The morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, August 09, 1887, Page 2, Image 2
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INDIA’S STRANGLERS.
AN AMERICAN’S VISIT TO THE
THUG Or NORTHERN INDIA.
A Man Who Kept No Count of the
Lives He Took Above a Hundred, and
Another Who confessed to Seven
Hundred Murders.
From the Philadelphia Pre.v.
Jabai.pik. India, June, 1887.—-“ Well,"
M,ys the landlord of our hutel. the “iialf
wav house" of the long journey from Bom
bay to Calcutta, “now that you’ve seen the
ruins of the Hitidu citadel, and been over
the native cantonment, and visited the
temple on the hill yonder, and gone round
the marble rocks’ oi tin- Nerbuddha, there's
nothing left for you to see hero except the
Thugs."
The grim name seems to strike upon me
with n sudden chill, often though I heard
it before; for it is one thing to hear or read
about the terrible “stranglers" of the East,
and quite another thing to find oneself
unexpectedly face to face with them.
Moreover, althpngli I have already seen
ordinary murderers by the score, in Siberian
chum gangs, West Indian penitentiaries,
Brazilian prisons, Turkish anil Syrian for
tresses, this is mv Hi'st experience of men
who turn murder itself into a j-eligion, pray
devoutly for its success, and offer up heart
felt thanksgivings to heaven when it is
done.
Awav we all three go accordingly, along
the broad, straight dusty highroad, which
b fortunately shaded, to some extent Iran
the burning sun by the vast banner-like
leaves of the pa!in trees that stand rank like
soldiers along either side of the way, alter
nating with clumps of feathery bamboo,
whose crested tip-, tapering like gigantic
fishing jioles, sway languidly in the morn
ing brreze.
As we pause for a moment to admire tho
beautiful little green paroquets that are Hit
ting to and fro overhead with impish
screeches, n shrill erv makes us spring aside
just in time to avoid an enormous elephant
that comes tramping round a liend of the
road, with a perfect mountain of forage on
its back, while the shin, sharp-featured
mahout (driver), whose brown limbs and
white rolie make him look like a cigar
wrapped in paper, sits perched on its neck
and urges it on with au occasional prod of
liis short iron hook.
HISTORY OK THE THUGS.
“AYho arc those Thugs, anyhow f nsks
the American, as we move on again. “I
just know that they're always murdering
peonla, and that's about al] I do know.”
“Well," said 1. “most of what I know
conies from Qol. Slieman and Col. Meadows
Tavlor. who wore the chief agents in put
ting them down. The original system, ages
ago. was simply a continual human sacrifice
to Kali, the goddess of murder, from whom
Calcutta (Kali-Kuttah, or Kali’s Temple)
took its name. The theory was that the
earth was overpeopled, and that Kali's
servants, the Times, had to clear off the
superfluous population by a little iudieious
murdering every now and t hen. So when
ever they could waylav any man in a lonelv
iiiace, they strangled him with a silk hand
rarchief, and then buried him; and this
they called ‘the good work.’”
“I wonder what they’d call a bad work,
then.'" muttered my companion.
“Well, this went on for ages upon ages,
without anyone having the least suspicion
of it. Men kept disappearing here and
there, and nobody knew how. At first the
murders were simply a religious rite, with
out any afterthought of plunder, but after
ward they lx*gan to combine robbery with
murder, and to pick out as victims those
who were worth plundering. However, the
English had been in India for years
before anyone dreamed that ‘Thuggee’
existed. At last a Thug chief, being
under sentence for some crime, be
trayed his c unlades to save bis own
life, and then the whole story eatne
out and the Thugs were seized and im
prisoned. At first the British commissioner
of the district where the discovery was
niieb* wouldn't believe that all these horrors
oould have been going on so long without
being found out, but when the old chief dug
up thirteen skeletons on the very spit
where the commissioner’s tent was pitched
he began to < hange his mind. But here we
are at the place."
We halt suddenly liefore a tail, gray,
gloomy building, at the door of which 1 an
nounce myself as a newspaper correspond
ent, and we are at once admitted, although
the Hindoo janitor looks with no small won
der at Mrs. Ker as she enters and asks
whether tile tn'bi lotjt<e (lady) is u corre
spondent too.
On the other side of the road stands a
high bamboo jialisade, above which peer tho
gross thatches of a number of tiny native
Luts. Tho one narrow entrance of this en
closure is guarded by a magnificent Sikh
soldier —tall, strong and shapely us u bronze
statue of Hercules —whose bold, swarthy
face and keen black eyes look very pic
turesque beneath his crimson turban. Alter
exchanging a word or two with our con
ductor, n e steps back with a military salute
to let us pass in, and the next moment we
are standing amid the most formidable gang
of murderers upon tho fuce of the earth.
The theory that every man wears on his
countenance the stamp .of his natiye is true
only within certain limits. Many of the
grenf criminals whom I have seen bore in
their faces a terrible warning ol' what they
were, but with the Thugs of Jabalpur it is
not so. These human vampires who now
gather round me. every one of whom hns
taken more lives than any public execu
tioner in Europe, are to the outward eye a
set of quiet, slouching, meagre old men, who
might be a gang of beggars, a group of
harmless village folks, a party of superau
nuated native workmen, or anything on
earth but what they really are.
THE strangler’s awful work.
“That’s the chief.” whispers my guide,
pointing to a small, lean gray hoard with a
white turlwin, who is sitting before the near
est hut, rocking u child on his knee, and
stroking its thin little brown face with the
hand that has shed the blood of his fellow
men like water.
“Ask him,” rejoin I, “how many murders
he has committed.”
A momentary gleam of running twinkles
in the sunken eyes. The old tiger is
evidently suspicious, and stands on his
guard.
“I cannot tell,” ho answers, with an in
difference which, under such circumstances,
has in it something indescribably ghastly;
“I didn't keep count of them beyond a hun
dred !”
“Pretty well,” mutters the Ins|>eotor,
“but Col. Taylor’s prisoner, Ameer Ali,
owned to 700.’'
“He must have been a nice young man,
that Ameer All,” observed I. “ You remem
ber his saying, ‘We finally decided to mur
der the men directly after our evening
payer*.”’
Just then I noticed that the line of hovel
lms a gap in it every here and there, as if a
hut had fallen or been pulled down, and the
Inspector telis me, with a look of unwonted
awe inion his liold bluff face, that whenever
one of these wretches dies his house is in
stantly ruzed to the ground, ns if to effaco
his very memory from the earth.
“Now, liefore we go,” says Ito our con
ductor, "I mean to seo for myself how the
strangling was done. Oblige me by telling
tills man to put his noose around my v rist,
for 1 don't care to trust him with my
throat."
The savage eagerness with which the
withered old skclton obeys the call—as if
filled wsth fresh life by even the make-bo
11cvo show of murder—is fearful to see.
Knotting e smali coin in the comer of his
handkerchief to give him a sure hold, ho
slips the liooso round my arm, and then,
bringing his knuckles together with a sud
den twist,, gives my wrist a squeeze that al
most makes the bone crack.
Tho awful ohar.go t hat rosses over his fare
at that moment bullies all description liis
dull, filmy eves seem to blaze with liell-flre,
his sharp teeth are laid bare in a wolfish
grin, his shriveled corpse-llke features quivar
with a ferocious iov so fiendish that an ac
tnal demon starting up before me could
ic iicelv lie more appalling. The thought
Of that face bending over some helpless loan
in the gloomy depths of the forest, just as
the fatal noose tightened, is altogether too
much fur my nerves, and it is with a long
breath of relief that I find myself out.sido of
the futal enclosure once more.
David Ker.
IT STRAINED RELATIONS.
The Story of a Wedding Present
Given by the Whitneys.
From the Baltimore American.
Washington. Aug. •>. —A good story ha3
just come to the surface involving Secre
tary Whitney and the family of Congress
man Handull. It seems that when Miss
Randall was married last winter to Mr. C.
C. Lancaster, the President of th Mary
land Democratic Club, of Washington, and
a gentleman well known throughout Mary
land, Secretary and Mrs. Whitney received
invitations to the wedding. Tho Secretary
was unable to attend, and Mrs. Whitney
was not visiting at that time. Tho
Secretary, however, thought ho could
best discharge his duty by send
ing Miss Randall a handsome
present. Her father and the Secretary had
always been good friends, although the
funner, as Chairman of the Appropriation
Committee, hud blocked many schemes for
the increase of our belittled and infantile
navy. This opposition, however, was not
sufficiently strung to break down the bar
riers of friendship between tho two men,
and Mr. Randall nacl received several good
!•; 1 slices of government pie in the way of
appointmei t of big friends or p lilical heueb
ni' il to posit..oils In the civil establishments
of the naval service. Matters went along
swimmingly until the Lancaster-Randnil
wedding, when an incident occurred which
has greatly strained the relations of Mr.
Whitiiev and Mr. Randall.
Mr. YVhitnoy received his invitation to tho
wedding, and, as is his usual custom in )>er
sonal matters, called in his private secreta
ry, Mr. Hanna, and asked him to attend to
tii - matter of selecting a wedding present.
He gave Hanna a good-sized check and left
the selection in his hands. The latter visited
every jewelry store in town, and although
ho is a married man and has the reputation
of being nu fait in matters of this kind, he
was at his wits end to know what to select
for the fair young bride. After cogitating
over the matter for four days, he thought it
would bo an excellent idea to call on Miss
Randall, explain his predicament in
which the Secretary had placed him,
and offer her the check as a wed
ding gift. He could not possibly have
adopted a worse plan, and lie found himself
thoroughly deceived. Miss Randall was not
at home, mid he asked for her mother, who
presently appeared, wondering who Mr.
Hanna was. Stating hits errand before
many moments had elapsed, lie found who
Airs, ltandnll was. Hanna was torn in a
thousand shreds. To think of his daring to
thus insult a Randall! Anil Secretary
Whitney, how could he dare to offer money
to her daughter? "No, sir; if Secretary and
Mrs. Whitney could not find time to select
a present, tiiey could keep tbeir money,"
quoth Mrs. Randall. “The invitation was
not sent, sir, with any expectation of re
ceiving a present, and we do not want a
present selected by filtration through his
secretary. You can toll Mr. Whitney he
lms got hold of the wrong family,
s;r, and we spurn his chock.” AVitli
this lie was about to leave, when Mr. Ran
dall, hearing the conversation, came down
stairs. Tho matter was cxpluiuvd by Hanna,
who bogged Mrs. Rundall not to place the
blame on Mr, Whitney, anil assuming it all
himself. He further a-sked, as a matter of
self-protection, that Mrs. Randall should
not “give him away” to the Secretary, as it
would go hard with him (Hanna), ar.d a
great public sensation would ensue. After
much tribulation, abject apologies and per
trannivo coaxing, Mr. Randall finally con
sented to accept u pre-sent for his duugbter
selected by Mr. Hanna, and thus avoid the
publicity of a political estrangement with
the Secretary of tho Nuvy. liuuna was re
joiged, selected an appropriate gift, and re
turned to his duties a sadder and a wiser
man. It was a close call all around, but the
present over which there was so much con
tention now adorns the parlor of a pretty
house on Q street, where Mr. and Mrs. Lan
caster reside.
A GEORGIA ROMANCE.
Arrest of a Runaway Wife and Her
Paramour.
From the Courier-Journal.
Monroe, Aug. 5. —One of the strange in
cidents of recent heavy rains in Georgia
was the arrest of a runaway wife, with her
paramour, in the house of her own husband.
Five years ago, J. M. Coker, a farmer in
Gwinnett county, married the buxom
daughter of his adjoining neighbor. Tho
youug bride was the belle of the carap
meetmgs, and entertained the visiting cler
gymen with a grace which won tor her'the
admiration of the itinerants. With
tho flight of lime the love of the
lady for her lord grew less intense, and
the neighbors hinted that the surplus
was lavished on Bruce Burlier, a
young man of fine appearance, and whose
father owned one of the finest plantations in
the county. The fond husband never
dreamed of infidelity, and only realized tho
fact, when, one evening his wife failed to
return home, she had not beon at the resi
dence' of her father that day. Then tho
absence of Bruce Barber was noticed, and
it became but too evident that the pair had
eloped. This occurred about eighteen
months ugii. After that Coker was a
changed man. Everything reminded him of
his ruined happiness!, lie resqlvod upon a
ehunge of scene, and selling out his posses
sions. ho removed to the Aleova river valley,
in Walton county, where ho bought n farm,
built a nice house and started life anew. It
seemed ns if ho was about to forget
the past, when, by a strange circumstance,
be re|x'ntcd the whole mutter. When
the terrible rains of this week liegan,
(Joker was in this city, and, becoming wuter
liouml, could not return home. At the same
time n lady and gentleman riding in n
buggy- stoppis! at the farmer’s house. They
statist that they lived near Newton factory,
in Newton county; that they were caught
on the wrong side of the Aleova river, and
the bridges being down, could not crows,
and would have to wait uutil the waters
subsided For two days they made their
home in the house and were seat's! at din
ner when the owner returned. There at his
own board Coker saw his wife ami her para
mour. Tho .vs>ne may readily lie imagined.
Coker called in several ncigulioru, hud the
couple arrested, and they ore now lieitig
tried before Justice Lawrence. They deny
their identity with the guilty couple, but
Coker swears positively to them.
A few (lavs ago a ease was on trial liefore
a Justice of the Peace on Grand Island. The
plaintiff presented his evidence and "rested.'’
Then the defendant’s attorney, Hugo Ki-'iie,
made a motion for a nonsuit on the usual
ground. The Justice was nonplussed. He
consulted with a i riend, and finally said to
the defendant’s attorney: “I’m sorry, but
I’ll have to deny the motion liocniise it was
not seconded.” I don’t know what Hugo
did, but he declares that when lie tries a
case at Grand Island again he'll take some
one along to second liis motion. —buffalo
Timex.
A pedestrian on Fourth street the other
day came across a couple of small boys who
were fighting, anil he stopped and inquired;
“Boys, is there a principle behind this?"
“You hot!” said the smaller one, as he
loosened his clutch for a minute. “I sold
him one bite of my harvest appio. and he
choked himself in trying to swallow the
whole thing. The principle is that he has
got to shell out three more marbles or I'll
light him to the last ditch.” —Detroit Free
Press.
A Philadelphia doctor advises jieople who
are bitten by dogs not to imagine tnat the
canine was marl. Why not advise them Pi
Imagine that tho dog is a sheep !—Detroit
Flee Press.
THE MORNING NEWS: TUESDAY, AUGUST fl, 1887.
DEATHS ON THE STAGE.
ACTORS IMPERSONATE LIFE’S
LAST SCENE.
Names of Men and Women Who Have
Thrilled the Public by Thoir Realistic
Death Scenes—Forrest, Salvini, Mac
cready, Lucille Western and Others.
From the Few York Star.
The simulation of death upon the stage
has always been ail interesting study for
the players, and a subject of more or
Jess learned comment on the part of writ
el's.
All theatre goers recall the effect which
certain actors have produced upon them
when they have pretended to “shuffle olf
this mortal roil” upon the boards. Some
have, indeed, boon so powerful in this tiiat
the effect has been somewhat marred by too
great a realism, because, although the act
or’s art teaches him to hold, as it were, the
mirror up to nature, we all prefer to experi
ence a sense of unreality mingled with our
admiration when death is depicted in a
plav.
Forrest, that great and vigorous actor,
imbued with u direct and unmistakable pur
pose in iiis acting, died with very much of
the very same virile power that he lived.
Who that ever saw him can forget his
last fierce look which he cast upon the con
spirators who “did to the death" tho noble
“Coriolanus.” Its power was such that
it was no uncommon tiling to see the actors
around him in that scene draw l>aek in
voluntarily from that dangerous, vengeful
look.
Macrendy, when he gave up life as “Leah,"
was marvelously effective, and his last
words to “Cordelia'’ were masterly in their
tender pathos. Gustavus Brooks, although
seen here when much of his great jlower
was somewhat weakened, knew how to die
upon the illageso well that old theatre fre
quenters speak of it with “bated breath,”
and si lake their gray locks when his name
is mentioned.
Wo all know how Salvini affects us when,
as “Othello,” he compasses his own death,
and many will recall with wonder t he extra
ordinary and electrical effect which Rossi
produced when, as “Hamlet,” lie rushed up
on “Claudius,” stabbed him, and in doing so
fell, as it were, into the very throne of Den
mark, dying to all apjiearance its rightful
king.
Tuose who are old enough will remember
the death scene of the great Rachel when
she playod “Adrienne Lecouvreur” at the
Metropolitan Theatre more than a score of
years ago. The low, unearthly cry with
which she drew back her head after inhal
ing the deadly fumes of the poisoned bou
quet will once more linger in their ease, and
they will again see the writhing torture of
the poor creature ere she gave her final
gasp. It was said at the time that she had
studied all this by the bedsides of dying
peoplo in tho Hotel Dieu, the Paris hospital.
It is more natural to imagine that the
same woman, who at that time showed us
“Phedre’s” quiet death agonv, trusto.l to
that intense nervous feeling she was
so highly charged with, rather than to
mere imitation, even of the dreadful re
ality.
Charlotte Cushman’s death, in “Meg Mer
rilles,” will not easily lie forgotten, exhibit
ing. as it did, gentleliuman kindness through
heavy feebleness, and tho heavier clumsi
ness of old age.
Little Picolomini, who was here many
years ago, used to die in La Traviuta with
u rare power of tenderness, expressed more
by a few simple gestures than by words.
ISlie seemed at the last supreme moment to
be lifted from the grossness of her life and
to become etherealized in her last low-voiced
breathing out, of lito. How Clara Morris
can die as “Camille,” the prose original of
La Traviata, we all know; and its effect up
on u weeping audience never becomes weak
ened. In Miss Multan, she perhaps excels
her own “Camille,” joined as her deat h
scene is to that rhythmic, excited iteration of
her own sentences, which seem to haunt her
brain as it becomes gradually stilled and
finally lifeless.
J
Kute Batcniun died in Leah, when she was
allowed to do so, with wonderful tenderness,
which w as greatly enhanced by the memory
ot that hard, cruel curse she had launched
at her lover’s head in a previous act,. Her
father, M. Bateman, never finally decided
whether “Leah” should or should not die.
Sometimes she gave up tho ghost at the end
of the play, but more frequently she was
left despondent yet alive. When Ristori
played Deborah, the same play, she always
died, and it, was a great expnssion of tragic
power. But Riston's death scenes wore al
ways great, always effective.
Charles Kean and liwing as “Louis X 1.,”
show us the same train of thought and pro
duce the same results. The miserable King,
with his cruelty, hypocrisy, religion and
cowardice, seems always hovering between
earth aud hell, and when ho dies the body
which lies before us is so materially horrible
that no thought of anything spiritual seems
possible. When Irving goes out from this
world as ’Matthias" in The Bells the pity
and forgiveness of a whole audience follow
him, and very much the same fooling, min
gled w ith a good deal of rage in a strange
spirit of contradiction, attacli to his death
scenes in The Lyons Mail.
Feehter could 'lie, as he ooukl act, with
more romantic interest than any man on the
stage lie jiosed so well in life that in death
ho remained n picture. One of the most
terrible deaths he indulged in was that of
“Robert Maeaire” in the Roadside Inn,
when he literally fell, iu bumping succes
sion, down a w hole flight of stairs (after be
ing shot), to tumble in the centre of tho stage.
He had only a lino to say thereafter, and one
to tho brigadier: “Your dutj is to take me
up; you’ll find me—rather heavy.” He was
a corpse.
Boucicault has seldom died upon the stage;
at least I do not recall any plays in which
lie has been required to give up tho ghost,
except in that hideous nightmare drama of
his called The Vampire, and in the blood
curdling Jo 4” Brown, wherein he played
the Indian fiend, “Nana Sahib.” In these
death had liven anticipated from the first
act by the bloodless hue, the measured par
ing ami the dull stillness of the acting, so
that, beseemed more to make his exits at tho
last than to die.
When E. L. Daveuport, as “Sir (tiles
Overreach,” was stricken with death in the
Inst scene, although lie did not die within
sight of the audience, the effect was just as
powerful. He had the awful, deathlike
look of one in a finaloonvulsive fit, and as
his paralyzed limbs were drugged off the
acetic the staring glazed eyes wore the last
, and best remembered evidences of the act
or's art. James Wallnck, Jr., always a
ggivut actor, showed a death scene in Henry
Jhml ar, that will not soon he equalled, and
it was evident that this death would tie re
markable from the moment lie entered the
scene iu the first act, with liis pal > fa<v, his
nervously twitching hands and the fright
ened look of his eves. If he had died upon
the stage as “Fagin.” he could not have in-
tied the terrible awfulness of liis lit nig
gle to live after he was conidcinned. How
he beat tho prison iloon, shook the prison
Imrx, whined, pleaded, coaxed, bullied ami
tried to pray, will never Is l forgotten by
those who saw him. A thousand deaths
were compass's! in that one memorable scene.
Dickens stole in nightly to witness it on his
lust visit t<i New York.
Edw-in Adams could die with almost as
much grace as Feehter, Uu liis
]Withos was more in his voice than in his ac
tion. His “Mercutio's" last speech wo* touch
ing to a degree. Manly, sorrowful, partly
cynical, and yet wholly affectionate to ward
“Romeo,” and all around him. We shall
not, either, soon forget liis scene where he
went to death iu The Dead Heart or
in Narcissr, where he died after cursing
"Mme. de Pompadour.” They were master
pieces.
I-aw renee Barrett, when lie has to die,
docs so with much dramatic power, but very
often with too much elasieal precision. Home
of his departures from this world, however,
rise to a dignity not often attaiue J.
It is so long siii's> Jefferson died uaon iho
stage that nothing can be said about it. That
he lias often done so we have little doubt.
He could do it now with wonderful tender
ness and with great artistic skill—just such
tenderness and talent as are evidenced when
he plays “Rip Van V."inkle.” But we are
well coutent to have him show us how he
lives, upon the boards.
Fauny Davenport’s death scene in “Fe
dora” is not excelled by the great Bernhardt,
for it is magnificent, truthful and power
fully affecting. Sarah Bernhardt’s dying
scene in “Theodora," is more startling than
agreeable, but yet it may be classed as
“great.”
Edwin Booth is always dramatic and vi
vidly earnest in his death scenes. His
quick, lithe movements are peculiarly tell
ing where the action requires such expres
sion. As “Hamlet” he dies with a kingly
courtesy equal to the manner in which
he has borne his griefs; and through what
ever character he passes into the land of
shadows, he does so with grace and preci
ioti.
One of tho most powerful exponents of
the death agonies of the stage was Louoillie
Western, in East Lynne, tier acting passed
away and beyond the power of critical an
alysis. It was full of faults, crude, untu
tored and strange, but it contained so much
nature, so much magnetic power, that thou
sands were stirred and moved to admira
tion on witnessing it. A whole theatre
nightly gave her the tribute of tears for her
performance of this rather commonplace
character. Her “Nancy Svkes,” was an
other remarkable characterization. When
she was struck down by her brutal hus
band, a thrill of horror and of pity
passed over the audience at tho gentle
forgiveness of tho poor degraded creature,
whose last thought was for “Bill,” her mur
derer.
Matilda Heron, when she played in Cam
ille for the first time in this city at Wal
lack’s Broome Street Theatre, with E. A.
Sothern ns “Armnud Duval,” gave an ad
mirable reproduction of the death scene as
played by tho original French actress, Mad
ame Doe be,
Mrs. General Lander (Jean Davenport)
was always an admirable actress in scenes
of pathos, yet her stage similitudes of death
ofjen lacked softness and poetic fervor.
They may be more properly called “power
ful” than “touching.”
Count Johannes could die over a larger
superficial area of stage plank than any
actor ever heard of. His final scene in
Richard 111. demanded space and freedom,
but he was not long in dying. Therein
he differed from poor lludson-Kirby in
the Six Degrees of Crime, who took so
long in expiring that the memorable say
ing, “Wake ine up when Kirby’s dead,”
had its origin from the actor’s prolonged
effort.
One of the finest, deaths ever seen upon
the New York stage, was that of Alatzetli's
in Jocko, the Brazilian Ape, at Niblo's. He
was a pantomiraist of the Ravel troupe,
and a most talented man. As an ape he
died, being shot in error while protecting
the planter’s child. The mute, imploring
agonv of gesture, coupled with the exhibi
tion of bodily suffering, were truly elo
quent, and unbidden tears flowed from the
eyes of those who saw it. A veritable tri
umph of acting!
Tho deaths of James Browne and Rufus
Blake, in the character of “Goffrey Dale,” in
the Last Alan, will long be remembered.
They were alike, yet different. Both were
admirable.
Mrs. D. P. Bowers, in her varied reper
toire, shows us wonderful death scenes, all
different from each other, all artistic.
From the nature of the parts she plays, this
makes her talent , in that particular, more
marked.
Amateurs, on the regular stage, a! ways
die badly; almost as badly ns some of them
act. There is nothing more difficult than
to expire with genuine ability. It is much
easier to live, theatrically, than to die dra
matically. No school, save that of export
ence, can teach on artist to yield up life
with graceful effect. There is no Del
sartean method by which it can be acquired,
or, if there is, it seems difficult of explana
tion.
Mme. Celeste’s death as “Miami.” in the
Green Bushes, will long be remembered by
old plav-goers. It was in unison with every
thing she did, artistic and finished.
Tlie present school of dramatists now and
then give good death scenes to the actors,
but none of them equal the writers of the
standard plays. The taste of the day runs
more to sickly sentimentalism or morbid
ghastliness, and when tho “King of Terrors”
is called upon to conquer a character he
dominates the scene, completely belittling
the actor. A good "last dying speech,"
properly introduced, is not to be despised,
and the modem horrors of the Zola school,
as shown in Nana or L Assomoir, donotcom
pensnte for the want of that powerful writ
ing which distinguished the elder dramatists,
any more than does the gymnastic, break
neck style of playing compensate for the
want of skilled acting.
There were unfortunate deaths not long
ago of the “Romeo” and “Juliet” of a pro
vincial company. They both died below the
curtain line, and had to be dragged back by
tho heels to allow the biaze to descend. The
“Juliet" was bitterly reproached, and the
“Romeo'’ incontinently kicked out of the
theatre. Such deaths are indeed sail, and
go far to prove the great need of possessing
a modicum of talent: sufficient, at any rate,
to gauge distance and to avoid falling out
of the picture.
BRAINS ON FOUR LEGS.
Some Animals that Have Learned Lots
of Things.
From the New York Tribune.
Scranton, Pa., Aug. 6.—A Scranton
gentleman has a cat that is very fond of
some kinds of music, and very much exas
perated whenever her master plays on las
violin. She will lie on the sofa and purr
approvingly whenever one of the young
ladies performs a waltz or other livoly
piece on the piano, and she will listen atten
tively to the children’s songs, but as soon ax
her owner liegius to tune up his. violin she
liecvnes, very uneasy. The moin-nt he
starts'to play a tunc the cot darts ut him
as if she hud suddenly been seized with a
fit, scratches viciously at the lower part of
his trousers leg and squalls as though she
was in great pain. If he continues to
piny after this demonstration of
tier disapproval of that kind of
music, tho cat jumps up nnd tries to snatch
the noisy instrument out of liis hands, and
when she find* that she cannot do that, she
run* around the room and mews piteously.
As soon as the gentleman lays the violin
down on the piano and speaks kindly to the
cat, she seems pacified at once, trots over to
where he is standing, rubs her head and
back lovingly against his ankles and purrs
contentedly, looking up to him and acting
fti> if she wanted to tell him that she
would always lx' a good eat if he
would never make any more of tho>e
hateful sounds. But, so sure as he under
takes to resume playing, the cat licgins her
tantrum* and relu.xcs to lie quiet until lie
has put down the violin again. She is fond
"i organ music, bat die can no! be taught
to like the noise made by the violin strings.
She will tolerate the guitar, but the violin,
never. Tie gentleman, who is an excellent
amateur violinist, prize* pussy very highly,
and. whenever he wishes to entertain liis
friends with a little music from liis favorite
instrument, he liax the servant take the cut
to her little house in the luck yard aud
fasten her in. As soon as tho guests have
departed, puss is allowed to come into tho
house, when she scampers from one member
of the family to the other, and purrfully
expresses |i,. : gratitude ni being permitted
t<> ik> w iii'is' they are once more.
A Sixteenth ward resident tells the fol
lowing story about his eat and himself.
According to his own statement he is neon
sionolh .it the habit of going home in a half
intoxicated condition, and tho story he toils
is that the cat knows, iho moment he ojiens
the door of ifis residence, that lie has neon
drinking. Then she looks at him a moment
as much as to say; “All, ha. old follow,
you've boon tippling again, haven't von:"
aud dilates her nostrils and sticks up her
nose as it the smell of liquor was offensive
to her. The next thing she does is to rush
from the room, and all the coaxing
in the world wonkl not induce her
to come back. She remains away
and entirely out of sight until late
in the afternoon of the following day,
when she creeps stealthily into the hack
kitchen, looking about to see if her owner
is anywhere in sight. If ho is not she cau
tiously trips into the sitting room in search
of him. If he is there she can tell at a
glance whether he is sober or riot, and, if he
is sober, she walks slowly to her place in
the corner and lies down without appearing
to notice his presence. In case he is still “a
little off," he says she will dart from the
house and stay out of sight for another
day. He Says ho never abuses her or speaks
cross to her, and her peculiar conduct in
terests’ him so much that ho takes pleasure
iu telling about it to his friends.
A wealthy gentleman in the upper jrnrt of
Scranton has a watch dog that #SOO could
not buy. He is a thoroughbred English
mastiff, and the gentleman tolls this story
alxiut liis watchful conduct: About 11
o'clock one night when the full moon was
shining brightly, the gentleman happened
to look out of the window just after lie had
turned off the gas, preparatory to going to
bed, and saw a man leap over the fence into
the vard. He told his wife about it, re
marking at the same time that he guessed
Samson would take care of the intruder be
fore he did any damage. He had no sooner
said this than Sampson sprang out of his
kennel at the man, and the man rushed into
an outhouse and slammed the door behind
him. The owner of the premises, knowing
that there was nothing in the outhouse that
the nocturnal visitor would care to carry
away if he had a chance, and believing that
the mastiff would properly attend to the
intruder when he got ready to come out, went
to lied instead of going out to see what the
man wanted around there. In the morning
the faithful dog was still watching the out
house door, anil the gentleman raised tho
window and spoke to the dog. As Samson
turned to see what his master wanted of
him a dirty tramp sprang out of the out
house and made for the fence, a few feet
away. The dog heard his step, and turned
that, way as quick as a flash. The tramp
hail just grasped the top of the fence when
the dog got there, and he made a desperate
effort to get away. He got over the fence
before the mastiff had a chance to bite
him, but he left, a good portion of one of his
garments on tho other side with the dog,
and then he ran like a frightened deer, the
gentleman commanding the dog not to fol
low him. The fellow was a sneak burglar,
aud two nights later he was caught while
attempting to steal clothing from a hallway
on the same street,
Two tamo gray squirrels are the favorite
pets of an animal lover on Franklin avenue.
The squirrels run about the house like two
kittens, and are obedient to their master
every time he tells them to go to their cage.
He often takes them about town with him,
to their apparent pleasure and satisfaction.
Whenever he tells them that they can go
along, they skip up his legs and cr'awl into
the pockets ot his sack coat, where they
nestle down until he enters a store or saloon.
Then he orders them to come out, and they
hurry from his pockets and caper about the
room uutil he gets ready to leave. Their
antics and their perfect obedience interest
ami amuse everybody who sees them. Each
squirrel has his own particular pocket to
get into, atid they have been so well trained
th.-it neither ever tries to get into the pocket
that belongs to the other. When the gen
tleman wears a heavy overcoat he some
times permits both of them to cuddle down
together, when they appear to be very
happy indeed.
Weather Indications.
Special indications for Georgia:
RAIN bight local showers, followed by
|fair weather, east to south winds,
warmer in northern portion, sta
tionary temperature in southern pertion.
Comparison of mean temperature at Savan
nah. Aug. 8, 1887, and the mean of same day for
fifteen years.
i I>e] Nurture I Total
Mean Temperature j from the Departure
j Mean | Since
for 15 years| Aug. 8, V. or | Jan. 1,1887.
83.0 76 7 | —53 | 439.3
Comparative rainfall statement:
~ _ Departure ! Total
Mean Daily j Amount f rom the Departure
Amount for tor M eau ! Since
10 A ears, j Aug. 8 87. j or _ j j an . j, 1337.
~30 I "20 OB | —2.085
Maximum temperature 80.0, minimum tem
perature 73 0.
The height of the river at Augusta at
1 :S3 o’clock p. m. yesterday (Augusta time)
was :?4 3 feet—a fall of 0.0 during the past
twenty-four hours.
Cottou Region Bulletin for 24 hours end
ing Op. in., Aug. b 1887. 7.5 th Meridian
time.
Districts. I Average.
Max.| 3lin. Rain
* l tons Temp Temp fall
1. Wilmington 11 78 68 .52
2. Charleston 8 8(1 72 .28
3. Augusta !2 89 70 .05
4. Savannah 13 93 72 .40
5. Atlanta 9 84 72 35
6. Montgomery 5 90 73 03
7. Mobile 9 93 10 .35
8. New Orleans 14 30 j 74 .79
9. Galveston 31 38 74 .01
10. Vicksburg : 4 90 , 70 j .33
11. Little ltoek |'4 92 I 60 j .06
12. Memphis I 19 92 88 03
Averages i— ! .... I ...
Observations taken at the scjiu moment
of time at all stations.
Savannah, Aug. 8. 9::M r>. m.. city time.
Temperature, j
Direction, j
V --J icity. j c
Rainfall.
I
Name
or
Stations.
Portland I 00 S Clear.
Boston OS N V.' Clear.
Block Island ! 62SAV ... Clear.
New York city ...I 63 n E , ... Clear.
Philadelphia I 08 S'E I Clear.
Detroit I 70SE..|
Fori Buford 00 N E Fair.
St. Vincent 00 N .. . (‘toady.
War hiugton city (. K . .Clear.
Norfolk 74'N E .. . Clear.
Charlotte
Hattei us ' .. | .. |....
Titusville .
Wilmington ; 70 E !..| 02 Cloudy,
Charleston 7" N E 14 .01 Raining.
Augusta , | 72 N E 8[ 92 Raining.
Savannah 78, E 10 12 Fair
Jacksonville so j 08 Cloudy.
Cedar Keys j 84 E I Fair.
Key West B'. E 10 Clear.
Atlanta 70| E 12 ... Cloudy.
Pensacola... I 81 8 E 12 Clear.
Mobile.. j St al•> . Clear
Montgomery ... 76 E 8 Cloudy.
Vicksburg I ro 8 E . Clear."
New Orleans 80S B- Clear.
Shreveport I 80 8 E .. Clear.
Fort Smith si 8 Clear.
Galveston 82 E .. Clear.
Corpus Christ! 84 S F. S'. , Clear.
Palestine 84 8 13 Clear.
Brownesville. 7'v K 0 Clear.
KioGrando i 84 8 12 Clear.
Knoxville 76 N E Fair.
Memphis 8: N Clear.
Nashville 8) N W . Clear.
ldiana)>oliK 78 K clear.
Cincinnati 82 K ... Clear.
Pittsburg 7 4 E ( 'tour.
Buffalo ) 61 K Clear.
Cleveland 7<> E . Clear.
Marquette 7(1 8 W Cloudy.
Chicago ! 76 8 K .. Clear.
Duluth I 7-a W . ... clear.
St. Paul . w IV Cloudy.
Davenport 80 8 E Clear.
Cairo. 7*l N 1 ... Clear.
St. Louis 84 8 E i . Clear.
lan*veuworth .. 80S E .. ... Clear.
Omaha 84 S Clear.
Yankton 7s N . . Clear.
Bismarck on X E Clear.
Ilendwood 04 N E . Clear
Cheyenne 70 E .... clear.
North Platte , 76 X E Clear.
1 bulge City 84 s Clear.
8 its Fe 74 s Cloudy.
g. N. Sausbory :n Ii nr,,,, r.s. Army,
At the Harnett House, Snvnn.mli, Ga.,
you get all tho comforts of the high priced
l)o els, and save from el to 02 per day. Try
it and bo convinced. —Boston Ho,nr Jour
nal
FUNERAL INVITATIONS.
SPRINGER—The friends and acquaintance
of Mr. and Mrs. I’. B. Springer are invited to at
tend the funeral of their youngest son, at 9
o'clock THIS MORNING, from their residence,
corner of Reynolds anil President streets.
MEET I NGS.
A\( IK\T LANDMARK LODGE HO. 231,
F. A. M.
The regular monthly meeting of this A
Lodge will be held at Masonic Tern pie iMy* l
THIS (Tuesday; EVENING at 8 o'clock.
The E. A. degree will be conferred.
Menders of sister Lodges and transient breth
ren are invited to attend.
V.. ri, ROCKWELL, W. M.
John S. Haines. Secretary
CHIPPEWA TRIBE NO. 4, I. O. OF B. M.
A regular meeting of this Tribe will lie held
THIS EVENING at 8 o'clock land hereafter),
corner Bull and Bay streets.
Visiting and transient brethren fraternally in
vited. S. A. BORDERS. Sachem.
C. F. M. Bernhardt, Chief of Records.
SPECIAL NOTICES.
NOTICE TO WATER TAKERS^
Office Watf.r Wores, 1
Savannah, Aug. 9. 1887. f
The water will l>e shut off from tiie city at ten
(10) o’clock (Tuesday 1 TO-NIGHT for tile pur
pose o' putting in a branch connection for the
Oil Mills, and will be off for four or five hours.
A. N. MILLER, Superintendent.
NOTICE
Cextral Railroad Bank. (,
Savannah, Ga., August 8, 1887. f
I F.m instructed by the Board of Directors to
notify tho public that this bank is prepared to
do a general banking business aud solicits ac
counts. T. SI. CUNNINGHAM,
Cashier.
BASE BALL.
ORIENTALS
—vs.—
A 31 A T E U R S.
THIS AFTERNOON
at 4:00.
Admission 35c. Boys 15c. Ladies free.
HOT lUfc.
Savannah, Angust 9. 1887.
Ail bills against the British bark “Pohona"
must be presented at this office by noon
TO-DAY, or payment will be debarred.
JAMES K. CLARKE & CO.
SPECIAL NOTICE.
I desire to inform my friends and the public
that I have severed my connection with Mr. G.
W. Allen and now associated with Thos. West &
Cos. Will be glad to serve any one. Respectfully,
GEO. P. WIGGINS.
For nearly 10 years with G. W. Allen.
SPECIAL NOTICE.
City of Savannah, I
Office Clerk of Corset!., Aug. 0, 1887. (
All persons are hereby cautioned against
placing obstructions of any kind around or
about the public hydrants or fire plugs in this
city. Nothing that will obstruct or hinder the
Fire Department from having free access to
said hydrants or plugs should he placed within
fifteen feet thereof in either direction.
The ordinance regulating this matter will be
rigidly enforced.
By order of the Mayor.
FRANK E. REBARER,
Clerk of Council.
Dll. HENRY e FOLDING,
DENTIST,
Office comer Jones and Drayton streets.
ULMER’S LIVER CORRECTOR.
This vegetable preparation is invaluable for
the restoration of lone and strength to the sys
tem. For Dyspepsia, Constipation and other
ills, caused by a disordered liver, it cannot be
excelled. Highest prries awarded, and in
dorsed by eminent medical men. Ask for Ul
mer's Liver Corrector and take no other. SIOO
a bottle. Freight paid to any address.
B. F. ULMER, M. D.,
Pharmacist, Savannah. Ga.
THE MORNING NEWS
STEAM PRINTING HOUSE,
3 Whitaker Street.
The Department of the Morning News,
embracing
JOB AND BOOK PRINTING,
LITHOGRAPHING AND ENGRAVING,
BOOK BINDING AND ACCOUNT BOOK
MANUFACTURING,
is the most complete In the South. It is thorough
ly equipped with the most improved machinery,
employs a largo force of competent workmen,
and carries a full stock of papers of all
descriptions.
These facilities enable the establishment to
execute orders for anything in the above lines
at the shortest notice and the lowest prices con
sistent with good work. Corporations, mer
chants, manufacturers, mechanics and business
men generally, societies and committees, are
requested to get estimates from the MORNING
NEWS STEAM PRINTING HOUSE lief ore send
ing their orders abroad. J. H. ESTILL.
proposals wanted.
Proposals for Paving.
City or Savannah, Ga., )
Office or the City Scrvevos, \
July 2, nil. 1887. 1
T JROPOSALS will be received until WEPNLS-
I !>A5'. August 3Hb, at ti, o'clock p. m.,
directed to Mr. K. E. Kebarer. (clerk of Council
of the city of Savannah. Ga., for the paving of
that jiortton of Congress street in sail city lying
between the cast property line of West' Bnmd
street and tho west property line of Drayton
street: also, that txartnm of Bull street in said
city lying between the south line of Congress
street and the north line of State street, being
a total area of about eight thousand square
yards.
The nronoaals tnav lie for granite, grawaeko
or asphalt block* or for sheet asphalt, the spec!
fications of which will ii ■ the suiir* a; given ov
the Engineer Department ot the District of Co
lumbia in their report for 1886.
Any person desiring to l>id upon the above
work, but 11 :s* * different sjieei float ions front tho>
enumerated above, may do so provided that a
copy of the specifications upon which they l.ifi
is enclosed with their bid.
All l ids for grawu.-ke, granite or asphalt
hl'tcks must be a'-eoinpauie 1 by a specimen of
the blocks in: end's 1 to be used.
Separate bids will also tie received for the fur
nishing and laying of about thirty-live hundred
running feet of cur!.stone, of either blue stone
or granite of the following dimeasl**ns: four
inches brood, sixteen inches deep, un*l in length' t
of not less than live tc*ei. The i urhlng to lie
dressed on the top ten inches fr uit the top on
the front face and four indies from the top on
the rear face; to ho perfectly straight and
square on the rials.
The right t:> reject any or all bids is reserved.
For further information address
J. mOJKUVX HOPS, Jn„ C. E.,
Acting City Surveyor.
State
or
Weather.
CONTRACTORS.
P. J. FALLON,”
BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR,
*S DRAYTON STREET, SAVANNAH.
Ij'STIM VTES promptly furnished for building
-J of any class.
MEEDS.
Huist’s Reliable Cabbage and Turnip
SEEDS,
.TUST RECEIVED ITtKSH AT
<“>si.:. ; i<:o j, \ b ctti.kt:• , v ;
SUMMER RESORTS.
Ocean House
TYBEE ISLAND, GEORGLA.
SEA BATHING unsurpassed on the Atlantic
coast. Comfortable rooms, neatly fur
nished. Fare the lie.it the market affords.
Bathing suits supplied. Terms moderate.
GE(J. Lt. HODGES, Proprietor.
S. G. HEALY & CO.;
PROPRIETORS,
SALT SPUING, NEAR AUSTELL, GEORGIA
T YTATER almost a specific for Dyspepsia, Kid
t 1 ney Trouble and Cutaneous Diseases.
Orders for water and ail information addressed
to the firm at Austell. Ga.
the Columbian;
SARATOGA SPRINGS.
THE FAVORITE HOTEL OF SAVANNAHIAN3
Opens June Soth.
JAMES M. CASE, Proprietor,
CENTRAL HOTEL,
ROME, GEORGIA.
CAPTAIN J. 31. KINDRED, late of Calhoun.
Georgia, and C. It. LEFTWICH, of Knox
ville. Tenn., Proprietors. Both commercial
travelers for years, ami fully posted as to the
wants of the public. Come and see ns.
3ST2CW YORK BOARD.
1’- /* 5 AND 1,707 Broadway, corner 51th.
. 1 !’) House kept by a Southern lady: I>■ca
tion desirable. Refers by permission to Col.
John Screven, Savannah.
tTMIE WHITLOCK HOUSE, in Marietta, Ga.,
1 combines privileges ami conveniences of a
first-class hotel, and the comforts and pleasures
of a home. Capacity, about one hundred and
fifty guests. I-arge, haudsoine, well furnished
rooms: best of beds: table good; large shaded
grounds, covered with blue grass; Lawn Tennis,
( roquet. Billiards and Bowling Alley, all free
for guests. Prices more moderate 'than any
other house in Georgia for the accommodations.
M G. Will'l l.' >CK. <>wner and Proprietor.
'T'HOUSAND ISLANDS.—Westminster Hotel,
1 Westminster Park. Alexandria Bay, N. Y
“Unquestionably the finest location in the
Thousand Islands.'— Harper'* Magazitie, Sept.,
1881 Bend for descriptive pamphlet. 11. F.
INGLEHART, Proprietor.
EXCURSIONS.
International Steamship Cos. Line
OF
“Palace Steamers”
BETWEEN
Boston, Portland, East
port and St. John, N. 8.,
With Connections to all Parts of the
Provinces.
PORTLAND DAY LINE.
Steamers leave Commercial Wharf, Boston,
B:3d a. M.. every Monday. Wednesday and Fri
day- for Portland, making the trip in 7 hours,
affording excellent coast scenri-v.
EASTPORT AND ST. JOHN LINE.
Steamers leave Boston 8:30 a. m.. and Portland
sp. M. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
for Easlport and St. John.
ST. JOHN DIRECT LINE.
A steamer will leave Boston every Thursday
at 8 a M. for St. John direct.
ANNAPOLIS LINE.
A steamer will leave Boston every Monday and
Thursday at BA. M. for Annapolis, N. S., con
necting for Yarmouth, Digbv, Halifax, etc.
J. B. COYLE, Jr., t. A. WALDRON,
Manager. Portland. 3le. Gen. Pass. Agt.
HOTELS.
NEW HOTEL TOGN£
(Formerly St- Mark's.)
Newnan Street, near Bay. Jacksonville, Fla,
WINTER AND SUMMER.
f T , HE MOST central House in the city. Near
JL Post OMce, Street Cars and all Ferries.
New and Elegant Furniture. Electric BolU,
Baths, Etc. §2 50 to $3 per day.
JOHN !, rQGNI, Proprietor.
DUB’S SCREVEN HOUSE~
'TMIIS POPULAR Hotel is now provided with
1 a Passenger Elevator (the only one in tne
city) and has been remodeled an ! newly fur
nished. The proprietor, who by recent purchase
is also the owner of tho establishment, spares
neither trains nor expense in the entertainment
of his guests. The patronage of Florida visit
ors is earnestly invited. The table of the
Screven House is supplied with every luxury
that the markets at homo or abroad can afford
THE MOhiUSON HOUSE.""
One of the Largest Boarding Houses in the
South.
A FFORDS pleasant South rooms, good hoard
ATX. with j) .re Artesian Water, at prices to suit
those wishing table, regular or transient accom
modations. Northeast corner Broughton aud
Drayton streets, opposite Marshall House.
WINES AND LIQUORS.
Fo n sTle';
B Select Whisky £4 00
Baker Whisky 4 00
Imjjerlnl Whisky 3 00
Pineapple Whisky 2 00
North Carolina Corn Whisky 2 <W
Old Rye Whisky 1 90
Rum—New England and Jamaica., ft 50 to 3 00
Rye and Holland Gin 1 50 to 3 00
Brandy—Domestic and Cognac 1 50 to 0 03
WINES.
Catawba Wine $1 OOtoS! 50
Blackberry Wine 1 00 to 1 50
Madeira, Ports and Sherrys 1 50 to 300
PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL.
A. H. CHAMPION,
HARDWARE, ETC.
Hardware Novelties and Specialties.
T? VERY SIZE IN IRON JACK, SMOOTH,
1 KE and BLOCK PLANKS, and in RE;
VhRSIBLE IRON HANDLED SCREW
DRIVERS and SPOKE SHAVES.
FOIL SALE BY—
LOVELL & LATTiMORE.
Dealers in Spear's Practical Philadelphia
House Furnaces, Etc. _
VIRGINIA BLACK PEAS.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT.
FOR BAJ.E BY—
-172 BAY STREET.
MOLASSES.
OLD TIME
PORTO RICO
MOLASSES
—AT—
A. 31. & C. W. WEST'S.