Evening Star Newspaper, January 10, 1883, Page 2

CITY AND DISTRICT. —— CABS VERSUS HACKS. ©pimons on Both Sides of the Question, WHAT A HOTEL CARRIAGE MAN SAYS—THE HAN- OMS WILL. NOT INTERFERE WITH HIS BUSINESS | TIEWS OF A VETERAN JEBU—NOT AFRAID HE RIVALRY OF THE NEW-FANGLED CON- | VEYANCES—A MAN WHOIS E ASTIC OVER | THE * “ANSOM,” ETC. er of the carriage stand at a lead- | reply to the question, “Do the nsom cabs or herdics intertere with your busi- bess?” Well it is rather early yet to) give a decisive answer to that question; you | know our second rivals are only a week on the Streets, Still there h: yn so much talk about the necessity for a cheap cab system that one | Would think the field was all ready for them. In some ways it is going to interfere with | hacking profits, and in other ways we} shall not feel it at all. People who | hire our c: won't take hansoms } or herdie coaches. Let me illustrate. There are es where good meals can be got for 25! Cents and be per week. At this hotel | you will y r dinner, or abe for the week. »ple who get mewls will take Those who put themseives outsid Is will take their drives within arriage. 3} acoupe. Our class of y that than to hin an hour. Of ¢ who will feel the y are not hotel think the cabs will hurt the str these whe siay at the public hurt us any mor nthe street ear street cars will take you to any of th nts, yet. my custé own vpinion is t ‘ous se runs away there is no way to The herdie institution, uests. ckinen, de you fee glass case in a Shop, to be sure, as Ten to one he will le of the mishap, for sh belly-band break, up goes the shi goes the hansom. and the dri retained hix seat this ton where under the debris.” t you think that Is putting the case rather str: 2 at will be found some- i: Tam only telling you what is the i on remark on the hansom question. Of course such disastrous results may never hap- pen, and coupes may collide, or break down every day. 1 am onl f you one phase of the cabbing question, and one in which timid people may be interested. Dumps ot this sort are anticipated from the very look of the thing, and I think will keep lots of people from ridi in them. Cheap cabs are not going to burt the hacking interest much, and you will see folks riding around in hired carriages, and not going to weddings or funerals either, right straight along just as if + were not in existence. I 1 myselt to see herdics wai le churches for guests at a wedding. N, in innovation; it has a el ect thing for any I could have furni with t! the new gi: ow, | ‘ap look and is uch festive occa- hed a spanking bride’s tavorite color in horse | but TAR reporter baving | trom monopoly, spied a | an outside who prom- team, flesh for — heard enoug! A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE CASE. “Are the hansoms threatening to reduce the €ircumference of your wallet?” he replied, “the cabs nor herdies won't hurt our business any more than the street cars. Of course, if there were neither, ‘We hackmen would get all the traffic.” “But* don’t you know that a long suf- fering public are hoping by the new convey- @nces to bring you hackmen to terms?” inquired thereporter. “Riding is a luxury, and all luxuries cost money,” the hackman. “If you want to put on style you ought to be willing to pay a decent price. Why, you can ride tor miles for five cents in the street cars, and are people ever tired zrowlinz about their accommodations. Just 80, folks who ‘are used to riding in street cars will keep on, and folks used to hacks will pat- Fonize us.” “Will the competition make your charges any Jess, though?” “No, not unless we feel it worse than we do Bow. Our prices are moderaté; an would be ruinous. Times are not what they ‘used to be with ushackmen. We used to make some money a few years ago, but people seem to think we are all rasealsand bent on cheatinz, and it takes a pretty cute fellow to get ahead of & passenger nowadays, unless he’s drunk. And you need not think we fleece the tipsy fellow: either; only for ns some time they would never get home alive. Don't you know, the mean- Ness of people would just make you sick? Why, | there the other night at the depot a western Senator arrived who is worth millions. Well, | when he passed out we supposed it was to Jump in his own private team. were fooled, though. He putled and b ng with a big heavy valise, u Teached th R ie “didn't he tal a cab, few cents than a car- : is a sample of | the crowd wh ays vide effeaper still, for | five cents on th ars. Lots of hackimen | who own hours of the Anes for the tract good prodt te a w hired for certain p teams in read- | These con- | nd bring sof teams. besides giving | ir of proprietorship to customers by their the saiie team every day. Now, the cabs to hurt that sort of business, for the bill at yeu not Ii make mo: 1 tie: Well, not as cx ¢ winter time. | ail of us, and we can » just as we did the street cars | There hops another of them han- | T hope it won't frighten my hors | and the pioneer Jehu smiled a sad, retrospective smile, and a_remember-the-time-look when it was worth $5 to dri kK. as he Whipped up his horses and gave a lingering | glance after the giddy hansom. ame next under cross-examination, and as he Proneunced it *’ansom,” and interpolated his frequent “you knows,” his opin- are quite well quoting. They | 'y stables either, nand and taste that been used wert rul but will supply §s rapidly growi this week just for the novelty of the t gentlemen of the West rive their own t fellows who | Will be the esh them sive the order beiore you leave the train. and the cab will | hand fer you. They will take you home re within the city limits tor 25 ceats; ai pest, | urnouts anywhere fur | ina hansom is already 3 ies. T overheard her day talking over a and one, who b n shrug in her e & hansom. That will be the idea this w a- | 1 will make them itions and little @ thing is done. nasses there are always plenty is such sport.” ter, auyway. F ie for shopping expe ere and there, and th Among the take » just fills the intermediate want, and it won't be long before they will be regarded @S uecessary as street-cars.” (Bechet vies | ties to the present brids | inthe act pa THE SMALLPOX SCARE. What Health Officer Townshend Has to Say. As considerable anxiety has been felt in our community for the past few days concerning the Tavages of smallpox in Baltimore, and as many fears have been expressed lest it might pay us v.sit, a Star reporter called on Health Officer Townshend this morning to obtain the views of that official relative to the situation. The doctor was found at his office on 414 street, and stated that the existence of small- pox in Baitimore was not news to him, although a great many people in Washington seemed to be just realizing the fact that the scourge is in such close proximity. “It prevailed,” said the doctor, “all last inter. increasing in the spring, hung on all ea spreading. — Phila- riphia and Pittsburz have both suffered ex- ely from the disease during the past two . and its p in ail three of the cities hated has been carefully noted by us.” “Well, don't you think we are in danzer of having it introduced among us here, doctor?” asked the reporter. “We may have a case or cases any di but there is no ez tr entire crop out and prevent its spread from one nother, Lhave asked the Comin: ace fund nd have Lo doubt they will comply fhe hospital build tructure fo et is in such condition provide for sporadic or Ithink the spread of smailpe vunted for by the adequate means at the command of the health officials, and thus the disease sets a foothold. We find couneils and assemblie to appropriate money where the and then it takes much to ac h what a trifle would have ly fall upon the city of Bult incursion of the dread dis ng at the smallpox hospital, outside the corporate limits. e loss of entailed upon hundreds of families, togethe with the widespread effect upon the business interests of the city, and you will find that an ion, even of $100,000, would hav been one of ‘the best. inves could haye made had that amount been place at the dis termination begun from the outset.” allpox be controlled and stamped juired the reporter. “proper regulations id enforcement thereof are ali that is I have given my views at some required. length on this subject in my report for 1882, now in the hands of the printer. 1 regret that it is not near me now. asserted in that report that a health nization with means at its com- mand which failed to control and stamp out this disease within a reasonable length of time must ‘e upon itself the stamp of ineflicienc: Vaccination takes fuel from the flame, and is at my disposal for use in a case of | done in the first nts Baltimore , sal of the health authorities and a | re slow in. placing | iard to estimate the loss which | ! THE EXAMINATION OF TEACHERS, Some Remarks and Enquiries. To the Editor of Tae Evrxtxe STAR: Interested in the educational advantages of Washington, and knowing, Mr. Editor, that you are, also, interested in the same subject. permit me to ask, through you, for some information concerning the examination of the teachers for the public schools. This examination takes Place twice a year, in December and in May. The applicants assemble in the Franklin build- ing, where they are submitted to a written ex- amination in 8 subjects. The time allowed 15 from 9a.m. to about 5 p.m. The Hmit of this examination Is 80 per cent. The other 20 per cent are reserved forthe oral examination. The subjects of the written examination are arith- metic, (complete,) algebra, grammar, physics, U. history, geography, drawing, and the lysis of Spencerian penmanship. Only one remark about the arithmetic. The time allowed is usually one hour. I haye known six examples to be given for that tine. True, the time is generally extended. But the stran- ger has no knowledge, and no one has any cer- tainty of this extension. OME OF THE QUESTIONS. T annex the examples of one examination: ¥ eq. yds. of plastering are thers in the m To ft. long, 14% ft. wine, 8 in. high, the and ft. high, ich? 3 ft. w: . wide and 7 ft. 2 etares in regular farin whose length re and Width BOY meters, and what is its Ta cred ialf the sui in ready mone; on invests $1,037.50 in the 3 per cente at 8: ‘unds have risen 1 per cent he transfer ul to the 4 per cents at 96: find the alteration in whore side is 973 feet there bes, whose sides are et 30 feet, 80 fe e that can be formed from what jast year I believe that the algel to simple equations. Then an example is was Introduced. This causes an as- pirant to be entirely at a loss as to the limit ot r preparation. Also, the algebra Is the ‘At the December examination I the work. It is, surely, quite trving upon the nervous female constitution to finish 7 hours of Intense mei following questions: I annex three of tue four ples given at the last examination. Under ircumstances I do not deem them a rigid | of scholarship. 1. A rectangular floor is of acertain size. If it were foet broader and 4 f{cotlonger it wou d contain 116 feet ve, bot if it 4feet broader and 5 feet longer, it onta.n 113 feet more, Iequire its length and er knows neither the weight nor the first cost 2. A groce of a box of tea. He recoliects if he had sold the whole at 90 cents per tb. he would have gained $1; but if he | had soid it at 22 cents per Ib. he would have lost quired the number of Ibs. and the first cost per Ib? dation and disinfection will soon accomplish the | Test. forty-one cases, promptly remov stance Was the disease permitted to extend be- yond the premises where found. We had sev- thirty-seven of which were eral cases in one house, but we succeeded in confining the contagion jn every instance and in eradicating it in a short space of time.” “Then you do not think, doctor, that there is any grave cause for alarm? “Tse no need of a panic. All persons shou!d be careful. of course.” Those adults who are not protected by recent successful vaccination should be re-vaceinated, and parents should see to it that children are all vaccinated.” slabs eauese Ue ‘The Free Bridge Again. To the Editor of Tur Evesine Star: The sum of $149,000 having been appropriated by Congress for the erection of a bridge at or near Georgetown, and the engineers to whom the matter was referred having reported that some $60,000 additional would be required, in their judzment, to construct a first-class bridge, such as they deemed the act contemplated, may we not ask and hope that Congress will supple- ment and make available its previous action, by appropriating the increased amouat called for; or, in lieu of that, condemn for public uses the present aqueduct structure, remanding the par- ties contesting its ownership to the courts for | settlement of their respective claims? Whilst a bridge at the ‘*Three Sisters” would doubtless be most convenient to a large majority of our people, yet we would gladly accept of it on the present aqueduct piers, or any point aboye, as the government should determine. But the feel- is | nigh unanimous that no free bridge il be built. if it be made dependent upon the par- monopoly settling their spective differences, (so called,) &c. still tell us to wait—“Wait a little wh Agqueduet bridge will soon be free, is tne old story, repeated with ‘ongress, the sole object seeming to be to quiet agitation, while they, meanwhile, continue to gather in the rich b unfortunate people within their grasp. emboldened by thelr p: everything and in dei ely increased th Indeed, st success in controlling ing ali opposition they already heavy charges spirit oi the tithes is op- posed to all such Ing the highway: Stand with their . and they are of the past. How I the people anc the yovern- ment be © “d_to pay tribute fer the pr leze of entering the capital ot the covutr: The r Congress. They ev intene bridge shculd cros Potomae * as Indi 1 allow their intentions to ruled by any combinations, however power- thank $ou, Mr.-Fditor, for your position n this and kindred questions, and trust the great influence of your journal wil! still be ex- ereised in our behalf. Vox Porvt. Virginia, January, 1883. é ene ‘The Plumbing #egulations. To the Editor ¢f Tue Evexixe Stal As there appeared in Tue Star of the 3d Instant an article setting forth in detail the amended plumbing reenlations for this Dis trict, which went into effct on the Ist ultimo, 1 would call your attention to some ot the com- ments upon the same as not being sustained by the tacts in the case. .It is stated that the “orizinal regulations were the result ot m patient conferences between the healih of pumbine inspector and a leading pli rs in this District. i un ald | have been le sible for any feature a ne high-priced work calied for in the amer y have had no y the matter what Immediately after the pass: ing the offic received an invitation to aith omficer in council sponded, and the tra x held at his office, and there a ce ‘en Was selected’ to pass upon cer tions whic about to issue, and i th those th he same subject. ings of the committee, a re- to the health ot T, which. while ined inany of the promi the re, . chang hers. The end ot the matter was that the health officer not only iznored all the suggestions made by this com- mittee, but he did not even extend to it the courtesy of an acknowledgment of the receipt f its report or the letter to him accompanying the same. Many of the clauses in the original regula- tions were bad enough, and the amendments in excessiy meet the hich, in the main, wer n in force in another city t. A Judge Who Has Made An Excel Record. ‘Washington Correspondence New York Times. © ‘The assignment of justices for the coming year in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia record ti star routs ease since the term of ais assign- Some respects are worse, and, without much doubt, these regulations will have tu beamended again, unless the courts sustain a most unwar- rantable exercise of power over private rights, which even a board of health is not ‘usually vested in by law. A few more changes in the same direction will finally place plambing work in the line of luxuries available only to the rich and well-to-do. The statemgat that, since December lst, the regulations have been strictly enforced is far from the mark. With one inspector only for this District, and he obliged to remain at his office till 1 p. m., It requires no argument what— soever to show that it is simply impracticable for him to see these regulations str @ily adhered to by all parties in a field so wide as the District of Columbia. ¥ows : rARD CAVERET, 1425 New York avenue. 1883. They | ryest wrung from the | In our outbreak of last winter we had | to hospital, and in no in- | ¢ | the philosophy of the Bell telephone was re- | quired to be explained. These questions, ’ti true, are ordinary questions of general informa- |; { i | i} obstract- | | of the act | imspector of plumbing the | the health officer ras | Ae | 18th and C ry pach session | MDS. 1 Ve 4V ae x ' —s a? xt With the grammar and history I must express my satisfaction. In the preparation of the physics the limit is unbounded. The questions are not taken from any special text-book. A person might take ; yet _he or she would find that ty t of five at the examination are not selected. It may have standard works. For i ion has been given ebout the ui principles ofthe signal service. Again, tion. But is a teacher expected to labor half the night over te: pach the greater portion of the day, and yet read up general in- formation? THIS SAME UNCERTAINTY holds with the geography. At one examinatigp this question appeared: “How are trade winds produced, and what is their direction in the northern hemisphere? What are monsoons, where do they prevail, and why are they more serviceable to commerce than the trade winds?” Such a question would cause an applicant to study up physical geography. No question of physical geography has been put, I believe, since that examination. Places are sometimes asked for that cannot be found on the maps. A few years ago a name of a town in Albania was men- | tioned. I searched all the books. I made use of a geographical dictionary. I concluded that it was some small village in a corner of the United States. Afterwards I discovered that this town of Albania was mentioned in an essay in Scribner's Magazine. My profession’ brings me In contact with etn- ents preparing for this examination. To all T m obliged to express my inability to cuide thelr researches, This should not be the case, and it is not the case in other examinations. CONCERNING THE ORAL EXAMINATION The Saturday following the written examina- tion there is an oral examination conducted by the superintendent of the white schools in presence of the superintendent of the colored Schools and one of the supervising principals. 1 am informed that this committee of three was reduced to two at the last examination. examination has always been a mystery to Some of the applicants are asked a few general questions on school discipline. Some- times they read a few lines of prose or verse. ers are not required to answer one é,uestion. is examination seldom lasts longer than five minutes. Two teachers came to me, during the same ear, for private lessons. Both of them had aught about ten years in the schoo!s, and, as ‘as I cou!d learn, bore equally good ’reputa- ons as teachers. One of them informed me that she had obtained 20 per cent at the oral inination, and had received the third certifi- The other lady obtained 10 per cent at oral examinaticn, and she could not get the ‘cond certifleate. To the best of my recoliec- tion their written examinations differed by the fraction of 1 percent. I was informed later it the lady who received 10 per cent has had one of the best schools in her district, © frustrated ce, 41 can vouch that her scholarship was not interior. Other cases of the same kind haye come within my observation. I have never been able to obtain any definite information | about the mark of the oral examination, BY WAY OF SUGGESTION. Tn conclusion, may I ask three questions? 1. Would it not be better to have the written examination only in the morning, and extend it during two days? 2. Would it be unfair to ask that particu- lar text-books for physics and geography be mentioned from which the questions on those subjects will be taken. Upon what is the mark of the oral exami- nation based, and how Is its decison regulated? With all respect to the board of school trus- tees, and those appointed to manage the schools, I submit this communication for the instruction of the citizens ot Washington ina ject to them of the most vital importance. If Thave erred in any statement, I beg to be corrected. Respectfully A Private TEAC ea ee. Where is the Slop Man? To the Editor Tre Eventna Sra. Wasixcrox, D. C., January 5, 1883. Who has charge of the carrying away of slop in South Washington? For two weeks past I have waited and listened in vain for the call of the man, and two boxes full of garbage, giving enough of odor to cause a plague, standing waitin The slop man did come once in two w but impudently furned away when I refused to come back a few Irefer to the alley between 12th and and D southwest, SUFFERER. ee so. — MAJON FLANAGAN'S LUCK. A Bich Irish Uncle Dies and Leaves Him a Handsome Fortune, ¥rom the Philadelphia Pres Daniel Flanagan, uncle of Major Charles L, Flanagan, who had charge of the Department of the Press during the Centennial Exposition, died a few weeks since in Liverpool, England, and upon opening his will it was discovered that his entire estate, except some legacies to two of the Catholic churches and one of the orphan asylums in Liverpool, had been devised to his dre Brown bros. fron the well- t, interest being at 6 percent, what | ‘al strain with the solution of the | This | | with a ball about the size of a bird-shot. The New’ Discipline for Government Ch ea To the Editor of Tae EVENrNa Stam: The recent orders issued fn the Treasury, and inthe Adjgtant General's office, re- stricting in various ways the employes excite very lively ¢omment in those and the other departments of the government, and the general impressioh” among the best class of employes is that ‘while abuses have existed which should be cotrected, the best method for their correction hag not been adopted. Concerninit the otders issued by the Adjutant General torbidding the reading of newspapers during officd hours and limiting the time tor lunch to fifteen’ minutes, &c., &c., little may be said perhaps except that it would haye saved the many gentlemen in that bureau the mortification of being treated like thieves if the head of the office had taken the course which would have suggested itself to a man conducting his private business, who would most likely have quietly informed those who were misbehaving that a | continuance of their actions would result in dis- missal. it will surely not be claimed that all tie employes of this office haye been so neglectful of their duties as to cail for such severe rebuke; then why not weed out the offenders. The order issued in the Treasury, however, forbidding clerks receiving visitorson any ac- count whatever, are likely to be still more ob- | Jectionable to ‘the attentive and honest em- plo; To say that an employe shall not be seen dur- | ing office hourly relatives or friends on any account is introducing a discipline not sidered necessary even in the cas unless in exceptional cases. Sh denied the privilege of seeing his wife who perchance is the bearer of a tele much importance, or shall the citizen who may be passing through our city, and who has a moment to spare before continuing on his jour- ney to distant parts,be denied the privilege of a moment's inter with a friend because that | friend holds, what should be, the honorable | position of a government clerk? There is one class who will doubtless glory | over thiseorder forbidding visitors, as it will de- prive their creditors of a sight of them unless itbe in transitu, for they are never home when a creditor cails. "Many honest employes believe that the Honorable Secretary of the Treasury has been imposed upon and influenced to ii | this measure, which will have a tendency to | shield toquite an extent the dishonest public | servant. The right to contract a debt cannot well be denied, but the authorities can let it be understood that only honest men can remain In office, and then an employe having contracted a debt and knowing to whom he is indebted, and the business place of his creditor, will go there, as he should, and pay. Failing In this, however, | the creditor should not be denied the privilege of seeing his debtor, even in a public office, should it be necessary; and when such calls of a | creditar or creditors upon an employe, of what- ever grade, become so frequent as to interfere with the performance of his official duties, the { service of such employe should be dispensed with, and his place given to one of the many able and honest men who are willing to serve in the capacity even of a government clerk. In the Treasury and in the office of the Adju- tant General, as inevery government office, there are gentlemen who will no doubt feel ‘keenly the injustice of ‘orders subjecting them to treat- ment bordering on that given to convicts. It is bad enough tobe compelled to associate with that class who impose upon the government by | taking pay for which they do not render ade- | quate service, and that other class who hold their reception of creditors on the Ist and 15th | ¢ subjected to t mortification of being treated themselves as though of those classes. \ Let something like the same rules be applied | to government employes that are found to | operate best in private business establishments. The worthless only will then suffer, and those who faithfully attend to their duties, live hon- | estly, and their debts will be proper Yours, HUMILITY | preciated, ——___-+. ae A Violation of Law by Pension Office Clerks. To the Editor of Tue Evextne Srar: Section 1784 of the Revised Statutes of the United States enacts that “No officer, clerk, or employe in the United States government em- ploy shall at any time solicit contributions from other officers, clerks, or employes in the govern- ment service for a gift or present to those in superior official position; nor shall any such offi- clals or clerical superiors recelve any gift or present offered or presented to them asa con- tribution from persons in government employ receiving a less"salary than themselyes; nor shall any officer or clerk make any donation as a gift. to any official superior. Every person who violates this section shall be sammarily dis- charged from the government employ.” THE Star lately mentioned the fact that sey- enty clerks, employed in_ the division of special agents, Pension office, had presented to the wife of their chief of division, a solid silver ser- vice, valued at 2400. This is the boldest of all recent violations of the section referred to. Is it possible that Mr. | Commissioner Dudley and Mr. Secretary Teller will allow a deliberate offense of this nature to be perpetrated right under their noses? _If they ignore it what does Congress say to such a pal- | pable evasion ofthe prohibition of ‘the statute? | Are they willing to admit that a four-hundred dollar present may be driven plump through a | United States statute? What argument is | needed to show that a present to the wife is a | present to the husband? That the husband is just as much the beneficiary ina case of this kind as the ostensible recipient. If this may be | done with impunity what may not be done with | ‘the anti-assessment law which Congress is 80 | laboriously perfecting? 1 am infor.ned that of the contributors to this present not one in twenty has any personal ac- utance with the lady. They are subordi- es who ere sent Into the field on special s« e, and tueir chief directs their movement sends them to apleasant or unpleasant field of duty, and in many ways casts their official lot | in pleasant places, or the reverse as may seem to him best. His good will is valuable to them; {| more so than in ordinary cases. The statute was | | made to correct a very grave abuse. If it canbe | evaded by the puerile expedient of making the wite or child of the superior clerk the recipient of valuable presents ft is a mockery. There has been something too much of this. It seems im- possibie to quench the consuming desire of some subordinates to give to their superiors in office. Of course we know that these affairs are usually initiated by a few persons, who expect to reap more than a prorata share of the benefits re- sulting; and that many who do give curse the scheme under their breath, but dare not refuse for fear of belng discriminated against. WwW. Weapons for Winter Wear. From the Chicago Inter-Ocean, “The mayor has got the right view of the matter,” said the funny street-car conductor yesterday. “Always shoot with a knife if you want the chips to fly.” “But a revolver comes handy at close quar- ters,” said the reguiar patron. “Bah! a revolver!” said the conductor, with unutterable contempt. “What kind of a revol- ver does aman carry? Why, a little 22-caliber, T'lllet @ man shoot ‘at’ mé all day with one of those things, the length of the car, for ten cents a whack. What you want if you're going to carry @ gun is a fatherly old beeswax that'll wear out a pocket in half*a day, and the bullet hole in a man’g carcass gapes oper like you'd heaved in half a__ brick, | But, of course, No one wants to carry around such & piece of ery as that. Oh, yes; a knife is, cleangr, lighter, and vetter, and You can use jt to sharpen pencils, tim your corns, clean your finger nails, eat oranges, and piel yur teeth with+Anancentrayenne!—I re- member when I was on the North Side Line, feller got on the hin@*platiorm with a hoss pistol in his hand the length of my arm, and he was lookin’ wild about. the eye’—Maay !—An’ every one of the passengers quietly slid off the front platform leayin’ him in ondisputed persession.” fae you say anything?” asked the regular “No! course not; they had all paid their fare —Curtisnaberdeen!--That's the kind of a gun to have. Something that strikes terror to the soul. Don't you think it’s warm to-dayz” jot especially. “Well, I s' 's because I've got on mr winter flannel rpenter!—I always six red flannel undershirts in bus t one on. In October oat oa Srtege ia Ge another.’ What! not over the rest!” | ni and: I take Inst one. te “Then what do you a do a “TI take a bath. of here right. Good day—Peoria!” eat GAMBLERS SAID TO HAVE BEEN NED. a {and a Policeman Implicat- cd=A Haid but Only Ome Arrest, ‘From the New York Tribune, Jan. 7. Anthony Comstock charged the police of the Thirtieth Street Station, yesterday, with in- forming the inmates of the gambling-house at No. 102 West Thirty-second street of his intend- ed descent upon the place, by which the alleged Proprietor, Alvert J. Adams, and seventeen others escaped arrest. Mr. Comstock made the following statement to a reporter of the Zril- une: “I had secured warrants for the arrest of ‘six men, including Albert J. Adams, the propri- etor of the gambling den at No. 102 West Thir- y-second street. Adams is now under indict- ment, and has been indicted before several times. I went to the Thirtieth Street Police Station and inquired for Captain Williams, but was told that he was not in. I then handed Sergeant Westervelt, who was in charge, tie | warrant for the arrest of Adams and five othe men. The sergeant went into the back room and had a conversation in a low tone of voice with an officer there. This officer hastened to the door, and, after leaving the station. started on the rpn toward a barber-shop. I told one of my officers named Oram to follow him. He did so, and reported that the officer entered the ‘hop, Waited there an instant as if look- ing for sou and then came out and ran on to an engine-house. A moment later he came out and ran on to @ liquor shop. The officer had been at the liquor shop only an i nt when the bartender, having on his white apron, ran to the’ gambling-house and flushed the game. Seventeen men came piling out of the gambling house, leaving John McCormick to take care of the property. He carried the red and black ‘layout’ to the roof and padlocked the exit. Then he packed 1,243 checksintoa tray and was attempt- ing to carry them away when he was arrested. We also secured 1.190 checks in the safe, a rou- lette wheel, a trunk and table, together with three fine slate blackboards and all the furni- ture in the place, including a Herring sate. The trunk was full of policy and envelope books. There were tour games carried on there—policy, the envelope game. red and black and roulette. No faro was played in this place, but weeaptured two nickel faro dealing-boxes and two packs of cards. After Oram had seen the officer alarm the place he returned to the station and told me the facts. Capt. Williams passed the ofticer coming toward the station. The Captain was on one side of the street and the officer on the other. Neither spoke to the other in pass- ing. I told Capt. Williams that I had heard that a warrant could not be served on gawblers in his precinct; that I wanted to prove that it was not true, and that one of his officers had given the entire matter away and alarmed the gam- blers, 80 that they escaped arrest. Capt. Wil- liams replied in a general way, saying that he did not believe that this could be true. I learned that the name of the officer was Henry H. Shill, paérolman No. 1991, He was in full uniform at the time that he ran out of the police station. I have dictated a letter embodying the facts that I have given you to Superintendent Wall- ing. I shall also present a statement to the grand jury. Mr. Oram is one of my best men, and I have reason to believe implicitly what he told me.” Sir Peter and the Cow. ¥rom the Indianapolis Journal. While in Montreal I heard a story of Sir Peter Mitchell, member of parliament for New Bruns- wick, of whom I spoke ina recent letter. He was an opposition member during the lamenta- ernment of Sir John Mackenzie in the t decade, and was a constant and most un- comfortable thorn in the side of that unhapp premier. Sir John was a conspicuous railroad magnate. and just before the opening of parlia- ment one winter Sir Peter called on him to in- duce him to pay 240 for a widow's cow that had | been run over by the cars “I don't believe there’s anything in it,” ex- claimed the premier peremptorily; “it’s proba- bly a tramped-up case, but I'll inguire, and you cail to-morrow.” The gentleman from New Brunswick was not used to being treated so cavalierly, but he pock- eted it, and called in the morning. “There's no justice in it. We won't pay for the cow,” broke in Sir John. ejoined Sir Peter, that of the or sent there and investigated it: “No, I haven't; but I won't pay for the cow. It’s a mere trifle, and she ought to have kept off the track.” “Don’t the law say you shall have a fence?” “I won't pay for the cow, now; and that’s all the answer you'll get.” “You won't pay for the widow's cow; won't you, Sir John Mackenzie? I will make you pay for it,” exclaimed Sir Peter, now thoroughly aroused. “You will; you will! How will you?” growled the premier. “Til take it out during the session, as sure as you are aliving man. The widow's 240 isn’t anything, isn’t it? I'll take it out of you!” It ‘n Irishman against a Scotchman, and both were angry. The sequel proved that Sir Peter took it out of him yery thoroughly. He isa roundheaded man, a hard worker, a pugna. cious and redoubtable foe,an unforgivingenemy, bold and elegant in debate, no dilettante, but a hard hitter, and some of his onslaughts were furious. Ifhe had not great tact he had great force, and he never forgot the cow. In the speeches he made every day against the measures and methods of the government, then under serious suspicion, he told the story of the cow and trotted her out with a frequency that must have seemed like cruelty to animals. Finally the last day of the session dawned, and the consideration of Mackenzie's expense budget was resumed. It provided the appro- priations for the coming year. Sir Peter Mitchell took the floor and launched into a eulogy of the deceased cow and the pro- priety of inaking an appropriation for the widow. He was greeted with laughter and mocking applause, and then his auditors waited uneasily for him to finish. He did not finish. | He continued. He told the story overagain with embellishments and elaborations. He contrasted the stinginess of tie wealthy ruler with the quiet endurance of the penniless widow. He began to read from the Bible the commands to mercy, justice and charity, when the honorable mem: bers straggled out one by one to dinner. Sir Peter bit a biscuit. drank a swallow of water, and continued, impressing upon the empty chairs about him the tender duties and graces of humanity. Members straggled in again. He quoted the Song of the Shirt. They appealed to him to draw his remarks to a close. He told the story of the cow. Meantime, Sir John Mackenzie was perspiring with wrath and anxiety in tie premier’s apartment hard by. All his hopes were bound up in the ap- propriation budget. What if it should not come to a yote! The honorable member from New Brunswick could not be stopped, for this was the one bill in the Canadian Parliament on which a member could speak as long as he wished. There was no way of cutting short the debate. No motion was in order while he was speaking, except the motion to adjourn—and that would be adjournment sine die. ‘The gov- ernment members were in consternation as the orator delivered a speech on the blessings of vaccination, gave statistics on the cost of fences in ae Kon eiigriael year ee en- comium on the superiority, for draft purposes, of Devon cattle, to which’ class. the deceased domestic friend of the bereaved widow belonged, aud then began to describe the religious cere- monies in which the sacred cow of Burmah takes part, when the bell rang for vespers. A short time more and the session wot expire by law, and the government had passed no appropriation bill! At this tritical juncture one of the govern- ment members returned excitedly from the pre- mier’s room, rushed to the orator’s desk, and exclaimed: “In the name of God, what ails you, Mitchell? What do you want?” “—Stinl,” said Sir Peter, finishing the sentence he had on his lips, “not a cent has ever been paid for the widow's cow!” The member uttered a vehe- ment exclamation about that animal, and added: “Sir John Mackenzie authorizes me to that he will pay for the cow if you'll let this come to a vote. Sir Peter sat down, rather tired, and the widow got her pay. a8 marck Mitchell, on account of his boldness and shrewdness in meager acabinet and making the ady of a vacillating | | \ i NO INFIDEL’s OATH. Judge Briggs Defines What Belict ts Necemary te Qualify a Witness—Un- believers Disqualified—Faith in Di- vine Rewards and Panishments Ex sential te a Witness in Court. From the Phitadelphia Times. Judge Briggs, in a comprehensive opinign de- livered yesterday, ruled that atheists and all others who do not believe in a Divine Being and Divine rewards and punishments are incompe- tent as witnesses. The matter was brought up on motton tor a new trial in the suit of Lucas against Piper, the ground for the motion being that Judge Briggs had admitted the testimony of Robert Becker, who said that, though he be- lieved in the Creator of the untverse and in a Supreme Power which would punish him here for false swearing, he did not believe in God as commonly understood by the people, nor in a personal God, nor God as an entity. There was no other evidence in support of the objection to the witness. In his opinion the Judge said: “With some doubt I admitted the witness. Was this proper in the light of the law? Something more is re- quired to render one competent as a witness thai? a belief ina Supreme Power, simply as a power or principle which may be the restless, natural laws, as exhibited by the motion and operation of the elements, and to violate which will surely bring punishment here to the trans- gressor. The belief required by our laws is a belief in the existence of an omniscient Su- preme Being who will impose divine punish- ment for perjury either in this world or im the next. If the belief be short of this It falls under the han of demnation. Mr. Greenleaf ‘On under consideration: ‘The third class sons incompetent to testify as witnesses eon- sists of those who are Insensible to the obliza- tion of an oath from defect of religious senti- ment and belief. The very motive of an oath, it being a religious and most solemn appeal to God as the Judge of all men, presupposes that the witness believes in the existence of an omniscient § e Being who is the rewardes of truth and avenger of falsehood, and the by such a formal appeal the conscience ot the wit- ness is affected. Without this belief the per- gon can not be subject to that sanction which the law deems an indispensable test ot truth.’ ‘It isnot sufficient that the witness believes himself bound to speak the trath trom @ regard to character or from fear of punish- ment which the law inflicts upon persons guilty of perjury.” WHAT IS REQUIRED OF A WITNESS. “Such motives have, indeed, their influence, but they are not considered as affording a suf- ficient safeguard for tne strict observance of truth. Our law, in common with the law of most civilized countries, requires the additional security afforded by the religious sanction im- plied In an oath, and as a necessary consequence rejects witnesses who are incapable of giving that securit, Atheists, therefore, and all in- fidels—that those who profess no religion that can bind their consciences to speak the truth—are rejected as incompetent to testify as witnesses. “In the I. Law Reporter this view is ex- pressed: ‘The law is’sure in requiring the high- est attainable sanction forthe truth of testimony given,and is consistent in rejecting all witnesses incapable of feeling this sanction or of receiving this test. whether this incapacity arises from the | inability of the understanding or from its per- | versity. Tt does not impute guilt or blame to eithe If the witness is evidently intoxicated he is not allowed to be sworn because, for the time being, he is incapable of feeling the force and obligation of an oath. The non-comp. and the infant of tender age are rejected for the same reason, but without blame. The atheist is also rejected, because he, too, is incapable of realizing the obligation of an oath, in conse- quence of his unbelief. The law looks only to the fact of the incapacity. not to the cause or the manner of ayowal. Whether it be calmly insinuated with the elegance of Gibbon or worded forth with the disgusting blasphemies of Paine, still it is atheism, and to jaest the mere formality of an oath from one who avow= edly despises or is incapable of feeling its pecu- liar sanction would be but a mé€kery of justice.’ RELIGIOUS BELIEF NECESSARY. “Mr. Stakie says: ‘It seems that the witness ought to be admitted if he believes in the exist- ence of a God who will reward or punish him in this world, although he does not believe ina future state. But it is not sufficient that he be- lieves himself bound to speak in truth, merely from a regard to character or the interest of society, or fear of punishment by the temporal law.” “It is useless to"multiply authorities,for those already referred to exhibit the law as recognized by all civilized countries, except in those states Isham it has been modified by express legisla- ior “It hence follows that the faith of a witness should be a religious belief ot some kind in the existence of an omniscient being who will re- ward and punish, either here or hereafter, for good and evil deeds. A belief ina power. as exhibited by the forces of nature, and call it sn- preme, and yetignore that the power is the handiwork of the omniscient and omnipotent God, is totally insuMcient to meet the law's re- quirements. Nor is any advance gained by as- serting that he who violates the law of natare will be oon for admittedly such punish- ment will follow with unerring certainty. If one jump overboard in mid-ocean or thrust his hand intoa raging fire, or violate any law of natural existence, he would be immediately punished just in the proportion that he violate these natural laws. It isin this sense that Shelley, with his charming grace and eloquence of style and sublime poetic conception, wrote his ‘Queen Mab.’ He assumes that “All-sufficing nature can chastise Those who transgress her laws. She only knows How to proportion to the fault The punishment it merits. AN INSUFFICIENT BELIEP. “The sentiment ranning through this master- piece of the poet, and which has been said to be ‘his honor as a poet and disgrace as a man,’ to- tally ignores the existence of a God, and yet he maintains the doctrine of punishment—that happiness and misery and rewards and punish- ments are alone the sequents of human action without divine sie and that death is an endless sleep. A belief in such a punishment is not a belief in divine punishment, and is clearly insufticient to render one entertaining it competent to testify under our law. “While the witness Becker said he believed in a Supreme Power that would punish him here for false swearing, he would not say that he be- Neved that power was divine, and he totally | denied the personality of God and of God as generally understood by people. With such a belief how can he be said to be in fear of divine punishment for testifying falsely? His belief ing defective in this respect, if falls short of one of the legal requirements which is indis- pensable to exist to entitle him to be examined. as a witness in the courts of this state. It fol- lows that I erred in receiving his testimony, and that a new trial shonid be ordered.” support of a clergyman in Iowa, who was rep- resented to be doing valiant pioneer work on a *LANCEDTS” FEMININE BEADERS. Urging Them Notte Use Arecniceon Their Fair Skins if They W ish to be Pretty. From the London Lancet. It ts necessary to raise a warning cry against ‘8 most mischievous statement which has recently been circulated, and has already done harm, te the effect that “arsenic in small doses ts good for the complexion.” It is not difficutt to Imagine ‘the risks women will Incur to preserve oF Improve their “good looks.” No more ingentous device for recommending a drug can be hit upom than that which the authors of this most banefal Prescription of “arsenic for the complexion” have adopted. Suffice it to recall the fact that for many years past chemists and sunitarians have been laboring to discover means of elimi nating the arsenical salts from the coloring matter of wall papers and certain dyes once largely used for certain articles of clothing. It ts most unfortunate that this hop antagonistic recommendati arsente to tm- prove the complex: into print. Those who employ vised—and there are many either already w it or contemplating the rash act—will do so their peril. So far as they are able, however, It jill be the duty of medical men to warn the | public against this pernicious practice, which is | only too likely to be carried on secretly. It is hot without reason that we speak thus pointedly, and urge practitioners to be on the qui vive im anomalous or ¢ aes, — see fashionable Vulgarity. From the Philadelphia Times. Men and women exhibit more or less vulgarity in ali the ious classes into which social laws divide mankind. Many are measurably excusa- ble for vulgarity, because they have had little or no opportunity to become anything better; but even among those who have been dented ; the advantages of culture or refining associa- tions there are many who, however uncultured, are never vulgar. i The vulgarity that is most conspicuous and | least excusable is that often ostentatiously ex- hibited by men and women who have enjoyed | the advantages of what they call the best cul- ure and surroundings; who claim to be gentle- men and ladies par excellence. It would be most unjust to say that exhibitions of vulgarity are common among cultivated men and women; but It is undeniably true that some of the most offensive exhibitions of vulgarity are made by men and women who assume to be leaders of refined society. One of the most common and unpardonable vulzarisms is that exhibited by fashionable men and women at places of public amusement, There is hardly a week that some of our best theaters are not disgraced By the brazen vul- garity of fashionable . Sometimes they oceupy the boxes by their loud and inces- sant conversation and exclamations, deprive a full hundred quiet spectators from hearing or enjoying the pl Sometimes they take @ prominent row of seatsand disturb actors, aude ence and orchestra with their loud convensat! vulgar criticism and more vulgar exhibition then, is heightened by men, miscalled gentlemen, who are intoxicated; not too drunk, but just drunk enough to be enter- taining to these women, miscalled | , and excessively annoying to scores of people ind them. Unfashionable people don't exhibit such vulgarity, for the very ood reasons that, as 8 rule, they have too much self-respect to be guilty of it and they would be admonished on ordered out by the ushers if they so offended. Another fashionable vulzarity exlibited at places of public amusement is one that is com- mon only in America. In Europe, no lady it permitted to enter a theater or opera hous wearing a bonnet or hat that may in any obstruct a view of the stage by those who it behind them. In this country, an: —— ip thiscity, it is not uncommon fora lady to wear a flaring hat or a poke bonnet that practically tor. bids @ score of spectators from seeing the stage except by bovbing around the sides of the ob- structive head-gear. This nuisance is not con- fined to fashionable people, but well-breé women should know that it is offensively val gar, and if they would banish the flaring hat or bonnet, and a red at the theaters and at in suitable head-dress, the imitators of on would speedily follow them in the reform. It is simply an exhibition of vulgarity for an inteili- doadicgerery to appear in public with a het or net that interferes with the enjoyment of those around her. Respect for others, high or low, is the first attribute or the gentleman or lady, and any violation of the rule, in public or y vulwarit; se Sor may be hourly witnessed in our street ing the portions of the day or mo when fashion- able women are passengers. Not one-half the 80-called ladies, who expect gentlemen to sur render seats to them in crowded cars, are suffl- ciently well-bred to thank the gentleman who displays such courtesy to them. ‘The overloaded market-woman and the toll-bent washwoman will give thanks whichare So are uel but the lady who affects to be of better and culture in many cases poses as the embodl- ment of vulgarity by acceptinga gentleman's seat without the decency of a courteous ac- knowledgement. So-much have men been of- fended by this form of vulgarity, that many re- fuse to der such courtesies to women becansé the civility is not recognized by those to whom it isextended. There can be no truer test of @ lady than in a crowded car or theater. The vule gar will always be vulgar; the refined will al- ways be refined and courteous and void of of fense to even the humblest about them. awe ‘The Advantages of Dyspepsin. Carlyle, like Johnson and Swift, had a pow- erfal, but disordered, body, which from youthte old age never seems to have given him a day of serene joyous health. Dyspepsia, his malady was called, but it must have been of a peculiar | kind, involving the whole nervous system. The slightest noise hindered him from sleep, which he sometimes could not obtain for three weeks together. He describes his suferings, as might be expected, with graphic force—a sensation as Wa “rat gnawing at the pit of his stomach;” his nerves all inflamed and torn up; body and mind in most hag-ridden condition. After a journey he says he felt like a “mass of dust and inflam- matory ruin.” He speaks of six w months of whict he can remember nothing & but ago- nized nights and days—of having suffered the pangs of Tophet almost daily: that his tormenta were ureater than he wasable to bear. Neither carefulness as rds diet nor constant exer- cise seems to have done much more than muiti- gate his sufferins. Yet he was powerf built and really very strong, capable of ent much bodily fatizue and such protracted arr | labor as few could surpass. He never seems te have been acutely and dangerously ill, but was always ailing and suffering, a condition for which people with stout and rather blunt ner- vous organizations have often imperfect sym- pathy and comprehension. It Is by the most dangerous Uinesses which are always the most painful. Cariyle’s maladies, no doubt. seriously affected his temper, which may well have been somewhat tart and hasty to begin with, and his irritability has become proverbial, a serious defect which, with one or two others, we shall have to consider presently. But a still worse result of his tll-health was the lived—another well-known effect ot gastric dis- Probably with radiant health he been a melancholy man; his mind was naturally somber and disposed to -seek the darker side ot things, Even before appeared, when he was a lad not 19, in the letter of his which has been preserved, we find him speaking of this ‘dirty planet” in a style worthy of his atrabilious moods of later years. If this was his sentiment when in health, whet be