The New York Herald Newspaper, February 24, 1874, Page 3

RAPID TRANSIT. Enthusiastic Mass Meeting at the Cooper Institute. The Question of Motive Power Thoroughly Discussed. MAYOR EASTMAN’S BILL. Facts, Figures and Suggestions. ‘The “Slow Coach” System Vividly Portrayed. Asleep .for Twenty Yoars—Speeches by Professor Eastman, Homer A. Nel- son, J. B, Haskins and Others. “I take a great interest in the object of this meeting, and hope it will prove a success,” raid one gentleman to another, as they were pushing gnd tugging to wedge their way through the crowd that early last evening gathered arouna the main entrance leading to the great hall of the Cooper Institute, “You can’t come no rapid transit through this crowd,” answered a corpuient gentleman, ‘unless you follow sharply afver me.” “That's the idea, All we want is capable leaders, and rapid transit in this city is sure,” observed one of the gentlemen in reply, and sniting bis action to bis appreciation of the corpulent gentle- man’s joke, he quietly put himself in the latter’s wakes “I bave come a good, long way to attend this meeting,” said another, as the crowd kept increas- ing and surging toward the entrance, “and I ‘wouldy’t miss getting in for anything.” “No further than I have come, I’i] bet,”’ remarked another gentleman, “I have come all the way from Ninety-third street,’” “We-l-],” observed the first gentleman, drawing out his words very slowly, “that is a good long ‘way, to be sure, but I have come {from 129th street, just this side of Albany,” ‘The laugh that greetéd this sarcastic bit at slow locomotion in this city, giving to Harlem the geo- | graphical remoteness of the State capital, put all | im good waiting humor. Underlying this large | crowd and the expressions quoted was this whole rapid transit business in a nutshell, This crowd told the interest felt in the subject; told it to be themost important question at present agitating the public mind, 1 and then the work began. Buta large crowd out side seemed but a small one inside, However, ‘when the hour had arrived for the opening of the meeting the hall was pretty well filled, and made up evidently of all classes of our citizens, including a slight sprinkling of la- dies. But the fact was apparent, that notwithstanding the interest all feel in the subject, | there was a disposition to a general non-committal in the way of special enthusiasm, So many Schemes for rapid transit had been promulgated that it had come to be wearying and a lurking sus- picion of possible jobbing and nothing really earnest at the bottom of any of them, while the Beach Pneumatic Transit Company, the Vander- bilt Underground Road, the New York Elevated Railroad and the Gilbert Elevated Railroad are the only survivors of these many schemes. There was some confidence in Mr. Eastman’s Rapid Transit bill, because it was known that he had no particu- Jar scheme to put forward, but, in the present meeting a simply seeking to feel the popular Pulse and get at the general sentiment ak the pedpid. The meeting was siow By and there was some impatient in, stamping of te in consequence. At length, when the venerable Peter Cooper, accompanied by Mr. John Foley, the great rapid transit pionecr, made their appearance, they ere Warmly greeted. moment iater the platform was eee with ips of our most prominent and pubdli¢ spirited citizens. ‘The meeting was promptly organized, and then the business of the meeting was entered upon. As Mr. Eastman proceeded with his speech the en- thusiasm warmed up, and the frequent applause that interrupted his reimarks showed the hearty approval of bis views and suggestions entertained by tne meeting. And the enthusiasm waxed warmer as the meeting progressed and otber speeches iollowed. Altogether, take the meeting aud its simple scope and purport, it was an un- doubted success. Mr. JOHN FOLEY was called upon to preside, and in opening the proceedings said he was convinced that the time had long since passed for speech- making on this question of rapid transit, (Ap: plause,) A bill bad already been introduced in | tne Legislatare which, if carried, would result in more happiness and comfort to the community at large than any other popular measure brought be- Jore that body for many years. (Applanse.) He would introduce Mayor Eustman, of Poughkeepsie, who had introduced the bill to which he rejerred, (Applause, } avon EASTMAN’S etn ” Pons Easm™an, aiter a few introduc Ky remarks, Tneed not take any time to show that for the ES Want of rapid transit New York is yearly josing thousands oi her population she might other- At length the doors were opened | borters will not take down and will not be told out t NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1874.—TRIPLE WASHINGTON. citizens will'not hesitate to spend millions of dol- lars. New York will be biina to her interests if she does not improve this opportunity to make berself famous and rich in people and property by the pow public works:—Rapid transit, the i river improvement, and an acqueduet that will pour im foods the pure waters of the Hudson into fo city, giving a head of 100 feet at every hi HOW TO LIGHTEN THE BURDENS OF TAXATION, It 18 said that your burdens 01 taxation are very great, and thet i# the main reason why the city should not aid in the construction of a rapid tran- sit road, If it i# true, as I believe no sane person doubts, thet a system of rapid transit will at once bring to the city multitudes of people who now temporary residents and paying taxes that property will be increased all business interests revived, then will not this mMcrease and addition in taxable property more than balance the amount tha. the be wouldexpend if it paid for the entire road and received no return in years on the invest- ment? Would it not be wise policy, even if there were no other way of accomplishing the desired re- Bult, tor the eity to atop for atime some Of its most unimportant p' works, say on its parks or tts boulevards, and put that moncy into rapid tran- sits? Would not @ magnificently constructed work of the kind be fully a8 ornamental, and certainly of as mocyat ee as some of the other public im- Bravames: that are costing millions of dollars? jut as the bill under discussion ae Pap. vides tor @ guarantee of bonds of iimited amount, and only in case of certain contingen- gies, { will not uss this pains further. It 18 argued by some that a rapid transit road will oy seg ee ‘ae of Beran, Gate er property. uring gives ferent re- sults. Re people py 0 i fit fal ten min- utes irom Forty-second street, there are probably thousands Who now daily object to going down town, on account of the latigue and delays, that Would go south of City Hall to transact business, and this would give an increased demand for Stores and offices in all that part of the city. Ladies who now shop above Eighth street would | find their way to Maiden lane and John street. It 1s only the accomplishment of rapid transit that ‘Will retain the financial centre in Wall street and | vicinity, or prevent the bulls and bears irom roam- ing northward, THB BILL AND ITS PROVISIONS. And now, Mr, Chairman, I coine to the immediate consideration of the provisions of the bill under discussion, While itis true thatT am the author o1 the original measure, aa introduced into the Legislature, I do not desire to claim credit for tt in any particular. I wantitinevery sense a meas- ure of the people of the city of New York, and to that end I have asked and received suggestions from hundreds of your best and most practical citizens, irom experienced and scientiic engi- Beers, and the metropolitan press have devoted more than thirty columns to its dircussion. All these ee arqere have been considered in its re- vision, and it is now before you subject to further changes to perfect and strengthen it My sole desire has been to make a measure that wil be clear, practical and possible, free from all sorts of jobbery and _ private speculation, and as perfect in ali its details, and as Satisiactory to the people a8 any meagure can pos. | sibly be made, betng gure that yeh ®@ measure will | secure logins tive sanction, and so inspire conf- dence and encourage capital that the early com- Pletion of this enterprise, in which not only the Tesidenta of the 0 Feros, but of the Hudson River countie’ tl gia at large have such Vital interests, will bé Akstred. Qnere cannot pos- sibly be but one man who can be supposed to be aioe inte fae that m, i. at a are possibility lovernor woul iat ine er one af the commissioners if the measure becomes a law. In regard to that I have to say, if I am induced to leave a legitimate business of $50,000 a ae to take a position tor $10,000 and levote my entire time to its duties, then it will be because I bear a great love for the people of New York. 1 have had con- siderable experience in lanoring for the people’s good, in working for love; but sueh experiences have not been pleasant or satisfactory. But there is one thing I will say to you which TI trust tne re- gf thig hal, I by any chance I should reach the exalted pag junergtive position of *‘Commis- | sioner” I should Strip my sleeves Torther op {pr } the work than they ever were before, and if the | Commissioners do not give pon @ rapid transit | Tailway from the City Hall Park to Forty-second | street to ride over to celebrate the completion of, | on the 4th day of July next, then you can hold an indignation meding in this hall to denounce us and hang me fn eftigy over the entrance door. | LEITER FROM GOVERNOR DIX. ‘The following letters were then read:. Exxcorive Cuamser, Avbany, Feb. 20, 1874, Dear Sin—The Governor requests me to that he re- | grets he will be unable to attend the mass mecting to be eld on the 23d inst. Very respectfully your obedient | ; OHN W. DIX, Privave Becretary. | ~ Batvanp, Esq., Secretary. | wise retain, It is known to every man here to- night, and if a correct census could be taken of the | city to-day and a comparison made with the past | Ut would startle the community. . A quarter of a Milhon of people are scattered over New Jersey | and Long island that belong to New York city roper, and would be here to-day paying taxes and | ribute to your every interest had not your capi- | tatists and public-spirited men, con venta ago, been | as blind as they are to-day to he Tue interests of ‘the city. complaints that were made in regard to Mr. Depew’s census. It was claimed that he cheated New York out of some 200,000, and the Mayor— Hotfman | think i was—was disappointed in bis redictions sevAe 300,000. pew, Diy friends. The same predictions were made *1 regard to the census of 1870, and you were {eves much disappointed in the resul % 1865. The trnth is these 200,000 peopie fou expected the census taker would find here ai gone to New Jerseys and had taken their beds with them. the truth of the above, senge! 1 notice that the pas- v traffic of the horse cars running north You are familiar with the criticisms and , It was no lault of Mr. | then as | Another fact indicates | and south has not increased the past year over | the previous year; the Third and Fourth avenue lunes actually show a lalling off, This fact is more significant than will be supposed, by simply listen- img to the statement, The tact that Hudson county, New Jersey, has increased in taxable property more than $70,000,000 in the last ten | increased but | years, while Westchester has $4,260,000, and that the rate of increase in popula- tion in Hudson county, New Jersey, 18 47744 per cent, while in Westchester county it is but 127, is so startling that it should be pasted in the top of the hat ol every taxpayer in New. York and Westches- ter county, and should be in gilded letters over this stage to night, PUBLIC SPIRIT IN NEW YORK. It is not becoming in me, a countryman, to question the public spirit of the citizens o! this metropolis; but having had extensive business re- lations here jor years, and having become familiar with your public interests, [ cannot with eyes wice open help but to observe what I belteve to be your shortcomings in several important particulars. Is there another million of people tn the world that ‘Would suffer 80 long the inconveniences, demoral- ization and horrors of siow transit, if situated as you sre, when relief could be afforded at an ex- Pense less than the cost of @ single Court House, and by that reiiet 300,000 more people be added to your population, who would bear to-day one-third of your total taxable burdens? Having been engaged the past few days in examining into your Street Cleaning Department, and having taken @ survey ol your principal streets, [ take the liberty of digréssing irom wy subject to say at now more thoroughly convinced than er that New Yorkers are the easiest satisfied, Most contented and indinerent people in the world. You have such a generous way 01 accepts mg everything just as you find it. If Croton water ives out you contentédly use the slops of the day fore over again. If your wife has dragged her dress through the muday streets to its destruction teu generously pay jor another. I you lose two jours a day to get down town to your business aud stand on one foot im a horse car, with passengers packed in hike sardines in a’box, you efMerge from the car smiling, and give the Conductor an extra fare Jor his kind attention to your personal comforts. But, Mr. President, itis about time, it seems to me, that the pevple of this metropolis should understand that if New York is to sustain her supremacy ber public-spirited men must come to the front, In the public works so earnestly de- manded, the ioremost of which, and the present ae need, 18 a system of rapid transit through he city from north to south. Philadelphia will soon come into prominence through its Centennial Exhibition, and will attract the attention of the fa. ol the whole civilized world, and to make it to Philadelpbia’s benefit her enterprising | | LETTBR PROM J. W. HUSTED. | Fronvaky 19, 1876. ., room 5, Astor House, N. ¥ ‘Dean Sta—I am in receipt of your favor inviting me to be present at the meeting to be held at Cooper institute on the 2d inst. My engagements at Albany are so im- perative as to preciude the possibility of my participat. ing in your proceedings, but although I cannot attend the meeting, {am glad of the opportunity to express | my most carhest sympathy with its objects, and to as- stire you ot my hearty co-operation in any feasible and practicable pipa {iat gen be devised to insure a speedy and sate tral of Qaaonyote tom the Harlem River fo | the Battery. I have given for ears MY Bid And sup- port \o every meewure that has been submitted to the gisature having that eid in view. I regret that no result has as yet been attained commensurate with the importance and necessity of the. work. I assure you that I shall be ever ready im the future, as I have been in the past to aid in promoting £6, a'sliccésstul Issue any properly guarded bill that promises success. Yours, re- spectfully, JAMES W. HUSTED, REMARES OF W. J. M’ALPINE, Mr, McALrIng, Civil engineer, was next intro- duced. He said he had examined the bill thoroughly, and considering merely irom a pro- L, Mortmmer Battarp, Esq. |. fessional point of view regarded it as the best vhat could be produced. Tne general conclusion that he came to was that @ surlace road would be oi no use. The underground railroad, he thought, would hardly warrant the expenditure required. Under the circumstances he was of opinion that an ele- | vated road would be the only one Jeasible as well as remunerative. THE RESOLUTIONS. Mr. Davart then read the following resolutions, Which were unanimousiy adopted :— Whereas the greatest need of this city is rapid transit; and whereas the bill introduced in the Assembly Hon. Harvey G. Eastman, and amended by him tn ac- cordance with suggestions from this city, seems to be calculated to insure the speedy construction of railways that will bring Harlem River within Diteen minuies of the City Hall; therefore, be it Resolved by the citizens of New York, in mass meetiug , assembled, That we gratelully recognize and heartily support the amended bill of Mr. Eastman as containing all the guarantees which we deem necessary tor tu¢ Pry | tection of the interests of the city. | Resolved, That the thanks of this community are due to the independent press of this city—especialiy the New | You« HenaLp and Evening Mail—tor the noble manner im which they have supported this great want of the peo ple—rapid transit, HOMER A. NELSON'S REMARKS. Mr. Homer A. NELSON discussed the provisions | of the bili at some length, and claimed that it was one ot the falrest measures ever submitted to any Legialature. Nothing, he contended, could be more clear than the conditions under which the commissioners were to be appointed. He ex- Jained that it was the duty of the Committee on Gities to. consider impartially every plan sub- mitted lor their consideration. In case of any jaw, it Was the bounden duty of the people to point it out, and all defects would at once be rem- edied, He pointed out the wholesome Foauly ee would arise from ravid transit, He showed HOw } tue citizens of New Jersey had the advantage of une people of New York in their continuous ratiroads which, in fact, meant nothing more nor less than rapid transit. The people of New Jersey arrived in that progressive way while New Yorkers came to their, pisces of business iit cars packed to sufocation. ir. Nelson concluded by stating that every plan should receive due con- sideratiob and that brains should be entitled to ample compensation. J, B. Haskin’ Was next called upon to de- liver an address, but just as he was about to speak @ gentleman in the audience claimed the attention o. the Chairman, stating that the meeting had been convened to consider the charter proposed. Mr. HaskINs said he would give way, as he had the preference over him. Mr. Z C. DURFEE, the gentleman alluded to, upon the ivitation of Mr. Foley ascended the jatiorm, and stated that the provisions of the bi, i! incorporated into the acts might work such @ monopoly as the citizens of New .urk could notaford, Under the circumstances, he would move to amend ite provisions to the effect that | the jare should not exceed five cents to Filty-niath street, seven cents to 100th street and ten cents to the Harlem River ana two cents per mile there- alter. (Appiause.) And, further, that whenever | the stock of the road organized under the provi- sions Of this bill should pay a dividend in excess of ten per cent, all sums in excess of that should constitute a sinking fund to repay tne origi- nal cost of the road, and that when that original cost was so repaid the fares charged should not exceed the sum applied to the current ex- penses of the road. in response to Mr, Eastman Mr. DURFEE stated that under such provisions he would take stock in the road to the extent of every dollar he was worto, Mr, EASTMAN referred to the Many projects and suggestions already brought beiore tne public in reference to the question oj rapid travsit. It had been discussed for the past twenty years, but no determined step had yet been taken, Under the circumstances stated by Mr. Durfee no capti- talist would invest in the scheme, If any one would advance the money to further his project he would leave nothing undone at Albany to have 1s | adopted. Mr. HASKINS said that he came to that meeting last night from Fordham, in the Twenty-lourth ward of New York city, to hear the scheme of rapid)} transit discussed, and he did not think he could add anything to what he had already heard. He had listened to Mr. Duriee ana he intended lumself | to make such an amendment. The charges, he thought, were very exorbitant; eight cents Jare to | Harlem, he thought, would be suficient tare to re. | muncrate any capitalist who would invest money | im that stock. Mr. Haskins dwelt at length on the sufferings the people endure from ratiroad monopolies, and thought it would be almost impossible to get any rapid transit bill through the Legislature on account of the opposition of these railroad companies, who are drawing over twenty percent interest on the money now in- vested in horse railroad stock. Mr. Haskins was lolfowed by Mr. Herning. He agreed with Mr. Hasking in hie view Of the dan- ers attendant in Albany; but as he had full con- faence in Governor John A, Dix, who had never yet failed in any trust reposed in bin, he wae san- | employers will yield to your wishes. | great financial crash swept from one end of | November 18, 1873. Since the trial of George Hal- | scene, guine that the scheme now proposed would be eventually successful. He ofered an amendment to reler the question of the rate of fare w the commissioners appointed by the Governor. Some discussion arose on this point between Messrs, Haskins, Durfee and Herring, and at last &n amendment was offered by Mr. Haskins to place the rate at ten cents to Harlem curiae tae, day and five cents only between six und eight o'clock in the morning and five and seven in the evening to accommodate the working Classes. Mr, EASTMAN considered this feasible, and said he bhai propose it to the committee who drew up e bill. ‘Theodore E. Tomlinson was the last to address the meeting, alter which it adjourned, THE WORKING GIRLS’ STRIKE. on Immense Mass Meeting of the Female Operatives—Mills Silent and Deserted— A Male Orator Exciting Feminine Frenty—The Employers in Council. PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 23, 1874. An tmmense mass meeting of the employ¢s of the Kensington cotton and woollen mills was held to-day in the old Thompson street church. The large number present filled the church to overflowing, while the street outside was jammed from curb to curb. It is no exaggeration to state that 3,000 persons were in attendance, two-thirds of the whole number being females. RIOTOUS FEMALES. The meeting was by no means a quiet or orderly one, those present indulging in all sorts of riotous demonstrations, After the ordinary business had been transacted the following resolution was read, | vociferonsiy applauded and adopted unant- mously :— Whereas we, the employes of the several cotton and woollen manufacturing firms of Kensington and vicinity, | submitted to a reduction of fiiteen per cent ot our wages im consequence of the financial derangement and the prospect of a severe winter: and whereas there has been no reduction in the price of the necessaries of life, nor in the market value of the goods manutactured, to justify @ continuance ot the present rate of wages, therefore Resolved, That we, the employes of the several cotton and woollen manufacturing firms of Kensingion and vicinity, claim our former prices, and {n doing so we consider ourselves to be demanding nothing but that which is right, just and reasonable. Resolved, That as the prices we arc now receiving are not sufficient to meet our actual expenses, we will stand firm until our employers accede to our demands, for we hold that those who toil and earn their bread by the sweat of their brow should have a just and fair compen- sation for their labor. Therefore we appeal to the wis- dom and sympathetic encouragement of a discriminat- ing public, who, when our condition is fairly understood, will not retuse to grant us their approbation. NO COMPROMISE, All the mills of Kensington are now silent, while from the above resolution it is evident that a compromise cannot be possibly effectea, and that the girls are likely to remain unemployed ior a long time to come. The numper of factories and hands now idle is denoted in the following list:— James Welsh & Son, 150 hands, James Long, a & Co., 250 hands, Jemes Dallas & Sons, 3 hands, James Nolen, 160 ban: yam Beatty, 50 hands, JaméS Scantiin, 100 hands. James Murray, 14 hands. Irvin & Stinson, 250 hands, Thornton & Smith, 250 hands, James P. Bruner, 75 hands, Robert Maher, 75 hands, Samuel Clark & Son, 40 hands. Porter & Dickey (Howard and Norris streets), 360 hands, | Porter & Dickey (Twenty-first and Ordane streets), 40 hands, | PATRONIZING MAN. During the course of this excited meeting the | President introduced Mr. Andrew Biack, whom he | designated as the workingman’s friend. He was received with applause, and the substance of his remarks was as follows:—“I urge upon ou to stand by what is strictly right. | assure you your cause is so just and your demands so reasonable that if you stand firm your When the he country to the other you atceded to the reduetion of your wages without uttering a single murmur. Taking advantage of a willingness upon your part your employers, upon the advent of a livelier trade, would have you work at the same reduced | rate still. The tissues and fabrics of the loom now in the market meet with a ready sale, their prices | have advanced and the demand jor them increases daily. Shall not, theretore, the hands who work these looms be paid in figureg proportionately to the products of their toilY Certainly! andy your employers refuse to admit this, and retusé to pay you the full wages which your work is worth. Thereiore I say to you, since your demand is both human and just, do not yield one single inch.” STRENGTHENING THE cae . The gentleman’s address was Very long, but the analysis of tne whole is briefly recapitulated in the paragraph above. During the delivery he was con- Stantly interrupted by the most vehement indica- tions of approval, while it also became evident that as the speaker proceeded he was gradually but | surely strengthening the cause of the strikers and | encouraging those who wavered to “stand out.” HEAVY REINFORCEMENTS, A great sensation occurred after the above speech had closed. A shout from those without gave the word to those within, and a 1ew mo- | iments later a large delegation of working girls, in military line, filed iuto the church and stated that they had been employed 1n a large woollen mil! in ‘Twenty-first street, but that they had just ceased work, and wished to be considered as members of | the meeting then in session. MASCULINE NOISINESS. Exultant cries and yeils arose from all sides; the girls were excitedly welcomed, and sv earnest and | abcaiee was the applause that the meeting was interrupted tor fully ten minutes. There was nothing of gny consequence effected at the gathering this morning, beyond the state- ment oi the intentions of the strikers and their relusal to return to their looms under the de- ducted per centage isreplaced. Other meetings are announced for the future, and the proprietors of the different mills will also meet and discuss the | situation. NEW CANAAN HORROR. Pea alirssend eo Who Murdered Mrs. Sarah Selleck?—New Light Obtained as to the Perpctra- tor. New Canaan, Conn., Feb. 23, 1874, The greatest excitement prevatis in this usually quiet village—nothing like it having occurred be- | fore or since the brutal murder of Mrs. Sarah Sel- leck and the burning of her body, on the nigut of lock as the alleged murderer, his two trials and |: final discharge trom custody, the authorities nave | been vigilantly at work endeavoring to find some | new clew to one of the most atrocious crimes known to the records, The reward Of $2,000 offered by the State for the arrest of the perpetrator, dead or alive, and the sums offered by the town and Masonic lodge, have in- duced detectives to be on the alert everywhere; and now, by the arrest on suspicion of Henry Willis at Sandy Hook, in the town of Newtown, Conn., and the chain of circumstances which point to him | ag the man who did the deed, the town 18, as Ihave stated, agitated anew. Willis was confined in the jailat Danbury over Sunday, and was brought here jor trial this morn, ing. At ten o’cicck, the hour appointed for the investigation to begin, fully 1,500 people, mostly farmers and their sons, had gathered in tne village. It was twelve o'clock before counsel were ready to proceed, At that bour the doors of the little Town Hall were thrown open, | and in less than ten minutes more than 1,000 per- | sons by actual count rushed into the building to catch sight of the murderer, real or alleged, Jus- tice Joseph Silliman presided, Mr. Samuel Fessen- den, of stamiord, appearing on the part of the State, and James A. Wilson, of Newtown, and Ed- win Scofield, of Stamford, for the prisoner. Willis isa mao about thirty years of age, slight built, pale, smooth face, and carries a decidedly spicious look, As he appeared on the manacied and in company witn the Sheriff, great commotion followed. ‘Several wit- neeses Were e€Xamined on the part of the State, the evidence elicited peing of a character sufl- cient, a8 1s thought, to bind the prisoner over to the Superior Court for trial. « Among the more important facts elicited by the trial thus far to-day are that Willis at one time kept a saloon in Stamiord, in a building owned by the murdered lady, and had been somewhat intr mate with her family. His absence from hom identical with the date of the murder; the discov- | ery ola gold watch said to correspond exactly with the missing one owned by deceased; the let- ters, the purport of which is yet to be announced, taken together, are circum- stances which the Tisoner will have difficulty in satisfactorily explaining. ‘Willis was formerly employed as a butcher by Mr. Minott Atigur, of Newtown, and has also been a brakeman on the New York, New Haven and Hartiord Kail- road, boarding in Stamtord. He bears the charac- ter there of being a vicious and quarreisome per- son. The investigation has occupied the entire aiternoon and will continue during to-morrow, and will no doubt resuit, as hag been stated, in binding the prisoner over for tria., The arrest took place in Sandy Hook last Tues- day. Willis is well known there, and the event threw that village into temporary excitement. It is expected that damaging evidence against the accused will come from that quarter. Havana, Feb. 23, 1874. Exchange quiet, but firm: on the Unted states, sixty days, currency, 75 4 76 premium, short sight, 79 ay pre- mim; on London. 119 a 1 premium; on Paris, 9 a 9% bremium, Speuisb gold, % a Y premium. sumer easier. WasHInGton, Feb. 23, 1874, Adjournment of the Senate in Honor of the First President. The Senate met this morning, but the House did Not assemble, having adjourned over until to-mor- ror. The Chaplain of the Senate in his opening prayer invoked Divine Providence to grant that the country might ever think with reverence of the great and good men through whom the nation has attained its present exalted position, and especially of him who was first to defend our country trom all wrongs, ana ever first in the af fections and hearts of his countrymen. Mr. An- thony then arose and said that the country was to- day celebrating the birthday of Washington, and it | Was not customary for the Senate to sit upon such & day unless there was an extraordinary pressure of business. He therefore moved that the Senate adjourn, The motion was unanimously carried and the Senate adjourned, The Boston Collectorship—How Butler | Pat His Finger in the Pie to a Par pose—Chances of Simmons. ‘The Massachasetts men here and at home are Just now ‘earfully exercised over the Colle@orsnip of Boston, This lucrative position has been held some seven years by Jadge Russell, whose shares of moieties have satisfied his pecuniary ambition, and he has for some months past expressed a de- Bire tO be “rotated” into some pleasant diplo- | matic berth. News of this was brought here about @ month since by Edward W. Kinsley, a Boston merehant and “everybody's friend,” who desired | the succession, There was no foreign mission then vacant; 80 Kinsley went back to wait. Now, this programme came to the ears of Ben Butler, who did not relish having Kinsley placed at the Custom House as the dispenser of the Mas- sachusetts share of federal patronage. So he went to work and arranged his plan, which was to put in as Collector W. A. Simmons, now Chief Super- | visor of Internal Revenue, who has for years been the leader of the Boston caucuses. Butler inci- dentally mentioned to Boutwell and Hooper that he thought “Bill” Simmons would make good Col- lector should Russell resign, and they responded in the affirmative. After a while the President coneluded that he would recall Pile, now Minister to Venezuela, and information was sent to Russell that if the place suited him he might resign the Collectorship, ‘he resignation was telegraphed, and reached here about eleven o’clock on the morn- ing of February 16. In half an hour aiterwards Butler recommended the appointment of Simmons, which Richardson bad made out and carried to the President. He signed it, and by one o'clock Simmons was regularly before the Senate for con- firmation, without the knowledge of a Massa- cbhusetts Senator or Representative save Butler. Hooper was rather pleased, Boutwell acquiesced, Bufinton always nods when Butler winks, and the rest of the delegation were like @ nest of disturbea hornets, They tried to protest, but Butler got them in a row with each otuer. Then Dawes, who had always Jed the anti-Butlerites, surrendered, declared him- self neutral, and finally started for Springfield to conter with Sam Bowles, Meanwhile the telegraph wir@s have vibrated with hundreds of messages, Pro or con, and tbe President has been so pestered by the spokesmen of the two Massachusetts fac- | tions that he must be ready to exclaim—“A plague on both your houses.” Thus far Butler has Piloted his man Simmons safely, and he is on the straight road to confirmation. Now, all other things having failed, ex-Governor Clifford and a lot of other ponderous old Bramins of Beacon street have becn summoned here to see if they cannot keep ‘Bill’ Simmons, who never was at Harvard, out of the Collectorship. Butier sees that this is @ turning point for bim and he is desperate, while his opponents hope to upset his political ap- ple cart and to deprive him of the services of Sim- | Mong. Itisa high old fight, and the end is not yet, Important Decision by the Attorney Gen- eral Touching State ao... Attorney General has decided that ale for- | feited to @ State, and taken before the United States tax is paid from the manufacturer by the process of @ State Court seeking to enforce the forfeiture, cannot be seized by the United States | officers for the non-payment of said tax while it remains in the custody of the State oMcers. He has also decided that the phrase “State bankiug association” in section 6 of the act of March 3, 1865, providing for a tax or ten per cent upon State cir- culation, includes ail associations for banking by private agreement of parties as well as an associa- , tion organized by a special act of the State Legis- Jatare, Setttlement of Indian Indemnity Claims, The sub-committee of the House Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom the subject was referred recently, have agreed to recommend that all claims for Indian depredations be turned over for adjudication and settlement by the United States hy “a / sumer) / OBITUARY. Police Commissioner Henry Smith, Henry Smith, the President of the Police Com- Mission, died last night, at half-past ten o'clock, at the Metropolitan Hotel. For several days he has been affected with rheumatism of the heart, and thoagh he has had the advantage of the best medi- cal skill, his recovery was thought quite improbable on Saturday, and bis death has been hourly looked for, He was one of the most prominent ana suc- mission, was one of the most prominent and auc- cessful politicians of the State. He was, indeed, as | well known in the northern portion of New York as he was here, He was born in the middle por- tion of the State some fity-two years ago of poor parentage, What calling his father followed does not appear, but as soon as “Hank” was old enough to walk pe was put on board @ canal boat on the Mohawk section of the Erie Canal. In time he became a driver, and during his childhood and youth his days were Passed on the towpath, in company with as de- moralized a set of men ag disgrace the State. In winter, when, the canais being frozen over, work ‘Was at a standstill, Hank Smith managed to pick Up here and there a smattering of reading and writing and arithmetic, just enough of either to carry hm through life, butnot enough of any one to do more, uneducated, rough, uncouth, thickset youth, fall of fre and energy and siways ready to take his own part against any of those who clashed with him in the constant brotis which are tne only excitement of a canal man’s Ite. In this path Hank Smith spent many years, New York city as an agent for the Fultonville line ot canal boats, At the age of twenty-one he was an | and that moment he be- | came known here as the “Poor Boy of the Mo- | 3 A FIRST WARD FRACAS, | One Man Stabbed Dangerously and Another Seriously. The Difficulty Originates at the ‘Cpen. ing” of a Grog Shop. | Last night at about eight o'clock @ stabbing afray occurred at the southeast corner of Thames and Greenwich streets, in the Firat ward, in which Edward Meehan, aged twenty-eight, a sailmaker by trade, and ving at No. 13 Albany street, was dangerously injured, receiving two stab wounds in the back, on each shoulder, and one very bad cat in the left side and anotuer in the chest, James Cook, of No, 74 Cortlandt street, aged twenty-two, also received two stad wounds, one on the back and one under the left arm, these wounds being not 80 dangerous as those which Meehan has, The wounds were delivered by | John Dascy, aged twenty, residing at No, 3% | Cherry street, and lately employed as a messenger | boy to carry messages trom the Associated Presa | office to the newspaper omcesat night. Officer | McDermott, of the Twenty-seveuth precinct, ar- rested Dascy a moment after the stabbing and took him to the station house in Church street, where he was locked up to await the charge, It seems that Dascy was sitting with two young | girls, one named Kelly, the stepdaughter of a and what finally brought bim to the notice of the | managers of the line of boats for which he worked | street, near Greenwich street, 4s @ subject enveloped in mystery. Certain it 1s | named Mary Ann Halpin, that some twenty-three years ago he turped up in | laboring man named Kelly, who resides in ‘Thames and another girl, to whom Dascy is engaged to be married, and who tives in Rector street. Miss HaJpin is aged about seventeen and Misa Kelly is aged about fifteen years. Miss Kelly states that she was sitting in the doorway of the hawk’—a cognomen which has clung to him | Store corner Greenwich and Thames streets, ever since with @ pertnacity which only such | at about eight o'clock, with the girl Halpin, and familiar names ever attain to, In business | Dascy} the accused, at about eight o'clock, and matters Hank Smith, at a time when the canal | they were engaged ip conversation at the time, business was a@ matter of great competition and | rivalry, rapidly became known for his exhaustless energy. This quality was the secret of his whole success in after life, Always pushing forward his own interest, in spite of all the points against him, he soon attained a prominence In the First ward— | Ukuown man asked Dascy he lived on and did business at the corner of Broad and South streets—which induced him to run for Counciiman. an On the republican ticket. About ths time commenced to ate his friendship with whom Hank Smith owed many of the positions he has held since that time. In 1860 he was again elected to the Aldermanic chair, and in 1862 In a triangular ight was deleated for the same oftice By one of his opponents retiring on the day of election tn favor of the other. He said on that day that had he known what was to place he could have been elected for $1,000, hext office he ran for was that of supery the time an elective one. Having eived the second largest number 01 Votes he was appointed, according to law. When the term of his oilice ex: pired be again ran and appointed again in the same manner. ‘Ty time, however, his possession of the position was contested by Jonn Foley, who never let the mat- ter rest until the spring of 1870, wheao Foley gained the point he had been working far and was placed in Hank Smith’s seas, Foley only retained the office some thirty days, however, when the old Board of Supervisors being abol- ished by tne Frear charter, he was deposed. Un. der this cnarter Hank Smith, being thought a re. publican, one of those who had been most instru- | Mental in passing it, was appointed a Police Com- Courts for the respective districts wherein such | depredations have been committed, The Geneva Award Distribution Bill. Several members of the House Committee on the Judiciary say the Geneva Award Distribution bill will not probably be ready to report for a week to come, and that thus far no formal votes have been taken on any of the propositions before them. General Butler says that in his opinion a bill simi- lar to that reported by him to the last Congress | wiil be agreed on by the committee. Pardoning a Ka Kinx. Elijah Harden, a Ku Klux, who has served two years of bis sentence in the Albany Penitentiary, has been pardoned by the President. THE ADAIR INQUEST IN NEWARK. The Inquest touching the death of Jeannette Adair, the young woman who was found dead at her lodgings in South Bridge street, Newark, under peculiar circumstances, was continued by Coroner Munn yesterday afternoon at the Newark Court House. Quite a crowd of persons were , present, drawn by a depraved desire to hear and | gloat over the grossly indecent and disgust- ing chapter of evidence which, it was expected, would be brought out. Charles Holzhauer, Emma Sampson, Mary Shaffer, ‘Dr. Dodd and John J. Youngblood were severally placed on the stand. Dr. Dodd, who is ' County Physician, gave the most important testi- He had taken the stomach to make an an- | mony. alytical examination of it, He did so in company with Dr. Ill, Jr., and Mr. Beck. They found no min- eral poison in the stomach, no arsenic, as at. first supposed, but indications of vegetable poisons, His opinion was that DEATH WAS CAUSED by vegetable poison. Violent vomiting, with a weak stomach, vold of nutriment, might cause death, but he did not think it did so in this case. Some otl of tansy was found in Jeannette’s house. Mt was declared the mixture was put up by some person who knew nothing about compounding medicines—probably the giri herself, in trying, perhaps, to produce abortion. The evidence given by Youngolood, who resides at No. 178 Camden street, Brooklyn, and who was formerly intimate with the deceased girl, was of a most indecent and disgusting character, revealing @ state of immorality on the part of Jeannette, himself and others most shameful and unfit for Publication. At half-past six o'clock the inquest ‘Was adjourned till to-day. THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEFRS, The Threatened Gencral Strike on the Railroads To Be Acted Upon im Con- vention, CLEVELAND, Ohio, Feo, 23, 1874. A special meeting of the Grand International Division of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engt- neers will be held in this city, commencing on Wednesday, the 25th inst. This special meeting is called for the purpose of considering the Jjate troubles which have sprung up in the Order, and the session will probably Jast two or three days, Grand Chief Engineer Charles Wilson has called this meeting, tuat ® fall dixcussion of all questions pertaining to the Order may be had and the views of all subordinate divisions ex. pressed. Representatives from all the divisions in the United States and Canada are expected, id already several delegations have arrived. There 18 much Interest manifested among the locomotive engineers in this vicinity, and, in all probability, the meeting will be one of the most important ever heid by the Order, There have been many Tumors of @ concentrated and general strike of the engineers on all thé roads; bence this meeting and its results will be'looked upon with more than ordinary interesy and General | missioner, and from that time he became known as a Tammany republican, giving all the influence hé possessed in his party to the cause of the ring. Henry Smith has been much blamed both by friends and enemies lor the course he took at this time, being an intimate ally of Tweed and so much connected with the Ring operations that he even held the po- sition Of vice president of the Americus Cluy, kuown Dy its associations with th inmavy Ring, and of which Tweed bimseit was President. Dur- ing the reign of the Ring Hank Smith remained one of Tweed’s closest allies, und at the time of the fall of that oligarchy he was not unatfected by its disasters. The bank of which he was president— the Bowling Green—tailed; @ result believed to have been caused by the political chaage, For a savings bank, it was the worst failure that has taken place, and unto the present time it has only paid thirty-five per cent to the depositors. it was pleaded for Henry Smith that he waS not respon- sible for the downfall of the bank, be- cause he had not given it the attention he should have done. At the same time another bank of which Smith was a ditector went under. It is said by those who ought to know that Smith himself lost much of his fortune at this period of his life. In spite, however, of the disus- ters to which the Ring magnates fell heir, Renry Smith retained his position as Police Commissioner until 1873, When a republican Legislature, voting a neW charter, made an express provision retaining Hank Smith in his position as President of the Board of Police Commissioners. This position he held when he was overtaken by death. Henry Smith leaves a wife but no children, and an ample fortune divided in dock property jn ths city, steamboat company stocks aud a Very fine estate in Amsterdam in this State, Charlies Shirley Brooks. A telegram irom London, under date of yester- day, 23d inst., reports as follows :—‘‘Charles Shiriey Brooks, the celebrated English novelist and dra- matic author, is dead,’? Mr. Brooks was in vhe fiity-eighth year of his age. He was born in the year 1816, Having received a careful education, at an early age he was destined for the profession of law, The study was unconge- nial to his taste, 80 be abandoned the pursuit and devoted his talent to the cultivation of dramatic and journalistic literature. | Was sitting and said, “There is ma a ‘This was in 1867. He kept this | Other man struck Dascy, and one caughvnold of | position one year, and in 1858 was elected Alder- hurlow | Weed, the most powerful man in the State, and to | ' stabbed, as he believes, by young Dascy. He soon found em- | 8trenuously that he is a decent, quiet young mai jee the London press, and was known in | h when five men came up Greenwich street from the direction of the Battery, and one, separating himself from the crowd, ran up to where Dascy that struck Then Miss Kelly says the “if he was ag Then Tose man me on Saturday night!’ good up a and man the now.” unknown ascy’s hair; one of the strangers crying, out, Rey mivg iv to nis girl, too,” while a third sal 0, don’t touch the girl; leave her alone.” Then, Miss Keily says, that Dascy ran of down Greenwich street and into a policeman’s atms, who caught hitn and arrested lim, taking bim to the station house. Meehan aad Cook, the wounded men, were both taken w the Park Hos- Pa od where their wounds were dressed care- ully by Dr, Fluhrer, who thinks that Meehan take | Milay recover witu care, and that Cook 1s not dan- The | gerously, weunded. The friends of Meenan, who is said to be a very decent man, declare that young Dascy has led a dishonest lile, but did not specily any dishonest act thathe had cominitted. Meehan stated that the diMiculty which led to the stabbin; arose in the drinking saloon of Kavanagh McGraw, at the corner of Cedar and New Church streets, om Suuday morning, at about one o’clock. Jt seems that this firm had just bought out their predecessors and were celebrating the event by what is known as an “opening.’’, Dascy and some young men, compan- ions of bis, Were present and Were drinking in the place, and Meehan, with a Michaet Halpin, son of @ former police captain of the First war Anthony Dunleavy and others. Meehan states t! Dascy was one of a party that had attempted to vake a gold watch trom his {rtead Halpin, and that @ difficulty then arose, and that afterwards Dascy’s companions followed them towards Broadway, and, when wear the station house, attacked Meehan and his triends, and { that he believes Dascy to be a bad character and ,to hifve no business occupation, Cook, the other ‘wounded man, says that he saw the diMfculty be- tween Meehan and Dascy, and was with the former as were also Dunleavy and James Hayes, al! trends or Meehan. Cook had been at the “opening,” and states further that he was endeavoring to separate Meehan and Dascy, and while doing so ree ER ALD reporter called at the ‘Twenty-seventh Precinct police station, at about ten o'clock, and saw Dascy, who is @ young man of slight build, about five feet eight inches in height and Weighing about 135 pounds. He was allowed to come out of his cell, and spoke freely and with- out reserve. He has an overgrown head, but nis look 1s rather foolish than vicious, He stated that he had @ widowed mother, living at No. 37 Cherry street, and another younger brother, and that he had lately been working jor the Associated Press as a messenger, and that he had also worked five years for the Adams Express Company. Had never been arrested but once, aud that was fer throwing stones when a smali boy. Dascy, in answer to fergie declared that he was not a@ professional thief, and that the knile with which he stabbed Meelian and Cook was a small penknife which he took off the table in the Associated Press office on Sunday night, and at the time of the assault mage on him by Meeham and his iriends ne was cutting lis nails with it. He also stated that he heard that Meehan and Dunieary were looking tor him throughout the First ward to beat him, and that while one of the party of five was beating him an- otuer held him by the hair, and that he was beaten badiy about the head. He also stated that Meehan had repeatedly called bin a thief at the ‘opening’ of McGraw & Kavanagh’s saloon, and that he believed that he stapbed two men, but was not acquainted with Cook only by sight, and that he did it to save him- self from being killed, and then, he thinks, he threw the knife in the mud. Dascy asked the Ser- geant twice during the interview if he had found the knile. ‘The knife had not been found last night up toa late hour, though a uumber of pohcemen had been employed looking for it with the ald of lanterns. The friends of Meehan speak very badiy of the character of Dascy, wuile, on the other hand, Mrs. Kelly, her husband, her daughter and her stepdaughter assert very who has always supported his widowed mothe and that lately be has not had much work, but that 18 circle a8 a newspaper writer and reporter at | they never knew bim to carry a pistol or a knife the time when he produced his first piece—a farce called “The Lowther Arcade’’—which brought out at the Lyceum Theatre. followed by other plays, Tae works were generally successful. Mr. Brooks was @ patient worker and mdustrious. From tie mo- ment of bis first success he contributed largely to the periodical literature of the day—tales, essays, sketches and criticisms. His first story of any commendapie length, “Aspen Court,” was pub- lished in Bentley's Mtscellany. He was employed by the proprietors of the London Morning Chron- tele, now defunct, as a special literary commis- sioner, charged to inquire into the condition of “labor and the poor” in Southern Russia, was vations into Turkey and Egypt. His newspaper letters have been published in a volume entitled “The Russians in the South.” “The Gordian Knot,” a@ serial novel, commenced to appear in London in the year 1857. markable work. His active mind, however, expert- enced little rest. He became editor of Punch, in succession, we believe, to Mark Lemon, and thus inspirited while he controlled the humor, jollity, | wit amd satire of the great Englisn rejormer in Fieet street. And again, by the death of Brooks, has a busy and fertile brain been stilled. REW ENGLAND REFORMERS, Vice President Wilson Tenders the Acri- monious Debaters Some Excellent Ad- vice. Boston, Feb. 23, 1874. The fifth annual Convention of the New England Reform League at its session to-day elected the fol- lowing officers for the ensuing year:—President, William B. Green, of Boston; Vice Presidents, L. K. Joslin, of Rhode Island; John Orvis, of Boston; Wiliiam K. Cormng, of Maine; 8, 8. Foster, of Worcester, and Mrs. E, Albertson, of Boston; Re- cording Secretary, William B. Wright; Corre- sponding Secretary, E, H. Heywood, The Treasurer’s report showed the receipts aii | disbursements of the year at about $6,000 and a present balance in the treasury of $40. Resolu- tions of the usual radical type were pre- sented, discussed and adopted. Of the chief features of the proceedings were vrief speeches from A. Bronson Olcott and Vice President Wilson, advising a less violent and acri- monious tone of debate. ‘The former briefly stated his ideas on discussions and the spirit in which | they should be conducted. The object, he said, in discussion should be to find where the participants agree, and not to strive to find the point of disa- [ee | To agree to disagree is the true prin- ciple of discussion. " Mr. Wilson, who was urged to address the meet- ing, followed Mr. Uleott. saying, “I agree wholly and entirely with bim in this matter of discussion, and all my experience 1n life ieads me to endorse what he lias said. We think differently, see differ. ently, feel dimerently. The honest and conscientious mind utters its convictions, and the more honest that mind is, im my judgment, the more charitable it is toward the difference of opinion among other men; and it seems to me that this is the manner In which refractory discussions ought to be carried on, and if our discussions in deliberative assemblies Were Carried on upod that basis it would add much to the grandeur, honor and peace of the bodies that are called on to dedi with the complex and difficult questions which are constantly arising. 1 am always giad to hear these questions discussed, whether political, reformatory or whatever they may be, in good temper and spirit.” (Applanse.) ‘The Conveniion closed its session to-nighty ‘This was | | he believes young Dace: apd in | this capacity he visited the territory of the Czars, | and subsequently extended his travels and obser- | This was his latest re- | or do adishonest act, A Mr. Hertiemeyer, a Ger- man who keeps a grocery store on the northeast corner of Thames and Greenwich streets, 8a)s that to be an honest and quiet young man and that he never heard any- thing bad of him. Meehan’s friends assert, on the contrary, that he belongs to a gang of young thieves, and the testimony is very condicting. At midnight Dr. Fiuhrer, of the Park Hospital stated to a H&RaLD reporter that he had strong hopes of the recovery of Meehan, who is a young man of large and stalwart (rame and possessing & fine constitution. Cook igs not materially burt, it 8 thought, or in any way dangerously injured. A LEAP FOR LIBERTY, A Convict Jumps “from a Train Going at Thirty Miles an Hour. PaWuina, N. Y., Feb. 23, 1874. On the arrival of the mat) train at twelve o'clock noon to-day Mr. Greeh, from Katonah, appeared here with a prisoner, handcuffed, apd told the following story :— Sherif Zebe Carpenter left White Plains with two prisoners for the Albany Penitentiary, each sent for five years, and on the arrival of the train | at Towner’s station one of the prisoners procured a hairpin, and soon after the train left the station | unlocked his handcuffs and made a desperate move for the door of the car. He succeeded in | getting on the platform and made @ jeap for | Nberty. As soon as Sheriff Carpenter discovered the move he caught one o! the prisoners with one hand and the'bell rope in tne other and stopped the train. He then left the remaining prisoner with Mr. Green and got of the train, and, after a long chase, succeeded in capturing the prisoner and brought him to Pawliogs. The train was ran ning thirty miles an hour at the time the prisoner jumped off, He is very badly bruised, ‘The prisoners will reach Albany to-night. ACARD FROM THE 4sT0R HOUSE PROPRIB. 0 Astor Hovss, Feb. 28, 1874 To THs Epiror or THE HERALD:— The Sunday’s issue of the World has an article headed ‘Farewell, the Astor,’ and goes on to | state that it will Cease to exist as a hotel on May 1 { next, It is not so Our present lease does | not expire untti May, 1875, and it being turned into . oilices is but & Vague rumor. Will you please 80 state in dc journal, that the World may know the trusu? Yours, A. Mcc. STETSON. | THE OHARLESTON RACES, | On Wednesday next ‘the Charleston races begin | and continue through the week, under the man- agement of the South Carolina Jockey Club, There will be three races on the drst, second and third days and four on the fourth, the last race of the | meeting being for the Citizens’ Sweepstakes, three | Inile heats for all ages, $100 entrance, haif forteit | $750 added by the club, Entries for this stake wi Temain open until the night before the race, A MUNICIPAL ELECTION RIOT. EUFAULA, Ala., Feb, 23, 1874 During @ municipal election this morning a riot ‘was started by @ negro leaping into the managers’ | apartment witn a drawn knife, Several whites and negroes were Wounded—one of the latter se- nlousiye