Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 24, 1876, Page 3

alookat her once, and 2T «Doyou know Mr. N. 8. Bouton?” «Yes, I know him, but that barre} — “ What did he ever say about the Home" “Hegald it was a fraud; 2 rank fraud. He told me £0 a year azo when I wasin the News- ‘boys' Home.™ He used to have some sort of in- terest, or something or anotherin it, but he got diseusted, avd I heard him say it gvas o frand. 1 was teiling you alout that barrel.” “What 1§au,t ity “1Why, they’ve got a barrel. of kerosene out 1n their barn, just adjoining mine, and we are al] liable to be burnt up any moment.” It may be mentiored here, as fllustrative of the way the institution was run, that it is de- linquent one B)fl'ear ou its water taxes. It owes $16, but the Board was persuaded not to have the water cut off. : > The oftice on Randolph street is an. attenu- ated intelligence office.” During the year it took in 8119, and it cost $500. There seéms to have becn no reason why it should ever have ex- - A58 8MITH, - A &ar 250 last November 3Miss Kathleen A. Smith came to Chicago, and was introduced to Mrs. Walbert. Her credentials were excellent, and, through the influence of 'some ladies, Miss Smith was employed in the down-town. office of thé concern. During the time he has been en- gaged in hunting the matter up, the reporter has met ber {requently, and, carly in the investiga- tion, made up bis mind that she .was perfectly innocent of any kmowledge of the peculiar trans- actions of thé Society. When 5. Walbert hesitated sbout showine the books, Miss Smith ber to make a complete showing of the honestly believing that everything had peen conducted fu a plain, straightforward'man- ner. « Last night the reporter waited on ' Miss Smith and told ber of thescharges made against the institution. For a moment she was completely crushe The tears rained over-her face and she seemed ftunned, She had known nothipg of what was going on. -A mere routine of office daties had becn assizned to her, and all she had ever done had been under ‘Afrs. Walbert's in- stractions. Mrs. Walbert had kept the books, and the clerk had supposed the Home to be all that was claimed for it. 'Bhe did not know how much money had been received, nor where it went. She had performed the duties set onk {or her, and had performed them cheerfully, all unconscions of what was golnz on around ber. “] can hardly believe this. It is too terrible,” * And then the reporter patiently went over the whole story, pointing out the discrepancies in the books, and giving her the names of the au- thors of all the stories. He aliuded to Mrs. Welbert’s disinclination to show the records. *Yes, I wondered at that; and I told her ot the time she had better show them. I didn’t think of anything wrong. It never occurrcd to me that it could be possible there was anything outof the way. 1had always heard the Home was asplendid charity, and 1 always belicved it, and really thought so too.” y “Did you know how much money was re- ceived or spent «1 never knew anything about it."” - “Had vou never before heard any of thess storles?” “ Never before in m{ life. I never heard snything but good of the Society. How could It Ihave always been here in the office.” - “What are you goingto dai “Ah!I can’answer that. Iam golng to leave here to-night. I can’tstey with cven such sus- picions against the Society.” - : Shesat down and wrote hastily, and then handed a sheet of paper to the reporter: “Carcsco, Dec. 23.—The elatements concerning the mantgasent of the Good Samaritan Society make it net! }r;r\' for me to abandon all connection with it. and »!&Y? my position of Secretary, to take effect immediately. = KATHLEEN A, SuiTH. * “That is the end of it,” said she; “I can’t stay here any longer. This is_the aost awful thing I cver Beard of.” And then she locked the door and went home. STOP YOUE CONTRIBUTIONS, In wishing all institutions a merry Christmas, Tre TRIBUSE Tegrets the cxistence of an estab- lishment which, in its hungry cravings for con- tributions, has drawn large” amounts of money from really des g charities. In this exposure of the * Good Samaritan Society ? Tz TRIBUNE bas been actuated by & kindly sympathy for the large-hearted people who turn with pleasure to ~the dnty of resculng_c' the poverty- stricken and anforturate m danger and suiflering. Large cities demand large bestowals of momi{ in theaid of those whose exertions are wholly inadequate to the securing of their own .lappiness, and genercus - men and ‘women step forward, and careless of comfort or convenience devote their energies to the alle- vigtion of distress and the consolation of the sorrowing. That success should attend the ef- forts of such ladics and gentlemeh is patural from the generous dis%usition of our people, and that such success showld induce adventur- ers to attempt a pretended imitation of charita- ble labors is not unnatural inthe light of the inventive spirit of the age. The winter bids fair to be cold, and the amount of suffering~is daily on the increase. Every week develops new burdens for the be- nevolent institutions, and with them come fresh appeals to the contributing class of the com- . munity. It becomes necessary, then, to weed out the weak sisters and to divert the money subscribed “into deserving channels. Among these, the one that flows into the “ Good Sa- maritan Home * can scarcely hope for classifica- tion. - Within its four walls and from all around withont 1t come denunciations of tho concern. As a “‘Home,” it has gone down in 2 bitter fail- ure. Its business-office has been transformed into an intelligence shop, which has not paid its running expenses. Mouey subscribed for the supposed many has gone, God knows where. But this exposure of that concern should not stop free giving to deserving institutions. It merely suggests care in sclection. ——— ) Never Too Late to Learn. ¢ St. Louis Christian Advocate. . Bocrates, at an extreme old age, learned to play on musical instruments. * ¢ Cato, at 80 years of ago, learned to study the Greek lsnguage. Plutarch, when between 70 and 80, commenced the study of Latin. Boceaceio was 35 years of xl:ffsa ‘when he com- menced his studies in light literature: yet he Lecame_one of the greatest masters of the Tusean dialect—Dante and Platarch being the other two. 5 - 8ir H Spelman neglected the eclences in his youth.but commenced the study of them when he was between 50 and 60 years of age. After this time he became 2 most learned ao- tiguarian and lawyer. s A . Johnson applied himself to the Dutch language but 2 few years before his death. Ludovico Monaldésco, 4t ‘the great age of 115, wrote the memoirs of his own times. Ogilby, the translator of Homer and Virgil, was' unacqueined with Latin and Greek till he ‘Was past 50, ¥ - . . Franklin d@id not fully commence his phil- osophical piursuits ilil he hiod reached Lis 50th Ltli)ryflci'n‘}lln his Bsfig‘ear; fcpx?manmd rt:: tims: 2tion of the Iliad, Lis most pleasing production, We ould go on and cite thousands of ex- amnles of men whd commenced 3 new study, éiher for iivelihood or amusement, at 2n advanc- age. . Bul cvery one familiar with the biog- np?f of driingnished men will recollect in- dividual euscs enongh to convince him that none bat the sici. and indalent will ever say, I am too old to learn. [ ——— & Joaguin Miller.' & et New Tork Trivune. ; The pew poem on which Josquin Miller is en- geged describes the burning of a Fifth avenue Inansion, end the rescuc of a woman by a Cali- fomia rauchero, ‘who -scales-the frout of the house by.the lintels, etc., the beantiful names of as mcnfion:& a few days ago, Mr. Miller obtained from an architect. On a trip fo Green- Wood a few days azo, to witness the unveilingof 1lie Greeley monument, Mr. Miller had the mis- firtune to e confined in a coupe with a city editor, who has not the least sense of the po- elic To him Mr. Miller confided that he brought his hero on the scene of the burning mousion on horseback, and was greatly aston- ished to hear the practical city editer in 8 half-interested way ask, “How do you 5:2 him joside -the police lines st the 1 Mr. 3iller was puzzied; and at his re- ;l“mhls compavion explained that the ormed a condon around every block on which & fire rages, und exclude all persons exeept fire- mew, reporters, and others having iges. “Besides,” was added, “Dby the time you bring Your rancherg to the scene the insurance patrol ‘Wwonld Lave obstructed tho street with rescued from the burning mansion and adjacent louses. Your hero couldn’t by any chance get inside the lines.? Mr. Miller was equal to the Oceagfon. Clapping his bends, which seems to be 2 favorite a5 well as natura) method of ex- Préssing delight and enthusiasm, lic exclamed, * Bravo, bravo! he skl ride ’em down!™ o 4 Novel Rsin-Producer. & erdinand Habermann, saye the \Wimmers (New Zealend) Star, s becn gromulgnt_in:,' 2° govel Scheme in Horshom for producing rain.. He asks Ihe dietrict 1o join in constructing a number of oone seven feet in dismeter. He proposes to 24 these with suflicient gas to carry them into the Zeglons of the rainy ciouds, and 1n cach of the bal- loons a canister of powder.. When snfiiciently in the air bo would light the powder by means f fuse and the cxplosion thus_caused by (8ay) 3 ©of charges going off at the same time in'the Duldst of the rain-clouds, would, he thinks, break WV hether anything more than smoke would Pemaing to be proved. - -+ SRR ASTIMES. Some Observations on a Base- Ball Nuisance. Various Bits of News from League Cities, Showing How the Hartfords Low= ered the SalarysList, St. Louis’ Latest Accession to Their vPlaying Strength. Sketch of the Programme for the Trot- ting Circuit of 1877. How to Revive the Billiard In- terest of the West. Interesting Trap-Shooting Event at Dex~ ter Park To-Morrow. All Sorts of Points from All Sortsvf Points for Ohristmas, BASE-BALL. THOSE WHO WERE LEFT OUT. A correspondent expresses bis obligation for Information about next year'sLeague 1ines,and, in the same sentence, asks for'a'list of players, by clubs, who took part in League games last season, and who are not yet engaged for 1877. There is a difficulty in making such a list, be- cause some of the players who would; be ' thus, put down as disengaged have entered into con- tract with semi-professional clubs, and there 15, of course, 1o record of such engngements. Fol- lowing is, however, the full list, as the returns stand on their face. Players of 1876 not engag- ed for 1877 2 ATHLETIC. s Tiau, Meyerle. Eggler, Fisler, Ritisrson, Knight, MMalone, *Coons, Zettlein, Paul, Fonser, Bushong, *Laferty, Mullen, Beruh, *Warner, Curren, Ward ROSTON., ' *Whitney, dley, McBride, McGinley, S. Wright, Parks. CIICAGO. *Andrus, Bielacki 0. Pearson, Williams, Sweasy. *Ficlds, 7 nARTFORD, D. Allison, *Cummings, *Afiils, LOUISVILLE, Clinton, Fulmer, *Holbert, Hastinze, A, Allison, Bechtel, Somerville, *Carbine, lins. i MCTUAL. s Craver, Booth, F. Treacy, Tayes, - *Nichols, Thayer, West, Heubel, Larkin, P. Treacy, . Valentine, McGuinness, Shandly, - Maloney, Hetneld. sT. Loom. Cuthbert, *AMack, Pearce. Rumors that Higham has been relensed by Hart- ford and West enzaged by Boston are not credited inthe above table. ‘Thoge players who arc pretty certainly engaged In semi-professionn] nines are marked with a starr 5 CONCERNING AN EXCRESCENCE. When, by its rapid growth in popularity, the game of base-ball assumed the proportions of a national institutipn, one of that class of bum- mers who prowl around’the borders of civiliza- tion to subsist on stolen fragments fasteued himself upon its ontskirts with & tenacions clutch. _The methods pursued by this “bum » are designated in the snnals of the gameas ¢ Chadwickian,” and consist in the systematic theft of the fruits of othcrs’ labors; inciting discord betweer clubs and players; swindling the rising generation with sparious vlaying- “guides?; deceiving the public with lying pub- lications; indiseriminately branding players as dishonest, managers as jockeys, and club asso- elations as unprincipled and mercenary; andin various ways employing the engines of mendac- ity to barter away the lhonmored record of the game for the price of & sensational news- paper article. The trade of professional Iying must be at 2 premium fn New York, when such 2 person as Chadwick can command the col- umns of a newspaper to champion swindling and cast discredit upon the efforts of honorable men. to purge the game of frauds. Of course Chadwick bates the League on tho same princi- ple that Satan is believed to hate * holy water,” a0d omits no opportunity to show his venom toward do institution that, at its very inception, had spurned him as a disreputable character. In his first publication after the adjonrnment of the League Convention Chadwick stated, in the midst of a brief but comprehensive assort~ ment of lies concerning it, that owing to the length of time occupied in the discussion of the Athletic matter, the session of the League was s0 protracted that, ‘‘In conseauence, our report of the proceedings failed to reach us in time for this edition.” The facts are that the Athletics and Mutuals were expelled in less than an hour after the Convention met; that in the edition from which the above s quoted ap- pears the Leaguc’s Address vo the Public,” which was not fssued uutil aiter the adjoura- ment of the Convention; that Chadwick had no representative at the Convention; and that “our report of the proceedings * printed in his last edition was, to the extent of all facts con- tained in it, taken bodily from Tue TRIBUNE'S published report. ‘The following extracts will serve to illustrate the identity, it matters of fact, of TnE Trin- UNZ'S reporl::,u])ublished Dee. 10, with that pub- lished by Chadwick a week later 2s * our report of the proceedings s The Tribune Report. ! The Clipper Report. OrrIcERs—After clos-i OFPICERS—After clos- ing the consideration of'ing the consideration of the rules, the Leaguethe roles, the Lesgue proceeded - to _eelect aiproceeded *to_select u ‘Board by drawing from ajBoard by drawing from a hat in which were cards hat in which were cards with the namesof all thelwith the names of all the clubs. The names came clubs. The names came ontin the following or-lout in the following or- der: Boston, Louisvilie, lder: Boston, Louisville, Hartford, Chicago, St.{Hartford, Chicago, St. Louis. The membere of Louis. Tho members of the Board will probably the Board will probably ‘e Messre. Porter, Chuse, ibe Messrs. Porter, Chas Bulkeley, luloert, and'Bulkeley, Lulbert, an Fowle. The first-named Fowle. ~The first-named will, itis expected, suc-;will, it is expected, suc- ceed MMr. Apollonioin the'ceed Mr. Apollonio fn TLoston Club. After thethe Boston Club. After: Directors bad been select--the Directors had been od, Mr. Apolionio wasselected, Mr. Apollonio nominated by Mr. Hul-‘was nominated Ly Ar. of Chicago, sec-!Hulbert, of Chicazo, sve- ondéd, and bearly 2p-ionded, and bLeartily op- proved for President, but/proved for President, bit declined the honor, ea leciined the honor, suy+ ing that it wae doubtfuliing that it was donbtful whetherhe woutd be con-lwhether he would be con- pected with the Doston'mected with the Boston Ulub for anotber year.|Club for another year. ki-{Mr. Hulbert, of the Chi- Ar. Hulbert, of the C! r. 'ty o tus G go Chi ‘was _taenicago Club, S imondly - " elected|unanimously - elected President. Mr. Young|President. 'Mr. Young was re-clected Secretary, |was re-elected Secretary, with an increased xalary, [with an increared salary, and a highly compliment-|and 8 highly compliment- ary resolution passcd tojary resolution passed fo Lig credit. A resolutionthis credit. A resolution Jeaving the publication of{lesving the publication of the Association code of|the Association code of rales in the hands ofirules in the bands of the Secretary was then|the Secretary was then adopted. + ladopted, But, as to all features roftthhe roccedh’:gup ;hnt involved the policy of e League - ing the game onmuds and improving its exfi» bition, while getting his information of its action from' TARE TRIBGNE, Chadwick garbles the facts and falsifies the motives governing the Convention. In defending the swindling clabs expelled by the League, he asserts that the ‘Board unanimously recommended the ex- pulsion of the Athletics 60 as to enable Bradley and Anson to play in the Chicago nine. As Chicago was not represented on the Bosrd, and 25 that body consisied of delegates from the Jeading rivals of the Chicago Ciub, it must bo cvident to the dullest comprehension that, had the action of the Board been guided by con- siderations of playing strength of Leaguc niues:_ jts recommendation would have been exactly the reverse of that reported to and adopted by onvention. % thisc to the Mutuals, Tae TRIBUSE correctly stated that ¢ The Matuzl Club did-not put i’ &n ap] nce, but. C:.mmey«:rilus managery had written some time gince that ho ‘acknowledged the corn ? and that ‘it was nouse for the League to have rules if it did not_enforco lfimm. Chudwick renders this as follows: ‘No one appeared for the Mutnals, 5ir. Cn,x'nmeycr not caring to join the League this year.” (1) No subjects came before the ‘Convention that received more caretul _considoration than ‘the THE CHICAGO IBUNE: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1876—SIX line of policy to be pursued toward non-League clubs, and the means of securing ‘honorable or- ' ganizations in New York and Philadelphis in place of the expelled clubs; on the ’ former gubject the League -added an | entirely new artice to fts constitution, ; enabling non-League clubs to enjoythe principal | advantages of League membership, wgflo still : preserving thelr respective organizations inde- | flggflenc of the Leaguo or of any other central ly of clubs, and subsequently made a fair statement in the * address to the public” of the advantages to such clubs of preserving their independeace. -On the othersubject the League 60 amended its -constitution 38 to enable any respectable’ club, without' reference’ to itsor- ganization a8 awatenr, co-operative, or stock. . company, to join the Lengue from New York or, |- Philadeiphia in time for next season’s champfon- | ship contests, PV : i This action fs well calculnted to. deal: the:|: desth-blow to Chadwick’s efforts to_incite hos- tility to the League ‘smong the nou-Leagua clubs, and "adequate justice ean only be done - to the mendacity ho eémploya to defeatsucha | result by contrasting . Tae TRIBUNE'S report | with his fim‘bled version, in which latter it will be specially noted that he carefully- omits ail allusion to the new non-League- club article of the Leazue ‘constitution, particnlarly referred to in Tue TRIBUNE'S report, from which he was manufacturing ** our: xegurl.of the proceedings,’ and xhlch would give the direct lie to his state- ments: . CoAl Tribyne, | Chaduickian. In the membership ar-| In the article concern- ticle provision was made.ing membership provis-+ for the admission of newjion was,made for the ad- clubs at any time before mission of new clubs at’ the commencement of the/any time prior to- the championship season. To/commencement -of - the" sFuin admitiance, the club'champlonship season. By must apply to the Secra- this rale. clubs desiring tary, who must take a'admission to the Leagne vofe _of the Leagne by]mm mukflfl%p"cnllun 10 correspondence. Under the: Leagus Secretary, — this section, there s lif-[N. E, Young, Treasiry. tle doubt that both New Depariment, thm%- York and Philedelphiajton, —who will submit it will be admitted to rep-|lo the League clubs, who resentation before thélwill vote on the question season opens in March, (bv correspondenc. Clubs. . . . .. |thos applying, Lowever, The only wholly new|/mustshow themselves to article ia the very proyer|be stock-company organ- one which recoguizes the|izations. having o sufii- existence and mérit of den!_ml[:lufl cmployed to” NON-LEAGUE OR® BEAI-|inaurc their cafrying out PROFESSIONAL CLUBS. |theappointed programme It provides, in cffect, that'of clab tonrs, and pos-* one club muy beadmitted sessing o regularly” en- to the Lengue each’ yeargagedteamstrongenough” ‘without vote, Lut.upon;to cope.with the League proper application to thejorganization, for all oth- Secretary, and that snch'ers would be thrown oot club shall -be - the cnu;hynml)nnty yote, with- which hus during the gea-jout doabt. Pmcllullli!, son won the most " games therefore, the League In in series so arranged as,this respect simply carry to afford a fair test of out the policy as ‘shown merit, and played in ac-}in thelr circular, wherein - liquor aloze, or not come at Fred times fords, F. E. Bliss, H. E. Chandler, Vose, P. F. Stone. A good catcher will com- ?luw the team and make it very stong. The B 5 Tba’pnper takes occasion Lo inculeate the following great moral lesson: It 18 & fact that might as well be faced at the be- ginning, that there are threc men in the new organ- ization who have been in the habit during the past few years of doing more drinking than is good for them. The discipline of the Club must be such iat not one man shall induige in liquor during the season, and we know that it s Mr. Keck's inten- tion to see that this principle is carried out to the letter. | There Is no member of the mine too ood or too valuable but who, if he gots runk at sny time doring tho playine ses- son, - will be promptly mussed from the Club and from the .League. Those thres men who have been fn the habit of indulgzing might as well come here with their minds made ap to let all. The people of Cincinnatf want to see men play bali for them next year, -and not tipplers. Sober, steady men will fuin many frlends—drupkards, none. What we have said {5 more in the way of & warning than an anticipation. -But drinking is one of the evils which a strong disclnline in the Club must prevent. A STRONG PLAYER FOR ST. LOUIS. : Last Bun<yy Tox TRIBUNE noted the fact that the 8t. Louis maoogement had secured one of the best catchers in the country for their nine, and the subjoined dispatch explains who the man s. His record during the past season has been an excellent one, and he will be a consid- erable accession to the Browns: Epectal Dispatch to The Tribune.. 8r. Lous, Dec...2,—\like Dorgan, catcher of the Syracuse Stars, will play with the St. Lonis Brown Stockings next season. His contract was signed on Tuesday, snd it arrived Lere to-day. MILWAUKEE. The West End Club of Milwaukee, one of the best organizations “in the West, publishes its record for the season, from which it appears that it played 87 games, won 24, and lost 13, of which 6 were with cured & new.an e Clubs. The Club has ee- large ground, which will be fitted up in good style with covered stand, club- house, etc. The nine for next year will include H. Andrus, ss manager and some- %Luéer; Everett Mills, of this year's Hart-~ . C. Carblae, J. H. Lawler, H. McDonald, W. E. Furlong, H. West Ends will not join the new semi-profes- sional assocation if one is formed. THE LEAGUE BOOK. At the last session of the League it was voted that the publication of the official book of rules be left to the Secretary, to be given to the highest bidder. The award has just been made, and the irm selected to do the Work are A. G, Spalding & Bro., of this city, the senior member being, of course, the well-known man- ager of the Chicago put on the market about Jan. 15, in all proba- bility. It will coutain the official figures for all the games and pla{!l's in the League, and will form a very valusble handbook of the game. Club. The book will he . PERSONAL AND GENERAL. The only engagement officially made known cordance with'.the mle:‘the{ccnmmeml the gen- | last week was that of Addy with the Cincin- of the League. It alao.eral class of professional rovides that the League clubs to joln an inde- oard may, upon appli-|pendent organization. cation, determine dis- putes between suchclubs| on the basis provided in| the constitution. y ‘The new article of the Leazuc constitution referred to in_TEB TRIBURE report, unsd)ur- l:osely omitted by Chadwick, is given in full be- ow, together with the resclution prohibiting the capture of non-League players during the scason: ; T . ARTICLE XII. Sec. 1. Asatoken of good will and friendship for all base-ball clubs not members of this League, and: with a view of stimulatinga proper rivalry among such clubs, and of advancing pu\sic interest in the game of bese-ball, it is here- oy declared that any. club whose ‘organization and conduct are not inconsistent with the objects of this League as expressed in At IIL ™ of this'con- stitution, and which shall have won from other clubs during au entire playing acason the greatest number of games played under the rales of this League in scrics: so_arranged: as to afiord a fair test .of merit, shall, if otherwise compatible with the constitation of this Leagne, be eligible to ‘membership in this League at its ensuing annual meeting, provided sncl club ghall, not, less than ten days before the annaal meeting, make applica- tlon in writing to thie Secretary for such member- ship, accampanying the application with sach doc- sonwill comprise nine; Galvin, of St. Louis Reds; Holbert, of Louisville; Couns, of Athletics; Willinmson, Neshannocks; Nichols, Mutuals; e d nine; and Creamer, of the Neshannocks. natis, announced in these columns some time ago. The_St. Lonls Base-Ball Assoclation held its annual meeting last’ Wednesday. Officers were elected for the ensuing year, and routine busi- ness transacted. The Centennial Clubof San Franclsco this 8eazon won thirty games and lost fiftecn. The tour cost $2,187, and the Club was out only $135 at the end of the trip East. The Committee appolnted at the League meeting to ‘“‘count the votes” for umplre under the new rules have not entered upon the work of selection as yet, and will not for a month or more. . The Allegheny (Pa.) Base-Ball Club next sca- Ras McKelvey, of the old elson, of olf The Indianapolis Club has rented a large room for a reading-room and general headquar- ters. After the holidays the boys will go into training and in Merch will take a trip to Mem- | Bbis. New Orleans, Galveston, Houston, and allas, The Louisville Club may accompany nmentary evidence 2s may enadle the Board of - Di- | thewm. rectore 1o ascertain whet_\ur the ‘provisions of this, The o“))%fl' 8ays that Higham has been re- article have been complied with; and it shall be | Jesced by the Hartfords, and that West, late of the duty of the Eccretary, on receipt of sach-appli- c::inn "2 docaments, to-at once refer. them to the Board, who shall examine and “report’ thereon to the Lengne ac its annaal weoting.. Lgsist SEC. %, The Board way, if requested .by other clubs, adjudicate disputes 'in the mannér provided in Art. ij.. 50 far as the provisions of that arti- cle may be applicable thereto; provided tbat ull commanications must be addressed to the Secretary of the League. : vt 3 SEC. 8. fi’%heSccuhry of the League may on ap- plication ‘furniek informatlor to :other clabs on’ matters pertaining to clab organization, pleying rules, and engagements of players by League. CI‘E“E'ED.. 4. No club that has forfeited its member- ship in the League shall be extitled to the benelits this article. ufszc. 5. No game of ball ghall be Ehyhd between & League club and any otber club employing or recenting in its nine & player expelled from the ‘T'he resolution referred tofs as follows: Resolved, That, on and afte: March 15, 1877, no TLeague 1ub cshall employ or play 1n its nine any plaver to.whose services any other club of good standing, sither in or out of ibe Leugue, is entitled by legal contract. “IARTPORD AND NEW YORK NOTES. There is a chapter in the hstory of the Hart- ford Club which may well bz told just now as fllustrating the character of two classes of players. 1t is an ‘open secrct that the Hart- fords have lost some money in thelast'two years, the fact being based on the hizh salaries aid, aud the comparatively emall city which was to be drawn from. The salaricsof the men have, however, been promptly met, and the, deficit has been made up by the moneye stockholders, of which useful class the organization possesses severzl specimens. At the close of the scason of 1676, and when the books were balanzed, it appeared‘that the bal- ance on the wrong side was, say, $3,000. The stockliolders werc unwillingto o on, though tiey bad several men under contrdcet for 1877, sudynt Jast, to et creditably out of the diffical- ty,. Ferguson, one of th¢ most honest and straightforward men in the business, said to the other plarers in effect: “‘Let us cut down the salary-list 50 that these men can go on without loss; D'l throw off $300 onny - contract for a start.” The other men followed the lead, and by cutting off $200 from one mun and $300 from another, and 80 on, they made up & reserve.of some $3,000 for mest year. About the only man who- refused to- look at the hordness of the times was Cummings,who had notsigned; and now he turns up as the’ founder of a new club at Lynr}::i Mnsa.‘ x;;re nr‘e,tho\uvsn ;}lenn’tyl the; mea in the country, ¢ of other £ ryLstubelmped. ftcher as good as Cummings. It fm Fergugson will be fortunate enough to get a strong player for the vacant position. Thers the Cheiseas, has been engaged by the Neither fact has been officially announced, and both secm “improbable. What Harry Wright ‘wants with West, or any other player, to add to the fourteen already under contract i3 more than can be seen at first sight. by the Memphis Red Stocking son of 1877. Contracts have been signed, and the: Clubis considered one of the rtrongest semi-professional organizetions that will be in the field next year: J. H. Michacl Kennedy, c.; Oscar Walker,1b.; Shoup, 2 b.; ‘Brookshaw, 8 b.; W. H. Moore, L 1,; Tom Loftus, ¢. 1.; Robert Maloney, change p. and r. £. M. J. Walsh will be the manager. Assoclation was hel lowing ofticors were elected: President, Charles H. Porter; Treasurer, A.J. HurryéVnzht; Directors—. John' C. shares were voted on, including thirty-five of the seventy-two shares held by the Boston an auxiliary of the Association, which had dis- solved, voting to transfer said stock to the Association, Club stock for sale by public auction. givcn ) with the iron But novw the’ Lesgue. in national assembly con- vened, has_declded that hereafter there shall be regulation ball, containing only one ounce of rub- ‘bor and half an onnce of other combustibles, which must seem ridicnlously ineffective to onc who has lind a'nose or jawbone smashed by the old indla- stons. The Clipper has the following: * The League delegates resolved to charge ladles for admis- fox to their games next season. have been free, and they should be welcome Hitherto they ¢ deadheads’. on the ball-field everywhere.” :Barring the fact that ladies have never been Iree on more than two -first-class grounds in the country, the item is well enough.’ ‘The following is the list of S‘“m engaged lub for the sea- Van Burkalow, p.; Sonn ndrew Cumenings, s. s.; Ben of the Boston Base-Ball ‘The annusl meetin, & Tast week, when the fol- Chese; Secretary, -Arthur H. Soden and aynes. Seyenty-seven of the 150 B.B. C. s Towas decided to advertise tho A newspaper in a city out West, where they do not have inclosed grounds to play on, pours forth the following grateful tribute to the League: A gratetal country will learn with gratification that the National Basc-Ball League has decided on a uniform ball. right direction. Heretofore when & man ‘This Is, at last, a step in the 03 been passing across & common or llnnf a 1ul=b street to the practice of the noble nationa: game, 18 brain was racked with uncertainty as to wheth- er the ball which was to hit him in the back of the neck contained two_ponnds or & hundred tons of rubber, or whether it was a *‘dead ball.” Neither could he form any more correct conclusions after being knocked down with it, for the conlll!!nfi eflucts of the blow were such a8 might be suppose to be wrought by a cannon-ball such 23 the man aw tosses up in the circus-ring. ought to bie 2s good men in Brooklyn as Bond, | criminate kind. Cummings, and Zettlein, who all"came _iro_m g, s THE TURF. A New York paragraph says that Ferguson is trying to get.a .egz o(}1 the Capitoline txgr?zunds,. Brooklyp, for.his next year’s team, formed on, the Hartfords. A lettér from New York shown! to the writer' seys that the reason why Cam-- meyer asks'so large a percentage forhis grounds: is, that. he would much rather not have a League club on them, because then Ite could make tnany an honest doliar by letting Dis grounds #). the Lest League clubs from out 1 of the city to play regular championsiip games on. If there were no League club fn New York or Brooklyn, about four championship games Dbetween the Chicago, St. Louls, and. Boston Clubs would pay very well, There i3 no doubt, that the objection has been ‘to the Mutual glub more than to the sport. : If ‘this. really is Cam- meyer’s_game, it. would be blocked by Fer- suson's lcasing the Capitoline” for a Lea, club. There fsno particular reason to'think that he has done 50, however. | . PHILADELEEIA: : Levi Meyerle desircs to let it be Tknown that he would be willing to-play with some League club next year. He was seventh among the ‘Datters and seventeenth in fielding merit last season. i u The Philadelphia Uercury says that Falmer, late of the Louisvilles, is in the express business in Philadelphis, and that he will pley with the ‘Athletics next year, and then within'a fow lines it confuses matters by saying that he will play with the Philadeiphias. “The truth prob- ably is' that. he will play with neither. The Afercury also announces that Warner, formerly of the Philadelphias, and Rocap, once with the Athletics, will play with the Indionap- olis Club next season, the flrst-named at_third base and Rocap at centre-field in place of Harry Smith; who has joined the Chicagos. The Philadelphia papers are amusing them- selves with muglng up nines for the Athletic and Philadelphia_Clubs, varying .them {rom week to week to give an air of novelty. Below are the Iatest fiista: Athletic—Devlin, p.; Bennett, c.; Fisler, 1 b.; Reach, 2b, William- gon, 3 b.3 Cuthbert, 1. £.; Sen- senderfer, ¢ f.5 r. 1. * Philadelphia— ‘Weaver," p.; Crowley, Mills, 1 b.; Somer- ville, 2 b,; Meyerle, 3_b.; Fulmer, s.s.; Treacy, 1. f.; Egaler, ¢ f.; Mason, r. f,, At least five of these players arc under contract elsewhere, ~while three of them never will play ball again, and as for the rest, it docsn’t make much dif- ference whether they ever play or not. . %scrqmn: canvassing the The Cincinnati Engquirer, in members of next year's Red Stocking nine, for a Captain scttlesupon Mathews as lkely to be the man, if the players hoye their nyfiouud adds on its own account a good word for Bob Addy. The Enquires gives the positions of the Cincin- nati nine, as far us settled; as follows:- « Hicks, c.: Mathews, D, Jones, 1 b. Foler, 8 b., Bodthy Beaten hors Dixcretionary next “year. NEXT YEAR'S PROGRAMME. During the recent meeting of the Board of Appeals at Rochester a larze number of the leading horscmen of the country were present, and emong them séveral proprietorsof Trotting Associations, A programme for 1877 was talked over, and the general belief was that the follow- ing schedule of purses would do to submit to the Board of Stewards for their action. Free for all, barring Goldsmith Maid.. clasa class. class. clasa. class. class. 1, Commenting is propesed list”the Zurf, Field, and Farm says: ‘This wonld make an aggregate of $20,000 for each meeting, and o grand aggregate of $160, 000, ssa onceded to Fleet- in the lineis to b e " Whetber 29 and 2:93 clagses Park. Whether to mak Woo! in the place of the 2:21 and 2:24 was & question which counc] uzzled the brains of those who met in P % Food many favor even & lower class than 2:20; they suggest 2:18 or 2:19," Dy the list it will be seen that thirty-cight horses have trotted in 2:91 and better on the_American trf. Some of thesc, however, will notbe candidates forany class Afew are dead, and others retircd from the course. There are seven the exact record of each of which is 2:21. The balance will be forced ‘into the free-for-all. The active members of the open-to-all Jist are Luln, Smuggler, Occt- dent, Hopefnl. Juage Fullerton, Red Cloud, Net- tie, Lady Maud, Great Eastern, Cozette, Bodine, George Palmer, ‘Thomas L. Young, Lucille Gold- dust, Albemarle, Rurus, May Queen, Fleety Gold- duet, ‘Tenry, Gov. Sprague, Sam Purdy, and Huntress—twenty-two in all. As Goldsmith Maid is barred, she is left ont of the count. Quite o number’ of those named would stand such & poor show in the free-for-all that they would de- cline to enter, andno place being open to them, their owners would have no recourse bnt to kecp them in retirement. A 2:19 class would let in Great Enstern, Cozette, Bodine, George Paluer, Thomas L. Yoang, Lucille Golddnst, Albermarle, Rarus, May Qneer, Gov. Bpraguey and_others. Laay dand, Netrie, Red Clond, gndge Fullerton, eful, Occident, Smaggler, Lulu, and Gold- smith Maid would Lhen find places in the free-for- nll. A number of the owners of good horses are in favor of placing no bar to the open-to-all. They say:that they will not stand in awe of Goldsmith Maid if the judges will make her core with the others, if they will give her no advantage of the start, | Smuggler, we doubt not, will be glad to re- new his battlea for the supremacy with the Queen of the Turf, and Lulu will not avold her if she comes out in proper form next year. Great East- ern, alga, if forced Into the free-for-gll, wiil not surrender to ber without a fight. 1f Hopeful is as fast 28 has been claimed for him, he has noth- inzto fear, while Albemarle, 3ay Queen, and Judge . Fullerton . will -make the pace hot enough to suit the quickest stepper. Our tablesand these sugzestions may help the associa- tions a little in arriving at a definite conclusion. If Goldsmith Maid is barred frour the free for-all, it is probable thata purse will be offered tbr trials of speed, conditioned 80 as to compel two or more to enter. The purse for beaten horses would, as a8 matter of conrse, have to be trotted for on the last day of the meeting, the entries closing on the revious evening. A handicap of some kind would ive to be deviscd for it in order to mske the chances of all even. Mr. Hutchinson, the Presi- dent of the Utica Park Association, is in favor of two or three sweepstakes races, the Associstions adding liberal sums of money. The idea isworthy of serivus consideration. There was no_opposi- tion in the council to the proposition to do away with the 5 per cent withdrawal "plan. The old fee of 10 .per cent to enter, money to accom the nomln:flnn} will be adopt- ed by all. - The meetings, it is proposed, shall not close all at once. Anopportunity to ‘make new engazements for the horses will be af- forded every two or three weeks. This will dnive the winners into the clzases to which they belong, instead of allowing them to tzot for two months on the record credited to them at thestart. Itis further proposed that the pool-seller shall _retain the commissions on all the glwl! sold. Incase bets are declared off he and the Association will Teceive some recompence for their trouble. A load will be lifted from the shonlders of thc judges. They can decide a race without fecling the pressure of the pool-box interest. When, the judges are convinced that frauds have been perpetrated they can report to the President of the Association, and the President, by virtue of a clause published in the conditions aitached to the official programme, can declare the bets off, This will be best for the Jjudges and best for the betters who may be ontside of the ring, The judges should decide nothing but the race. DUG OUT OF THE SNOW. The well-known trotter Granville, record 2:26, is reported serfously ill with inflammation of the bowels. The road mare- Countess, well known on the boulevards, changed hands lately, the considera- tion befng $700. y The Sycamore ublican i8 responsible for the statément that Allison Hitehcock, of that place, was the proprietor of & recently-de- ceased colt, half-brother to Observer, and” val- ued at $S00. ) ¥ Mr. Platt, President of the Bank of Elmira, has bougbt of H. W. Beardsley, of Syracuse, the brown team Moody and Sankey, that can beat 2:40 any day, and haye trotted the Seneca Falls track much faster. Jack Feck, of Syracuse, has got the Clifton Boy for next summer’s trotting. The well-known Minnesota stallions, Boyls- ton, Fearnaught, Mambrino Box, and Black- stone, Jr., the” property of Mr. Willis Baker, of Lake City, have been shipped to California, where it 5 expected that a market for them will be found. M. 8, 8, Vaughn, of Jackson, Mich., President of the Horse-Breeders’ Association, has sold his pigeons that they take pains to come to the re- gorterl and askto have thefr names left ont. his may be a very proper place to sav- that some effort ought’to be made to raise trap- shooting high enough in the list of sportsso that all mey take part in it without fear of shame. Until within a few months Txa TRIB- UNE has not noticed this shrinking modesty on the part of trap-shooters. Will some one pfi:ase say what has caused it to break out? - INTBRESTING TO PIGEONS. The Hawkeye tun Club, of Clinton, Ta., has arranged for a shooting tournament Christ- mas. The annual meetiog of the Audubon Club takes place Jan. §. The organization now has 100 active members. The Tolleston Club, with_their friends, will have an entertainmentat their club-house on Thursday, Dee. 28. C. A. Hart and D. J. Clark, of Horicon, Wis., have arranged for a match for $230 a side, to shoot snow-birds from - trap. The Chicao .Club, in response to the chal- lenge of theten Calumet duck-hunters, have agreed to shoot, provided the match can take lace at Doxter Park, instead of Chittenden’s ridge. This will prot:bly break the matchup. OTHER SPORTS. COCK-FIGHTING. The latest maln betweon Long Island and New Jersey was won by the former. Fifteen battles were fought. a . ' FOOT-BALL. The Chicago Foot~Ball Ctub will play a match game with a picked team of all Chicago, at 10 o'clock Christmas morning, on the Chicago base-ball grounds, corner of Twenty-third street.. The grounds have been scraped, and a fine game is anticipated. Al are invited, withont charge, DOG-FIGHTING. ‘That fraction of New York which delights in a8 dog-fight were entertained_the other da; by one between Skip, of Long Island, and Jack, of New York. cr seventy minutes’ fighting both dogs fell dead in the pit, and the fighit was declared a draw. PEDESTRIARISA. Danicl O'Leary and W. Howes are to com- mence 3 walking match of 300 miles, for £200, in the nelghborhood of Victoria Park; London, England, on Tuesday next. O and Wes- ton haye not yet come to terms, seemingly be- cause the latter is averse to a meeting, n'm{ ac- cordingly makes unressonable propositions in lengthy letters to the sporting press. CURLING. A grand match between the North and South will be played Monday, play to begin at 10 a. m. Yesterday a lively match was played, and both local clubs were well represented and showed that the good ice of this season has been taken pair of gray geldings, by pacing Abdallah, 5 years old; 53¢ hands’ Bigty o, 7, Sraiths of illsdale. They are inten for a gentleman in New York “City. Price withheld, but as Daupley Dodge would say, it was * hefty.” Lycurgus Lafiin, of this city, recently received from Michigan a pair of 5-year-old bay mares, which have trotted to slelg: , Without urging. at 2:40. They are half-sisters and Clays, nfiom within three hours of each other. The owner intends to place them on the track next season. They are fourteen hands and threc inches high, and one is the exact counterpart of the other. They are valued at $5,000. The Australian sports were neatly * done for? at the Melbourne races last month, a little brown mare called Briseis winning the three great events, the Derby, the Melbourne cup, and the Oaks. This mare Was never mentioned in the betting, Newminster, who was a great 2- {_mr»old last year, being the favorite. The hompson Brothers, who hail from_ Westport, Mass., are eaid to have put up the job, ant landed 835,000 by it, leaving the disgusted Britons to slap their empty pocket-hooks and inveigh against “ those blawsted Yankees.” The recent purchases of ex-Gov. Stanford, of Callfornia, at the Stony Ford Breeding Estab- lishinent, arrived last week in this city en route for California. They will remain 2 few days to rest, and will then re-embark for the throngh journey, which will omnfiy five days. They are in charge of Charles H. Lathrop, of Albany, who will fill the position of superintendent of the Governor's FPalo to ranche, near Santa C] and where they will in future be located. The brown 2-year- old filly Elaine gflull sister to Prospero, Dame Trot, and Miranda), by messenger Duroc, outof Green Monntain Maid, for which §7,000 was paid unbroken, was sent to Carl Bwr to be trained for her next year's engagemeuts. Those people who keep on discovering fast horaes have turned upa wonderful one this time, end he comes from Texas. As the story goes, the wonder’s name is Crockett, and he wis urchased for $10 from & Galveston sand-cart, aving been used for hauling for two years. His new owner changed his gait from a pace toa trot by speeding him daily in water two fect deep. At the Dallas Fair he was_shown public- ly, and an offer of $12,000 refused. At the Aus- tin Fair he won all the races in which he was entered, obtaining a record of 2:3L. His next performance was at the Olean- der Park Course, Galveston, where he showed his heels to the well-known trotters Lady Star. and Pilot Temple, winning in three straight heats. Crockett is a sorrel gelding, fifteen hands one inch high, 7 years old, and weighs 00 pounds. ¥ —_— BILLIARDS. FIOW TO GBT UP SOME MATCHES, The proposition in last Sunday’s TRIBUNE to give the emblem of the championship of the North and Southwest to Tom Gallagher, of Cleveland, in order to stimulate match-playing, has been very well received, and no doubt a vote of the congress of players who took part in the tournament would so determine the matter. The original contestants were Miller, Maggioli, Hoa, Carter, Gallagher, Honing, Burleigh, Shaw, Rhines, Parker, Liverman, and McA fee. Of theae, Burleigh and Shaw have put themselves outside the list of honorabie players, which re- duces the list to ten. Of these, four—Messrs. Rhines, Parker, Hoa, and Liverman—have ex- pressed themselves favorably to the proposition, and Messrs. Maggioli and Honing have said_by letter that they would like the idea If Gal- lagher would put himselfin_a position to re- ceive challenges at once, This makes & ma- 1ofltv of the congress, and it only rcmains for ir. Bensinger to c all the hody together and act on the proposition. This, or something in the same way, will no doubt be done as soon as *¢ Mose 7 recurns {rom Michigan, where he went to attend the suit brouzht azainst his firm by that “alleged ** scoundrel Ellfott. GALLAGHER TO SHAW. Gallagher, who seems right on the war-path, and who has undoubtedly Wn very speedy since he last played in this city, gets after Shaw in the following to the Clipper: Tn your last issuel observe that Louis Shaw, writing from Evansville, Ind., wishes 10 remin me_that he is billisrd chsmpion of the Northwest and Southwest, and is open for a challenge for the champlonship emblem, This statement is inspired by a report that I clalmed the championship in question. Now, I'wish to inform Mr. Shaw that I never made any such claim, as to the_ origin of which I have no knowlcdge. ' As to his being open for challenge, 1 have simply to say that, whenever the emblem j& accessible through the recogmized stakeholder, ho can depend on my custom. Be- sices, if he really wishes amalch for money, ex- clusice of all titles, I will accommodate him with- ont nny delay. lle hasonlyto signify where he can be found and how much he_desires to play for to get a match. Hoping yon will aford Mr. Shaw an opportunity to vindicaie his title, I remain, very respectfully yours, THoXAs J. GALLAGHER. — PEDESTRIANISM., VON HILLERN ACCOMPLISHES A GREAT REAT. Special Dispasch to The Triduns. BosToN, Mass., Dec. 22.—Bertha Von Hillern has succeeded in walking 350 miles in six days, her last and greatest undertaking. She started at five minates past, 12 last Monday morning. She made her start and walked 70 miles on that date. On Tuesday. she made only 50, but after that day she averaged 55. She completed her last at 11:4¢ to-night, fifteen and one-half minutes within her time. She has been in good condition from the béginning of her walk, her limbs being free from swelling, and her feet free from blemish of any kind. ~ All through on her last mile to- night it was evident that she was not able to do much more than.she had undertaken. This effort has attracted the attention of many scientific persons and leading physicians here, and her success is re- led as a surprising demonstration of the ossibilities of woman’s endurance. Probably Miss Von Hillera will shortly go to London, and there undertako a repetition ot this feat or a greatet, TRAP-SHOOTING. THE DOUBLE-BIRD MEDAL. Trap-shooting will flourish at Dexter Park Christmas-Day, on which occasion the double- bird medal of the United States will be put up for competition. It bas been held by John J. Klelnman for some time; but, in lack of a challenger, it has been put forward as the prize for a sweepstakes. About a dozen men will shoot for it. atong them J. J. and Henry chlvn- man, F. C. Snowden, E. Thomnas, Jr., E. T. MMartin, G. C. Sherman, Mr. Miller, and onc or two other good shots who are so curfousiy ashamed of having it knpwa that-they shool advantage of by all *keen” carlers. . A full meeting of the Thistle Club was held at Bag’s, 220 Clark street, last evening, when committees were formed to meet the Grand National here next month, and other important business transacted. ————— VANE VS. VANE. An English Scandal. Zondon Times, Nov. 27. The case of *‘Vane vs. Vane,” on which Sir Richard Malins gave judgment on Saturdey, is oncof those storles which sometimes make the Court of Chancery the best school even for the most ingenions masters of romance. All the materials of an exciting three-volume novel lie ready in the prosaic records of the trial which have sappeared from day to day in our columns. Irregular connexions in a well-kmown county family, whispers of illegitimacy against the heir of aflne estate, family quarrels and a rich crop of family scan- dals; charges of fraud to keep the rightful heir out of his possessions, reports of what might be termed death-bed confessions—all this chain of circumstances, extending over three-quarters of a century, forms a tale which needs no em- bellishment from fanc i Itis true that the attempt to prove the of frand égnamin- iously failed; but not the less vividly does the “story bring out the errors, the suspicions, and the resentments which are sometimes the price of coveted possession. The narrative takes us back to the last century, when Sir Frederick Fletcher Vane became the heir of the entailed estates in Cumberland left by his father, 8ir Lionel Fletcher. Sir Fred- erick had formed an _intimacy with a woman below him in life, ah * Bowerbank, by whom he had two children. In 1797 she gave birth to a third child, and on the 9th of March in the same year S8ir Fred- erick marrled her. The main question be- fore tho Court was whether that child was born before or after the marrisge. According to the plaintiff, the birth happened before that event; according to the defendant, the date of it was the 28th of March, or about three weeks after the marriage. The child was baptized on the 18th of April under the name of Francis Fletcher, and the register contains the state- ment that he was born on the 29th of March; but these words are written -n different ink from the rest of the record, and the theory of -the plaintiff was ~that, after the ~ register of the baptism, _they bad been added with a frandulent intent. Bome time after the marriagethe parents ‘went to live at the family seat in Cumberland, and, since the fllegitimacy of their two eldest children was a matter of notoriety, Sir Freder- ick souzht means, as far hack 231502, to put the legitimacy of his son I'rancis beyond dispute by filinz a bill in Chancery. The evidence of the nurse and the doctor who had been present at the birth, as well as of other witnesses, was placed in one of those ‘scaled packets,” without which Do cose of a dispnted succession would be complete. In 1807 Lady Vane had another som, Frederick Henry, who was the plaintiff in the suit before the Court. But his elder brother, Francis, was always treated as the heir. When Francis came of age, in 1818, he joined with his father in the resettie- ment of the estates, and he was described in the deed ag the ““son and heir i):pnmnl ” of Sir Frederick. A private act of Farliament having been required in the same year to authorize the sale of a part of the estates, a certificate that Francis was legitimate came. before the House of Lords, and it was deemed satisfactory. In 1823 he married Miss Diana Beauclers and agala s legitimacy was assumed m the marriage settlements. Enowing, how- ever, that two of Sir Frederick’s children had been born out of wedlock, Miss Beanclerk’s father naturally wished tohave the legitimacy of his daughter’s husband made as clear as possible, and hence, it is supposed, the fact that eight days after the marriage Sir Frederick Vane formally entered the date of his son’s birth at the Heralds’ College. On two occasions his mother also attested that he had been born after her marriage. One was in 1833, when a part of the family estate was sold, and the pur- chaser required some further evidence of birth than the entry in the register of baptism. Lady Vane then gave the requisite evidence on oath. On the eve of ler son’s 43d birth- day she confirmed that testimooy in a lctter to himself. At the death of his father, in 182, he succeeded to the title and the property with- out having to encounter a single challenze. In 1842 he himselt died, and he was peacefuily snc- ceeded by Dis gon, Sir Henry Ralph Vane, the present owner. As the Statute of Limitations makes twenty years of possession a sufficlent title to ownership, unless rival claimants have been minors or ‘married women, or the tenure has been vitiated by fraud, the family might seem to have long outlived any of the fears ‘which lie in a writ of ejectment. But a wonderful charge of fraud was brought by Mr. Frederlck Vane, the younger brother of the late Sir Francis, and therefore the uncte of the present Baronet. The Dow: who long survived her and who died at the age of 93, had sald to several persons that her son Francis was born before the marriage. She had said so yearsafter he had succeeded totheestate. In1§66thesame admission was iufgdoscd to have been er Iadg Vane, usband, made by Diana ly Vane, the widow of Sir "Francis, in a conversation .with the plaintifPs widow, who had asked her what she knew about the date of her de- ceased husband’s birth. Showing signs of alarm, she admitted that therc bad been famil; irregularities; but she added, *My husbani was all right.”” However, she also, it was said, acknowledged not only that he was illegiti- mate, but that she and her father knew of the fact at the time of her man1:{'F’e. Armed with these reports, Mr. Frederick Vane searched for further evidence, and he gathered 2 good deal of the scandalous gossip which always floats about those country houses that are supposed to have skeletons in the closet. He then made a claim for the recovery of the estates; and, as his nephew declined to give them up, the case came betore the Court of Chancery in 1872, If efther “the plaintifl or the defeadant had then agreed to open the * sealed packet” containing the evidence taken in 1802, it is possible there might at once have béen 2n end of the suit; but, unfortunately, first ome of the parties and then the other objected, and Lence a rich array of family scandals has been the theme of vulgar euriosity, Fortitied by the researches of several years, the pln!flfl came before the Court with an elaborate thebry. His brother, lic contended, waa filegitimate, and he strove to prove that assumption not only bythe admissions of his mother and his sister-in-law, but ‘by an incident which occurred on his brother's twenty-tirst birthday. The plaintiff, who was then11 yews of age,saw him coming out of his farker's study -fna violent fitof grief. He bud vionof the cause at the time, but, by the ligha of Iyter revelutions, he infars that his father had made to him the flaw_in the suc- cessfon. The gnvlty of the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Glasse and Serjeant Ballantine, mast have been severely tried by the necessity of deducing such a conclusion from such premises, Sir Frederick Vane, weara also told, strongly ob- jected to the marriage of hi3 son Frapcls, and on two occasions preveated him from hims to ladies of whom he had gained the affections. We | are tnvited to infer that Sir Freaerick, althoagh i determined to perpetrate an injustice -by mak- ing an illegitimate son his heir, also wished to lessen the wroug by keeping Francis unmarried, and thus leaying the reversion of the estate to Frederick. Unfortunately for the theory, Fran- cls did marry, with his father's consent, at tha not excessively late age of 26 years. Even had all these theories been accompanied by incontest. abdle proofs, the plaintiff would still have been Jutout of court by the legal fact that the de- lendant and his father had possessed the esiata nnchallenged for more than twenty years. But an attempt was made to overleap that difficulty by one of the most complicated s of fraud ever set before a court of justice. That Sir Frederick and Lady Vane bHad been guilty of 1raud, not once, but mefiv times, was assumed, of course, in the mere charge of illegitimacy. It was equally evident that the grossest frand must have been committed i:l"m doz- tor, . the nurse, the golicitor, and the other persons whose evidence tas laid before the Court of Chancery in 1802. As the Attorney-Genersl said, they must all have borne false witness with the rope round their necks. The same guilt must have been fncurred in- every successive resettlement of the family estate. * The plaintiff’s brother, Francis, was ac~ cused of fraud on the supposition that he knew himself to be illegitimate when he agreed to the resettlement of the estates. Mr. Beauclerk and Miss Beauclerk were likewise charged with frand, on the presumption that they were made acquainted with the date of Francls Vane's birth before the marriage. Mr. Beauclerk, a manof high char- acter, had, it was sanctioned the mar- iage of his daughter with & gentleman whom he knew to be illegitimate and who might bs turned out of the estate by a younger brother. He had, it was assumed, looked carefully after arriage settlements which a word from Sir Frederick Vane, or Lady Vane, or any other of several witnesses—a word agoken In “anger or remorse, and therefore at the bidding of incal- culable impulscs—wonld make the idiest of for- ‘malities. ‘That was the plaintiff’s case. The Vice-Chan- cellor sald that it was one of the most Lope- less ever lald before his Court, and that he would have decided against the plaintif {m- mediately after hearing his ent if he had not _been anxious to smpmm ossibility of further dispute. The plaintiff lms to prove, in the first place, that his brother was born out of wedlock. He could not offer one tittle of evidence for that cardinal assuription, except the loose words spoken by his mother in her dotage. But it was shown that when she depied the legitimacy of Ler son Francis in a gossipiug way, she had partly lost. her memory, and that she believed herself to have been unjustly dealt with in the settlements. of the estate, She seems to ‘have borne soma grudge azalnst her son Francis. The loose evidence of her old age was also contradicted by the testimony which she gave on oath in 1833, “and by her own letter to her son. The attempt to use the evidence of Diana Lady Vane nzainst her own husband must be set’ aside both be- canse it is ambiguous even as cited by the Pmmuz 2nd becanse her own direct testilnony 3 a clear denial that ghe knew him to be llegit~ imate. What evidence remains{ A little loose country gossip. An_estate worth £8,000 a year and carrying a title is, we admit, a tempting possession. The sense of personal wrong is alsa difficult to endure. 1f the plain| possessed absolute proof st he was the legitimate heir, he would doubtless have been strongly induced to his clalms. Yet, even in such'a case, he might also have becu held back by the fact that,as his nephew had no children, he bimself was the presumptiva beir; that his nephew at least was cmiltless of any fraud; end the title could be made good only at the expense of branding his own father and mother with fraud. Few men. wa trust, would consent to pay such a price ever for a Baronetcy and £8,000 2 vear. The Lion of the Gulches. M Quad’s police reports contain the follow- ing: While his Honor was signinz the war- rants, and the andience was settling into 2 quier frame of mind, a prisoner was heard calling vut from his cell: “ I've kflled four Police Justices, and Thanker to slay another!" Bijah grinned as he went in after him, and when the cbap stood before the desk he an- swered to the name of Jack Henry, and added: “Put me down as the great ‘grizzly bLear slayer of the proud Northwest.” #Do you own a private burying-ground any Ihe{e‘; Y g:ked t'hfe Cogm. ek ‘I don’t care for inj unds—I want breakfast,” repuedchE'_ry s %Give me a list of those murdered Police Justices, if you please.” *Don't fool with me, Judge. I'm the great bear hunter of the mountains—the Nimrod of the prairics—the lion of the gulches. Hurry up and say wmdvnn want to, for I must tind my dog and be off on thetrafl of thered-kanded demons.” ‘When it had been ascertained that he arrived on the Bay City train, got drunk in half an hnlzr, and was picked up in'a doorway, the Court sald; ¢ It is my sworn duty to protect the bears of ~ the West,and to throw my protective mantle over the by 0 and the wildcat. I'll put you in eumf Tfor sixty days, and give the game a rest.” “Idemanda J-u-ry!” exclaimed the pris- ¢ They are all frozen up,” Mr. Henry.” ‘111 have one or d-l-e! " ¢ Please go into the storeroom and take a seat. You ougbt to be thankful that you are thxg where the Presidential question won't other you again.” Bijah drew him in, and the sounds of astrug- gle were heard in the land. When the janitor gune”ont v]riLh a éxfi;fi e?lm’ thulam\im; mhh or of urnt woolen and baked mea e whispered o ot gl azw: * They allus give ’ve held 'em the umveionmm:zgl W e oner. A Cat Story from Colorado. The Central City{(Col) Register relates this story: “W.W. age, Corbett Bacon, his brother Judge Bacon, and Dr. Panl reside in the mining and voting precinct established long years ago by the Georglan explorer Green Rus- sell, and in” honor of that indomitable pioneer chrstened *Russell Guleh.” Ramage was the owner of avery remarkable cat. Last June he concluded to move away East, and, g out the decision, left thehouse vacant. ‘The cat loafed mnnéunu.llt seemed pretty well settled that the master of the ranch wasn't coming back for some time, when she packed =up her Mfi: and went down to Corbett Bacon’s for a lunc] Finding it a decent sort of fl:u:e, she |}l‘ll=lly and unobtrusively located. In process of time four little kittens were born to ber. In the fol- Iawinafi October, when the autumn Jeaves began to fall, and premonitory symptoms of winter made their unwelcome appearance, Ramage re~ turned. But there wasno catto en:z.ro—— turniog footsteps, nothing but the bleak desola- tion of a deserted homestead. One day he hap- pened in at the Bacon manison. While thera he discovered his cat and the four kittens. Ignor- ing the mother, he carefully selected two of the four youngsters and sald, *“I must have these by and by, when their eyes open and the: big evough to crawl around and play.” Noth- ing further was sald or thought about the mat-~ ter. A month later e found, on going to his coal-house, the two kittens he had selected, carefully stowed away in one corner. There was. neither Jabel mnorsign to indicate where they came from or who brought them. Bacon lived a mile and s half distant. He took the isolated ~ darlings into his house and cared for them. Some days later ke inquired of Corbett whether he had brought up the kittens, and received answer in the negative. Then it came to pass that this remarkable cat (the mother) had made & generous distribution of her progeny among her special friends. Two she had delfvered to e, as desired, one toDr. Paul, who re- sided near, andthe fourthto Judge Bacon, Corbett’s brother. Then she returved to the house of her second love, quite contented and haogsy in the conscionsness of having donc a good thing.” ———— A Shell Story. The Washington Nation relates the following: **While some men were at work a short distance down the Potomac, aday ortwo since, dredging for oysters, one of the workmen came across what he re; led as an nnusnally large and flne oyster, ‘which he at once proceeded toopen. _As the shell, which was about six inches long, wagbeing opened., the man pressed cne of his fingers into the partially opened uEell. when, to his utter astonishment and pain, something irside took a firm hold of his fin- iger, and when he forcibly abstracted it he expari- enced considerable pain, and found it somewhat lacerated. . His suspicion and surprise were by this time excited, and he at once opened the shell, and ‘wus astonished to find that it contained a curlona animal, several inches long, completely filling the cavity of the shell. Thisanimal very manch resem- bles what is commonly called & water-dog, excepy that it has no feet. ‘The hesd was similar to thay of a catdah, with alarge mouth full of fine teeth. J3vt_back of ita head are two large lobes, which givaita little the appearance of a small ball-dog. “hé roan who had his inger bitten suffered tflnllfi- erably, and it was much intlamed. This animal, whatever it may peatet be, must have made its access to the sbell when small, de‘tmxln! toe oys- ter it found as the nataral tenant, and grew up ta its present si; Ithin ¢ o it B'zhe‘x-“ ize within he calcarsons prison mu.m-.