—— i“ voLuME { RE} SERIES, XL. THE CENTRE REPORTER. By FRED KURTZ. The whipping post bill, for wife-beat- ers, will be negatived by the House com- mittee at Harrisburg. Higbee now says he is sorry for what he did to obstruct the investigating com- mittee. Higbee should Itave known bet- ter, but puts the blame on his lawyer. Pshaw ! The House has put its foot on Dukes, and voted to declare his seat vacant. Right. Mt. Etna is'on a spree again —spitting out hot lava and causing an earthquake. M. de Lesseps has arrived at his des- tination, on his job to flood the Desert of Sahara. Hon. 8, J. Randall has our thanks for Comp. Census, 1880, 2 Vol's. Dr. Higbee, State Superintendent of Schools, has placed himself in a bad po- gition by trying to interfere with the senate committee appointed to investi- gate the State Orphan Schools, there be- ing charges of fraud connected with these establishments. Dr. Higbee evidently did not seem toknow that the Constitution gave the legislature power to look into the m of these institutions, creatures of the State, and see whether there is crookedness there ; more, the Constitution even citizen the right to examine into them if he believes there is fraud practiced. Why should Dr. Higbee try to block an investigation ? This looks bad for Higbee : if all is right he need not fear an investigation, and if there is wrong the people have a right to know it. Dr. Higbee is only siservant and very far from a boss. The senate, however, very properly, has ordered the i A anagement gives a Miit- RXR investigate hE Dr. Higbee tee to go ahead and thinks proper, please stand aside. The attitude Dr. Hig! iu this matter is an unfortunate « demands his removal from the Dep't. as it now will e has assumed ne and School The Clearfield Republican speaking of the B.C, C. & 8. W. railroad, says: On Friday, the 16th instant, the stock-hold- ers of the Susquehanna & South Western tailroad Company, the name of has been changed to the Beech Creek, Clearfield and South Railroad, met at their office in Clearfield, and by action of its stockholders, increased the capital stock from $4,000,000 to $5,000, 0000. This was necessary, owing to the branch lines required for its use and the large cost of mountain work. Gen. George J. Magee, Gen. C.J. Lang- don, 8. D. F. Slee, Daniel Beach, Senator Peale, J. Harrison, Chief Engineer Near- ing, Messrs. Platt, Kelley, Senator Wal lace, and others, were present as stock- holders and took part in the proceedings’ A hearing was given to a delegation o business men from Philipsburg, who seek the building of a branch road to that borough. We understand that the chanches for their success are favorable. Some of the delegation seem to be far more interested in another railroad coming to their town than they are in a new county, The main line of the road, from Jersey Shore—where it connects with the Reading and Pine Creek roads—to the Moshannon Creek is now under contract, and about 800 men are at work thereon, and within the next sixty days more than 5,000 men will be digging on the new line that will cross our county, The jine from Jergey Shore to Beech Creek has been let to Messrs, Hunter & Bros, of New York, and the mountain sections to the Messrs, Collins and Morrison, To show that things are lively, over eighty bids were put in for the work. The Coal Company lately organized is actively at work on their lands in Morris township, getting ready to open their mines and build coke ovens, so as to be ready to ship as soon as the road is open: The locating engineers, who pilot the road, are busy at work running prelim- inary lines to Clearfield Creek. i att The Democratic legislative apportion. ment bill was favorably reported in the house. Under it, taking the vote of 1880 as a basis, the Republicans would elect 23 senators and 112 members to the house, and the Democrats 23 senators and 98 members, The representation in Alle- gheny county is increased 2, Philadel- phia, Northumberland and Delaware gain one each, and decrease 1 in Luzerne, making the house comsist of 205 members instead of 201 as now. This bill is fair, yet the republicans are doing all in their power to prevent the passage of an apportionment bill as the Copstitution requires, unless it is so framed as to insure them two-thirds of senatorial and assembly districts, Western SA—————— ssi & ¥ _CENTR AI Judge Black was interviewed on the Dukes case, and said, relative to his tak- ing his seat in the House: “There is, however, a precedent for de- claring Dukes’ seat vacant.” “When was that?” “Stevens, after he lied, he tried to get up the war that is known in the history of this state as the ‘Buckshot war,’ and the enterprise collapsed. He jumped out of a back window of the senate and ran off to Gettysburg, where he remained, without claiming his seat, for about a month. When he came in and offered to take the oath the house resolved, with great solemnity, that his seat was vacant. I do not believe this judgement of the house was founded upon the pure failure of Stevens to claim his seat, for others had been out nearly as long and were ad- mitted without hesitation. The door wa shut upon Stevens by a sentiment of in- dignation like that now felt against Dukes. He tried to perpetrate a gross fraud by the introduction of eleven mem- bers from Philadelphia, who were known not to be elected, and brought troops to Harrisburg with intent to force the bogus members upon the house that knew they had no right there. If the troops could have been used as he intended it would have produced a civil war and the whole state might have been covered with blood and ashes, If that was the reason it for a similar judgment Stevens’ seat vacant, against but I doubt if it was right. Congress, i several have turned $ +1 laces on the ground that CASES, out « men their 1 I they were unproper persons, morally unfit $43 with them. tO asso y voted I think congress was wrong every = ’ $e ciate members whe against 2 time it did this, as the British parliament was wrong in refusing, for a similar rea- 7, $0 seat Wilks, But what is to be in a case like this? It is utterly 11 bs oni Unts take of taking some re nary measure to keep him out » th lessly I would rather see it done outs the house members.” “And what method Mr. Black, as the than by J “It would be better, I think, «dy meet him at the d out of town | “hilt up to the “hill fore he has time " 4 bond} Probabl will have too much regard for his health y cOonne y, however, he to make his appearance there at all.” elm sion An interview held with one of the ju- rors in the Dukes case by a reporter of a Philadelphia newspaper sets in a strong and lurid light not only the mental and moral outfit of this particular juror but the actual working of the palladium of our liberties. It is probable that the ver- dicts in very many if not in most crimi- nal trials are arrived at by very much the same process of reasoning that actuated the jury which acquitted Dukes, only the verdicts are not in cases which have at- tracted so much attention, and they are not in so glaring defiance of common jus- tice and common sense. Mr. George Washington Breakiron, the juror in ques- tion, relates that although there was no evidence that Nutt was armed with a pis- tol, and although the evidence which the jury accepted was that Dukes had posses- sion of Nutt's cane, so that the man killed was unarmed, yet “the shooting was done pretty much in self-defense.” The reporter having inquired how a man with a cane and a pistol could be requir- ed in self-defense to kill another who had neither, the candid Breakiron an- swered, “I don’t remember just how we did fix up that point.” And in an answer to a further inquiry what he would have done if the rest had agreed upon a verdict of murder in the first degree, this candid juror makes answer, “Well, then I would have done that too.” smi MoI MAb AA An important decision relative to the sale of tobacco was rendered the other day at Pittsburg. Judge Acheson, of the United States district court filed an opin” ion in the case of the United States vs. Win. Jenkinson, which is of great im- portance to the tobacco trade. The de- fendant was indicted for selling tobaceo contrary to section 3,303 of the revised statutes. His offense consisted in selling five pounds of plug tobaceo from a broken package to a smaller dealer. The court says the government has no right to in- quire whether or not Jenkinson sold the tobacco to be sold again, and the defend. ant is consequently discharged. This opinion is contrary to all recent ruling of the internal revenue department, A dMatist in New York had to pay a while extracting a tooth. It w less risky to pull stumps in a field than out of a lady's jaw at that rate. A Dukes will not go to Harrisburg, Queen Victoria has a swollen from her late fall—this goes to that queens are human. knee prove The Democrats and Independents, of Rhode Island, last week nominated Wm. Sprague for Governor. The Harrisburg Morning Patriot, since its improvement, fills the bill of a first- class daily at the state capital—all the latest telegraphic intelligence and reaches this section at noon on day of is sue. By direction of Major General Hart ranft orders will be issued this week regarding the summer encampment of the National Guards. The troops will go into camp between the 11th and 13th of August next. The commander of each brigade will select such place as he deems best suited to the purpose, as the vari- ous brigades will encamp separately militias The old contention between the Dan- ville, Hazelton and Wilkesbarre Railroad Company and the Pennsylvania Railroad 2 4 Compahy, growing out of the lease of the : former company to the latter in Februa- ry, 1882, resulted in the filing of a decla- 0} rd ration of suit on The declaration, af- ter reciting the terms of the lease, alle ges that the Pennsylvania company ed to conduct the road properly, and on the contrary managed it in so careless and negligent a manner that it became ruinous and anproductive ; per mnt was ¢l that seventy- cent. more than the Aarged against the KeCOt taken in Lhe shinpe of giving « even beet LRG O against our certainly a - oe» DIVORCE ETATISTICS. The Rev. 8B. W. Dike, New England League, in a recent address on who is secreta of he IHive ree made ject, in New Haven, Conn, some startling statements in regard to the i crease of divorces in the New The whole number in Connecticut were in 15849 only ninety- one, and now the average is about four hundred and forty in each year, showing that, while the increase of population in that state in the last thirty years is less than seventy per cent, the increase of divorces is almost five hundred per cent. The ratio of divorces to marriages in Connecticut is at the rate of one divorce to about ten marriages ; and the same ra- tio is found to exist in Rhode Island. In New Hampshire the ratio is one divorce for every nine marriages, and in Maine nearly the same proportion of divorces exists. Vermont presents better figures, where the ratio is one to thirteen; and Massachusetts is still better, where the ratio is that of one divorce to every twenty-one marriages, These are facts, according to the statement of the Rev, 8. W. Dike, as they exist in New Eng- land ; and New England is especially that part of the country to which we have been in the habit of looking for the best exhibit of good social order. similis i w— Bince Dr. Higbee finds himself in a vice, he says he is very sorry. We look at his case thus: Since he can’t prevent an investigation into frauds at the or phan schools, he will no longer interfere, i. ¢., if he could prevent it, he would. Let Dr. Higbee resign. A Mp In the star-route matter damaging statements have beensmade against Bra- day. Mail contractor Joseph B. Price made an affidavit, now in possession of the government, wherein he alleges that he gave on one occasion to ex-Postmast- er General Brady the sam of $2,000 in postal drafls, together with $5,600 in cash to corruptly influence Brady's official ac tion. He also alleges, it is said, that on another occasion he gave the sum of $15, 000 in postal drafts drawn against his (Price's) pay as mail contractor on the mail route from San Antonio to Corpus Christi, and that in addition to the afore mentioned $15,000 of drafts he also gave to Senator Kellogg a note for $5,000, all of which paper he deposes was paid at maturity. States, of divorces There is a dead-letter law which pro- vides that there shall be deducted from the salaries of Congressmen their pay for every day they are absent from leg- islative duties, unless such absence is caused by illness of themselves or their families, This law has unheeded and neglected, but its existence is recall- ed by the fact that Roswell P. Flower, a House from New city —the gentleman who defeated young been member of the York Aston in a memorable contest—seems to have discovered it, and as soon as he did so sat down and reckoned up the dura- House on for- United We believe only case of the kind on record. i - SOLDIERS ORPHANS BCHOOLS. Harrisburg, March 20.—Senator Coxe made disclosures to the Benate to-day concerning the Rev. Dr, E, E. Higbee, Superintendent of Public Instruction, that caused a stirring discassion, Obwin- ing permission to make a personal state ment, Coxe proceeded to read an ac ount of efforts made by him to get from the Educational Departmenc information needed by the committee, of which he is chairman, investigate tho alleged fraud in the admission of children to the soldiers’ orphans’ school. On the 8th in- stant Coxe wrote to Dr. Higbee inform. ing hom of the passage by Coxe's investi- “That thie Superintendent of Public Instraction be asked to furnish the committee at once a hist of all the pupils that have been admitted to the soidiers’ orphans’ schools during the lifestime of their fa- ther since the law permiting such ad- missions went into force.” lun acvordance therewith Coxe asked Dr. Higbee to fur- nish the information, and the reply re. oes ved was that it would require the tention of the whole force for six mo y pet at it. Dr. Higbee added i iniormation was on file and tuat the com- nittes eonld have a After other atiem pls ts get the mation Senator Coxe hig vate secretary and assistant it. bout on Friday they Weare ser © y Dr. Higbee, On Lhe hey were “irresponsible Coxe said tha } SrOawen, lag of his absence from the And he forwith warded to the Treasurer of the States his check for $458.80, this isthe Lak tion private business, to gRiion commitiee of a resolution : Cons 10 the files, infor. sent own pri 0 complie ordered ground that i ierks’ Mr Mr. James E. advised Lim that anghtiom aware that be had done bad not been he fullest inves fist ied, any eit Zen had . the examination tHe sas 1 shy proper and he igation into lus einvesiigation started a debate whicn 100k a range. Biddis, Democrat, ieee Of Ve De appoluled f Coxe had anyt This was opposed by Keune id not beueve that it would resul thorough exposure of Higbee's y ie the | asion Be, nection with ¢ Goue arrogant atiemy cand afi Bid wirew his motion, Satton offered im authorizing Cuxe to go ahead. Greer hoped this would not pass, would show a desire by the Demo- ) Lm ped # { ’% TF Eine t14 “ 1854 & DEIR Las s as 1 “This is done,” he declared, “to burt Wallace ended the dispute by defend xe's action, criticising Dr. Highee's ourse and offered as an amendment to B:ution's motion a resciution to refer the matter to Coxe's investigation commitiee, with instructions to proceed with the investigation. This passed with out opposition aud Coxe is satistied. He says be will get what he wants, a THE FLOOD'S STRANGE A Farmer Looses Forty Acres of Land and a Neighbor Gaine Ten Acres. One of the strangest freaks of the flood is reported from Whitewater river, a lew miles above Lawrenceburg, where Farm- er Huot lost forty acres of laud aud his neighbor, Fred Newhouse, had a barren and rocky mill-site converted into ten geres of as rich land as the fertile valley affords, The land along the Whitewa- ter is as rich as any in the West, and has only to be tickled with a hoe to make it jungh with a harvest. An acre ol ground bere is an independence for a gardoer, and ten acres ure a little less than a bho naoza. During the flood the Whitewa- ter bottoms were overflown for miles along the stream, and toe extraordinary height of water created currents that had pever been known before. Since the subsidence of the flood it has been found that forty acres of Farmer Hunt'srichest soil has been carried away, leaviog that portion of his farm practically worthless until restored by a system of tillage and fertilizing. Fred Newhouse, who recent. ly moved to the Whitewater bottoms from Aurora, owned a mill-site just be- low Hunt's farm, Newhouse's property consisted of ten acres of rocky and bar- ren land, unfit for farmiog purposes. A portion of this was a large mill pond. This mid pond is now filled to the level ol the breast of the dam with the richest soil in the valley, and Mr. Newhouse's remaining acres of nonproductive rocks are nowhere to be seen, but are covered to the depth of several feet with the same rich deposit, Instead of being a looser by the flood he is ahead the value of ten acres of Water Valley land, which, when tBere 18 any of it in the market, com- mands from $200 to $600 an acre. Mr, Newhouse is a fine practical miler, and thie whole neighborhood just now is put to great inconvenience by the temporary shutting down of his mil, “If iv were pot for the annoyance and delay of changing my mill from water power to steam power—for 1 am left without a dam.” suid Mr. Newhouse, “1 would laugh atmy loss.” a on ol I Ml DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, London, Mgreh 26