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Newspaper
Boston Post
Location
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
Date
Dec 24, 1878
Page
2
Convict labor and its depressing influence upon honest labor will be among early issues for the incoming Legislature. This social science problem has never been satisfactorily settled and will tax the wisdom of lawmakers to the utmost, perhaps even baffle them.
Massachusetts made two notable appointments yesterday the vacant Assistant Treasurership created by Franklin Hagen Jr resignation goes to Edward L Pierce and the District Judgeship to Nelson of Worcester. The German Mission is offered to ex Senator Henderson of Missouri.
The London area and much of Europe suffer heavy snowfall. Scotland reports severe conditions with North railways blocked and trains snowed up ten to twelve miles from Aberdeen. Snow depth exceeds twelve feet in places, the heaviest in thirty years. Geneva notes no post from Germany, and Berne Lausanne links interrupted. Paris reports wolves at Metz gates and Vosges snow beyond memory.
Cold wave reaches Hudson Valley as ice fills the river north of Rhinebeck, blocking navigation. Stuyvesant ice runs shore to shore while ferries operate and the Martin steamboat returns after entering. New York Central trains face delays and lack postal cars due to no west connections. Thermometer at 18 degrees above zero with a sharp northwest wind.
In Baltimore on December 23 two young men, D. B. Hinds and William James, exchanged pistol fire in a street store. Several shots were fired and both were badly wounded. Hinds works as a clerk for a major wholesale cloth house. The clash reportedly stemmed from Hinds pursuing James's sister.
Dec 23 dispatches report decisions by the President and Cabinet on vacancies in the District Judgeship and Assistant Treasurership with Nelson of Worcester accepting the judgeship and Edward L. Pierce named for the treasury post, awaiting Congress reassembly. The German mission favors ex Senator Henderson of Missouri, while Governor Harl tranft is urged. Rumors of salaries and expenditures, and a yellow fever committee update accompany broader Capitol notes.
In Washington on December 23 the Kansas Governor pressed General Sherman to station a robust military presence on Kansas southern borders to check Indian incursions on reservations and cattle theft. Sherman agreed as far as army conditions allow. The Governor projects about 300000 immigrants to Kansas this year.
Report from Washington notes last fiscal year net sales by customs brought in 49,889.69 with 16,108.42 paid to informers and officers. Names listed include Mudge Boston 1709.2, Snow Boston 1307, Marr Marblehead 300, Brackett Bangor 313.728, plus many others. Also mentions money recovered from a lost Post Office clerks’ payment, Egypt cotton crop outlook, and resumption of specie payments on Jan 1. receipts and subscriptions totals provided.
A Sunday gale in Halifax harbor damaged many ships. Marie Anna of Quebec broke fastenings at Hogan's wharf and hit Smith's wharf. Joseph Hughes adrift struck brigantine Hope at Roche's wharf. Leader ashore at Antigonish, Speed wrecked at Cariboo Cove, Nimbus wrecked at Cape Negro, two men drowned, Pioneer ashore near Lunenburg, Java and Harvest Home hurt, Alhambra arrived safe, Kate Covent discharged cargo, Captain Gibbons drowned after Speed went ashore.
In Wilmington on December 23, a posse pursuing the negro murderer of Mr Fowler from Mooresville was overtaken two miles from town by a mob of 50 to 80 white men and black men. They captured Davidson after resistance, and his body was later found hanged from a tree two miles away. An officer escaped with Gillespie and jailed him in Statesville. Great excitement remains in Mooresville.
A blaze in Oxford Michigan destroyed Watson Waite Co dry goods Funstead hardware Hackett drug stores Kiles hotel Oxford Journal office and Masonic Hall totaling about 50000 with 10000 insured. Separate fires burned Santee flour mills near Baltimore loss 50900 and George W Cook residence five miles from St Johnsbury Vermont insured in Vermont Mutual.
Vienna Times correspondent reports Russia recalls its Afghanistan mission as Britain advances, while internal unrest grows. Nihilist demonstrations loom with arrests and police raids, and a rumored university closure. Police enforce strict measures including arms embargoes in St. Petersburg.
London reports show widespread poverty in the eastern district with crowded workhouses. Shoreditch Bethnal Green Hackney and Poplar suffer severe strain as thousands of idle dock laborers strain charitable funds. A relief committee forms in Haggerston but funds are insufficient to meet extreme need.
Prince Bismarck addresses the Federal Council urging a return to the 1818 Prussian customs framework and the Zollverein, aiming to shield German industry by duties on all imports not locally produced. London reports emphasize the need for autonomous taxation and warned against English iron. Berlin dispatch notes Bismarck and Finance Minister Hobrecht have reached a taxation reform accord.
London reports on December 20 Jellalabad occupation with friendly inhabitants. Calcutta notes Afghan notables greeting British troops and the Ameer leaving Cabul. Despatches discuss Yakoob Khan being proclaimed and Afghan chiefs’ defections possibly forcing terms. A Quettah dispatch says Candahar’s governor insists opposition to British is futile.
Berlin dispatch states the North German Gazette rebuts a New York American consent article claiming Germany sought Curacao St. Thomas Port Limon San Juan del Norte or Greytown and denies any colonial aims or planned conflicts with the United States. It says American statesmen know the report is false and no protest exists.
Advices from St. Croix indicate two Danish troop ships are due to reinforce Havana. Santo Domingo Congress meets on the first list and the presidential election occurs in the final three days of the month with Guillermo likely to be the acting executive elected. Deputies to the National Haity Assembly vote in January as party spirit remains high.
The Paris Bourse reports Credit Industriel and Societe Financiere with American syndicates have taken up the France America cable concession granted to Pouver Quertier by the government. Vienna note says Italy may join a joint occupation of key eastern areas if tranquillity returns. A Berlin dispatch notes Odessa says Gen Toddleben’s men prepare to return, seen as sign of near Turko Russian treaty. Constantinople moves to negotiate Novi Bazar and Bosnia terms with Austria. Rome dispatch: Count Corti heads to Constantinople. Vatican okays commemorative services for King Victor Emmanuel’s death in Rome churches except four basilicas. Berlin notes guards tightened to deter socialist emigration. one Mandl, an American citizen, barred from lecturing on western states prospects.
Cincinnati dispatch reports Archbishop Purcell saying he has written the Pope to be relieved due to old age infirmities. He addressed financial matters, reassuring his audience that investments made through him are secure and will be returned in due time.
Felix A. Savin former cashier of the Union Banking Company of BatroreE and his brother Marcus D. Savin of New York City have been indicted for conspiracy to defraud, following the bank's failure. The case details the alleged scheme and involved parties as the investigation proceeds.
Hartford awaits further testimony as the defense argues over company real estate values in West Virginia, St. Louis and Chicago. Judge Higgins cites Chicago property at $60,000 above appraiser, Gen Fullerton adds $100 in St. Louis, Samuel Coit testifies West Virginia mortgaged lands valued at $500,000. Next Thursday moves to admit New York downtown property value of $3,030,000, after a stipulation limiting further testimony.
Detroit honors the death of Congressman Williams with remains in state at his Woodward avenue home and a funeral at St Pauls Church. The Light Guard Common Council and the reception committee lead the officers in escort. City offices close tomorrow and a citizens meeting is planned to address the loss.
West Feliciana parish reports a negro named Cole vanished and a headless body found in a cistern. Inquest offered no clear identification or culprit. The Times notes many witnesses will present grievances to the Grand Jury. United States Deputy Marshal Barrow and Breda brothers claim forced departure from Natchitoches. they were warned by the mayor with threats of a mob attack. They left September 22 and have not returned. Breda says he hails from Natchitoches parish. They prepare to testify to the Grand Jury.
A Louisville scene reports a passenger train backing from Jeffersonville collided with a freight train at Prison Station near the Ohio River bridge. passenger engineer Pink Schell fatally injured while the fireman escaped. Separate incidents include a New York Central and Chicago express collision near Burrato with two deaths and a leg injury, a Grand Trunk Express derailment near Forrest killing the driver, and a Grand Trunk freight collision at Trenton, Ontario, killing a fireman and a brakeman.
Montrеral Gazette reports three men seized for stealing tools worth $20,000 from Hamburgers Co premises where they served as watchmen after a fire. Some goods recovered. The Gazette also accuses the local government of robbing by purchasing 30 acres from the Gale firm for a railway workshop site, alleging Hon Henry Stearns a government member is an owner.
San Francisco December 23 report lists official closing prices for mining stocks including Grand Prize Hale and Norcross St Julia Consolidated Bodie Bullion Caledon California Uhollar Consol'd Crown Point Eureka Conso Exchequer Gould and Curry Ophir Overman Raymond Sly Savage Sierra Union Consolidated Yellow Jacket and others, reflecting market activity for that day.
Wealthy St. Louis residents attended a late meeting to back a proposal for a branch of the St. Louis Kansas City and Northern Railway from Pattonsburg, Missouri, to Council Bluffs Omaha. Committees were named to solicit subscriptions and it is believed the required sum can be raised.
In Wilkesbarre on December 23 stockholders voted to liquidate the Wilkesbarre Savings Bank due to ruinous bank taxes and business dullness. Depositors will be paid in full and stockholders reimbursed in the near future.
At Mason Texas on Friday December 20 Menardville Green Johnson a former soldier was hanged for murder.
Walter Gibbons aged 43 foreman at Short and Frohman’s job printing house in Cleveland has been missing for 26 years after leaving Tuesday. Reports note other crimes and legal actions including a murder arrest near Wheeling, a road sale decision in Indianapolis, moonshine cases and a refinery attack, a cricket invitation from Secretary Webster, a Fleming ton murder, and fishery award claims by Canada and Newfoundland.
The seventy third annual New England Society dinner at the Fifth Avenue Hotel drew 228 guests led by President Appleton and figures like John Sherman and Evarts. Sherman urged national faith in coinage and resumption, praising Puritan heritage while urging business leaders to back policies restoring coin value and stable money.
A Rockland despatch reports the granite monument on the Fiddler Ledge entrance to Fox Island thoroughfare was entirely destroyed by Saturday night’s gale. The piece notes other regional misfortunes, including floods in Stark, a riotous prize fight in a Portland saloon disrupted by police, and local oddities such as a 101st birthday celebration in Saco.
Obituary notices honor Nathaniel P. Kemp a Jamaica Plain resident active in Sunday school, religious and benevolent work, business roles, and civic duties. Born 1814 in Maine, he led Sunday school at Jamaica Plain Baptist Church and served with the American Tract Society and Christian Commissions. The second obituary commemorates Sarah Wingate French of Chester New Hampshire, died December 18 aged 96 7, widow of Hon. Daniel French former New Hampshire Attorney General, with surviving children and descendants listed.
A roundup of diverse NH news includes Mrs Enos D. Barney’s suicide attempt and possible recovery, John T. Gibbs’ will contested over 211000 left to J B Page, and city reports of private club rooms promoting immorality. Eastern Railroad pays settlement, dividends may follow. a Rye youth’s lottery scam underscores gullibility. A North Hampton couple seeks another wedding after a botched legal ceremony, seven yoke of cattle stampede through Portsmouth streets, and notable trust appointments for Portsmouth Great Falls and Conway Railroad bonds. Keene committee warns road-bed and trestles need 65000 for safe service. Effingham v Milliken et al. proceeds in Ossipee. Nashua Iron foundry worker John Lovejoy suffers severe burn from molten iron spill. boot contained four pounds of cooled iron.
A St Johnsbury boy ages nine starts a solitary journey to California. The report notes one smallpox case in Cornwall with exposure of a few others, while Luke Piper’s simple assault conviction for shooting Farmer Kelsey in Salisbury last summer draws indignation over the verdict.
The report covers diverse events across Massachusetts towns including seven thousand dollars in counterfeit notes left worthless in Newburyport banks, a civil suit in New Hampshire involving twenty thousand dollars, and a deadly scarlet fever outbreak in Taunton with several child fatalities. It notes Newburyport’s debt reduction, a death by probable suicide in Lincoln, injuries to a Merrimac mills engineer, a tramp’s theft and fare payment in Pittsfield, a Taunton alderman fined for assault, substantial five year street-damage payouts in Lawrence, a Fall River mad cat bite, a Boston lawyer’s potential departure from Holliston with debts, and a large gymnastic show at Williston Seminary showing strong attendance and morale.
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