Youngs' Humiliating Position

New York, 1895

The Republican Boss Scored by a Republican Newspaper.

(From the Long Island City Herald.)

The Herald announced several weeks ago that the Hon. William J. Youngs, Chairman of the Queens County Republican Committee and the representative of Queens and Suffolk Counties on the State Committee, was a candidate for Railroad Commissioner or some other important and lucrative State office, and that until he was provided for there was no likelihood of any other Queens County Republican getting anything. Well Mr. Youngs has been provided for, but how have the mighty fallen, or rather in the greedy lust for office, what a humiliating tumble has the leader of the Republican party in Queens County taken to grab a petty and insignificant position because it was the only one at present within his reach.

Mr. Youngs is reputed to be a rich man. His wealth is estimated in the neighborhood of $100,000, and yet he stoops to take a place the compensation for which is about five dollars a day. He has been appointed clerk to a legislative committee which is to travel about the state and examine the public roads. In accepting this cheap position he has broken the promise publicly and voluntarily made by him after the election last fall that he wanted nothing for himself and that in accepting the chairmanship of the county committee he could not consistently or honorably seek any office with a salary attached to it. We certainly think that Mr. Youngs has not only made a great mistake in accepting this petty office but has forfeited the confidence and respect of the Republicans of this county.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, May 3, 1895, p. 1.

Note: There are several other articles about Boss Youngs at antiquearchives.blogspot.com, and probably several to come!

Mrs. Boidy Soly Found Wandering

New York, 1895

Woodhaven and Ozone Park News

Mrs. John Wyckoff, mother of William F. and John Wyckoff, and their sister Annie, sailed on the steamer Fulda for England on Saturday.

The Belmont A. C. of Union Course elected the following officers: President, H. Bainbridge; vice president, J. Schmidt; treasurer, H. B. Jackson.

Mrs. Charlotte E. Croatman, of Ozone Park, widow of John Croatman, received on Friday $1,500 from Ozone Council, R. A. This is the first death the council has had since it was organized over two years ago.

Mr. Van Voorhes has taken charge of the new stables at the Aqueduct race track and is overseeing the other improvements now under way, The association has recently added a piece of ground and will make a mile track.

Micheal Cleary tried to shoot a cat which had killed a number of his chickens. Cleary's shot went wide of the mark and passed through a window in the home of Mrs. Billingham. The bullet missed the woman and passed through a panel of the door on the opposite side of the house.

Mrs. Fouquet, whose house was condemned by the highway commissioners for the purpose of opening Oakley avenue through to Grafton avenue, is having a new house erected on land adjoining the old site, which has been her home for a number of years.

Friday evening J. Merk went to Armbruster's saloon for a can of beer, and while there struck Mrs. Armbruster on the head with a stone pitcher that was standing on the bar. Dr. Ball, who was called to attend the injured woman, was obliged to take five stitches in the wound. Merk was arrested by Deputy Sheriffs Bush and Jephson. Monday he was arraigned before Justice Lott and remanded to jail to await the result of Mrs. Armbruster's injuries, she being unable to appear.

Mrs. Boidy Soly was found wandering aimlessly about in the storm on Tuesday night. She carried a half-starved infant pressed close to her breast. The woman, who is destitute, was on her way to visit her uncle, who lives at Sayville. She had bought a ticket for that place in Long Island City, spending all the money she had for it. By some carelessness she took the wrong train and landed here. The woman was put off the train at Woodhaven Junction. The waiting room is a dismal place and, after waiting in it all day, she started to hunt up her relatives. The woman could not speak English and she thought she was at Sayville. She plodded about through the muddy streets, hugging her child tightly to protect it from the cold. Some time after midnight, when she had become almost exhausted, she was found by a policeman. She was unable to reply to his questions. It was ascertained that the woman was a Bohemian and Joseph Marusack, a man of that nationality, was called. She said that she had lived in New York. About two months ago her husband died and she was left with little means. She tried to get work, but could not do so.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, May 3, 1895, p. 8.

Woodhaven and Ozone Park News

New York, 1895

John Barrody is confined to his home with pneumonia.

The building in course, of erection on Ocean avenue near Broadway will be occupied by the Ozone Artificial Ice company, and will contain one of the largest ice machines manufactured.

The M. E. Church of Ozone Park held an enjoyable pound sociable and musicale on Wednesday night. Financially the affair was a success. The musical part was all that could be desired.

The Presiding Elder has appointed Geo. E. Tilly to preach at Union Course next Sabbath. No doubt the congregation will be pleased to have him with them, as he was the first to open up that field to Methodism.

The Siac base ball club have organized for the season with an entirely new team, composed of young men of Ozone Park and vicinity. They promise to give the people some interesting games during the season.

Why is it that the Highway Commissioners allow the ash heap at the corner of Napier place and Atlantic avenue? There is at least two good loads of ashes there. It is an eyesore to people coming from the station.

The scarlet fever, which has been prevalent at Ozone Park, has subsided. All of the people who were stricken with the disease have recovered with the exception of Evaline Lewin. She has now been attacked with pneumonia.

Stephen Lott and son, of Ozone Park, have several large contracts on hand for soil and sods for the New Venice settlement at Rockaway. The soil of Ozone brings better prices than soil from anywhere else, and gives better satisfaction.

Anton Ballin, a saloon keeper of Ozone Park, has gone out of business and removed to New York, leaving everything behind in the hands of his brewer and mortgagee. The residents of the vicinity will put in a protest against the place ever getting a license again.

Friday night C. B. Gale gave a beefsteak dinner to a number of Ozone Park and Jamaica people at the Public Pound building. The steak was the finest that could be got. The other things were very rare. The boys had an elegant time.

George Shattuck, citizen member of the board of health, has been kept busy ordering dead dogs buried and investigating alleged nuisances. The west end will receive good attention from Mr. Shattuck, as he is prompt in attending to all complaints.

Mrs. Henrietta Pinkney, after testifying against Stephen Swan, who attempted to kill his wife and contractor James Scott of Union Course, fell in a faint in Justice Lott's court room on Tuesday. A physician was hastily summoned. He said that the woman was suffering from nervous prostration, and advised that she be removed to her home. Swan was held to await the action of the grand jury.

The Far Rockaway express, which left Long Island City at 4:30 Friday afternoon, struck a wagon driven by E. Chastagner, at Belmont avenue. The wagon was demolished, and the driver tossed out upon his head. He escaped with a few slight bruises. The train struck the wagon in the rear and unhitched the horse, which ran away. The wagon was filled with wines and liquors, which were spilled.

Stephen Swan, of Union Course, was on Friday held for the grand jury by Justice Lott, for making a murderous assault upon James Scott, a boarder in his family. He went home under the influence of liquor Wednesday night and demanded money from his wife, accompanying the demand with threats of personal violence. The woman gave him all the change she had and Swan started to go out again. He met Scott in the hallway and began abusing him. The men grappled and Swan endeavored to use a knife he had in his hand. Scott overpowered him and caused his arrest.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 26, 1895, p. 8.

Was Once a Society Queen

1895

Mrs. Hicks-Lord Now Lives In Quiet Retirement In New York.

A few years ago the name of Mrs. Hicks-Lord had greater potency in the fashionable life of New York than that of a Vanderbilt or an Astor. Today it is but a memory.

The erstwhile social queen lives in a big, gloomy house looking out upon Washington square from the West side, ending her days in a seclusion which is almost hermitlike.

As recently as nine years ago she gave a reception, at which 3,000 fashionables fought and scrambled for an opportunity to pay their respects to the beautiful hostess.

For years she has been an invalid and now rarely sees any of the hundreds who used to crowd her spacious home when she was in the heyday of her society success. The swarms of fashionable moths have found other lights around which to flutter.

A few years ago her house was entered by burglars. They did not get much booty, but ever since then Mrs. Hicks-Lord has lived in terror of another visit of the same kind. Most of her jewels are kept in a safe storage, but she keeps enough in her big house to tempt a score of cracksmen, though often advised to put them with the others.

Many years ago, while in Rome, she made the acquaintance of several leaders of the Catholic hierarchy. At that time Mrs. Hicks-Lord learned a great deal or the teachings of the church. Year by year her learning in that direction became more pronounced, and eventually she became a convert to the Catholic faith. Now she is a devout and regular worshiper at St. Patrick's cathedral on Fifth avenue.

Two nieces live with her part of the year. The rest of the time she is surrounded only by a force of colored servants. — New York Correspondent.

Silly Billy Business

New York, 1895

BOSS YOUNGS IS SNAPPING LIKE A MAD SPITZ DOG.

Exposure of His Place Hunting, Lobbying and Jobbery Has Driven Him to Desperation — The Farmer Attacked in the Interest of His Criminal Organ.

Boss Youngs, the lobbyist and jobber, got his Republican County Committee together on Thursday of last week. There was a bare quorum. The fewer the number the better for the Boss's purpose. The proceedings of the committee, under the Boss's direction, are embodied in the following circular, which has been sent to each Supervisor:

WILLIAM J. YOUNGS, Chairman.
CHARLES L. PHIPPS, Vice Chairman.
B. FRANK WOOD, Secretary.
H. A. FRANCE, Treasurer.

QUEENS COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE,

SECRETARY'S OFFICE, JAMAICA, L. I.,

April 12, 1895.

DEAR SIR —

At a meeting of the Queens County Republican Committee, held in Long Island City on Thursday the 11th inst., I was instructed, as Secretary of the Committee, to send you a copy of resolutions adopted unanimously at the meeting, as follows:

1. "Resolved, That the Republican members of the Board of Supervisors be, and they are hereby requested to vote for Mr. G. A. Roullier of Flushing, as County Engineer."

2. "Whereas the Republican County Committee did on the 1st day of October, 1890, by formal resolution adopted unanimously, repudiate the newspaper known as the Long Island Farmer, and declare that it was unworthy of the confidence or patronage of Republicans and Republican officials, and

Whereas, By reason of lapse of time, the aforesaid resolution may not now be known to many Republicans in the county, and

Whereas, The said Long Island Farmer, though continuing its pernicious course and its vicious and willfully slanderous attacks upon Republicans, has frequently of late received valuable patronage at the hands of Republican Boards, and Office-holders; therefore be it

Resolved, That it is the desire of this Committee that Republican Boards and Officials within this County, having this notice of the antagonistic character of the said newspaper, should refuse to grant it any of the patronage of their respective Boards or Offices, unless absolutely required under present existing rules of Boards." Respectfully yours,

B. FRANK WOOD,
Secretary.

A separate circular has been sent out ordering the Republican Supervisors to vote for a Republican for clerk of the board.

This is a very funny mess. The committee did repudiate THE FARMER in 1890, after the paper had refused to do dirty work for them, and the Long Island City Herald was at the same time made the Republican organ and did the dirty work for a bribe of money. The history of the Herald, and its bankruptcy and disreputable character under Richensteen, the absconder, are known to the people. Under Mr. Dodson's editorship the Herald has become an able and respectable paper. The Committee of 1890 did not injure THE FARMER one penny, nor will this later action, for the people are not fools, and THE FARMER is glad to print the Committee's proceedings, for they bear evidence of the desperation and damage that Boss Youngs and his clan have suffered from constant exposure. The people know that THE FARMER is independent of Bosses, rings and cliques, and the paper's great prosperity is due to a hearty public support.

If B. Frank Wood could cripple THE FARMER he might be able to make the Standard earn a dollar, and that is another motive for the committee's action. The Standard is a criminal newspaper. It tried to swindle the county to eke out an existence, but was detected by the board of Supervisors and Counselor Van Vechten, and exposed. The committee evidently approves of swindling for political purposes. The Standard has been vilifying the Supervisors to punish them for stopping its swindle of the tax-payers, and to blackmail the board into giving it patronage.

With this explanation, everything else must be plain to the people.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 19, 1895, p. 8.

Note: There are several other articles relating to the people mentioned above, and no doubt more to come. Most of those can be found at Antique Archives.

Boxwood Destroyed

New York, 1895

Morris Park Notes

Saturday night some unknown person visited the garden of I. Cornell Remson, on Liberty avenue, and cut and destroyed most of the boxwood, carrying away a lot of it.

The members of the Methodist church extended a cordial welcome to the Rev. A. W. Byrt and his family on Thursday evening upon his return from conference for the fifth year as pastor of the church. An interesting program was rendered by the young people's society. A collation was served by the ladies' aid society.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 19, 1895, p. 8.

Thomas Mott's House Burned

New York, 1895

Nearly Everything in the House Lost — $30,000 Damage.

The handsome country residence of Thomas Mott, president of the agricultural society, was destroyed by fire Sunday morning, together with nearly all the contents. Mr. Mott lives in a secluded neighborhood near the west shore of Hempstead harbor, about one and one-half miles from Port Washington. The house was comparatively new. It was occupied by Mr. Mott's family during the winter, and Sunday there was also present Frederick Hicks, of Old Westbury. All the hired men, excepting one, had gone away for the day.

About 10 o'clock Mr. Mott and Mr. Hicks stood in the door-yard talking. Mr. Mott chanced to glance upward and was horrified to see flame and smoke issuing from the roof of his home. He rushed into the house and alarmed the ladies, who were seated in the dining room. A hasty examination convinced Mr. Mott that nothing could be done with the means at hand to subdue the flames, so the members of the family turned their attention toward saving as much of the contents as possible. Nearly all the furniture and bric-a-brac on the lower floor, together with a small safe containing valuable papers, was successfully removed before the fire reached that part of the building.

When first seen, the fire had gained considerable headway, and had spread so rapidly that it was impossible to ascend to the second story. The family therefore saved only such articles of clothing as they wore when the alarm was given.

Mr. Mott's loss is heavy. The house alone cost $20,000, and the upper floors were filled with antique furniture and bric-a-brac which cannot be duplicated, much of it being heirlooms of the Mott family. The building was insured, while the contents are a total loss, Mr. Mott will rebuild.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 5, 1895, p. 8.

The Bowery

1895

To fully appreciate what a noble thoroughfare the Bowery is it should be studied in the block between Delancey and Spring streets. There are the up and down cable tracks of the Third avenue road, outside of those the up and down tracks of the Fourth avenue horse line, outside of those the up and down tracks of the West Twenty-third and Grand street ferries' horse car line, which swings in at Spring street going east and at Delancey street going west, outside of those the up and down tracks of the Third avenue elevated, or at least the supporting pillars, and outside of them all the two roomy sidewalks, and with those eight transportation tracks there is left on the roadway of the Bowery room for unobstructed vehicle traffic, second in extent to Broadway probably. It is a grand highway, of which New York is justly proud and concerning which, in the unenlightened provinces, there reigns cimmerian darkness. — New York Sun.


Sterilized Butter

Popp and Becker, German chemists, recommend sterilizing the materials used in butter making. They find that butter from pasteurized and sterilized cream keeps much longer than that from unsterilized cream.


Candles

The manufacture of candles was greatly aided by the investigation of fats and oils, the result of Chevreul's experiments.

What the Tweed Ring Cost New York

1895

In the summer of 1871 proof was published of vast frauds by leading New York city officials, prominent among them "Boss" William M. Tweed, superintendent of the street department. Having made themselves supreme, these men so worked the city elections as to control the city government, placing themselves in 1866 each in the office he wished. A new charter, of which they secured the adoption, gave them absolute charge of the city's purse.

Exorbitant claims for work and material had been paid, raising the city's debt from $50,000,000 to $113,000,000, with bills to an unknown amount not adjusted. Thus the courthouse, building at this time, ostensibly cost $12,000,000. The ring's robberies cheated the city's taxpayers, first and last, out of no less than $160,000,000, "or four times the fine levied on Paris by the German army." — Scribner's Magazine.


She Investigated

Some Kansas girls are businesslike. One of them with four married sisters received a proposal of a marriage last week and asked a week to think it over. She went to see all of her married sisters. One, who used to be a belle, had three children, did all her own work and hadn't been to the theater or out riding since she was married. Another, whose husband was a promising young man at the time she married, was supporting him. A third didn't dare say her life was her own when her husband was around, and the fourth was divorced. After visiting them and hearing their woes the heroine of this narrative went home, got pen, ink and paper and wrote an answer to the young man. It would only be natural to suppose that it was a refusal, but it wasn't. She accepted the young man and said she could be ready for the ceremony within a month. — Boston Herald.

Swindling Love Letters

New York, 1895

Minnie Nichols Fined and Imprisoned for Sending Them by Mail.

The trial of Mrs. Minnie E. Nichols of Centre Moriches, who advertised herself as a beautiful young widow with a heart filled with fountains of love and got involved with the government authorities through the alleged use of the mails for swindling purposes, was wound up Monday in the United States court in Brooklyn with a verdict of guilty. George A. Fullin of Ithaca, N. Y., and Edward A. York of Rhode Island, two of Mrs. Nichols' correspondents, joined in the prosecution, and some letters she sent to them were put in evidence. In one of them she addresses the Ithaca man as her "Dearest, Darling Hubbie that is soon to be." In another she says:

"I know that in your breast there beats a very kind, tender, loving heart. Send me money to have my picture taken. Since you have mentioned about another engagement, as proof of your sincerity I desire a stone ring, or small cluster of stones. I want something neat — prefer garnets and pearls, or pearls and sapphires. You ask me if I will love you a little. I will love you to your heart's content if you treat me nice. I have a very clinging nature, whose tendrils of affection would twine around any lovable object. Write soon and remember the ring and picture money, please; also $3 for moving."

Mrs. Nichols' defence was two-fold. In the first place it was contended that she never meant to defraud any one, and that she entered into the amatory correspondence by way of innocent recreation. The second point was that she was legally irresponsible, having once been violently insane, and ever since more or less erratic. Mrs. Nichols herself testified that she had once been drugged and assaulted, and that she afterwards could not control herself.

Judge Brown imposed a sentence of one day's imprisonment and a fine of $100 on the prisoner. The fine was paid and Mrs. Nichols was removed to the jail.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 29, 1895, p. 1.

Moonshiners' Caught

New York, 1895

THEY HAD A VALUABLE PLANT IN FULL OPERATION.

A Dairy Stable as a Cover for the Manufacture of Whisky Which was Carted Away in Milk Cans — Located on Sheriff Doht's Land at Melvina.

Acting Revenue Collector McKinney of Brooklyn and half a dozen of his deputies early on Sunday morning raided the illicit distillery from which the three Italian moonshiners hailed who were captured in Brooklyn on Saturday night with 100 gallons of whiskey tucked away in milk cans. It was located in a two story frame building which stands all alone on an acre plot of ground at Melvina, a short distance from the Fresh Pond crematory. The property is owned by Sheriff Doht.

When Mr. McKinuey and his men broke into the place only three persons were there. They were the three daughters, aged 3, 5 and 10 years, of Hyman Rubin, the lessee, who with his wife was off visiting some friends. The children were asleep on the second floor and were not disturbed.

Rubin and his wife came back at 1 o'clock, and the former was scared almost out of his wits when one of the officers seized him by the neck as he entered the dark hallway.

There was a fine still in the cellar and a full rectifying plant on the second floor, and the stock included two barrels of spirits, twenty-eight barrels of molasses, and a quantity of mash and yeast. In addition to this there were in the outhouses 104 head of cattle, three horses, over 200 chickens and geese, and 150 milk cans all of which, together with the buildings, are liable to confiscation. The cellar was covered to the depth of a foot with sawdust, and other precautions were taken to carry on the business in the slickest possible manner. The moonshiners are supposed to have been at work for three or four months.

There is no suspicion that Sheriff Doht had any knowledge of the business carried on there.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 29, 1895, p. 1.

No Tip, No Lunch

1895

It was in an up town restaurant, a high priced one, where many men take luncheon and breakfast and many women meals at various times in the day.

The writer was sitting at the "quick lunch" counter the other day when a young man entered, took his place and asked one of the white aproned men behind the counter to serve him coffee and hard boiled eggs. The man looked at the newcomer a moment, and then, in a tone to which no objection could be taken, said:

"I am sorry, but you must go up stairs. I cannot serve you here."

"But you served me here yesterday," came the protesting reply.

"Yes," was the waiter's answer, "but you were here 15 minutes earlier."

The waiter, as the man disappeared, turned to three or four of his colleagues, and believing the writer unable to understand German said:

"Well, I 'got even' with him anyhow. Had he given me 10 cents yesterday I should have served him today. But I'll not put myself out to help a man who will not help me."

The moral of the story is: If you expect to go twice to a New York restaurant, you would better "tip" your waiter. — New York Tribune.


Evolution

Out of the dusk a shadow,
Then a spark;
Out of the cloud a silence,
Then a lark;
Out of the heart a rapture,
Then a pain;
Out of the dead, cold ashes,
Life again.

— John B. Tabb.

Six Months for Chasing Little Girls

New York, 1895

John Murphy of Long Island City, who chased little girls and who was arrested after a two mile chase by an excited mob, was sent to the county jail by Justice Duffy for six months.


Forest Fires Near Brentwood

A forest fire broke out on the farm of Dr. Wilson, at Brentwood. The flames raged furiously for a time and it looked as if a number of barns and houses would be destroyed. The people turned out and fought the fire.


A Sneak Thief Got There

A. Livingston Bogart's Jamaica amateur banjo orchestra had a rehearsal in Union Hall seminary Saturday night. Monday certain properties were mysteriously missing. A banjo, which had been loaned to Mr. Bogart by Mr. Alliger had disappeared, together with two clocks.


Pickle Factory Burned Down

The pickle factory belonging to A. Tiedman at West Deer park was burned on Thursday night. A gondola belonging to the Long Island railroad was also destroyed by the fire.


Looks Like Real Business

Henry A. Van Allen has the contract for furnishing the tires for the Long Island electric railroad, and on Saturday commenced delivering them along the line of the road, work upon which will shortly be commenced on South street.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 29, 1895, p. 8.

How The "400" Was Born

1895

It Was Used In an Interview With Ward McAllister In 1888.

The famous phrase, "The Four Hundred," which has become synonymous in American ears with the most fashionable and socially exclusive set in the population of New York in particular and of other American cities and big towns in general, was born on March 25, 1888, when there appeared in The Tribune a long interview with Ward McAllister.

The article was headed "Secrets of Ball Giving," and in its opening paragraphs it treated of Mr. McAllister's ancestry and his position in New York. When the interviewing part of the story began, Mr. McAllister told of the organization of the Patriarchs' ball in 1873 and related various little episodes of interest connected with the gentlemen who were among its first subscribers. Finally he reached this point: "Society is an occupation in itself. Only a man who has a good deal of leisure and a taste for it can keep up with its demands and with what interests it. Say what you will, the modern leader of society must still have considerable of the old courtier and chevalier endowment to make a success of it. Numbers of people are introduced in fashionable society who cannot and do not make a success, and they fall out. They cannot float themselves even when some one gives them a good start. Those people have not the poise, the aptitude for polite conversation, the polished and deferential manner, the infinite capacity of good humor and ability to entertain or be entertained that society demands." He paused for a moment, and when he spoke again, lo! the famous phrase fell from his inspired lips:

"Why, there are only about 400 people in fashionable New York society. If you go outside that number, you either strike people who are not at ease in a ballroom or else make other people not at ease. See the point? Of course there are any number of the most cultivated and highly respectable, even distinguished, people outside of fashionable society. When we give a large ball like the last New Year's ball, for 800 guests, we go outside of the exclusive fashionable set and invite proiessional men, doctors, lawyers, editors, artists and the like. But the day when fortunes admitted men to exclusive society has gone by. Twenty or thirty years ago it was otherwise."

From that point to the end Mr. McAllister talked about famous dinners and suppers in the history of New York's fashionable entertaining, and also of the most captivating dishes for such feasts of the socially elect. Within a fortnight his statement about the number of persons in the fashionable set had been copied all over the eastern part of the country, and it gradually became solidly ingrafted into the popular colloquialisms of American slang and catch phrases. Mr. McAllister not long afterward, in another interview, qualified his estimate by explaining that he intended to convoy the idea that there were 400 households in the city the members of which were in fashionable society, but his qualification never get sufficient currency to kill the original estimate. — New York Mail and Express.

Kept a Whisky Still

New York, 1895

A MOONSHINER'S HOUSE BLOWN UP AT BAY SIDE.

Had a Bar Room on the Ground Floor as a Cover for the Whisky still Up Stairs — Three Persons Injured and One May Die.

A building on Bell avenue, in Bayside, two blocks from the station of the Long Island railroad, was blown up at 7.30 o'clock Tuesday morning by the explosion of an illicit distillery, and three of the occupants were badly injured, one of them perhaps fatally, The building was occupied by Henry Schrell, a German, 45 years old, and his family, consisting of Mrs. Shrell and three children, Lena, 15 years old; Minnie, 8 years old and Freddie, 2 years old. It was a two-story frame structure and was used both as a saloon and dwelling.

On the ground floor were three rooms, the bar-room, dining room and kitchen, and on the upper story were four rooms which were supposed to be occupied as living apartments and bedrooms. The events of Tuesday brought out the fact that in one of the upper rooms Schrell had set up a rude, but complete, distillery and was actively engaged in the production of bad whiskey.

The neighbors flocked into the house and found the interior of the upper story wrecked. The partitions were blown out and the plastering was stripped from the walls, and the sky could be seen through a dozen rents where the sidings had been torn loose from the beams at the top.

In one of the rear rooms of the upper story Schrell was found frightfully scalded. His hair and whiskers were burned off and his face was a mass of blisters and was swollen to twice its natural proportions. His arms from the ends of his fingers to his shoulders were in the same condition. He was blinded, and was wandering aimlessly around amid the wreckage of the room.

In the adjoining room the two youngest children were found in bed and unconscious. The bed had been hurled across the room and rested close to the edge where the siding of the house had been blown out. If the bed had been two feet further it would have toppled over into the back yard. The children were taken to a neighbor's house and as soon as possible to the Flushing hospital. There it was found that they were scalded from head to foot, and that Freddie had inhaled some of the steam and would probably die. Both were in a critical condition last night. The other child and Mrs. Schrell were not injured.

Meanwhile, Schrell, who had recovered his mental balance, had been busy up stairs in the wrecked building, and he and his wife had emptied two barrels of new liquor, which had been stored in one of the rooms. The liquor flowed down the stairway and through the cracks in the floor, flooding the hall and the rooms below, and filling the whole house and the surrounding neighborhood with a sickening smell of alcohol and the fumes of fusel oil.

Schrell was taken to the Raymond street jail in Brooklyn. He moved to Bayside from Maspeth about eighteen months ago.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 15, 1895, p. 1.

The Firemen Couldn't Save It

New York, 1895

Fire broke out in the barber shop of Lewis Block, at Bay Shore, on Tuesday morning, and in spite of the efforts of the firemen the building was completely gutted. The loss is about $2,000.


The Robbins Potato Digger

The celebrated Robbins Potato Digger is necessary to successful farm work. It is the best made. Arrender Smith, of Rockville Center, is agent for the digger. Go see it, or he will call upon you.


Fire at Lindenhurst

Shortly before midnight Sunday night the dwelling of Isaac Taylor, at Lindenhurst, was destroyed by fire, with its contents. The loss will aggregate $2,000. The origin of the fire is a mystery.


Mrs. Ramming Gets a Divorce

A decree of absolute divorce was granted Tuesday morning to Rosa Ramming by Justice Gaynor, at a special term of the supreme court at Long Island City. The husband made no defense.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 8, 1895, p. 4.

Tony Pastor's Theatre

New York, 1895

A visit to New York City is hardly complete without a visit to Tony Pastor's theatre, the popular family resort of those who enjoy rare good fun and the very best specialty entertainment that can be presented. Mr. Pastor informs us that in obedience to the desire of his suburban patrons he has increased his matinees to four each week, and they will be given hereafter on each Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Our citizens when in New York should give Tony a call and they will be well repaid by an afternoon of rare enjoyment.


New Hotel in Brooklyn

The Arlington Hotel is a new and attractive house that has just been opened by Mr. C. A. Merritt at 317 to 321 Fulton St., Brooklyn. Mr. Merritt is a thorough hotel man, and our readers will secure the best of attention from him. This house is conveniently located for shopping expeditions.


Beware of Swindlers

We have exposed, during the last year, many swindlers who advertise, under the name of medicine, vile compounds which only increase human suffering. To all who need a pure medicine and blood purifier, we can honestly recommend Sulphur Bitters. — Editor Sun.


Demand for Small Houses

There is a big demand in Jamaica for small houses, but few, if any, are to be had. T. F. Archer's Son's on Wednesday had twelve applications for houses that would rent from $20 to $25 per month.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 8, 1895, p. 8.

A Bigamist Pleads Guilty

New York, 1895

It was a busy day in the court of sessions Tuesday. At 5 o'clock the grand Jury filed into the court and the foreman handed Judge Garretson a batch of indictments. William G. Bennett, the bigamist of Ozone Park, pleaded guilty and asked the mercy of the court.

Bennett is about 36 years old. He said that when he was quite young he married Mary Ballington in Albany. They did not live happily and after a year's separation he met his wife, and she promised to live with him again. He furnished a house and was ready to receive her, when she sent him a note telling him that she had obtained a divorce. He remained single for six years, when he married Evelina Howard of Ozone Park. Like the first marriage his second union was unhappy. His wife quarreled with him frequently. Judge Garretson told the prisoner that he would take his story into consideration.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 8, 1895, p. 8.

Went Gunning After the Negro

New York, 1895

Monday evening Cornelius Walker, colored, recently employed by Louis Pearsall at Rockaway Beach, perpetrated an outrageous assault on the eight year old daughter of Herman Schemeclk, an oysterman residing at Hammil's station. Two of the girl's brothers and her father went in search of Walker with shot guns, and as the fact became known the entire village was aroused. Tuesday evening Walker was arrested in Jamaica by Constable Ashmead. Last October Walker committed an assault upon the eight year old daughter of James Johnson, of South street, Jamaica. He was arraigned before Justice Hendrickson yesterday and pleaded guilty and was held for the grand jury.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 8, 1895, p. 8.

A Beefsteak Feed

New York, 1895

The Chub Club Visits a Famous New York Resort.

The Chub Club, with a number of invited guests, on Wednesday evening visited the world renowned establishment of "Beefsteak John" in New York, where they indulged in one of the beefsteak dinners for which this resort is noted. A member of the party describes this unique affair as a most enjoyable one.

The ceremony of cooking and eating the beefsteak takes place in a carpenter shop, the divers being seated on stools, boxes, nail kegs, or whatever may be handy. No tables, crockery or cutlery are used, the steak being eaten from the hand. The proprietor, a man over 80 years of age, cooks the steaks in a stove made in 1785, over a fire of hickory wood, the juicy slices being laid on small pieces of bread and passed around, the guests being provided with large towels to prevent soiling their clothing. Celery and radishes are served in tin pans or pails and "brown October ale" in mugs or cups. The steak is most delicious and as tender as chicken.

Henry Miller, the aged proprietor, has often visited Jamaica in years gone by, and on Wednesday evening related some of his experiences here, particularly some reminiscences of "Cale" Weekes. Upon the register of guests appear the names of celebrated judges, actors, statesmen, and writers, many of whom have attested their enjoyment of the feasts they attended.

It is reported that a member of the Chub Club took copious notes of the proceedings and will re-produce the dinner with new and interesting features in the near future.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 1, 1895, p. 1.