The New York Herald Newspaper, January 16, 1879, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. LD, published every day in te Three cents per (Sundays excluded). Ten doll ve dallars for six months, two dot ve months, or ata rate of one dollar per m joss than three months, Sunday edition ine THE DAILY a NOTICE TO SUBSC York or Post Office n can be procured se! money remitted at tion subscribers wi der. ry address changed must give address. wlegraphic despatches must 0 properly sealed, ill not be returned. PHILADELPHIA OFF 0. 112 SOUTH SIXTH STREET. LONDON OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD— NO. 46 FL TH VOLUME XLIV AMUS 'S TO-NIGHT. NEW YORK AQUARIUM—Cinpensiua. GLOBE THEATRE—Miscuixi PARK THEATRE—Ro: LYCEUM THEATRE. THEATRE COMIQUE-3 WALLACK’S THEATRE—C UNION SQUARE THEATRE: MASONIC HALL—Tow T: BOOTH'S THEATRE: GERMANIA THEATRE—Horet Kuxcaosca. NIBLO'S GARDEN—Davy €noo! STANDARD THEATR TIVOLI THEATRE: TONY PASTOR'S—Vanicry. SAN FRANCISCO MI THOMAS’ OPERA HO! WINDSOR THEATRE— BROOKLYN PARK THE. TRIPLE York and its vicinity to-day will be cold and cloudy, with snow. To-morrow it promises to be colder and cloudy, with snow inthe morning, fol- lowed by clearing. Watt Streer Yesrerpay.—The stock market ‘Was very active and generally higher. Govern- ment bonds were firm, States dull and railroads strong. Money on call was easy at 2120 31g per cent, the closing quotation being 24,03 per cent. . Tr Has Been Decwep at Rome to accept the resignation of Archbishop Purcell, of Cincinnati. SEcrETARY SHERMAN's new reappraisement regulation, elsewhere referred to, is not the least of his many Custom House reforms. Tne Possmiit1rs of this city as the scientific and. educational centre of the continent were incidentally sketched yesterday in a lecture by Dr. Weisse. Tur Lawyers are of course still talking in the Cobb trial. There is a possibility, however, that they will finish to-day and that the case will be given to the jary. Ix Att THE Losses by the Broadway fire will not fall much short of two million dollars. It is believed by many persons that the conflagration was the work of an incendiary. Exoixcer Frankiin’s Contriution to the river side improvement literature shows that there is no more unanimity of opinion among the gentlemen of the theodolite than among those of the scalpel. Two Ivrortant Bris were passed by the House of Representatives yesterday—one ‘au- thorizing the issue of certificates of deposit in aid of resumption and the other making green- backs receivable for duties, Somenopy Biunperxp yesterday in the col- lision on the East River between the Greenpoint ferryboat and the steamer Shady Side. Fortu- nately no lives were lost, but it was a narrow escape from a very great calamity. Tne SENTIMENT expressed at the Woman's Board of Missions yesterday that the whole world. is their field is very fine, but would it not be well to cultivate the American corner and let* the Asiatic patch take cate of itself for a few years? Tur Supne: Covrt, General Term, has decided that there is no way of eseaping our quota of contribution to the erection of the Brooklyn Bridge, and ordered a mandamus to issue compelling Mr, Kelly: to add another million to our debt. But where will it end? Tue Bustxess Faincres all over the country during the past year were, in round numbers, nearly ten thousand five hundred, with liabili- ties of upward of two hundred and thirty-four million dollars. ‘This was an increase over tho figures for 1877, but it was, no doubt, owing to the repealwf the Bankruptey law. Tue Weatnen.—As the depression moved over Texas and Louisiana during yesterday it came in contact with the western margin of the area of high barometer which extends from the Eastern Gulf to Manitoba, and, being about the sane temperature, the latter formed a barrier to its eastward movement, causing it to take a more northerly course. The depression moved with remarkable rapidity toward the Northern Mississippi Valley, where the temperature wasrel- atively very low, and a storm centre was organized during its advance. When the bumid air from the Gulf reached tho cold regions rapid con- densation was developed and snow, sleet and rain began to fall. Toward evening the pre tation increased, the snow being very heavy in the northern lake regions while rain fell in the Ohio aud Lower Missouri valleys in large quan- tities. In fuet, with the exception of the South Atlantic States, rain or snow bas fallen in all the districts east of the Rocky Moun- tains. The winds have been brisk in the Northern Mississippi Valley and the central lake regions. In the other districts they have been generally fresh. The temperature has fallen in the lake regions, the Middle Atlun- tie and New England States; elsewhere it has risen decidedly. The gradients will become steep in the lower lake districts and the Middle Atlantic and New England States during to-day and Friday, and severe weather will probably prevail, particularly on the coasts, Thos far ‘no more serious damage hus been done by the ico gorges in the Southern rivers thau the sinking of some barges aud the demolishing of wharves. It is to be feared, however, that the heavy rains fall- ing in the central valleys will cause a rapid rise in all the rivers, which may prove destrue- tive to both life and property. The weather in New York and its vicinity today will be cold ond cloudy, with snow. To-morrow it promises to be colder and eluudy, with snow in the morn- ing, followed by clearing. NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1879.-TRIPLE SHEET Whe Cri of Divulging Telegrams. The application of the word ‘‘crime” to this offence is not quite technically correct. In the statutes providing for its punish- ment itis defined as a ‘‘misdemeanor,” a legal term which is applied to crimes and offences which tall short of felony and to which the law does not give a particular name, such as murder, burglary, perjury, &c. But misdemeanors are subject to in- dictment, trial and punishment, like other crimes. By the Revised Statutes of New York the violation of a telegraphic message is declared a misdemeanor and is punishable by fine and imprisonment. In order to show the light in which this offence is regarded by the law we insert the following quota- tions from the Revised Statutes:—‘‘Any person who shall wilfully, by connivance with any clerk, operator or messenger, or other employé of any telegraph dompany, or otherwise, wilfully and wrongfully ob- tain, or attempt to obtain, any knowledge of any telegraphic message or despatch, com- munication or communications, while the same shall be in course of transmission, without first having the assont or author- ity of some person having the right to give such assent and authority, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than three months, or both such fine and imprison- ment.” In another chapter of the Revised Statutes the opening of any sealed letter (whether sent by mail or otherwise) or any telegraphic message: or despatch is made punishable as a misdemeanor, and it is added that “Any person who shall aid, abet or encourage the opening or reading of any such letter or. telegraphic despatch or message shall be deemed guilty of a mis- demeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be punished as herein above provided.” The next section goes on to declare that ‘‘Who- ever . shall maliciously publish the whole or any part of such letter without the authority of the writer thereof or of the person to whom the same shall be addressed, knowing the same to have been so opened, shall, upon conviction, be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and punished as pre- scribed in the last section.” We have made these citations not so much for the purpose of expounding the law on the subject as to bring legislative testimony to bear on the moral character of the offence, |The statutes quoted are so loosely drawn as to afford loopholes for escaping the penal- ties,/ but their aim and purport convey a full condemnation of the dishon- orable violations of secrecy against. which they are directed. Tampering with telegrams is put on the same footing as tampering with private letters, and is not only abhorrent to every gentlemanly in- stinct but is a criminal violation of legal rights, The principle of the law does not merely apply to telegraphic messages while in the course of transmigsion. There is one im- portant distinction between a telegram and a letter. The’ contents of o scaled letter not tampered with in the course of trans- mission can be known only to the writer and the receiver; but the contents (or, at least, the wording) of a telegram necessarily become known to intermediate persons. ‘The operator at each end of the line, unlike the postmaster at each end of a mail route, must read every message, and a copy of the original is kept on file at the telegraph office: A law which should merely protect messages during their transmission, but leave the operators, clerks or officers of the telegraph company free to inspect the originals and divulge the contents after they had been delivered, would be a con- temptible farce. With regard to letters no protection is needed after delivery, because no subsequent betrayal of confidence is pos- ’ sible where the contents are known only tothe writerand the receiver. But the contents of telegrams are necessarily known to the operators and remain accessible to such officers of the telegraph company as have access to the filed originals. If honor does not close their lips the law should, and by penalties just as rigorous as those which protect the secrecy of a message in the- course of transmission. It is as flagrant an outrage for the officers of a telegraphic com- pany to violate the secrecy ot a despatch as it would be for a postmaster to break the seal of a letter, and if the law does not reach this offence in all its stages the law ought to be amended. A city journal which has a particular and defensive interest in this question contends that judicial cognizance can be taken of letters and telegrams after their delivery, and that any person having a knowledge of their contents can be compelled to testify. This is an artful mode of diverting atten- tion’ from the real question. Were the cipher telegrams brought out by a judicial process? Were the originals taken out of the confidential custody of the tclegraph company by a legal mandate and given to the public through the agency of a ju- dicial investigation? Everybody knows that this is not the history of their publication, Everybody knows that they were procured by surreptitious means, and that they passed: from the custody of the telegraph company into the hands that translated and pub- lished them, not in pursuance of law, but in violation of law. It is absurdly irrele- vant to expound the right of a court of jus- tice to compel the production of such mat- ter as evidence, as if that were any answer tothe charge of procuring private despatches by surreptitious and illegal means, During the process of their translation and publica- tion the cipher despatches were neither in the custody of the telegraph company nor of the judicial or any other public author- ity, and any other custody of them is a plain violation of law, of morals, of honor. It is no defence to say that the exposure which has been made by means of them will subserve the ends of public justice. ‘The same thing could have been said with equal truth had they been stolen from the telegraph office or obtained in the streets by picking the pockets of the ‘receivers. But will anybody maintain that their value as evidence would have excused the theft or the pocket picking? An argument which would equally justity the robbing of the mails goes too far, and, by proving too much, praves nothing. We are glad that the cipher despatches are to be investigated, and while we do not desire to see the investigation restricted in any direction we insist, and the whole busi- ness Community will agree with us in in- sisting, that there be an unsparing scrutiny of the methods by which those despatches were obtained. Nobody’s correspondence by telegraph is safe if the originals of mes- sages can be surreptitiously procured from the offices of the company and used for pur- poses of personal malice or political annoy- ance, ‘This is a most serious business, and while there is no sympathy for Mr. Tilden there is a widespread feeling in that part of the community that has frequent occasions to use the teleggaph that the company should be held accountable for betraying ifs trust and that the accomplices of its treachery should be exposed. The tele- graph should be as safe and as sacred as the mail, and, since messages in cipher are the equivalent of sealed letters, the translation ofsuch despatches, except by the order of a court, is an offence of precisely the same grade as the unauthorized tampering with a sealed letter. Those who committed this offence must be made to answer for it, both as a warning to others and a vindication of the right of private correspondence. International Fishery Exhibition. In to-day’s Hezitp may be found the prospectus of one more international exhi- bition, This is for a proposed world’s fair of apparatus, implements, machinery, prod- uots and preparations related in any way whatever to fisheries, to be held at Berlin in April next under the control of the Ger- many Fishery Society. The programme in- cludes all marine products, and not merely fish proper—as the pearl fisheries, coral fisheries and sponge fisheries. There is even a section for articles related to the study of the bottom of the sea. All or nearly all the world's fairs have been hitherto universal in their scope, and, of course, it was scarcely possible to go into any one department with the fulness of detail with which it might be studied. Several divisions of natural history and of industry might in themselves sup- ply material for a fair as great and almost os impértant as any one of the universal fairs, and the subjects grouped in this proposition constitute one of these. Aquatic animals—all the marine creatures that men hunt in all the climates of the world—are one class ; all the implements used in the pursuit or cap- ture of these constitute another class; all the recent scientific adaptations of fish cul- ture another, and the preparation of fish still another. History, science, trade—all come into the scheme and unite to make it avery grand one, Here is the German sys- tem applied to the rage for exhibitions—a system which says, let us not expose in cases a wilderness of things to dazzle the eye and leave little knowledge with us, but let us take one subject and go through it thor- oughly. Scientists at Loggerheads. “Who shall decide when doctors dis- agree?” is a query which is no less applicu- ble to scientific than to medical problems. The widespread interest which our special telegram of January 13 concerning the latest solar discoveries of Mr. J. Norman Lockyer excited in American scientific circles is evident from the attention the subject has received in the columns of more than one of our contemporaries, not less than from the views expressed to a Herawp represen- tative by leading professors in the three principal institutions of learning in this “scientific metropolis,” for which Dr. Weisse spoke a good word last night to the assem- bled philologists. Weare accustomed to think of science as so supremely infallible that our faith receives a rude shock on perceiv- ing the lack of unity which prevails in the serene heights of physical research. While the general opinion upon Mr. Lockyer'’s claims may be summed up as a Scotch verdict of “Not proven” we are pained to observe that on many other allied subjects of astro- nomical and spectroscopical research the scientists cannot agree. Even upon mat- ters of such importance as the presence of oxygen in the sun, which we had supposed to be one of the assured results of Ameri- ean discovery, we find a spectroscopist of eminence, occupying a professorial chair in one of our metropolitan colleges, boldly challenging the results announced by a no less eminent professor in another institu- tion. In this dilemma we are fain to call for “more light” from the solar ray and, meanwhile, to possess our souls in patience. Commissjpner . covery. It will be seen from the proceedings of the Board of Education yesterday after- noon that one of its distinguished Commis- sioners has made the important discovery that the present ventilation of the public schools of this city is as pertect as it could be, and that the agitation on the subject is the work of the ownérs of patents who with School Watson's Dis- | the magnificent amount of four or five ten dollar bills have influenced the whole news- paper press. Being a Commissioner, it isto be presumed he is thoroughly informed on the subject, and as the question of ventilation and of the alleged bribery is important as well as interesting to the public we trust he will be compelled to disclose all ho knows before the committee that is to be appointed to investigate it. Physicians, architects, school officials, teachers and parents by the hundred, the thousand and the ten thousand are unanimously of the opinion that a large number of the school buildings are so badly constructed and so carelessly managed that they are simply hotbeds of disease and death, The Commissioner in question de- clares that this opipion is absurd and that he has positive knowledge that it isso, They are all model institutions, and the “clamor” on the subject is the work of “soribblers” and “‘patent men.” The pub- lic will demand the names of these persons at his hands, Ifit shall turnout that his assertions are mere reckless statements, without any better foundation than his own passion or prejudice, they will be very likely to inquire if there is not some way of trans- ferring him from the Board to the primary department. in the hope of improving his mind as well as his manners. American Cotton Manufactures. We print elsewhere to-day an important statistical account of the condition and prog- ress of the cotton industry in this country, prepared by a well known expert of Bos- ton, Mr, B. F. Nourse, at the request of a number of English merchants aud manu- facturers, and ia reply to a series of ques- tions submitted by them. . : Av examination of Mr. Nourse’s care- fully prepared figures shows some curious and not unimportant facts in relation to this great industry. In the first place, it would seem that we had in 1860 one cotton spindle to every six of our population, in 1870 one to every five and a half, and in 1878 one tocvery four. We manufactured in 1860 over thirty-eight yards of cotton goods per head of population, in 1870 over thirty- seven yards per head and in 1878 over sixty-five yards per head. Our greatest export of cotion products before the war was in 1860. During the war this branch of our export trade became insigniticant; since 1870 it has steadily increased, but with falling prices, raw colton having also become much cheaper. In 1870 our exports of cot- ton goods were valued at three and a half millions ; in 1878 at eleven and a half mil- lions—still a trifling amount, and in quan- tity only six and two-fifths per cent of our total production, England exporting sev- enty-eight per cent of hers. Our exports in 1860—cighteen years ago—were of nearly the same value as those of 1878, 4 Improvements in machinery in these eighteen years have resulted in increasing the produvt of the mills per hand from fifty to sixty-five per cent, according as the fabe rics are coarse or fine ; and at the same time the weekly earnings of operatives are ten to twenty-five per cent larger now than in 1860, and the cost of living of the same kind less than then. At the same time the re- turns on capital invested have fallen from eight per cent in 1860 to five per cent in 1878, the total capital having ‘increased from ninety-eight millions in the first year to two hundred and eight millions in the last. These figures show that the greater perfection of machinery, contrary té’a com- mon supposition, has not decreased, but increased the pay of the operatives, while it has steadily decreased the capitalist’s share of profit. This is in strict consonance with experience in England during the last hatf century. It is shown that we do now manufacture the coarser cotion goods more cheaply than they can in England; that we are able to build all cotton machinery as cheaply here, as itcan be done abroad, and that our ex- port of cotton goods has increased in the last three years at the rate of sixty per cent in quantity and thirty-six per cent in value perannum. But we labor under the diffi- culty that we must regain our place in mar- kets which since 1860 our competitors have fully occupied, and this will take time, be- cause it requires a new direction of capital and commercial enterprise. It is a curious and syrely a humiliating fact that we now send cotton goods to Manchester, which find their way tkence into the world’s markets. That means only that the race of American merchants has become so far ex- tinct that our manufacturers are forced to employ their most energetic rivals as their agents and go-betweens ‘to reach foreign markets. State Supervision. Governor Robinson's suggestions in rela- tion to the Insurance and Banking depart- ments will no doubt receive the earnest at- tention of the Legislature, There is force in the Governor's argument that the State’s special supervision over life insurance com- panies and savings banks is apt to give people confidence in such institutions and to deter them from making a close personal investigation as to their standing and char- acter. When the supervision is imperfect or dishonest it serves as a decoy to the un- wary and induces them to trust their money with bankrupt and swindling concerns, Under those circumstances the department acts the part of a person who gives a false character to a dishonest ser- vant, or of a “capper” who entices the unwary into gambling houses, The Governor insists that if the State takes upon itself the position of a supervisor of such business it ought, at least, to make good the losses suffered through institutions to which its agents have given a good charac- ter when it was undeserved. But the Gov- ernor’s position is that the polity of State interferencé with private business of any kind, except where unavoidable, is undemc- cratic and harmful, He insists that people will look more sharply atter their own in- terests when such interference is not at- tempted. The experience of the Bank gpd Insur- ance departments has not been encour- aging. Some heads of tliose departments have becn removed in disgrace and others have been under grave suspicion. Recently the bank supervision seems to have been good and efficient, and there ig every ap- pearance, from the reports now received, that the unsafe savings institutions have been pretty well weeded out. As to the In- surance Department, it will be for the Legis- lature to decide whether it is wiser to con- tinue a department which is entirely irre- sponsible or to place the duty of 1 super- vision of such business in the hands of a subordinate in the Comptroller's office, who is responsible to his chief, himself an offi- cer elected by and responsible to the people, The Effect of Rejection, The politicians have been puzzled to know who will be acting Collector of the Port of New York in case the name of Gen- eral Merritt, now before the Senate, should be rejected. The suspension of General Arthur will continue until the close of the present session of Congress, unless his suc- cessor should be confirmed, and in case of General Merritt's rejection the President is bound to send in a new nomination for the office. The refusal of the Senate to confirm General Merritt would not restore General Arthur to the Collectorship, but some have supposed that it would remove General Merritt entirely, and that the duties of the Collector would then devolve on the deputy, whose province it would be to act in cnse of any temporary vacancy. It is maintained at Wasiiington that General Merritt's rejec- tion for the permanent Collectorsliip, for which he has been nominated by the Presi- dent, would not interfere with his position as acting Collector, to which he has been appointed by the President and holds at the President's will alone. ‘The President has the power to remove him at any mo- ment, and to appoint some other person in his place ; but unless this is done, or some other Collector is confirmed by the Senate, General Merritt, even if rejected by the Senate, will remain acting Collector until the close of the present session of Congress. This is how they look at the matter at Washington, and politicians will do well to study the situation and to shape their action uccordingly. Every One for Himself. In a recent speech M. Gambetta delivered 4 plain piece of common sense in regard to the limits of.republican activity, and it seems to afford a singular indication of the extent with which some ancient errors: were cherished in France, that this piece of common sense, thus distinctly stated, is landed as a piece of the highest Wisdom“and atruth for the want of the knowledge of which France has liitherto failed in all’ her great endeavors to secure self-government. Gambetta said that the Republic proposed to make a “government that should be for Frunce and only for France.” Humanity is not taken into the programme. In 1789 they proposed to emancipate the world —to make common cause with all oppressed peoples; and a few years later invited these op- pressed peoples to make their grievances known at Puris in order that the Republic might come to their assistance. But for the coalition of the courts the French Re- public would have been safely organized in those years; and the coalition could not have been kept together but for the ag- gressive spirit of the Republic. France is wiser now, or rather the French statesmen of this time are instructed in more useful things than political theory, and they un- derstand that what most needs saving at their hands is not the world, but their country. Itisa good thing for people to learn to mind their own business, and more advantageous to nations even than to indi- viduals. . The Standing Committees. It is unquestionable that some objection- able influences lent their aid to secure Mr. Alvord’s election as Speaker of the Assembly. We are unwilling to suspect, and really do not believe that Mr. Alvord will allow these influences to have any con- trol over his official action. A candidate for cffice muy tacitly accept the services of unde- sirable supporters without incurring any ob- ligation to bestow favors upon them in return and without any intention to do so. But Mr. Alvord will have an early opportunity to show his independence by the ‘selection he makes for the standing committees. There are certain members known to be more or less under the control of corpora- tions and approachable by the lobby, and certain other members who are recognizable as wholly aloof from such influences, If Mr. Alvord takes his chairmen of the im- portant committees from the latter class he will not cnly prove that he has no sympathy with the creatures of the lobby, but will do much toward securing’ s good reputation for the first Legislature assembled in the new State Capitol. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, England has 200,000 militiamen. Secretary Evarts is at the Brevoort House. Bret Harte is writing for English magazines, Adclina Patti suffers intensely from rheumatism. President Hayes is trying to learn to play billiards. London has between thirty and forty music halls, Beaconsfield and Salisbury have been photographed together, Screaming hamor from London Fua:—Excelient wash for the face—water.”” ‘The gentleman who is to be the son-in-law of Sena- tor Roscoe Conkling is the manager of a division on the Erie Railway. é Startling wit from London Punch:—‘‘In future the favorite and most indigestible form of Christmas pastry will be known as ‘mince pies-on.’ London Fun:—“Unappreciative listener—‘Music of the future, is it? Then in future it would be more pleasing if it were kept for the future.’ ” A man whose henroost was rocently robbed’ re- ceived a note which said, “The old black hen was very tough, anda friend whom I invited to dinner has ruined all his front teeth pulling at the old fowl.” Miss Louise Pomeroy, the actress, who was In- jured in a railway accident near Shreveport, La., on the 10th inst., is reported by the attending physi- cian to be very low. Miss Stella Willis is improving and others of the company have recovered. Justice Hunt's condition is still practically un- changed, Dr. Baxter, his physician, says that there is no indication of immediate death, but he is not likely to recover the use of his right side, which is paralyzed, His power of specch has not been wholly’ recovered. Karoli is a Parisian and loves pictures qnd fine crockery. Karoli is rich, and has been so from birth, but several years ago, while he was in London 4 his father cut off his supplies, he started as an assistant to an animal tamer. Since that time he has tamed tigers and eerpents, so that there is no man who can claim to be his rival. Bareback riders in carcuses, at least in those of England, are the most popular of circus performers; and tke best of the class, a lady who is very graceful in her acts, receives $500 a weck during her engage- mnt. ‘Lhe two best male riders of England receive 300 and $4004 week. Clowns of the best kind re. ceive $50 and $75, and they are going out of fashion. London Court Jowrnat:—The ontbreak of hydro- phobia among the royal pack of staghounds has now entirely disappeared from the kennel and the hounds which have been under veterinary treatment are being got into condition, Hunting will be resumed, weather permitting, early in the now year, The hunting deer aro being cornered in the deer peus,” Story, the American sculpior, who lives in Rome, likes to consider himself as an Italian. In his studio he has many nightingales, which sing among his marbles, He works late into the Italian twilight. At home, he rests bimecit on a sofa, after dinner, while his wife reads to him until midnight—s time when he goes to his own room and reads to himself until two o'clock inthe morning. Story was born rich, and he has‘never had any troubles about moneg. London World :—'It is the disintegration of domes- tic life which is the worst feature of our times. Fathers and mothers cannot live on the terms of in- dependent partnership without the influence of the relation reacting upon their offspring. Children are petted, shown off, made much of, bedressed, bedi- zened, fondled, and then despatched to their own quarter of the house. They are not cared for and educated—the word hag only to do with instruction— as they used to be when family life was not entirely inconsistent with o discharge of the duties of fashion- able society, ‘The parents being as they are, what else could the children be expected to prove ? And when the children in turn become parents, what then? What manuer of fathers and mothers are the husbands and wives of the future who are now in the nursery destined to yrove 7’ OBITUARY. AMHERST WIGHT. One of New York's oldest lawyers, Amherst Wight died at his home ‘in Portchester, N. ¥., on Tuesday evening. He was a New Englander, by birth and graduated from Yale College in 1813, and soon after came to this city, where fer g number of years he practised law. He wes eighty-séven years old on June 15, 1878, Mr, Wight retired from the practice of law several years ago, but until recently he was a frequent visitor at the Register’s office here, where his tall, stately “and ‘venerable form was ae familiar to Captain De Grove and othe: of that office us their books. the ve uae great hunter after titles and had a very large collec ion of them in his office in Barclay street, where, thirteen xonne, ago, they were destroyed by fire, Nothing ,daunted, however, he began his search axain, and replaced mauy of his lost titles. Mr, Wight was the oldest member of the New England Society, having been connected with it since 1816, and for six eubeayens years was its secretary, He was very courtly aud dignified in his manners, had a pleasant voice and an essy flow. of language, and ‘was a grest favorite ‘with chil. dren, who would stop him on the street to receive his\ kind word or smile. He was also 4 deeply roligious man, and at the time of his death was engaged in reading critically the New Testament in Greek, with a view to publishing a translation of it, with comments. He had two sons, Amherst, Jr., alawyer aud member of the Legislature,who died here ‘about two years ago, and Peter Bonnett, to whom New York i largely indebted for its Academy of Design, and who uow resides in Chieayo. Mr, Wight was 3 man of vigorous constitution, and last summer followed his unnual cpstom of planting a hill of corn for every year of Ifia life. He retained ssession of all his mental facultics to the last. He ves @ large number of grandchildren. FRANK DENGLER, SCULPTOR. There died in Jacksonville, Fla., on the 12th inst., at the ege of twenty-four years, Frank Dengler, young American sculptor of the highest promise. He was born in Covington, Ky., where his family now live. " His father boing @ stonecutter young Dengler commenced his artistic life by cutting orne monts on monuments. In 1871 he went to Munich to stud; under Professor Knabel. He remained abroad until 1874, when he returned to America and established himself in Cincinnati. While in Munich he carried off the medals for com- position and modelling, made a tine utation among the students und gave his professor the high- cst hopes. In 1875 he wont. to Munich again and after a year returned to this country, After a short stay in Cincinnati he was encouraged to go to Bos- ton, where he was given charge of the antique school at the Boston Museum. He was succosafill in Boston and had orders for all the ‘work he could do at prices. His health lately failed he went to Colorado and lastly to Florida to die. A plaster group of his, “The Sleeping Beauty," executed in Munieh, showed great strength and attracted much attention in Boston. A bust of J. Frank Currier, the American artist in ‘Munich, is said to bea remarkably fine work, William ‘M. Chase will exhibit a bust of himself by the de- ceased sculptor at the approaching exhibition of the Society of American ts. Dengler mado a sketch ‘figure and pedestal for theSumner monument ie Bos- ton, buf it arrived too late for competition. He was a great favorite with the professors and students in Munich, and many of the anne. painters here that knew him as a fellow student wil] mourn his Joss and believe that art has lost one of its most Promising disciples. JOHN D, MAXWELL, The flags on the Stock Exchange “were at half-mist Yesterday on account of the death of John D. Max- well, one of its oldest members, Mr. Maxwell was born in this city in 1823, and commenced his busi- ness career in 1846 as. a clerk in the banking house of Clark, Dodge & Co., No. 51 Wall street. Two years later he was admitted to partnership, and has been actively. connected with the firm since that time. In 1876 Mr. Luther C. Clark, one of the founders of the firm, died, and Mr. Maxwell became the senior partner. Hae ‘was a member of the Stock Exchange for twenty-five Secs and was conuected with the old open Board. ‘never held any position in the , but was highly esteemed among his fellow members for his integrity aud business ability. For along time he was a director of the Continental National and at the time of his death was a director of the Equi- table Trust Company. During the past year he was complaining, and for eight months was seriously ill with anemia. He had not visited his office forfour months. Up to Sunday last his friends thought there was a chance for his recovery, but he suffered. a relapse end gradually grew worse until Wednesday morning at one o'clock, when he died at his resi- dence, No. 250 West Twenty-third street. The de- ceased was unmarried, and has lived in this city all his lite with his mother and three sisters. He leaves fulsrme fortune, and, in addition, his life was heavily jpsures ie At the opening of the Exchange yesterday morning Prosident Ives in a# feeling speech announced the death of Mr. Maxwoll sud appointed the following cominittee to draft suitable resolutions and to at- tend his funeral:—-Thomas P. Huntington, Henry T. eee G. H. Broadhead, W. H. Hays and James M, rake, LIEUTENANT. LEWIS. WARRINGTON. Lieutenant Lewis Warrington, of the Fourth United States cavalry,, who died a few days ago in © San Antonio, Texas, was the son of Paymaster War- rington, United States Navy. This young officer in Mackenzie's Indian campaign of 1874 signalized him- self by his dauntless personal bravery, He was pre- sented with a medal by Congress for one of his daring feats, which was as follows:—In one of Mac- kenzie's charges npon some hostile Comanches Lien- tenant Warrington singled out three warriors and at- tacked them. After killing two he closed in a Gon 'y gle with the. een ys one, but his horse violent! throwing him placed him at the m of the Indian. A friendly bullet from some of lieutenant’s troops, however, brought the Indian low. He was the most fearless, dashing and graceful rider of Macken- vie’s cavalry. He was in the twenty-ninth year of his age at the time of his death, which was caused by pueumonia, MARK BATES, * Phe. well known actor Mark Bates, husband of Maric Bates, now playing “Topsy” in London, was found in Philadelphia Tuesday night wandering in the streets in an irresponsible condition, and was taken to & police station house and locked up for the night. When his cell was entered in the morning by an officer who went to arouse him Mr. Bates was dead, He bad died of hoart disease during the night. At the time of his arrest Mr. Bates was unknown to the sergeant: at the police station, and said his name was McGof- fin, from the Grampian Hills; but, on examining hie clothes yesterday morning, papers were found iden- tifying him. His friends were notified, and Mr, Gemmel, of the Chestnut, took charge of the ree mains, ' > ° DR. WILLIAM T. NEALIS, Dr. William TT, Nealis, formerly surgeon of the Irish Legion during the late rebellion, dicd yesterday of pneumonia, During the war Dr. Nealis offered, his services to Governor Seymour, who appointed him assistant sargeon of the Sixty-ninth regiment, and he was subsequently appointed surgeon of the penetra ghee At the a of Arvng in Boor be ge bad a) surgeon of the Ci wi posi- tlon hia duties ih, market professional ‘ability, © Atte this. he wi 01 AL is never held any other official nf but contented pos! himself with the quiet following of his ote pursuits, Dr ‘Neulls was born m9 this city, and wag held in great esteem by his professional brethren. DISGUSTED WITH LIFE. A GERMAN BECOMING DESPONDENT BECAUSE HIS WAGKS WERE REDUCED CUTS AN ARTERY AND BLEEDS TO DEATH. Coroner Nolan, of Williamsburg, was notified yes- terday to hold an inquest on the body of Henry Volker, who committed suicide during the forenoon, near his place of residence on Monroe street, west of Atlantic avenue, East New York. The deceased, who was a native of Germany, was fifty years of ago, and was evidently suffering from temporary aber- ration of the mind when he committed tHe rush act, The corpse of Volker was found in a se cluded spot, near the corn field ‘Where Sara Alexander, the young Polish Jewess, was cruelly imurderod by Peasch N, itubenstern, two years ago. By tho right side of Volker's remains was ® blood. stained razor, which implement lay across the leaves t rayerbook., Tho left wide of the bod; Gon" covered with congealed ‘blood, and” Oficey Brophy, of the East New York police, on examina- tion found that the deceased had cut himself twice on the lower part of the left arm, sever- iug an artery, and once at the elbow. In his pocket was found a receipt for pew rent in the Roman Catholic Church of St, Malachi, ‘The body was taken to tho station house. His wife informed the authorities that her husband had been employed in Rockwell's morocco leather manuface tory, corner of Flushing and €lasson avenues, for several years. He had receiving $18 per week a , but of late his pay was cut down to $7. His daughter meantime was earning $10 per, week. fact that he felt humiliated by the reduction of his income to such 4 paltry sum, while his daughter earned more than he, seemed There wae to uy his mind. also @ mo’ romting, on tay little house which he owned and it was about to fail due, while he had uot * the money to meet it, He left his home eat; terday morning, and his family know nothing "pee of lis movements. The deceased, who wos a sobur man, Was much respected by his nelahbora,