Evening Star Newspaper, December 14, 1889, Page 6

6 ae THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D. C., REPORTING THE DEBATES. How the Congressional Record is Produced. The Stenographers Who Preserve the Utterances of Statesmen—The Way the Work is Done on the Floor and in the Reporters’ Room—The Record Com- posing Room. a nen UR esteemed contempo- rary, the Congressional ) Record, has more con- reputation than any other paper in the coun- try. It appears every day in the year that Congress is in session, ” and ‘ tion when there is a re- fess of Congress and its contributors take a holiday. It has three hundred and thirty con- tributors in the House and eighty-four in the Benate, ench of whom is managing editor, with fall control over his own matter. . But. with ali the great names that appear in its columns. the paper is not a suecess for gen- eral reading. Each article is generally read by the man who produced it and, perhaps, by a few of his friends, including his wife. There are certain rare exceptions. The general reader of newspapers does not usually care to read the Record over before breakfast, only complete report of Congress made is printed in that paper. . The reporting of the Senate and House is not done from the press gailery. The men who sit there occasionally and send long dispatches to the great dailies of the country take only what they want of the proceedings of Congress and say what they like about it. The eleven reporters of the Record are, erly speaking, the only reporters at the ‘apitol. They report all that occurs in the legislative halls. They are the instruments through whom the four hundred and fourteen statesmen contributors express their ideas in the Record. They write just what the states- men say, and. though they sometimes improve the literary finish of the matter they prepare, they are not responsible for the vuriety of style and quality of the essays that appear in the verbatim daily. They take a pen picture of Congress each day. None of the minute details escape them. Whatever is done, at- tempted or spoken of they record. They must be sensitive to sound and action. Their eyes and their ears must catch everything that is in Progress about them. The and the record of the facts must run off the ends of their pencils with ulmos? the rapidity of lightning. The qualitieations of a member of the House or Senate are not as exacting as those of one of these reporters. These meu must be as rapid shorthand writers as there arc, they must be well read in many general branches, they must | have minds trained to quickly comprehend new ideas, and they must have steady nerves and superior mental composure. Their power of endurance must be great also. THE HOUSE REPORTERS. In the House the task of the reporter is more Severe than in the Senate, for the reason that there are more members there and less de- corum. Itis seldom in the Senate that debate runs out of the orderly channel, and there is scarcely ever a tumult. The House is large and Roisy and it is often in almost a riotous state of excitement. When halt the members are talk- ing at one time, each at the top of his voice, the reporter must be in the midst of it and re- port the tumult. When the House is calmly proceeding with its routine business the task of the reporter is not difficult; but in a moment some very interesting subject may come u) over which there isa wide difference of opiniva and a debate may occur in which half a dozen members take part, all rushing forward and shouting at the same time. Then the re- porter must catch what each member says, and he mast be very sure, too, to attribute the right remarks to the right man. Then he must keep his head cool and his nerve steady. There is but one reporter at a time taking the debate and a responsibility for the correct record of all that is said hes with him. While his hand is flying across the leaves of his note book his ears must be open to every sound, his eyes watchful of the House and his brain alert to keep the thread of his report. But he must look at his book as he writes and he cannot see every member who tosses a remark into the eral contusion of sound. He must trust to is ear and he must be familiar with the voices of the members as far as possible, so as to identify them by sound. FOLLOWING THE SPEAKERS, Sometimes when there is much disorder the feporter has to take his note book and hurry Up one of the aisles to be near the speakers, so as to be sure to catch whatis said. In this way he often has to follow the speakers literally and metaphorically. Fortunately for the re- porters, these tumultuous scenes do not occur often. But the work of parliamentary report- ing during the less trying periods is difficult enough. ‘The House may be actively engaged all day, the reporters, taking turns, being kept constantly at work, so as not to allow anything to escape them, and within half an hour after adjournment the reports will be complete and the copy on its way to the printing office. ‘This ix accomplished only by the most perfect system, All the reporting of the House is done by acorps of fine reporters, who as Stent steno phers. Mr. John J. Mc- Elhone, the chief, is just beginning his " forty- ninth session. The our others are regarded 1s the best men for the work who can be had. Should one of them die or resign it would be dif- ficult to fill his place, and the change of pol: tics of the House does Rot affect thie corps, IN THE REPORTERS’ ROOM. The five reporters are on hand a few minutes before the hour far the meeting of the House, ‘The work is divided between them. Each one of them takes a column of the Record. He who te the first assignment begins his report with falling of the Speaker's gavel. He is on the alert for every sound. He is_ responsible for an accurate, intelligent report of every- thing that occurs until Le is relieved. He has Ro assistant to follow along with him and sup- lvany deficiencies. He must know every- i that is going on. Everything that is said must sound upon his ear and be recorded im his book. He must miss nothing. If he did he could never recover the missing link. The ‘oceedings may drag on slowly, so that it will him some time to get his column. All is easy enough then. But in a moment some- may provoke a lively debate and an ava- of speech will pour down on him. Then ust work lively, and he is F FFF tt When one gets his share of notes he ee SE Bu H i it j tributors of national | suspends publica- | But the | details “must pase | through their brains, the thoughts be organized | ir to have | As soon as a rej gets through with his take he passes quickly out of the House, down the back stairs from the Speaker's lobby into a little room in the base- ment. In this room are short-hand clerks, writers and ae phones, Some of the reporters employ the short-hand clerks, while the sphopone takes the secs of these with others. If he employs the clerks he has two of them. He dictates half Jais notes to one and half to the other, and then goes immediately back to the House to take his turn again on the floor. Davip woLFe Brows. By the time he ts back to the reporters’ room with another “load of notes” the first have been neatly transcribed | and the clerks are ready to take more, Some of the reporters use graphophones. | Instead of dictating toclerks they talk into the little instrument and when they have gone back to the floor the machine talks into the | ears of a fair type writer, who writes it all out, | In this way the report of the House is kept | right up to date, No talking is allowed in the reporters’ room, It is a place for business | that must be done quickly and with accuracy, The reporters burry inand out. and the low murmur of dictation, the rattle of the type- writer and whirring of Fg | the little taiking ma- chines are all the sounds | thut are heard. The matter that is brought in there be reports jof debate, rulings on | points of order, reports of committees, bills in- troduced or resolutions read. The titles of the?" bills and all that is) y= | actually read or said ing the House must go_into | the record. On Mon- | days, when bills are in- troduced, they have all ¥\\' to go to that room to VE have their numbersand | tith taken. Some JOHN H. WEITE. | days tables are piled up with these bills and | the clerks are busy going over them, During an active session of the House there is seldom & moment when everybody is not actively at work in this room, ‘The work of the last Congress was a severe strain on the official reporters of the House. At the end of the session one of their number had died. and the rest were badly run down from_ overwork. Prior to 1873 the proceedings of the House were re- corded in the Congres- sional Globe under a contract first with Mr. Rives and later with Rives & Bailey, who owned the Globe. The ‘same corps of reporters who recorded the pro- ceedings for the Globe were appointed by 7 : Speaker Blaine to do the | ANDREW DEVINE. work for the Record. Some of these are still employed. Mr. John J. McElhone is the chief of the | corps and has been longest in the service. He is a rapid stenographer and possesses a fund of information which takes him out of the cate- gory of “machine men.” During his long career as a parliamentary reporter he has been intimately as«ociated with many of the promi- nent men in public life. He has reported some of the greatest speeches that have been made in Congress, and did some fine reporting in the tumult and confusion during the electoral count controversy. He is probably the only stenographer in the country who can report equally well with either hand. In reporting on the floor of the House he often shifts from his right to his left hand or the reverse without interrupting his speed. He possesses familiar- ity with parliamentary usage and understands two or three foreign lanzuages. Mr. McElhone was at first in the Senate for one year and from there came over to the House. Prior to that he had been connected with news- paper work and had the advuntage of acoi'egiate education. He was connected with the Pb:ladel- we | The chief reporter of the Senate is D. F. Murphy, who has for years hei that position, and he has four sete ze ves Shuey, . a Hew .GensierandD. B Livy: Mr. Murphy be- gan work in the Senate as an assistant reporter when, in 1848, the system of verbatim reporting E stu ‘dent with him under Oliver Dyer. The first murray, verbatim report of the Senate was made by contract and published in the Union and the Intelligencer, the rival party organs. Mr. Murphy was on the Union’cor at first. under Mr, Parkhurst, and later (in 1850) he joined the Intelligencer corps. Asa small boy he was engaged in reporting the de- bates in the Senate, in which Calhoun, Webster and Benton participated. When the Globe su- perceded the Intelligencer in this work Mr. Mur- py became a member of that corps. In 1369 e became chief reporter, which position he has since held, first with the Globe and later Srporiing fox the Congressional Record. Mr. Murphy been engaged in reporting some of the important historical trials and conventions, In 1851 he assisted Mr. Sutton in reporting the Methodist church property suit in New fork, in which George Wood, Thomas Ewing, Rev- erdy Johnson and Rufus Choate appeared. He reported the trial of Mrs. Surratt and the oth- ers implicated in the assassination of Lincoln. With an experience in the Senate running back to 1848 Mr. Murphy has a fund of interesting recollections and anecdotes of the great men who have served in that body. Mr. Theodore F, Shuey was one of the Globe reporters in 1568, and has since been associ- ated with Mr. Murphy m making the official reports of the Senate. On the death in 1874 of J.J. Murphy, the prin- cipal assistant of the official reporter, Mr. a Shuey took his place. He -> has never been absent: from the Senate a day! / when it was in session. Before he became a con- gressional reporter hel was engaged in news. paper work principally on the Richmond Whig. THEO, F. SHUEY. He was in the Union army during the war. Henry J. Gensler is a great favorite with the newspaper correspondents, because he pos- sesses a fund of information stowed away in the keeping of a good memory, and is always clever, amiable and full of merriment. He has been reporting for the Senate for some twenty- three or twenty-four years. He has devoted considerable of his hfe to study and observa- \\ tion, and he has become AA sort of cyclopedia swith sociable qualities. ype is a rapid and intel- ligent worker, being a good deal more than mere well-balanced m: HENRY J. GENSLER. Chine to record sound. He has a wide acquaintance with public men and is himself aman of considerable means. He is a native of Washington, He was an orphan at the age of three years, After getting some education, he struck out for himself at an early age, first as a baker's boy, then as a tele- graph messenger during the war, and later as a messenger for the Washington correspondents of the New York Tribune and the Times, From that he passed into various occupations, being appointed toa place as messenger under the government at one time for his honesty in returning a ten-thousand-dollar check he found in the street. He first got his (3 Shard to learn phonography through making the ac- quaintance of Mr. Murphy and has since been with that gentleman. Dan. B. Lloyd, the junior member of the hia Press at its incipiency and wrote letters Foes Wash ivaton icc tune tie ater he began reporting the proceedings of the House. Mr, David Wolf Brown was a Globe reporter. Mr. J. H. White and Mr. Andrew Devine were Brown has been an appointed later. Mr. official stenographer of the House debates about twenty-five years, next to Mr. McElhone the longest service of any now there. He learned Pittman —_stenography when he was thirteen years qid. He got his first professional experi- ence as an assistant on the Globe cerps in the Senate during two Con- gresses. After that he was for several year: the official reporter the Pennsylvania hous: of representatives, and also did general steno- graphic work in Phila- delphia, In 1St4 he en- A.C, WELCH, tered upon the duties of his present position under appointm-nt by the publishers of the Congressional Globe, Mr. White has been a newspaper writer and shorthand reporter, doing ecurt aud legislative reporting. He got familiarity with the rules and practices of the Hous Speaker Kerr and later as andall, peaker f the old re- orters, died Mr. Randall appointed Mr. White jo succeed him, He took up shorthand when a mere child. Mr. Devine at one time reported the pro- ceedings of both branches of Congress for the retary to Sj When Mr. Hincks. one o! Associated Press, and had bad considerable ex- perience in legislative reporting at Albany and elsewhere before he went into the service of the House in 1874. He was committee reporter tor the House for a number of years until ap- pointed to report debates three or four ago, During the congressional invest of all the departments in the Forty-sixth Con- gress, when atone time there were seventeen investigati committees sitting simulta- neously, nd his associates had to do a vol- ume of work far exceeding thut in both houses. He had to report investigutions growing out of the Tilden-Hayes election in 1876, including those of the famous ‘Potter committee” and the “cipher dispatch” matter. Prior to his taking up the House work he had been en- gaged in law reporting in New York. He was official reporter at the famous Beecher trial. A.C. Welch has had the shortest service on the force. Iie was appointed during the latter part of the Fiftieth Congress to succeed J. K. Edwards. Previous to that he was one of the committee _ stenog- raphers of the House. he youngest reporter on the House side is Philip V. McElbone,son of the chief stenog- rapher, who is assistant on the corps. He is twenty years old and has been for three years as- sociated with this work, beginning first asan as- 4 sistant to his father, He town college, and be-7/7 sides being a good short-# hand man is a remarka-4 bly rapid long haud writer. PHILIP V. MWELHONE. REPORTING THE SENATE. It is not so difficult to report the decorous declamation of the Senate. That body is by tradition and in fact dignitied and deliberate. Senate corps of official reporters, was born in Anne Arundel county, Md., on July 4, 1860. In October, 1877, on the recommendation of Mr. Amzi Smith, he ob- tained the position of gn amanuensis under Mr. D. F. Murphy, then as now the official re- porter of the Senate, by whom he has been ever since employed during sessions of Congress. At the beginning of the session in 1882 he was 7) sooo by Mr. Mur- phy to his present posi- tion. During the recess of Congress in 1880 and 1881 he assisted Mr, DAN. B, LLOYD. Sam W. Small (**Old Si”) in a varied shorthand practice in Atlanta, Ga. In 1852 hp was en- gaged asa stenographer in the Post Office de- partment at Washington and in June, 1883, was transferred to the oftice of the suverintendent of railway mail service at San Francisco, Cal., esigning his position there during the follow- November to resume his duties in the ing Senate corps. E rd V. Murphy is a brother of Dennis F. Murphy, the chief reporter. He began work under him in the Senate about 1865, just afte: graduating from college. A natural love of politics developed under the in- fluence of his surround- ings in the Senate and he left the work of a re- a to enter political ife. After taking an active part in polities for some years he again joined the corps of Sen- ate reporters im 1869, at fatime when all the re- porting of the Senate was done by his two brothers, Dennis F. and Jas, J. ‘Murphy. |The younger Mr. Murphy is Jnder FE, ¥. MURPHY. i one of the reg:ilar reporters of debate. : the system by which the report of the Senute is made Messrs, Gensler and Lloyd report the morning hour work, the introduction of bills, resolutions, &e, When the morning hour is ended and ‘debate on various measures began Mr. E. V. Murphy begins the report, taking notes until he is relieved by Mr. Shuey, who, in turn, 1s relieved by the senior Mr, Mur- by. In this way they rotate until the ad- Taconent of the Senate ends the day’s work. They do not transcribe their own notes, but they read them to shorthand amanuenses, who transcribe them, As is done in the House, when one reporter gets enough notes he hurries to the “official reporter's” room and dumps the load onto the amanuenses or dictates it into the little talking machine to be type written later. The Senate reporters adhered to the old system of amanu- enses and pen and ink transcriptions until this year, when they followed the example of the House and began the use of the graphophone or the ag naar Se with the typewriter. They now talk into these litue machines, which, ina minor key, repeat the language of the great Senatorial statesmen, ‘THE RECORD COMPOSING ROOM, From the reporters’ rooms at the Capitol the manuscript goes to the Record composing room of the government printing office, unless it is “held out” for revision by some member, when frequently it is kept so late that it does not appear in the Record of the next day. The Record composing room is in the southeast corner of the government printing office in that rtion of the structure known as the new asides. ‘There the Record is printed, folded, stitched and wrapped. During the hours of The chamber is smaller than the House and less crowded and parliam 'y etiquette is more strictly observed. Seldom in its history has tumultuous scene been enacted in tho Senate. Yet skilled and experienced parliamentary re- porters are required to keep the record of its proceedings, snage is more nicely weighed and periods more carefully measured there. The reporter must lose none of the point or involve the precision of the classic phrases which pour forth freely in mingled serious- ness, delicate sarcasm and refined humor. Edmunds, in his happiest moods, has the The avalanche of invective, wild and strange, that tumbles from the tongue of the Senator from Kausas must be caught with all its bitterness and fuutastic form. ‘The rambling earnesiness of Cockerell and the smoothly tlow- ing longevity of speech from the never tired and never tiring tongue of Mr. Morgan must be recorded with equal accuracy. The reporters must follow Mr. Daniel flight of oratory, and ather up all the flowers scattered by the way. | Nor a word, nor a period, nora comma must | be misplaced. ‘The reporters in the Senate do not have to follow the speakers about ou the floor to catch what they say, and it is comparatively easy for them to see who it is who asksa question or makes a remark in running debate. It is sel- dom that a Senator says an: on the floor of the chamber without first ing the Presiding officer and being recognized, REPORTERS THE sit at their desks and take the, without any of the athletic exercise that has to be indulged in at times by the House reporters, labor there are but few little aggregutions of human skill and application that work harder than that composed of the hundred or more who serve the United States on the Record force. The composing room is on the second floor, easily accessible from the corridor in which the public printer's oflices are. ‘The room is loug, wide and is capable of fairly good ventilation. It is lighted throughout with incandescent electric lights. Fifty-five cases are occupied just now, but the session has barely commenced as yet, and the reports of proceedings produce but small quantities of copy. Lowe commences each evening at 6 o'clock and never ceases until 2 a.m., for the com- positors, whose compensation depends entirely upon their skill and speed, must have at least eight hours’ continuous work. At pres- ent the Record is too small to pro- i sufficient copy, so work which is ordinarily done in document room is given out to the Record men until they have filled up their time. and by the ord will be voluminous and then the force will scratch the paper out of the and and Ginger nails to set more type | badag! it, On n later than 6 a.m. when the compositors got throug! “One hundred and sixteen pages was the biggest night’s work ever done on the Record, said Imposer “Bill” Brooks the other to Sram reporter, and Mr, Now, there are 5,500 ems. of brevier page and half as much again used is nonpariel, so that meant just about half a million ems in one night—and solid work, too, The total of 560 pages of Record in six nights, made some years ago, has never been equaled in these latter or e force is commanded by Aven Pearson, who is foreman once more, after an absence for which the late Public Printer Benedict is responsible. Mr.Pearson is a thorough printer and diseiplinarian. The former qualification he picked up ina great many years of practical experience: the latter he contracted in the army. Assisting Mr. Pearson in every way that an ex- rtcan is William H. ickman. ashington since the war knows Mr. Hick-\\ man, What he doesn't* 9 know about the Record AVEN PEARSON, wouldn't be much of a mental burden to any man, The assistant foreman can be found early in the night sitting ata raised desk cutting and distributing copy. By means of a perfect sys- tem of numbering each compositor is sure to “dump” his type in the right place, and the work 1s so prearranged by the foreman and his assistant that it can be made up into columns as rapidly as it is set and the forms locked and sent to the stereotyper soon after the last printer has finished his last “take.” ASSISTANT FORE:MAN’S DESK. The bank-man is Mr. Syphers, “Charlie” everybody cails him. He cares for both copy and type as they come from the compositors, The pages are made up by Arthur McNally, and they are made ready for the stereotypers by Imposer Wm. 8. Brooks, The link between the composing room and the proof room— which adjoin each other—is Steve dwell, who has charge of the proof press. Each of the before mentioned has performed the duties pertaining to his position for years past, and the popularity and circulation of the Record is continuous testimony to their skill. IN THE PROOF hooM, The proof room is a spacious but oddly shaped apartment where the temperature is neither oppressive or frigid. There eight men—known as readers—sit in judgment on the work of their fellow craftsmen, and generally succeed in giving them no end of trouble before they get through with them. It is only on rare occasions that a compositor votes a proof-reader into office in the typographical union. Four copy- holders and a messenger aid the readers, in addition there are two revisers—C. M. Robin- son and John Connolly, Mr. E. M. Wheatis in charge of the proof room. and he has under SATURDAY, DECEMBER 414, his direction some of the best readers in the entire ofiice. One of them is Mr. A. F, Bloomer, known to all Washington newspaperdom. An- other well-known reader is Mr. Charles Otis, who has recently returned from the Pacitic coast. Eight men do the stereotyping for the Rec- ord and when the plates are finished they are sent down to the room where the Record press is ready at any time to run off the edition of 10,000 copies, 32 pages at one time. STITCHING AND WRAPPING. When the Record assumes something like fair average proportions there are fully twenty girls employed on the final work of making the daily edition, Their work room is in the same apartment as that occupied by the giant press and they operate the wire-stitching machines and put the wrappers around the Records. ‘These girls commence work at about midnight and, asarule, they goto the office in squads, Three men—employes of the office—go to the girls’ homes and “round them up,” as a cow- boy would say. Some of the girls prefer to go to the office without the escort, but the mid- night prowler had better let the apparently uuprotected one alone. She ix invariably “heeled.” A woman who isself-reliant enoug! toearn her own living by going to work at midnight, who has the grit and muscle to work steadily for from ten to four- teen hours and who has a _ deadly weapon handy is a bad combination for any “tough” to strike. These women are selected by Superintendent Penicks from his large fold- ing-room force on account of their experience and capabilities, One slow worker would at times cause no end of inconvenience and noyance, The remuneration of th is “25 cents an hour and they alw. least eight hours, On extraordinary occasions they have toiled along from miduight until nearly 3 o'clock in the afternoon. ‘Lhe city post office is not bothered to any great extent on account of the Records which are sent out of the city, for the gr that enterprising journal is sorted and bagged at the printing ofice—that great establishment where the evolution of the Record is completed and its distribution begun. —— FREDERICK CiiY AND COUNTY. The B. and O.’s Freight Distributing Station—Morning Star Still Shines. Correspondence of Tux EVSNING Stan. Freperick, Mp., December 13. A peculiar case of deception has occurred in this county, On Saturday last Philip i. Morn- ingstar of Utica came to this city and procured from an agricultural implement house an ex- pensive machine for boreing post holes and a quantity of tools. After reaching home he and his wife concluded they had better not take the goods, but as they had been ordered especialiy for them they feared the dealer would force pay- ment. In order to surmount the difficulty the wife wrote the firm, stuting that her husband upon returuing home had been seized with cramps and died about 7 o'clock, leaving her a lone widow and with no use for the tools and machine, which she would, therefore, return. Upon receiving the ietter the firm here an- nounced the death of Mr. Morningstar and it was s0 published in the local papers. But a resident of Utica who came here yesterday re- lated the circumstances under which the letter had been written and the fact that Morning- star had himself mailed the epistle containing the news of his own death, ‘The prominence and popularity of Morningstar make the ease all the more singular, — A meeting of the heirs of the late Samuel Nusbaum was held at Liberty a few days ago for the purpose of reading the will and set- tling the estate, Itwas known thatthe de- ceased was in the habit of secreting money m the house and upon a search beiug made over $10,000 was found in gold and silver coin and bank notes, and $15,000 worth of securities were discovered. t ‘The meauing of the recent mysterious action of the Bultimore and Ohio raiiroad company in securing option on 500 acres of laud at Berlin, this county, at prices ranging from $30 to #35 per acre, have at last been made clear, It is the purpose of the company to convert the newly acquired land into a general freight dis- tributing vtation. All breaking of bulk and making up of sold trains will be done there instead of at Baltimore, and Baltimore. Wash- ington, Philadelpiia, New York and western trafic willbe handled there. That point will made the terminus of the Valley road in- stead of Harper's Ferry and immense freight ware houses and other necessary buildings will be erected, tracks laid and everything made ready for operations in the early seine For- eign export freight will be held at Berlin untl the steamers are ready at the Baltimore piers to take in their cargoes, Rev, Bishop A. W. Wayman of the A.MLE. church paid an official visit to this city last ht. Ear. John B. Emig, whose death occurred a few days ago uear Hanover, Pa, was formerly pastor of St. John’s Catholic church in this city, ~ Johu H. Diffendall has sold a house and lot at ork road, on the Frederick division of the Micaja Myerly for $3,000. ol L, V. Baughman, Benjamin White and ©. M. de Garmensln. all’ of frederick, have - 1889—SIXTEEN PAGES, IN THE SOCIAL WORLD. The Season at the White House—Per- sonal Notes of Mention, Mrs. Harrison drove out yesterday morning with Mrs. McKee for a long drive and they called on Mrs. Lieut. Parker and Mrs. Dimmick, Mrs. Harrison's nieces, to inquire for them, Mrs. KcKee has with her the two children, Benjamin and Mary, and will remain at the White House through the official season. Mrs. R.S. McKee of Indianapolis, the mother of Mrs, McKee’s husband, is also a guest at the White House. The President was greatly leased with a present that was made to Mrs, jarrison recently of a pastile portrait of her grandson Benjamin. The President has the picture in his room hung by the mantel. In regard to the effect that Mrs, Harrison's re- cent deep bereavement will have upon the official courtesies at the White House, it is safe to say that the usual program for the winter will be very little changed, and Mrs. Harrison, like Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Hayes on like occasions, will not permit her private grief to interfere with her official duties as the wife of the chief exec- utive of the nation, Mrs, Harrison will wear black, but will not go into crape, and on the occasions of the large receptions and the state dinners will wear the dresses she had prepared for those events. It is possible that the Satur- day afternoon levees will not be held at the White House during the coming season, or at feast not until late in the year, Mrs. Senator Dolph entertained the ladies of the Garfield aid sewing circle yesterday, ‘The ladies began to assemble at 11 o'clock and by noon the drawing rooms that have been the &cene of so many social events of note were oc- cupied by «company of seventy-five ladies, all engaged Upon sone special dainty piece of needle work. Table covers and bureau scarfy of white linen rapidly took ou artistic designs in wash silk ina host of wsthetic tints and shades, wash rags were marked with appropri- ate mottoes, and one lady industrious! hemmed the edges of a blue chintz ba 8 tined as a receptacle for soiled linen, Mrs. R. G. Rutherford, who is president of the circle, was busy cutting up material to supply all hands with work, aud Mrs. Logan, who 1s pres- ident of the ladies’ aid, was present to couusel. suggest and t. A delicious lun was served at 1 o'clock of cold turkey ham, rolls, Saratoga potato chips, pickles, cake, tea and coffve, Among those present were Mrs. Burrows, Mrs. Geo. E. Levey, Mrs, A. B. Mullett, Mrs, Prank P, Gross, Mrs. Flem- ing, Mrs, Addison, » H. K. Willard. Mrs, Staples, Mrs. Jos, Leighton, Mrs. Dr. Hary Mrs. George Boardman Haycock. Mrs. W. \ Burdette, Mrs. Dr, Flint, Mrs. Pepper, Mrs, Tue! Mrs. Bliss, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Dr. Billings, aanect Mrs. Tulloch, Mrs, Spinola, Mrs, M: Mrs. Bentley, Mrs. Thornton, Miss Taylor, Miss Canuon, Mrs. Hutchison, Ruth, Mrs. J. Dr. and Mra, Mrs, Armes, Miss Rutherford, 3 and Miss Agnes Cat lin of Portland, Ore., who is the guest of her aunt, Mrs, Capt. Catlin, of the Soldiers’ Home. The Ladies’ Aid of the Garfield hospital will give an assembly at the National Rifles’ hall next Wednesday evening, The object of the ball is to clear the indebteducss contracted during the summer from the exces- sive number of tree patients cared for in the institution, The amount required is £3,100, The ball is under the management of the en- tire board of the ladies’ aid. ‘The supper com- mittee is composed of the following ladies, whose names ure the success of their depart- ment: Mrs, Col. Staples, Mrs. Capt. Gross, Mra, Maj. Powell, Mra, Burdette, Mrs. A. J. Be ntley, Mrs, Edmund Clarke, Mrs. A. B. Mullett and Mrs. F. Thompson. Mrs, A. D, Johnston is secretary of the aid society, Mrs. Woodville Rockhill gave a theater party on Thursday night in honor of her micce, Miss Cooper, who is one of the pretty debutantes of the season, Others of the rty were Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Carter, Mrs. ino. 8, Giddings, Mr. Ward Thoron, Miss Mul- lan, Miss Lay, Miss Hove Preston, Mr, Aristide Preston, Miss Pauline Bancroft, Mr. Chas. E. Barry, Mr. Biddie, Mr. Todd and Mr, Blaess, After the play the company drove to the Shorcham.where a supper was served them, Miss Williamson, daughter of Gen, J. A. Williamson, has sent out cards for an at home to be given Friday. December 20, from 4 to 7. Miss Williamson will be assisted by the Misses Pauliue and Madge Williamson, Mrs. Gen, Breckinridge and Miss Mary Breck- inridge will be at home to callers on Saturdays after the Ist of January. Mrs, Logan and Mrs. Tucker will be at home ist callers on Thursdays in January at Calumet place, The guild of St. Paul's church will holda sale and give a supper for the benefit of the church, atthe home of Mrs. A. B. Mullett, No, 2501 Pennsylvania avenue, on Tuesday, the 17th instant. from 4 to 10. Mrs, Fitz Hugh Coyle and Mrs. Dr. Golds- borough have returned from their summering at Oakland, Md, Mrs, Coyle will be at home to her friends on Tuesdays in January. Mrs. Ernstand the Misses Ernst, the wife and daughters of the commisaioner of public grounds and buildings, will take the day of their neighborhood, Dupout circle, and will be at home on Thursdays in January, Mr. and Mrs. Brush of Columbus, Ohio, and Mr. and Mrs. Peabody of Philadelphia will be the guests of Mr. and Mrs, Joseph H. Outhwaite during the Christmus holidays. Mr, and Mrs. Charles C. Beaman of New yand their children are an thé city, nis the daughter of Senator and dis making them a visit. Mr. a came on for the marriage of his brother, George H. Beaman, with Miss Lovett, which took place on evening. The Assistant Postus eneral, Mr. Clark- son, and his wife did not return from the west with President Harrison and party, but con- tinued farther west. aud are now in their oid home in Iowa, They wili uot be back here before the latter part of next week. Their sons are with them, Ex-Senator and Mrs, Pomeroy have returned to the: ome. They spent the sum- mer in sachusetts at “Swampscott and Whitinsvile, which was the girlhood nome of Mrs. Vow are again in the city Miss Lida Scranton is parents and emptorily denies the stories of her matrimonial engagement, Mrs. Amos N. Meylert, wo is Mrs, Seranton's mother, and Miss Florence jeylert, g for the winter, ax street, which ho: y aken for the session, Mrs. . Gross and Mrs. A. J. Bentley left the cil they sp Alfred Townsend at Gapiand, Minister Mutsu of the Japanese legation has been so ill recently as to be coufined to his honse. He is somewhat better, but is still un- able to go out, . Mr. and Mrs, J. Johnson and Mrs, C. H. Remy of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sloss of San Francisco, who have many friends here, and Mr. Jas, P. Pomeroy and his two daughters of Boston, are at the Hotel Arno for the winter, Miss Ida Thompson is in New York city spending the week, Mrs. Dulles of Watertown, N.Y., and her two children are in the city with her parents, ex- Minister and Mrs, John W. Foster. Mrs. Dul- les will spend the Christmas holidays in the city and a portion of January. A parlor fair, with a lunch and Christmas tree, for the benefit of the Children’s country home. will be held at Gen. Towsend’s residence, No. 2011 I street, on Wednesday, December 18, from 12 to 6 o'clock, The dancing class met last evening and had acharming session at the residence of Mrs. Captain Mullan on Connecticut avenue. The drawing room and dining room were thrown | others the balance together for the dancing. Supper was served in the large front room on the second floor, and the other rooms were tastefully arranged for tete-a-tetes, The butler’s pantry was trans- formed into a Turkish divan, with oriental draperies. rugs, cushions an] green boughs. Mrs, Mullan received the company in a rich toilet of green faille draped with flowered crepe; Miss Biullan was in pink tulle und Miss May Mullan wore a girlish toilet of White India silk, There was @ large attendance of the members of the class and also a number of in- vited guests present. Mr. and Mrs. Kearney Warren of New York city have returned to the city for the season and Vig settled in their exquisite house on K street Lieut. J, H, Alexander of the ninth cavalry, who is visiting Washington on leave of absence from the it of the Platte, is the guest oe. T. Hyman, 1914 11th street north- we Mrs, C. Adele Fassett receives on Wednes- days at 1203 New Hampshire avenue northwest. mother at 1217 L street northwest for the winter. General and Mrs, Felix Agnus gave a dinner in Baltimore last evening to Mr. and Mrs. Emmons Blaine. Secretary and Mrs. Blaine went over from Washington, as stated in Tur Star yesterday, The other guests were = nent local society people. Secretary Blaine will remain in Baltimore until Monday morning. A meeting of the Eureka club, held at the residence of the Misses Kelley, on F street southwest, Tuesday evening, was givem up to Progressive euche: Miss Katie Oates was awarded the ladies’ prize, Miss Mamie Garner the booby, Mr. M. Colbert the gentlemen's prize and Mr. W. Brosnan the booby, Among those present were the Misses Cook, Law, Oates, the Misses Ferguson, Garner and the Misses Kelley and Messrs, Brosnan, Carr. John- son, Alvey, Hart, Shea, Cooper and Colbert. Dr, and Mrs. Hamlin will receive at 1753 P street northwest on Mondays after 3 o'clock, except the first Monday of each month. Miss Urling of Pittsburg is the guest of the Misses Schneider, 1739 Q street northwest, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Ralston and Mra, H. M. Ralston, the mother of Mr. Ralston, have come into the city from their country home at Hyatts- ville and are located at the Langham for the winter, Mrs, Henderson, 1612 Rhode Island avenue, entertained Mrs, Glass, wife of the commandant oe cadets, naval adademy, at luncheon yester- ve Mr, and Mrs, William Lawton, jr., of Kings- ton, N.¥., daughter of Judge Schoonmaker of the interstate commerce commission, are visiting their parents at 1708 19th street north- west. Mra, J. H. Githam of Richmond,Va., and Mrs. Wm. H. White of Norfolk, Va., are iting their sister, Mrs, A. A. Tunstall of No. 1706 19th street northwest, Mrs. Kate Thyson Marr will spend the winter at the home of her mother, Mrs. P. Thyson, 49 I street northwest, A pleasant surprise party was given last evening to Miss May McMenamin, 327 A street southeast, Among those present were Misses Mary Barns, Amy Shea, Gertie and Bertie Lar- man, Lulu Acton, Bertie King, Edith Mabon, Josie Whisman, Grace Brown, Bertie Reeve Jennie Deomie and Lulu Steward, Avis, Dalton, MacLaughlin, Draper, Clark, Smith, Peters, Keunedy, MatGowa McKenzie, Taylor, Kelwell, Drew and MeMeu- amin, Gen, and Mra, John 8. Mason have closed their suburban home and are at 1736 I street northwest for the wiuter, Mrs. David McRitchie, jr., who is passing the winter here, is lo dat 815 12th street north- west. She will le Norfolk next week to spend the holidays with her husband, who is stationed there. Most of the cabinet ladies who recalled their announcements for receptions last week will probably be at home next week. Mrs, Fuller being obliged to leave the city will discontinue her Mondays until after the Ast of January, It has been determined that the annua) charity ball for the benetit of the children's hospital will take place this season as usual on or about the 22d of January. This is the nine- teenth recurrence of that popular event, and the purpose is that it shall be at least as at- tractive in every respect as any of its predeces- sors, Mrs, Judge Drake and Mrs. Westcott will nog be at home to callers ou Monday afternoons until after January 1. The young people's West End progressive eucher club held its second meeting last even- ing at the residence of Paymaster George W. Evans on 19th street northwest. Of the club present were Misses Belle Willett, Edith Harris, Sallie Cox, Alice Boyd, Lillie Cox, Carrie Jones, Jennie Loyd, Bertha Jones, Marian, Catharine and Mida Evans, and Messrs. Irving Gregg, Blair Wales, Fred Faust, Robert Gregg, Syduey Wales, Frank Boyd, Charlie Wilson, James Wil- lett, Horace Knight Harry Whiting. The first prize for the ladies was won by Miss Bertha Jones and that for gentlemen by Mr. Sydney Wales, while Mr. Fred Faust carried off the booby prize. —— The Boy and the Pig. Thanksgiving day Detective Horne’s son went to a rattle and won a pig. Mrs, Horne was dis- agreeably surprised wien she saw her son and another boy dragging the porker toward her back yard. She did not know what to do with the animal, but to please the boy allowed him to put it inthe yard over night, Next morning there were several holes under the fence and the yard looked as though a plow had been run over it byacrazy plowman, The boy got up early and fed the milk and bread intended for the family breakfast to the pig, of which it ateso much thut it was unable to move, The lad was then told that he must part with his troubie- some pet, and he gota friend to rafile it for him, He now has $3.35 for Christmas money. Raid on an Alleged Disorderly House. ‘Thursday night at 9 o'clock a squad of police- men from the second precinct raided the house of London R. Thomas, corner of lth and P streets. The officers found fifteen men and wome he place and took possession of a quanti ‘ds and policy paper persons found in the place were taken to the station, Thomas was charged with keeping a disorderly bouse and he was released on 250 collateral, Lawyer Closs appeared in the Police Court yesterday as Thowus’ counscl and was granted a coutinu- ance until next week, ———— A Suit in Admiralty. Satterfield & Moore of Caroline county, Md., have filed a libel in the admiralty court against the schooner George Churchman of Philadel- ia, now lying at Georgetown, They claim t the vess:] cost 25.000, of which they own ighths and 1 Resly, master, and the latter have not libellaute) for their accounted to. thi any of the earnin, The Theaters Next Week. 's.—Four farewell performances by Salvini,the last that the eminent artist eau give in Washington, are announced at Albaugh’s next week, the series beginmng on Monday night with Othello. Lhree of the star's most famous portrayals are to be seen, The Moor, which is associated with his name. Samson and the Gladiator, Ou Wednesday Salvini 1 to offer for the first time iu this city the Biblical play written for him by Hippolyte D’Aste, and presented in many countries, All the original scenic effects will be utilized in this play. The Gindiator will be given on Friday Otielio at u Saturday matine younger ts to appear on Tuesday and Thurs- day evenings aud Wednesday afternoon in “A \d of Naples,” playing the part of a Neapoli- 7 be play has been specially for young Sulvini, who speaks in arrange English. Bisov, ‘La Belle Russe” will open a week's engagement at Harris’ Bijou theater Monday night, Ihe play is well known as one of the best efforts of Mr. David Belasco, the author of “The Stranglers of Paris,” “May Blossom” and numerous other successful works. The practice which the management inaugurated last week of admitting ail children under twelve years old for fifteen cents at matinee performances will be maintained during this and subsequent en- gagements, Kersan’s.—The New York Star Specialty company will be the attraction at Kernan’s next week. This organization is one»ob the famous specialty companies of the country, containing such artists as Ed Kendall, Charley Banks and Lillie Western. The Defendant’s Answer. In the case of Charles E. Foster against N. T. Haller, filed a few days since, to recover dam- ages for failure to finish a house, the defend- ant, by F. T. Browning, has filed pleas, He says the house was built and completed to the satisfaction of plaintiff and was accepted by feutdant eutered suit against pip for" 8665, fendant entered suit inti which he claims is honestly tun. sti —— Summoned to Washington. . U. 8. Commissioner Shields and U. 8. Mar- shal McMahon of New York have received no- tice to appear in the United States Supreme So aan ee it to an appeal taken in the case of Palliser, of the frm of Palliser i E z A ve a i A GHASTLY CHRISTMAS BOX. Its Contents Were a Skeleton Imbedded in Ashes. “Dar certainly ain't no ashes whar dis box is going,” remarked a colored man at the Mary- land-avenue freight depot yesterday, The cause of his remark was the breaking open of ® box sent,there for shipment from which some ashes poured on the floor, “Great God! there's a bone,” exclaimed another man. On examination it was found that the box contained a disjointed human skeleton. There was a focling of uneasiness among the colored men about the depot and remarks were made about body suatchers and night doctors. Then a policeman arrested the colored drivers, Charles Webster and Wea, Jobuson. They both declared that they were ignorant of the contents of the box.which they had received from their employer's main office, It was learned on investigation that the box had been received from a medical student at Howard university named Eugene F. Ga: It bad come from his boarding house, No. 1 7th street northwest. and was addressed to his brother, “Thomas M. Gaffey, 165 Main street, New London, Conn.” After the arrest of the drivers the skeleton was removed to the morgue and Mr. Hawley gave bonds for the release of his drivers. DR. GAFFEY'S STATEMENT. This morning Dr. Gaffey appeared at police headquarters and told the officers that he was going home for the holidays and wanted te continue his studies while there; that he got the skeleton at Howard university heal school; that it was the The corencr was satistied that there was nothing criminal in the matter, aud Dr, Towne shend gave the neceseary permit for the re moval of the skeleton to its destination. Thus the remains of some unknown citizen will take a trip to New London, Conn. WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD. Murder in the Second Degree—Offered an Office—A Forger Surrenders, Etc. Correspondence of Tax Evexie Stan, Haceusrowx, December 18. Michael Zimmerman, a young man who bas hardly attained his majority, was couvicted im the circuit court here today of murder in the second degree for killing Kobert Slick, a man of family, at Leitersburg, on the 3d of August last ima drunken brawi, The penalty is cou- finement in the penitentiary not less than five | nor more than eighteen ra. | Mr. Andrew Onderdonk, son of the principal of St, James’ college. has been tendered the position of assistant engineer of the Panama | railroad ut a salary of $4,000 a year. | The barn of ex-County Commissioner John Hefflebower on his farm near Weaverton was | destroyed at an early hour yesterday moraing | by an incendiary fire. The barn was well fille | with hay, grain and farming impiements, | which were burned, entailing a loss of about | $5,000, which is covered by insurance taken out only a few days previous to the fire, A man named John 8, Seiss, living near Blue | Ridge Summit, a summer resort on the Western | Maryland railroad, came into Hagerstow | terday and surrendered bimeelf to Justice J. | Bitner, saying he was wanted on a charge of | forging notes on several Hagerstown banks in the name of a Mr. Musselman of Pennsylvania, He said he was being pursued by Penusylvania ofticers and that he had concluded to surrender | himself, He was committed to jail for a hear- y Years a carpenter in the employ of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal company, died on Weduesday at Walliame- port, aged eigh: B. BOOKS OF THE WEEK. THE BOY SPY; A Substantially True Record of Secret Service duris the W ft th ebel- lion. A Correct Account of © by @ Soldier attached to Headquarters, Major J. KekBEY. Bold by Subscription. FAMILIAR TALKS ON ASTRONOMY. With Chapters on Geography and Navigation. By WILLIAM HAKWAR FPAxKEK, author of **Kecol lections of a Naval Oficer,” tc. Chicago: A. C. Motlurg & Co. SONGS OF FAIRY LAND. Compiled by Epwarp T. Masos. | With Iiustrat.ons after Designs by Maud Humphrey. (Kn pocker Nug- gets Series.) New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. A FATAL FIDDLE: The Commonplace Tragedy ofa Snob. By EDWARD HEKON ALi With Illustrations by Durand. New York: Beliord, Clarke & Co, MADAME DE MAURESCAMP. A Story of Pa- risian Life. By OcTAVE FEUILLE, ‘Translated by Beth Page. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co. SAID IN FUN. By Pmuar H. Wevce. Miustrated. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Wash- ington: Brentano's. A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT. By Makk Twais. New York: Charles L. Webster & Co. A TRANSIENT GUEST, and Other Episodes. By EpGak SaLTus. New York: Belford, Clarke & Co. THE LITTLE PEOPLE'S CALENDAR. New York: White & Alien. Washington: Robert F. Miller. WASHING Photographs in Black. New York: Adolph Witteman. see The Late James A. McCathran. Mr. James A. McCathran, a well-known life- long resident of Southeast Washington, died Wednesday and his funeral will take place on Sunday afternoon from his late residence, 6th street between E and G streets southeast. Mr, McCathran, for over a third of a century, was an employe at the Washington navy yard. He | was oue of the men whe helped to haul the cor- ner stone of the Washington monument to the site and. as a member of the old Anacostia fire company, which he had joined some few years before, participated in the procession when the corner stone was laid, July 4, 1845. For over @ quarter of a century he was an active member of that fire company. in April, 1861, he en- listed and served in the howitzer company of the Washington Light Infantry battalion. He was a member of Meade post, G.A.K.; of Tus- carora tribe of Red Men and of the Veteran volunteer firemen’s association, all of which bodies will attend the funeral at 2 o'clock Sun- day. The Veteran volunteer firemen's associa- tion will attend in uniform, meeting at Odd Fellows’ hall, Navy Yard, at 1 o'clock. — National Guard Officers Commissioned, The President has signed the commissions of the following officers of the District militia: Carl Abbott, captain company C, sixth bat- talion; Jesse M. Bassett, captain company B, sixth battalion; Thomas F. Riley, captain company B, fourth battalion; Lewis F. Fara- bee, first lieutenant company B, fourth bat- talion; Samuel L. Straugham, first licutenant company C, sixth battahon; John 8. Tomlin- son, first lieuteuant company B, sixth bat- talion, Wilburn P. MacGreal, second lieu- tenant company B, fourth battalion; Robert J. Cottrell, second lieutenant company C, sixth battalion; Richard W, Moore, second lieutenant company B, sixth battalion, and Charles A. Knockey, second lieutenant com- pany A, third battalion, Transfers of Real Estate. Deeds in fee have been filed as follows ©. Carrington to D. B. Groff, pt. 10, sq. 813; $3,750. H. Isabella Jett to 8. Norment, sub 153, sq. 445; $3,800. F.J. Tibbetts to Thomas Sampson, sub 37, sq. 163; $2,500. B. F. Leigh- ton et al. to Sara C. Lynch, lot 4, blk. 3, Brook- Jand; $2,650. 8S. B. Segar to W. F. Segar, undi- vided haif lot 6, + 1053; $100. Kate H. Dyer et al. to Mary Flagler, pts. 4 and 5, eq. 133; $3,625. National Metropolitan bank to B. J. McMahon, sub 57, sq. 887; $1,200. Marcella Richardson to A. H. Cragin, A. H, Cragin to M. M. Richar: Barbs tub 58, 0q 70 Luttrell, trustee,