i8o DONNELLY. DONNELLY. He was appointed assistant professor of natural history in Kentucky University, Lexington, where he remained one year. He then accepted the chair of natural science at Bethany College, West Virginia. Here he remained six years, during which he showed his inventive powers in a marked degree. He received his present appoint- ment, that of professor of physics and astronomy at Tufts College, in 1874. He is the author of several standard scientific works — a Hand-book of Chemical Analysis, a Treatise on Projection, a Man- ual of Experiments in Physics, Chemistry and Natural History, with the Porte Lu- miere and Magic Lantern, and one on the telephone. He has published several pamphlets on the speaking telephone, and has been an active contributor to scientific journals. He claims to have invented the speaking- telephone which is now in general use. He made and exhibited in October, 1876, a telephone operated by a permanent magnet. In 1S79 he invented the static telephone, entirely different in principle from the earlier one. He is also the inventor of a system of telephony and telegraphy without wires, and a new system of incandescent lighting. Professor Dolbear is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received a silver medal for his inventions and contri- butions to science at the Paris Exhibition, and a gold medal at the Crystal Palace Exhibition at London, in 1882. He was one of the examiners of the Electrical Exhibition, Philadelphia, and is everywhere recognized as an electrical expert. Prof. Dolbear was married in 1869 to Alice, daughter of Phineas and Jeanette (Needham) Hood, of Milford, N. H. They have five children: Clinton, Katie, Mary, Samuel and Benjamin Dolbear. DONNELLY, CHARLES FRANCIS, son of Hugh and Margaret (Conway) Don- nelly, was born at Athlone, county Ros- common, Ireland, October 14, 1836, his parents emigrating to British America in 1837, and thence to Rhode Island in 1S48. On his paternal side his ancestry are of the old Irish septs of the North, and his moth- er's family are of Welsh-Irish stock, of the west of Ireland. Mr. Donnelly's early training was for the Catholic priesthood, but he found his avocation in the law, and commenced his studies in the office of Hon. A. A. Ranney, of Boston, in 1856 ; was graduated from Harvard University law school with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to the Boston bar in 1858. He is the senior in membership of the Catholic members of the bar of New England, and became at an early age president of the oldest exist- ing Irish-American Society in that sec- tion, namely, the Charitable Irish Society, founded at Boston, in 1737. In 1875 he was appointed a member of the state board of charities, taking the posi- tion from which the philanthropist, Dr. S. G. Howe, resigned, and he continues to be a member of that body. For four years .Mr. Donnelly was chairman of the board. He has always declined to be a candidate for any political office, devoting his time to the general practice of his profession, and to the work of public and private charities — although at times entering into political discussions with much interest. In 1S83 the state board of health, luna- cy and charity had a long politico-legal correspondence with General B. F. Butler, commenced by the latter in his capacity as governor of the State. The letters on each side attracted public attention, and assisted in giving force and direction to the canvass against General Butler in that year. Mr. Donnelly was the author of the letters written in behalf of the state board. He distinguished himself before the Leg- islature as counsel for the Catholic body in 1888 and '89, in their remonstrance against the proposed legislation to oppose the Catholic view of the school question in the State. He has been also conspicuous as counsel in several leading civil cases, in- stituted against the archbishop and other Catholic ecclesiastics in Massachusetts, within the past twenty years, especially in the arguments showing the harmonious re- lation of Catholic ecclesiastical, or canon law with the spirit of American law and American institutions. His able services were recognized by his being honored with the degree of LL. D., from the oldest Catholic seat of learning in the country — St. Mary's College, of Maryland. When the Legislature of 1S84 referred the question of the treatment of inebriates to the state board of charities, to consider and report, Mr. Donnelly, as chairman, proposed and drafted a unique act, adopted by the Legislature of 1885, subjecting dipsomaniacs to the same restraint and treatment as lunatics, and Massachusetts is the only state having such legal remedy for the offence of habitual drunkenness. In 1889 Mr. Donnelly had the satisfaction of
