Evening Star Newspaper, February 17, 1883, Page 2

THE DETECTIVE SCANDAL CONFESSIONS OF A WASHINGTON THIEF. STARTLING DETAILS OF 30 ROBBERIES. ‘How the Robberies were Effectedand Who Bought the Stolen Goods. A Notorions “Fence House”? Within a Stone’s Throw of Pennsylvania Ave- nue Frequented by Thieves and De- tectives. George Parker, colored, a native of this city, 20 Years of age, who was sentenced on the 2th of Noveuaver, 1882, to the Erie county (N. ¥.) peniten- Uary for five years for house breaking (the Hamilton House robbery) under the new law, has made the following voluntary sworn confession of ail the facts known to him relative to some thirty Tobbveri's committe! in the District of Columbia With which he was connected: NOW I GOT ACQUAINTED WITH MANTZ. George W. Mantz ts on the northwest corner of Iith and C streets I frst heard of him as a dog- Denier and chicken-fghter through the boys and Iny brother James. I got acquainted with him throuch my brother when he and I went there to get adrink. My brother James, who was, when I left Washington, a walter at the Metropolitan hotel, had been before this a long tme acquainted uitz—they were old friends At this time I rd heard of Mantz’ advancing money on goods that I knew were stolen. . ‘THE WAY I COMMENCED TO WORK FOR GEORGE W. MANTZ. I was arrested for being a professional thief. Lieut. Arnold arrested me. I got ninety days tn the workhouse. I was put on a $100 or $200 Dall, I Qisremember which. Mantz came up and went my bail He was induced to do this because he knew he could get his money back. So he went my ball and I got out—g100 ball, I think It was. ‘This ball was cash money. Then Lacey, he got a Manto somy Dail for me. I pald this mah $10 to go My ball; he was a colored man; Tdon’tknow his Dane. He guve me $100 ball and Mantz toox his Maon-y back; I had some $45 or $50 In my pocket. Aiter [came out on ball, Mantz taken Ine to work for him, as I had not been doing any work tor some tne. The reason I went to ‘Work (or him was to keep the police trom picking ton or sending me to the work- ¥, 30 that I might have an em- ployment. The first time I went to Mantz’ with any conis—a white fellow by the name of Hen Benten—I met him on the street; Iknowed him and «sked him did he want to buy an overcoat; aud he ssid he didn’t have any money. He Ine how mu did Lwant fort. gibi $7, He said come on with me and see if Lean get thé money. Then m* and him went on down to Mantz, | and I went In the side door and went adjoining ee the bar-room. "t Know whether he got as the frst time I got tuttmate with n't rem: imbder the first time T passed goous through Mintz, whieh he pald me for. I Worned for Mintz as a Waiter in his saloon and as an boy. [would siways tell Mantz where the things came from betore they would be re- Portes Manu would slways ask me it Twas satis. ed when [ brought the goods in to him. Any time that 4 would me too much monvy tor ry ike it up on ibring there, and if I ch T Woult maake It up. TUR DBTECTEVES. y time there wasa robbery did which was «next morning to the detectives at police +h and Miller had the case me upto Mantz’ to see goods was there. After I this business for s0 1 hint t about tt—tos the ¢ bast koe E knew and t doa’t remember and said those ‘n from Ve T ssid: ri our con- om said to . You needn't get and the man will et them ne r ace € they would mal me im” tht city for and = Miller always ogetuer pretty much. Coo ‘nerallvy came there to here fre: lone; but Sometiines McDevitt and Mc! hd Mler,‘all of then, ¢ ume there together. and Coomes suspicioned what ktnd of work Iwas doing. They couldu’t cet on to what kind of work I was doing; but they knowel me to bea Sneak tile, They’ tried to get me to work for them. or to send me to the penitenthiry—I don’t know Wilch. They asked me to do it. Gcorge the Jew had great deslines wita tne detectives. He always gave up these goods tat I brought there, to the det=ctives when they came after them, so he told me. A LIST CF MY COMPANIONS. Josephus Willtens, alfas “the Ktd;” Joe WH- Hams; Ike Weaver; Owens Washington, alias “Bulli ington, alias “the Kid,” tas “Clothes Line;” Mose Morris, allas “Tang ;” Sm pman, alias “Rat: “Blieckstrap;” Sadorious B a Pride.” *Edward Berry. alias “Monk Ber “Dicky Ross; Henry Williams, atlas “Goose William Harris; *Din Hudna; ‘Wili!am Thomas: Will Lane, and Lame Cook. The persons in the above Ust are all colored. Those wio were in Washington when i l-tt are marked *. ROBBERY ON R STREET. Myself, Henry Wil! ims, and Owen Washington Were walking up R street, coming from the base Ball grounts, tn the evening from six toeight O’clo-k, I think, early In the summer. We looked 4n a window of a house on it street, north side, be- tween 14th and 15th, near the base ball grounds. We saw the people sittin im the front room of the hons, and then Washington = “Let's go @round the back way ul see Ii '¥ of the win- dows ts open, apy way to get in the back way. The Peopie ts all down stairs, and we might make Something.” Then we went down the back way end went up to the back window, and one of the windows was histed. There was @ little shelter between the upper and lower windows. Igot up on the fence and then got up In the lit amd looked Ip this Window. J gets down and takes off my shoea, and Henry Will.ims he t:ke3 off his suo, Washing- ton, he goes around the front part of the house to keep waieb. Then Witliams says tome: “Pat Jet me goin this hose.” Isaid: “Allright” So he gitsup onthe fence and on the shelter and Lo Sy bean Window, and I think he lit the gas, on Tits up on the fence and gits up on the top Of the: sheiter and stood at the window outside. He — through the burvau drawers Window aad sew htm doit. After he round all he Couk! in that room he went into the other room, whieh he front room, and brought out one diamond gent’s breastpin” und ladies’ dfs Dnger ring, gold locket and Diack broad- cloth suit” of clothes, or six silk handkerchiefs, and another brownish or gray sult Of gent’s clothes; and he handed me the pin, the ring ani other jewelry. I had got inte the Yoom *hle he went into the front room. While I hed the clothes which he browzat the back room, out then I pitced the clothes Qué of the back window on the ground,where they Jay untli we came ont. Willams got the black Dbrowicioth sult from the froat room, which com Bisted OF pant’s and coat—no vest. The brownish Suit was fount in the back room, think. We One pocket-book that containe® a five-dollar bill #nd @ one-doliar bill, efther m the pocket or on the Dureau, 1 dor remember, an od I stood in the Jor a Mex'can ‘sliver dollar was in the ot one ot the sutts. here was, also, a pocketbook In one of these sults ntained two r. asses, (I think from ington to Pittsbu: and other papers, notes Dill, &. Ata signal given by Washington, that the people in the howse were moving, Williams jumped on the sheiter, and then on the fence, cre in the lot, right over the clothes Detween 9th and 10th, which was kept by a Je The bi which Ihad on I sold this Jew never heard of them afterwards. The sult Williams had on was sold at the same lace, about @ quarter of an bour afterwards, for ve dollars, I think. I never heard anything more of these clothes. THE VERMONT AVENUE ROEBERY. The next robbery detailed by Parker is that of the third house from L street on Vermont avenue, from which a silver pitcher, a quantity of silver- Plated ware anda lady's gold breastpin was stolen. He gained entrance through afromt win- dow. “While I was in there,” the narrative con- Unues, “the servant came up to put down the windows and close the back window shutter. I gets behind the sofa until she put them down; and to keep her from knowing anyone was in the house I put down the front window ; then she came in there and looked around and ‘didn’t See anyone, and went down stairs. Then I walked out with the things.” Cryo | the house, he took the goods to the lot and then carried White part or — to Mantz’. an Walked ae Santa room art,” he says, “and went into the adjo! room. lantz sald, Whats that you have there? I handed tt and let him look at it and I satd, ‘there ts, some more.’ He sald ‘where?’ I said ‘in the Witte Low he ‘go and get the balance of it’ T went back and got the rest, making two or three ti He said, “do you want any money to- re satd ‘yes’ He gave me five dollars, I think, witch I think asked him for, He says ‘come down to-morrow morning.’ Next be he sald how much do you want for them. I tol him twenty dollars. He gave me twenty dollars altogether, and he didn’t say anything. I said is there any kick for them yet? He said he would hear after while, they have not been up here—the detecttves had not been up here. Seve- ral weeks afterwards I met Coomes and Acton on Pennsylvania avenue, near 13th. Acton sald, ‘Parker those things have been put back.’ Isaid, ‘what things were they?’ He said ‘that silver pitcher and that plated ware taken from Vermont avenue, near L street.” Isaid, ‘I don’t know any- thing about it." Acton sald, ‘it we could get you to place confidence in us, I coukd make you the best man in this town for us’ After I left them I Went to Mantz, and told him what they had said tome. He said ‘don’t you do anything like that because they are trying to put up a jobon you to send you to the Verein After that I kept shy of them as much as I could—always did, because they had grudges against me, I thought because I didn’t do as they told me to do.” ROBBERIES AT THE FRENCH FLATS. Parker next narrated the circumstances of a rob- Dery committed by himself and Chapman at the French flats, on I street, near 14th, sometime after New Year's of 1832, the plunder consisting of a lady’s sealskin coat, three or four gold breastpins and other jewelry. They gained admission to the house from the alley by ratsing a window. While Parker, was still in the house, Chapman, who was outside, called to him that somebody was “perk- ing them off.” They then left and ran to the White Lot. Then Parker took the thi to Mantz’. “Mantz came in,” continues Parker. ‘He said, *What have you got now?’ I showed him the articles. He looked at them. He said, * Do you want any money to-night?’ I said, es, give me ten doliars,’ and he gave me ten dotlars. We had something to drink together, and then I Went out. Next morning I came dowa there. He said, * What do you want for them, Pat?” I says, ‘Sixty dollars,’ I think. He says, ‘Whew! it’sa big price.’ I safd that was not a big prtes: He S1y8, ‘I will tell you what I willdo. Iwill give you forty dollars for them.’ I sald, ‘All right.’ He gave me thirty dollars more. I never heard anything of these things. I would never bear anything of these things unless through Mantz who would say that they had been returned, and you can go and get them again, or the detectives, ‘Who would sometimes speak to me of them.” THE SECOND ROBBERY. Parker next described a second robbery, com- Initted by himself alone, at the same French flats, about the last of June, 1332, In witch very Wttle plunder was secured, except a laily’s gold chain. He gained entrance through a window he found open. “Tne reason I went there the second time,” said Parker, “was, Thad not heard whether these things had been returned, but I went back tosee wietior they were there or no! «The reason I didn’ is the c out. of the was In Iwas Tip to Mantz’, niran. By the time si 0 nea followed the nsual Where Parker sold the goods for $5. THE FINCKLE ROBBERIES. ext robberies deseribol were those at Mr. house on 16th street, near Corcoran; both occurring In the spring of 1882 Berry tried to Induce him to engag> In the first robbery, by saying that he knew there was money in the house, “because a girl wao bad worked Chere told him so.” Berry did the robbery atone, haying watched one day untli Mr. Finckle weat to market, Berry thea entored by a back winilow. il (00K off his shoes, Went upstairs and stole a gold breastpin from a bure vw.” He was discovered tn the room by a lady und escaped by telling her that Mr. Fincki¢ had sent him ther or an old pair of sioes He then walked own Stairs and out of the front door. Berry sold pin he secured to Slouch, an old Jew on E, be- tween 12th and 13th, for twenty-five cents. Two or three weeks afterwards Parker fotned Berry in another. expwlitien against Mr. Finckle’s house. While the family were at tho supper table in the basement. Berry, by climbing upon a bay window, got Ino a second Story window and soon pitched. out aSeal skin coat to Parker who was waiting outside. * When we went Inside” the state- ment continues, *he locked the doors up as he ht. When be was searching around w some one came in. Then he jumpe off from the top of the bay Window to the ground and rap.” An alarm was given, but the thieves escaped tothe White lot grounds, They took the coat to Mantz and left it there with the usual understanting. Afterwards Berry state to Parker that he was “shy of going home” that might because he was afraid of bet ar- rested. Berry, however, did start home, and was “collared” there. Mantz the nextday gave Par- ker $13 for the coat. Berry sent for Parker to come out to the second precinct station, where he was under arrest. Parker Lacey to go there for him. “Lacey went there,” continues Parker, “and came back and says ‘Berry says if these things ain't give up he will go_to the ponicentiary, sure.’ So Thesitated about giving them up for a day or two. Berry kept on sending for me to como to the station house. Ttold Mantz about E1’s getting arrested about the coat, and I wanted to put the coat back. He said tome: ‘Iean get the coat for you any time you want it. Tthink you had better hot put that coat back, for E1 will zo up apynow.’ Mantz said, You take $5 and give it to A.B. WIL ltams to defend Ei. Perhaps he will be brought to the court to-morrow.’ But Ei. was not brought to the court, and Wiillams would not take the money which I offered him. He satd, * Walt till he Js brought to court, I will tent to him then.’ Lacey came to me and’ sald, ‘Ain't you going to e them things up?’ ‘Then’ told Lacey I would about ft, and would try to get the things I re ve Mantz the money Dick what I got for 1t—$8. acey Went to Mantz to see about it’ Tae things had been carried down to A. B. Willlams’ office, a lawyer. Idon’t know who carrie them there. A week or ten days afterwards the coat was carried to Mrs. Finckle’s by Lacey. I don’t know how Lacey got it. Lacey and them wanted me to carry it back, but I told him to carry It back himself. When he carried this coat back the woman did not want to consent to allow Ed. out until she got her in. So the things were carried back unbe- jownst to m2, and Ed. was allowed out unbe- knownst to me, but they had told meas soon as she her things Ei. would be let out. She made a kick about the pin, and after Kl. was out Lacey saw Ed. and s «You will have to get that pin or else she will have you arrested again.’ I gave my brother James % cents to go and this pin He went and got it and gavett to Ei, and EL gave ft to Lacey, and Lacey returned it to Finckle’s, as he told us. Inever heard anything more of it.” * ‘OVEROOATS PROM GRANT PLACE. ‘The next robbery detailed was committed by Parker and “Bulldog,” in December, 1981, at a house on the north side of Grant Place, about the fifth door from 10th street. Three over- coats and two hats-were takea. They found the Dasement door unlocked and Bulldog slipped in. They gold the lot, Parker says, to “a little Jew named "on D street, between 8th and 9th. A week or so after this Lieut. Arnold asked Parker ‘about continues the latter, “he says to me, ‘Parker, I know you didn’t do butif you get these things forme anything you do round here I will never touch you for it.’ I Bald, *I wilt try and get them. I will do what can for you.’ He satd, ‘If you don’t do this favor have got my eye on you, and I will.have my hands on you soon, you damned ie er, continuing, says he had no confidence in Arnold, a3 be thought Arnold had a grudge in. house in June and July, 1892, are next described. Parker, Jim Chapman and Ei. Berry were con- cerned in the first that we had on, and some of the Jewelry I in Tay Pocket and Some oF it Wiliams Thad wits him, shington picked up our shoes and fo ‘Until We Stopped fn the lot. DUC eae Washington put some ts pocket while T was put- F, turned down F to at Over in the White lot. ‘There was looked at the articles what we had; Iewelty was handed to me; and Tkept uit; Wililuns kept the other suit the jewelry 2 ¢ nVe YOu g He siys: “How much you want for itr” Hic knew Ieame there to get money advanced oa Mt, for he had several Umea before ad a, we always as l always told him whe! is pet | i : i li | z i F i i & rt) 3 5% i i robbery. Be dow opening into a dark room on. atreet aide and came out with a lady's gold wateh and black ward and. Dreastpin-alt the of Monday, July nig! u then secured consisted of a jewel tog a gold watch and chain, a ring, Dreastpin and another ba ps 8 Washington was associated Parker in this enterprise. They gained en- trance just as Berry did on the former occasion. Parker ‘while In the house was discov. went there the next a that officer captured him before he could see Mantz ‘TWO ROBBERIES IN ONE NIGHT. On the night of the first robbery at the Hamilton House, after leaving there, Berry and Parker went with Chapman to ® house on H street, between 14th and 15th streets. Parker climbed to the top of the side porch and went into a second@-story Window on the west side of the house. He secured ‘MONGOLIANS CONSIDERED GOOD VICTTUS. ‘The next robbery described was committed In , 1881, at a house om 18th street, be- tween F and G streeta. Two diamond s breastpin, some silverware, a little silver pitcher, and other silverware was taken. The house was selected because “Bulldog” and Parker saw a couple of Chinese or Japanese coming out of 1 and “amywheres gapanese or Chinese stayed we always knowed there was rich stuff in the house." Coramniteed, the a elim) upon a porch and getting into & second ‘story window. He locked the’ door of the room while he ransacked the bureau drawers, Some one coming to the door and it he jumped out of the window upon the roof o! the porch and had a bad fallto the nd, but escaped. The next day Mantz gave him $35 or $40 altogether. Fa a Parker states: ‘Pat, there was only $25 reward for-those T dont remember whether he sald it the next day or some time afterwards I says: ‘Do you think aa Ee Se ‘No,’ He says: oever them for more than that,’ ether he still had them I don’t know. So I never heard more about those things or what became of I don’t know whether they were returned or not. I know that whenAhe $% was offered, Mantz would Fee Se een Se a5 he Tad peek races 0 ae em.” A CONNECTICUT AVENUE ROBBEEY. Another robbery committed in December, 1881, was at a house on Connecticut avenue, between H and I streets, John Jackson being concerned with Parker In the job. Parker got into the dining- room by a backway and handed out a drawer’full of silverware. They leftthe drawer by the side of the fence, taking the silverware with them, and made their usual ‘pilgrimage’ to the White Lot, where they examined the loot. Parker then took the goods to Manta’, where he exhibited the Goods, got some monéy and something to drink, lantz gave him more money the next day, mak- ing it $12 altogether. “That,” says Parker, “was the last I heard of those things untilI was met by Detective Coomes some time afterwards, and then he showed me a ttle postal eard of all the articles that had been taken, and there was §20 reward for them. He asked me could I get them for him. TI told him I didn’t know; if I heard any- thing about them I will come and tell you about them.’ He says, ‘All right; if you can get them you can have the rewat I don’t want the thiet hor the reward. J just want the things You can have it yourself.’ T was acquainted with Coomes, as I was with ail the others, but I didn’t have busi- ness with him—only just to talk to him when he came to me to ask about them, and would tell him I would do what I could for him; that was all. I never did do anything for him. I don’t know whether they were taken back, andI never heard anythmg more of them.” ANOTHER CALL MADE THROUGH 4 BACK WINDOW. ‘The next robbery described was at a house on K street, between 15th and 16th, in the winter of 1882, when Parker and Berry secured some large pieces of silverware and two overcoats. The sil- verware, after the usual visit to the White Lot, Was disposed of to Mantz The overcoats were sold to “George the Jew” for $3 or $4 apiece. “George,” continues Parker, “knew u3, and knew that all the goods we took there were stolen goods, aud the detectives used to come there for them. Joe Acton and Coomes used to visit there right ovten, Twentto Mantz’ next morning, but I dis- reuember whatI got for the things. I went to George the Jew afterwards, and he says: ‘What dit you do with those other things that you got witu the Overcoats?? I sald: ‘There didn’t any- thing else come with the overconts.’ ‘You can't fool ine,’ he says, -the detectives have been looking for them. Skin’ out now before they come; they hulght be around here agaio and see you in‘here.’ I never heard anything more about these things— the goods nor the silverware.” ANOTHER “HISTED” WINDOW AND ANOTHER VISIT TO MANTZ. The same winter Parker, “Butl Dog,” and James Chapman robbed another house on K street, be- tween 15th and 16th, the third house west of the one mentioned above, and stole a silver plated Pitcher and other plated ware. They got in by raising a front window, Mantz bought the goods. “tteut. Guy,” of the first ward, says Parker, ‘was Jooking for these things, and I hear there was'a kick for them, for they were oid relishes of the people, They were not very valuable, as the people sald; but the reason they wanted them they had been In the famtly so long, that was what I heard. Idon’t know whether there was a reward offered ornot. Inever heard anything more of them.” A NARROW ESCAPE. The same winter Parker entered a house on I street, between 15th and 16th streets, by a parlor Window, took two coats off the rack, and made a hasty exit,as an alarm was raised. He escaped through an alley, and went to the White Lot, hav- ing put both the coats om. Mantz gave him $15 for the coats, TWO ROBBERIES AT THE SAME HOUSE. Parker robbed a house on 16th, between Iand K streets, the fall before he went to New York. He found the front door unlocked, and, taking two overcoats off the rack, sold one to “George the Jew ” for $4 or $5, and another one to a man on 9th street for $3 In December, 1882, Parker entered the same house by raising back window, and stole from a bed-room two silver watches’ and a, quantity of jewelry, which he disposed of to ‘ante. A ROBBERY AT WILLARD’S HOTEL. In June, 1882, Parker, passing along 14th street, by Willard’s hotel, about midnight, saw a man reading tm hi3 shirt-sleeves in one of the rooms on @ level with the street, his vest having been depos- ited on the back of a chair near the window. Par- ker walted till the man went to bed, when he opened the window, stole the vest: from the chair, and found $6 or $7 in povey ay the pockets, besides: @ wateh and chain. Two days afterwards he car- ried the things to Mantz. “He says,” continued Parker, “McDevitt has been hel ng watch and chain, and he left word to get it as cheap as I could if I could hear anything of it. Then he asked me how much | wanted fortt 1 told him $25. Itwasa gold watch and chain I think he (4 the $% for it. ‘vhat ts the last I ever heard or it.” MASSACHUSRTTS AVENUE ROBBERIES. The next robbery spoken of was committed after Parker returned to Washington from Pittsburg, at a house on Massachusetts ave. between 14th and 15th sts. Parker spied a window invitingly open, and going tm, secured without trouble a set of Plated stlverware, which he sold to Mantz and never heard of afterwards. About the same time atter betes 4 a gold-} Laved clock, whe he set off @ burglar and left in a hurry, jum, off the porch to the ground. Mantz gave him $6 for ‘the clock and he never heard of it again. BOSBERIZS IN THR NEIGHBORHOOD OF LAFAYETTE SQUARE. In the spring of 1983 Chapman, Berry and Parker robbed a large brown stone house on H street,just around from the Arlington hotel, taking a number of solid silver spoons and other articles. They entered Dy way ot a back window, and left upon hearing some one approaching. After going to the White Lot went to pean ee nie art that night and ‘the sai between 7 and 8 o’clock one night, ona ema EE the = his through out six little overcoats, him, <Broors yntenced to jail for six months for stealing the coat and six ‘donths {oF assault ard yon & woman, and Gallier was sent to = dary for some robbery he had com ANOSHER BORBERY IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. Before Parker went to Pittsburg , Berry and ker entered the house on the corner of 18th and = Oppasite the one mentioned absve,—by way Of a front window, and stole an overcoat aad 8 10COf silver-plated ware, which was sold after ‘the usual formula to Mants ‘TRE VERMONT AVENUE HOUSE AGAIN. “I returnedto the house on Vermont avenue,” continues Parker, “to get the silver pitcher that Zthad taken from them before, which ,I knew was tn the houss somewhere. I went in through the window the same as I did before, and walked back to the side board and sew silver plated stuff there, owed. it was no goodto me. I Ghat wre aes “Re eae eae pitcher, and walked on out and left it just a8 I found it—didn’t touch anything.” A ROBBERY AND CAPTURE. In the summer of 1881, Parker and Link Wash- ington entered the building connécted with the Arlington, on the I street aide, and stole some gentlemen’s clothing and other little articles After leaving ‘the hotel, Lieut. Arnold gave them pursult on D street, near 10th, and Parker was caught. “I stayed in the station house,” he says, “tour or five days, going by the name of Frank Brooks. The detectives came up. McDevitt came and identified me as Frank Brooks, escai KS, Che! Hill penitentiary.” He was finally be- trayed by a feltow prisoner. While Bays, to be “ate as Iwas fe the station house,” edt a came and recognized my own his—the coat that was really my own; and I was cal to the Police Court and was sent to jail for papi’ own coat. That is all I can say about that In our operations there was very little planning done forehand. We would go gut on the streets and hunt and operate at once. I was arrested for a great many of these cases, but this one of mine.” EXHUMATION OF THE BEMAINS OF PAYNE. A SimHar Event at Venice. ‘To the Editor of Tae Evanrxe Stan: The recent letter of the United States consul at Malta, which appeared in your columns, rela- tive tothe exhumation of the remains of John Howard Payne, late consul at Tunis, recalls a similar event at Venice in the summer of 1851. The American consul at that port had been in- structed by Mr. Webster, then Secretary of State, to cause the disinterment of the remains of his immediate predecessor in the consulate, William A. Sparks, of South Carolina, and to transmit them to the United States by the razee Independence, then with the steamer Mississippi at the portof Trieste, under the broad pennant of Commodore Morgan. It may here be intimated that,some two years pre- viously, the Mississippi had conveyed Mr. Payne from Marseilles to his consulate at Tunis. The channel of the Lagunes was too shallow to per- mit either of the vessels to venture to the port of Venice. It was necessary, there- fore to transport the remains to Trieste by the ‘steam’ packet of the Austtian Lloyds, plying daily, or, rather, nightly, between the two ports. Mr. Sparks had been our repre- sentative at Venice during all the horrors of the Austrian siege and bombardment of that city and its’ final capitulation, in the fall ot 1849, and was one of the last victims of the'| cholera, which, with famine, had hastened, if it did not cause,'the capture of the heroic City of the Sea. Under the most favorable circam- stances an exhumation {is not very easily effected in southern Europe. But Venice was then under martial law. The consul had died of cholera less than two years before. The season was midsummer. It could not be expected, therefore. that any of the customary formaliti at the very least, would be d Owing, moreover, to recent events. of Mr. Brace at Grosswardein aad his s: enforced discharze—American sympathy with Kossuth—Mr. Webster’s Hulsemann letter and his vigorous protest at the Austrian post office violation of our government seal, &c., &c.,) the Austrian authorities were by @> means anxious to show themselves spe- cially obliging to the United States in anything. Indeed, quite the reverse. Obstacies which at rst seemed insurmountable were, however. after considerable delay, by persistent pertina- city, finally overcome, and at lenzth the order was Issued, with rigid restrictions, for the exhu- imation. It was on the morning of the 9th day of July, before sunrise, that the consul, with a Venitian triend, repaired in his gondola to the cemetery on the lonely islet of St. Christopher, to superintend the disinterment. He found there no less than fifteen men awaiting his ar- rival, detailed by the munieipal authorities to effect the removal. There was, also, a case of lead, a heavy box of two-inch plank, thickly coated with pitch, a plumber’s furnace and tools, and a large cask of pulverized charcoal. The sandy soil, or rather the ashes of human remains of centuries’ accumulation, were speedily removed and the coffin was raised and at once deposited in the leaden chest and hermetically sealed by the pluinber. The chest was then lifted into the deal box, the sides, bot- tom and top were packed with the charcoal pow- der, the cover screwed securely to its place, and the whole wrapped in tarred canvas and bound with ironbands. The sunhad been up some hours when the task was completed, the consul and his friend being partially protected from its blaz-~ ing rays by the shadow of a small tree. The ponderous box, by the united efforts of the fAf- teen ‘men, was placed ina barge, the United States flag was thrown over It, the empty grave was filled, a few sprigs of cypress were plucked as a memento of the ae) and the whole party returned to the city. The next step, of course, was the transportation of the box to the trigate at Trieste, but the steam packet of the Austrian Lloyds at once and. flatly refused to take It at any price! Days of negotiation ensued. At one time it seemed inevitable that the frigate should cross the gulf and lie off the port of Venice and receive it from the barge. But all things must have an end. Obstinacy was overcome by obsti- macy. An order came at last from the Trieste directory for the reception ot the box by the steamer, the tll-fated remains were conveyed to that over the rough Adriatic, hoisted on board the Independence lying off the harbor, and, in the darkness of night, in ignorance of the superstitious seamen, lowered into her hold, and soon after the frigate spread her wings for Spezzia and home. F. ———+1-—____ ‘The Helation of Moral and Physical Hygiene, Or Saturday evening last, in the partors of the Spencerian business college, a small, but appre- ciative audience listened to an interesting lec- ture by Mrs. Lucinda B. Chandler upon “The Relation of Moral and Physical Hygiene.” The following were some of the points: The requirements of moral hygiene are as inflexible as. the requirements of physical hy- giene, amd they are identical. Nature's bene- diction %s pronounced to the noble and seif- sacrifieing, the “aplifting and helpful deeds and lives of the philanthropte, even ‘spite of some trespass upon the flesh. But she is Jealous, ex- exacting, and stern when the distribution of vital force is overdrawn in groveling pleasures and physical indalgences. Setentific temperance for individual is to learn the kind and wel S hi i end use of stimulants. Neither enged with. moral (or physical hygiene sanctions the use of such stimulants § as excite and. induce a of the stomach and s system. What one cantot do:and keep a a] sleep wel it not todo. The first great THE PRO- “MISS BROWN” UPON POSED EIGHT-HOUR LAW. the height and strength of his patriotism by de- claring himself willing to ‘“‘sacrifice all his wife's relations” he Geseribed in one pithy sentence the spirit which fired the congressional cannon into the ranks of the department clerks. And when He who was called ‘a teacher ot men” said of certain persons, ‘‘For fey bind heavy burdens, and grieoous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers,” 1 have & haunting suspicion that poor Judea must have been afflicted with a whole battery of that par- ticular kind of cannons at the time, and can understand why its condition should have called tears from the eyes of compassionate Saviour. Especially when He adds, “But all their works they do for to be seen of men,” then—ah! weil, the likeness becomes so striking as to be slightly personal, and, I imagine, for the moment that those ancient sinners were either trying to make political capital or that they had been defeated and were doing their level best to get even with 80 ry. Of course, the knowledge that yon are saving the ceuntry by economy and work—when these blisters are applied to other backs than ur own—must be highly satisfactory, indeed. Besides, there is precedent tor it. In the good old times, of which we hear so much, they had avery ingenious way of correcting bad little boys, when Sey happened to have been born with the aes upon their august little pereoas- simply selected some manly, lovable little fellow as companion for the ro: little seamp, and then, when the latter the cat's or hid his grandmother's specta- cles, they gave the former an awful trouncing; a of moral suasion which was well cal- culated, no doubt, to impress the fact of thelr respective conditions very thoroughly upon the tender minds of both boys. In these later days we don't seem to take kindly, though, to these good old methods, and are not at all anxious to play the role of scapegoat to anyone, especially when our doing so entails consequences upon us of which such public benefactors seem to have not the slightest idea. What do I mean? Well, I'll try to explain. Many of our congressional friends, when they happen to have acqnaint- ances on hand, who are anxious to “do” the city, will walk through the departments, recelve information and know just about as much when they leave the building as they did when they entered it—in to the work done there, 1 mean. Now, for thelr informa- tion I'll take you, my Star, into my confidence, and describe the day's routine. NOT A HAPPY LoT. At 8 o'clock a.m. I leave home (you know, we can’t all live next door to the office or have car- riages to take us there in short meter.) Before 9 o'clock everything 1s In readiness on my desk for work; at 9. precisely, there is a tap of the beil and work begins. Ours is the redemption division of the United States Treasurer's office. the Mecca to which all the worn, torn and defaced greenbacks, silver and gold certificates and fractional currency must return from their wanderings all over the country. And oh! the state in which these wanderers do return! Perhaps some aspiring cow, intent upon accumulating riches, swallows arural fortune, pocket-book, vest and all. She is ruthlessly slaughtered, and said fortune comes here for {dentification and redemption. Or an esthetic mouse nibbles up a few hundred dollars to decorate her parlor with. Envy and superior force rob her of parlor and decorations both, and hand them over to us for a general “fixing up” and returns in good money. Or, leasant thought! some poor féllow dies and is uried with an unsuspected fortune ina con- eealed pocket. Atter months of quiet rest he is resurrected and made to deliver his morey, the CONCERNING POLICE BEORGAN- ‘Ti ‘To the Editor of Tax Evaxrxa Stan. The corps of detective police has been abol- ished by set of Congress. Upon our District Commissioners is devolved the duty of organiz- ing anew corps. No mistakes should be made in selecting the personnel of that corps, and, above alt, that body of mien should be properly managed and intelligently and judiciously as- signed to duty. The recent scandal regarding our detectives arose as much through incompe- tent management and a victous policy Inauge- Tated by thelr ehief officers as through dishonest methods on the part of the detectives them- selves. In fact, it is well known that during the past four or five years the detectives have been subjected to no discipline, management, or control. They have been allowed to assume the role rather of free-bootera than public officers, charged with the detection of crime and the apprehension of criminals. The fault was not so much in the detectives themselves as in their “stars” that they fell into crooked ways. A detective oo! composed of men of the right stamp and intelligently managed, can be made to detect, and, what js better, they can be made to prevent crime of the protessional type in a community like ours almost entirely. A careful supervision of their operations, apd a watchful observation of the te of the community as to crime and the criminal classes, will at once de- monstrate whether the detectives are honestl; engaged In the performance of their duties or are in collusion with criminals. If the commu- nity is free, or comparatively free, from the op- erations of thieves, burglars, confidence men and m criminals generally of the fessional classes, then the conclusion ought to be that collusion does not exist. if the reverse be true then we may justly conclude that EITHER INCOMPETENCY OR COLLUSION does exist. A wisely selected detective corps can, if they will, render our community comparatively free from the operations of pro- fessional criminals; not that they can prevent theft and robbery in every instance, but syste- matic and continuous depredations they can prevent. Unknown criminals may operate for & day or two, but they can aoon be known and come under police qurveiliance. Of course the community should — ade laws for the arrest and punishment of known profes- sional criminals, found under ious circum- stances in public places with evident criminal in view, whether they have actually committed @ crime in contemplation or not. The detective officers should berequired only to satisfy the court that at the time of arrest the accused had in contemplation the execution of an unlawful act; and this done punishment should follow. Under such conditions as to laws, coupled with ability, energy and honesty, the community need not and will not euffer from crime of the mercenary type to any very serious extent. DETECTIVES SHOULD NOT BE KNOWS. Hitherto our detectives have all been known tothe public. Probably no men, and certainly no class of men, have been so well known as the detectives. This was unfortunate anda great detriment to successful detective work. In our community not more than two detectives should be known to the publio; the other four of the corps of six should be absolutely un- known to others than one or two of their chief otticers. These men should be employed with the distinct understanding that they must con- ceal their identity as detectives, and that as soon as they become known to the publicas such their usefulness ceases, and their services are no lonzer required. Heretofore our detectives, some of them at least, have been in the habit of seeking notoriety as such through newspapers and otherwise. ike the hen when she has laidan egy they must cackle. Or, like latter finding its way into our hands. Or, ae chanticleer, when he has overcome arival, they steamboat explodes, aud weeks after a swollen, floating corpse is found, which ylelds up its cash in @ state better to be imagined than de- seribed. Money from small-pox districts and fever hospitals; money which has been buried, or burnt, or torn by children, maniacs ordrunken pene at comes into our hands for careful \dentification and manipulation, with its odors, its dust and general power of vitiating the at- mosphere. And then comes the eare, the strain on eye and brain, which must not relax for a minute; fraud has skillfally counterfeited or, by ingeniously aitering or cutting, multiplied the money, and the slightest oversight in this re- spect, or in verifying the amounts, must inevi- tably make us repent in sackcloth and ashes, for we are touched in that tenderest of spots— our pocketbook. CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER Cases. Oh! yes, when a Mr. Secretary or Chief Clerk declares that he can do ten hours of his work every day, I say yea and amen every time. Con- sider, the gentleman hasalarge, airy beantifally, yes, luxuriously furnished room entirely to him- self, (unless he indulges in the ornament which sits opposite him and ts called a stenographer, I believe); he signs his name, receives visitors, talks, laughs, walks about, when he feels likes it, and can keep utter weariness at bay as much ashe likes. We are packed into close rooms, where ventilation means open windows dnda cold in the head; where the odors above referred to turn your brain dizzy and take away your appe- tite, and here we work, without cessation, from nine till twelve and from half-past twelve till the bell taps at half-past three and we are too tired to eateven Besides, for months, when an extra pressure of work fell upon our division we worked an hour daily after all the other offices had been closed. And for weeks at a time were- turned at 7 p. m., and worked two hours, cheer- fuliy and earnestly, because we knew that our doing so would bring up the work of ‘our office to the point required and please our chief, who held that, as servants of the people, we should do all in our power to deserve esteem conf- dence. I say we did it cheerfully, for we knew that when af other times the work fell off, we should have extra rest and a chance to recup- erate again, thas Se Rar amr and neces- sary rest more nearly than would appear at first sight. Years ago, when I = &e., I made _ the in the most densely ignorant nelghborhoods— there, where people tm witchcraft and stubbornly maintained that, were it true that the earth turned upon its axis, the motion would cause the smoke from the chimneys to always float in one direction (as that of a motive, you understan ; any kind of mental labor was estimated as ony tor amild kind of idiots and su; ly lazy people. They held that plowing and — wood was ee the closest app! in any of in~- pursuit, measured every attainment by the museular force employed and looked with contempt upon all they could net under- stand. Weill,to-day when I see that, even here, at the nation's capital, there can a man be found who ts wi and anxious to mount the pedestal of not that mental appli- ee = , [remember my 1n whose ‘egtimation learning meant laziness, and wish thiit I bad been born @ hundred years her noe. However, let us all — this self-sacri- “Leok to the Senate.” ‘To the Editor of Tax Evexrxa Stan, “Look ta the Senate!” Yes,and to the Honse, too. Let us see, now, if they will pass section 2d of the legislative, executive and judicial ap- propriation bill, and thus persist in taxing tie people thousands or dollars a year for official postage stamps that are sent broadcast over the must mount the topmost rail of a neighboring fence, and proclaim inclarior notes that the fact is accomplished. The detectives would have | been little better known had they worn exposed | upon their breast a badge bearing the inscrip- tion that they were detectives. The moral in- fluence upon criminals when they feel that they are under the eye of persons unknown to them, engaged In watching thelr movements, is potent and effective. Of all people they most want thelr surroundings and movements unknown, and unless they feel confident that such is the case they move hesitatingly and with lack of confidence. ——————————— Let the Law be Exccutea. ‘To the Editor of the Eventna Sram: In Tas Stam of Monday last, giving an ac- count of the disgusting affair, it is stated, in substance, that the violators of the criminal law, after enacting a dime novel scene in the court-room, were permitted to go acquit. It is not that this filthy case stands alone as an illustration of the unwarrantable responsibility assumed by our law officers that I desire to direct attention to It, but the case is referred to as one of the many, the almost dally instances wherein tne committing judge, the prosecuting attorney, the officer making an arrest, or the person whose life has been im- perilled or property stolen, es that there shall be no prosecution. As in the Bur- dine-Spaight case, where the evidence of viola- tion of law was clear, the in his discre- tion, frequently lets the offendergo acquit. Or, the prosecuting attorney announces that he has, for some cause sati to himeelf, deter- mined that there shall not case. Or, the ", ipting to argue the matter, orciting authorities to sustain my points, I beg to say, that in each of the stace mentioned examples of obstruction or in- terference with the operation of the criminal law, the law-abiding citizens are the sufferers. It \s your right, it is my right to demand that violations of the penal law and ‘he offenders punished, and attend witnesses. We to exact the formance of all these services, and te demand that atrial be had in every case of violation of a penal law. working hours of the clerks in the government departments, now pending before Congress, needs only intelligent explanation in order to Tecetve the universal condemnation which it merits. The writer of this, a physician of large practice among the class referred to, gives it as eS ee a ne there is no more exhausting, more destructive to health and strength, than 4 continuous E E a | ‘To the Eaitor of Tas Evexige Stam: ‘There has been an immense quantity of Ink used within the last few years on the subjee’ of deficiency of water. Many persons who had ® full supply of water in every part of thelr houses, for years after the completion of the _ water works, are now, and have been for a long they wuuld have found no difficulty in laying mains in addition to the original ones, and 8 stand pipe; a stand pipe, If necessary, erected by which the dwellings on the high grounds north, and on Capito! Hill would have been sup- plied without to Ys {ont the flow to the upper storiesct wousee orig. inally supplied; but did not adopt the Measures for ing the new wants. Nowe there tse. very sim pie present deficiency in part, = ii head of each department of the government, would doubtless secure the shutting basement of all water alter oMce hours, dally, until the buildings are opened for use ceeding morning. Water should also off nightly, say at midnight, and turned.on at day it or later, at ail the places: 4s now allowed to flow day and night—manufae tories, stables and other places where quantities of water are used, and wasted, should be required to shut off all from their places at midnight, and not let Printed again until eee light. water is used, requesting that all er ok b ible each be shut off by them as soon as posal night—not later than midnight—and turned agato when needed in the morning. No should be allowed to leave their faucets prevent freezing and consequent bursting pipes, but should be required to tura the water off, if there should be danger of freeing. to pre- vent bursting pipes. From midnight to 6@. m. nightly, would give ample time to fill the stand pipe, and by continuous pumping day and nl Many persone now deficient of water would & reasonably full supply. There is a great dealof human nature in kind of human being, but it is believed the great majority of occupiers of houses in this oy would readily and would willingly rexpond any request of this kind for the benefit of those most concerned. Until the “tinkering” whic has been allowed to hold its existence, there was a full flow to the bath tubs and water clos- ets of the third story of the house the writer, the parlor floor of which is on a with the floor of the library In the capitol; eines. then no water reaches the third floor, but litte to the second floor, and only a small stream during the day runs inthe basement for cook- ing and ey yet the writer has pald hie water rent bills as usual and made no complaint to any one, has to be carried ig| buckets by for chamber and water-closet purposes, from the basement, and every effort ie made economize water, even so far as to shut all off in basement between 10 and 11 o'clock at night. This is not designed as a regen ew | simply to point out a very simple remedy, one which it is believed every respectable person using water in this city could readily accede to, and assist in applying, if properly appealed to. It cannot be very lung before a large supply will be avullable,and in the meantime everybody ought to be willing to assist in relieving those who are sufferers from the ** water famine.” Justiga Se eee WASTE NOT, WANI NoT. The Present Water ply Ample Bf Waste Can be Stepped, To the Editor of Tae Evexrxe Stan: As the question of water supply or lack of water supply is of such vital importance te everyone, we may be pardoned forthese sugges- tions. The communication in Tus Star from Capt. Phelps placesthe trouble where it belongs, and his suggestions for relief are in the right direction:: The volume ‘of ‘watér flowing into the city through the water mains is four times ample for our use. Thectty of Providence man- ages to get on with about twenty gallons per capita, which includes a large manufacturing consumption, while we have a supply of about os hundred and seat angrvent per capita. ‘he popular complai the government buildings cause all our trouble is not sustained by the facts, as in most of these the entire quan tity used has to be pumped, and consequently the volume is easily determined; these _—— are only operated during office hours, and waste which goes on with almost undeviati regularity through all hours of day and ni cannot be-placed in the government buildings. It is our opinion that seventy-five per cent of all the supply is wantonly wasted, and that of this seventy-five per cent is wasted through defeo- tive water closets, and that wherever water will flow no economy of use is practiced. From au- thorized data we ascertain that an average de- fective fitting in house plumbing will waste as mucn as forty people require for their comforte- bie use; a house without a defective fitting is exceptional in Washington. There can be no relief save through house to house inspection,as common in European and some American this inspection is simply for the detection of coutinuous waste and does not interfere with the most liberal use where the fixtures and fit- tings are in order. Atisnotoriousthat water will now flow only atlow: points, Say that one-halfof the defective nttings waste no water, simply @& no water ever raises tothem. In other words, if the present street maine are not large enough to supply one-half the defective plumbing fixtures, how are we to be relieved by the new water works versity, and the under full head, ence with the water supply of Capitol Hill; the whole volume would be run off in the low lands through valve-water closets and ot! ‘The Mevervien of Sunflowers, That the sunflower follows the sun in westwerd journey is well known, but does it turn its facc back again to the east greet the morning sun? Mr. C. A. White, Washington; in a letter to Nature, relates is Pras fy nt i i iH BF K E lf ae 7 3 i f Z § i H | i if nile i i if rf f | [ : i i, : ll Wy sf i f f i i é Hf 3 E : | F i i ? i iz u