today are—A. S. Burgess, Clothing, page 8; R. W. Mitchell, Meats, etc., page 5; W. J. Perkins, Paints, page 6; C. F. Thompson, Life Buoy soap, page 6; J. W. Cudworth, Optical talks, page 7; Sager & Jennings, Drugs and paints, page 7.
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