Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, November 20, 1872, Page 4

4 THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1872. i . TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION (PAYABLE IN mnxc;).’_o Bifeetintn S1E 08| Wl 5568 To prevent delay and mistakes, bs sure and give Past Office address in full, including State and County. Remittances may be made either by draft, exprass, Post Office order, or in registered letters, st ourrisk. TERMS TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. : 3 xcepted, 25 cents per week. g:fi;‘, ddi'fi!f.:g, Eondey Tachoded, B0 comts ber wook: Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Medison and Dearborn-sts., Chicago, TIL. Tarscse Branch Office, No. 469 Wabash-sv., In the Bookstore of Messry, Cobb, Andrews & Co., whers advertisements and subscriptions will be receised, and will have the same attention as if left at the Main Office. . CONTENTS OF TO-DAY'S TRIBUNE. FIBST PAGE—Washington, New York, and Miscells xneous Telegraphic News. SECOND PAGE—Periodica] Literature—Veterinary Sur- gery—The Farm and Garden—The Stato Capital Ring—Furopean Fire Departments [communication] —The Clark-Fovwell Trageds—A Family Troubled by Burglars—Trial of tho Rer. Robertson—A Remark- #ble Expodition—Parsonal Ttems. THIRD PAGE—The State Insurance Company Caso: Mr. N. C. Porkins, Asslgnee, Sustained—Horses and Hens—The Law Courts—Business Directory— Railroad Timo Table—Adrertiscments. FOURTH PAGE — Editorials : The Abstract Books Again; Swindling in Grain Freights; A New Excuso for Murder—Current News Items—City in Brief. FIFTH PAGE —Sale of Valusble Cattle— The Gas Question—Josh Billing’s Lecturo—Advertisements.. SIXTH PAGE—Monetary and Commercial. SEVENTH PAGE—Board of Health—Commercial Mat- ters—Marine Intelligenco—Small Advertisements: Real Estate, For Sale, Wanted, To Rent, Boarding, Lodging, Ete. EIGHTH PAGE—Miscellaneous Telegraphic News. TO-DAY'S AMUSEMENTS. M'VICKER'S THEATRE—Madison street, between State and Dearborn, Miss Maggie Mitchell, supported by Mr. L. B. Shewell. ** Pearlof Savoy.” ATRKEN'S THEATRE—Wabash avenue, corner of Con- gress strect. G. L. Fox Pantomime Combination. ** Humpty Dampty.” HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE—Randolph strect, be- tweea Clark and LaSalle. Third week of Abbott-Ki- ralfy Pantomime Combination, ** Schuetder; or dot Old House von der Rbine.” ACADEMY OF MUSIC—Halsted street. southof Madi- son. Eugagement of Charlotte Thompson. *‘One Wite," MYERS' OPERA HOUSE—Monroe streot, between Stzto and Dearborn. Arlington, Cotton & Kemble’s Minstrel and Burlesque Troupe. GLOBE THEATRE—Desplaines streat. between Madi- son and Washington. Vauderillo Entertainment. The @hieage Tribune, ‘Wednesday Morning, November 20, 1872. New York is troubled by a rumor, as yet un- zuthenticated, that the cholera has urrived in the lower bay. In apreliminary examination, Colonel Blood, the husband of Alrs. Woodbull, srrested with her for libel, failed ntterly, in the opinion of the Court, to justify his publication of the scandalons matter, and has been Leld for trial in 5,000 bail. If horses are lisble to sicken and die, they must, for pecuniery reasons if for none other, be treated with the nimost skill of medical science. In another column, Dr. Paaren mekes some interesting suggestions for tho establish- ment of & society of educated veterinary sur- geons, and .of & Boerd of Examiners, whose indorsement every surgeon will need in order to obtain any bsiness. 1In accordance with the stern discipline which pervades the public service of Great Britain, & London constable, who abetted efforts of the police forea to secure higher pay, was summarily dismissed from the service. Thefollowing day eighty policemen were discharged for mutinous manifestations of sympethy with their unfortu- nate fellow, and yesterday two hundred more were were suspended for the same reason. The President, it is now announced, will earry out the Cim:'i)nnafi Platform in a farther respect by recommending universal amnesty and a lib- eral policy designed to remit the South to locsl self-government. Secretary Cox was removed from the Cabinet for recommending just those measures of Civil Service Reform which the President is now defending. In Texas, the mails are still mainly carried by siages ; but the entire mail system of the State will be changed by the completion of the rail- road through the Indien Territory, which will permit through trains to be run from Chicago to Galveston by next month. All the through mails to and from the Gulf will be carried by this line, and another of the few old stage lines of the country which are still running will be supplanted. Dominican pride, saysa Judge Sullivan who has recently returned from San Domingo, was greatly incensed by the tone of the American press end of the Senate, in the discussion of the annexation question, butcan, he intimates, be eoothed by the purchase of the island on more liberal terms than those proposed last year. Still, Baez promises that his people will not force the matter on this country. Apparent- 1y as an inducement to the purchese, assurance is given of nnusually fine crops this year; bat it is not stated that, if we wanted these, we should haveto pay for them, evenif weowned the island, and that we can, if we wish, buy them without buying San Domingo. President Thiers was so distressed by the passage, by only an insignificant majority, of the recent vote of confidence in the policy suggested by his message, that he could mot sleep night before last, and now resorts to his usnal threat that he will resign unless he gets a full vote of indorsement. The Deputies of the Left promise to comply with his wishes; but a cancus of 280 members of the Right resolved to oppose any formal proclamation of the Republic, but wero willing to make Thiers President for life if e wonld fol_lnwa conservative policy. TUnless the Assembly ance more surrenders to the Presi- dent’s wishes, there will be a series ministeriel crisis in France. % e A Virginia Gelegation presented to President Grant, the othef day, the claims of the James Riyer and Kanavha Canal, which the Govern- ment is asked_to 2id, and our despatches to-day describe another scheme which seeks Federal belp. Surveys have been made by the War De- partment for a cansl which shall connect the AMississppi River with the Atlantic, using for three-fourths of the way such large rivers as the Tennesses end the Ocmulgee. This will insure s full supply of water during the gummer, and, as the route lies below the frost line,- the canal will be open all the yesr round. These advantages of open navigation the year round, and cheapness of construction,will ensble sight to be transported, it is said, by this line sfrom St. Louis o the seabpard for $4.88 & ton. IVill not somebody advertise in Mr. Scammon’s oewspaper, 50 that he canpay over that $40,000 to the Asgignee of the Muh‘n.!Secnrityl’nsmnce Company? This $£40,000 was paid into the tressury of the Company, in small sums, by merchants, mechanics; washerwomen, ete., in the form of premiums for policies of insurance. 1Mr. Scammon was Treasurer of the Company. We all know thit he is anxious to pay over the money to the Assignee 88 2oon a8 he can make that sum out of his newspaper. We hope that the mer- chants, mechanics, washerwomen, etc., who hold the policies of the Mutual Security Insurance Company, will come to the rescue, and, by the liberal patronage they extend to Mr. Scammon, enable him to pay over the $40,000. There is & rumor that open war has broken out between Mr. Frederick Douglass and Mr. John M. Langston, the latter of whom made an application for the office of "Solicitor General ‘before the election returns got cool. The cause of the trouble we do not know, but the animus of it may be inferred from the fact that Doug- 1ass says Langston is * an impndent, shallow- brained chap, who is always anxious to push himself forward,” and Langston retorts that Donglass is *“ a conceited, overestimated fellow, who looks upon the advancement of any other colored men as a slight to himself.” We arenot quite sure but that there may be a color of trath in both these estimates ; but we hope, for the sake of our newly-made citizens in general, that neither is as black as the other paints him. A correspondent suggests that the difficulties in thewayof getting ont the $44,000,000 of greenbecks, which Mr. Boutwell claims he has the right to re-issue, might be overcome by de- positing the whole sum*with J. Y. Scammon as & private banker. The greeubacks being simply past-due paper, Mr. Scammon might then declare the -Government bankrupt, ghut down on the money, and invite AMr. Boutwell to see him in the United States Court. This method, the writer thinks, is preferable to that suggested by another banker, of hiring Professor Wise’s balloon and sailing over the country, dropping the greenbacks on the heads of the people, because, while the latter method would be undeniably fair and impartial, it would not tend to relieve the particular stringency of which Mr, Scammon complains. The people of Boston have gracefully declined the assistance which thecountry was ready to ex- tend to them. ‘They have lost severely,—but not to an extent which would require them to accept charity. But there isamode in which the West, and, in fact, the whole country, can render her timely aid,—we doubt not, most wel- come assistance. Let merchants, and 2ll men who areindebted to Boston dealersand manufacturers, at once remit the cash, whether the accounts or notes are due or not. The extra effort which some may be obliged to make to do this will e more than compensated by the reflection that timely and proper aid has been given to our stricken sister city when she most needs it. We ‘happen to know that soma of our citizens have already acted upon this principle, and it is to be hoped that all who can will at once follow this good example. The Slate Journal, at Springfied, in its issue of the 18th, gives the vote of Illinois in full, and here are gome specimens of its so-called *‘ofi- cial returns ;" Grant. Grosley. Ogleshy. Eoerner. 319 3 1,719 121 1871 1,740 23 1,877 4100 236 2,118 ‘TrE TRIBUNE, of the 18th, gave the full voie of the State from returns furnished by County Clerks, and the full vote of the above named counties was : Greeley. Oglesby. Roerner. 115 1187 1,268 1,789 1248 1877 400 HRIs 4,430 observe, faithfully cop- ies the Journal ; and whoever sends despatches from Springfield seems very anxious to have the Springfield totals, npon such figures as here giv- en, edopted a8 the vote of Ilinois. The Alton Telegraph holds that Governor Oglesby is ineligible to the office of United States Senator, because the new Constitution of the State declares that ‘‘neither the Governor, Lientenant Governor, Auditor of Public Ac- counts, Secretary of the State, Superintendent of Public, Instruction, nor Attorney General shall be eligible to any other office during the period for which he shall have been elected.” The snswer to thisis, that the Constitution of the United States defines the qualifications of Senators and Representatives in Congress, and that no State can add to or subtract from those qualifications. The. same point was raised against the eligibility of Judge Trumbull, in 1855, he having been & Judge of the Su- preme Court of the State, and not having served out the term for which he was elected. The State Constitution then in force declared that no Judge of the Supreme or Cir- cnit Court should be eligible to any other offe during the period for which he was elected, nor for one term thereafter. - The question Was raised in'the Senate when Mr. Trumball pre- sented his credentials, and it wes decided forth- with that it was not competent for s State to declare who should or who should not be eligible toeither House of Congress. He was, therefore, admitted to his sest. Governor Oglesby will not have any difficulty after 3e passes the Illinois Legislature, and we gress he will not meet with much difficulty there. Abont two years ago, when the grain ware- honsemen were offended at some comments which were mpde in TeE CmicAco TRIBUNE, touching their method of conducting the ele- vator business, a delegation of them waited upon us, and one of them rather staggered us by asking this question: “Do you think we could afford to put ourselves in the power of our own employes?” How much force there was jn the interrogation appears from certain developments which were made public on the Board of Trade yesterday. From these develop- ments it appears thatin August laBt, when an official measurement Was mede at the ware- houses, to ascertain the exact amount of grainin store, certain bins in Munr & Scott's warehouses were provided with false bottoms, placed near the top of the bin, and covered with & sprink- ling of grain, by which deceit it was mado to ap- pear that the warehouses contained 109,000 ‘bushels of corn and 101,000 bushels of wheat more than was actuzlly in store, and for which amount receipts were outstending, - We under- ptand that it is the determination Gf Mr. Ar- mour, who has recently purchased the Munn & Scott warehouses, to protect the public against the receipts, but the fraud of the original par- ties still remains. I was & stupendous swindle, and it was owing to this and other methods of deceit, which were noised about by rumor, that public confidepce in the warchouse pusiness was 80 greatly ehaken two years ago. We are glad that there is a determination on the part of the Board to expose these rascalities, and correct them as far as possible. It cannot be done too soon or too thoroughly. The Chicago produce markets were generally stronger yesterday, and breadstufls were active. Mess pork was quiet, but firmer for future, clos- ing at $14.50@15.00 for old; $13.00@13.25 for new; 812.30@12.40 seller December, and $12.30 seller March, Lard was in better demand, and firmer at 734@75c cash or seller December, and 7T%o seller March. Meats were quiet and steady at 43¢e for part salted shoulders; 64@63c for do short ribs ; and 6%@7c for do short clear. Sweet pickled hams, 9{@}0¥c. Highwines were quiet and irregular, closing at 89c per gal- lon. Lake freights were quiet and 1c higher, at 11c for corn by sail to Buffalo. Flour was more active, and firm. Wheat was excited, and irregular, at 2@2}4c advance, closing weak at $1.07}¢ seller the month, and $1.073¢ seller De- cember. Corn was active, and 3{c higher, closing easier at 32}¢c geller the month, and 3134c seller December. Oats were more active, and 1c higher, closing at 23c seller the month, and 23%¢c seller December. Rye was quiet, and ad- vanced 1}4c, closing at 55¢. Barley was excited, and advanced 6c per bu, closing easier, at 680 for No. 2 cash, and 66c for seller the month. The hog trade was moderately active and easier. Prices were not quotably lower, however, salea meaking at $4.00@4.20. The cattle market was quiet and week. Sheep sold slowly at about last week's prices. The stocksof grain in stors on Saturday evening last were 582,257 bu wheat, 720,567 bu corn, 615,873 bu oats, 132,232 bu rye, and 306,734 bu barleye THE "“ABSTRACT BOOKS” AGAIN. The question of the purchase of the abstract books has been brought before the public again by areport of & new Committee of the County Commissioners, covering the decision of the Judges upon the matter. The report of the Committee is singularly inconsistent with that of the Judges. The Committee set forth that the result of aconference between the Judges, at which Messrs. Chase Brothers, Shortall & Hoard, and Jones & Scllers wero prosent, was the unanimous opinion of the Judges that, if any- thing was purchased by the county, it should be sall the books, papers, and memorands in the possession and under the control of the abstract men; that the owners thereupon sub- mitted a proposition to sell said books, etc., to the county for $750,000. The Committee (Sam- uel Ashton, John Crawford, and John Herting) then say: Your Committee would forther state that it seemed to be the unanimous opinfon of the Judges that there was an jmperative necessity for the county to become the owner of said property at whalever cost, provided it was within the bounds of reason and the ability of the county to meet the demand, Fortunately, however, the action of the Judges was not left to be reported in this man- ner; they tock the precaution of putting their opinions in writing. Judge Tres, acting as Sec- retary of the Judges' meeting, informed the Committee thus: GENTLENEN: T have been instructed by the Judges 1o inform your Committes that, with referenceto the purchsse of the memoranda of titles to the land in Cook County from Messrs. Chase Bros., Shortall & Hoard, and Jones & Sellers, they have nothing to add o the suggestion heretofore mide to the Board of Commissioners, that only originals should be pur- chased, and then only for such sum s can be patd by the county consistently with its other engagements; and that, with regard to the price which should be paid for such memoranda, the Judges, after full con- sullation, are compeiled to decline to fix any sum which they will approve until such time a8 the matter shall properly come before them for their official ac- tion in the manuer pointed out by theact of the Legis- lature suthorizing the purchase, Very respectfully yours, LaxDERT TREE, Secretary, CrIcaco, Oct. 31, 1872, Judge Willliams, Chairman of the Judges’ meat- ing, communicated the following resolution adopted by them: Resolved, That the Judges of the Superior and Cir cuit Courts decline to take any further or other action than that heretofore taken in reference tothe purchase Of the abstracts under the law of April 9, 1672, until such time as the Board of Commissioners of Cook County shall submit to them some definife proposition for their approval or disapproval. . S, WiLL1aws, Chairman, etc. CHicAGO, Nov. 1, 1872, Notwithstanding this, the Commitiee allege that the Judges indicated that they would “ap- prove the purchase by the county .at whatever sum the Board, in its judgment, and by its action, should offer.” And, therefore, they recommend the purchase, at some price to be hereafter fixed, payment to be made by the issue of twenty-year bonds, bearing interest at 7 per cent. The acc of the Legislature of April 9, 1872, authorized the Judges to examine into the state of the records of Cook County, and if they found any shstracts, copies, etc., which had been fair~ 1y made before the fire, they were to certify that fect, and also whether such abstracts * tend to show a connected chain of title” to the land in Cook County. This duty they have performed. The sct then provides that the County Board # may, with the approvel of the Judges of the Circuit and Superior Courts,” purchase such sbstracts. The Judges, vory prop- erly, confine themselves to such original papers 88 “tend to show 2 connected chain of title.” The question does not rest with them to advise the purchase or.to advise against it, nor to suggest a price. These are matters pertain- ing to the Board of County Commissioners. ‘When that Board has acted, then and not until then will the Judges consent to pass upon the matter. They will then have to approve or dis- approve the purchase of the whole or any part of the papers offered ; and they will have to ap- prove or disapprove the price offered for the same. preposterous o assume that the Judges have intimated or suggested, however remotely or in- directly, that there existed ‘“an imperative ne- cessity ” for the county topurchase the abstracts ‘“at whatever cost” within the bounds of reason sand the ebility of the county to pay; mor do we think it any more reagonable to believe that the Judges informed Mr. Ashton, Mr. Herting, and Mr. Crawford, ‘behind the door, that they would approve the purchase’at whatever sum the Board of Com- ‘missioners should decide to pay. The purchase of these papers was made subject to the approv- al of the Judges for the express purpose of protecting the public from the payment of “whatever price” a majority of the County Commissioners might be induced tooffer. It was never contemplated that the Judges should tell Messrs, Ashton, Crawford & Co. to go shead and make their contract, and the Judges would approve it, no matter what it was. We Go not believe that the Ji udges ever authorized any such statement, or even hinted atit. The need of purchasing these sbstracts at all has undergone considerable abatement since the 9th of October, 1871, Itwas then claimed, 2nd belioved, that the public were in danger of losing their property from an inability to show Under these circumstances, we think it" title, and it was somehow believed that these abstracts would re-establish titles supposed to have been destroyed. The abstract men, last spring, adopted the plan of delaying or refasing to deliver abstracts, with a view of creating an ‘“imperative necessity” for their purchase. But this game did not win. It was soon discovered that we cowld get along withont abstracts. The real eatate business of Chicago during 1872 has ‘been unprecedentedly large, both as regards the number of transfers andythe value of the prop- erty sold and mortgeged. The necessity of Paying $750,000, or any other sum, for these books, is growing less every day. Everyman in possession of real estatehasa title thereto, which stands good until a better is shown. These abstracts will not sustain a bad title, nor overthrow & good one. Four months g0, & report was made on this subject by Mr. Hitcheock and several other of the best mem- bers of ths Board of Commissioners, oppesing the purchsse of the abstract books at any price. The arguments of that report have never been answered, To pay $750,000 for-these indexes, in defiance of a clear and unanswerable exposi- tion of their inutility, is just that kind of legis- lation which the act of April, 1872, intended to prevent, by making the approval of the seven Judges of this county necessary. There isnothing 8o easy to some people as to spend putlic money. The =anthority to issue bonds is very tempting. This county is now taxed doutle what it was ever taxed in any year before. We have use for all the money that can be raised, by taxes or by loans, for purposes of sbeolute necessity. We have already added largely tothe county debt. In the next three years we must increase it to the full constitu- tional limit. Thus situated, this scheme to spend $750,000 upon the purchase of zhese‘ booksis trifing with the public interests, and looks likes job. We have got slong without them for a year; let us try and do so foranother year. & SWINDLING IN GRAIN FREIGHTS. Messra. Sykes, Wight, and Sturges, a Com- mittes of the Chicago Board of Trade appointed to invebtigate the abuse of the ‘“‘underbilling” of grain when ship- ped in bulk by reil, have made a report in the form. of & communication to tha Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners, which shows & mode of swindling equally injurious to honest shippers of grein, to the railroad companies, and to the elevators and grain trade generally of Chicago. This consists in issuing bills of lad~ ing at points where the grain is mot received from elevators, and where there-are no facilities for weighing it, at “shipper's weight,” taking the weight from the statement of the shipper, The shippers at interior points have thua been tempted to ‘* underbill ¥ the quantity or weight in order to eave rmilroad freights, and agents soliciting freights, when not allowed to ‘““catrates,” have comnived at this under- billing a8 &n indircot mode of allowing ship- ments at lowar.than the standard ratesof freight agreed upon by the competing companies. The dishonest shipper, by underbilling: saves a per~ centage on his freights which enables him to undersell his rivale. The railroad companies lose & percentage of their_ just charges, and the elevators and grain-dealers of Chicago and the other larger grain ports, where the grain is carefully weighed and underbilling ie impossible, are at & dieadvantage compared with interior points which do not weigh their grain. Ex- amples are given of the extent of this ‘‘ under~ billing,” as follows : Ten carloads of oats, sup- posed to be from Darlington or Mineral Point, unloaded at East Somerville, Mass., by G. P. Ray, City Weigher of Boston, between the 9th of March snd 12th of April last, were billed 20,000 Ibs per - car, or 900,000 1bs, and weighed, when délivered, 252,636 Ibs, an excess of 52,636 Ibs, the largest excess being 10,320 Ibs in one car, and the sma.llast, 8,840 Ids, and an average of 5,263 tbs, Here the shipper saved 263 per cent of the freights he ehould liave paid to the railroads. The latter carried 52,686 Ibs, or more thana fifth, of the grain without compensation, and the honest shipper and warehousemen saw themselves out- witted and under-bid by a kind of petty theft, wholly outside the range of legitimate enter- prige. Beven Blue-Line cars containing corn, sup- posed to be from Lens, IIl., via Illinois Central Railroad, were weighed out,—five at Lawrence and two at East Somerville, Mass. They were billed at 2 total of 146,000 1bs, and contained 219,634 Ibs, an excess of 73,634 Ibs, or over 50 percent. The excess averaged 10,519 Ibs per car. Thirty-nine cars received at Chicago from two country shippers, and unloaded on track (freight paid on 20,000 Ibs per car), showed an average excess of 7,428 Ibs, or 37 per cent over the amount on which freight was paid. Thirty-eight cars shipped from Chicago, in May and June, contained 15 per cent more grain than they were billed at and paid freight on. Fifty cars shipped in June and July contsined 9in excess of way-biil. A snfficient number' of additional instances are given to show the practice to be quite gen- eral, and whilé the report claims that shippers from Chicego cannot avail themselves like those from interior points of this trick, the statement annexed to the report, by a singular contradic- tion, contain 28 many shipments underbilled from Chicego as elsewhere. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company have adopted the rule of weighing grain-cars at Pittaburgh, and charg- ing first-class freights on all grain in excess of the amount stated in the way-bill. This, they think, has broken up the practice,’ 80 far 38 shipments over their road to points esst of Pitteburgh are concerned, The Committes recommend, as their remedy, that the present forms of bills of lading at “shipper's weight,” or ‘““more or less,” be discarded as unfit for the Purposes of commerce, and that, instesd, where weighing facilities do not exist at the point of shipment, the way-bill contain ' substan- tially this clause, * Not weighed ; to be weighed ab station; the weight there found will be the basis of way-bill, and gusranteed.” The car will then run to the first point where it can be weighed, the weight will be reported to the original station, and made the basis of the way-bill. This, itis thought, will cause wWeigh- scales to bo speedily supplied at all points where grainin any considerable quantity is loaded or unloaded. . The Committes slso suggest that the dis- position of shippers to cheat the railroads has been provoked in part by the arrogant policy of the railroads in refnsing fo become respon- sible to shippera for shrinksge, shortsge, and other waste of carrying. Shippers who paid freight’ on ‘the ~full ‘amount shipped and mamed ‘in the bills of lading, and fell short 500 Ibs st destination, not only lost the shortage, but actually paid the freight on-lost or stolen grain. Rather than do this, they began by allowing 500 Ibs or1,000 1bs excess to cover ehortage, and this soon grew. into the pleasant abuse of loading from a third.to a half more grain on a car than freight is paid for. This involves not only a reduction of freight re- ceipts, but a great wear and risk in the move- ment of over-loaded cars. The cars'are adapted .to carry about 22,400 Ibs each, and when the Toad is swelled to 30,000 or theresbouts, hot ‘boxes, broken axles, fires, delays, and other acci- dents are multiplied. It is mutually desirable to the shippers and railroad companies that both shall ascertain the sctnal amount of grain shipped at the moment of shipment, that the bill of lading shall state that amount, and that the railroad company shall be responsible for the delivery of exactly that amount, less a certain fived percentage for shortage. This 'is the contract made by water carriers, and it should be the contract made by the railroads. The Committee estimate that the average loes to tho railroads is the freight on fifty bushels of corn or ninety bushels of oats per car, which, at present rates of freight of 70 cents per 100 1bs between Chicago and Boston, is not far from twenty dollars per car for that traffic. This is & heavy pre- mium to dishonesty. It s Dot definitely suggested what manner of enactment by the State Legislature would afford any re- lief; but it is intimated that both Btate and National legislation might aid the railroads and shippers in making their contract more definite and more in accordance with their own and the public interest. We do not at present perceive ‘what legislation can put grain scales where there arenone, or cause railroad men and grain-ship- pers to put the true weight into their bills of lading if they think proper mutually to pra'ler 8 false one. But the evil is an evil, and whatever tends to abolish it will deserve the support of tho railroads, the grain trade, and warehouses, the legislators, the judiciary, and the country generally. BUICIDES AND BATH-TUBS. An unfortunate scion of English nobility, who for some time held the position of Lieutenant in the Thirteenth Hussars, recently committed suicide at Ottawa, Canads, the absurd act being |- the denouement of a love affair. We do not allude to this fact simply for the sake of chron- icling the Buicide of a nobleman. There is noth- ing particularly remarkable in that. Suicide is an infirmity which isnot confined to plebeians, and no particular class can lay claim to a mon-~ opoly of the absurb and low-toned practice. A fierce attack of love, working upon a shallow head and a weak mind, is just as apt to drive & nobleman to cold steel or prussic acid as it is to drive n grisette to her chafing-dish of charcosl. The peculiar feature of this suicide is the devel- opment it has mado concerning noble habits, The perticular nobleman, in this instance, boarded -with ono Mrs. Henderson, who for aught we know is a model land- lady, so that his untimely taking off is in nowise concerned with the excellencies or defects of her cuisine, nor due to any of those minor miseries which some of our af- flieted fellow-creatures have to suffer in board- ing-houees. There is nothing to show, in Mrs, Henderson's testimony, that. her late lamented noble boarder was anything but amodel boarder in point of prompt settlement of bills. He never complained of the fare. He wasn't out Iate nights, and never came home in such a con- dition that he couldn't find the keyhole of the front door. He nevef had his xoom full of boon and boisterous companions, making night hideons. Hohad none,of the Vices of the con- ventional boarder; but all the virtues of the nice young man, who peys his bills every Sat- urdsy night in ° advance, goes to bed early, and eecoris the landlady’s daugh- ters to church on Sundays. And yet Mrs. Henderson was not altogethes satisfied with her model boarder, and she explains in her testimony what it was that produced this dissat- isfaction. She says: “His conduct was mni- formly eccentric. He took a bath every morn- ing regularly. He also carried wood to the house. He insisted upon doing up his own rooms, and gave very little trouble in any way to the hostess.” This estounding statement inevitably gives rige to some startling reflections. Mrs, Hender- son must have had some knowledge of the habits of noblemen. Are we, therefore, to conclude that it is considered an eccentricity for a noble- man to take a bath and keep himself clean ? The few noblemen we have chanced to meet always seemed to wus to be models of cleanliness in person. When Albert Edward, some years ago, visited Chicago, and, more re- cently, the Duke Alexis, both these scions of royelty wore remarkably clean faces and hn.mis, and were scrupulously neat in their attire, elthoughneitherof them evidently were presided over by tailors who understood perfect fits. Their trousers were shockingly loose and baggy, but, at least, they wereclean. The noblemen of fiction are also very clean, and make their baths amatter of bossting. Disraeli, who knows all gbout them, ag well as Bulwer, invariably make their noblemen pinks of perfection as to cleanli~ ness and neatness. Mrs, Henderson's idea of eccentricity may be, however, a matter of board- ing-house prejudice. The -etiqueite of Conadian boarding-houses may not’ recognize the taking of baths every morning. RMrs. Hen- derson’s boarding-house in partidular may be an ultra-democratic establishment. She maybe s violent Red Republican for sught we.know, and if go, then it is by no means curious that Citi- zeness Henderson objects to baths, Inthe days of the Reign of Terror, & clean shaven face car- ried & man to the guillotine and & womsn's white hand invariably cost her her head. Tt isn't always safe to be over clean even in Chicago., A man with a white ehirf is pretty sure to be re- garded with. suspicion by the colored-skirted canaille, and if to this he adds clean handa and & recently barbered head, he is pretty sure to be gingled out 8s & proper victim to be aseauli- ed wupon very slight provocation by the representatives of dirt and democracy. -1t may be that this is the proper view of the ufifortunate nobleman’s eccentricity. There is a third suggestion to which Mrs. Henderson's testimony gives rise. Did the nobleman commit suicide becauss he took baths regularly? Is there any occult connection between baths and suicide? Will Dr. Rauch give us his views on this subject? Water had much to do with. bphe- lis’s death. At least, it was remarked, when she was dragged from the muddy brook, that she had too much water. Ar#we having too much water, and is it likely to lead to suicide? These are guestions which Sanitary Superintendents should carefully examine and report upon. The mere matter of this nobleman's suicide is of little consequence. The market is over- stocked with suicides. They are too absurd for consideration, and the man who commits one is guilty of a breach of good tasts which does not entitle him “to~ posthumous sympathy. The-| manner, however, is of grave import. Mrs. ‘Henderson'’s testimony shows one of three things,—either it is an eccentricity for a noble- man to keep himself clean; or, the taking of baths is an eccentricity in & Canadian boarding- house ; or, bathing has a suicidal tendency. A NEW EXCUSE POR MURDER- Tondon has recently had amurder trial, result- ing in the acquittalof the murderer, on the ground of insanity. The case differsfrom the class of ‘insane murders” familiar to the American people, based nupon emotional sberra~ tion, incases of jealousy, marital deception, illicit love, breach of promise, divorce, Y...other rela- tions of the sexes. The Londuu 6388 of insanity was simply the temporary result of excessive drink, known popularly as delirium tremens. The murder was one of peculiar atrocity. The aspassin Taylor, & laborer, had lived with & woman for many years and bad two children,—a boy of 14 and an infant danghter. - One even- ing, when Taylor had been drinking, the boy was sent for his father's wages, brought them home, threw himself upon the bed, and fell asleep. ‘When he aw oke, he saw his mother lying beside bim dead. * You have killed my mother,” the boy shouted to the man who sat near him. *Yes, and you shall see how it was done,” was the man’s reply. He immediately struck the boy with a heavy iron bolt, with which he had al- ready murdered the woman and the infantchild, The boy alone recovered, and it was his testi- mony which left no doubt as to the kill- ing. The murderer was arrested, and began by cutting his throat and tearing the wound open after it had been dressed ; he then jumped out of a window and otherwise conducted him- self like a man maddened by grief or remorse; but, subsequently, he settled down into & rational state. The trial has just been con- cluded by & verdict of acquittal. These are the main points of the case, but there were certain sggravating circamstances. Once before, Tay- lor had mede a murderous asssult upon the womsn. It was onlya few days before the final murder that he stabbed her with a fork, inflicting a severe wound. He was ar- rested for this, but the woman de- clined to appear ageinst him, and he was discharged. Testimony st the trial also brought out the fact that Taylor was perfectly familiar, with the influence which drlnk had upon him. He had asked some of his comrades whether it was drink that threw him into these paroxysms of rage, and, when assured that it _was, he had promised to give it up. The evi- dence, then, was complete, not only that he had murdered two persons and nearly murdered another, all intimately related to him, but that he was fully aware of his own dangerons pro- pensities when drunk. Tn acquitting Taylor of his horrible butchery under such evidence as this, an English jury has carried the privileges of constructive insanity further than ever before. The prominent Ameri- can cases in which temporary excitement, used 88 synonymons with emotional insanity, has been regarded 28 sufficient reason for the ac- quittal of murderers, have all been founded upon some chivalric sentimental consideration for woman. In the Taylor case, however, there were none of these sentimental or emotional excuses, whether true or false. It was a brutal murder committed by a man who 'was at least responsible for putting himself in the condition that prompted it, and the result of bad personal habits as well as the outgrowth of a depraved nature. This may be insanity; bat, if it is, then it is time that the laws should define what kind of insanity shall justify mur- - der and what kind shall not. There is one phase of the Taylor case, how~ ever, which seems to teach a useful lesson for all communities. Had this man been properly prosecuted for his previous vicious assaults, and punished as he deserved, it is probable that the murder wonld never have been committed. The laws of all countries seem to be defective inf the way of punishing unsuccessful attempts at ‘murder as they onght to be punished. The msjority of people Who cominit murder have previously indicated a readiness to doit ‘whenever occasion should present itself. Bui, while the 1aw considers the intent as vital as the deed, it takes little or no cognizance of the in- tent unless it be accompanied by fatal results. If to the long list of temporarily insane condi- tions under which murder may be committed with impunity, that of excessive drunkenness is to be added, it is time that we should have some legal restraint applied to habitual drunk- ards. The Cincinnati Gazetle makes the prevalence of the horse disease in that city the occasion for suggesting some changes in the fuueral customs of our country. The dissblement of the horses in all large cities has rendered it al- most impossible to secure the number of car- riages which are regarded ag desirable, or as necessary to the observance of the, pro- prieties of the occasion, and it i8 sug- gested that the demsnds of custom in this regard should be modified. There is no doubt that the large ‘expense of funerals, chiefly occasioned by common vanity of having & long string of carriages, is beyond the means of numbers of those who incur them 2sa con- cession to what other people will think and say. Ttis also argned, with considerable justice, that this practice of s general attendance st the grave becomes an intrasion upon the grief of the real mourners at the moment of final parting. It is undoubtedly true that it would be better in many respects if the general attendance of friends and acquaintances were limited to the preme Court, 71,385 ; Brov for Hamburgher, 4,459, Jority will not be less than.: . —General Whitthorne's . for Congress, in the Columt: abont 2,000. The election « has heretofore been report —Distant Pemtina giv' - Grant, and without a scrat —0'Conor’s strength lay vote there is less than 6,0 en's district he got 1,156 3 i in another, 535. —The Legislature of C geasion this winter, will ca of the people, & year ago, ¢ to revise the Constitution] of delegates—which the Cc- be on the eame basis as the of the House of Represen” dered on the first Monday in; ‘vention he required to meet THE CITY IN Evervthin, The Hon. Jesse W. Fell, ‘¢ the city yesterday. 4, Mrs. E. Cady Stanton’s lectur.. Republic” will be delivered Friday W: 0. Davis, Esq:, publisherof th.. ton Pantagraph, was registered at Kuiiti yesterday. L The polico force took 998,514.75, snd the F. Dopartment $17,002.16, from the City Trei urer's office yesterday. _Hon. Geo. D. Darwin, Vice President of ! Firemen's Fund, San Francisco, arrived in twy city yesterdzy, and is at the Sherman House. vy The infant son of Lafayette Martins, residing \ at No. 39 Brown street, was choked to death yes~ terday forenoon while attempting to swallow a piece of sugar. The digcovery of fire in the two-story brick ‘building No. 51 South Halsted street, uccr{nioned th:! nll(nrm r:m(wlan Box 275 at & quarter past o'clock yester: evening. The e, ¥e g y 8. e damage wag Miss Sarah Smiley, the Quaker preacher, will speak again this evening in thapFimt Congre« gmcg&é Chsum‘li:; '1.'1[:13t hcg:aa was densely crowded on Sunday night, and man; away who could noyt geg_b in. esiple pans Betting on the dste’when the State stress ‘bridge will be ready for use is a popular pastime ” among North Siders. There does not appear to be the slightest probability that the structura will swing this winter, i There has been a noticeable decrease in the number of degmwhfions by horse thieves, in this city, since the advent of the epizootic. Fow complaints of this character are made at Police Headquarters now, Theloss of several valu- able ox-teams has been reported, however. The cangragafion of Trinity Church are re= minded that the first of = series of church socia~ bles, and other entertainments, for the coming winter will be held this evening, at the residence ~7* of the Rev. E. Sullivan, No. 919 Wabash avenue, corner of Twentieth street. Proposed plans for the new church will be on view. g The nuisance towhich attention was ealled in yesterday’s TRIBUNE,—that of street stages run under false pretences,—was promptly dealt with yesterday by Officer Silver, of the Mayor’s po~ ice, who paid his respects to the two drivers complained of, and compelled them toput the proper sign-boards on their 'buses. A young man, named Henry Osborne, eme ployed as timekeeper at McCormick's Building, on Kinzis street, near North Clark, accidentally fell from the second story to the basement, yes- tordsy_afternoon. Ho is supposed to be fatally injured. Ho residos at No. 118 Desplainos street. % A large number of workmen were employed yesterday in preparing South Clark strest, from the bridge to Washington street, for the ties and _ railg n&'clb]n which the new street car lineis to ran. . The contractors anticipate that track, will be 1aid to Twelfth street, the southern terminus of the extension, by the close of the gzu: if the. ‘weather does not interpose serious obstacles. An inguest was held at the Union_Park Police w Station yesterday, on the body of Patrick Kin- ney, who was killed in the capsizing'of & coal cart at the corner of Ashland avenne and Jack- 8on street, on Monday evening. Deceased was a resident of No. 115 Bunker street. He was married, and the father of geveral small children. The Pergonal Liberty League held a secret meeting, yesterday afternoon, over Hass & Pow- ell's livery-stable, No. 23 West Madison street. After s stormy debste-of nearly four hours’ duration, it was decided to hold & mass meeting, in opposition to the Temperance law, some day next week. A committes, consisting of Messra. Medlener and Severs, was appointed to procura ahall and make the necessary arrangements. The Oak Park Literary Society has arranged an attractive programme for the winter. In ad= dition to their regular semi-monthly literary ex~ erciges, & course of lectures has been determin= edupon. Rev. William Alvin Bartlett opened the course on Monday evening at the First Con=~ gregational Church, Oak Park, with his new lece ture entitled ‘‘ Down to Date.” In December, Professor E. M. Booth, the elocutionist, wi give readings in connection with a first-class musical entertainment ; in January, R. E. Hoyt will deliver his new lecture on * Facts and Fole Ties ; Mlrs. Livermore will sppearin February, and other lecturers will follow. Citizens of Chicago were regiatered in Earope, on the 2d inst., a8 follows: Paris, O. Brewster, . C. V. Dyer and family, Alsxender Ewing, 4. G. Garfield and family, Aliss A. E. Hobart, ) Jackson, J. S. Lawzence, W. H. D. Letwis, MacCougall, Mrs. H. H. and Miss Eate Porter, Mrs. C. D. Rhodes, Enoch Root, Mrs. Schultz and family, Mrs. Singer, 3Ir. and Mrs. Sykes. gervices at the house or church, while the re- mains should be placed in their last resting- place by the family and most intimate friends only. —_———— a POLITICAL. Virginia politicians are anxionsto have either H. H. Wells or Ro. V. Hughes in Grant’s Cabi- net. *‘Who's Akerman ?” —General A. H. Colquitt withdraws in favor of General John B. Gordon for Umited States Senator of_Georgia. ¥ —It 18 ot forgotten that the Missouri Legis- Iature elects a Senator this winter. The St. Louis Republican ssys: Here are a fe:v names mentioned in connection with the Senatorship to be filled by the Legislature that meets in January : Francis P, Blair, John A. Phelps, A. T. Glover, Silas Woodson, James Craig, Trusten Polk, Waldo B, Jobn- son, Thomas C, Reynolds, George C. 'Vest, William H, Hatch, James O, Broadhead, Willism A_ Willard P. Hall, Joseph Brown, Wm. B. Napton, John F. Bhil- dg)s, John B, Chrk,“:‘l:‘mas 8, Bamns,p Ia:‘l.l V. Bogy, etc. —For the Speakership of the Missouri Leg- islature, Judge James K. Bheley, of Jackson, Robert L. Wilson, of Girardesu, and Colonel Mortimer Mecllhany, of Audrain, are named. —Susan B. Anthony and the eight or ten other females of Rochester, N. Y., are not to enjoy notoriety alone. Two females voted at Brownstown, Ind., and one at Topeks, Eansas. —The Virginia Legislature will meet on the first Wednesday of December, and not on the first Monday. B & - —Returns from sll bub thxe;:lonnfies—c.gg_ 0 of the Cen Grangd Divis- gx:.rk'd‘:ad g&%zhlr, for Clerk of the Su- | TLiverpool, 3fr. Ande Mr. Whitman. - Nice, Charles Enickerbocker, Charles S. Munn, Brussels, G._V. Holder. Heidelberg, Mr. and Mrs, A B. Hitchcock. Rome, Mrs. G. P. A Healy, Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Horner. Florence, Mrs. B1. A. Roberts, Cyrus True. A police officer found a man, named Francis Reddy, lying on the prairie near the corner of Halsted street and Waupanseh averue, on Mon~ day evening. He was evidently suffering from acute pain. The officer conveyed him to the nearest drog-store, and sent for a doctor, but death had taken place before the latter's arrival. From papers found in the man's_pockets, it is anpgsose that he resided at No. 1577 South Hal- ted street. An inquest has not yet been held, but death is belisved to have been cansed by heartdisease An interesting experiment is shortly to be made which throw light on the subject of sxgmgmshu;i fires on the upper floorsof tall buildings,—the _great peril of city fires. The Grand Pacific Hotel is supplied with standing iron pipes four inches in diameter, opening with a cap at the sidewalk, and with hose couplings on each of the six floors of the build- ing. The designisto attach one of the steam fire engines to the sidewalk coupling, and send water to any of the six floors, saving the burst- ing of hose, to say nuthing of the time required in taking up the lead of hose. A public trial is presently to be made of these pipes, nsing the most powerful of the steamers, and it will be shown what kind of a stream, and how mach water can be delivered effectively, at a height of 110 feet aboye the sidewalk. The man who was killed by a run-away team, at the corner of Canal and Kinzie streets, Mon~ ~ day evening, was identified yesterdsy morning as John Kruger, a German laborer, aged 36 years, who lived at No. 551 North Halsfed street. Coroner Stephens empanelled a jury and began an inquest. “Several persons who had witnessed the accident were examined. The testimony of many of them went toshow that the driver of the frightened horses, Dennis McCar:hy, was in- toxicated and incapable. of managing s tesm. The jury adjourned until 11 o'clock this fore- noon in order to admit of the production of far- ther evidence. McCarthy is in custody at the TUnion Street Station, awaiting the result of the inguest. Josh Billings will never agein lecture on any particalar breed of cockroa If he talks about the insect at all, he will discuss the whole fami- ly. His anaiety to possess a live and intelligent specimen of the * pensive cockroach,” expressed in Mondsy’s issue of TrE TRIBUNE, has been the means of making him acquainted with every style of cockroach known to the entomologist. His friends have spared neither _tima mor expense to gratify his desire from their large private collections. Yes- terday geveral animated gmknges, directed to Josh Billings, were left at the Gardoer House. 1t was found ng:n examination that they contained lively crowds of lovely cockroaches of all sizes and tempers. The laundress sent her contribution in his washing. Josh spent & very pleasant afternoon with them in his cham- ber, studying their different natures and man~ ners. :He returns- his thanks to the donors. Exed. Gould hnpg!, they will visit the G“g'::é ouse 8| . @ guarantees that the clerk lbxfimx:!mms them with & club.