Choice Excerpts From Our papers of early July, 1888
George H. Gibson of Boston was engaged to be married on the evening of June 27th to Miss Lillian Chandler of Chelsea, at the home of her uncle, Col. Wm. Long, and a wedding party of 200 waited for him till near midnight, but he did not appear. Next day he was found in his room in Boston, with a bullet in his head. It is thought he will recover. No reason is given for his strange conduct.
Charles A. Pitcher, teller of the Union bank of Providence, R.I., stole all he could lay his hands on, and departed. He was arrested in Montreal on June 26th, and $700,000 in securities and cash captured. He evidently wanted more pay than a first class base ball pitcher.
Dr. A.A. Albrecht, who killed David Lanahan and Edward Flanagan in a Boston gambling hell early last year, on June 26th pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter, and was sentenced to four years in state prison.
The story of piratical acts by American fishermen is denied.
The house of commons rejected the channel tunnel bill by a vote of 307 to 165.
Edward Sewall of Tilton hanged himself in Gilmanton, June 25th.
Latter Day Saints had a row among themselves at Glenn Easton, W.Va., June 27th, in which two saints were fatally injured, and six or seven stabbed or otherwise hurt.
Arthur Craven of Providence, R.I., while walking with a girl named Jowitt, was fatally shot by her father, who charged him with having wronged the girl. In his ante-mortem statement Craven denied the charge.
There is some disgust, but little surprise, in Boston, at finding out that some of the common councilmen have been charging their buggy rides, whiskey, and cigars to the city.
George M. Gibson, the young fellow who shot himself in Boston on what was to have been his wedding night, told his intended’s uncle that he did it because his wedding suit did not arrive in time.
Russell Missing at Sea
John Wesley Russell, residing at the lower end of State street, on Wednesday, June 20th, went to the Shoals in a schooner-rigged boat belonging to Samuel Lolley. He started on Saturday, the 23rd, on his return, with some mackerel for this market, but has not yet arrived. The wind was at that time blowing strong from the northeast, and the weather was thick. It is reported that the boat was seen about halfway between the Shoals and Whale’s-back, with a dory in tow, on the afternoon of the 23d, which is the last known of her.
There were four hangings in Kansas, by mobs, June 28th. They have no legal executions in that state.
Some hundreds of people visited Goodwin park on Wednesday evening, the 27th inst., to see the monument, the erection of which was completed that day.
Mr. Asa S. Parsons, president of the Monumental Bronze company of Bridgeport, Conn., has been in this city several days completing the duties attendant on the proper mounting of the fine monument which his company has furnished as Portsmouth’s memorial to the soldiers and sailors of the secession war.
George Corey, who went to Boston from Franconia about two years ago to work on the Old Colony railroad was run over and had both legs cut off a few days since.
An Outing For the Babies
“And if I should die, dear,” said a sick husband, “will you sometimes visit my grave?”
“Yes, John,” she replied brokenly, “every pleasant Sunday afternoon, and I will take the children. Poor little things, they don’t have very much to enjoy.” – The Epoch
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On Wednesday, June 27th, Mr. Charles Donnell of York Harbor caught two halibut, one weighing 200 lbs. and the other about fifty. A still larger one was hauled up into sight, but got away.
It is reported that coal has been discovered in Essex county, Mass., on the farm of Jacob Parker, about a mile east of Middleton village on the Andover turnpike.
Russell Not Drowned
Capt. Edw. Jameson of this city was in Newburyport on Saturday last, and was equally surprised and pleased to meet on the street, apparently alive, Mr. John Russell, otherwise known as “Black Jack,’ the fisherman whom it was feared was drowned on Saturday, June 23d, somewhere between the Isles of Shoals and Whale’s-back. On being informed of the apprehensions concerning him, Mr. Russell stated that he had not been drowned, or even cast away. Having taken a fine fare of mackerel he ran into Newburyport with his boat, sold his fare to good advantage, and had since been to Boston and purchased nets to be used in the mackerel fishery.
Russell’s Derangement Is Serious
On Sunday night, after the above was in type, we were informed that Capt. Jameson did not meet John Henry Russell (as his name is reported to us now) in Newburyport, but learned he had been there, and had sent his mackerel to Boston. It was reported at the Shoals on Sunday, the 1st inst., that Russell had been seen in Ipswich bay, and the schooner Gertie Freeman, Johnson master, went in search of him, and found him in his disabled boat, the rudder being gone and he endeavoring to steer with an oar. The Gertie Freeman took Russell on board, and towed his boat to the Shoals, where it was left, the owner, Mr. Lolley, being notified to look after it. Russell has not been in his right mind for some time, and his mental derangement is now so serious that he must be cared for by his friends.
George Gleason of New Bedford, Mass., confined in the York county jail at Alfred awaiting trial on a charge of stealing a yacht in Biddeford last month, escaped from jail on Sunday, the 8th inst. Outside parties made a break on the jail about midnight, and stove a hole through the rear wall and liberated Gleason. The locks of other cells were partially carried off, but a prisoner gave the alarm. Gleason is wanted at Roxbury, Mass., and Old Orchard, for breaking and entering.
The schooner July Fourth went ashore at Cuttyhunk on the 4th of July, and on the 6th was high and dry at low water. She was floated on the 7th, after part of her cargo had been jettisoned, and was taken to New Bedford, leaking badly.
New Hampshire Items
Parker E. Tebbetts of Dunbarton recently bit an apple that had been filled with strychnine for the purpose of killing woodchucks. He discovered his mistake before it was too late, and serious consequences were averted.
Thomas Stanton of Great Falls came near dying the other day from the effects of drinking a quart of whisky on a wager. For twenty-four hours his conditions [sic] was critical.
Affairs in Kittery
Two cows were thrown from the end of the railroad bridge at Crockett’s Neck crossing, Saturday night, by the in-coming train, and one belonging to James Lewis was instantly killed. The other, owned by Solon Frisbee, was so injured it is doubtful if she lives. The cows got out of the pasture during the afternoon, and were feeding by the crossing when the train came along, and being frightened by the train ran out on the track. – Aunt Molly
Joseph Seaford, the hall boy in a fashionable New York boarding house, shot and killed Rosie Sheridan, the assistant cook, and then fired a bullet into his own brain, inflicting a fatal wound. The murderer had conceived a violent passion for the girl, which the girl repelled.
New Hampshire Gazette, July 5, 1888
George E. Gibson, who shot himself in Boston when his wedding was due, has died from the effects of the wound.
A young society woman of Saratoga, N.Y., has been adjudged guilty of sending obscene matter through the mail.
George A. Pierce died at the Massachusetts general hospital in Boston on the 4th, from the effects of having one hand blown to pieces by a cannon cracker.
A man giving his name as J.B. Aldrich was arrested in Chicago on the 1st inst., charged with bigamy. He has been living there with a woman who is said to be his twenty-third wife. The police have been looking for him for a year. His name is said to be J. Aldrich Brown. He is charged with having wives in New York, Brooklyn, Boston, Bangor, Montreal, St. Louis, and Louisville.
Italian laborers have been warned to leave Findlay, Ohio, and violence is feared.
August Cannon, son of President Cannon of the Mormon church, is now in jail in Utah, charged with perjury in giving straw bail.
In a desperate encounter between United States officers and outlaws at a “corn dance,” in the Indian territory two officers and one outlaw were killed.
A murderous plot to destroy trains and bridges with dynamite is said to have been discovered on the part of striking engineers of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad. Several arrests have been made.
Numerous business rascalitites are reported from Montreal.
Chief inspector Hanscom of the Boston detective bureau has been dismissed for insubordination.
Walt Whitman, the poet, is dying at Camden, New Jersey.
At Wickford Junction, R.I., a flagman named Wm. S. Davis attempted to prevent Charles Doane from driving across in front of a train that was close at hand. Doane whipped up his horse, knocking Davis under the train, which cut him in two.
The Fourth of July
The dedication exercises of the Soldiers’ and Soldier’s [sic] Monument on the 4th were carried out as nearly as possible in accordance with the previously published programme, though the procession did not move until noon, owing to the late arrival of trains, and there were one or two annoying circumstances occured, but nothing to mar the general success. … The number of people in the city was very great, the visitors being estimated all the way from 10,000 to 25,000. There was no firing of crackers or guns on the line of the procession, and but little drunkenness was observable during the day. The police prevented the “fakers” of different kinds from getting a foothold anywhere, and no thefts have been reported. …
Among the incidents of the Fourth occurred the following: Three comrades who belonged to the same regiment and same company, met in Grand Army hall, and during conversation found that each, among other woulds received, had lost the right thumb. Following are the gentlemen: John H. Locke, Charles A. Burbank and Alonzo W. Shaw, all of Co. B., 5th N.H. Vols.
When the veiling of the monument was being dropped on the 4th, and caught on top of one of the figures, the prompt action and sprighliness of Boatswain Isaac T. Choate, U.S.N., retired, in climbing up and clearing it, fully merited the applause with which the act was greeted. The veteran seaman couldn’t stand it to see anything foul, and nobody likely to at once get it clear.
The Missourians celebrated the 4th in a lively style. At Mansfield six farmers had a free fight, and five of them were killed. At Walnut Grove one Will Merritt was murdered in a drunken row, and W. Scott was fatally stabbed at Hallville.
Around Home
The post-office letter-box at the corner of Middle and Austin streets was blown to pieces by a cannon cracker about two o’clock in the morning on the 4th, and the contents mutilated and scorched. City Marshal Rowe, being notified of the affair, went up and took charge of the mail matter, and on his way back to the police station, in passing through Warren street discovered a fire just starting under a barn on the northerly side of the street, between Fleet and Church streets. The fire, which was probably kindled by a carlessly-thrown [sic] cracker was extinguished by the marshal… . The indiscreet youths who blew the letter box to pieces will not find it so much of a joke should Uncle Sam get hold of them.
Miller & Freeman’s circus, which exhibited in this city on Thursday evening, had one merit, namely, the performance was not long, as it commenced at a quarter past eight, and ended ten minuted before nine.
The man who would have ascended in a balloon had he been here, broke his arm in Boston, and in consequence did not go up. One man who bought a ticket intending to attend the last half of the show, got to the tent just in time to meet the crowd coming out.
New Hampshire Gazette, July 12, 1888
Our thanks to the Portsmouth Athenaeum, holder of the newspapers from which the items above were excerpted. – The Ed.