New York dispatch. [volume], February 14, 1886, Page 4, Image 4

About New York dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1863-1899

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4
CONTENTS OF INSIDE PAGES.
SECOND PAGE!
CONTINUATION of “A BITTER OUP.”
k*HE EVENING STAR.
k SAD CRIME.
ICTENTIFIC TRUTH.
INDIAN MOUNDS.
THE TRAVELING PRINTER.
THE FIRST STRIKE.
THIRD PAGE:
MASONIC MATTERS: Education; Corner Stone Lodge;
Arcturus Lodge; Doric Lodge; Washington Lodge:
Independent Lodge; Crescent Chapter; Masonic
Presentation; Revised Edition; Echoes from Albany;
Command©’y News; Another Gone ; Scottish Rite
Notes; Personal; Questions and Answers; Our
Temple; Vermont; A Pattern Master; Labor Ex
change.
SIXTH PAGE I
ST. VALENTINE’S DAY.
MR. HEMPHILL’S LOVE STORY.
A DRAMATIC INCIDENT.
HUMOR OF THE HOUR.
A WONDERFUL CRIPPLE.
THE LAST DAYS OF THE YEAR 1000.
CHINESE PEDDLERS.
GOOD ORANGES.
THE MODERN SHAKFSPEARE.
INTERESTING MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
SEVENTH PAGE:
HOME.
JUST LIKE ARGENTINA.
GERMAN CARP.
PETE’S VISITORS.
making sweet songs.
THE GOLDEN STAIR.
AN OLD STORY.
AN ECCENTRIC DINNER.
WHIST AT COURT.
A MODERN HERO.
A PECULIAR STORY.
9UR WEEKLY GOSSIP.
mid
Politician.—Whig and tory are names
used to designate political partlee in English, and,
more lately, in American history, originally applied
as terms ot reproach. The term “ whig ” is a con
traction of •• whiggamore,” which, in the southern
counties of Scotland, denotes a drover. In 1643 a
party of Covenanters from this region attacked Ed
inburgh. This was called the whiggamores* inroad,
and ever after all that opposed the court came in
contempt to be called whiggs; and from Scotland
the word was brought into England. The term
came into general use in 1379, during the struggle
between the court and the country parties on the
bill for the exclusion of the Duke of York from the
line of succession. The opponents of the bill were
calledin contempt, tories, and the friends of the
duke retorted by caiHng their adversaries whigs.
The word “tory” is derived, according to some
authorities, from an Irish term applied to the most
despicable savages among the wild Irish, and the
name was given to the followers of the duke because
he favored Irishmen. According to other authorities
the tories were originally merely the successors of
the cavaliers of the civil wars, who believed that
the maintenance of a royal lino was the end, or
necessary means of a lawful government—who vin
dicated the divine right of kings, and held high no
tions of prerogative. The word is now rather applied
to certain traditional maxims of public policy, and
the political successors of the tories being called
conservatives. The whig party has generally adhered
to progressive principles since it first received its
distinctive name, though time and circumstances
have effected important modifications in its profes
sions and modes of action. The whigs came into
power in England with the accession of William HL,
and were in general the dominant party until the
middle of the next century, after which the tories
predominated for upward of eighty years. The agi
tation of the reform bill, and of Catholic emancipa
tion, again brough the whigs into power, but since
1830 the settlement of old disputed issues has made
the term practically obsolete, and the whig party
now call themselves liberals, and a more advanced
wing of the party are known as radicals. In the
United States, the term whig was applied during
the revolution to the patriotic party, the adherents
to the crown being called tories. Both words dis
appeared from the political vocabulary of the coun
try until the Presidential election of 1832, when the
anti-Jacksou party took the name of whig. The
party broke up in 1854-5.
Stella P.—lst. Pauline Markham
made her first appearance in America at Wood's
Museum, New York, with the Lydia Thompson
troupe. She became Mrs. McMahon in 1873. In
1880 her divorce was announced. She was born
in Englan l, made her London debut at the Queen's
Theatre November 7, 1867. She was born in 1848,
and commenced her professional career at Man
chester. 2d. Rosina Yokes was married to Cecil
Clay on March 10, 1867, and it was announced at
the time of her marriage that she had retired per
manently from the stage. When the Yokes Family
were last.in America her place was taken by Bessie
Sanson. Jessie Yokes died in London August 7,
884.
A Schoolgirl.—lst. The origin of the
namo of the Red Sea has been variously deduced
from the redness of the surrounding hills, of the
coral reefs, of the seaweed and of the water, from
the presence of animalcules, from early Phoenician
dwellers on the shores of the Fryraean and from
Edom (“red”), the Hebrew and Phoenician name of
the country adjoining the Gulf of Akabah. 2d. The
Dead Sea is so called from the fact that its water,
being of such a salty nature as to exclude animal
life. 3d. Sixty per cent, would be the gain in the
transaction you state.
William. —lst. The best time made in
a go-as-you-please six-day race was by P. Fitzgerald,
at New York, in 1879, when he did nine miles, four
hundred and sixteen yards, in one hour; next by
Charles Rowell, at London, in 1880, when he cov
ered eighty-six miles, fifteen hundred and seventy
two yards, in twelve hours. 2d. The distance from
New York to Calcutta, byway of Cape Horn, is
about twenty-three thousand miles. The distance
to Canton, China, byway of Panama, is tea thou
sand six hundred miles.
Business. —The various sizes of ordi
nary printed books are usually designated by the
number of folds in a sheet of paper 19x24, as follows:
When folded in two leaves it is called Folio size;
In four leaves. Quarto (4 to.); in eight. Octavo (8 vo.);
in twelve, Duodecimo (12 mo ); in sixteen. Sixteen
mo fl 6 mo). When other sizes of paper are used, as
in blank books, diaries, etc., the name represent.ng
the size of the paper is prefixed to that deignating
the number of folds, as: Cap Bvo., Crown Quarto,
Demy Folio, etc.
fc Lamb. —Ist. A “bull” is one who
operates to depress the value of stocks, that he may
buy for a rifle. 2d. A “bear” is one who sells
stocks for future delivery, which he does not own
at the time of sale. 3d. A “ put and call” is when
a person gives so much per cent, for the option of
buying or selling so much stock on a certain fixed
day at a price fixed the day the option is given.
A. M. L.—During the present year
there will be two eclipses of the sun. The first will
be the annular eclipse, March 5, visible in the
greater part of the United States as a partial eclipse,
at or just before sunset. A total eclipse of the sun
will occur on August 29, visible in the Eastern and
Southeastern portions of the United States as a
partial ©clips© only at or near sunrise.
J. C. H.—Victoria, Queen of England
-and Ireland and Empress of India, was born at
Kensington Palace on May 24, 1819. She is the sixth
sovereign of the house of Hanover, and the only
child of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George
IIL, and Princess Victoria Mary Louisa,, of Saxe-
Ooburg-Saalfield, relict of the hereditary Prince of
Leinengen.
Francis. —Italy has an annual average
Of eight murders to every 100,000 inhabitants,
against nine in Spain and Hungary, two in Austria,
one in France and Belgium, and only 0.5 in Great
Britain. In crimes against public morality the rate
of average for Italy is four, while that of Germany
is thirteen—the highest figures on the list.
A. M. L.—lst. Demand notes are pay
able on presentation without grace, and bear legal
interest after demand has been made, if not so writ
ten. An endorser on a demand note is holden only
for a limited time, variable in different States. 2d.
Notes falling due on Sunday or legal holidays must
be paid the day previous.
An Old Reader. —The Second Dis
trict of the Internal Revenue Department includes
the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth. Sixth.
Eighth, Ninth, Fifteenth and parts of the Four
teenth and Sixteenth Wards. Marshal B. Blake is
the Collector. Address No. 7 Beekman street.
Historian. —The Supreme Court of
the United States on the 28th of February. 1870, de
cided a point which has long been mooted, “ When
did the war close ?’” The court fixed it as the 17th
day of August, 1866, that being the date of Presi
dent Johnson's proclamation to that effect,
M. L. K.—Miss Cushman played Meg
Merrilies at the Haymarket Theatre, in a revival of
the operatic drama of “Guy Mannering,” during
February, 1854. Mr. Compton was then Dominie
Sampson; Mr. Howe, Dirk Hatteraick, and Miss
Harland, Lucy Bertram.
C. L. G.—William Sherer, of the
United States Sub-Treasury in this city, has been
known to count money at the rate of 1,000 notes in
Bix minutes. It is stated that there are women in
the Treasury at Washington who can count even
faster than this.
C, A. M.—The “ Etruria,” of the Cu
narc line, ran from Queenstown to New York in six
dayi, five hours and forty-four minutes. She sailed
at 2 26 P. M., August 16th, and arrived at 3:25 P. M.,
August 22d, 1885.
Actor. — The new Chicago Opera
House was opened on the evening of August 17th,
1885. “Hamlet” was the opening attraction, with
James W. Keene in the title part. The auditorium
has a seating capacity of 2,250. •
C. F. A.—The areas of the differenf
oceans are: Pacific, 71,000,000 square miles; Atlantic,
85,000,000; Indian, 28,000.000; An.tartis, 8,500,000:
Arctic, 4,500,000.
K. C. N. —Francois Marie Arouet de
Voltaire, the French author, was born in Paris, Nov
21, 1694, and died there May 30th, 1778.
F. C. R.—The Hon. S. S. Cox is
United States Minister to Turkey. His salary i;
$7,500 per annum.
A Constant Reader.—We are sorry t<
state that kb cannot find the article you mention.
W. C. —We are of the opinion that the
Supervisors in the last election have been paid.
M. C. H.—General Janies B. McPher
Bon was killed near Atlanta. Ga., July 22d, 1864.
Geo. M. Silver. —Fifty pounds ster
ling is equal to $242 United States money.
S. R. C.—We would advise you ti
consult some reputable lawyer.
W. J. C. —We have no recollection o
the incident to which you refer.
Stages.—We are not in possession c
tho information you desire.
C. K. G.—The fastest mile made on
railroad was 50 X seconds.
Alcorn.—The 23d of August, 18 Jf
fell on Wednesday.
Forget.—Consult some reputabl
physician.
MEW YORK, FEBRUARY 14, 1886.
TO ADVEIVriSKItS.
ADVERTISING IS TWENTY FIVE CENTS A LINE IN '
THE NEW YORK DISPATCH.
Owing to our large edition we are compelled to go to
press at an early hour, hence ADVERTISEMENTS CAN j
NOT BE RECEIVED AFTER N-INK O’CLOCK BATUR- ,
DAY EVENING.
. I
To IVTasonlo Advertisers.
Those desiring to advertise in our Masonic columns
must have their advertisements n our office BEFORE
TWO O’CLOCK on FRIDAY AFTERNOON. No ad
vertisement can be Inserted on the Masonic Page after
thathour.
The NEW YORK DISPATCH
has a larger circulation than any :
other Sunday Newspaper pub- :
lished in the United States.
■.u-.-ar.-TU uri <■ u M.umna
THE TROUBLES OF ENGLAND.
The British organs in this country are doing |
thsir utmost to mako light of the rioting which
occurred in London, last week, They now state '
that the disturbances amounted to nothing and
that only a few thieves and ruffians took part in
the disorder. Unfortunately for these papers,
the serious riots which held London in terror
for three days had been predicted weeks ago. in
their own columns. Wo know that the masses
of the English people are discontented and that
thousands of workingmen arc out of employ
ment. We know that the rioting was preceded ’
by a mass meeting of unemployed laborers, at
which incendiary speeches were made by ora
tors so prominent that the government has not
yet dared to arrest them. Wo know that the ;
mob was so largo and so well organized that it
swept away the police, took possession of the
central part of the city and did over a million ’
dollars worth of damage and plunder. We (
have an official verification of these facts in the
appointment of a government commission to in
quire into the condition of the unemployed and ,
in the opening ot a subscription at the Lord f
Mayor’s office te relieve the starving workmen. <
The British organs here are more English than (
the English papers, only a few of which attempt
to underestimate the importance of the out- J
break.
Of course, such a riot is a severe shock to *
English complacency. The British are very
fond of contrasting their own peaceable rospoc- {
tability with the disturbing elements of other (
nations. They roll their eyes in holy horror at
the so-called rowdyism of America and the ex
cesses ot the French populace. But, all on a
sudden, a riot seems to spring from the very
stones of London and the boasted metropolis of
the world is at tho mercy of the famished poor. :
The police prove powerless to resist this upris- .
Ing. Shops and houses are sacked and stoned.
Carriages are overturned and literally pulled to t
pieces. The government is airaid to call out
the soldiery lest the riot should bo instantly t
transformed into a revolution. It is only a step J
from stopping the aristocrats on their way to a i
levee at St. Jamss Palaeo and mobbing the 1
Patronage Secretary in his own house, to fore- 1
mg an entrance into the throne-room and knock- c
ing the crown from the aged head of the feeble £
Queen. If the workingmen of London had pro- «
claimed a revolution last week, the whole coun- (
try would have supported them; for from every
quarter comes tho news of labor strikes and
general suffering. The competition of America
has ruined the English farmers, and in every t
part of the empire the leaven of American re
publicanism is working.
The Irish question must be added to the (
home troubles of England. The Irish have {
struggled and rebelled until, at last, they hold (
the balance of power in Parliament and compel
the redress of their grievances. At least two (
avowed Home Eulers are now members of the
g
English government and a nobleman who be- (
lieves in Home Rule has been sent as a viceroy t
to Ireland. It is universally conceded that this ,
means the revival of an Irish Parliament within [
a very few years, to take charge of all local af- t
fairs. In a recent speech, Mr. Parnell is re- (
ported to have said that when this was accom
plished, he would feel that his mission was '
ended. On the contrary, it will have just be- (
gun. Events will be too strong for his cautious f
nature and will drag him along with them. The j
people are beginning to see that if Homo Rulo £
be a good thing for Ireland, it must also be a .
good thing for Scotland, for Wales, for England f
itself. Why should not the Scotch, as well as (
the Irish, be permitted to administer their local ;
affairs? Why should not the Welsh have the
same right ? Why should all the English cities ,
and countries bo forood to carry their local ‘
matters to the Imperial Parliament at London, .
which is already over-burdened with work? (
England cannot grant an inch to Ireland with- j
out granting an ell to Scotland, Wales and her f
own people. The whole empire is becoming
Americanized, and nothing can prevent the (
logical results of the popular movement.
It is a great satisfaction to every American to (
see the injuries which England has inflicted
upon this country thus nobly revenged by the
crumbling away of tho British monarchy and '
the emancipation of the British people. We ,
have here a dual system of government, by
which each State has its own Legislature and
all the States are represented in the National
Congress at Washington. When a local Parlia
ment is restored to Ireland the same system ,
must be established in Great Britain. There
will be an Irish Legislature, sitting at Dublin;
a Scotch Legislature, sitting at Edinburgh; a
Welsh Legislature, sitting at Chester, and an
English Legislature, sitting at Birmingham,
and tho Parliament at London, will be left to
deal with such imperial subjects as the cur
rency, the tariff, colonial relations and foreign
complications. If imitation bo the sincerest
flattery, America may feel complimented by
this practical adoption of our own system. The
English reformers do not yet admit the fact,
even to themselves, but in time they will be
irresistibly led to the conclusion that a mon
archy is unnecessary in such a form ot govern
ment and, indeed, is incompatible with the
freedom and independence of the people.
Should tho Queen live for ten years longer, we
venture the prediction that she will have no
successor. The present Prince of Wales will be
pensioned off and sent to reside in his favorite
Paris, instead of being crowned, and the rest of
the royal family will bo allowed to get away to
Germany with the private fortunes which they
have accumulated by oppressing the British
nation. Thus the way out of the troubles of
England is clear and certain, but it is not an
English way—it is the American method and it
will be as successful in the Old World as it has
been in the New.
RE PUBLICAN ORGANIZATIONS.
The recent elections in this city demonstrate
that whenever Republicans unite and come out
to the polls, they can win when a three-cornered
fight is in progres. House the necessity for or
ganization and unity among members of the
party. Thero should be no local jealousy, no
divided counsels, no bickering and abuse with
in the lines of the Republican party, such as
brought defeat to it in this State and city a short
time ago. Republicans everywhere should or
ganize, and stand shoulder to shoulder until
they have installed the next President, thereby
obtaining guarantees for the safety and progress
of the republic.
In this State and city more especially is there
need for union and organization. Divisions in
the ranks of the Republican party in this State
’ alone enabled the Democrats to score victories.
The last State election was exceptional. The
> prohibition question was dragged into the elec
tion, and although it should have cut no figure
> whatever in tho contest, it was the issue upon
which the election turned. Anti-monopoly was
- only by-play, so far as tho Democrats were con
cerned, as is now manifest. The real cause for
• the Republican defeat was tho defection of
members of the party on the liquor issue,
3 coupled with petty jealousies. But these dis
turbing elements are in a measure out of State
f politics, and never should be involved in Na
tional issues. It is impossible for intelligent
1 men who have been members of the National Re
publican party to train with the Democracy,
a and lend their strength to overthrow everything
which they labored to accomplish. Great prin
’ ciples are not lightly abandoned, and therefore
e it is that we assume that all who voted the Dem
ocratic ticket at the last election for local rea-
NEW YORK DISPATCH. FEBRUARY 14, 1886.
eons, and all those who abstained from voting t
from a like motive, will now join hands with t
their brother Republicans and organize their i
party for victory and supremacy.
There is no time to be lost. Tho Democracy
is organizing, and, being in office, it has many
local advantages. Nevertheless, the field is by e
no means covered by the Democratic organize- f
tions, and if Republicans will but come together, t
work together, and keep up the agitation from (
now until the presidential canvass, they will f
most assuredly retrieve their fallen fortunes, |
and rank New York where it belongs, among f
the bright galaxy of Republican States. e
THOSE UNDERGROUND WIRES. t
When Senator Daly, alter years of labor and 1
talent, succeeded in having his bill, compelling !
telegraph, telephone and electrio light com- *
panics to place their wires underground, tho ’
public recognized in the measure a blessing.
When the bill was subsequently amended, j
calling for the appointment of a Commission to
decide on the most feasible means by which '
these wires could be placed underground, there ’
seemed to us that a mysterious African was
lurking somewhere in the woodpile. That our
suspicions were correct, recent developments
made by the Times conclusively prove,
The Commission consists of Messrs. Loew, 1
Mom and Hess. Mr. Hess is an old time poll- (
tioian, versed in all the methods that go to .
mako up political chicanery. He is a man of his (
word, however, and can be relied upon. Mr.
Loew is no chicken in political strategies that
are necessary for tho accomplishing ot mighty
ends. What Mr, Moss don’t know about ‘
political tricks, strategies and otherwise, his (
son-in-law, Maurice Burns Flynn, the owner of
Rollin Mascotte Squire and tho dictator of the '
Department of Public Works, can teach him. <
Now, this Commission has been in existence .
nearly a year, and there is no more sign of their
having done anything than if it had never been
created. What has been accomplished, how
ever. is that son-in-law Flynn has managed to
inspect a number of tho plans submitted by in
ventors to lay wires underground, and between
him, Civil Justice Kelly, whose peculiar moth- '
ods of doing business were recently exposed by '
the Gibbs Committee, and one Dorsett, of Chi
cago, whoso plan was about agreed upon, ’
things had merely reached a point where some 1
people would have pocketed millions. Tho c
scheme was discovered, and everybody is as
mad as hornets. Mr. Flynn, when he discov- c
ered the condition of affairs in this city, went to
Cinoinnati and had an editorial published about '
himself, in the Cincinnati Commercial. Gazette,
saying what a nice young man he was in New 1
York, and how much ho knew about laying 4
street pavements,bids having been proposed for
paving certain streets in Cincinnati. Mr. Flynn 4
is now in this city, and when he read the fol- 8
lowing in a daily paper on last Thursday be is
reported as saying something very much like ‘
mad-dog backward:
** Senator Cullen Is also out of temper. Ha said
to-day: * Commissioners Hess, Mdss and Loew, t
who were directed to superintend the putting of the c
wires of the telegraph companies underground in
New York, are doing nothing, and plainly are not I
intending to do anything.’ With a view of whip- j
ping both the telegraph companies and Messrs.
Moss, Hess and Loew, ho introduced a bill to-day de- 1
daring that alt the telegraph wires must be put uu- g
derground before Jan. 1,1887. and that tho Mayor,re- ,
corder. and President of the Board of Aldermen be -’
appointed Commissioners in place of the preseut 1
Commissioners. Referred to the Committee on ,
Cities.” 1
PLENTY OF MONEY ABOUT.
Some ignorant immigrants aro said to land in *
this country with the expectation that they can '
pick up gold in the streets. Those who do not ‘
find it in the streets may discover it on a West- 1
ern farm, or dig it out of a mine; but even for ,
those who remain in New York there seems to <
be plenty of money about. Gold is hoarded J
pretty carefully, with the idea that it may soon t
be at a premium, but wo are told that there are ( ‘
so many silver dollars coined that nobody wants <
thorn, and everybody is anxious to get rid of J
them. Better stiH, there are certified checks <
for thousands of dollars thrown around so care- ’
lessly that the millionaires who draw them do ,
not know what becomes of them. Here is a 1
chance for the ambitious immigrant to make an
easy fortune. Chocks in the air are more valu- 1
able than gold dollars on tho sidewalks, and, if '
tho sworn testimony of capitalists is true, the
air must be full of them. Any immigrant who
has been on American soil long enough to be
elected a member of the Board of Aiderman, is
likely to catch one of those checks, or its equiv
alent in greenbacks. Who shall say, then, that
the old story of gold in the streets, is exagger- ;
ated ? 1
Most people have always thought that Jake I
Sharp was keen by nature and experience, as i
well as by name. Not at all. He is the most <
innocent—not to say idiotic—financier in exist- i
once. This is not a libel, for Mr. Sharp takes ]
bis oath to the statement. He draws checks <
for SIO,OOO, SIOO,OOO, $200,000, at random, and 1
gives them away to anybody who happens to |
come along. He does not take the trouble to t
keep any account of how much he expends, or t
of who gets the money. A few hundred thou- ,
sand dollars, more or less, are nothing to him. i
It is not worth while to preserve any records <
of such little transactions. Whoop ! He has i
thrown another bundle of SIO,OOO checks out of ,
his office window, or made a poor messenger ,
boy a present of $500,000. No wonder that the 1
poverty-stricken people of European countries ,
flock to a paradise where such incidents occur.
The intelligent foreigner may suppose that Jake ’
Sharp is an exceptional benefactor, but the in- ,
telligent foreigner is wrong. Here is a wealthy
president of a bank who swears that he has
been distributing money in the same off-hand
manner. He doesn’t know, and he doesn’t
care, what his checks amounted to, or who got
them. He has thrown them about broadcast.
Perhaps a deputation from Castle Garden
picked them up, or perhaps the lucky finders
came from the City Hall. Do you call him a
fool because he and his money were thus
parted? Well, he says, under oath, that he
may be a fool, but that he isn’t ashamed of it,
and is having a very good time.
These financial sprees, during which mil
lions of dollars were flung about like waste pa
per, have been revealed by one Investigating
Committee. Another has exploited the fact that
some sweet little cherub has been sitting aloft
to take care of the police. When a police cap
tain has a baby, its cradle is mysteriously lined
with greenbacks, instead ot the ordinary blan
kets and sheets. When the police captain has
no baby a turkey is brought in for his dinner,
and behold ! it is stuffed with greenbacks in
stead of bread and onions. All that an immigrant
has to do is to enlist as a policeman and his
fortune is made at once. Strangers walk up to
him and put SIOO bills into his hand. Other
strangers make collections for him in his pre
cinct, and deposit from SI,OOO to $5,000 to his
credit in the nearest bank. A philanthropist
insists upon giving him the title deeds of a
beautiful country seat in Connecticut. Another
cannot sleep until he has made the policeman
the owner of a block of tenement houses in the
most lucrative portion of the city. Why, it is
easier to get rich than stay poor while such
generous philanthropists as these are alive, and
nobody should carry an umbrella while such a
shower of wealth is falling from the skies.
On almost every street there are lines oi tele
graph wires. To the uninitiated eye they look
ugly; but really they are wires of solid gold. A
greenhorn might take the hint and try to climb
the telegraph poles to get at the gold; but, it
so, he would be arrested for trespass. The
proper method is to threaten to put all the
wires underground and obtain the passage of a
law ordering that the lines shall be buried by
i November 1, 1888. After that the money comes
readily enough, without the trouble of climbing
i for it Messenger boys will bring it to your
i residence, or it will be sent anonymously by
i mail, or you can take stock in a company
• which holds a patent for burying wires satisfao-
• tonly. Easy ? It is as easy as lying or perjury,
f or bribery and corruption. A man must be
, very dull or very honest who remains poor un-
- der such circumstances. Every investigating
> committee brings to light some rapid transit to
- riches. This is one of the reasons why we have
t steadfastly urged the appointment of plenty of
- investigating committees. The more the mer
, rier for all concerned. If that antiquated in
» stitution, the Grand Jury, does not wake up and
- interfere, every citizen of New York who can
e keep his mouth shut and his hands open will be
- as rich as Vanderbilt or Gould in a few years.
,- A millennium of millionaires is at hand. Addi-
tion, division and silence are tho golden rules of
the age, and there is plenty of money about for c
all who know how to practice them properly. j
THE HANCOCK FUND.
ft Another groat man has died poor/’ says tho r
appeal for a fund to support the widow and g
family of General Hancock. We hope that the c
response to this appeal will bo as prompt and i.
as generous as those which have established p
the families of Grant and Garfield in comforta- c
ble circumstances, and that our Republican t
friends will be liberally represented among the c
subscribers. General Hancock was a Demo- i
crat; but he was also a patriot. As a profes- r
sional soldier he stood at the head ot his class t
in the Union Army during the Civil War. A j
gentleman by nature and by education, he re- t
cognized the chivalry of the Union volunteers i
when some professional soldiers were sneering e
at them, and his splendid battle cry, ** Gentle- (
men, charge!” rang through the country like c
the clarion blast of a silver trumpet. We op- c
posed his election to the Presidency because wo
do not believe that a professional soldier is a fit
President tor a free people, and because he was (
the nominee of the party of Free Trade. But )
wo always did justice to his high qualities of 1
head ftud heart and we honor and revere his s
memory. 1
The personal friends of General Etaneock say 1
that, although he was tor many years the recip
ient of a large salary from the Government, and 1
although his personal tastes and habits were s
simple and inexpensive, he died poor, because 3
he gave away his money in charity and was espe- £
cially beneficent to the veterans of our Civil f
War. If this be so his family must not be al- i
lowed to suffer from the loss of so good a man. 3
Already, within three days, over twenty thou- 1
sand dollars have been subscribed for tho Han- t
cock fund, and we trust that before the mouth 1
is over, the sum will be increased to a compe- f
tenoy for the sorrowing widow and her depend
ants.
|
WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT? ]
And still they come, Chinese and Mormons, *
despite treaties, laws and public sentiment ad- (
verse thereto. The United States is apparently 1
the only country in the universe which is un- *
able to regulate its ow/i domestic affairs, enforce 1
its own laws, protect its own social system and 1
compel foreigners to respect it also. It is about *
time Americana called a halt, and reflected f
calmly upon the inevitable tendency of the <
loose-jointed system of administration now in e
voguo. The permanence of our institutions e
may not be in absolute danger, but their work
ing is being seriously impeded, and their par
tial derangement is a great evil.
The existing troubles at Seattle, W. T., calls 3
for some immediate action on the part of the
government as regards the Chinese question.
Such outbreaks as occurred at Seattle are not f
infrequent in the interior towns of the Far '
West, and would be common in this city but for c
tho strength of the police force. It would seem f
that the depraved habits and unmentionable 1
crimes of the Chinese at Seattle precipitated the *
present troubles. It is unfortunately the case 1
that the ch:nese are utterly regardless of our
laws, and all that keeps them in check in this
and other cities is fear of the policeman’s club. *
As it is, they manage to violate many of the
laws with impunity. They fortify tboir houses 1
for the carrying on of unlawful occupations,
and in a measure defy the authorities.
Mr. Bayard Taylor, lately deceased, at the (
time of his death American Minister to the (
German Empire, in his work on India, China 1
and Japan, published in 1855, says oi the Chi- *
neso :
“ It is my deliberate opinion that the Chinese are,
morally, the most debased people on the face of the 3
earth. Forms of vice, which in other countries are j
barely named, are, in China, so common that they
excite np comment among the natives. They con- 3
stitute the surface-level, and below them are depths j
of depravity so shocking and horrible that their
character cannot even be hinted at. There are some 1
dark shadows in human nature which we naturally j
shrink from penetrating, and I made no attempt to r
collect information of this kind; but there was
enough in the things which I could not avoid hear- 1
ing and seeing—which are brought almost daily to ,
the notice of every foreign resident—to inspire me '
with powerful aversion to the Chinese race. Their
touch is pollution; and harsh as the opinion may
seem, Justice to our race demands that they should
not be allowed to settle on our soil. Science may (
have lost something, but mankind has gained, by (
the exclusive policy which has governed China ,
during the past centuries.”
ft 1 .lllJullll. 3 1
Open Sessions.—We have already i
pointed out that the refusal of the President to
furnish the Senate with the papers relating to
the suspensions of officeholders was based
upon the technical distinction between the ex
ecutive and the legislative sessions. This tech
nicality may bo good enough for a Democratic
Executive, but it should be brushed aside at ,
once by making all sessions ot the Senate pub- '
lie, except those dealing with diplomatic de- ,
tails. The people have a right to know why
their servants, the officials, aro appointed, why
they are removed, who recommended them,
and who complains of them. In a free govern
ment secrecy is always suspicious. It leads to •
criminalities; for, if everything be honest and
straightforward, there can be no reason for
concealment. General Logan has already de
clared himself in favor ot open sessions. We
believe that, upon consideration, all the leaders
of the Republican party will indorse his views.
We hear that Senator Sherman has expressed
himself privately to this effect, and that Sen
ator Edmunds is preparing a speech in which
he will advocate ample publicity. That is tho
true Republican policy. Our party, at least,
has nothing to fear Irom trusting the people
with the fullest information concerning public
affairs.
What the Consequence Will Be.—
The results of the parsimonious appropriations
for the maintenance of the public schools are
already apparent. Not only are the accommo
dations insufficient, but the qualifications of
many teachers are below the standard, as a
consequence of insufficient salary. If experi
enced teachers remain, as many do, they are
forced to stay for less compensation for their
services than they could receive if they were
first-class cooks (the important items of board
and washing considered). These disadvan
tages they labor under if they teach certain
children, the necessity for whose education
gave birth to the whole public school system.
They are the children of the poor, many thou
sands of whom never enter any other institu
tion of learning. The little ones who throng
our crowded streets, and for whom later, if not
properly instructed now, the city must build
almshouses and penitentiaries ; or, if they are
more tenderly reared, as many of them are,
they are still those who need tho utmost pa
tience, the kindest care, the most skillful train
ing. Here or nowhere correct moral princi
ples must be instilled, a taste for learning im
planted, as well as the rudiments of a good,
solid English education given.
The New Cardinal.—Archbishop
Gibbons, of Baltimore, has received a general
chorus of congratulations upon his appointment
to the American Cardinalate made vacant by
the death of Archbishop McCloskey. Baltimore
has always been the headquarters of Catholic
ism in this country, and the personal character
and wide-learning of Archbishop Gibbons would
add dignity to any rank. In Ireo America the
Cardinalate is only a courtesy title. A Cardinal
is a Prince of the Church, but in the United
i States we have no princes, and, consequently,
, a Cardinal occupies the position of a superior
’ Archbishop. With the distinctions of the
Church the American people have little con
; cern, but everybody will be glad that so good a
man has received promotion, and that Balti
more has been honored by the choice of the
' Catholic chiefs at Rome.
A Queer Case.—Children believe that
> the doctors find babies in the garden and kind
- ly bring them into the house; but Mrs. Horan,
; of Jersey City, varies this old story. She says
> that while her husband, a railroad conductor,
> was absent, a Dr. Ayres called, delivered her of
f a child, and took the child away, leaving only a
. lock of yellow hair in a piece of paper to re
. member it by. Mrs. Horan is very ill, and evi
-1 dently a child has been born to her; but this is
i the only account she can give of what has be
e come of it. The police have a theory, as usual,
i. and, as they can find no trace of Dr. Ayres, sua
i- pect the mother of a serious crime.
Custom-House Impudence.—The offi
cials at the Custom-House are reported as bo- j
ing very indignant at the decision of the Su- i
premo Court that the coverings of imported c
merchandize—technically called "cartons”— r
must be exempt from duty. But why aro they e
grumbling ? What is it their business ? Their r
duty is to obey the law —not to find fault with
it. They say that the public treasury will be c
poorer because of this decision; but if the mor- f
chants will be richer and tho public benefltted,
the treasury can take of itself. They say that
over thirty thousand appeals will have to be
investigated; but this only proves that many
merchants have for years protested against
this illegal tax. It is both impudent and im
prudent for the Custom-House officials to keep 1
up their policy of hostility to the merchants, 1
instead of trying to assist our importers in <
every legal manner. An investigation of the <
Custom-House methods would unearth several <
other impositions as unjust and onerous as that i
of taxing cartons.
An Eminent American Dead.— The j
death of Horatio Seymour removes from the j
politics of this State a man who has been a very ]
prominentfigureforthepastflftyyears. Itcanbe ,
said without fear of contradiction, that during
all those years not a word has been Said against
his private honesty or his political purity. He 1
was a man of the most simple habits, and at his <
homo in Utica no resident was more beloved
and honored than he by men of both parties. 1
It was the mistake of Horatio Seymour that he '
sought executive offices. He was not by nature
fitted for them. He was a philosophic states- ,
man, and his party should have sent him to the (
United States Senate, a body to which he would i
have added honor. Mr. Seymour was one of .
the most kindly-hearted of men. We do not j
believe he left behind him one enemy on the
face of the earth. j
No Weeping.—Mr. Dorsheimor has '
got out of tho onerous office of United States 1
District Attorney before ascertaining whether
the Senate would ooufirm the nomination of the ‘
editor of an administration organ. His letter
to the President puts his withdrawal upon the i
single ground that the work is too hard for him i
and that ho is not fond of hard work. We have i
not seen anybody going around with a black i
hatband or with crape on the left arm in conso- i
quence ot Mr. Dorsheimer stepping down and
out. But he will be very much mistaken if he ,
supposes that editing a New York daily paper is
easier work than running a government office. j
An Important Ruling. —When a wit
ness in a Boston court a few days ago was ob
jected to on religious grounds, the Judge said
the Constitution provides that a witness shall
believe In God, but does not undertake to do- :
fine what is meant by that word. “If a man i
believes in moral responsibility and a system 1
of rewards and punishments in thia world or i
one to oomc, he is a competent witness.” The
witness answered that he did so believe, and t
the Judge declared him “as competent a wit
ness as any man in Boston.”
A Touching Incident. — A rather
touching incident is related of a shipwreck
which occurred on the New England coast dur
ing the recent stormy gales which visited us.
The captain’s wife and children were lost. They
had on board a few tame doves. When the body
of tho wife was found on the shore a dove was
on the body and flew to the house to which tho
remains ot the drowned woman were conveyed,
and peeking at the window, gained admission.
A Flagrant Offense. —One of the
latest bits of society news is that a family, the
head of which draws thousands yearly from the
Department of Public Works, will be tabooed in
first circles this season, because at a recent din
ner given by the family, one of the itemeron the
menu was boiled onions, printed in English.
This is the most flagrant social offense that has
been committed in New York since tho days of
the old Volunteer Fire Department.
A Curiosity.—On Tuesday last an in
dividual from Oyster Bay, L. L, entered the
City Hall in this city to mail two letters. He
was directed to the post-office, and his strange
manner there while buying stamps, and his
query as to what to do with tho stamps after
he had bought them, excited curiosity, and in
quiry brought out the singular fact that al
though fifty-five years oi age, ho had never be
fore mailed a letter.
MBwaaa; i,n i.mi i u in i J ■sag
©ifib and
AND YET HE WAS REJECTED.
Brooklyn politicians are in a high fever of ex
citement because of the Civil Service rules.
Tho Democrats, who now hold most of the of
fices, think that they should be abolished.
Perhaps this is so.
A gentleman friend of ours, who recently ap
plied for the position of clerk to the mason who
was building a sewer, was recently subjected to
the following questions, which he answered cor
rectly, as will be seen.
Yet he was rejected.
“ Where is China ?”
"In McGowan’s crockery store.”
“ Where is Japan ?”
“ Around in Gilhooly’s tea store."
" Who was Queen Anne ?”
“The woman that built the houses in Gow
anus.”
“ Who was the Queen ol Sheba ?”
“ The widdy of the King of Heba.”
"How far is the sun from the earth?”
“ Whose son ?”
“ How would you get from Brooklyn to San
Francisco ?”
“ Walk.”
“Is the earth round or square?”
“It’s round. All’round.”
“ Where was tobacco first discovered?”'
“In the cigar store.”
“ Who was the greatest man that ever lived ?”
“ St. Patrick.”
“ Which is tho largest State in the Union ?”
“ State of drunkenness.”
“ Who discovered America ?”
“ You can’t blame it on me.”
“ Who was Adam’s wife ?”
“ Mrs. Adams.” «
“ Who first discovered oranges ?”
“The Orangemen.”
“ Who was the biggest liar mentioned in tho
Bible ?”
“ Goliah.”
And that poor man went on in that strain for
two full days and answered about a million
questions regarding foreign matters correctly
and yet he was rejected. He is now suing the
commissioners, claiming that they were biased
in their judgment. It looks like a case ot par
tiality or whisky, and we’ll bet that not one of
those commissioners could tell what size hat he
wore unless he first went home and held a con
sultation with his wife.
SMALL CHANGE.
An East St. Louis man, during dinner
hour, sat down upon a buzz-saw that was en
joying noon-time. Promptly at one o’clock it
started on duty again, and as he was a little
lazy it cut him in two. This teaches that work
men should return promptly to work—when
there is an industrious and prompt buzz-saw
under them.
Jake Sharpe says that he can’t remem
ber to whom he paid several hundred thousand
dollars and over-checks, and the newspapers
accuse him of perjury. Now, we don’t see any
thing strange about that. We couldn’t, for the
t life of us, remember to whom we have paid a
single cheek for the past six months.
> A twelve-yeab old Pennsylvania boy
recently brained a comrade for throwing snow
balls at him. Little boys with such vicious
minds should be brained by their parents.
• Recipe for braining: Obtain a fence-picket and
> brain immediately under the coat-tails. To be
> well shaken before taken.
’ The report of a scare produced by a
mob of two hundred people traveling toward
London to sack it, proves to have been a ca
nard. The cable must be suflering from the
’ effects of the hard Winter.
A local citizen is now in jail for hav
ing four wives. That man must be awfully
cold-blooded, else one woman would be suffi
ient to do the cellar-act for him.
Wb see by an advertisement that the t
porous-plaster has just celebrated its silver- t
wedding. Only think of twenty-flve years of *
devotion to a fellow’s stomach I It almost i
makes one weep, and, egad, it our readers will j
excuse us, we think we’ll go up into the bath- ,
room and weep. '
Sullivan has sent a challenge to Rvan, i
” .1 f j
and threatens to “ brand him ”if he doesn’t ac- (
cept it. Now, if Ryan could only be prevailed <
upon to brand Sullivan, and if they would only 1
use repeating irons to do the branding with, the 1
newspapers might have a chance to report a ’
real prize fight. i
The President has appointed Mr. '
Walker to succeed Mr. Dorsheimor as United ‘
States District Attorney, and now the Demo
crats are so pleased that they go around, slap ,
each other upon the back, wink, go and take a
drink and wonder who in thunder Mr. Walker ;
i B . ;
A Brooklyn jury, that had been (
locked up, applied to the judge for a box of
beer to aid it in its deliberations. This is an
innovation that should bo encouraged, and if it
becomes fashionable it will quickly aid in con
verting us Into a nation of numbskulls.
We really imagine that Jake Sharpe
is suffering from loss of memory. The idea is :
confirmed that he drinks from a bottle labelled ■
“ Pure Milk.” If his memory was traveling on.
schedule time ho would know that pure milk
crossed the river many years ago.
Philadelphia hair thieves are on the
rampage. They waylay young girls on the
streets, and deprive them of their locks. If
they’d tackle some of our local girls, they
wouldn’t have to do much cutting. A sharp
pull would settle the business.
8. H. Scudder, of Boating, is now de
livering an interesting lecture on " Mezzior
Cockroaches.” He insists that they were much
smaller than those of the present day. Well,
we should hope so. But how about the Moz
zoir bed-bug, Scud, old boy.
A friend of ours, who had just pur
chased a new hat, stood under a tree where
some sparrows were coquetting, and had his
new hat ruined. “ Thank God I” ha ejaculated,
as he gazed at his spotted tile, “ that cows don’t
roost in trees,”
Mrs. Storms, the recent victim of the
Tarrytown masked burglars, actually hugged
Inspector Byrnes when he returned her heir
looms to her. As she is large and healthy
Inspector Byrnes says that he’ll stick to New
York hereafter.
The prize fat boy is being sued for
SIO,OOO, because he gave a testimonial to a
mineral spring firm end denied the fact. Just
imagine how that fat boy could ruin that firm by
loafing around the springs and lapping them
into himself.
A number of mill girls in Wales were
recently discharged for wearing bangs. It was
in an establishment whore they made butter,
and that probably accounts for some of the
banged butter that is sometimes dished up on
our tables.
London reporters, it is said, are far
behind the times. They only give about a
“ stickfull ”to a first-class murder. But then
we must take into consideration the fact that
very lew Englishmen are worth more than that
A man named Neapolelyozkouszizan
ker recently applied for a marriage license in
Wilkes-Barre. When that man dies he’ll have
a cemetery all to himself it he is in anywise
ambitious and wants his name on his coffin-lid.
The chess tournament now in progress
between Whatsname and Whostbis is creating
untold excitement throughout the land. Won
der how many people would become excited if
Whatsname and Whosthis went to work.
A New York baker is being sued on a
charge of cruel treatment because he threw
cakes and pies at his wife. Some women are
never satisfied. If he had thrown bread at her,
she’d have yelled for cake or pie.
A local citizeness claims that she was
recently robbed by masked women, who were
attired in mens’ clothes. Great Heavens 1 Isn’t
it bad enough for the women to wear the
breeches without turning foot-pads ?
A Southern lady recently refused to
fullfil her part of the contract as soon as she
ascertained that the property of the proposed
bridegroom consisted only of vacant lots. She
probably had a vacant head.
Roller-skating is becoming more and
more popular, and the young men and young
women of our day are gradually becoming bald
headed away down their backs.
The Italians of the city are about to
establish a hospital for their indigent brethren.
We will vouch for its safety!! they are permitted
to take their organs with them.
A Brooklyn burglar was recently cap
| tured in Paterson. Any man, burglar or other
wise, who would leave this State to go to Pat
erson, ought to be captured.
The Coney Island Rod and Gun Club
recently held a pigeon shoot, and now all the
neighbors own more live pigeons than they
know what to do with.
Ratheb Spring-like weather we had
during the week, eh ? That is, like as if all the
springs in the universe had bursted overhead.
The country papers are again spread
ing themselves on that old doughnut, “ and wo
don’t feel well ourselves.”
The retail shoe dealers recently held a
banquet, and .it is said to have been a feast of
reason and a flow of sole.
Two Chicago youths recently played
pool for the possession of a young.lady. Pyra
mid pool, we presume.
The report that Ellen Terry was ill
proves to be incorrect. It was another Terry—
probably Dissen.
The cable informs us that the Earl of
Fife refuses to support Mr. Gladstone. He’s a
blower.
The reason they call it brand-y. Well,
look at a man’s nose who drinks it.
GOSSIP OF THE WEEK.
The presence in this city last week of Lydia
Thompson, Pauline Markham, Marion Harland and
Liza Weber, who were the principals of the original
Lydia Thompson blonde burlesque troupe, brings
' to mind the poet’s lino—" The Antique hath its
beauty no less than Youth,” They are all healthy,
with one exception wealthy and—lively and ready
for business—if it pays. They are younger bo it
understood than dear old Mrs. Gilbert of Daly’s—
! who began her stage career as a danseuse.
At tile conclusion of Mr. Lawrence Barrett’s
season at the Star Theatre, he plays in New England
for one week, thence to Richmond, Charleston,
Savannah, New Orleans and the larger cities of
Texas, and over the Southern route to San Fran
, cisco, where he is to play a four weeks' engagement
in May.
Mr. Edward Lamb, one of the best of the come
dians now in active service on the American stage,
has been engaged by Augustio Daly to play the part
1 of the Magistrate, in the comedy of that name, at
the Brooklyn Theatre, the week of the 22d of Febru
ary, and the week after he will play Bob Acres with
1 Mrs. Drew, at th® Arch Street Theatre, Philadelphia,
r The latter part he played with her at the opening of
her present season, and was. we are glad to record,
greatly commended by the critics and the audience
for his artistic performance of the character. If
Mr. Lamb, instead of being unfortunately, an un-
I obtrusive American actor, were an imported ten
shilling-a-week fake from some minor thea
tre in the English provinces—he would at once
• be taken in hand, overrun with engagements, sala
, tied like a prince and wined and dined like a lord.
But being only an American and with nothing but
1 talent to recommend him —like a score of others
equally as deserving, he will have to take what
managerial appreciation he can catch rather than
get what is justly his due lor his long service in his
profession.
Marie Prescott will deliver a lecture called
J “ Among The Stars,” at the Comedy Theatre, on
Sunday night, February 21. Those who claim that
j there is nothing now under the sun will have an
I opportunity of judging for themselves in what she
3 has to say of stage life.
Mr. Solomon’s new opera, “Xanita,” is in active
rehearsal by Miss Lillian Russell and a strong com-
X pany at the Union Square Theatre, where it will be
presented at the close of Miss Carrie Swain’s en
gagement.
- The citizens of Allston, Mass., were treated to a
a delightful musical entertainment on Wednesday
9 evening last, when the Sbumann Glee Club gave its
second concert. Th® programme opened with
a selection from “ Lorelei,” an unfinished opera
-by Mendlessobn, Miss Gertrude M. Rice, a daugti
_ ter of Charles E. Rice, and neice of Edward E. Rice,
y author of “Evangeline” and “Adonis,” singing
Lenore, displaying a sweet voice and meeting with
I a hearly reception.
“ Kathleen Mavourneen ” will be produced at
the Brooklyn Atheneum on Mondvy, March Ist, by
the young men of St. Thomas’ Dramatic Union, of
Brooklyn. Miss 0. McDowdell and F. N. Gomez,
well known to the New York and Brooklyn public,
have been engaged for the evening, and will appear
in the leading roles. The rest oi the cast i® as fol
lows: Barnard Kavanagh, F. N. Gomez; David O’Con
nor, J. Tweed; Father O’Cassidy, J. J. Bree»; Ter
ence O’Moore, J. F. Connellan; Billy Button Cap, J.
J. Sullivan; Captain Clearfield, J. J. Carboy; Black
Rody, F. A. Murphy; Red Barney, J. H. Walsh;
Darby Doyle, A. Eagan; Kathaleen O’Connor, Miss
O. McDowdell; Meg Marslaugh, Clara Eagan; Kitty
O’Laferty, Miss Batsel; Miss Dorothy. Miss McOar
thy.
The play is under the management of Mr. 8. G.
Frost, the actor, who has spared no pains to make
it a decided success. The members of St. Thomas'
Dramatic Union have heretofore shown more than
usual dramatic ability for an association of its kind,
and it is expected that they will do full justice t®
“Kathleen Mavourneen.” A reception will be held
after the performance, which promises to be an en
joyable affair.
The only original, name stamped on the bills and
trade mark blown in the tickets—Doyly Carte,
“Mikado” will be restored to the Filth Avenue
Stage on March Ist It will be succeeded at the
Standard by Thatcher, Primrose and West’s Min
strels. John Duff is getting ready for the burn!
cork innovation, by daily practice, in his private
office, on a ten string power banjo. Carl Hermann
is learning to make AU accompaniment upon the
cigarette.
Miss Kate Field's reappearance at the Union
Square Theatre to-morrow evening will be specially
interesting. Miss Field has filled successful en
gagements in the West, where she was listened to—
particularly in her lectures—with thoughtful at
tention. Her “ Musical Monologue,” which she is
to give here, has been rearranged and is now full of
lively humor, bright music, and special features.
She will be assisted by the pianist, Mr. W. Russoll
Case.
Union Square Theatre.—The some
time announced “new and original” drama by
Messrs. Sims and Clement Scott, entitled “ Jack iu
The Box,” was given its first metropolitan per
formance in this theatre on Monday evening last.
With the exception of one scene the stage settings
were of the card-board quality. The Fair scene,
with the Showmen’s booths was flashy in color, inar
tistic in its arrangement and destroyed whatever o!
realism in eflect it might otherwise have had. The
drama is in four acts. It would be merciful to the
audience if it were cut down to three, and it is not
at all impossible that two acts would be amply
sufficient for all there is of any value in the dialogue
or incidents of theTwork. Certainly one short scene
would easily contain all there is of originality or
novelty in its construction.
The argument of this “ Jack in The Box ” is
something in this wise:
A middle-aged man is falsely accused of com
mitting a murder, and the particular hound whe
is hunting him down is a padrone of the regulation
stage variety; this middle-aged victim is the son of
a wealthy old gentleman, whose chief purpose in
the play is to be bamboozled by the exceedingly
diaphanous schemes of a plausible villain—not in a
dress suit, however, and who, for the furtherance
of his diabolical plans, makes violent love to the
daughter of the falsely-accused hero. Ho join®
hands with the padrone, and the play depends
upon their endeavoring to bring their victim to
the gallows and to convince his father that he is
really about as bad as he can be. The daughter is
virtuous and heroic, and closely adheres to the
formulas of melodramatic and sensational routine.
Result—The triumph of Virtue and Innocence and
the modern method of an easy let down and get off
of the chief villain and the consignment of the
wicked Padrone to the limbo of criminals.
Throughout this mass of commonplace rubbish.
Miss Carrie Swain, as Jack Merry weather, is the
marplot of the schemes of the villains, the de
fender of innocence and really all there is of vital
ity, interest or relief to the turgidity of this “Jack
in the Box.”
In the course of the play she dances, sings, turns
“ flip-flaps” as she sings and gives ample evidence
that she deserves some better medium than this
load of rubbish in which to properly display her
talent to its fullest extent.
“Jack in the Box” is as great a load for her to
carry in her road journeying® as was the old man
of the mountain to Sinbad the Sailor.
Whatever of vivacity and vocal and physical en
durance she may have, will be weakened tn her en
deavor to sustain the dead weight of this English
“pot-boiler.”
Any one of our dramatists could have made up a
better and more fitting play as a frame-work for her
special line of work; not one of them coild, by
any possibility, patch up one as worthless, as devoid
of ideas, as empty in ingenuity of construction.
There is no situation in it to surprise anybody;
there is no character in it possessing a single trait
of special individuality; no expression of thought
and no interest of plot or device of construction
not already harped upon and made familiar by
constant Iteration in the cartload of dramatic
garbage emptied upon our stage from English
sources in the past decade.
Miss Carrie Swain is a young woman of talent, not
only as a vocalist, but as a vivacious and intelligent
actress, but if she succeeds in sustaining this out
come of Sims and Scott’s inner mental conscious
ness, she will have accomplished a miracle.
It is—to end further consideration of It—tho
weakest and worst of all the imported dramas which
have, thus far. been planted upon our stage.
Mr. Hugh Fay amused the audience with his
portraiture of Professor O’Sullivan; Mr. Walter
Bentley as the persecuted Edward Moreland, was
sufficiently dismal in expression, and in gesture and
walk was reminiscent of Sotbern’s Crushed Trage
dian, and at times suggested the presence of a cler
gyman afflicted with a rheumatic stiffness of limbs
and the mental consciousness of a hopeless and un
salaried future. Miss Blanche Thorne (a daughter
of the late Charles R. Thorne), gave promise in
her performance of Milly De Vere, that she has in
herited much of the theatric instinct of her father,
and Miss Julia Bru tone was noisy and emphatic, if
not artistic, as Mrs. Merryweather.
Whatever of success the play may have here, will
be due to the presence of- Miss Carrie Swain in th®
cast.
Windsor Theatre. —Last Monday
evening Manager Frank Murtha threw open ih<
doors of his handsome and roomy new theatre.
There was a gathering of the clans and more thai
the usual enthusiasm. Judge McAdam opened th.|
proceedings with a dedicatory address, followed b]
Miss Clara Morris and her company in “Mist
Multon.”
After the second act of the play the curtain was—
unexpectedly to the audience—lifted and the stately
form of Mr. Abe Hummel was disclosed, tower
ing in the centre of a group of "the solid citizens
of the East Side. Presently they lassoed Manager
Murtha and brought him. pale and trembling,
into view upon the stage. Then Mr. Hummel
with an impassioned burst of eloquence,
which would have thrilled the vast audience
with awe and wonder had it not opened in
this manner: “M’ ’t please court, gen’lm’n jury,
never in the whole course of my experience at the
bar have I witnessed such a fiendish, relentless and
diabolic persecution of an innocent man. Demoniac
perjury has been permitted to hound him to the
gallows, and. gentlemen of the jury, I am given to
understand that the soulless, remorseless and hate
hatching District Attorney has sworn not only to
bring this innocent man, now in the grasp of the
myrmidons and minions of the law, to the scaf
fold, but to advertise for a flock of South Carolina
buzzards and- let ’em loose from the roof of the
Tomba to roost upon the swinging corpse of the
victim of his malignity 1”
Here a step-ladder was brought out and placed
against the speaker, thus enabling one of the group
to climb up and whisper in the eminent attorney
ear :
“It isn’t a murder case ; it’s Murtha ’
The distinguished attorney brushed away the
step-ladder and its occupant with a wave of his
hand, illumined tho house with one of those
seraphic smiles with which he has so often beguiled
the court to adjourn—for drinks; and after a mo
ment's pause, in which he remembered where ha
was, his voice rolled out once more like tho diapa
son'of a church organ worked by a cyclone, and
while a couple of aidermen propped up the terrified
Frank Murtha as best they could, the eloquent
counsel on behalf of the friends of the manager
presented him with a magnificent diamond studded
gold watch and chain. Murtha accepted it. made a
speech in which he feelingly referred to s’mother
watch on the Rhine, and in closing with the remark,
as ho turned and looked up at Hummel:
“In your eloquent speech, the Windsor ”
“Do you dare insinuate my speech was wind,
sir?” roared Hummel, in a voice as hoarse as tho
howl of a tempest rushing through a Jersey
swamp.
Fortunately, at this moment, Chamberlain, the
aged and experienced treasurer, rushed on the stage
. and dragged the helpless but handsome Murtha off
beyond the reach of the infuriated Hummel, in
order to inform him that five plat deutchers. four
Samuels of Posen, three toughs, six reporters, two
critics and three boiled-shirt ushers were having a
free fight in the lobby for a couple of seats which,
owing to the trifling fact that there were no such
Beats in the orchestra, could not be found.
Then one of the group on the stage—evidently
confused as to the name of the play “ Miss
Multon "—endeavored to inform the audience that
the presentation act was concluded and that the
regular performance would go on. “Ladies and
gentlemen,” he said in a mixed-pickle tone, “ Now
we will return to our Miss Morris’s Mutton.”
And the curtain came down and went up and
1 Miss Morris resumed her handkerchief and hysteria
and had all the ladies in the audience sobbing like
1 sausages in a frying pan while the gentlemen were
’ out next door doing noble service in the cause of
’ temperance by putting down all sorts of fluidio
• stimulants in honor of Frank Murtha and his
' finely equipped New Windsor Theatre.
’ There was an overflowing house and thus the
New Windsor was started on what is to be hoped, a
career of prosperity. During the coming week the
j Madison Square Theatre Company, including Mrs.
I Agnes Booth, Maude Harrison, Annie Russell,
Walden Ramsey and Frederick Robinson, will ap
pear in “ Young Mrs. Winthrop,” with all the
original scenery.
; Matinees every Wednesday and Saturday.
Stab Theatre. —During the past week
Mr. Lawrence Barrett has attracted fairly large a-u
--t diences, that greeted the actor with enthusiasm
and numerous calls before the curtain for his pic
turesque impersonation of the outlaw chief, Her
-1 n Mr. Barrett has of late years interested himself in
f the production of new plays and the revivals of old
ones, always with excellent stage setting and ac
’ curate costumes. In “ Hernani” he has not de
f parted from this rule, and has staged the play in a
, creditable manner.
During the past week there have been many re
quests at the box office and by letter for a revival
. of “Francesca daßimini,” in consequence of which
Mr. Barrett will be seen in that play next Wednes
day evening, with a capable cast and all the
t scenery, costumes and accessories which attended
. its former production here. “Hernani” will be
t given on Monday and Tuesday evenings only.
It is not often that leading actors assume the ex
» pense and risk of presenting plays which are a
novelty to the public, and Mr. Barrett deserves the
consideration he is receiving for the endeavors ha
has made and is making to advance the truer and
J more legitimate mission of dramatic art.
1 People’s Theatre.—lt is many years
’ since Mr. Frederick Warde last appeared in New
York City and bis engagement, which begins here
’ to-morrow night, will be his first appearance in this
- city as a star with a company of his own. Mr.
a Warde lias been recognized while playing in a stock
- company as a conscientious, paintaking actor. Asa
star be has met with success in other cities iu the
a heavier roles of the legitimate drama.
. During the coming week he will be seen in “ Vr
a gin'us ” Monday and Friday ; Tuesday, ■ Othello;”
, Wednesday Matinee, "The Lady of Lyons;'' Wed
. nesday night, “Damon and Pythias Thursday,
■‘Richelieu;" Saturday Matinee, "Ingomar;” and
' Saturday night in •• Richard 111."
J Mr. Warde will have the assistance of a good com*
5 pany and his play will be properly stagei-. t 5
under the management ol Mr. Hudson.