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THE JOB yo ZOXOER.
atr. T/joman oMe Cfttfl Service Commission
Hands the President HI * Resignation.
tho spoils system of distributing patron
ago. Strenuous and sincere argument , am
also deliberate perversion , mark the op
position pi different groups of antagonists
and yet it must be conceded that th
majority of the political leaders in cither
party is in accord with the Pendleton law
if its original enactment and emphatic
endorsement by subsequent congresses
were honest legislative expressions , and noi
the coercion of moral cowardice by popular
sentiment nor partisan legerdemain. In
th e _ great task ol tho administrative form
which you have undertaken in accordance
with personal and party pledges , the poo
pie will give aid. It has been my pleasure
within the last two months to visit quite a
number of states and territories of the
union and it was my good fortune to mcel
many of their citizens. It is gratifying to
know that tho people confide in the un
equivocal intention of the president to sus
tain flie merit system of the civil service ,
They had condemned the evils of the
former method. Long experience haci
made their knpweldge accurate. They
welcomed the inauguration of the new.
The distinctive features of the present re
form appealed to a typically American
sentiment which recommends and advances
merit. With the precise details of tho new
procedure their acquaintance was not so
intimate. The inception and maintenance
is with the people. I believe that the fun
damental idea of civil service reform is
characteristic of the American thought.
Popular hesitation over the acceptance ol
statutory details suggests that. Of this
reform there was a response throughout
tho nation. Political contests assumed a
new tone. Old-time meUiods of corruption
were discouraged and boesism was grappled
with fresh vigor. Tho improvement is
yet marked. If vicious elements still
seek obtrusion into elections , the chances
of their success have been lessored. The
reform spirit is militant and advances
totfard complete success. Corruption by
official patronage has been removed. With
the imparting of a purer life to ofiicial cir
cles , the power of the private purse to pur
chase political honors will be less danger
ous. Public appreciation of the fact that
this reform does not trench upon sturdy
partisanship came late. It was studiously
maintained that the civil service was
to be composed of men who should adjure
to certain rights of citizenship. With the
gradual but inevitable refutation of this
false view , the .outlines of reform at lost
stood forth in clearness. It is a reform
which views the civil service as a vast busi
ness agency. Its search is for the best at
tainable merit. In tho business which is
not political , it enforces no tests of party.
With confident trust in the success of your
administration , I am your obedient ser
vant , LEBOY D. THOIIAN.
To the president.
EXECUTIVE MANSION , WASHINGTON , Oct.
24. Hon. Leroy I ) . Tho man , Civil Service
Commissioner My Dear Sir : I have re
ceived your letter tendering your resigna
tion as member of the civil service commis
sion. which is in furtherance of an inclina
tion expressed by you"very soonafterniy
inauguration as president. The resigna
tion thus tendered is hereby accepted to
take effect on the 1st day of November
next. I congratulate you upon the fact
that in the ofiice which you have relin
quished you have been able , by sincere and
earnest work , by steady devotion to the
cause , to do so much in the interest of
good government and improved political
methods. Yours sincerely ,
_ GROVEB CLEVELAND.
THK BEAT Of GO r
MbeeOaneotu Xouttrg of Interest mt A *
ttonal Capita * .
The decrease in the postal revenues for the
past fiscal year is larger than was expected.
The law to reduce letter postage from 3 to 3
cents was enacted about two years ago. For
the last three-quarters of the first fiscal year
the effect upon the revenue was inconsidera
ble. This was attributed in a large measure
to the great Increase in the number of two-
cent stamps that were used to enclose busi
ness circulars. It has been expected that
this increase would continue so that there
would not be & large reduction in postal rev
enues. But this expectation has not been
realized. The first complete fiscal year under
the operation of the reduced postage law ,
closed on the 30th of last June. It was not a
cool business year. It had been supposed
that the deficiency would not be more than
$ , , , but on the contrary it will be
about 57,000,000. These figures are not to be
j taken as accurate. As it is the President's
with that the bureau reports shall not be gir-
icn to the public in advance ot his message it
jmakes it impossible to obtain exact figures.
. THE claim of th state of Nebraska
against the general government for $34-
759.12 for the inter-decennial census has
been allowed arid a treasury warrant for
that amount will be sent to GOT. Dawes.
BIDS were opened on the 24th by Acting
Commissioner Upshaw and Superintendent
Oberly for the erection of an Indian indus
trial school at Grand Junction , Col. The
bids ranged from § 11,500 for brick to $16-
000 for stone. It is thought a suitable
stone building can be put up for about
$16,000.
THE president stated to a gentleman
whom ho called in to a consultation that
he will rigidly adhere to his civil service re
form policy , whatever may happen in or
out of his party , and that ho is confident
that ultimately the country will approve
bis course. . 01 one thing he is sure , that
neith'er political party can openly espouso
any policy which is antagonistic to tho
civil service idea. * Cleveland intends in the
reorganization of tho civil service commis
sion , which will probably be made as soon
as competent persons can be found , to
\ _ make his purpose clear in this matter.
Washington disjatch : Dr. Kimball , direc
tor of the mint , in his annual report of * the
operations of the mints and assay offices for
year ending June 30,18S5 , shows the value of
old deposited to have been about $57,000-
000 , of which nearly $32,000,000 consisted of
domestic bullion. Of $33,000,000 of silver
bullion purchased for coinage , $32,000,003
was of domestic production. The total coin
age value of gold and silver purchased during
the 3 ear amounted to about § 95,030,000 .
against about ? $ S,003OCO in the previous
year. The dccLne in the production of gold
-on the Pacific coast , as shown by the contin
ued falling off of deposits , is ? SOOD,000 this
ft.jKar , as compared with 1SS1. The coinage for
Vj tbe year was § # ,851,123 of gold , and § > 8,8iS-
' flj'J of silver. The director estimates the
amount of gold and silver coin in the coun
try on July 1,1835 , at $ S20,000,000 ; § 342,000-
000 in gold and § 278,0:0,000 in silver. In ai-
diticn to the coin in tne country , there was at
the mints and assay offices on July 11835 ,
gold and silver bullion available for coinage
amounting to § 71,501.632 , which added to the
coin makes the total coin and bullion at that
date , § 392,500,519. He estimates the produc
tion of the world to have been , during the
calandar year ending June 30th , 18S5 , $35-
000,003 in gold and $115,000,000 In silver , an
increase in gold { .redaction , compared with
the previous year of about § 1,030,000 in gold
and a falling off of about the sami amount in
silver production.
*
"
DELEGATE GDTFOBD , of Dakota , in an in
terviow , said : "We want to make a state
of Dakota and I am here to do all I can to
that end. Wo favor the admission of Mon
tana also , and all other territories excep
Utah. The big Sioux reservation contains
36,000,000 acres , and there are only24 ,
000 Indians upon it. Dakota people desire
this vast reservation opened for settle
ment. "
IT is definitely known here that Gen. Mc-
Clellan came very near being made a mem
ber of President Cleveland's cabinet ; that
he was tendered the Russian mission and
declined it because of business engagements ,
and that within twenty-four hours of his
death tho president had concluded to offer
him an appointment as a member of the
civil service commission.
Da. JAMES P. KIMBALL , director of the
mint , has submitted to the secretary his
annual report of the operation of the mints
and assay offices of the United States for
the fiscal year ended June 30,1885.
THE total coinage value of gold and silver
deposited and purchased at the mints was
$94,830,976 against $87,955,154 in tho
previous year. Tho director ejtimates the
amount of gold and silver con in thecoun
try July 1 , 1885 , at $20,000,000 , of which
of which $542,000,000 consisted of gold
and $278,000,000 of silver. This amount
was owned as follows : by the treasury-
gold $53,223,160 , silver $95,119,065
total of $148,342,228 ; by national bankf
cold $165.545.867. silver $11,973,833
CHIME IN IBELAm
A. Remarkable Case In Court at Cork.
London dispatch : A most remarkable case
is on the docket of the Cork assizes , the
winter term of which has just opened. Seven
years ago , the people of Castletown Roche
were startled by the sudden disappearance of
the wife of Thomas Sheeban , awell-to do pop
ular resident , and his son and daughter. The
father , who had been in England several days
prior to the disappearance , immediately re
turned home , and every effort was made to
obtain some information regarding the where
abouts of the missing people. Large sums of
money were spent in the quest , but it was
without result ; the trio having disappeared
as quickly as though the earth had opened
and swallowed them up. There were rumors of
elopements and of foul play , but every due
failed of confirmation. Years fled by , but the
matter was not forgotten and has furnished
many a subject for speculation and chat to
the village gossips around the winter firesides
in huts and cabins. But a few months ago
the neighborhood was astonished by the re
port that the mystery had been solved ; that
the three had been brutally murdered by their
son and brother and the bodies hidden in an
abandoned well. The rumors were confirmed
by the arrest of William Sheehan and David
Browne , and by the finding of the bodies , or
rather of the remains , little more than the
bones and skulls being left.
The solicitor general allowed a reporter
to make a copy of the principal evidence
for the crown. It Is a confession made by
John Duane , father of a young u an who ad
mitted that he assisted in hiding the bodies.
This confession is as follows :
"On the day of the murder Wm. Sheehan
said to me , JJohnny , yon won't tell what I'ra
goin : * to do to-day.1 He did not say what it
was nor did I know what he meant This
was about an hour before anything took
place. I was standing in the yard just out
side tne stable door. Thomas Sheehan first
went into the stable aid William followed
him in. Divid Browne was also inside.
Suddenly William picked up a club ani *
struck his brother twice upon the head.
He dropped , and I could see that he wae
killed dead. Then Will and Browne crossed
over and went into the house , I following at
a little distance. Will's mother and his little
sister Hannah were in the little room below
the kitchen. Will went behind his mother ,
struck her on the head with the club , and
then he caught her by the throat and choked
her until she was dead. At the same time
Browne struck Hannah on the head with the
same clu' , knocked her down and choked he1
unti ! sne was black-in the face and ceased to
breathe. I had been standing at the door all
this time , and Will asked me if I would helo
them take the bodies over to the stable. I
was afraid they would kill me and consented.
Next morning before daylight we put the
bodies into the bus y and drove to the welL
William throwed them in , the old woman
first , then Hannah , and then Tom. Aftei
this we threw in a lot of stones and covered
them over with white thorn bushes. Then we
went back to the house , got some girls to
come in , and played "the concertina and
danced all day.
The motive of the crime was the desire on
William Sheehan's part to obtain control oi
the property after his father's death and it is
believed that at one time he contemplated
making away with his sire. Both Brown and
Duane knew that if they "gave away" the de
tails of the terrible crime they would stand a
chance of bein hanged and hence the re
markable way in which the secret has been
kept for so many years. There is no doub.
but that Sheehan and Browne will go to the
scaffold , while Dnane is likely to serve a long
term for his share in the bloody deed.
HORROR AT A MICHIGAN FIRE.
A. Bridge Foot-Walk Falls an.I Sixty
Persons go Bo wn tvitU It.
A dispatch from East Saginaw , Mich. , gives
the particulars of a horror attending a fire in
that cityjon the evening : of Oct. 23th. The
fire was discovered in the tug C. C. McDon
ald , lying near the Genesee avenue bridge on
the Saginaw river. A large number of peo
ple congregated on the bridge. About fifty
ieet of the foot-walk and railing on the
bridge , on which were sixty to seventy-five
people , all men and boys , gave way , precipi-
.ating them into the swift current below. The
night was cloudy and a scene of terror en
sued. Cries for help filled the air and the ex
cited people on the dock threw i lanks to the
struggling mass below , a number being struck
vi the head by the heavy timbers. A major-
ty , however , were saved , but a large number
were badly bruised. The river is now being
dragged for bodies. So far one , that of Sid
ney Tallon , aged 8 , has been brought up. It
thought several perished. Twelve or thir-
en are missingamong them Geo. Burnett ,
Chester M. Maares , Architect John Sharp ,
Ibhn Bush and Jerome Murphy. James
Cwaites , aged 65 , was injured internally ,
lerman Eothberg was injured about the legs.
Jd. Coates , managing editor of the Siginaw
Courier , " went down. He could not swim ,
rat drifted down the river and clung to a
jile of smiles until rescued. He was bruised
and cut about the legs. . A number of coats
and hats were found which have not yet been
claimed.
PERSONA * AND IXPERSOXAZ.
Mr. E. B. Hayes * beard is as white as a
ien'e egg.
Kiel will not bo able to tackle turkey on
Thanksgiving day.
Horatio Alger , the story writer , has
started several penniless boys in business.
Gen. Benjamin F. Butler's law practice ia
said to net him the sum oi $100,000 per
year.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton has passed the
three-score-and-ten milestone in the jour
ney of life.
Count Von Moltke is in very poor health.
He will not live till winter , it is said. Bis
marck , who'was dangerously ill last sum-
mer , is dangerougly well again.
Mr. George W. Childs has received from
John Walter , proprietor of the London
Times , one of tho silver medals struck in
commemoration of the paper's centennial
anniversary.
Gen. Sherman is said by a Washington
paper to regret having taken up his resi
dence in St. Louis and to wish himself in
Washington again. The reasons assigned
for the change are of a social-nature.
You may call a woman "a little duck. "
or even ' , little goose , " with perfect impu
nity , but a Brooklyn courthas justdecided
that a W9inan who called another "a
Shanghai hen" had damaged her to the ex
tent of § 500.
Mary Anderson is much grieved that tho
New Yorkers do not applaud her Rosalind.
A western editor says it is not to be won
dered at , as the man who will pay $2.50
for a seat is a greenhorn who does not
know enough to applaud.
Hundreds of women who would like to
teach school awhile and then marry write
to Leadville to inquire as to their chances
in Colorado. The teaching business seems
to be overdone at present , but there is a
steady demand for female help at from
$20 to $40 per month.
SOME POLITICAL CONFAB.
The president spends one hour each day
upon his forthcoming message. ItwiU be a
model of brevity.
Senator Ransom delights in introducing
ladies to the president. He is an inveter
ate match-maker.
Congressman Hatch , of Missouri , ia a
believer in the hot water cure. So are some
of his constituents who failed to get an
office.
Mrs. Belva Lockwood and President
Cleveland bad a private interview the other
day. The lady is said to have left tha
room with a smile.
"Offensive partisanship" has entirely dis
appeared from the list of charges made
against republican officials. The expres
sion became offensive.
A man named Macomber , of Buffalo , an
intimate acquaintance of the president , has
been in Washington seven months seeking
an office in the customs service.
Private Secretary Lament receives about
as many callers dally as the president. He
takes the gentlemen to the window over
looking the lawn and talks in a low tone.
President Cleveland will give three din
ners during the winter to the diplomatic
corps , members of the cabinet and sena
tors. Ho will give four public evening dress
receptions , commencing with December.
The president has made the following ap
pointments : United States attorneys , J.
W. House , of Arkansas , for eastern dis
trict of Arkansas ; H. Sandals for western
district of Arkansas. United States mar
shals , T. H. Fletcher , of Arkansas , for
eastern district of Arkansas. John Carroll ,
of Arkansas , for the western district of
Arkansas.
THE MARKETS.
OMAHA.
WHEAT No. 2
BARLEY No. '
WHEAT No. 2 red 93' © 99
WHEAT Ungraded red 02 © 1 03 c
CORN No.2. . 45 ® 53
OATS Mixed western 34 © 40
PORK 985 © JO 00
LARD 6 20 @ 6 22
CHICAGO.
FLOUR Choice Winter.475 @ 500
FLOUR Spring extra 370 © 400
WHEAT Per bushel S K ® 86 } $
CORN Per bushel 4l iQ 41J $
OATS Per bushel 24J @ 25
PORK M 825 © 830
LARD 5 82 ® 585
Hoas Packing and shipping. 3 45 © 3 60
CATTLE Stockers s 00 © 3 50
KHEEP Medium to Rood 275 © 300
ST. LOUIS.
WHEAT No. 2 red 02 ® 93tf
CORN Per bushel 37J @ 38
OATS Per bushel 24-u © 23
CATTLE Stockers and feeders 2 50 © 3 60
SHEEP Western 200 © 350
KANSAS CITK
WHEAT Per bushel 74H ® 75
CORN Per bushel 28 © - 29
OATS Per bushel 21 © 22J
CATTLE Exports. 6 15 @ 540
HOGS Assorted M 3 35 © 3 45
SHEEP Common to tfood. . . . . 160 & 800
BATTVROAP men of Nevada say that
he Union Pacific road is literally lined
with tramps. They swarm at every
water-tank and station on. the road , and
as the train-men have strict orders not
o let them ride they have to count the
ies from station to station. A great
many of them get into sealed cars at
stations and ride until detected or com
pelled by hunger and thirst to call for
assistance and beg to be let out.
IP anger arise in thy breast , instantly
seal up thy lips , and let it not forth , for ,
ike fire , when it wants vent , it will sup
press itself.
5 < f-V't2- : '
GAMBLING ON THE.OOEAN.
Sharks on tho Deep Blue _ Boa La
*
dles Who Tuko a Hnnd .
From the New York Mail and Express.
An importer engaged in business in
White street , this city , who has cross-
ed the ocean at least twice a year for
the last quarter of a century , was met
.during the past few days on his re
turn from Europe. He is a veteran
traveler , and is always on the look
out for stirring incidents and Any
thing of a novel character. "We had
an exceedingly pleasant run after
leaving Queenstown , " he said , , but 1
can't say the trip will he cherished
with pleasant recollection , by every
body who was aboard. In the smoking
room poker was the order of the hour
throughout the entire voyage , and a
party of New York professionals
whose faces are familiar to ocean
travelers , made a pile of money. The
principal victims were Englishmen
bound to this country on business or
pleasure. Two gentlemen , who said
their destination was Texas , lost all
their ready cashabout 3,500. They
took their losses good-naturedly , and
seemed to regard them as of no con
sequence. "
"Are these professional players
known to the officers of the ships ? "
"I cannot conceive how the officers
can be ignorant as to their real charac
ter. Regular passengers can point
them out as soon as they strike the
deck of a ship. They are always well
dressed.suave in their manner , and to
all appearance , perfectly reckless in
the expenditure of money. They or
der the most costly drinks and the fin
est cigars , and as they can make them
selves quite agreeable when it suits
their purpose they are rarely at a loss
for victims. "
"Are they themselves not likely to
become the victims ? "
"If luck sets dead against them , so
that their cheating devices fail to work
as may happen onrareoccasions.they
play very low until the tide turns.
The professionals are always ahead
on the whole voyage , sometimes by
tens or thousands of dollars. On the
trip here a young English lieutenant ; ,
who was going to visit friends in Can
ada , and a middle-aged gentleman who
had interests in the west , were passen
gers. They fell into the toils of the
gamblers on the first day out from
Queenstown , and before the close oi
the third day both the Britishers re1
tired from the poker table looking
downhearted. I learned that the
lieutenant , who had 1,000 when he
started from home , had nothing left
but a draft for 100. Ilis traveling
companion lost heavily , but resented
any attempt to draw him into con
versation on the subject. These are
but isolate instances of what occurs
on almost every voyage. Since public
gambling has been stopped in many
of our large cities , the gamblers have
taken to "the ocean , where they ply
their trade with great success. They
are to be found on every ship , and as
they are surrounded by men with
money and plenty of leisure timethey
invariably reap a rich harvest. "
"Are the gamblers ever interfered
with ? "
"Very rarely , but sometimes they
are squelched. An amusing incident
occurred on the voyage to Liverpool.
Two bright young American women
and two well-known gamblers , who
were said to be their husbands , were
booked as passengers. Soon after
leaving Sandy Hook , the ladies began
to make themselves very agreeable to
some of the male passengers , to whom
they managed to secure introductions.
They drank wine and smoked cigar
ettes. Next day a game of poker was
started , and the ladies took part in
it. At first it was a game with small
stakes for amusement , but soon it be
came serious. There were five at the
table , and in a jack-pot which con
tained some $60 it came to the turn
of lady No. 1 to deal. She ripped
and shuffled the cards deftly , while
pleasant conversation flowed freely.
To tlie gentleman on her left she gave
three kings ; to lady No. 2 , who sat
next , she dealt the nine , ten , jack and
queen of clubs ; to the player immedi
ately on her left she bestowed an ace
full pat ; to the next gentleman three
sevens were given , while she hersell
took an indifferent hand and fell out.
The first player opened the pot for
$5 ; lady No. 2 stayed in ; the third
player raised it § 10 ; the fourth saw
the raise , as did also the first.
"It then came to the turn of the
lady. She saw the raise and went
$100 better , which all hands saw.
Lady No. 1 finished the deal. To the
gentleman on her left she gave a pair
of fives , which made his hand a king-
full ; to her amiable sister she dealt the
eight of clubs , which completed her
straight flush. The third nlayer stood
liisliand , and the fourth received a
seven and queen to his three sevens.
Betting started at $10 , was raised $50 ,
then $100 , and went on till there were
several thousand dollars in the pot.
The two gentleman who held the full
liands dropped them when the pace
; rew too hot , and finally the four
sevens called , and the iady raked in
the pot with an innocent smile. The
skill of the dealer in handling the
cards was the talk of the ship. It
came to the ears of captain , who or
dered the ladies to keep their state
room during the balance of the voy
age. The two brilliant females and
their alleged husbands are lack-listed
by the agents of the line on which they
dispiayedsuch talent. "
A dispatch from Canajoharie says :
"For several months Miss Mary Beek-
man has been on a sick bed , and she
has frequently said thatsheseemed to
feel something moving within her. Af-
ler eating she was always attacked
with retching , and the other day a lit
tle squirminganimal was found in the
bowl. It was black , had an oval body
large as a copper and legs very lon °
and slim. It looked like a toad , and
when thrown into the canal it proved
to be an adept swimmer. It is thought
he lady will recover.
;
Bound to Celebrate.-
"Fvegot that mor'gage off'n my
farm at last , Bill , " said one farmer to
another , as they met in the road.
"Well I'm downright glad to hear it ,
Sara. You've had som'at of * a hard
time a doin' it. An' so you've wiped
it out , have you ? "
"Yes ; I paid the last note this
mornin' , an' now I'm goin' home to
have bond-fire ; but you're right , Bill ,
I have had a tarnal hard time of it.
You know as well as anybody what
tough scratchin' I've had to gifc that
farm paid for. "
"Yes , you have had a hard time ,
Sam , I know that. "
"Well , I should say so. Why , durn
it all , Bill , I've wore out two wives
as good workers , too , as you could
find anywhere to say nothin'of havin'
right smart o , sickness myself , brought
on by hard work in the field an' slim
pickin' in the house ; but , owin'to that
last woman o' mine bein' as tough * as
a pennyrile steer , an' not breakin'
down an' throwin'her funeral expenses ,
an' the time I'd a lost in courtin' an'
marryin' agin in a bad crop year , for
I tell you , Bill , times ain't like they
was when I fust come into this coun
try , ior , to gifc a widder now , that's
got any sight of hard work left in her
yit , you've got to fool away more or
less money on new clothes an'do right
smart o' taffyin' to git her. But , as I
was sayin' , Peggy stuck in her corks an'
kep' a goin' with her end of the double
tree till I got on the top o' the hill
with the load , an' now , that I'm thar
at last , with signs of an easy grade
ahead , I tell you what I'm a goin' to
do , Bill. "
"What's that , Sam ? "
"I'm a goin' to have a time of itan'
kill a suckin' pig. "
"You don't bay ? "
"Yes , I do. I'm goin' to have a cele
bration an' a regular rip-snortin'
time. "
"Hurra for you. "
"That's what I'm goin' to do , bill , I
ain't been on a spree for thirty year ,
but I'm goin' to cut loose tonight , if
I have to chaw dogwood bark the rest
of my day's an' I want you to come
over and help me make the woods
howl this evenin' after you get your
milkin' done. What d'ye say ? "
"All right , I'm agreeable. What's
the programme ? "
"We'll get on a high , an' beat the
bass drum till midnight , if it springs
the rafters , Bill. I've got six bottles
o' pop an' two cigars in th wagon
here , and that'll be a whole bottle
apiece for us all round , not countin'
your wife for I don't s'pose she'd care
to drink nothin' now , an' we'll go to
the whole dose if it makes us despei-
ate. This here pop is somethin' theyve ]
got up sence I've been stranglin' with
the mor'gage , an' I've been famishin'
for 25 year , Bill , every time I've
seen it zip an' sizzle in a tumbler at a
picnic , to know what it tasto like' an'
I'm goin' to know this very night.
Come over middlin' airly , Billan' you
may let every last one of them corks
loose , an' we'll make the Scratch
Gravel people b'lieev thar's a tiger
loose along the Wabash. " Chicago
Ledger.
IL Printer's Tale of Gen. Sher
man.
Spoaking of Gen. Sherman's recent
reflections on the war correspondents ,
a newspaper man tells the Washing
ton Sunday Capital this :
"I had an interview with him during
the first week of his occupation of Sa
vannah. The newspapers then made
aim prime hero of the war. Grant ap
peared to be baffled before Petersburg.
The march through Georgia was the
theme of all praise , and Sherman ap
peared to be the man who would end
it all. I had a printing office and very
complete press , where , for two years ,
I had printed an army paper at Beau
fort , S. C. I obtained letters from
Generals Forsrer and Saxton recom
mending me to favorable cons.dera-
tion. These I took to Sherman in Sa
vannah , asking for permission to bring
my material to Savannah and there
turn out a national union newspaper.
The printing offices of the city had
been rendered almost useless by the
departing rebels , and the need of a
new press was particularly evident.
Gen. Sherman received me pleasantly
until I mentioned a newspaper. Then
the storm broke from a clear sky :
" 'I would like to know what the
deuce an army wants with a newspa
per , or what anybody wants with
them , for that matter. This war was
brought on by newspapers and preach
ers , and it would have ended long ago
but for them and the women , ' said
he. Then pausing , he said :
" 'Less than three
years ago you
newspapermen , especially a Cincinna
ti newspaper , put me down as a crazy
man , fit only for a lunatic asylum , be
cause I said it would take 200,000
men to do what I have done. I was
exiled to St. Louis on recruiting ser
vice for that opinion. What do you
think now ? "
" I tried to stop this flow of reminis
cences , but in vain.
" 'What does an army want with
newspapers , I'd like to know ? They
are little better than spies. We hang
jpies , or ought to , andTifc would have
roved thousands of lives if we had
hanged a dozen newspaper correspond
ents. No , sir , you cannot publish a
paper in Savannah with my permis
sion. I suppose yxm are a decent man ,
because these officers say you are a
good soldier and a discreet editor , but
I will not have any newspapers abont
my army if I can help it. ' "
A unferal notice in a recent issue of
a Brooklyn paper closed with the sen
tence : "He has bequeathed his young
widow $25,000. " Did you ever see so
much important information so terse
ly stated ? The sorrowing widow in-
rorma the public that she is "young"
d that she is worth $25,000 , ell in
a little , unassuming funeral notice.
She also shows that she believes in
advertising.
SAILOR TVOMENV
_ _ _ v- *
Ancient Pirates of tho Female rdrsua-
slon , and Jltodern Heroines.
An old sailor , spinning a yarn over
the ear of a Boston Commercial
Bulletin reporter , says :
There have been cases , though not
very many of them , where women
have shown themselves to be first-
class. Maybe you have seen a big
schooner yncht cruising about the
lower bay with ahandsome gray-hair
ed woman standing at the wheel and
keeping her full and by with one spoke.
I have , anyhow , and I am told that
there are half a dozen ladies whose
husbands belong to the New York
Yacht Club who are as handy about
decks as their husbands are.
Shipowners have a castiron , case-
hardened rule which forbids skippers
to take their wives to sea , the tneory
being that a captain will be looking
after his wile when he ought to be
looking after his ship. There is the
case of the cargo ship Edgar , home
ward bound from Senegal to London. .
The fever broke out , and all tho crew
were prostrated except the captain
and the mate. These two men went
into the engine room , and the captain's
wife steered. But for her grit the ship
would have been lost.
Then there was tho heroic Mary
Patten , who was with her husband in
a voyage around thellorninthe early
days of the California gold excite
ment. Her husband was taken sick
off theHorn , and she took his place
on the quarter-deck. The crew were a
lot of swabs , and none of them knew
a sextant from a spudbag , not even
the mate ; but Mrs. Patten kept the
log and took the sun and navigated
the ship into Snn Francisco , caring
for her husband when it was her watch
below.
Another case where a woman served
as skipper is that of the British brig
Cleotus , Miss Betsy Miller , master.
Her father was a shipowner of Salt-
coats. He had no sons , and took his
daughter into his ofiice and about the
docks as a companion. She grad
ually picked up knowledge of ships and
navigation. Finally she became so
much enamored with a life at sea that
her father put her in command of the
Cleotus , which he built especially for
her. For more than twenty years
she sailed the Cleotus about the
stormy coasts of Great Britain and
the continent , resisting the wooings ol
the many gallant sailor boys who were
fascinated by her bravery , and when
her father died she succeeded to and
conducted his business successfully.
Not the least interesting of the
stories of women at sen , are the tales
of.the female pirates. Some of them
are historical as well as romantic. Al
wilda , the daughter of Synardus , a
Gothic king , was bethrothed by her
father to Alf , the heir to the throne of
Denmarjc. The proposed marriage
wasso disagreeable to Alwilda that she
gathered a troop of young aiiiazons ,
dressed them in the carb of sailors ,
left her home and put "to sea as a vik
ing. She was exceedingly courageous
and successful. Finally , she one day
found a crowd of pirates who were
bewailing the loss of their commander.
She proposed that they sail under her
command. The men were pleased with
her bearing andreadily accepted. With
this addition of forces she became a
terror to the coast and rapidly in
creased her fleet and the number of
her sailors. It finally became nec
essary to exterminate this new band
of pirates under an unknown and
handsome commander , and Alf , the
rejected lover , was placed in command
of the naval fleet that was ordered to
search for her. The two fleets met in
the Gulf of Finland. Alwilda laid
her ship alongside the admiral's , and
in the battle that ensued half of her
crew was killed outright , and she was
overpowered by the Admiral himself.
She wore a casque over her head , and
was not recognized until she was dis
armed and the casque was removed.
The astonishment of the prospective
king was great when he saw the runa
way girl. His valor in action had
meantime won the respect of the fair
pirate , and she married the man who
had conquered her.
Scarcely less romantic were the
careers of a number of women who by
privation have been lead to assume
the dress of men and to take to the
sea for a living. The case of Mary
Reed , an English girl , is in point. Her
mother raised her in a boy's dress ,
so that she should have lesstroublein
rising above the privations which she
endured as a child. She was first a
footman and then a cadet in the
Guards. Finally she fell in love with
a brother cadet , revealed her sex and
the two were married in the presence
of their regiment. The husband died
after a year or two , and then Mary
dressed up as a man again and went
to sea. She eventually was captured
by and joined a pirate. Here she
again fell in love. The object of her
passion having become involved in a
quarrel , with a shipmate , she was very
fearful lest he should be killed.
It was impossible that he should
refuse to fight , and so she picked a
quarrel with his antagonist , forced a
fight , and came out victorious two
hours before the time set for the duel
of her lover , to whom , meantime , she
had revealed her sex. They were mar
ried by an island priest. He was
eventually killed , and she became a
sailor on the brigantine of the famous
pirate Captain Kachman , who had as
a consort another female who had
been a sailor and a pirate , Anne
Bonney. Mary preserved the secret of
her sex , and by her bravery and skill
secured a high'position in the estimate
of her shipmates. The vessel was
finally captured and taken into Port
Royal , Jamaica , by Captain Rogers
of the British navy , where the crew
were all condemned to be hung. Marv ,
however , revealed her sex , and would
have escaped punishmect , but she
died of a fever before her pardon ar
rived. Rachman and eight of his crew ,
were hanged , but the fate of Anne Bo.n-
ney is unknown.