The New York Herald Newspaper, April 4, 1874, Page 3

A Respite from Financial Flippancy. THE FREE BANKING sCHEME. A Postal Reciprocity Treaty with France, SOUTHERN WAR _ CLAIMS. e Wasuinaton, April 3, 1874. A Respite from Financial Turmoil—How the Currency Bill is Yet To Be Tin- kkered. The Senate refused to adjourn on account of Good Friday, Senator Sherman holding that it ‘Was just as good a day for transaction of business asany other. As a change, however, further dis- cussion on the financial question was postponed antil next Monday, by which time Sherman thought that some plan could be agreed upon as a compromise and facilitate the final disposition of the bill. The Louisville and Portland Canal bill, re- cently passed by the House, was taken up but not disposed of, The Financial bill, as reported by Senator Sherman, will undoubtedly be put aside and a substitute for the first and second sections will provide that the legal tender circulation shall be $400,000,000, and the national banking circulation $400,000,000, Additional sections which are to be added have not yet been agreed upon, the impression having been con- firmed that the $18,000,000 of legal tenders now jorming @ reserve in the Treasury would not be issued, bat beld as a currency balance. In the event of tne bill passing there will be additional legislation instructing the Secretary how this Bmount is to be put out and in what manner he May provide for his currency balance. The Free Banking Project. The House Banking and Currency Committee meet on Monday to determine upon some plan of action for the management of the pending Dill on free banking. Hopeful Prospect of a Postal Reciproc- ity Treaty with France. ‘The arrival of the new French Minister has called again attention and brought some more light to the much debated question of the French posta treaty. Tne HERALD was right when it predicted, some weeks ago, that the liberal mind and iron will of the Duc Décazes would get the better of that vexed question, It appears that Mr. Bar- tholdi will not have much to discuss on the matter, but only to carry out tne Duke’s instructions by presenting for Mr. Creswell’s signature the con- vention which has quite recently been approved by the French Minister of Finances on the favorable report of a French commission, purposely ap- poimted to examine the projected treaty. The Postmaster General will probably not refuse his signature this time, inasmuch as ‘the treaty is said to be entirely in accord with the latest propositions of our Post Office Department, Of course these propositions are not quite so favorable to France as the first ones offered by Mr. Creswell, and which were disdainfully rejected by former French Ministers, Still, the present treaty is the best which could be expected, under the circumstances, for the mutual interests of both countries, It is said, also, that the actual French administration would go further in its onward March to progress and break the present ocean Cable monopoly b; ting Mr, Jewett, gn Ameri- can, foot lent z tele anes his Gath fe, about to be Inid between New York anda Holland, It 4§ true that the Erlanger Cable Company enjoy now the monopoly on the French coasts; but 1t is claimed that the monopoly has ceased to exist through the fact of the amalgamation of the French with the Anglo-American Company, It is sald, also, that public opinion in France, which is still very unfriendly toward the Germans, cannot forget that Mr. Erlanger is a Prussian by birth, and that it would redound to the popularity of the French Cabinet, if the cable monopoly were broken down, by granting to an American the reciprocity Tight which the United States granted to French parties to land a cable on the American shores, Through this policy that crushing imposition and tribute laid by cable monopolists on the public, aud on the press especially, would soon become a thing of the past. The Southern War Claims To Be Paid. The House Committee on War Claims, at their Meeting this morning, took up the report of the Southern Claims Commission, The committee agreed to report and allow the claims. They amount in the aggregate to between $600,000 and $700,000, A Refuge for the Russian Mennonites. The senate Committee on Public Lands to-day heard a delegation of the Mennonites from Penn- sylvania and two from Russia, asking legislation to enable preparations to be made for the settie- ment in this country of some 40,000 Mennonites now living in Russia, who are obliged to emigrate from that country prior to the year 1881, or else perform military service, which the tenets of their Feligion forbid. The committee authorized Sena- tor Windom, of Minnesota, to prepare and report to the Senate a bill authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw from public sale such large tracts of land as they desire to occupy within the next two years, either by homesteaa or pre-emption entry. Acts of Congress Made Laws. The President to-day signed the following acts:—Reappropriating certain unexpended bal- ances of appropriations for removals of Indians; to improve the mouth of the Mississippi River; to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue an American register to the schooner Carrie, of Eastport, Me.; making appropriations for the construction, preservation and repair of certain fortifications and other works of defence for the fiscai year ending June 30, 1875, and to remove the political disabilities of Thomas Hardeman, Sr., of Georgia. The Hell Gate Work To Be Investigated. In conformity with the resolution introduced in the House to-day by Mr. Creamer, of New York, the Committee of Commerce will shortly investi- gate the Hell Gate improvement. The Command of the Asiatic Ficet. Rear Admiral Pennock will succced Rear Admi- ral Parrott in command of the Asiatic feet, “Hazing” at the Annapolis Academy. Secretary Robeson is again called upon to pass upon the conduct of a number of naval cadets at Annapolis who have been guilty of “hazing.” In this instance the ringleader is the son of a Rear Admiral; but the Secretary says neither personal friendship nor official distinction shalt interfere with his previously announced decision in such matters. Important Civil Service Nominations the President. The President to-day nominated Henry C. John- son, of Meadville, Pa., to be Commissioner of Ous- toms, in place of W. J. Hatnes, of Pittsburg. This is another evidence of the President's regard for Senator Scott, through whose infuence the noml- nation was made and against the opposition of the Present incumbent's most influential friends, Senator Robinson, of South Carolina, also had the Satisfaction of having Gyrus H, Baldwin nominated for the office of Assistant Treasurer at Charleston. The South Carolina Taxpayers. W. W. Corcoran to-night entertained the repre- sentatives of the Taxpayers’ Convention of South Carvlima, Government Right to Bring Action for Recovery of All Taxes in Arrear—Im- portant Decision of the Supreme Court. The Commissioner of Internal Revenue has ad- Gressed 4 Circular letter to atl coilec:ors of internal fevenue, calling their attention toa recent act of the Supreme Court, where it 18 heid that the gov- ernment may bring an action for the recovery ot taxes not only of such a8 are assessed, but algo of thoge which are not assessed, and likewise of those Naval by NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1874—TRIPLE SHEET. WASHINGTON, | tess tucaine ‘te commmonsr nage” TEMPERANCE. Sapa e? cobees.s ka BURGLARS’ TOOLS. Doors graminaton of the varios arses, om Idesire that you will exert yourself to discover all not now cases tn te assessed owing 10 tien of ‘nection 20 Of the act of June 30, 1864, and section 5 ‘amended, Of the act of March 2, 1865, without a waiver of those Jimivations by tax] all these cases you will notify the delinquents that if they make & written waiver of their righte under hese Bt} Fates acrons the ice of their returns the xes will be assessed Without penalty ; butin cases where delinquents neglect or refuse to take this coursevyou will at once report the fact to the prover Inited States District Attorney, ind ve im at the same time to the terma mentioned decision of the Supreme Court. In view of the importance of this matter coliect- ore are urged to prompt action. THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION. Proving Excessive Charges Made by the Board of Public Health Against the General Government—Governor Shep- herd’s Facility of Explanation. WASHINGTON, April 2, 1874. At this morning’s session of the District of Columbia investigation Edward Clark, the archi- tect of the Capitol, was examined in regard to the ruling prices of all kinds of flagging, curbing and sodding in Washington, and what such work had cost him in his oficial capacity. This witness was called by the memorialists with a view to showing that the Board of Public Works have paid extrava- gant and disproportionate prices for the same kind of improvements, Mr. Clark testified that he thought twenty-five cents @ yard a good price for grading and sodding; the grading on Pennsylvania avenue, done by P. McNamara, ought to have been done, including the hauling, for forty cents a foot; withess stated that he had had a six-inch straight curb set for twelve cents a foot and a circular curb. for fifteen cents a foot, His attention having been called by Judge Wilson to the cost of improving the reservation in front of the Centre Market House, he stated thay he thought that a@ reasonable and justifiable ex- penditure. Colonel Wright Rives testified in relation to the improvement of the Bladensburg road, and ex- pressed the opinion that portions of the work were defective, though the charge for the work was excessive; the original estim@te of Its costs, submitted to the Legislature, was $23,000; the actual cost was $52,000; the .road Was actually im- pashabio at times, and witness had. petitioned the ward to have it put in order; there was heavy gtading and filling done and they paid too much jor earth excavation; they paid sixty cents a yard for grading and hauling, The witness also spoke of the cost of the improvements and of the assess- ments at the intersection of Third and E streets, near the City Hall, aud stated that too much had been charged to E street; too much payement had been charged to the government on Missouri ave- nue; also too much for grading on Third street, be- tween Pennsylvania avenue and Matyland avenue, On cross-eXamination Colonel Rives stated that part ot the grading on the Bladensburg road was pretty tough work, the ground peing hard and containing springs of water; that he had ob- jected to the prismatic pavement on Third street and had joined ip a petition to the-Board to have it changed, which was done after the work had progressed for some time; the pavement now there is @ good one, and the sodding also good; wherever he had called the atten@on of the Board to errors in charges against him they had been corrected. Mr. Archibald White, resident in the county, on the Seventh street road, stated that material was ue into the Improvement on that road which had een condemned a8 uniit; he did not think that the work had been economically done; they charged witness for 100 feet front more than his Property measuted on the Seventh street road; the road was better for a width or twenty-four feet before it was improved than it is now. nearly all the roads in the county which had been done by the Board are in a bad condition. Mr. Z. Richards, late Auditor o! the District gov- ernment, called by the memorialists, testified that it was nis official duty to act on all accounts presenta agaings the, dyotuct a overnment; ago re- ceived: & statement aud a_ batch of bills from the Board of Public Works for work alleged to have been done by the Board in carry- ing out the old corporation Jaws; the claims were not as reported to witness; many of them were for work when the original contracts were ay- nulled or changed; the Auditing Commission had, as witness supposed, acted previously upon all such claims and had those claims under considera- Mion several weeks; he did not think that class of bill should be paid out of the sinking fund, in View of the tact that they had never been authorized by the old corporation; he had a correspondence with the Boar about it, and finally @ letter- was received from the Attorney of the District with which wit- ness agreed as to some points, and a delegation, gornposed, Ms Rag Pees emote puis on witness abouy ft; witne held that a amounts ote é Xnose authorized by the old cor- poration ought to be paid out of the $4,000,000—in other words, paid by the Board; the Legislature had passed a law confining the witness’ official duty to auditing bills which were the result of legisia- tion; at Jast witness approved bills to the extent of $379,000—some $94,000 less than the amount pre- sented; witness was relieved of his ofice last De- cember; Mr. Meeds is now Auditor; the bilis Teterred to, witness thinks, are in the custody of the Sinking Fund Commission; it was no part of witness’ duty to decide which bills should be paid out of the sinking fund and which out of the four million loan, Among the | bills referred to was one relating to P street bridge, the pavement for which was provided for | by the old corporation, and the original plan was | changea by tue Board and the cost of the bridge | increased from $24,000 to sixty-odd thousand dol- jars, This additional cost was in one of these | bills. The Board algo did the same in regard to the Seaton and Jefferson school buildings, Mr. Richards was interrogated concerning the school iund, and notified by Mr. Wilson of the cotnmittee that he would be further questioned ut @ future time on the same subject. ‘This afternoon L. D. Merchant was examined in | relation to a grievance about an alley. He stated | that he had been required to pay fur opening an alley, which had not, in fact, been opened, An ex- amination of the bill paid by tho witness, which he produced for inspection, showed that it was a charge for the value of ground condemned by a jury ior alley purposes. ‘The alley had not been improved, but the ground condemned, and the property to be benefited, in part owned by the ‘witness, had been agsessed theretor. Colonel Wright Rives was recalied concernin; the work at the intersection of Third and streets. Alter calculating the cost of the said work he stated that the excess at that intersection charged in that assessment amounted to $184; also that the Board had charged jor more curb- wood pavement and sidewalk on E street than the street would measure, taking the line from New dersey avenue to Fourth street, weat. Colonel Rives stated that he had measured Louisiana ave- nne from Ninth to Tenth streets, west, and that the Board had charged the United States government tor 4,000 yards more of grading than they should have charged. Governor Shepherd stated that with reference to Louisiana avenue, referred to by Uolonel Rives, that charge contained an amount of grading done by the old Corporation which they had never been previously patd for, and which was provided for in the appropriation made to reimburse the Board for whut they had done. FOREIGN TRADE. Official Report of the Bureau of Statis- tics for March. WASHINGTON, April 3, 1874, Monthly report No. 6 of the Bureau of Statistica will contain the statistics of our foreign trade for the year ending December 31, 1873, as compared with 1872, The following synopsis is furnished by the Chief of the Bureau:— Domestic Exports | Foreign Periods, Imports. | Goon | ooh. Values). ‘Twelve months endin, December 31, 1475. . .}$624, 997,362) $06,366,531) $24,068 204 Twelve months ending, December 31, I 677,144,579] 544,433,789] 25,086,083 “The following table shows the amount of the foregeing carried in cars and other land vehicles avdin American and foreign vessels respectively :— Renee: i Foreiy seports re Imports. | (urlzet’ | Ezporia Values). Sil a nan Nace Pi bi Land yenicies.. 15,046.583| $7, 193,0 Aner esse: {1573} ) Yee Reson sg, Sarah Porelgn ‘vessels 441,5.0.9651 B18 790.101| —15:348) Landivenicies..) 4] 1Woseta! "gazvosa| "3852450 Amer'n vessels, (1872) | 182,518,071] 168,679,265 oar sis Foreign ‘vessels ) | 475,642°967| 422,098.788) —14.400090 ~The values of the importa and exports consisting of specie and bullion and of merchandise, re- spectively, were as follows:— rn Import. | (eis | Reporte eae Values). eat we {8 $20,749,480), ¢56,208,406] $7,908,802 Merc! ot 596,247,923} 650,103,086) 17,669,312 it a {sr} 21,182,004) 92,295,236] 8,391,688 Merchandise,::$ U1 638,902,878] 452,143,088] _ 16,001,805 % Imports, |Foreign Exy free, Tuan $171,229, 761 10,818,120 | Dutiaore, | 87: saree] Sitiahae Dutiable, | 872. | sorias Marner ‘Allowing jor the difference in the Warchouse ac- counts the exports for the calendar year are in ex- cess of the imports by $280,381; whiie for the cor- responding period of 1872 the imports exceeded the exports to the amount of $108,473,713, Asummary showing the articles imported and exported during the year 1873, as compared with similar articles in 1872, will shortly be prepared by Uke bureau Jor the press, The Sons of Temperance—Mass Meeting in Cooper Institute Last Night—Speech by Dr. paler. A largely attended meeting of the Sons (and daughters) of Temperance was held last night in the great hall of the Cooper Union. Mr. L. G. Par- sons, Grand Worthy Patriarch, was in the chair. The Rev. T, L. Curter, Past Worthy Patriarch and Grand Chaplain, delivered a stirring oration, in the Codtse of which he satd that the good work in hand is a grandly patriotic and eminently re- ligious movement. he came before the public in & truly catholic spirit, which enabled him to clasp hands with any man, whoever he might be, who should favor the work. The speaker differed with Chancelior Crosby, of the New York University, who only went the length of having dramshops abolishe1; but ere he was six months in the move- ment so enlightened and learned a man as the Chancellor could not fail to perceive the need of going the whole length of the faith and ADVOCATING PROHIBITORY PROVISIONS. The agitation involved a great moral sentiment, and the politicians, when they began to perceive its magnitude and tmportunce, would soon take it up. The rising star of temperance is the morn- ing luminary of the hour, ‘The speaker then gave & synoptical review of the progress accom- plished since the grand idea had originated With women who had gone forth to do what their Master had pointed out. By prayers, persuasions and kind words they had closed more drinking shops in two months than our Legislatures had done in ten years, He read a letter irom a friend of the Cause, Who stated that in a Western city, where thirty-nine applications had been maae for license to sell liquor, thirty-one of them had been defeated. New York has over 7,000 dram- shops, which, if put in line, would reach irom the Battery to Harlem, ‘This’ great clty of New York spends from $60,000,000 to $70,000,000 annually for alcoholic beverages, Every man must do his duty to suppress this traffc, and the cnurches must ve called upon, ‘Ihe speaker did not fancy KID-GLOVED RELIGION, that comes into church with gult-edged Bibles, and wiil not condescend to soil its fingers by touching 1oul objects in the shape oflost and degraded men and women, who should be lifted up into the higher level of Christ’s Church. Now, said Dr. Cuy- ler, i8 the time for the Uhurch of Christ, He told an appropriate and laughable anecdote about a& Woman who, being aillicted with a drunken hus- band, resorted to the novel expedient of sewing him up in the bed sheets and cudgelling him soundly, a striking operation which had the de- sired effect of bringing the penitent Benedict into the tolds ol the temperance flock. Dr. cover was followed by Mr. Stephen Merritt, the leader of the prohibition party, after whose eifort the meeting adjourned, Temperance and the Sorosis, To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD :— It has been suggested that the ladies of the Soro- si€ could give valuable aid to the temperance movement by abjuring wine at their society lunches and the annual dinner of the club. That suggestion must come from those who are entirely ignorant of the habits and principles as well as tone of the Sorosis. No wine is ever used at any of the social gatherings of the Ladies’ Club. And perhaps no profounder comment upon the princi- pies and habits of the society can be made eS to say that at the annual club dinner, when somé 200 members and guests sit for four or five hours, }is- tening to toasts, responses, songs, &c., coffee, chocolate and lemonade are the only beverages that dispute the supremacy of the Quid which the crusaders preach—cold water. If history records Similar abstinence at similar entertainments of women or men we do not know it, A silent influ- ence may be as broad and deep and potent as a shrieking one—perhaps more lasting. New York, March 31, 1874, SECRETARY. Delegates from the Union Praying Band Confer with the Mayor and Comp- troller. Mayor Hunter and Comptroller Schroeder were visited yesterday by Mrs. William Richardson and Mrs. Wilder, active members of the Union Praying Band, at the City Hall, The ladies complained that the Excise law waa not enlorced, and liquor dealers were permitted to deal out their poison on the Sabbath day; the side doors are left open. Tne Comptroller suggested that the praying band could enter the saloons and get evidence and make complaint before a magistrate. He was of tae opinion that by cohtinuous assanuit on the sa- loons the good ladies would eventually succeed 1n banishing many of them from the trade in order to escape the annoyances and interferences at the hands of the tuir crusaders. Gentiemen were not likely, however, Mr. Schroeder beileved, to rani the same mterest inthe movement as the ladies, 2 ‘ayor Hunter was of the opinion that something Might be doue by reducing the number of licenses, When the Comptroller remarked that the ladies were bent upon eradicating the evil enurely. There was no country where there were so many liquor stores as in America, and this fact increased the use of strong drink. Mrs, Wilder suggested the propriety of getting up @ petition to have all licenses revoked; but the financial officer of the city demurred, as the pro- hibitory Jaw in Massachusetts had only tended tu increase drunkenness. The Mayor said he would help them to reduce the number of licenses; he was not in favor of substi- tuting “light wives,” as the idea came irom a Ger- man, Mrs. Wilder said the German lager beer sellers are the hardest fellows to deal with. They suy, “Get away irom here, we don’t want your prayers.”’ Mrs, Richardson remarked. “They don’t believe in the Bibie or anything else.”” ‘The Mayor promised to aid them in reducing the number of licenses, whereupon they withdrew, with the determination of calling upon the Com- mussioners of Excise and Police this morning. Woman’s Mass Meeting Yesterday Morn- ing at Phonix Hall, Williamsburg— The Temperance Crusade Instituted in the Eastern District—Dr. Dio Lewis Organizes the Band of Lady Workers. The temperance meeting held at Phonix Hall, Brooklyn, E, D., yesterday morning, had a full attendance. Many of the ladies belonging to the Brooklyn band were there to help and encourage their sisters in their undertaking by giving some of their own ex- perience. Dr. Dio Lewis took charge of the meeting. In conversation with the reporter previous to the meeting Dr. Lewis said:— “The cause of the want of success in New England is the want of religious sentiment. The success of the movement is not because it 1s conducted by ‘women as women, and because they talk, but itis because they pray; it is the tearful, praying women who find themselves prevail. [tis said ([don’t know how true it is) that a lady proposed to start this movement in Brooklyn by finding six pretty girls to go to the dram _ shops, and while one prayed have the other five go round with their hats. Now wherever women have that notion they have not succeeded. [ can point out three towns where that spirit pre- vailed, and they are now just where they were five weeks ago, Where they trust in God and pray they have been successiul to a degree that aston- ishes me, The real faith in God, in the Being, has seemed to have died out in the American soul. We try to run every machine ourselves. People say, ‘We want some one to lead in this business; you will see what to do when yon get on your knees; then you don’t want any bright loiks to lead you,’ The New Lg people are different from the Western, In New England they discuss, Who will have the most influence? who shuil ve asked to do such and such a thing, Out West they say, ‘We must take this to God.’ The difference between the West and the East is shown by the case of Worcester, Mass. Worcester 18 the most intelhgent, refined, high-minded, Puritanical—(1_ mean = Puritantcal in the right sense) of any city in Massachusetts. I aviended a meeting there. It was crowded; there were 2,500 people present, lt was a grand meet- ing, the best 1 ever aitended. The moral senti- ment of it could be felt as the electricity in a room full of machinery is ielt, 1Was really irightened. It lasted two hours, and was then adjourned for a woman’s meeting, and afverward seventeen cler- gymen spent two hours in discussing the question whether, in the resolation they felt bound to pass, whey should say they should respect any woman's meeting that the women of Worcester might inaugurate, or whether they should say God speed, while at the as moment there were 600 women on their knees praying to God. The New England sentiment was seen among the clergymen. The next day they began to devise methods more consunant with the refined tastes of New England, and from that day they have goné on devising methods, and the upshot is that now, after four weeks, they are going to work in Western style.” Alter the opeaing of the meeting Dr. Lewis in- vited the womes Of Williamsburg to speak, urging them to say what they had on their minds in rejer- ence to this work. Many responded to this call, all teatilying ther willingness to devote themselves heart and soul to the furtherance of this work, many being 80 agitated as to scarcely be able to artim@late. Dr. Lewis called on one of the ladies of tke Brooklyn band to say afew words to her sigsers just beginning. She said:—“This 1s a work We are unequal to except a8 God helps us; He isinighty afd does help us. 1 cannot cail your attention to the public newspapers for a true Fepresertation of our work. I do not come to oh attack On newspapers, It is not the shat oppose the cause of temperance, but mal papers I takes ning of our work @ saloon keeper sent word that he wished to see us. We went, and he asked us to come and his saloon Sund: night. It was @ formidab) ing to do, We had devoted ourselves to the work, but we dia not feel but what could we uite raying in a saloon dor’ wer ‘Went, and I never, kuew the spirit of God to be so with me, It is m0 fear! thing todo. I found a person very gentlemanly in manner, and Tcan never tell you tne blessed effect of that th ing. I never knew so many direct ansWers to I prayer as came to the prayers of that evening.” Dr. Lewis satd—I propose to consider the ques- tion now whether you will hold meetings every day for p week, ahavimously a that they would, and she Central ist enpren was ofevod for them to hold thetr tings in, It was also agreed that the meetings should be held at two P. M., and that the gentlemen be asked to continue the meeting at four o’clock, as is done in the Young Men’s Cbris- tian Association, it was moved and seconded that a committee of three be appointed to wait on the Catholic priests and ask their co-operation in this cause. It was then put that there should be five com- mittees, of two each, to visit the dramsellers in their homes, Miss Mathieson was nominated sec- retary. Mrs. Halsted, Mre, Flemming, Mra. Genner, Mrs. Goteo, Mrs, Harmer, Mrs. Collyer, Mrs, Haw- ley, Mrs. Howell, Mrs. Cooks, Mrs, William Johnson, Mrs, Corby and Mrs. Williams volunteered for this office, Tne ladies named remained after the meet- ing to organize their work. THE MASSA)HUSETTS SENATORSHIP, Boston, April 3, 1874, The ninth day finds the Senatorial question sub- stantially the same as at the beginning of the con- test, The only matter to record is the vote, which ‘Was as follows :— Whole number of votes cast. the r Necessary to a choice, Henry L. Dawes. o1 3. R. Hoar.. 15 B. R, Curtis, 70 Charles F, Adam: 16 N. P. Bi 5 , L, Pierce 2 W. B. Washburn. 1 Wendell Phillips, 1 J, G. Whitiier.., 1 All parties are as firm as ever for their favorites, and the contest promises to be an almost indefinite one, THE GERMAN DEMOORATIO LIBERAL ORGAN. IZATION, The General Committee of the German Demo- cratic Liberal Organization held a regular meeting at the Teutonia Assembly Rooms last night, the Hon. Michael Gross in the chair, ‘The Executive Committee were instructed to prepare & memo- rial to be _ transmitted the Legislature calling for the passage of an act ee the offices of Police Justices, Commissioners of Educa- tion and School Trustees elective. It was rasolved that the reer district organizations should attend in a body the mass meeting at the Cooper Institute on Monday evening next, to protest against the action of a majority of the Commis- sioners of Emigration. THE BIGHTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT ELEO- TION CONTEST, Last evening the Senatorial committee ap- pointed to take evidence in the matter of Senator Hugh H, Moore, contested election, met at the Met- ropoltan Hotel, The committee consisted or Sen- ators Cole and Bradley, the former acting as Chairman. Upwards of fifty witnesses were examined, comin, Sec from the Fi teenth district of the Nineteenth Assembly district, by Mr. Walter S, Pinkney, in the absence of his counsel, United States Commissioner John I. Davenport. Senator Moore was represented by Counsellor George W. Wingate. The majority of the witnesses testified to having voted for Senator Moore. The snvestigatng committee will meet at ten o’clock this morning, when some very inter- esting developments are expected. OBEMATION. A meeting was held last evening in the lecture room of the Young Men’s Christian Association to consider the best means of forming a cremation society. They organized by electing Colonel Henry Stone chairman and Mr, Uarswell secre- tary. Letters were read in in favor of and opposi- tion to the proposed burning of dead bodies, from J. W. Stilson, Rev. O. B, Frothingnam, Charles A. Dana, Henry Bergh, D. G. Croly, H. 8. Olcott, and communications from Mr, Brown, Dr. Arn and others. The cominittes, who were appointed at the last meeting f& avalt resolutions embodying thelr ideas, reported the following :— Whereas we consider cremation to be a method of dis- posing of the bodies of the dead far preferable to that of mhumation, trom sanitary a3 well as esthetic and economical reasons; and whereas we believe thut very many persons would favor cremation if it were properly resented them and when rendered practicable; erefore be it Resolved, That we form ourselves into an assoctation for the purpose of promoting cremation and securing its practical applicauon. ‘Resolved, That the members of the society agree to perform this act tor any of the members who may desire to have their remains dis) of in this method, but that this ceremon; entirely optional with all members, and that any person may join the society ana aid its progress without being bound to accept cremation for himself; and be it turther Resolved, That this society shall be founded on a broad humanitarian basis, without distinction as to creed, protession or nationality. Alter a brief discussion these resolutions were adopted, = RIVERSIDE IMPROVEMENTS. The Workingmen Protesting Against the Action of the Senate Upon Their Bill. The workingmen last evening held a meeting for the purpose of protesting against the action of the Senate upon their bill, at No. 884 East Twenty-first street, The meeting was organized by appointing | Patrick E, Dunn, president; Henry Mulhall, vice president, and P, H. Spellman, secretary. Resolutions were drafted to e adopted at & mass meeting, to be held at De- milt Hall on Wednesday next, protesting against, and denouncing the action of the Senate and Assembly in vetoeing the Riverside im. provement bill, It also denounces in unmeasured terms Mayor Havemeyer, Comptroller Green, John Kelly and a portion of the Board of Aldermen, composed of Tammany Hall adherents, for their action in the matter. 1¢ was also resolved to or- ganize ward meetings in each ward and open lists lor enrolling members, in order to participate in the next elections. COMMISSIONER VAN NORT EXPLAINS, Commissioner Van Nort states that the J. D. Tracy, mentioned in a paragraph in one of this morning's papers as alleging the ineMctency or the laboring torce employed by the Department of Public Works, some time ago attempted to make money out of the city by a very question- able transaction, in which he was folled by the Commissioner, who thereby incurred his il will, The transaction was this:—The department required the temporary use of several lots on Tenth avenue for making tem- porary connectiens with the aqueduct, and racy, misrepresenting to the owner that he wanted to lease them for the city, obtained a lease and de- manded irom the city $2,000 a year for the use of the lots, securing himself a large profit, Com- missioner Van Nort refused to pay so large a sum and Tracy finally agreed to take $500, while sev- eral other owners gave the temporary use of their property without charge, He also attempted to make large profits by keeping a number of teams owned by him on the public works to the exclusion. of poor men owning but one team. THE SEVENTH WARD MEETING, The residents, among whom were many property owners, of the Seventn ward held a meeting, at five o'clock yesterday aiternoon, in No. 63 Market street, in relation to the dumping of ashes at the foot of Market slip. Mr. Lawrence was in the chair, and Dr. Franklin acted as Sec- retary, Tne meeting received the report of @ committee that on a former occasion had been appointed to wait upon the Dock Uom- missioners jor the purpose of laying before that Board the nature of the grievance complained of. The committee reported that they had been re- lerred by the Dock Commissioners to tue Board of Health, which meets on Tuesday next, There will, therefore, be another meeting of the citizens and property holders in the sume place on next Wednesday, SELMA JOOKEY OLUB RACES, SzLma, Ala., April 8, 1874, This was the second day of the Selma Exposition Jockey Club races, The attendance was large, the weather fine and the racing good, The first was a hurdie race, mile and a half, over six hurdles, and was won by Limestone. Joc Johnston was second, Chief Engineer third and Nashville Harry fourth. Time, 3: 1? ‘The second race, a quarter mile dash, was won be in 27 seconds, Fanny Johnson being sec- ond, The third race was won by Ortolan in two straight apne Revenge second apd Fireball third, Time, 1:64 and 136654. The racing will be continued to-morrow, and fine A Clever Plot to Open the Gates of Sing Sing Prison Frustrated, A LOCKSMITH LOCKED UP. A locksmith named John Stuener, living at No. 106 Hester street, was arrested yesterday by De- tectives Sampson and Farley, charged with being concerned in a plot to liberate a pumber of pris- Oners from the State Prison at Sing Sing and with manufacturing burglars’ implements with a | guilty knowledge. ‘The Stuener is said to be implicated has been going through the process of police elucidation for some time past. Escapes having become quite a ieature at the Sing Sing Prison re- sebeme in which cently, Captain Irving, of the detective police, was | called upon by the prison authorities to assist in discovering the means by which these escapes were effected. Among those the authorities name ag having successfully eluded that establish- ment are Jim Brady, Jim Hope, Joe Howard, Ned Lyons, Johnny Keefe, alias “Johnny the Greek ;”’ W.-C. Harrison, alias Frost; Radferd, Miller, and, the last, Mary Watts. The first steps in the mat- ter of investigation discovered to the police that the persona under lock and key had friends out- side who were able to get implements to the pris- oners that would OPEN THE DOORS of their cells, through a prison official, who is sup- posed to have been bribed. These tools were con- veyed to Tarrytown by rail, then taken across the | river in small boats and concealed in some spot where the person for whom they were intended could easily find them. One of the last batch of convicts who escaped was a man named Miller. He was walking about New York for several weeks, apparently safe in his freedom, when one night he met Detective Farley. The officer allowed him to pass on unnoticed, followed him at a distance. Miller, Woman known as “Long” Mary lived, called upon “Long” Mary next day, and to save herself she revealed the hiding place of Miller. He | was arrested the day following and sent back to Sing Sing. Mary was not slow in joining him there. In the same week that he was sent back to prison Mary went out, in company with Miller’s wile, on a shoplifting expe- dition and came to grief. She was tried, convicted and sentenced to Sing Sing, Mrs. Mil- ler, finding herself in the aeplorable and lonely Position’of a woman deprived by the law of her friend and husband, resolved to devote all her en- ergies to their iberation, She associated with a Woman named Myers, who had also ‘a friend in distress,” and tne two went earnestly to work. The necessary $500, to be placed where it would do most good, was founa, and then the hearts of the | “retained”’ were gladdened with a hope of : SPEEDY LIBERTY, Upon examining the situation some of Mrs, Mil- Jer’s iriends in the prison arrived at the conclusion that $500 was too muca to pay for the liberation of each prisoner, and as they were about it they might just as well ‘play a point’ on the dishonest oficers of the prison. Although that is not strictiy im accordance with the adage, “Honor among thieves,” it ig strictly in harmony with the prac- tice of the fraternity. It was remembered that all the doors on each of the tiers in the prison are shut by the same bar and they can be opened and closed at once and together, Here was an opportunity to let out not one, but filty prisoners at the same time, and they determined toseize it. With dfty well armed (for arms are easily procurabie) prisoners free within the prison there would be no difficulty in throwing open all the doors of the house, and then burning it to the ground. A first class sensation would be obtamed, and the Teputs son of the origi- nators would be established throughout the land. One great assistance to this plot at the start was that it brought a number into the making up of the $500, and the burden came lighter on each on vhat account. Mrs, Miller and Mr, Myers were in- trusted with the OUTSIDE DETAILS, and they went to work with a vigor that was worthy of a better cause, They put themseives at once into communication with Stuener, who, ac- cording to his own confession, bas made “dem leedie dings fur der masked feliers unt all de poys,” and he promised to supply anything and everything necessary. An impression of the principal key in the prison was taken in wax and nt to Stuener. This impregsion was found in his workshop yesterday by Captain Irving, in whose possession it is now. The wax is pressed into a small tin box a few inches square, and in it the wards and form of the key are cut. A cover was fitted to the box to keep the dust off and the impression from being injured, With this were fur- nishea paper models of the other tools neceasai They were @ lever, one foot six inches long, with @ handle to screw in and out; a very strong swivel head, with file teeth, to be finished without the iever, for which the full size was given; @ swivel and ratchet, with the style of the thread and the length of the bolt shown with the place marked for the lever, cat on all sides with Rip por ; two Qydraulic rams, seve- Tal jimmies, with jackscrews, braces and KELETON KEYS, 8 All these articles of trade Mr. Stuener contracted | to furnish. He had delivered some and was quick on the way to the completion of the order when the police interruption occurred. It has been for a long time @ mystery to the authorities where these burgiars' imple- meats were manufactured. Occasionaily some exquisite specimens of workmanship would be | found on the persons of criminals; but where they originally came from or were made was never dis- covered. The band of masked robbers arrested a short time since had a most complete, elaborate and highly finished set of implements, Some of them were specimens of ingenious invention and perfect finish, The police say the work is quite beyond that of an ordinary artisan, and of ® quality and power that no usual protec- tion could resist. From the busy and constant movement of Mrs. Miller in the city the detectives arrived at the conclusion she was putting some machinery in motion in the liberation of her bus- band, The desperate and determined character 1 the woman, they say, brought this conviction. Detective Farley was put to watch her, and in course of time she bent her steps to Stuener’s, Detective Sampson went to Sing Sing to louk alter the Surroundings there, and Captain Irving took Mrs. Miller in hand, Each night the oficers re- ported the EVENTS OF THE DAY to Superintendent Matsell, and all worked smoothly until Saturday iast, when Mrs. Milier sud- denly disappeared. This fora moment staggered the detectives. They could not understand it, Stuener, however, continued to labor, and that assured them the scheme was uot abandoned. They kept on watching and waiting until yester- day morning, when, receiving intelligence tro: the police of Lockport that Mrs. Miller was und arrest there for smuggling, Lee Ake ge on working the matter up, and, to use a police phrase, “smashing the egg ‘was hatched.” It appears now that Mr. Stuener, Whose trust is not of & confiding quality, was clamoring for money, and, Mrs. Muler being run out, Went on a business expedition to supply nis demands, Her avarice destroyed her, Sle was caught on the American border with a large amount of silk and locked up. Her bu’k betrayed her. The same mistake was made by Stuener. He was not content with the making and the rofit accruing irom the making of ordinary jocks, eys and fireirons, but launched out into ani illegal line of business, and now finds himseif BEHIND BARS that some of his own tools would certainly easily open but that few of the (raternity who ee him will care to put in practice for his sake. When Captain Irving and Detective Sampson went to ~ house yesterday Stuener was hard at work in the shop. ov you make a few things ?’’ Captain Irving asked, « “Votkint 0 dings?” Mr. Stuener suggested, “ couple o’ jimmies and a set of bits,’ Tompson putin, " “OQ, me want to open dem sort o’ dings,’ Stuener said, pointing to @ sale, Captain Irving nodded and the locksmith went on:— ‘0, yes; 1 make em for ail de poys; joost vot you want. “How much will they bet” “Well, feeitin tollar lor the sectional peeces.”” “How much for rams? “Q ho; you do dot kind 0’ pisiness. O, dats pig, Devers vost you joost seexty tollars a beece, poot I make ‘em noise, 0, 1 do ’em for all th) poys, and TA tollars for de praces, Half down, ye know; lown.' “Have you anything you can show us.’ “© yes; plenty. Joost vorking on a pig job now. y now Mrs. Miller, ah; veil, she come heer e day. Look, dat’s nice. Imake him. Dat's mine oben anyding. Never see dot petore. 1 find him myself, Schmall; yery strong and fine, eh. O yes; very best.’ “Well, We Must consult with the other man, a8 he has to pay half the money. Woula you mind coming up to the hotel to see him? We don't like v0 be Seen around here.’ “All righd, 1 go mid you, Walt Ieettie, I pring dem along; show him; pig pot, eh? Ido it weil. Xig ere me someding leedie when it come of, stugner packed up bis 1 packed Q is instruments and went with the oMcers to" Police Headquarters, They took him in through the Mott street eptrance to Supe. itendent Matsell’s private office. There he snort ia anticipated. The meeting is a success. Was shown a large number of tools, all of which he idenufied as fits manulacture, ff about an but | alter | considerable rambling, entered a house in which a | Farley | ai aaa “Vel f ad nop noe ees and I dink I go pack home @ this way,” said Captain and be was locked up in the cells G i tective office. The baiance Te. the woole made for ) MILLER Were gent to and have bee! ried the rigon. Te. Mr = le pol aware of their location sad wul have the: to-morrow, Stuener’s shop ts in the Dasement ab No. 106 Hester street. It is com; of two small’ low roofed rooms. Rreerens the place looka of the most character, and the wonder is how he could turn out such handiwork a Dolp.” ork in such’ Ree ace ae ae | black, on which two lathes are set. Beside it, | facing the door, is an old forge, from which a very dilapidated, much-jointed stovepipe runs into the wall. In the centre of tne space stands the anvil on a block. A rude, almost square bench occupies the corner made by the division between the rooms, and tools jie around in apparent confasion. In the | Inner room are troughs of filthy looking and un- | Pleasant smelling water. in one corner isa ds | Mass that seems as if lt served for the resting place | for the gentus of the place. A more uninviting, | blacker, dirtier or unhealthy den could not be | found in Hester street, and yet the outside is more than fair to look on. ‘J. Stuener, locksmith,’ | embellishes the sign that hangs in front; but it is | Goubtfui tt another smith of equal talent could be | Giscovered in any locality in the city. Superintendent Matsell telegraphed to the authorities at Lockport yesterday to detain Mrs. Miller, and Detectives Farley and Sampson will go for her to-day, Henry Smith, alias Smytne, who hag been con- nected with the carrying of the tools to Sing Sing | and converned in the plot with Mrs. Miller, was | arrested a few days ago and is now locked up as | Police Headquarters. THE BROKERS ON INFLATION, The Holiday of the Brokers Yesterday= A Dull Day and No Business—The In- flation Question. Yesterday being a holiday, if not a holy day, for | Wall street, the “bulls” and “bears” had a very | quiet time of it. It was generally expected that | the majority of the members of the Stock Ex- change and the curbstone brokers would, dunng | the day, in order to while away the tedious hours, make the Fifth Avenue Hotel vestibule | asort of improvised exchange where “pute” and “calls and buying and selling in the usual way would be freely indulged in, But such was not the case, Either a sudden fit of piety had selzed upon them early in the forenoon, or something quite as Attractive to the average stock dealer kept them away during the greater part of the day. Towards evening, however, quite @ number of the smaller fry dropped into the hotel and at a late hour a few of the heavy dealers putiuan appearance. No attempt at selling or buying was made, and, strange to say, stocks had very little todo with the general talk, gold | seeming to be the cnief topic of discussion. There was apparently a determination among some to create a “bearish” feeling, which would be of advantage to them to-day, and bets were freely made that gold would “go down one peg” before it went up @ quarter, One enthusiastic “bear,” on being pushed to the wall by a “ball” who was anxious to take a wager of this kind, declared that he would sell the anxious | “bull all the gold he wanted “for two weeks,’? and then give him a chance to take more at the same price, The $400,000,000 bill very naturally formed a part of the general talk during the evening, and the rumor that the President was to visit the city to-day, to confer witn the leading fMnancters of Wall’ street, added additional zest to the theme. ‘Tne majority of the brokers were, judging trom the way they talked, strong anti-inflationists, although the HERALD re- porter came across several who were very energetic in defence of the bill and the increase of the national bank note circulation. I¢ was noticeable, however, that the small brokers— those who have little, if any, capital, and who in- dulge in speculation more freely than in the legitimate brokerage _—_ business—were the Warmest advocates of inflation. They claimed that the question was simply a ques- tion as between the rich man and the man who was not rich, and that everybody who “wanted” money now and didn’t know where to get it OT ee to be an inflattonist by reason of that fact, tf for no other reason. A prominent Broad street broker with whom the re- porter had @ short conversation on the subject, and who was very bitter in his denonciation of the inflatonists, remarked | as to this rich and non-rich side of the question :— “4 have heard a good deal said on the street about the rich man and the poor man of late in connec- tion with expansion, Now, to my mind, it is all dosh. fo hear some of those inflationists talk one would be led to believe that, by issuing more green- backs. the rman was to be greatly benefited; that, in fact, they were to be thrown about so freely that all a poor man woud have spc Woulg be to go out into tne street at any time of the Gay, | stretch forth his hands and straightway he woul id find the dollar bills fying al! around him. This idea is becoming sumewhat fixed in the minds of the poor men that are of that class of men who ond in oor of funds and don’t care What the ture may be so long as they can get plenty now. But it is all very ridicu- | lous, Just reflect a moment that every extra issue of greenbacks in reality reduces the value of every greenback in circulation. ‘How sot’ eays the poor wan; ‘if I can get money moro easily now than heretolore?’ How 80? “Why, the answer is plain, He, 16 is will have enbacks just the greenbacks he has been used to; but he will find very shortly that a dollar bill won't buy ag much groceries as it used to—that ‘things | have gone up |!’ Itie ali very well to give a man next week $4 a day in place of the $3.4 day he got two weeks ago; but when he cannot get as much for his $4 as he used to get tor his $3 he will come to the conclusion that the inflation _polic; 18 not such a ver; fine thing, aiter all.” ie broker then added :—*‘) have gone to great pains to find out at Washing- ton whether there Is any hope ieft for a veto by the President of the Four Hundred Million bill, and lam surry to say that lam convinced that he will sign the bill, although he ~~ send Congress a special message On the financial situation. deprecating too much inflation. The ‘too much’ may be definite, and tt may not be. At all events, we will have a lively time in business of all kinds by reason of the inflation ; but it will be @ brief season of pros- perity, for, just a8 sure as fate, it will be followed y @ crash that will swamp business men for many years, and probably pring discredit and despair upon the nation itself.” Another prominent member of the Stock Ex- change, whose name it was stipulated should be | withheld, said to the reporter: —‘You see, almost allof the brokers admit inflation to be an accom~- | Phshed fact. It is exceedingly hard. you | understand, to obtain an unbiased opinion trom a@ broker, It he has no interest in the | market himself he is influenced more or less by the interests of his customers. But the generat | opinion on the street is that we are to have | $400,000,000 of each kind. Something may mi to change the prospects, but it 18 hardly probabie. ‘There is no question of the fact that any increase of the volume of currency 13 great remove from specie payments. The panic Of last fali we ail know was occasioned by our high pressure mode of doing business. Ajter it had passed away the | wiseacres admitted this, and tt ts a pity they could | not learn wisdom by expertence. He have seen | the disastrous results which follow an undue ap- Bra, ee of values. It is invariably followed a crash. It is simply an illustration of e old adage—“What goes up, must come down.” And yet, right im the face of the terrivle lesson, the effects of which we sttll feel; | and while the misery caused by it is still every- | where apparent, Congress Gettberately taney rapid | strides in the same direction, There is absolutel; } no need of more money. There 18 money enoug! (and to spare. If the South and West have | goods to sell, they can find a market | easily enough. I tell you that there is | not “a singie man interested in this guesten | of expansion, who, if his honest con ooes ‘Wes arrived at, but would say that inflation Was not. only unnecessary, but would tend to greatly aggravate the evil, Paper money was issted only a8 @ War Measure, Ten years have passed since the suppression of the rebellion, and it is \ime now to contract rather to expand, It will work ap gm Lt to credit abroad, too, for the champions of on admit that If they carry their point now enever they Want more money they will be able to get it. Knowing thia, it 8 | marvel to me that Congress bas the courage to pass any measures lookt toward inflation. Itis just like a business nidh- | who has fatled saying to his creditors, ‘I owo | you, $100,000, and I am noi able to pay. Lend | Me $100,000 more, and some time or other T will settle in full.’ But the settling time never comes, After all, there is but little use of discussing tno question, The slate is all fixed in Washington, and has been for over two months. A rng there have pronounced for more money, and they will have it, and the best interests of the countr: Are only & secondary consideration. trade was prosperous; if the industrial, agricultural or manufacturing in- terests were really in want of more money, it would be pera excusable, but as it the policy i: nothing more nor less than suicida). One of th best criterions of the general commercial con tion of @ country like this tg found of railroads, When they ase you that trade is active; but tor some tim rajiroad receipts have been falling off ail over tne country. It ts not that we Want more money. As | sald @ little hg er have u dard, the nearer you aj ‘anfiiculties and rain, they keep of iui oats rency in blocks of 85,0000 or ghey were in Hay where’ it vook & gond of ayoaat oo Day a loa! of bread.” a ee