The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 2

lost which nover existed, and since self respect THE i YEAR. tion, has gone all over the world, and has been followed up with the assurances of intelligent citizens. The Eagle yesterday published an THE ALDERMEN. to tho Cits' Court for trial. the cause was first colled in March, tho District Attorney elected to try the two comrois8ioners and Water Purveyor Milne, and to defer tha trial, of Superintendent of Sewers Dady.

The causa was moved focitrlaJL in the xnontli above namod, and upon coming beforo the court tho counsel for the defendants chslleDgod tho panel of Jurors, on tha upon him, beat him, knocking out his front teeth and otherwise injuring him. Altec Travers had left him Shirley sought to hava him arrested, but the policeman, who hod not lean tho affray, deolinod to lnterfero. Returning up the street, Travors again sprang out upon him suddenly from behind a nowstand. Bhlrley had taken out a small pockotknifo and was removing tha dirt and blood from his clothing. Ha etruok out wildly with the idea of defendinu himself, with the knifa In TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 80, 1878.

oonnta of F. 8. Uassey aa Treasurer of ths KeTcaetM fund, wblcb report wo publisbed yesterday. Aid. Stewart moved that tho report bo laid over for consideration by tho Board of 1850, where tha matvr could be fought out.

Aid. O'Connoll, a member of the commltteo, who ra fusod to sign the report, said that in his opinion Mr. Massey ought not to pay a cant If Mr. Maaacy should pay. he should be compelled and not roqueatcd to pay, as tbo resolution attached to tbe roport put It.

The previous question was ordered and the moUoa to lay over was adopted Tjy the following rote: Affirmative Dwyer, McCarty, Kane, Stewart, Weir, O'Connoll, Kenna, Smith, Petry, Waters, Powora li. Negative Dimon, flnnder. Bay, Williams, Balrd, Fronch, Hacker, Frits, Seaman, Drcyer 10. FOUBTH AVENUE. Aid.

Weir offered a resolution, directing the Controller to transfer the balance remaining unexpended of the Slu.uiio raised in tho tax levy of 187H, for repairing Fourth avenue, to tha credit of tbe ame account neat the fraudulent aid seeker. The really honest sufferers are afraid to make known their wants, and the charitable and, wealthy ore discouraged from seeking out such cases. This has just been painfully Illustrated in the case of Howard, upon whom Justice Flammer and so many prominent citizens took pity in New York. In Christmas week the hearts of these kind persons were warmed with sympathy for misfortune. The piteous tale was credited at once, and Dives, no longer selfish, drove in his carriage to the hovel of Lazarus.

But Lazarus has proved a fraud. He had just come out of the Penitentiary and is an ex burglar known to the police. Yet even in this case, we would urge that the charity bestowed upon his wife and family have not been thrown away. The, poor woman is in a dying state and needed all the comforts sent her. Howard is now in jail and will doubtless be punished for his larceny and window breaking.

But the kind deeds done to his poor wife have is the offsDrinur of conscience, clearly no Alderman of the overage type, can lose his self respect. It is, upon the whole, amus ing to observo the fine rogrtra which our Aldermen have for each other, and how warmlv thev enlocize themselves. Oh all sorts of occasions they pass resolutions, de claring that they are the very salt of the earth. Of course they do not expect any outsiders to take them at their own estimate to suppose so would be to accuse them of idiocy. They know well that there are few men in Brook lyn who would trust them with an umbrella, or deem the silver spoons safe if they were permitted to use them.

No, they have a genuine pleasure in puffing themselves. Thev are so constituted that it is as easy for them to tickle their own vanity as it is to tickle the soles of their elephantine feet or scratch their enormous ears. If the reader will be good enough to keep this ex plauation in mind, he will not be bewildered hereafter, when he reads their tributes to their "noble selves." Let him also reflect upon the beneficence shown in the mental make up which enables self praise to gratify, when to look for other praise would be lunacy. How the Republicans Paid (or Kelly Our reporters have been following up the disclosures made last Saturday night, at the meeting of the Kings County Republican Club, about the money given by the Republicans in this county to run John Kelly as a decoy candidate. It appears that they even hired the Academy of Music for him, so that when he was talking about his desire to save the Democratic party he was having his bills paid by the Republicans.

In all, the local Republicans, by agreement with John Kelly, spent $7,000 on his canvass. It will be observed, also, that they did not deal with the great man at secondhand. He cannot say that some unauthorized agent thus compromised him. The agreement was made directly with him no intermediary and the sum which he specified was duly paid when needed. In short, Mr.

Kelly was in the field for the benefit of the Republicans, and they so highly appreciated his services that, as we have seen, they advaucod money liberally in his behalf and at his request. Old time Democrats throughout the State will read the disclosures which the Eagle contains to day with great interest. The next time Mr. Kelly presents himself at a Democratic convention he will doubtless be met at the door with an inquiry as to how much the Republicans are going to pay him for his services. Cliarity Diaueartenod.

Nothing does the cause of charity so much harm as the discovery that it has in this or that instance been lavished upon ingrates and impostors. For the credit of human nature it must be said that the world is not filled with hard hearted and selfish persons, but that thousands of men and women tread tho pavements of Brooklyn and New York to day who would never refuse to assist a follow creature, if they had any guarautee that they were not being imposed upon. To find the tramp, to whom he has. given work and board, repaying his kindness by robbing him in his absence, is certainly a valid reason with the fanner for refusing to place confidence in tramps for the future. To see tho beggar, who pleads starvation, fling away the meal given him and hear him curse the giver, is not an encouragement to similar acts of kindness toward others.

To give a stranger a dollar for his imaginary wife and family, who are perishing for lack of food and fire and then see him deliberately enter a low groggery and get drunk upon it is apt to "freeze the genial "current of the soul." The loss of a few dollars or the putting oneself out for the sake of an object who proves undeserving is the least part of the evil. Every honest man and woman who may be out of employment and suffering in consequence is cruelly injured by these impostors. The case of A having proved a tissue of falsehoods, it is not unnaturally though scarcely logically assumed that the case of is of the same fraudulent kind. The John Howards and Brothers Cheeryble of society get disheartened and many deserving cases are met with incredulity because other cases that seemed equally distressing were cunningly devised swindles. Nor is it only the philanthropist in his personal character who is disheartened and disgusted.

The political economist, the social scientist if, indeed, there be such a thing as social science the Christian who believes Hint a Heavenly Father has "set the solitary in "families," and endowed us with social instincts that we may bear one another's burdens and with those that weep," the socialist and higher type of communist, the social republican who is for equalizing, as far as may be, the lot of his fellows, all these several thinkers and workers out of the terribly hard problems of human life, stand aghast at the discovery that the misery they have alleviated had no existence except in the imagination of the swindler and their own credulity. It is not surprising under such circumstances to find the most benevolent individuals declaring that they will never run the chance of being taken in again. The late Archbishop Whalely who was a man of wide human sympathies and a political economist as well as moral philosopher of no mean order, denounced unsystematic charity in the British House of Lords, as an encourag mcnt to idleness andjerirne, and said, "Since I have been a member of this House I have "given forty thousand pounds in charity out 1 of my episcopal income, but I never yet gave a shilling to a beggar." We are not sure that Dr. Whately was altogether right, but we are sure that he was not altogether wrong in this principle and practice. There ought to be no beggars, and when society has worked out of the shell of feudalism and plutocraoy it is very probable that want will be only the Nemesis of misconduct, not of misfortune.

But that Utopian futuro is not yet, and we must deal with society as we find it. Want caused by sickness, the cruelty and selfishness of others and inability to find work, is a ghastly reality among us which cannot be theorized away. And, however irritating and dispiriting it is to find that we have been deceived and our best impulses fooled with by deceivers, it is not philosophic and still less is it Christian to shut our ears in future to "the "cry of the poor and destitute." The very next case wo meet with may ba one of genuine dlsh oas and undeserved affliction. How many deaths are caused through the re puke of those whose hearts have been steeled to pity by repeated impositions. When that poor, unprotected, white souled American girl, Alice Grace Oswald, flung herself from the arches of Waterloo Bridge in London on ono dark night in 1873, how many, from the Queen upon tho throne to the humble mechanic in his lodgings, would have gladly given her the helping hand had they known of her terrible distress.

A gentleman testified that he noticed the weeping figuro on tho bridge, and paused with the half purpose of inquiring if ho could be of service to her. But second thoughts" are not the best iu doing good. When the impulsa is upon us wo should act upon it, for it may be a divine inspiration and guidance, and it oan be nothing worse than an error of judgment. The good bishop, in Victor Hugo's "Lea Miser "ables," did not stop to argue all'the pros and cons before he gave shelter to the convict and outlaw. And when he found his silverware and sacred vessels stolen, he had the consolation of knowing that he bad done what in him lay to give another chance to a fallen man.

But the case of Alice Oswald illustrates another terrible evil that results from the frequenoy of imposture. The fable tella us of the shepherd boy who raised the cry of wolf so often that when the wolf really came upon the flock he was still supposed to be sounding a falsa alarm and the villagers would not go the rescue. That poor young girl would doubtless have forced her tale into the ears of the police or of passers by, had she not already been repulsed at the office of the American Consulate. Who would believe her story that she had been brought to England as governess in a family that had. paid her off on arrival, and that she wa3 starving and shelterless, with no means of returning to her own country? She took it for granted that she would be deemed an impostor, and she chose death rather than swerve from the lines of virtue and purity.

Her distrust of the humanity of those she met was wrong, but it was natural, for no doubt she would have met with many a cold, skeptical and insulting answer before the "Good Samaritan crossed her way. But he would have come at length if she had waitod. i So then there ia a double injury inflioted bv interview with Justice Fishery wno paia a visit to Menlo Park, "and came back very much con vinced against his will that the days of the poor eras and nreposterous gas bills were over. Justice Fisher, if we are not mistaken, had a good solid reason for finding fault with Mr. Edison's invention, since he owns gas stock, and his hearty eulogies of the new light are all the more creditable to his honesty and intelligence, as well as more re assuring to the public on this account.

Jus tice Fisher pronounces the Edison lamp a ereat suooess. With twice tha number of lamps on the circuit that there ought to have been, they burned fairly bright, and he is con vinced that the nroblein is solved. Edison himself now discusses tha electric lamp as a fait accompli, and is making preparations to manufacture tho necessary apparatus. As he says, the electrio light is not only better and cheaper than gas, but its manufacture is much simpler, while in point of safety and uniformity of light it excels everything even the wild ideas of enthusiasts. While Mr.

Edison has been working away at Menlo Park, however, the rest of the electric world has not been idle. He has come out first in tho race, but Dr. Wedermann fairly takes the second place. His experiments in London were followed up in Paris, and a Dr. Hertz, an American, has given him great help and secured the full development or nis light.

Like Edison, both Wedermann and Hertz addressed themselves to the in candescent principle as against the variable, baffling and unsatisfactory voltaic arc upon which the Jablochkoff light depends. The Wedermann lamp, however, does not seek to dispense with the destruction of the incandescent medium, but to make due allowance for it. At a recent trial in the foyer of the Grand Opera House, the Wedermann and Jablochkoff systems were pitted against one another under conditions not favorable to tho former. The result, however, demonstrated tho immense superiority of the Wedermann light. Eight Jablochkoff lamps were supplied by an engine of thirty three horse power, while twelve Wedermann burners were illuminated by a six horse power engine.

In point of cheapness, therefore, the Russian lamp was at a great disadvantage. Each light had to be supplied with two currents, while tho twelve Wedermann lamps were all on one circuit. Finally, the most serious objections to the Jablochkoff, which is the light now in operation here, is the variability and flicker of the light and its distressing violet hues were entirely overcome. The incandescent carbon had utterly surpassed tha Voltaic" arc in tho quality of light produced, and in the cheapness of its supply. However, exoellont as were the results Dr.

Wedermann has only shown tho superiority of his system to that of the Jablochkoff. Edison has already gone beyond hiui by placing his carbon in vacuo. CURRENT EVENTS. Governor Van Zandt has accepted the appointment of Minister to Russia which President Hayes tendered him recently. A grand mass meeting is to be held at Chick erlng Hall, on tho 14th or 15th of January, in aid of tho proposed World's Fair.

Mr. H. G. Stebbins, President of tho World's Fair Comniitteo, is to preside, and a number of distinguished men will speak. The committee will decide which of the two dates will be best, and will announce it shortly.

A meeting of tho American Geographical Society was held in New York last evening for the purpose of finally discussing the intoroceanic railroad question, which has engaged the attention of the society for some years. The advantages of various routes were set forth, and the President, Chief JUBtice Daly, closed the discussion by stating that they would not eit again to consider the Bubject. He announced that M. Do Los seps, after visiting Panama, would visit New York, and the society would give him a public reception. A mass meeting was held in Newark last evoniug at tho Opera Houso to raise funds for the rolief of tho Irish sufferors.

Mayor Henry J. Yates was chosen chairman, and Vicar Genoral Doane was the first speaker. Mr. Cortlandt Parker was the next, and his address was an eloquent one. Several othor speeches wero heard, after which an executive committee was appointed to take chargo of aU monoy raised or to bo raised for the purposo named.

A considorablo sum was contributed at tho meeting. The colored burglar, Charles Franks, who ontered the residence of General Hendriokson at No. 151 West Forty eighth street, New York, last week and beat the cook, was before the Yorkvllle l'ollco Court yeBterday on a complaint of felonious assault preferred by her. He was committed for trial in default of $2,000 bail, and was hold in default of $10,000 on tho charge of burglary. FrankBwas Identified by Detective Price as Charles McPherson, who had been convict ed of a burglary committed by him in New York eioi yeara ago, and for which ho got ten years in the State Prison.

The Secretary of the Interior favors the bill which Congressman Bolford, of Colorado, will introduce on the first day after the recess, to pay $10,000 to Mrs. Mocker, the widow of Agont Meeker $5,000 to Josephine Meeker, $10,000 to Mrs. Price and $5,000 to Mrs. Dresser. Tho bill is almost certain to pass.

Secretary Schurz stated yesterday that tho White liiver Utes had forfeited all their rights under tho treaty. Ho thinks it a question whethor tho Southern Utes, by failing to give up tho Indians engaged in the massacre of Agent Meekor and his associates, have not forfeited their treaty rights alBO. The Secretary is of the opinion that the only method of settling this trouble will be to remove the Utes to the Uintah Reservation. Mr. Cornelius M.

Meserolo has'sued Mr. William H. Vanderbilt for the sum of $150,000, which he claims is duo him for important services, rendered in connection with tho suits against Mr. by his coheirs under the will of the lata Cornelius Vandorbilt. Mr.

Moserolo wag an old friend and companion of Commodore Vanderbilt, and the litigation creates much interest in New York. Should the suit ever come to trial the seamy side of the negotiations which resulted in the amicable settlement of the claims of the contestants, is promised. Mr. Vanderbilt denies all the matter contained lu the complaint, and deolares that he has not paid anybody, directly or indirectly, nor agreed to pay anybody anything for the discontinuance of the suits. Mr.

Vanderbilt was examined in the Court of Common Pleas, New York, yesterday morning. The Hudson River Railroad Company yesterday bought for $200,500 the land west of the railroad track to the North Eiver, from Sixty sixth to Sixty seventh street, New York. The land is a fractional part of the intended purchase for tho new and extended freight depot for this company. Tho projoct inoludes the entire section from the track near Eleventh avenue to the river, together with all the water front from Fifty ninth to Seventy second street. The new depot when completed will enable freight to be shipped from Europe to any place in the United States with but oae transfer, and that at this depot The company haro already erected large cattle sheds, two huge elevators and numerous tracks for the storage of hundreds of cars on that section.

Tho new depot will not intei fere with the regular business at the St. John's Park or Thirtieth street depot, but will toad rataer to relieve thero. The man Howard, whose story before the New York Justice, on Christmas eve, of a starving wife and child, for whom he had been driven to steal, enlisted the sympathy of the Justice and tha charitable public, has been proven to be an impoBtor. It was discovered that he had been in the State Prison several times, and had received various sums of money by bis reoital of harrowing talos of suffering and woe. Mr.

Potter, of the firm of E. Potter of Bleecker street, for whom Mrs. Howard worked occasionally, said yesterday that tha employes of tha firm had raised two subscriptions, amounting to $11, lor her relief, $10 of wbioh had been given her within a week. He said so far aa the woman herself was concerned he believed her to ba an object of charity. Howard was recognized yesterday, by a Broadway policeman, whom he asked to go to Mr.

Theodore Moss sad denounce him. He was advised to go himself and make a fuU confession. This he refused to do, but agreed Co give himself up if wanted, and appointed a meeting place with the policeman in case he was wanted. Ho kept his appointment and was placed in a call. Mrs.

Howard is very low with consumptlop and oanno.t live. Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, has written a public letter denouncing the scheme to place the Indian Territory under a Territorial government. Ha refers to the bill introduced in Congress to thlB effect, and says that a powerful lobby is at work to secure its passage. The Bishop recounts the solemn pledges suoh a step would violate, and reminds the people of this country that if the law (s passed the tribes In that Territory will revolt. These tribes are the Cherokeos, the Choctaws, Creeks, Sominolos, Osagos, Wyandottes, Senecaa, Delawsres and Shawncos.

The Cherokees and Delawares have been faithful to the pledges made to the white men, and havo fought for the latter on many battle fields. They hare been treacherously treated again and again by the Government, and if this bill is passed the fifteen thousand warriors will fight the Government. Bishop Whipple warns the nation that it will perjure itself to permit such a thing. He quotes the utterances of Jeremiah Evarts, and of his son, the Secretary of State, and appeals to the people of tha country to compel Congress to respect the treaties made with these Indians, In whose Interests Mr. Evarts, half a century ago, and bis son very recently, have said the truth when extolling their good behavior and their patience under repeated wrongs.

The latest news regarding the disaster at the Frith of Tay, by the breaking of tho Tay bridge, near Dundee, Sootlond, is to the effect that there wars 800 pasaeDgoru on tha train, beside the company's servants, and that oil perished. No bodies were recovered up to yesterday. Tbe Provost) of. Dundoe a party of citizens went out to the scone of tho disaster la a steam toat, and made; a thorough search in BTflBll boats about thobridge, in the of rescuing some of the passengers, bul no trace of any survivors was found. The place where tha train went down la fun ot quickuands, and if the bodies of tho drowned are not recovered within a few days they will become imbedded with the cars beyond recovery.

A later dispatch says that one body was recovered and that in a mutilated condition. It has not been learned whether the girders of the bridge were carried away by the hurricane which was blowing, before the train entered the bridge, or whethor tho girders and the train went down together. Tho train fell eighty eight feet before reaching the water. The gap made in the bridge is nearly a half mile in width. It is believed that there were a number of young children on the train, but tho railroad officials are unable to give the number of passengers, though they claim' tuat It has been greatly overestimated.

Last Regular Sleeting of the Board of 1879. Wlntllnff Up the Bnsiness of the Year. Honest John French's Taledictorj Address, and How ft was Cut Short by Alderman Fritz An Amusing' Discus sionParks for the Eastern District Believing the Bondsmen of Isaac Badeau and Evan M. Johnson The Massey Case to be Disposed of by the Board of 1680. Miscellaneous Matters.

The last regular meeting of tue Board of Aldermen of 1879 proved to be on iMarestlng one. Iu the Eaole of yesterday waa published a report of tho proceedings up to a quarter to three o'clock, what occurred afterward is presented below AN EASTERN DISTRICT PARK The Committoo on Iarks and Bridges, to whom was referred the petition of O. 8. Harding and others to have the plot of ground known as McCormack's Park purchased by the city for use a publlo park, reported that thoy have given tho matter ao referred due consideration, and in publlo session held In Common Council Committee Boom, ths citizens and taxpayers of tha Eastern District, in which the sold oark i located, wore afforded a hearing In which tho subject was fully discussed. Your committee behove that thoro should be ona or mora parks established in the Eastern District, but as tho Common Council has.no power in the premises, unless authority be given It by the Legislators, offer for adoption tha following Resolved, That tha Corporation Counsel ba end he hereby is directed to draft an act to be submitted to tho Legislature for tha establishment ot one or more parks in the Eastern District.

The resolution was adopted. Aid. O'Connoll moved that tha Corporation Counsel first submit tha draft to the Board before eendine it to Albany. Adopted. OIVLNO HONEST JOHN A SEND OFF.

Aid. Dwyor offered tho following Whereas. The close of the vear 187D wlllsovorouroffl clal connection with one whose record for integrity and fidelity duriua five years of Aldermanlo service ono year of which as Prosldont of tho Board aud whose oonsplcuous labors for tho advancement and protection of tho interests of tho city, may woll couimond and entitle him to tho confidence and honor of its citizens therefore, Resolvta, That on tho return of John French, to private Ufa, or In whatever sphere of Ufa ho may hereafter labor, tha members of thla Board do horaby extend to bim their sincere and earnest dosiro for his happluoud and prosperity. Aid. Fronch I hardly know what to say on this subject.

I havo boon a member of tho Board, it is truo, Ave I have oftentimes taken positions iu matters that have not boon always with tho majority, and I could not expect in all cases to agree with every member of tho Board. In 1S75, I ontered this Board a stranger as to itsdutioa, Bnd also as toany particular knowledge of politics. I have beon a monitor of a party of courso a great many yeara, and was olentod by a party aud caino hero as a party maD. I waa not aware at tho tlma that party lines would bo drawn so ciun iu all matters that might como beforo tho Board. I have learned in tho courso of tho flvo years that I havo been here that it would bo better for the City of Brooklyn if It were not so; if tne goutle mon elected to this Board could act consctontlously upon all matters without reforonco to politics, In my judgment this City of Brooklyn would bo much bettor served.

But wo aro like all other bodies, sir, elected by political parties; wt r0 obliged to do more or leas their bidding, and wo take a prty viow of UiIurs, and of courso, cannot alwaya ploase evou oir friouds. Wo differ oftentimes aa much as our political opponents and therefore it Is a mattor that au Aldormua Is sovoroly criticised by botn friend and foe. I cannot complain, ai I haro said, two or throe yoara ago, ol any want of criticism in reference to myself. Aid. French suddenly Jumped from thla subject to what had been done by tho Board during his various terms.

lie began in 1873 with the election of Mr. Jacob I. Borgon, as ITosldent of tho Board; took iu a few of the other events of tho year; apoka of tho initiate proceedings in tho mattor of the orcction of tho new Municipal Building In 187fi, and waa In the mi Jut of a lurid and highly original description of tho Centennial celebration at Fort Greene, whon ha waa RUDELY INTERRUPTED by Aid. Fritz, who had boon maulfoating considorablo impationco at the prolixity of Honest John. "I will ask," said Fritz, "If the gontloman from tho Twentieth has any resolution to offor These matters ho is speaking of havo all boon gouo over many times before." Thero wsa a roar of laughter.

Honest John appeared astounded that such an indignity should have been offered him. I don't desiro to detain tho Board a single moment," ho stammered out. I thought aa wo woro here fur tho laBt timo, 1 might say something, but I don't desire to ask for any privilege which any member ol the Board objects to." "Oh, I don't object," said Fritz, wearily, ''but these things aro so familiar to everybody around tho Hall that they Beoin to mo to be a twice told tale." Thore was moro laughter and Honest John began to get angry. "If I had the honor of Bitting here," ho said, "aud my friend from the Twonty secoud (Aid. Frit.) was going out of the Board, whoso faco I should never sea again, whose lips should never be opened again iu tltii prcsonco, I think I bo tho last man to raiie in my seat and raise an objection.

I say this without any feeling, but I am really ostonishod that my dear friend on my right, here (Fritz), should take thicourse." Fritz, rising slowly, Bald I will state I don't feol very well aud timo is pressing." Well, I'll be short," prouiisod Honest John. This little pleasantry (turning to the other memljera of Uio Board) between blm and mo will nut affect mo at all. I don't take offence at tho gontloman from ths Twouty socond. Ho don't mean anything." "No. no, of course not," chimed in Fritz, whilo tho spectators laughod louder than before.

"And I apologize for him," said Honest John, with a most benevolent oxoresslon of countenaure. "Ain't that all taffy 7" inquired Aid. Waters in low tonofl. Aid. Fronch kopt his promise of brevity.

In fact, he Bald no moro save that he was willing to sit until six o'clock and listen to anything tho gontloman from tha Twenty second or any other member had to say. Aid. Fritz did not seem disposed to havo the fun ond at once. Ho assured tbe Board that there was not a member for whom ho had more reverence than ho had for Aid. French.

Every movement of his official caroer hod boon of tho most pleasant character with him and he was only sorry that his friend French should think for a moment that ho endeavored to Btop tho musical flow of his (French's) language. Laughter. They all know Aid. French stood right in the Board and thero Was no man ho would noooar follow "but," continued Fritz, "time Is time and we can't throw away time by listening to things that are so familiar to tha ear and many things, which wero unpleaaaat to remember. I love the oldman to day (laughter and although he leaves the Board, what thoy threw out in derision, ho will livo in my memory aa Honest John French.

IjiughterJ. Now, es we are assembled here as a sort of mutual admiration Bocloty, we will vote ourselves good follows. That'a Just what it all amounts to." All hands laughed, and Fritz sat down. THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT. Aid.

Kenna offered tho following Revived, That the thanks of this Board ot Aldermen aro due and are hereby cordially tendered to President William H. Kay, Alderman of the Thirteenth Ward, for the ability, integrity and promptness always dlxplayrd by him iu'the discharge of the often intricate and perplexing duties of hia position; also for the wwdura and manly impartiality of his rulings and his uniform kindness and courtesy to all tha members of this Common Council during tho current year. Aid. Konua supplemented the resolution with a short speech eulogizing President Bay as a presiding ofheer and as a man, and expressing tho hope that tho resolution would bo unanimously adopted. Au.

i roucn snouiu do oiad lo near rrom tho cen. Human from tho Twonty seoond on thla subject, whilo I should like to say a word myself. Timo 1b BUort. and according to the blessed Book, uo man is sure of llfo. French's bevenoe.

Thon Fritz made a rambling apoech, principally about Mxnaelf and containing no alluvion whatever to President Bay or tha resolution of Aid. Kenna. He said ho knew no party whon right waa at stak. He Ifad supposed thero wero two partieB In tba Board, but ho had found thoro wero three, and that Fritz stood alone, tike Logan, tho laat ot his roco, or like Afarlua on tho ruins of Carthago. It waa supposed that Fritz referred to tho fact that both Republicans aud Democrats deserted him when ho recently sought to prevent tho confirmation of Collector.

He might have explained this more fully, and might have made other tnlnga cloar had not Honest John, who was still smarting under bis treatment at the hand; of tbe gentleman from tbo Twenty second, suadonTy interrupted him. "Coma, come," aald Honest John, with delightful maliciousness, "time is short. I must say wo havo board all this beforo all this tha gontloman is speaking of. Como, time is pressing." Tha audionca roared, but Fritz kept on talking and might have continued until the closing hour, had uut Hofioet John raised the point of order that ho was not speaking to the question. Deputy Clerk JIoNamara ruled that tho point of order was well taken.

Fritz immediately dropped into his aeat and was heard no more. The resolution or Aid. Kenna was adopted, and President Kay briefly responded, thanking tha Board for this oxproeslon of approbation and saying that as a public official, and as a private citizen, it had been hia aim to do nothing but that which was right. Ha parted with the rotiriug members with regret. One of them weut to a hlghor position, and he wished tho others were going tho same way; but they all conld not bo elooted, as he and thoy well knew.

Laughter. Aid. Konna offered resolutions, which ware adopted unanimously, tendering the thanks of tha Board to William O. Bishop, City Clerk, and his assistants, Denis HaNamara, Jamas II. Tully, Theodore J.

Betts, Michael Cummlngs, Joseph O. Wlteon, James Caaai dy and Thomas iloghun to cammittco dorks Edward W. Price, Isaac B. Crane and William Frantz to Sergeant at Arms Alex. Kay, Assistant Sergeant Thomas H.

Rogors, ifossonger'Jas. II. Butler, Keeper Patrick Toriney, of tha City HalL and Assistant Keeper Francis W. Weeks, for faithful and efBoiuui services during tha year. TUX nADBAU AND JOHNSON BONDSMEN EELEABED.

Aid. Kenna offered the following rffterras. Iu a certain controversy which existed bo tween tba City of Brooklyn and Isaac Badeau, lato Collector of Taxes and Assessments, the said Badeau, for (to purpose of settling the same, convoyed to said city certain real estato, whloh waa accepted by said city therefore, in consideration of tho premise, Rrtotied, That tha official bond of said Iaaac Badeau bo and tbe same Is hereby canceled, and tho sureties named therein and each of thom are horeby roloased and discharged from all obligation and liability on said bond. Resolved, That tha oflicial bond of Evan JI. Johnson, formerly Controller of tbo City of Brooklyn, bo and the aams la hereby also vacated, and tho sureties namod therein and each of them aro and Is hereby released and discharged from all obligation and liability thereunder.

Aid Kocna oxplalned that tho prosecution waa referred to the Law Committoo which afterward recommended a stay and it waa stayed. A number of tho sureties had died and he thought those who remained belnir unablo to pay should bo relieved from tho annoyance to which they were constantly subjected to in bualnoss. He thought the same might be said in tba case of ei Controller Johnson. Aid. French favorod a reference of tho mattor to tbo Law Committee of 1880, for moro careful consideration, and urged that the Corporation Counsel give a written opinion In regard to it.

Ho (Aid. French) certainly could not vote intelligently now. He moved to refer. Aid. Dimon said he should lika to know whether thero woro any proceedings on foot now.

It would bo very unwise, be thought, discharge tho obligation until they were sure it was tha proper course to pursue. At tbia point tha mattor was laid over, but was brought np again by Aid. French, who seeing the Corporation Counsel near Aid. Dimon, asked tbo latter if Mr. DeWitt had givan an opinion In tha matter to him.

Aid. Dimon replied in the negative and added that ho was convinced that it would be Improper to take action then and there. There was a liability and it could and ought to be enforced. Ha said that two things were certain There was a deficiency and bonds were, given to cover It. The request to dlacSarge ths bondsmen should not be granted merely because Tt was made on tha contrary, ths whole mattor should ba thoroughly examined, and In that view he favored Its referonca to the Law Committee of 1880.

Aid. Kenna hoped the motion to refer would be rejected. Ha believed that none of the money was collectable, and bad, therefore, offered his resolutions. Prealdent Bay aald that while Ultra was Justice in Aid. Konna's views, tha city ought not to suffer.

Tba city had held certain property at security under tha theory that its valua would rise, ut instead of that. It fell. Borne of the sureties bad offered to pay at the time, but other had held out, and he thought the whole) matter should bo referred. Aid. French argued that justice demanded that tha matter should be referred and a report mad.

The motion to refer was lost by the following rota Affirmative Dimon, Stewart, Oundcr, Ray, Williams, Balrd, French, Hacker, Fritz and Seaman 10. Negative Dwyer, UcCarty, Kane, Weir. O'Connoll, Donovan, Kenna, Smith, Pctry, Waters, Drayer, Powers 12. The resolutions were then adopted by tha following vote Afflrmatlvo Dwyer, McCarty, Kane, 8towart, Walr, O'Connoll, Donovan, Kenna, Bmitb, retry. Waters, Dreyor, Powers 13.

Negative Dimon, (Junder, WIlMamt, Balrd, Hacker, Bearaan 0. Not voting Altken, Oraham, Bay, French, Fritz. 6. Absent Aid. Block.

THB ASSET INVESTIGATION. Aid Freuch, from the Special Committee, presented the report in roforance to tho Investigation of th oo Review of the Local Events of a Twelvemonth. Business in the Snpreme Conrt, the City Court, tho Surrogate's Court and In the Criminal Courts. Business in the Supreme Court during the year which Is closing has been much more brisk than in the "year preceding. Still lawyers complain that they are making bat little money, although they are worklug bard.

A person who is in the habit of attending the sessions of the various branches of the Supremo Court for any length of time, cannot but be impressed with the fact that there must be a perfect army of lawyers in tbe two oitios to be connected by the great Bridge. Every time the court assembles thore are, of courso, many old faces, but there are also now faces not one or two, but to the number of a dozen or even a score, Notably this ia observable st Special Term and on the calendar days of the Olroult Court. The litigation which all these professional gentlemen represent must of course be is always in some direct way oonnectea witn Brooklyn. For tho Information of such as happily have no business in courts, it may be said that the Supreme Court con slsts, of Chambers, Special Term, General Term, and the Ciroalt Court, and Court of Oyer ana lermlner. in Chambers orders are made by the judge and motions are made.

In Special Term orderB are made by the court, and arguments are heard on motionB relating to actions at law or In equity or in special proceedings. Equity causes are also tried at Bperiai Term. General Term is composed of two or three judges who sit to hoar cases on appeal. The Cir oult Court Is so called because tha Judges go round to tho voriouB counties in the Judicial department and hold the court, which is for the trial of issues of law and fact. The criminal branch of the Circuit Court is called the Court of Oyer and Terminer and thero all criminal matters of a serious nature are generally tried.

xue circuit Court is held In Brooklyn about ono hundred and twenty days in the year, more or less, and perhaps some four or five hundred cases are disposed of every Tho Oyer and Terminer only "assembles when there Is business for it to do. The Special Term is in session perhaps a hundred and fifty days in tho year, and on an average from ten to twenty contested motions aro mode daily and from ton to flftv ex parte motions. At tho General Torm, which moots THBEE TIMES A YEAB In Brooklyn, about seventy or eighty appeals are disposed of each term. From this it must bo apparent that a very large amount of business is transacted yearly in the Supreme Court of Brooklyn. Very much of it, however, is of suol a nature as to be wholly uninterest ing to any except the parties immediately concerned, and much of it is if bo simple and brief a character as to occupy the court for only a minute or two.

During the year, which it; aimost gono, however, thore hava been some very interesting cases before tho Supreme Court in this city. The readers of the Ea.gi.k may still runemborjiow at tho very beginning of tho year, while tie cold winds wero blowing and the eleet and snow were flying, the white haired philanthropist, Peter Cioper, came across the East River to defend hlmsolf before a jury of this county against a charge of malicious slander. Mr. Wallace P. Groom, the publisher of New York mercantile siiaoi, sued Peter Cooper for $50,000, alleging that the old man had slandered the plalatiu with malice in his heart, and damaged his character to that extent.

For many days the trial wont on, and tho jury at last exonerated Mr. Cooper by finding i verdict in his favor. Then tho old gontloman want back to Now York and continued his 'abors of good will. Poor old Neil Douorty, who wished to bo a philanthro pist after he was doul, left his property to erect a school In his native parish in Ireland for the education of poor children. Tho will was set aside by tho Supremo Court, and the Court of Appeals sustained tbe judg ment.

Ever since, tho matter has been in and out of court, and is still undecided, fresh claimants and fresh lawyora starting up dally, and tho estate dwindling aa the bills of costs increaso. If there is any virtue ia midnight; if there is any avenging ghost; if it bo compatible with patent caskets and thb rules of cemetery corporations, now is the time for tho lato Noll Doherty, formerly of Schormsrhorn and Court streets. to appear with his brogue and say a word or do a deed which shalt satisfy all those concerned that he intended his property to go for the benefit of tho poor boya of hia native parish, and not into tho maws of legal cormorants ON THIS SIDE THE ATLANTIC Of the Duiloy and Livingston suit, which has been on appeal in tho Supremo Court during tho past year, and has just been decided by the Court of Appeals in favor of Mr. Livingston, nothing need bo said, 86 the mattor is now before the readers of the Eagle in it3 latest form and will probably Boon bo ended, one way or tho other. A matter which has created considerable stir among mmbers of tho bar.is the remarkable way in which that ii torlous shoplifter and expert thief, Black Lena, has escaped punishment.

She was captured as far back as 1875, in the act of stealing in Journeay Burnham's, on Atlantic avenue. She and a confederate wore sont to jail, awaiting trial. They both escapod from the jail. Before this, thousands of dollars had been offered to got Black Lena admitted to ball, but District Attorney Brltton refused to allow the women to get a chance to eludo punlshmont, bo far as he was concerned. She got out, however, and a long time afterward she was captured in Boston, sent on here, tried, sentenced to lour years and six months, and depositod in tho Pent tentiary.

But she got out in a few wooks on a writ of certiorari and a stay, her counsel promising that if her conviction was affirmed she should It was affirmed and she did return; But a few weeBB after nahi she was pardonod. out through tho intercession of her Brooklyn friends, and was at liberty just in time to resume her avocations amid the crowds of Christmas and Now Year's purchasors in the large establishments of New York City and Brooklyn. The oases of tho Supervisors indicted for misdemeanor in connection with the drug contract of Harrison Brothers is too roah in the rtemories of all to require more than a passing mention. None of thorn were convicted, In tho case, too, rf J. Dady, Indictod along with Commissioner Flaherty and Bennett, a nolle prosequi has bean altered, and therefore nothing further need bo said aboui that mattor.

Ono of tho most remarkable casei before tho Supreme Court was the suit of Gevert Geridn against the Betts' Brothers, of the Eastern Hotel, Kew York, to recover $10,800, which Gerkin alleged he left in an ovorcoat which they kept for Beourlty fo? the payment of a breakfast. Tho plaintiff was AN OLD, SHREWD LOOKING FELLOW, dressed in anoleut garments, patched in a most extraordinary fashion. He told a mat marvelous story with wonderful coolness. Whilo ha was living in cow stables, and borrowing a dollar from any one who would lend him it, ho carriod around him, according to his own account, $16,800 In leather belt. One morning when he got up, ho put the money in a pocket book, as tho bolt hurt him, and tton stuck the pocket book in the side pockot of an Old Spring overcoat, which, though it was the middle of July, he carried over his arm.

Whin ho wont Into tho EiBtern Hotel that very morning to get breakfast he put tho overcoat on a chair bostdo him. When Mr. Betts received the ovorcoat as a pbdgo for twouty five cents tho owner never said there wiB money in it to the amount of $16,800 or five cents; noithor did he como back for the coat and have Mr. Bolls arrested until five weeks afterward. The jury disagreed, that is to say, some old patent juror ono of thjao who somehow or other make their living by getting on Juries held out, and so eleven men were balked and jjnatice delayed.

Tha most important thing before! the Supreme Court during this year was the matter cf the Kings County Elevated Railway. The commissioners appointed by tha court reported in favor of Bond's having the right build bis road over the leading thoroughfares of the city, including Fulton streflt. The'General Term confirmed the report of the commissioners, but, owing to irrogu'ority, a roargument was prlered, and the General Term of the Supreme Court niw has tho question under consideration. All through thb year and in almost every session of the court eome question affeatiag Capey Island and its owners has come up. There has been a great fight over those few square miles of marsh, and; the struggle will continue probably for some time to olma Foreclosure suits have also been a very noticeable feature in tho business of the Supremo Court, one insurance com.

psny having entered ss many as sixty judgments of foreclosure in one day. The City Court. The course of litigation in the City Court has not possessed any marked characteristics during tha post year, and although a great deal ot business baa been transacted, the only oas3 out of ths common was the trial of the two Commissioners ot City Works, which took place last Spring. The deoislon of the Court ot Appeals some years ago, curtailing the jurisdiction of the court to the city limits, has had tha effect of negativing the Idea which doubtless was intended by the ramers of the law constituting the oourt, and has caused it to be of less assistance to the Supreme Court than was at first intended. The amendment to the Constitution now pending, to empower tha City Oourt Judges to sit as Justices of the Supreme Court will remove, in a large measure, tho diffloulty arising from a limited jurisdiction, and will relieve tha pressure upon the calendars of the Supreme Court.

Many important law points have arisen in connection the oase before the court, and upon these the judges have handed down decisions ot moment, settling noma very intricate questions. The City Court Bench has a wide reputation for legal ability, and its decisions ore quoted with respeot in the courts all over the State. One noteworthy feature is the frequency with whloh actions are brought under the Civil Damage act, against the keepora of liquor stores and the proprietors of tho buildings where saloons are rented, by the wives or 'ausbands of those who suffer from intemperance. This law allows the husband or wife to recover damages for the neglect resulting from the intemperance of the mat. rlmonlal partner from the saloon keepers supplying tha liquor, or the owner renting the saloon, after due notice to them not to seU the person liquor.

Ia one case before the court during the past year it was the husband who brought the suit to recover damages for tha liquor sold his wife. He obtained a rerdlct for several hundred dollars. In nearly every case, however, it ia the wife who is the plaintiff, and it is worth of remark as attesting the sympathy of thtaverage Jury, that in about svery case, the plaintiff is successful The result has neon to make tho saloon keepers wttous. about selling liquor. As matter of course, tha law meets with but little favorjwith Jwrrs, andit Is rumored that tJorta will be mada to repeal the law.

In one case before' tha' court there were several salts Bgainst olfrerent. RMcn keepers. Some stories that have been told upon 'tha; Witness stand in connection with these oases would make excellent material for temperance lectures. The case of the two Indicted Commissioners of City Works, John W. Flaherty and George 0.

Bennett, was the most noteworthyjeause before ths City Court, both as to the length of tho trial and the interests involved. It was tried before Chief Judge Nellson and consumed nearly a The last Grand Jury of tbe year 1873 found indictments against the two commissioners and two of their subordinates, Water Purveyor Milne and Superintendent of Sewers Dady. The offense charged W09 misdemeanor, and tho of ths indictment was that they had squandered the money of the city by fllllng'the department with Einacurists. The indlotment was found in tha Court of Oyer and Terminer, was transferred to tha Sessions and thence ground that it had not been properly drawn, and in the manner specified by law. It was a new point and a very adroit ons.4 Previous motions to quash the In diotmonts had failed, but this last objection provod ef fective, it was found upon examination of the stat utes, and an Inquiry into the method of drawing the panel, that tho law had not been complied with upon tecnnical point, in that the requisite number of judites had not been present at the drawing by the Commis sioner or Jurors, although this particular panel had been drawn in the Bame manner as nearly every other panel.

Thero was no question but what the panel bad been honestly drawn, and in a manner supposed to ua in accordance with the law. Tho mistake had been in considering the Justices of Soasiona as tlllino the demand of the law for the presence of Judges. The point was novel, and the prosecution was taken by sur prise, ine law however proved to be exnlicit and mandatory in its wording, and the chief Judge holding tue oojection well taken, quashed the. panel and tha trial went over until a new Jury competent to try, could ba summoned, and it was May before the caso could be again reached. This point, with regard to the drawing of the jury, caused a rectification in tha manner of drawing jury panels, and since that tlmeall the requirements of tha law nave bean compiled with.

It waa thought at flrBt mat as tne same mistake for it was nothing mora had been mado in previous panels, that tho udgmentB obtained in othor causes previously tried could be set aBido, but it waa decided that as objection to tbe panel had not been mado at tho time of trial, all objootlon was estopped. Consequently, the only result of the error was the dolay In the trial of this particular case. A very general impression prevailed In the minds of the publlo that the trial would result In nothing, but as the evidence was gradually dovelopod, it was seen that the prosecution had a very strong case. Nearly four weoks were consumed in tho hearing, and the thing was fought bitterly on both Bides. General B.

F. Tracy was retained by the District Attorney, and la conjunction with Assistant District Attorney Wernberg, conducted tho case for the prosecution. Mr. Ira Shafor and Mr. Jesse Johnson appeared for the dofondants.

Tho jury were out over twenty four hours, and returned a verdict of guilty against the two commissioners and acquitting Mr. Milno. Tho next day tho two culprits were arraigned, and General Tracy, declaring that the ends of justico had beon satisfied by the convictton, and the consequent removal of the commissioners from office, asked ths Court to impose a light 8outence. His Honor, therefore, imposed a fine of $250 each, the lightest sontence allowed by the law. Astoyof judgment was granted and an appeal taken, which will bo arguod beoro tho Gonoral Term of tho Supreme Court, it appearing that tho law under which tho City Court acts does not glvo its Goneral Term tho right to hoar an appoal in a criminal cause.

This also was onothor point In which this caso possosses exceptional interest, it being tho first criminil caso tried in the court in which an appeal had beon token. This is noteworthy, as very many criminal cases have boon tried in tha city Court in tho past ten yeara. A recent caso of importance in the equity branch of the court was the application of the Corporation Counsel in rotation to tho Fulton Gai Light Compauy, which succeeded to tho franchises and property of the Mutual Gas Light Company, and was in relation to the laying of tho gas mains which tho company had beon puttiug down in various thoroughfares of tho Western District, tho Corporation Counsel holding that tho company had laid doivzi their pipes without tha requisite authority. Tho compauy claimed to hold tho authority from tho Common Council, and a very uica logal point is involved. The case is still ponding.

In another part of this Ibsuo of the Eaole will be found a report of tha volume of business transacted during tho past year ia tho City Court. I'lio Surrogate's Court. Tho probato business of the County Judiciary has boen of considerable volume, during the past year, aud sovoral casoa of Importance have como boforo Ihe surrogate. Thoro havo boon numerous contents of wills and questions of moment have arisen. Sonio cases arc etlll pending and others have been adjudicated.

Tho most noteworthy matter' in connoction with this Court, is tho recent decision of tho Oourt of Appeals In tho Dnlley Llvingston contested eloctlon caso, which is still fresh in tho public mind. Thoro appears to be a hitch in tho proceedings, and a stay has been granted for a motion for reargumont. One of tho most noteworthy contested will bo fore tho surrogate during tho past twelve mouths was tho will of John O. Bradford, tho Postmaster General of tho Navy. By tho torms of the instrument tho prop erty was loft to various relatives, to tho entire or partial exclusion of a aon of tho testator, who contested tho will upon the ground of undue influence and unsound mind in tho testator at tho time tho will was mado.

Tho curious featuro about tho will was an odd mistake In reference to tho property. It was thought, from tho terms of tho will, that tho deceased had left property to the valuo of over a million dollars, but an examination of assets showed that it was really worth about one tenth of that amount, viz. about $100,000. Bonds whoso par valuo was $100, wore called worth $1,000 In tho will, or elBe the number of bonds was multiplied by ton. Tho surrogate sustained the contest and refused to admit the will to probato, and the sons, as the noxt of kin, took out letters of administration.

Tho oonteat over the will of Neil Dohorty waa another important litigation. The testator was a man whose life presented but fow attractive foatnres. He was a man of slight education and seemed devoted to tho acquirement of property, and with scarcely onothor object in life, yet by tho terms of tho will, about $50,000 wero left to the Bishop of Kappahoe, in Ireland, for the founding of an educational Institution, in tho testator's native town. Tha will was oontested by the relatives on the ground that the law did not permit such a bequest, and' it was Bet anlde. A then arose and is still pending as to who ara tho relatives entitled to share in the estate.

The contest over tho probate of tho will of John Martinhoff was another important case which arose during the year. Martinhoff had acquired property to a considerable amount, and, dying, cut off one of his sons from any participation therein. The aon oontested tho will upon thogronndof undue Influence upon hiB father's mind, olalmlng that his relatives had pre judiced his mind against him, and had prevented any reconciliation between them, for the purposo of keep ing him out of his Bharo of tho estate. Tho matter is still pending. Tho O'Hara will contest la tho lotest cause cclebre In tho probato record of the year.

Mrs. Mary O'Hara, widow of Peter O'Hara, diod In tho earlior part of laat Summer, leaving property valued at from $50,000 to $75,000. The noxt of kin were two granddaughters, children of deceased eons. Thoy wore each left $2,000. Several bequests, amounting In all to about $20,000, wero loft to various institutions, and the bulk of the estate was loft to three trustees, to bo used for certain purposes, in accordance with instructions loft by the old lady, and for charitable purposes.

The two granddaughters contested tho wll! on the ground of undue influence and that tho toBtator was not of sonnd mind. It was also claimed that tho devising of tho property to the three truBtees was an evasion of the statute that not more than one half of an estate should be left for charltablo purposos, although tho purpose was not named in the will, and the trustees had lull power to do with it as they liked. Mrs. O'Hara died at an advanced age, and during her lifetime had given largely to charitable purposes. One of the contestants Is possessed of ample means, but is not yet of age the other is without estate, and is the real A contestant in tho case.

A great deal of testimony has been taken on behalf of ths contestants to show the unsoundness of the old lady's mind, and to provo that sha was unduly influenced. The hearing is not yet completed. Should Mr. Livingston's suit' prove successful, and ho should be reinstated as surrogate, it will causa unavoidable confusion and delay in matters not yet completed, as it would probably ba necessary to do over again a great deal of work whloh has only been partially completed. Criminal Basines.

Hard times may have the effect of lessoning the amount of litigation in tho civil courts, from tho lack of means on the part of would be plaintiffs bring suits. Without doubt this has had its effect in the post few years, not, perhaps, in the bringing of large suits, but in the contest of matters of minor importance. Such, at least, Is the view which lawyers take of it, and they claim that they have felt the pressure of hard times in this way. Men of straitened resources will think twice before trenching upon their means to provide tho wherewithal to bring ootion about which there may be some doubt as to the issue. The law is to a certain extent a lottery, and there is no method of forecasting tho vordlct of a Jury.

The somewhat soori leglous but nevertheless witty saying, that there is one thing which Omnlsoience cannot foretell, and that Is the verdict of a petit Jury, was doubtless tha result of disappointment on tha part of apma lawyor who had been defeated in what he thought a sura case. It has a certain germ of truth, in that the result of the doliber tlons of twelve men, drawn at haphazard from the body of tho community, possesaes all tho elements of uncertainty. Upon one branch of jurisprudence hard times has anything but a lessening effect as to the number of cases, and that Is the criminal business, and a deoreass la the volnme of the business of the community is marked by an increase in the number of crimes of all grades, ut particularly in the varioua phases of theft and dlBhv'usty. The criminal departments of onr county oourts have heen kept buBy during the year, in tha disposal of tho cases of those whose vices or misfortunes have brought them within the clutch of the law for the punishment of evil doers. Tha bulk of this business has bean transacted in tho Oourt of Sessions, and the roll of cases givon olsowhere in this Issue of the Eaole shows that a largo amount of busiqess has boen disposed of.

Tho Court of Oyer and Terminer, whloh is tho criminal branch of tho Circuit Court, has dealt with several murder cases, but in no one of these has a capital offense been proved. Tha cose of tho greatest magnitude, involving the shedding of blood, was that of Patrick Reilly, who was indicted for the murder of his wlf in October, 1878. Ha was tried early in tha year, and was found guilty of manslaughter in the second degree. Kellly came home one Sunday evening, in tho month and year above stated, in a state of frenzy caused by Intoxication. His homo was in a tenement in South Brooklyn, and he was a man of violent temper when in liquor.

He burst into hlsroonis while frantio with drink, and assailed his wife for soma fancied fault. He beat her horribly, and inapltoof her piteous entreaties, dragged her the window It was in one of the, upper stories of the building and hurled her to the' ground. A crime mora sickening and hideous conld Tbe poor woman died very shortly from the effect of her injuries, and her brute of a 'husband was sent to ths Penitentiary for riven years fot which he richly merited. 7 I Another cos of Importance rras that of Paul Shirley, a little fellow about 33 years old, who was Indicted for the killing of Michael Trovers last Summer. Travers was a man employed about the docks, and had an evil reputation for quarrelsomeness when under the Influence of liquor.

He was twice the size of Shirley, who had the reputation of being a quiet, olvil little fellow, who attended to his own business and who had gradually worked himself up to a good position by his Industry and good character. He had no relatives and lived alone In the world. Travers seemed to have taken soma dislike to him and had assaulted him before ths fatal affray. On Sunday afternoon' Shirley Btartod to toko tho can at Fulton Ferry, and stopped in front, of No. 9 Fulton street to get hia shoes blocked.

Here ho encountered Travers, who was' under the Influence of liquor and without provocation mada a brutal assault "XblH Faper ba tbe Largest Clrctila llpB of wiir.En'MK Paper Published at the Pultefl States. Ms value as an AdrcrUstaiT Medlvuii la therefore ap parent Mamo and Louisiana. There is little or no change in the situation in Maine. Tha Governor, it appears, is not without his supporters, and last night a largo meeting was held in Belfast to sustain him in what he has done. The Governor and the Attorney General both made speeches.

The former said he had no apology to make for what had been done or left undone. He claims to have carried out literally the letter of the Constitution and the laws of the State. Kefer ring to the law of 1877, under which it is con tended certain discretionary powers are conferred upon the 8tate offiosrs, bo as to enable them to Barry out the spirit of all laws governing elections that the will of the people shall prevail the Governor declares that leading Republicans had denounced this law as unconstitutional, and he either coinoided with them or took their words for it. The main fact is not antagonized anywhere, that the candidates the voters elected will not get their seats, if the Constitution and laws of the State of Maine as interpreted by the Stats officers are to prevail, and this seems to ba an absurdity. The laws under which the result of the election are sought to be reversed are old.

Senator Blaine is authority for the statement that within the past fifty years fewer votes were thrown out altogether than have been sec aside by the Governor this year, and this increased vigilance or severity counts solely against the party in antagonism to the Governor and his official advisers. It is hard to accept this outcome as a fair one, but even if it was, the fact would still remain the attempt is made to establish a Legislature in Maine which has no rightful authority to speak or act for a majority of the voters. The Governor holds out a faint hope that the Legislature ho proposes to call together may remedy any injustice which has been done, because, in judging of the qualifications of its own members, it will have a wider discretion than was conferred upon the executive authorities. If some assurance of this kind wore given, it would probably insure a peaceful sohition of the trouble, but the experiment is to be tried, in the first instance, of organizing a Legislature deriving its authority rather from the Governor than from the people, and this is a dangerous experiment to try among a people who have inherited the right to select their own Hilars, and who are determined to maintain it. It seems to us the Republican leaders in Maine weakened their case by attempting to show that the local dispute in that State is part of a general conspiracy which is kept in continuance by the support it is receiving from the opponents of the Republican party outside the State.

In looking about for the head conspirators, the Republicans naturally designated the one man they will never forgive, because they have wronged him Samuel J. Til den. When there is any mischief afoot, General Butler is usually credited with being in some way concorued in it, and so the Republican leaders have also accused the ubiquitous Benjamin with being the concocter of the Maine fraud. The General was interviewed on the subject yesterday. He denied having any knowledge of the Maine complications, except that which he has gathered from tha newspapers, but in order not to disappoint public expection altogether, the General comes out squarely in defense of the Governor and his council.

The interviewer afforded Gen aral Butler an opportunity of placing the Louisiana frauds of 1870, in what may be termed a new light, and at the same time of dealing a malicious blow at the presont Federal Administration, and those who affect to believe that it was rightfully placod in power. The General is reported as saying that he sees no parallel between the action of the Louisiana Returning Board in 1876 and the present condition of affairs in Maine. The difference is very observable," ha said. In Louisiana the Returning Board claimed and exercised the power of counting votes not Utroien which they said ouglit to have been thrown whereas in Maine, the Gov ernor only decides that he has ho power to judge between the electors and the elected, exoept upon legal evidenoe, and then his act is not judicial, but ministerial." This is a new view of tho Louisiana case, we believe. The most extreme advocates of the power conferred in the former Returning Board in that State, never contended that it had power to count votes not cast, and which they thought ought to have been cast, for if this power had been contended for and upheld, the Louisiana case would have been simplified very much.

Still the power that was exercised by the Returning Boards was quite as preposterous and fraudulent. Under carpetbag rule in Louisiana the Governor of that State was given the power to appoint a General Supervisor of Election for the State, and a Superintendent of Election for every parish in tho State. The last named officials had the power in turn to select inspectors and canvassers of election in. every district. All these officials were of one party.

Practically the appointment of every election officer in tho State was in the hands of the Governor, and a Governor placed and maintained in power by Federal authority, and relying upon Federal troops for support. The election officers were empowered and directed, in forwarding their returns to tho State officials, to enclose any evidence they might have that the result of the election was in any way changed or modified by intimidation, violence or fraud. Only in such cases was the power of super sion given to the Returning Boarders, and they were all of one party. In other words, "judicial powers were given only when a contest existed as to the fairness of the election, and the Republican officials had the power to raise that question. In 187G, it was found that if all the votes were thrown out which were objected to, even by partisan election officers, the Democrats would still bo in a majority and the electoral vota of the State would be cast for Tilden.

In this dilemma, forged complaints were made after the returns wore in the hands of the Returning Board, and through these forgeries tho fraud in Louisiana was made possible. It is because there is a parallel between the fraud attempted in Maine and the fraud which was successfully consummated in Louisiana, that honest men sympathize with the Republicans of Maine. Tha Democrats, in 187G, surrendered, almost without a struggle or a protest, the rights of a majority of tho American people, which were intrusted to them for the time being. The Republicans of Maine are asked to do the same thing. It seems to us ihit if they were to do so there would be less security for the maintenance of popular rule in this country than exists at present.

Tha determination of the Republicans of Maine to uphold the rights of the majority at all hazards, is altogether commendable. If they are successful as we have no doubt they will be the precedent they will have established will be of priceless value and especially to the Democrats, if they should ever again bo in a position in which the rights of a majority of their countrymen will depend upon their fidelity and cour Alderaianic Self Praise. If the people of Brooklyn admired the average Alderman as much as that delightful yrsature admires himself, the vocabulary of praise would be exhausted speedily by the pens and tongues of adoring taxpayers. Nature is very kind in that she has bo padded the Aldermanic brain with fat and fortified it with almost impenetrable bone that no ordinary concussion can disturb it. We have heard of Aldormen being shot at, but memory sup plies no insta noe of a bullet having hurt the head of any one.

The only vulnerable part of this animal is his stomach. Hit him there xiud ha howls like a pig in the hands of a Wtoher. Thus it comes that though "knave," "thief," "ignoramus" and all the kindred epithets be rained upon him, he suffers no loss of complacency bo long as he is permitted to gorge himself at the publics expense. Those who have not studied the phenomenon as the Eaole haB done, might suppose that he would be pained by tho los3 of self respect, if not by th9 proof of his ill repute. As that cannot be his hand, and tho olada penetrated Travers' breast In two places.

Ha waa removed to tho City Hospital and died that night. ShMoy was arrested and indicted, but the jury, after a short obeenoe from tho court room, acquitted him upon the ground of self defense. It was a verdict in which everyone who heard the testimony concurred. The cose was trlod early In the Fall before Justice Jasper W. Gilbert.

Michael Reilly, an old man reiidlng on North Second street, E. was trlod early In the year upon a charge of manslaughter In ono of the higher degrees, for killing one Fitzpatrlck by shooting him with a muekct. Fitzpatrick was a young man who, while under the influence of liquor, attempted to oroe an entrance into Reilly 'a house because of some fancied grlevanco In connection with Rollly's son. It waa hold that the old man was not justified by the circumstances In shooting him, and tha Jury rendered a verdiot of manslaughter in tho fourth degree the lowest grade of the offense. He was sent to the penitentiary for two years.

One man, Nicholas llyners, remains in jail awaiting his trial upon an indictment for murder in tha first degree for Bhooting a man named McDermott, on Hud eon avenue, lost Summed He will ba brought to trial early in the new year. McDermott had interfered, tho doy before, to prevent Mynera from maltreating his wife, while intoxicated, and it is ohftgod that this was the reason why he shot McDermott. The caso is tho gravest one of tho kind in appearance which has occurred during the year. Thomas Carter and William Johnson, two notorious burglars, were convicted of burglary in the second degree early in the year and were sent to tho Penitentiary for ton years each, aud also upon another conviction for a separate offense for five years each, making fifteen years in all for which they will serve tho 8tato. The moat noteworthy cause of the year In tho way of disposing of thieves and burglars was tho final disposal of the Patchen avenue gang.

It will bo remembered that in August, 1878, tho Btora of the Ibert Brothore. on Graham avenue, was burglarized, and monoy to tha amount of about $600 stolen. Tho thieves had rented a house ou Patchon avenuo, and wero living thoro in a quiet way. Thoy wero mon who were not usually concerned in potty burglaries, but generally operated on a largo scale. Thoy wero doubtless studying up some big job and, getting out of monoy, took this method for "raising tho wind." The houso and its inmates had been under police surveillance for some days, and something about the conduct of tho inmates on this occasion caused It to bo watched.

Two man wero seen to go out lato in the evening, and four to return in the early morning. Then, an hour later, two men wero seon to go away. The housa was surrounded by tho police two hours later, about 7 lu the morning, and the Inmates captured. Thoy turned 'out to ba Willlanj Morris, alias William Porter, and John Irvino. alias Coudit.

Porter's wife and Irvine's sister wero In tho houso and tho proceeds of the burglary in Ibort's store wero found in thoir possession, although it waa not known at that timo whence thoy came. In an outhouse Shang" Draper was secured, aud another man, John Wilbur alios Yost, was captured on the street aomo dlstanco away. All tho men with the oxcoptlon of Yost wero well known criminals and all had "dono in variouB prisons. Porter was tho first ono trlod, and the jury failod to agree. Ho claimed that ho wm not with tbo gang at the timo of the burglary, but was at home.

His wife, a pretty, ladyliko young woman, gavo the sama testimony and tho jury, soft hearted fellows, could not agreo. On his second trial. In Juno last, Porter was oonvioted and beforo ho could bo brought up for sentence escaped from Haymond strcot Jail with Irvine. Tho hunt for thorn is well romsmbered by tho public. Porter was finally captured in New York.

Irvlno was caught in connection with a burglary in Philadelphia and sent to prison in that State for four years. Draper was extra dited to Massachusetts to stand his trial upon a oharge of complicity iu tho groat Northamptou Bank robbery. Wilbur or Yost was tried, tho jury failod to agree and beforo ho waa tried again ho wont insane, and was re moved October 0, to tho Ponal Insano Asylum, at L'tica. Another caso of groat importance was that of the Itonior Best gang of burglars and snoak thieves. Thoy wore colored men, with one white confederate.

Romor Best was tho loader, and thoir oporations wero con lined to tho upper part of tho city, whoro thoy committed a large number of burglarios upon tho reaidouc oa in that soctlon of tho city. They were arrested at hut, and llomorUest, Kainuol Waring and Samuel W. Hunter wero convicted of burglary in tho flrBt degroo and each sent to tho Penitentiary for ton years. Their crime was fastened upon thorn by their white confederate, a more youth, who turned State's evidence against them. Yory little of tho property which thoy had stoleu was recovered.

Thoy pawned it as faBt as they got it and spent the monoy. Romor Boat, tha loader, uudertook to defend himself whon triod and rof uped to havo a lawyer. Ho proved tho old adage about tho man who waa hia own lawyer having a fool for a client. 'Shorty" Lent was another notorious burglar sent up during the year. He waa tho leader of a in East Now York, and upon conviction was sentoncjj to a term of ten years.

A man named MoLaughlln burglarized tho house of a Mr. Moy on Bedford The police woro alarmed and attempted hl3 capture. A sergeaat soized hold of McLaughlin, who slipped out of his coat, leaving It In the hands of the officer and ran. He wan captured shortly afterward In his shirt sleeves on Broadway, E. and was sent up for ten years.

Thoro havo boon tho usual number of convictions for burglaries In tho third degree, grand and petit larcenies and other offenses, but the above cltod coses are among the most noteworthy ones of tho year. IN SEARCH OF MISSING RELATIVES. Mr. Joint Christopher Itluir Hunting for a SUler and 'fivo Brothers After an Absence From Brooklyn of Over Twentr Venrs. John Christopher Muir, a native of this city, who wont West at the age of 13 years to sook his fortune, has returned to Brooklyn after au absence of more than twenty years In search of his relatives, whom ho left here whon ha went awsy.

Whon ha left Brooklyn ho parted from his Bister, Sarah Jane Mulr, aud two brothers, Robert and Iferrlam. Ee lost his parents in 18i8, at the time the oholera raged hero so fiercely, and he and his sister, who was seven years old, and throe years hia senior, were placed In tha Soldiers' Orphan ABylum in Atlantic avenue by Mayor Copeland, then at tho head of tho exocutlvo govornmont of the city. According to the records of this institution, Sarah Jauo Muir was indentured to Mary Ann Olmstead, in Hartford, in 1819. John Christopher Muir loft tho asylum in 1858 for tho servlcoof a farmer namod Daniel M. Sutton, living near Wilton, Conn.

Hs remained with Sutton, however, but a few months, roturnlug to the asylum on account of mistreatment. He subsequently Btarted for the West tho same year, and obtained employment on a farm with a man namod Alexander, near Attica, Indiana. After that ho drifted about from one placo to another, visiting in th9 course of his wan dorings the greater part af Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee. He finally entered tho employ of tha Chicago and Northwestora Ballroad and has remained with them up to the proseut timo. He obtained a leave of absence about a wook ago, aud camo East with tho aetermina tlou to hunt up bis relatives, of whom ha had lost all trace ever since his doparturo from this city.

He is stopping at No. HS Lawronco stroet and will gladly receive any tidings of his BiBter or brothers, of whoso whereabouts ho has beon unable tolcarn anything since his arrival hero. BROOKLYN ORPHAN ASYLUM. Distribution of Curisiuitut Presents to the Children. Tho Monday hetweon Christmas and New Year's is always a peculiarly happy period for the children cared for in tho Brooklyn Ocphan Asylum, on Atlantic avcuuo, near Brooklyn, as it Is the time when lbs sr mado the recipionts of many mementoes of th 'deason, which are annually provided for them, by tha ladies in chargo of the Institution.

Thore are now 315 children in the asylum, and of that number 130 are girls. Yesterday tho forenoon was spent In preparing for the brightest timo of tbe holiday season, and by two o'clock in the afternoon all tho llttlo boys and Ilttla girls wersas clean and neat as it was possible to moke thorn. Then they marched into the large sohool room, and their hoalthy appearance and orderly bohavlor drew many favorable comments from the ladles la attendance, among them being Mrs. John Hutchinson, Mrs. Da Cordova, Miss Wilkins, Mrs.

Anna Field, Mrs. Brookman, Mrs. Truslow and others. Under the direction of Mr. Horton the children aang a number of hymns In a remarkably excellent manner, and they were then entertained by an exhibition of the Marionettes.

It afforded them vary great delight, and the laughter of tho little folks was almost uninterrupted during tho whole performance. A few words, of OhriBtmas greeting and kTndly counsel wore then addressed to tha children by Mrs. Hutchinson, first directress of the asylum, and then the presents were distributed under the supervision of Miss Wilkins, Mrs. Brookman and Mrs. Ds Cordova, who constituted the Committoo of Arrangements.

Every girt received a new apron, and toys, candles, oranges and apples were distributed so liberally that tbe children appeared to ba fairly loaded down as they marched off by twos and threes to compare notes respecting their newly acquired possessions. The affair was a very pleasant one, and the ladles in charge appeared to enjoy it as much as did the little folks who wero ths recipients of their bounty. ANOTHER ACCOUST OF THE ACCIDENT. Bbookxtn, Docombor 30, To the Editor of the Brooklyn Eagle: I read with muoh surprise a letter signed J. Bocheford, in your Ibsuo of Sunday lost, wherein tho writer gives his version of ths accident whicti befcU him December 13, at the Franklin avonue station of ths Long Island Railroad.

As I was a passenger on tha same train, and got on at the satno station, I think I am as weU aware of tbe fact as any who wero present. I got on the rear platform of the last car, and as I did so I noticed a man running from the corner of Franklin and Atlantic avenues: hod just turned tho corner when i got on the train, and about a minute or two after the train coma to a sudden stop, itnowing nuujckujug happened, I ran through the car in tune to see the, col lector help the man up. It appears tiiat no atwmpteu to get on the train after it had started, and in so doing missed his footing, and was hanging to tha handrails, with tha lower part of his body dragging upon the ground, when tho collector caught him by the collar and held on till tho train was stopped. There waa no doubt In tho minds of the passengers but that the man Ufa was saved by the presence of mind displayed by tbe ooUoctor. And instead of being horrified at tha care tessness of the employes of the rood, as lie puts it, thoy wen indignant at tiro ungeutlemanly manner in which he acted, in not even thanking the man who saved his Ufa.

This, in itoelf ia enough, bat when resorts to ths press to accuse thou men of rarelessnssa, it is about time that the train officials ware vindicated by thou who.eo.w the affair. Trusting you will give space to the foregoing through jastico to the collector, I aro, An Etb Withess. AHQIHEli NAXB C8ED WITHOUT AUTHORITY. Brooklyn, December 39, 1879. To the Editor af the Brooklyn Eagle Ia your issne of Friday evening last, my oamo is mentioned as ono of thoeo appointed upon tha medical staff of the Brooklyn Sanitarium Hospital.

I have declined associating myself In any way whatever with that enterprise, and will bo greatly obliged If you will give this a placo in your valuable paper. Very truly yours, Geobob W. Brush, M.D., 144 Lawrence street. ENTRK NOUS SOCIETY. The Entre Nous Society will give a masqae rado party this waning, at the renldenoo Of Mr.

Jamas A. Van Brunt, No. 435 Seventh stroet. year, the said balance to be expsadad on repairs to tha avenue. Iu ru.ly to a question, Aid.

Weir said that there had been about $1110 of tbe amount expended. Tbo resolution waa adopted, and the Board kfUr transacting coni lderaMe routine business adjourned. President Kay Ftatlug that It could be called together. It necessary, between now and January 1. FOR A CHURCH.

Tbo Entertainment Given I.nvnt EvecilaB at tho Town Kali, Flatbaab. The Church of the Holy Cross, Flatbaab, has boon built up during tbe lost ten years. The pariah was rj no moans a wealthy ona, but the Catholic residents of the town devoted their anargles toward Us success. Tho result ia that a fine pariah la now organized under tha pastorata of the Itv. Father Doherty, and church superior to most of ths new octs ia Brooklyn has been erected there and is liberally supported by the Catholic residents of tha village.

That Is, howover, a mortgage on tha acred edifice, and ths principal parishioners havo often devised plfn wtddt would tend to pay on the debt. From plcntce, sociables, fairs and entertainments very fair rocetpte hara boen realized, but thore Is yet an lndobtcdneaa whists has to bo mado up, and the ladles attached to tho Chttrda of the Holy Cross resolved to give an entertalnmont in tho ehapo of a supper and a dance at the Town Hall at Flatbush. This took place last ovoning. Toward o'clock, and from that until 11, tho guosta arrivad unOJ the interior of the hall, which waa elegantly decorated, was filled with beauty, wealth and fashion. Tho muato was under tho direction of Mr.

Con. Mulcaro, and was of a character which elicited the highest commondattoas from all. Tho ball was givon for a charltablo purpose, and the people of Flatbush responded most royally, aa their presence and the receipts showed. Thore wera thirty two dances, and at tho Intormlsslon tho guest wore invited down to a supper which did tho utmost credit to thoso who got it up. It was, In fact, tho work of the Ladles' Committee, which consisted of Mrs.

Shopard, Mrs. Bchaffer, M' Tammanoy, Sirs. Burroughs and Mrs. James Ryan. Tho floor managor waa Mr.

John Sammons, who was assisted by Mr. Alex Hc Ouire. Tho Floor Commltteo conBi itcd of Mosars. Wm. Sammons, Benjamin Bennett, Jamca F.

Curran end John Mills. Everything passed off iu tho beat manner possible, and tho ontortalumeut was uot only a pecuniary success as far as tho church is concerned, bat a social one. Among thoso present wore Mr. and Mrs. James Ryoo, Miss Joslo Maguiro, Mr.

David T. Kochc, Mils Msggia Uyan, Mr. Aloxander McGulro, Mr. Jaui js SlcNulty, Miss Mary Lizzie Ryan, Miss Lizzie McNulty, Mr. John Sammons, Mr.

Benjamin Bennott, Mr. and Hn. M. V. B.

Burroughs, Mr. Patrick Connors and illaa Mary Fogarty, John U. Farrell, wife and family, Joan Nowuan, Michael Cronin and wife, Henry Fitzpatrioai and sister, William McTaminany and wife, John Mo. Tammany, diaries Newman and lady, John Connors and lady, Matthew Mathews and lady, Honry Wolser and lady, Robert Black, and lady, John Mulligan, Edward Uaselott, John Murtha, James MoNooloy, Pot rick McKouua, Thomas 11. Glass and wife, tho allaaea Josio and Marietta X.ortgs, Mr.

and lira. Hcbaeffer, Mr. aud Mrs. Thomas Shepard and Miss Katie harvard Miss Mary McLaughlin. Mr.

McNeoloy and wlfo. Miss Trumbull and nolce, Mrs. Shannon, Mr. J. H.

Spiers and lady, Dr. James Kelly and Miss Nanoy Ho Duffy, Mr. Charles P. Burroughs and Miss Clarie Hart lgan, Mr. George E.

Burroughs aud lady, Mrs. Brew and daughters, Mrs. Van Duyzer, AFTER (I BAST, WHAT I To Uia K.UI..T of the Brooklyn Eovjle After (iniut, what 'Phut is tho present concern of the American poop.o. I concur with that Merman SIIhiuuihI Ks'ifinann. A man oi American i.h as Is the American for mo.

Wno am I An American of one hundred and thirty yean conservation. I fur every Kcpubllcan I'rc. iidontlal can didalu from 'rem uit to Hayes, luciuaive, and fought for tho from April, '61, to April, '55. Conserva Hhui is tho American anchor, bocauso wo started righa. Is Grant the ulnnlug of tho ond 1 I road, twentr year ao, in a book on "Waahlnnlon Society, and Etiquette," that ox l'ri sidenta are not expected to visit Washington.

Grant has stepped over that con vontlon aliam. Yi it a disclosure of his disposition 1 Hayes must feel iiiall for the tlnio bein. Was such indoco rum lo the Chk of StaM over beoro offered In ancient or modern tiuu In Republic or monarchy Orant'ii election to a third term will dim tho fame uf Washington, of JelVorson, of Jack ion and of Lincoln Is he willing to do that Frank Blair said, If Grant oueo Ruts into the White House, ha will never le avo it but from forco." Ha the bigotry, tyranny and sectionalism of the Republican party becomo ao stronjt, tho rivalry of it clii.if ho tuaiioaut, its love of spoils so oorrupt, its uativituu ho narrow, its plutocracy so confirmed as ta resort to Grant, becauso available Its refusal to ratify civil Rerviee reform Is at once the answer and an exhibit of its loss of patriotism, for wDIch, execrations upon It Grant In past emergencies But Grant now, ia the allegory of all that Is In opposition ol Americanism. Supine tioiiK is the precursor of destruction. IaiI tho Ko publicaii (or any other) party nominate him, and If the American peoplo don't bury thom oth.

good by. Let us establish Washingtonlan Clubs, i. no third term." Now Is tho time to begin. SeU government forever! After Grant, what 1 Omsido. CARD FB0H COLONEL AUSTKM.

To the Editor of ths Brooklyn hajle In Saturday's edition of your journal, under the head of Entertainment in Armorloe, and over tbe rather defiant name of "AJax," thoro appears statement so palpably false that I should cortalnrj judge tho writer to bo not a second edition of Geofge Waahington, but rather a disappointed, constitutional growler, who failed to receive a complimentary ticket, and license overlooked hia AJaxlan majesty ho now soeks In a vein of poltyiplto and calumny, and under tho protonse of upholding tho dignity of the National Guard, to upbraid tho members of tho Thirteenth Hag), ment for tho manner in which they entertained theie friends a few weoks ago. Now ho says that if we had gone through the various military movements In a burlesque manner and stopped Ibore, It would hava given him no osuse ot compltlat. That it prechtsijr wbat wo dm uo no attempt at ridicule was made uf any member who took part in tho "Bouffe." Bfo prominent officer In tho National Guard" woe sitae named or personated In dres4 or characteristics. Aa proof of what I say 1 inclose to you on official copy of the programme used on that ovoning, and I ask you to. hero insert the cast of characters for tha benefit of Mr.

AJax. agree with him perfectly when he says reipect for and obedience b) blB superior ofiloer ore tho attributes of a true soldier, aud I defy him or any othor person to mention a single instance whreia either of these principlea hava been found wanting la tho rank and file of tho old Thirteenth. I would adrtoo) Mr. AJax that when wo again give an entertainment you walk up to the box office and pay for your flmla sion, and, having witnessed the performance, should yoct desire to write concerning it, you will bo In a position to throw In a little moro truth In your oonnnunlcaiioa. What do you think of it Co.

B. BOKI1LM PLACE HYNAdOOUE. A grand vocal and instrumental gacrad con oert will bo given at the Park Theatre, on 8unday erecting, February 1, in aid of funda of tho lloorum plooai Synagogue. The uso of tho theatre has been geoorotnijp given by Colonel Sinn, and Messrs. Lovy, oornotlst Werner, violoncellist, and Miss Minnie Cummlnga hav kindly volunteered thoir services.

Tha programme wU alsolncludo Mrs. Evelina flartz, soprano; Miss lAick stone, contralto Hcrr Graff, tenor Herr Kommertz, baritone, and Miss Marksteln, pianist. With such a talented combination, an excellent entertainment may be expected. ir BISIMKSS KOTIUKS. SUNDAY EAGLE.

ORDKR YOUR OARH1KH TO LBAVB THH BAULK OH s3 SS88 6rjSs rm it KN tf KM DDD A AA A A a TT 7. DO 4 A AS WELL AS OH THE OTHER DAYS OF TUB WKKK, CONTAINS ALL THB NKWa PniOK THREE OBNTSL Partlos dcairina: tho Sokdat P.xat.K left at thetr re donee can their address to tola office and ItrUl bo given to tuo carrier who arree the EaaLJt in tut district. SPECIAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS. ANTIQUE TAMBOUR AND NOTTINGHAM LACE CURTAINS WAIJJUT AND BRASS CURTAtff POUCS. FROM UPWARD.

WINDOW SHADES, ALL TINTS. RAW SILK PIANO AND TABLE COVERS. A FULL LINE OF FRINGES. TRIMMINGS, 4a. Act, ALWAYS ON HAND.

4 II MUMFOIID. KJ AND FULTON STREET. NeerSmtth. BUY THE SINOEIi SEWLtiU MACHINH AT THE REDUCED PRICE OF VK WITH ALL THE ATTACHMENTS. Machine also sold or monthly narmente, at their 34J Fulton at, and Mi Grand and Fourth rt, D.

THOMAS CA8SIN. PEOPLE TAKING COLD Find It settle (a their inll apoa. Apply DR. HRRRICK'A UAPSIUUM PL A STUBS! Which reuiuio ervry rjmptom ot paid ia KIDNEYS. CHEST.

81DSS. BACK OB LIMBS! Ask roar dnvKiat tor DR. HBRRlOK'S qaJFWOUM RICHARD OLIVER, Tt JOHN STREET. NEW YORK. DIAMONDS, WATCHES.

JBWELBY AND SILVERWARE. DE. HIBBARt HAS REMOVED TV 11 CLINTON ST. COR. OF RKSJHKSt KO.

OFFIOK HOURS 10 TILL ,12 A. WL AND i TILL P. M. A GRAND CHRISTMAS OUT. THE MUHIOAL ALBUM.

Containing the woroa aaa ra'itio il etc he warda aad rauiio ef eight appropriate eases, to the reader of the NEW YORK FAattZr FEB. out to day BTOBY PA THE MC COMBER PATENT LAST nvnhtnM Mifnfnrt. with liuinM in ilinM avifftrmlndl to tbe shape of tbe feet. All should wear tbem. Kl.

wAKMa, ivo ana lua Atlantic ma wia wmn Ktnca County, and he also makes to order and i County, and he alio toakes to onlet aoo OMtjn tvoca an tin da or boots ao4 snoot. NO NEED TO UO TO NEW YORK. AT WHITE'S HAlft STORE, NO. 2 FULTON ST It RET. Yon ean hnd the 1 incest, oaaartment cf then and Jet, da i imitation) comb! lu the city, at Tory low price.

not been lost but did honor to the Christmas time and have been noted down by the record ing angel. Tlie Disaster on (be lay. Further intelligence from the scene of the great Tay bridge wreck fails to throw much additional light upon the disaster. The utmost I uncertainty seems to prevail regarding the number of jhves lost, one authority placing them at 315 and another estimating not more than ninety. According to one source of information, as many as six bodies have been washed ashore, while the later dispatches deolare that the body of but one victim, an old lady of GO, has been recovered.

Still, the amount of damage done to the bridge appears not to have been exag gerated. The thirteen long spans which crossed the navigablo part of the river have all fallen, leaving a great gap of half a mile in the mid dle of the bridge. The divers have attempted to recover bodies without success, and the last piece of inf brmation is that the train has fallen into a quicksand deposit which will speedily bury everything beyond recovery. There are some contradictions in the pub lished accounts which are worth noticing. At one time we are told that the rain was fall ing in torrents at another the moon is said to have been shining brightly, and so on.

The most satisfactory piece of intelligence, however, is in regard to the length of the train. It seems that there were but six coaches four third class, one second class and one first class, beside a baggage van. The first and second class carriages contain four compartments each capable of holding eight persons. The third class carriages might hold a ow more, because third class passengers are not supposed to possess any very remarkable rights. But even granting that the care were full, or oven crowded, thero could not have been more than 230 persons on the train.

The number of tickets taken up at the last station before the train reached the bridge was fifty six, but this did not represent the children, the employes of the railroad company, or the passengers for Broughty Ferry. These, however would not be likely to bear a relation to those bound for Dundee exceeding one half, and hence the dispatch estimating tha loss of life at ninety seems much more reliable than the other. As to the cause of tho catastrophe, the Eagle's opinion that it was occasioned by the cars leaving the track on the high spans, striking the lattice work bracing and produc ing a general crash, is unexpectedly confirmed by tho engineer who built the bridge, Sir Thomas Bouch, who expresses his belief al most in the words used in our issue yester day. At the same time, it is only fair to say that tho vast expanse of iron framework exposed to the fury of the tempest rendered it anything but secure, and an accident which occur red in 1877, when two of the long spans were in the slings and were blown down, certainly suggests the possibility of destruction from this cause alone. That it should have gone over at the precise moment when the tram was crossing, however, if the wind alone was responsible for tho disaster, is improbable.

It may have fallen before the train arrived, or the oscillation of the structure caused by the storm may have thrown the cars from the track and thus brought about the crash. It is significant that thirteen spans should have given way, for the experienoe of bridge disasters in this country shows that the damage seldom extends beyond two arches. English engineers are very proud of the record of their work, and boast of the immunity that it has enjoyed from accidents of this kind. They were also in the habit of com paring the Tay bridge with similar structures elsewhere. It would seem, howevor, from the sharp criticisms of the English press on the accident, that a general idea prevails that mo tives of economy were allowed too much weight with the projectors and builders of this bridge, which, is declared to have been too light to withstand ordinary storms.

The piers are found to be intact, although the iron oolumns which they supported have gone down with the general wreok. It seems likely that the real cause of the accident will forever remain a mystery, since the eye witnesses from shore saw nothing but a flash, and of those on the train not one survives. The Proceeding of tbe Aldermen. Tho business proceedings of the Aldermen yesterday were of minor importance, as was natural, a the closing session of tho year. The ofiiy actions taken suggestive of discussion were the passage of a resolution to release the bondsmen of ex Collector Badoau and to purchase a small park for the public in the Eastern District.

Tho Badeau complication is an old story, and the city, having accepted his property as indemnity for the money he misappropriated, there was uo adequate reason for refusing to release the sureties. The city, because of the depression of the real estate market, has not sold that property yet, but there is reason for tho belief that in the early futuro a salo will be effected on good terms. It is certain that when the city took action against Mr. Badeau the property was worth more than the claim against him, and it is not improbable that it will, with the rising tide, soon recover from the depression that rendered an immediate disposal of it inexpedient. To hold the bondsmen whilo holding the property indefinitely would not be just.

Moreover, it is an open question whether the city, having accepted the estate, could maintain an action against the bondsmen. As to the Eastern District park we see no objection to the proposed purchase, with the understanding that the Eastern District people are to pay for it. They will not, we suppose, expect the Western wards to contribute, since they refused to contribute to the purchase of Prospect Park. There ought to be a fine park in tho Eastern section of the city. It was intended to have ono when Prospect Park was spoken of, and wo take it for granted that when the city gets over its present embarrassments, and good times return; steps will be taken to secure proper ground.

The enterprise favored yesterday is of a minor nature. The amount to be expended is $20,000, and the accruing advantages will bo to only a comparatively small area. 4. Tbe Electric Mffht in trance and America. In discussing the perfect success which Mr.

Edison has met with in making an electric lamp, the Eagle took occasion some days ago to remark upon the assaults mode upon his claim to originality. It will bo remembered that one person who could not see the merit, nrgod that his carbon illuminating point, made incandescent in a vacuum, would not last twenty minutes. Mr. Edison answered this by keeping a steady current flowing through his carbon horseshoe ever since, without the least apparent waste or change, thus seeming to point to the possibility of maintaining the light from one lamp indefinitely. Another scientific person charged the inventor with borrowing other people's ideas.

The Eagle showed that while attempts had been made to burn platinum in a vacuum by a Frenchman, they had been unsuccessful, because a vacuum of proper approximation could not be secured with existing machinery. Mr. Edison made, first his own generator, discording th Gramme machine then he constructed an air pump of his own pattern, to make the vacuum perfect within a millionth part and lastly, he dispensed with platinum, eicept to connect his carbon with the copper wires, and used carbon as the illuminating medium for converting the force known as electricity into the needed manifestation thereof light. How well he has succeeded is now generally known. Tho testimony of newspaper reporters dispatched to witnos3 the recent illumina.