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AVOL. XCVI.—No 38
.4 n Entertaining and 7 Instmcttve Home Jpwrnal, ESpectally Devoted to Local .News and Interests.
NORWALK, CONN., FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 18, 1896—12 PAGES
[$1200 a Eearfif‘
PEICE Two CENTS
THE TOW_hl_l_\llEETING.
Town Reports Read and School
Matters Discussed.
The Alleged “Land Grab” Referred.
A special meeting was held at the
Town House, yesterday afternoon. The
room had been placed in a fairly cleanly
condition, a fact which was quickly
' noted by the 300 or more voters present,
who had assembled to listen to the
reading of the annual town report and
transact other business .proper to be
brought before such meeting.
The gathering was called to order by
Town Clerk Herbert R. Smith, and Mr.
Francis Leonard was elected Moder-
ator. .
It was evident from the start that the
meeting was to be a lively one, and in
this respect it exceededthe most san-
guine expectations of all present.
The reports of the Selectmen and
Town Treasurer of which the following
is an abstract, were read:
EXPENDITURES.
Almshouse, \ 83,529 45
Assgssors, 796.8
Bri ges,
Osborn avenue, 6790.07
Repairs, etc. , 780.97 7,571.04
Board of Belief. 150 00
Children’s Home, 1,140.77
County Home, 139,50
County Treasurer,
County Tax ’94 —-2,092.68
.. “ ’95 —2,205.83 4,298.31
C'vil Engineer. _ 217. 7
C1onn. School for Imbeciles, 339.25
Drawbridge, 3,835.67
Town Physicians, 701.50
Election Expenses, 814.25
Military Enrollment, 134.90
General Expenses Salaries, etc. 4,400.30
Constable services, 100.04
Report of Burials, Sextons, 64.00
Tax Col. abatements & expenses 1,024.90
General expenses,
Salaries, oflicers, rent, etc. 1,956.22
Sundry expenses, 384.24
Health officer, 518.80
Highways, _ 5,606.83
Hospital patients, 592.80
Lockups,
‘ Norwalk, 242.86
So. Norwal-k, 148.98 ' 391.84
Printing, . 1043.50
Military Com. Tax, 3069.00
School Visitors, 276.63
Telford pavement, 2,753.80
Town Court, 3,411.98
Town Clerk’s office, 2,826.09
Town Attorney. 397.80
Outside Poor, 13,242.78
Town Poor rent, 1303.61
Undertakers,funerals of paupers 1868.89
2 756
Conn. Hospital Insane, , .40
Soldiers’ Bounty, ’ 250.00
Norwalk Schools. 43,214.47
Paid out by Town Treasurer,
interest, etc. 16,355 99.
Town Court Orders, 1,386.04
Sinking Fund, 1,000.00
Balance on hand, 2,101.62
. $136,342.30
RECEIPTS.
Almsbouse, 55 199.80
Drawbridges, 1,50
Old accounts, 626.27
From support of schools and
poor in other towns, 1,553.19
State of Conn. burial of soldiers, 105.00
Miscellaneous, 1,000. 00
Children’s Home, 100.00
Town Treasurer’s books,
taxes and interest, 67,774.05
National Banks, . 99.1.20
County CommisSioners,
Licenses, 23,889.65
Telford road, 921.28
State of Connecticut ‘l‘el-
ford road, 921.28
Income Public schools, 10,295 87
Town clerk (dog tax), . 1161.45
State of Connecticut,chil- ,
deceased soliders, 302.33
Loans. 18,309.35
Clerk Town Court, 2,682.43
Balance on hand in Treas-
ury Sept. 1, 1895. 5,461.65
$136,342 30
TBEASURER’S REPORT.
Thereceipte for year ending August
"‘ 3lst, 1896, $135,645.82; expenditures in-
cluding $114,802,24 for selectmen’s
orders; interest account 16049,59;fetown
court, $1386.04; sinking fund $1,000;
balance in treasury 2,101.62, miscel-
laneous, 6306.33; Sinking fund is cred-
ited with $20,095.72; income of school
fund $144; interest on Town Deposit
fund $472.62. ‘
While reading the report Mr. Smith
said that first selectman Selleck was
present and in readiness to answer any
questions in refernce to the same.
Mr. R. H. Golden was the first to
take advantage of the opportunity and
was enlightened as to the monies
received and disbursed by {the town
court. Mr. Selleck, also, in answer as
‘to what source one item of $1,000 re-
ceived came from, explained the mat-
ter to his and the questioner’s entire
satisfaction. ‘
Other items in the report received
like attention, after which, at the sug-
gestion of Mr. Selleck it was voted that.
the report be printed in pamphlet form
for distribution. . .
The Treasurer and Health ofiicer’s
a} reports were both accepted and ordered
printed with the Selectmen’s report, as
was that of the Auditors. -. .
B. W. Maples was then recognize
by the chair. He said that he had -
listened to the reading of the reports
but failed to see that any mention had
been made of the indebtedness of the
town. As he looked at it there had
been an' increase of the indebtedness
of something over 817,000.
Mr. Selleck explained that a good
proportion of the increased indebted-
naps was that which had not appeared
in the report of the former board of
selectmen, and intimatedthat the old
board had intentionally left it out of
their report and' for the present board
to pay.
He said that there had been a great
saving in the expense of conducting
the almshouse and the care of the out
door poor. In this department alone
there had been a saving of over $4,000
as compared with the amount expended
by the previous boa: (1.
Joseph A. Gray asked. “How do you
account for this difference?”
Mr. Selleck answered, ”It might be
that we did not have so many to take
care of.” '
' It was voted that the Selectmen pre-
pare a detailed report of the Town’s
indebtedness and have it appear in the
printed report.
Next came the introduction of the
following resolution, in reference to
the fixing of the compensation of the
board of school visitors. It was an in-
nocent looking prayer, but it excited
considerable debate: '
WHEREAS,- The Board of School
Visitors have for many years assigned
the duty of visiting the schools of the
town to three of their number agree-
able to the law of the State, and have
appointed a secretary, and at the annu-
al meeting of the joint board of School
Visitors and Selectmen have appropria-
ted the sum of 8100 for’each of said
officers by way of salary to pay for such
services, and the same has been annual-
ly presented to the town in the total
estimate and statement of the cost of
each and all of the schools in the town,
and has been annually paid by the
selectmen and published in itemized
form in the annual report of the Select-
men; and whereas the Selectmen have
refused to pay said salaries for the past
year on the ground that the towh had
not properly fixed and voted the same
as required by law; therefore, .
REsonvED, That the secretary and
other acting school visitors of the town
be paid in lieu of all fees and statutory
per diem allowance the sum of One
hundred dollars each per annum.
RESOLVED, Further that this resolu-
tion shall apply to the unpaid bills of
last year.
B. W. Maples, did not think the sum
large enough and said so. He thought
that if the members of the board were
not worth more than $100 the “town
ought to secure men for the position
that were. They ought not to be
meanly treated. And he would amend
by substituting $250 for 3100 called for
in the resolution.
Joseph A. Gray favored the original
resolution. The pay had been sufficient
in previous years and ought to be now,
and then shied a rather personal remark
by saying, “None of the school board
were ever principals of a night school.”
B. W. Maples took the remark as ad-
dressed to himself, and said “I do know
something about night schools and take
an interest in our schools, but I am not
public spirited enough to work for
nothing.”
Gray:—“Did you do anything for
the money you received ? ”
llIaplesz—“If I did, the gentlemen
didn’t get any benefit from it.”
Sellectman Selleck‘:—“I wanted an
itemized bill from the board, asIdo
not propose to pay out the town money
for something I don’t know that it has
received. The statutes say that the
school visitors shall be paid $2 a day
for actual service.
James M. Worden: “There is more
monkeying about our public schools
than any other one thing. The teach-
ers ought to be competent enough to
run the schools without the aid of
school visitors.” The latter, he said,
never stayed but a few moments on .the
occasion of their visits. Rev. C. M.
Selleck was the only man he knew of
who ever remained over an hour on a
visit to the East Norwalk school. "My
father never got a dollar for his work
in establishing night schools in New
York city.”
General Charles Olmstead resented
the remarks of Mr. Worden, and as-
serted that he had made fifty—two visits
at the schools and each time remained
.during the session.
After some further discussion the
original resolution was adopted.
The following resolution excited con-y
siderable discussion;
RESOLVED. That the public schools
shallbe maintained for forty weeks in
each year in every school district in
which the number of persons between
four and sixteen years of age at the
last preeeeding enumeration was fifty
or more. ,
ChristianSwartz offered an amend-
ment that all legal holidays be except-
ed. '
Charles Olmstead :- “I‘hou'ght 200 days
school as little enough. The teachers
ought not to find fault. The schools
are run at a cost of about $170 a day.”
[CONTINUED on man 5] p -
BOTH F0_U_llD GUILTY.
Dr. Fox and Redevats Sen-
tenced to State Prison.‘
_ End of the Danbury Malpractice Case.
"N ever in the halls of justice of Fair-
field county, has there been such a
dramatic scene enacted us took place
late yesterday afternoon in the superior
courtroom, when Judge George W.
Wheeler, after the jury had brought in
a verdict of guilty, in the ‘Danbury
malpractice case, sentenced Dr. Harvey
A. Fox and Herbert Redevats, for dual
complicity in the crime charged against
them, to three and two years, respect-
ively, in the state prison.
It was the fifth and final day of the
trial and the arguments were begun at
the opening of the court by Attorney
Booth who briefiy went over the evi-
dence for the state. He was followed
by Attorney Murphy who appeared for
Dr. Fox and Attorney Taylor for Red-
evals. The former clung tenaciously
to the alibi claim of the defense, while
the latter endeavored to shake the tes- .
timony offered by Miss Merritt and her
witnesses, alleging in the main that
the whole proceedings were brought
through malice and were the result of
a conspiracy.
State Attorney Fessenden occupied
fully an hour anda half in his argu-
ment, which was a most severe arraign-
ment of both of the accused, they were
both equally guilty under the law and
reviewed the evidence in an exhaustive
way.
The charge of Judge Wheeler was a
plain one. He urged the jury to con-
sider the evidence reasonably and
thoroughly. The jury retired at 4:15
o’clock. ~
At 5:30 o’clock, after having been out
for an hour and a quarter, the usual
knock was heard on the jury room
door. The court which had taken a
recess, was hastily assembled when
the jury filled in. Responding to the
usual question the foreman said they
had agreed on a verdictaud that they
had found Dr. Harvey A. Fox guilty.
Also that they had found Herbert
Redevat guilty.
Attorneys Taylor and Murphy then
addressed Judge Wheeler previous to
his passing sentence, and asked the
court to be lenient.
Then came a sad and dramatic scene.
Judge Wheeler sentenced Dr. Fox to
three years in state prison ~and Her-
bert Redevat to two years in state
prison. Mrs. Fox sprang to her hus-
band, who arose in the prisoner’s pen,
and resting her head on his breast and
with her arms about his neck, wept
piteously.
Redevats on hearing his sentence
bowed his head in his hands and cried
likeachild. The long tension on his
mind had at last broken. Then, as his
mother and sister moaned and wept in
an agony of grief, the young man
dropped to the floor, bending his head
in his sister’s lap and broke into a
fresh torrent of tears. Several female
friends of both the accused also set up
lamentations, and together it was a
scene rarely witnessed in court. It was
renewed as the accused were being
"taken out of the room to go down stairs
on their way to the county jail. Mrs.
Fox clung to her husband, as did
Redevats’ relatives to him.
Previous to this, on notice given him
by the attorneys for the prisoners,
Judge Wheeler said they would be re-
mandedto the custody of the sheriff
and a stay of the execution of the sen-
tence granted pending a hearing on
allowing a motion for an appeal.
Young Redevats is well known in
Norwalk, having participated in the
Alpha races on the Fair Grounds on
June 18th, last.
Short Calendar Cases.
The civil Common Pleas and Super-
ior Courts are holding short calendar
sessions in Bridgeport, to-day. Among
the cases in the former is that of Allen
Bette vs. W. P. Baxter et els , accept-
ance of report of committee and final
decree. '
In the civil Superior Court at Dan-
bury,‘ to-day, the following cases of
local interest appear on the short cal;
endar list: Horace F. Boardman et al.,
T. vs. Norwalk and South Norwalk
Electric Light 00., termination of re.
receivership and return of property to
company;Alice G. Clark vs. Francis
Burritt for bonds for prosecution.
Had a Chill.
Asufi'erer from chills, was attacked
on an uptown red car yesterday and ex-
cited the pity of the passengers, as it
seemed as if the poor fellow would
chatter his teeth out.
\
b
l
sun} ruminants.
Radcliffe Hicks’ Wife Places
an Attachment on Property
For $300,000.
They Wedded Less Than One Year Ago.
High Sheriff Spiegel, of New Haven,
placed an attachment on all the reales-
tate of Ratclifi'e Hicks to the value of
$300,003, in Me‘riden, Waterbury and
Bridgeport, yesterday. The attachment
is togsecure alimony in the suit for
divorce now pending in the Superior
court of New Haven, brought by Isa-
bellaHicks through her attorney, ex-
Judge Lynde Harrison.
The papers filed‘in the town clerk's
ofi‘iceiir-Meriden by Sherifi‘Spiegel give
but little light upon the suit. One writ
authorizes the attachment of property
there to the value named above, and
another writ reads as follows:
“The plaintifiin the above entitled
cause; which cause is now pending in
this court, respectfully represents:
“that in the original complaint she
asked for alimony; that on said com-
plaint and writ no order of attachment
Was ”directed «and no estate of the
defendant was in fact attached. that
the defendant is possessed of a large
estate of a value not less than $1,000,000;
that his estate is part of it situated in
the state of Connecticut, and part of it
in other states and countries: that in
order to secure her just rights, and to
secure such alimony as she will be
entitled to, there should be an attach-
ment of the estate of the... defendant
within the state of Connecticut
Wherefore she respectfully applies to
this ocurl, now in session, for an order
for an attachment of the estate of the
defendant of the value of at least three
hundred thousand dollars.- ‘
“Dated at New Haven this 3lst day
of August, 1896.
95' l g . .“Isanennd Hioxs,
“By herattorhey,
“LYNDE Emerson.”
.Mr. Hicks was formerly .Meriden’s
city attorney and owns a great deal of
property there, including several valu-
able business block’s. Healso owns
much real estate in New York city.
His legal residence is Tolland and he
represented that town in the last legis-
lature. '
Mr. Hicks’ second wife, who is the
plaintifi'to the suit, was a western lady
reputed to be very wealthy. Before
her marriage Mrs. Hicks’ name was Isa-
bells. Wormer. The marriage took
place October 19, 1895, at Madisc n,
Wis.. and her home was given as
Chicago.
This is the first announcement that a
divorce suit was pending between these
well known Connecticut people. Mr.
Hicks is one of the best known Demo-
cratic politicians in Connecticut. He
is a lawyer of ability. His prominence
in his party has won for him recognition
time and time again, and'he has many
times been a member of the. lower
branch of the general assembly. He
was a member of the last house
of representatives and was one of the
leaders on his side. He introduced
several measures of great importance,
two of them attracting the general at-
tention of the state. One of these was
abill concerning the expenditures of
the state of Connecticut, and about it
he made a memorable speech, showing
- that the daily expenses of the state were
far in excess of the receipts, and that
it was time to call a halt if the citizens
of Connectiut were at all anxious to
avoid the imposition of a state tax.
The second measure that provoked a'
great deal of discusion at the time was
for the revision of the constitution by a
special commission composed of repre-
sentative men in both parties in Con-
necticut. The bill failed of passage.
Mr. Hicks has been frequently men-
tioned in connection with the guber-
natorial nomination by his party.
A Large Saving.
According to Selectman Selleck’s
explanation at the Town meeting yes-
day, the present board of selectmen
have made a saving for the Town of
Norwalk of something over $32,000, as
compared with the expenses incu’rred
by the previous board. The selectmen
go yet further and figure the actual
saving at about $900 a week.
Will Go to Newburgh.
Chief of Police Bradley will com-
mence his annual vacation of one week
to-morrow. In company with his wife
he will sail up the Hudson for that city
on one of the palatial steamers. Mr.
Bradley is quite well acquainted in.
Newburgh and expects to have a grand,
good time. 9
. —-Subscribe for the GAZETTE.
NEW onions.
and E. 0. Keeler Elected
, President.
t
Electric Light Company Changes Hands.
The'case of Horace F. Boardman, at
al., vs the Norwalk and South Norwalk
Electric Light 'companv. came up on
the short cglendar in the civil Superior -
court at Dinbury this morning and the
receivershlp was terminated and the
property turned over to the company.
As soon as this decision was given,
notice was sent here and a meeting of
the stockholders héld at the Fairfield
County National 'Billk. Mr. L. 0.
Whitney, the receiver. was immediate-
ly discharged and E 0. Keeler elected
president, and James O. Carr secretary
and treasurer.
The election of a full board of di-
rectors was postponed until another
meeting after E. O. Keeler, J. O. Carr
and E. S Adams had been elected to
fill vacancies. '
The company is now in the hands of
the General Electric company. '
OBITUARY.
MISS J ULIETTE BETTS.
This aged daughter of a noble Revo-
lutionary Sire, whose long and beauti-
ful life has been a benediction to the
community in which, for near a full
Century, she has lived and wrought for
the God she loved, and His children,
passed, at about ten o’clock last night,
as by a glorified and peaceful transla-
tion, to her Heavenly home and rest.
It was on Monday last only, that she
receiVed her first, and now sole, pen-
siOn draft, wnich a grateful country be-
stowed upon ‘the saintly daughter of
one who generations ago faithfully
fought for the liberty of; his country
and its release from the gelling yoke
of British tyranny. She had been in
her accustomed good health and spirits
when at the last her aged heart,that had
always warmed in tenderest sympathy
to all in need of aid or consolation,
ceased to beat, and like a taper that
hid burned to the socket, went out
“God’s finger touched her and she
slept.” ,
“Poor, tired heart that had so weary grown,
That death came all unheeded o’er it creeping.
Dear patient heart, worn with life’s heavy
care,
Hath laid aside its tender yearnings there,
While she is sweetly sleeping.
Dc—ar heart and hands, so pulseless, still and
cold, '
The spotless shroud of rest about them fold.
And leave us only weeping.”
In the early part of the present cen-
tury, she became a member of the First
Congregational church and has always
lived the religion she professed. How
many generations have come and "van-
ished with farewells fond” since her
closed orbs first opened to greet God’s
sunlight! Always unremitting in her
desires and efforts to promote, in her
quiet. unobtrusive way, ‘the happiness
of others, she, aged as she was, will be
missed and mourned as few could be of
younger years. Chiefly in her own
home will ‘ the smitten, worshiping
hearts sorrow at the aged saint’s de-
parture, but why should shadows dark-
en even those nearest to her and who
knew and adored her, because their
loved one now “walks in the seraphic
light of an immortal life ?" Rather
should they not, and we all, who knew
and reverenced her, say:
“Only ‘good night’ dear one, but not goodbye;
In Heaven so sweet beyond this cloudy sky
We’ll meet. and know each other, you and l;
’Till then, dear one, good-night.
The deceased was ninety-one yew.
and six months old. Her funeral Will
take place on Monday afternoon and
the services be conducted by her pastor,
RSV. Dr. Noble.
Why?
The above question is propounded
and ably answered, in the‘mammoth
advertisement of the Norwalk Boston
Store on the last page of to-day’s GA-
ZE'I‘TE. ‘
It is the aim of this enterprising es-
tablishment, to impress upon the people
of Norwalk the fact that', first class
goods are sold at the Boston Store
lower than they can be bought in New
York. A careful reading of. the bar-
gains dfl'ered tasday, will convince any
one that their statements are correct.
Real Estate Item.
A—“Is land dear in Italy?” B—“No,
but the ground rents are ,awful.”
“What’s the cause of that?” .“Earth-
, quakes.”f-Texag"Sittings.
Receiver Whitney Discharged
DON’T MISS Tlll-ZM;
The Latest Add—Received Be-
fore Going_to Press.
By the People and For the People.
To RENT..
TO RENT—Until Mai-1st. 1897.‘the James
_ E Bailey house. 85 East avenue. Nor-
walk. completely fu-nisht-d and in perfect
order. Rent 840 per month Apply to J . L.
McC ammon at above address. 81781:
I OR SAL E.
on SALE—A second-hand Columbia b'- .
emcecycle. Price: 815. Can be seen at thils
FOR SALE—Bicycles, guaranteed $75 1896»
' models. seamless steel tubing. drop
forged steel connections. choice of tires. $39.75
at Sou'rn NORWALK HARDWARE Co. 1'25 ti‘
1:? iSAIin—Benedict.1{iogwli%lk. newgdlgal-
s es ing an exce n '
and Hdlder for 25c. Call an?! see illmmn en
512ti’
W ANTED.
WANTED—A girl for general homework
in a small family. Apply at this chips.
let '
WANTED—A girl for general housework
Must b_~ a good laundress. Apply to
Mrs S. W. Byington, 9 Issues Place.
stairs bell]
[Down
ANTED—Captain _ Oliver S. Clark. 27
. . Merwin street, wrll.take out arties for
sailing or fishing cruises‘un his yac 1; "Three
Brothers " Call or drop a postal as above if
his serVices are deemed. alotf
LIIIOOLII STORAGE WAREHOUSE.
The Lincoln Storage Warehouse on Water
street. a_ few doors south of Washington street
in the city of South Norwalk, is now open for
the storage of .
Household Furniture, Pianos, Bicy-
cles, etc.
For full particulars enquire of
& GOLD N.
'74 Washington at" _ South i. orwalk.
O
DANBURY FAIR.
Monday to Saturday,
Moses 5 TD ID, was.
(3.111. BUNDLE, Secrémy
NORWALK OPERA HOUSE.
F. I. MITCHELL, - NAIAIER.‘
JUST ONE NIGHT, ‘
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23;
The Napoleon of Necrornancers.
HERRMANN
THE GREAT.
In his New Marvelous Entertainment of
AGIG.
IRTH,
YSTEEY.
Aided by
ADELAIDE HERRMANN
In her Bewildering Spectacular Dances,
"L’Etoile do IIuit,”
“Les Rayon de Soliel,”
“Le Dense do Vesuvius,”
“The Lily of the Orient.”
PRICES: 50c. 75c, and $1.
Seats now on sale at Weed’s and Tom-
linson’s.
Mrs. Mann’s...
9......- sensor.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1896.
ALL '.
APPLICATIONS
For admission should be
made at Hillside~ at an
early day.
VIIII'I'ER
IS OOHIIIO
And my new line of Fall
and Winter Suitings are now
ready and awaiting your
inspection.
Call in and examine them
tbodgh you do not purchase.
Suitings are cheaper, and
I make them up in the
latest styles at prices that
a will surprise you.
MERCHANT TAILO!‘
I4 North Main Street. So. IIorwalk .
i.
Norwalk Chronicler