The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

ILLINOIS STATE NEWS MESSAGE OF ALTGELD Samuel Rogers, while driving a bull near Ramsey, was gored, breaking a leg and otherwise injuring him. Judgments by confession aggregating, $5,000 were taken against, F- M. Hall, or Danvers, an extensive "farmer and. stock raiser. Miss Nellie Burke;, youngestjdaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Burke, of Bloomington, died after several months' illness. Miss Burke was a beautiful, ac­ complished girl and a great favorift in social circles. She was aged 18 and was a member of the class that gradu­ ated from the high school lapt June. One t&>usnnd Chicago saloon-keepers have been compelled during the last three jqonths to retire from business. Hard times is the . cause given. Their retire­ ment means a decrease in the revenue of the city for the year 189G of $194,000. There are now 5,000 saloons instead of 6,000. Saloon licenses are collected ev­ ery four months, the first period begin­ ning May 1. Horace M. Singer, one of Chicago's oldest residents, and who twenty years ago was looked upon as a leader in busi­ ness and political circles, died Monday at his home in Pasadena, Cfcl. His ill­ ness was of two weeks' duration, but his death was not in the nature of ti surprise to his relatives and immediate friends. His remains were brought to Chicago by his aid partner, C. B. Kimball, and his attorney, Arthur B. Cody. Samuel H. Kerfoot, pioneer Chicagoan, died Monday night at his residence, 136 Rush street, after a busy life of seventy- three years, fifty of which were spent in business in Chicago. For some months Mr. Kerfoot h^d been in failing health, and his death, while comparatively sud­ den, was not unexpected. The funeral ceremony was held in St James' Church, of which, Mr. Kerfoot was a member for forty-nine, years and a vestryman for a decade. . Mr: Kerfoot was the oldest real estate dealer in Chicago. The funeral of Otto Wasmansdorff, the Chicago banker who committed suicide because Of business reverses, took place from his late residence, 549 Cleveland avenue, Tuesday afternoon. The attend­ ance was large, a crowd filling the street in front of the house. There were many floral tributes. The Rev. Gustave Zim­ merman conducted the services. Inter­ ment was in Graceland cemetery. The pall-bearers were Carl Schneider, A. J. Kinzel, Lewis Q. Stave, George Haake, Charles Schober, H. A. Ivirkhoff. A mouse in a loaf of bread was the peculiar complaint which Health Com­ missioner Kerr, Chicago, was called up­ on, to investigate. The loaf, it is said, was purchased by M. Meyer, of No. 8 O'Brien street, from a bakery and taken to the O'Brien home, where it was cut. , A mouse was found curled up the loaf, packed in as snugly as a raisin. Both the mouse and the loaf were preserved, and at a request was sent to Commis­ sioner Kerr to investigate. "It beats the case of the jackdaws in the pudding," said Mr. Meyer. Frank L. Curtis, of Blandinsville, com­ mitted suicide in the jail at Macomb. While under arrest in Blandinsville Fri­ day he attempted suicide by gashing his throat with a nail. He was pronounced insane and taken to jail in Macomb until he could be removed to the asylum. Mon­ day he barricaded the door of the cell with his bed, and, twisting the bowl of a spoon from the handle, began cutting his throat. He stood at the door with a board, striking all who came near, but "After an examination of the subject I became satisfied that the most inexpen­ sive, as well as the most-impressive ar­ chitectural style for buildings that are to stand alone in a grove, or in a field, is what has been called the Tudor-Gothic style, as the effect is produced by simply carrying the mason work--that is, the wall above the cornice line, and there breaking the lines in such a way as to pro­ duce small towers, battlements, etc. This style has consequently been adopted in most of the buildings that have been erect­ ed during the last two years, and is found to be very effective. Had we possessed large appropriations so that Grecian col­ umns, Roman arches and other forms of ornamentation could have been indulged in, it is probable that some other style of architecture would have been selected; but for the money which the State has ex­ pended it would have been impossible to get the same desirable effects in any oth­ er style." • The Governor in recommending meas­ ures for legislation states his belief that hardened criminals should have long sen­ tences. The passage reads: "Sixth--An act to provide for paroling prisoners from the penitentiaries, intend­ ed to do away with the gross inequality of sentences which have heretofore pre­ vailed for the same offenses and to make it practicable to keep professional and hardened criminals in the penitentiary for long terms and to release the young and those who are comparatively innocent af- •ter serving a minimum term in prison." Landlords come in for the following condemnation: "The principle of self-protection and self-preservation requires this State to adopt some reasonable legislation for the purpose-of guarding against the evils of landlordism. In the past land was plenti­ ful and no notice was taken of this sys­ tem, but now its evils are daily becoming more apparent. There are sections of the State where whole townships, and in some cases nearly half a county, are o\Vn- JACKETS OR NO JACKETS This la Not a Fashion Article, bat la Interesting to Womankind. It to rarely In this country that pota­ toes are boiled before^? they are peeled, or, in the old-fashioned way of express­ ing It, in their "jackets," and yet in Ireland the very headquarters of this vegetable, such a thing Is scarcely known as pre-peeling them. Those who have never tried them in this way are advised to do so some day, when they can make sure they are Drought to the table the momentv&ey are done, and not allowed to stand any length of time before they, are eaten. Select those of equal size, allow them, after washing and scrubbing thoroughly, to stand covered ^vlth cold water for half -> an hour, then throw into plenty of boiling water, and after boiling twenty min­ utes prick to the heart with a two- pronged fork; if not soft, cook a little longer, drain, sprinkle with salt, return to the range, and when the saucepan Is hot, toss them, to allow the salt to shake evenly through and to dry well, place In a warm napkin on a red-hot plate and serve with good, sweet but­ ter. The flavor of the showy, fleecy morsels, taken from the jackets and buttered as they are eaten, will be found to be much better than if peeled before boiling; indeed, epicures declare they can detect the difference at once, and as the most nutritious part of a po­ tato is next to the skin none of this is lost. ,y Potatoes in their jackets make a suit­ able adjunct to oysters baked and served in the shell. Wash and scrub the oysters, put them in a large baking pan in a hot oven, and in live minutes or less they will begin to open and must be sent to the table at once, six apiece on hot plates. It is well to have a small red doiley at each plate with which to grasp the oyster while open­ ing. Grilled sardines are also particu­ larly good with these same potatoes; they are very savory, yet easily pre­ pared. Grilling is merely another name for broiling, and unless one possesses a perforated broiler, not expensive, how­ ever, shaped like a waflle iron, which comes on purpose to cook articles that would slip through the ordinary grid­ iron or broiler, they may be cooked easily, quickly and satisfactorily by proceeding as follows: Make the frying pan or chafing dish sizzling hot, drop In a teaspoonful of sweet butter, or use the oil in which the sardines are pack- .ed as preferred. The pan must be kept very hot, when the flsh will brown al­ most instantly on one side, then turn­ ed, browned on the other, and they are ready to be served on toasted crackers or squares of toast softened with bouill- ion. The butcher will supply marrow bones on purpose for grilling, and they, too, fit in excellently with potatoes in fchelr jackets, as would scallops, done to a golden brown in boiling, olive oil, fried" shrimps, roasted crabs and the like. %*.» People who have an open grate with a glowing fire of hard coal, possess the means, with the addition of a chafing dish, that make possible the most sav­ ory suppers Imaginable, and may de­ light their friends by novel invitations to sup, with the words "potatoes In STATE SOLONS MEET, FASHION'S FANCIES; Seasonable Suggestions that Will Ia4 terest the Ladies. The fashionable silks this seasonI have moire effects, and moire with ver or gold threads running through" ill are very effective. Tinselled fabrics of all sorts abound in the shops, but they require very careful blending with* other materials to make them become ing. Muff chains of gold with diamonds set at intervals so that they are open on both sides, are one of the novelties in jewelry. Rubies, sapphires, emer­ alds, and amethysts are also diatribe nted in the same manner. Maihogany-colored hair te the latest! fad, and the transition penod betwpent dark brown and this coveted shade on red is very interesting to the keen otH server. Watches have gradually diminished! in size, until now the very latest bit of enamel, set round with diamonds,*'is not larger than a man's signet ring. Fine book muslin in all the pretty? light tints Is used.for evening waists for young girls, and it is madeeoveB cheap silk or satin trimmed with lacei and ribbons, and worn with light-Color­ ed or black silk*skirts. t Many of the new toques^ have a hight small crown, but the real Parisian! toque is cut away so much at the mid-1 die of the back that there are twoj sharp points fitting down on the halzr at either side, while flowers and white! feathers are very conspicuous in thQ trimming. Sleeves in evening gowns are very short butterfly puffs or a draped pufl caught with a bow of satin ribbon or a-bunch of flowers, and there is no fash' ionable medium between this and thfl long sleeve, which means that the el­ bow sleeve has had its day. Torchon and Valenciennes patterns combined are the new laces for trinH ming undergarments. Satin ribbon, two inches wide, plalt-j ed on the inside of the skirt at the bot-i torn, is the balayeuse which fashion) favors just at present; it is more dura-j ble than the pinked silk ruffle. Blouse waists of velvet or velveteenj with a narrow metal belt, are the cow rect bodice for skating costumes. "If You Want a Wife." The Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst, D. DJ discusses "The Young Man and Mar-j riage" in the Ladies' Home JournaL "Marriage to a certain degree," he saysi "a young man is to look upon from a! utilitarian standpoint. A good wife ia| so much capital. She makes him to be* by a kindcof grace, a great deal morei than he is by nature. She contributes the qualities needed in order to converti his vigor into a safe as well as produc­ tive efficiency. She Introduces, for ln-i stance, Intojiis intellectual nature that ingredient of sentiment wtych intellect] remiires in order to be able to do its best work. Heart and brain need to conspire in order- to the attainment of) the true, and without caring to assert that man' is naturally heartless, any! more than I should wish to assumethat woman is by nature brainless, yet heart In its way is just as precious as brain in itsway, and woman, so long as she is untainted by the"passion of wanting to be a man, will be that member of the* connubial corporation that .will in par-! ticular contribute to the capital stock! Its 'offectional element. Some^omen may resent this, but I would like to caution young men against cherishing matrimonial designs upon any womani who is likely to resent It If what yoa want is a wife, and not merely a house­ keeper, you must keep your eye well open for a warm bundle of femininity; that will be to you#in a personal way, / what1 the flre on the'hearth Is to you Jni a physical way--a fund of tropical com­ fort that will keep the stiffness out of your thinking, the frost out of your feeling, and the general machinery ofi your life in a condition of pleasurable activity." OCCURRENCES DURING THE GOVERNOR REVIEWS THLK WORK OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. LEGISLATURE FORMALLY OR. GANIZED AT SPRINGFIELD. Celebrated Claim for J?ay r While at Work in Prison Is Disallowed-- Horrible Death Of a Brewery Em- plsye. Defends His Policies and Replies to His Critics--Says Economy Was His Aim--Capital Is Given thp JLash--Su­ preme Court Is Criticise#. E. G. Curtis Speaker of the House-- No Ceremony Attends the Gather-, ins--Nothing of Importance Done- Dilatory Tactics to Prevail for a Time Convict's Claim Not Allowed. The State Board of Claims met in Springfield and the celebrated case of Eaekiel Phillips, of Coles County, againBt the State for $5,400, which has been pending for some time, was taken up, and the opinion of the board delivered by Commissioner H. G.. Reeves. In 1870 Phillips was convicted in the Circuit Court of Douglas County of murder, and sentenced by Judge Oliver L. Davis to the State prison for life, where he re­ mained until being pardoned out in 1893. He claims that by reason of haying been put to hard labor while in the prison be should be reimbursed by the State for a total sum of §5,400. He claimed his sen­ tence did not specify that he was to be put to hard labor, and this sum is due him for such work. Commissioner Reeves, in summing up the case, says: "We have examined with some care the argument and brief filed by the counsel for claim­ ant and the authorities cited, but we are of the opinion that if the judgment of the Court was sufficient to commit the claim­ ant to the penitentiary then the statutes # governing the penitentiary and controlling the inmates of the same and requiring convicts be kept at hard labor prevents any recovery in this case. We have therefore decided to disallow the claim." Law Is Declared Void. Judge Gibbons, of Chicago, has de­ cided that the indeterminate sentence law is unconstitutional. He relied for hid decision on the constitutional provision that every man is entitled to a trial by jury, which the Court construed as mean­ ing that the jury should fix the prisoner's punishment. In deciding the question Judge Gibbons held that that part of the new law in relation to the appointment of a prison commission was 'valid, but maintained that the law which provides that a prisoner shall go to the peniten­ tiary without some specific sentence was unconstitutional. The decision is pleasing to Chief Badenoch and his assistants in the police department. It also is pleas­ ing to the members of the December Grand Jury, who, in their report to Judge Tuley, recommended either the repeal of the law or its thorough amendment. It is more than pleasing to the 700 convicts how in the Joliet penitentiary who were sentenced under the law; it may mean a new trial for them with the chance of being acquitted. , ; Body Found in a Malt Bin. ' The decomposed body of Anton Jaba, an employe of the Tossetti Brewing Com­ pany, Chicago, was found in a malt bin. He was last seen alive by another em­ ploye of the company Tuesday as he was going to an upper floor of the brewery in the elevator. He carried a lantern at­ tached to the end of a long cord1 with which lte intended to inspect the bin. It is supposed he was leaning over the edge of the bin when he lost his balance and was plunged to the bottom. A search for the missing man was begun when Mrs. Jaba called at the brewery and stated that her "husband had not come home. The body was found near the funnel at the bottom of the bin, and was covered with moist grain. •• 8tate News iu Brief. The new $75.000--Bloomington "high" school building was dedicated Friday. At Mount Vernon Granville Fyke's saw mill boiler blew up and killed his wife, and seriously and perhaps mortally wounded Fyke and one child. . At Jacksonville William De Freitas was struck by an engine and will proba­ bly die, as his head was injured, in addi­ tion to the breakage of three ribs. Edward P. Keslmer, of Cnrlyle, will examine the books of the Prickett Bank in Edwardsville, which failed recently. Keslmer is the expert who made a rigid investigation of the Ramsay bank affairs, vi?; A private dispatch received in Spring­ field states that David Gore, Auditor of Public Accounts, is dying of heart fail­ ure at his home in Carlinville. He has *•: been- ill but a few days. This is the third attack. George H. Mcllvaine died Friday at Peoria after a week's illness, aged 03 years. At his death he was president of the Peoria National Bank, and also president of the Peoria clearing house. He leaves a widow and five children:"" A party , of unknown people Friday stoned a passenger train on the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad between Cantou and Breed's Station. The mis­ siles smashed nearly all the windows on one side of the train and-injured three of the women passengers. William Thomas Powers, the negro por­ ter who has been locked up at Chicago under suspicion of having murdered Sa- loon-keeper John J. Murphy," admitted to .the police that he was the assassin. In bis confession he laid his first step toward entering a plea of temporary insanity by saying that since his youth he has been a Victim of sickness of a peculiar kind. During these fits of sickness ha commits acts of which he has no knowledge until he emerges from their influence, and it was during one of these spells that he killed Murphy. h, A silent robber and a silent victim were t the chief characters in a pantomimic hold-up in John J. Schmitt's djug store, North Clark street and Ai-lingtou place, Chicago, Sunday night. The other char­ acter was a customer, and he was also silent. Not a word was spoken while the *.s ; robbery was going on. The thief gave his orders "Humpty Dumpty" fashion, and Schmitt followed the directions in the same manner. When the robber had per- fosmed his part of the pantomime and backed out of the store he had $22 and a gold watch. He didn't have them when he commenced the silent performance. Rev. N. J. Stroh, of Mtf&at Morris, is ^1 dead. Father Stroh, as he wa^'common- ly called, was the oldest Lutheran minis­ ter in the JJuited States. He would have been 99 years of age on the 5th of next May. ' • / Fred Hilbert, aged 84 years, a wealthy farmer of Hatton, Clark County, cele­ brated the outgoing year by taking to himself his fifth wife, who is only 28 years of age. All his former wives have died natural deaths, and he only mourned a couple of weeks. He is a pensioner and, despite his age, still shoots squirrels with a rifle and dances like a young man. Rev. C. B. Wetherell, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Wood­ stock, was stricken with apoplexy in his pulpit while preaching, and the chances are against his recovery. The new Memorial Christian Church at Rock Island was formally dedicated Sunday, many of the other Protestant denominations participating in the prin­ cipal services. The church cost $22,000. It is a memorial by Mrs. Mary C. Wads- worth to her father. The organ js also a memorial, by Mrs. H. S. Frazer, of Indianapolis, another daughter of Mr. Mitchell. The furniture was presented by Virgil. Warren, a wealthy member of the congregation. His Last State Address. The last message of Gov. Altgeld read upon the convocation of the XLth Gen­ eral Assembly of Illinois, opens with the following reference to appointments: ' "The policy adopted at the beginning of the administration, in the matter of making appointments, when other things were equal, was to give preference to men who were politically in sympathy with this administration, but in all cases where, by reason of some special fitness or some peculiar condition, it was believed that the SState could be best served by the appointment of a Repbliean, such ap­ pointment was promptly made. This ap­ plied to superintendents of institutions as well as to boards upon which , it was thought best to have both parties repie- resented: "The following instructions were given to all appointees for their guidance: " '1. Do not put a man upou the pay roll who is not absolutely needed. " .Do hot pay higher salaries in an institution than the service or ability which you get would command outside. " '3. Do not keep a man an hour after it is discovered that he is ntft just the man for the place, no matter who recommend­ ed him or what political influence he may possess. ' ' " '4. Require vigilance and careful at­ tention of every employe, and promptly discharge any attendant who is guilty of brutality to patients, or who is guilty of The Grind Bcgrins, There was neither pomp nor imposing ceremony at the opening session of the XLth General Assembly at high noon Wednesday. There was a large crowd- on hand to witness the event, but they saw nothing either marvelous or remarkable. The day was as beautiful as the most ardent Re­ publican could have wished. The sky was cloudless, the air was crisp and bracing. So far as the surroundings were concern­ ed the XLth General Assembly was launched under the most flattering aus­ pices. , With the exception of Gov.-elect John R. Tanner, all the incoming State officers were present. Mr. Tanner with his bride was in Chicago. ' It was exactly 12 o'clock noon when Lieut.-Gov. Joseph B. Gill arose from his chair in the Senate chamber and called the members to order. Every one became silent at first rap of the gavel and then the Lieutenant-Governor called upon the Rev. Frederick Taylor, rector of St. Paul's Cathedral, to invoke the blessing of the Deity. •The prayer was brief. • Once it was end­ ed officers selected at Republican caucus Tuesday night were formally elected by SPEAKER E. G. CURTIS. adoption of a resolution. A committee was then appointed to wait upon the House to formally notify that branch of the Legislature that the Senate was ready to proceed with transaction of busiuess. A committee was also appointed to wait on Gov. Altgeld and notify him that the Senate was ready to. receive any com­ munication he might have. Long before noon the Hall of Represent­ atives was crowded with statesmen and ^ijatriots and place hunters from all parts o¥ the State. Every seat on floor and in galleries was fall and standing -room in lobbies was at a premium. Many o? the members were confronted with flowers that rested on their desks. Promptly at 12 o'clock Secretary of State Hiurichsen called the House to. or­ der. Prayer was then offered by the Rev. A. G. Goodspeed, of Woodford. chaplain of the last House. Roll call was then proceeded with, and at its conclusion tem­ porary officers chosen at caucuses held Tuesday night were elected. Oath of office was administered to mem­ bers. after which permanent officers were formally elected by resolution. A com­ mittee escorted the new speaker. Edward C. Curtis, to the chair, and the House was regularly organized. Committees were appointed to notify the Senate that the House was ready for the transaction of business and to notify Gov. Altgeld that it awaited any com­ munication ho might have. Beyond organization and listening to the message of Gov, Altgeld, nothing of importance was done, and it is said that two weeks of inactivity will mark pro­ ceedings. was finally overpowered. He died, how­ ever. In the Circuit Court at Decatur Judge Vail gave his decision in the Indianapolis, Decatur and Western Railway case, which joccupied the attention of the court for six days. The contention of Harry C. Crawford, of New York, representing parties owning second-mortgage bonds, worth on their'face $2,000,000; the reorganization of the company in 1875 under the name of the Indianapolis, De­ catur and Springfield Company was il­ legal and that consequently all subse­ quent acts_were illegal. The court de­ cided in favor of the organization. Craw­ ford will take the case to the Supreme Court. Springfield is at present being scourged by burglars and footpads. Scarcely a night passes that houses are not entered and citizens held up on the street. Now a case of robbery and torture of the vic­ tim is reported. The house of John Keal, a bachelor who resides on a farm three miles from the city, was entered early Saturday morning by burglars, who threatened him with death if he did not give them money. They searched the premises, but succeeded in finding only $2.25-and ten gallons of wine. The rob­ bers then brutally beat their victim, held burning matches to his hair and eye­ brows and severely burned him on the face, body and feet. Neighbors discov­ ered his pitiable plight after daylight and took him to St. John's Hospital, where he now lies in a very critical condi­ tion. He says there were four of the burglars, but the description he is able to give of them is very imperfect. The sher­ iff and posse are scouring the country in search of the robbers. Henry G. Forker, managing editor of the Chicago Chronicle, died of consump­ tion at his home, 113 Albany avenue, Tuesday night. He had been failing in health for a year. Mr. Forker leaves a widow and a son 2 years old. Harry Gordon Forker was born iu Fifeshire, Scotland, Jan. 18, 1808, and came to America, whither his father had preceded him, in 1888. In his own country Mr. Forker had worked upon several news­ papers, and when he came to Chicago he secured a position with the Herald as stenographer to the managing editor, H. W. Seymour. In a short, time he was given a position on the reportorial staff, and then became an assistant to the man­ aging editor. When the Chronicle was established Mr. .Forker became its man­ aging editor. Mr. Forker was known in Chicago as an active daily newspaper man, but he found time to make a repu­ tation among the magazines, many of his short stories having been published. He was at one time president of the St. An­ drew's Society. He was married in 1893 to Miss Katherine Carnduff of Chicago. Capt. Charles H. Fuller, aged 72, died at Decatur. He was the adjutant of Gen. Grant's regiment, the Twenty-first Illinois; was a Knight Templar and ex- City Clerk. The dry goods and clothing house of the J. M. Mitchell Company at Mount Car- mel, Was forced to' the wall and the stock is in the possession of the Sheriff on at­ tachments issued in favor of firms in St. Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago, Philadel­ phia, and New York. The claims outside Of these judgments will reach $18,000 or $20,000, making the total indebtedness $35,000 or more. "Uncle" Bennett Anderson, aged 70 years, died Monday in Ramsey. Mr. Bennett was born and raised in Ramsey Township, and never lived out of it for a single day. Hugh Robinson, a wealthy agricultur­ ist. vice president of the Fairbury Agri­ cultural Board, had both eyes blown out by the premature explosion of dynamite. He was directing two other men who were blowing stumps out of the ground on his farm, north of Fairbury. He went after some of the explosive which was buried in the ground near by, and for some reason it, exploded. It is. feared h« cannot live, as his face was mashed into a pulp. their jackets" added, instead of "danc­ ing," "cards," or what not. No Idea of Music. v|rftin̂ ' was a mig-hty fox-hunter, and loved the sport beyond words. He owned a fine pack of hounds, and, during the season, thought of nothing but his hunters, his dogs, and the weather. He was once entertaining an army friend from Tex­ as, whose ideas of hunting any animal involved the use of fire-arms, and who had never seen a fox-hound. He had been with difficulty persuaded to go forth one morning with the colonel and some friends to a meet, and they were waiting impatiently for the hounds to take the scent. Presently there burst upon their listening ears the din of thir­ ty caninp voices in full cry. The col­ onel's eyes gleamed, and,-as he settled his feet in the stirrups and stretched his arm toward the yelping pack, he cried: "Major, listen to that heavenly music!" The major pricked up his ears for a second or two, and then re­ plied: "I can't hear a thing. Those dogs are making such a noise." The colonel put his spur savagely into his horse's side and dashed away, leav­ ing his guest to his own devices. <-- For Advertising Purposes. Experiments have lately been made in Switzerland with a view to putting the beautiful lakes of that country to some practical account. Hitherto these waters have been ad­ mired merely because of their natural beauty, but now some enterprising business men have devised a scheme by which they may be, made useful for advertising purposes. The plan is to paint the words of the advertisement in big white letters on a black background. When sunk and securely held at the bottom of the lake, the advertisement is perfectly legible, the reflection of the light on passing through the water bringing the words near the surface. It is announced that hitherto the ex­ periments that have been made have been very successful. One Way to Brealc Glass. It is scarcely credible, but It is a fact, that a glass can be broken by the voice. If you strike a thin wine glass while you hold it by the stem it will emit a certain note--in most cases a pretty deep one. On approaching the glass rapidly to yoijr mouth, and shouting Into it the same note as loudly as possi­ ble, the vibrations of the glass being thereby extended. It will be shivered luto'fragments. This used to be a fav­ orite experiment of Lablache, the re­ nowned singer, who would thus break, one after the other, as many glasses as were handed to him. , ; Slept a Year. In Blanchet's curious book, "Comptes Rendus," mention is made of a girl who at the age of 18 had a peculiar "spell," which the physicians pronounc­ ed "constitutional lethargic-slumber," which lasted for forty dayk. Again at the age of 20 she slept for fifty days. Her last recorded "long sleep" lasted almost a year--from April 20,1862, un­ til March, 1863. *A lobster's skin when shedding splits down the back and comes off in two equal parts. The tail slips out of the shell like a finger out of a glove. JOHN P. ALTGELD. any serious neglect of duty, ami remeni- 'ber all the timeithat ,the^institutions wet:;, founded and are maintained for the care and comfort of the unfortunate and not for the comfort of the management.' "These instructions have been rigorous­ ly insisted upon, and I believe have, in general, been observed." Gov. Altgeld then turns to peniten­ tiaries and convicts and bewails the fact that prisoners are made to wear stripes. He hopes that Joliet may be made a mod­ el institution. The portion referring to prisons reads as follows: * "The prison at Joliet was for many years occupied by contractors. Naturally they made no improvements that they were not obliged to make, and when they moved out there was not a shop or a building used tty them that was fit for further occupancy and most of them had to be practically rebuilt. "The State at that time had scarcely any means for lighting and heating and absolutely no power plant of any kind, al­ though the commissioners had nearly 1,400 men on hand whom they were obliged to work. At that time the hos­ pital was in the end of an old shop, utter­ ly unsuited for the purpose and patients suffering from all kinds of diseases were crowded together; and there was no fe­ male prison, the female prisoners being kept on the upper story of the main build­ ing, owing to the fact that it became al­ most impossible to let them out, where they could get fresh air. All of these things together made large appropriations necessary. "The commissioners built some new shops, they built a large heating, hghting and power house and have one of the best plants of that character now that there is in the country. They built a large h JS- pital, thoroughly modern, and they have just finished a prison for females which is believed to be the most modern and best arranged and best equipped prison for females in the world and the whole institutition taken together is superior to any penitentiary upon this continent. "The effect of putting stripes on con­ victs has been found to be this: That it does not affect those already hardened except to make them a little more desper­ ate, nor does it affect those who art: by nature dull and brutish except to lower them a little, but it tends to crush what­ ever spark of self-respect and manhood there may be left in a higher grade of prisoners and in that way tends to still further unfit them for an honorable strug­ gle in life and an irreparable injury is thus done to society as Tjvell as to the con­ vict, which was not contemplated by law. "Acting upon these principles, the com­ missioners of the prison at Joliet, on the 1st of July last, clothed the prisoners in plain gray suits, and since that lime have been using the striped suits only as a means of punishment for an infraction of the prison discipline. The effect of this change upon the spirit, the moral tone and character of the convicts has been so gratifying that I have recommended its adoption in the prison at Chester. y "The system of paroling prisoners which was provided for by the last Leg­ islature and which has just been estab­ lished in our penitentiaries will, I believe, for the future, relieve the executive of ihe great labor and responsibility of consid­ ering the almost innumerable applica­ tions for pardon. If this system is con­ scientiously carried out it will release and find homes and employment for the young after they have undergone the minimum punishment required b> law and will, on the other haand, retain in the prison the hardened offenders and those who have shown themstslves to be vicious and dangerous." Gov. Altgeld discusses the inartistic ap­ pearance of public buildings and remnrks: ed by one individual and are occupied by utenants fegl ^ interest in the soil and have no inducement toiiiake Imptove-' ments. "The landlord, on his side, has no inter­ est in our institutions or State except to get money out of it, and as improvements would increase the taxes to be paid, nei­ ther landlord nor tenant will make them and the result is that some of the best sections of the State are arrested in their development and must fall behind in civ­ ilization." Administration of justice in large cities is then taken up: "I repeat, with emphasis, what I said in a former message on this subject: 'The condition of business in the courts of Chi­ cago almost amounts to a denial of jus­ tice. It takes years to get a case finally settled by the courts, while the expense, annoyance and loss of time involved in watching it are so great that the poor can­ not stand it and the business mefi cannot afford it. Litigants are worn out and the subjeet matter of dispute often becomes useless before the courts get done with it. This is not the fault of the judges, but of the system, which, in its practical work­ ings, often discourages the honest man and encourages the dishonest one, for it enables him to wear out the former. u 'Urged by the bar, the number of judges were greatly increased by the last General Assembly, but the conditions are almost the same. We now have twenty- eight judges in Cook County alone, while there are only thirty-four in England, Ireland and Wales. In England most cases are disposed of at once. The dis­ honest man does not find it to his interest to go into the court|g there, while we, with our system of distinctions and delays, al­ most offer him a premium to do so. " 'We borrowed Our system of jurispru­ dence from England more than a~ century ago, when it was loaded down with^ab- surd distinctions and formalities. We have clung tenaciously to its faults, while England long ago brushed them aside. Three-quarters of a century ago that country began to reform its judicial pro­ cedure by wiping out all useless distinc­ tions, and formalities and making all pro­ cedure on its merits and their appellate courts now revise cases only when it is shown that an actual injustice has been done and not simply because some rule or useless formality has been disregarded. As regards the administration of justice we are to-day three-quarters of a century behind that country from which we bor­ rowed our system. We may be great in politics, but do not yet lead the way in statesmanship. The whole system shduld be Rvised and simplified so that it will give our people more prompt and speedy justice and less fine-spun law. " 'I must again call attention to the conditions surrounding the police and jus­ tice courts of Chicago. They are a dis­ grace, and we will not rise to the demands of the occasion if we do not devise some remedy for these evils. I also again call attention to the subject of permitting any officer connected with the administration of justice to keep fees. This is the very foundation upon which the whole struc­ ture of fraud, extortions and oppression rests. No man's bread should depend up­ on the amount of business he can "drum up" around a so-called court of justice.' "At present the practice prevails in Chicago of making raids in the evening and running in from fifty to one hundred women and a few men at a time on no partieular charge. Then the justice gets $1 from each for taking a bond, thus mak­ ing ifrom $50 to $100 a night, and a lot of cormorants known as special bailers and other hangers-on make $400 or $500 if it can be wrung from the miserable crea­ tures. In many instances certain police officers are believed to share The message closes with a repetition of former attacks on newspapers. Holding Up Committees. Now that the Legislature is ready for business the machine leaders are prepar­ ing to manipulate the organization. The committeeships are the principal stock in trade to be used in this direction, and in order to be sure of their men it is un­ derstood the committees will not be an­ nounced until a Senator has been elected. By holding the anxious members up in the air and keeping them in a condition of uncertainty as to what plums they are to be accorded, the managers count on being able to whip many an unwilliifg statesman into line for their candidate. As a matter of fact, there is no reason why both houses should not choose their working committees and get to business while the jockeying for place iu the sen­ atorial race is being done. But nine or ten days must roll by before the caucus will be held, and the wheels of legisla­ tion must be blocked in order to aid the chance of the machine candidate. And this costs the taxpayers of Illinois about $1,500 a day. • • • » • Minor State News. Smith & Calkins, Desatur, dealers in furnishing goods, assigned. Liabilities are $10,620; assets, $7,081. The Collinsville zinc works, owned and operated by Mesker Bros., were partly de­ stroyed by fire, entailing a loss of about $100,000, partly insured. Charles Scliultz, a farmer living in Shel- bent, was run over and killed by an Illi­ nois Central suburban train at Chicago. His son and daughter, who were in a group of passengers, were witnesses of the fatality. At Rockford, suit was begun in the Cir­ cuit Court to foreclose on a trust deed given by the Rockford Woolen Mills Com­ pany in 1SS6 to secure the payment of $20,000 worth of bonds, which were real­ ized on at that time. Discouraged by parental objections to their marriage, two youthful Chicago sweethearts determined to end their un­ happy lives Saturday morning by taking carbolic acid. The girl, Nellie Uren, aged 19, took her share of the poison and is dead; the boy, Obbie Heath, aged 18, lost his courage at the last moment, and sat beside his sweetheart and watched her dying agonies. He has disappeared from his home, and his parents fear suicide. Louis F., Wolff, a crayon artist, former­ ly of St. Lbuis and later of Chicago, went to Elgin, where his sister, Mrs. B. F. Spranger, resides. He occupied a room at .the Planters' Hotel and took cyanide of potassium. He was found by the clerk, but died before a physician reached him. Lack of employment is given as the re®- son for-the act. He was married ten years ago to a wealthy widow at St. Louis and they separated two years ago, she going to Denver. He received a letter from her dated Dec. 20, telling him that she still loved him and wishing him alla happiness. He held her picture in his hands just before he died and wrote on the photograph, "My dear wife, good-by." A Mother's Duties and Claims. In an article deprecating the tendency of mothers of the present day to escape the care and responsibility of training their children, Edward W. Bok, in tho> Ladies' Home Journal, emphasizes the distinction between a mother's dutlea and. the claims upon her time: "* * * When a woman is given the sweetest delight that can come to her, mother­ hood, God gives with that delight a duty; the duty of a personal training of the child. Before that duty, all outside work--I care not by what religious^ charitable or philanthropic word yott may call it--should fall. No matte® what outside work a woman may bei engaged in, the best can only be a| claim upon her time, and not a dut^J And duties never conflict. God gives! no more duties to a woman than she! has the" time or ability to fulfill. Thef exactions of the world are not duties? they are claims. If there is time it Isi well to meet them. But claims belngj man-made and duties being God-made the former must often be Ignored and' should be put aside where the latter calls. Women should think of this anc? bear it in mind a little more constantly! than they do, especially in these days! of organizations." An Odd Fish. In the Sea of Galilee--or Lake Tibe­ rias, as it. is often called--there is a strange fish named the Chromis Simo- nis, which is more careful of its youn^ than fish generally are. The male fish takes the eggs in its mouth and keepa them in his natural side pockets, where they are regularly hatched, and remain* until able to shift for themselves. Bjt this ingenious arrangement the brooct is comparatively guarded against ita natural enemies; it is easily fed, too^ but it is a puzzle how the little one9 escape being eaten alive. Merely to Save Labor. --nice • :--,•-- --wings. North Carolina the Early Bird. It is Claimed that North Carolina must henceforth hold the highest plaea in the production of early fruits for jtba Northern markets. * The world is getting to-be what sen> tlmental girls call "cokL" '