Professor Webster's Confessien of the Murder of
Dr. Parkman. •
At the meetir(g of the Council this morning, the
case of Prof. Webster was referred to a Commit
tee. Before the Committee, at Er o'clock, appear
ed the Rev Dr. J Putman, the spirituel adviser of
the condemned, with a petition for a' commutation
of punishment, together with a confession that he
killed Dr: Pal kman.
The reverend gentleman prefaced the statement
by a few remarks relative.w the manner In which
that confession was made to him. He stated that
he had no previous acquaintance with d'ruf. Web 4
stet before called-to oat in the Capacity of his spir
itual adviser. In the first few weeks of his visit
he'sought no acknowledgement of the prisoner,—
At, lengthom the 9.3 May, ho visited him in his
cell, and demanded of hint, fur his own well being,
that he should tell the truth in regard to the mat
ter and he acceeded to the request by making a state
ment, which was now submitted to the ccmsidera
tion of the CJUlleit. It was in substance as fol
lows:
"On Tuesday, the 20th Nov., I sent the note to
Dr. Parkman, which, it appears, was carried by the
boy Maxwell; I banded it to Littlefield, unsealed; it
was to ask Dr. 'Parkman to call at my rooms on
Friday the,23d, after . my Lecture; he bad become
of late very importunate for hiS nay; ho had threat
ened mo with a snit ; to put an officer into my house,
anti to drive me from the professorship if I did not
pay him. The purport of my note ' was simply to
ask the conference; I did not tell him in it what I
Could do, or wkat I had to say about the payment; I
wished to gain for those few days a realease from his
solicitations to which I was liable every day, on oc
casions, and in a mintier very disagreeable and alar
ming,—and also to arreA fee so long a time, at least,
the fulfillment of recent threats of severe measures;
I did not expect to be able to pay him when Fri
day should arrive: my purpose was, if he should ac
cede to the proposed interview, to state t . ) him my
embarrassments, and utter inability to pay him at
present; to apologize for those things in toy conduct
Which had offended him—to throw myself upon his
mercy—to beg for further time and indulgence, for
the sake of my family, if not for myself, and to make
as good•promises to him as I could hare nny hope
of keeping'. I did not hear from hum on that day,
nor the next, (Wednesday) but I found on Thursday
he had been abroad in pursuit of me without finding
me; I imagined hediad forgotten the appointment,
or else did not mean to watt for it; I feared he would
cornein 'upon me at my letrture hour, or while I was
preparing my experiments for it, therefore I called
at house on that morning (Friday) between 8 and 9
to remind him of my triA to see him at the college
-et half-past one—my lecture el 'sing, at one—l did
hot stop to tall with him, for I expected the conver
sation would be a long one, and I had Inv lecture to
prepare for it was nece , 4ary me to have my time,
and, also to keep my mind free from other exciting
matters.
Dr. I'. agreed to Can on me. as I proposed; helcame
accordingly between hail 1 and t 3 o'clock enter-
lug at the lecture roam in the roar called the upper
laboratory; he immediately nildressedine with great
energy. ~ ‘ikre you ready fir too sir. Have you got
t!te money." I rep:red, "No, P-.,dkman," and
was then beginning. to state my condition" and my
Appeal to 1,11"/ but be wouldlot listen to me, and
Interrupted roe with much vehemence, he celled toe
a scoundrel and a Ihtr, and wont on heaping on trio
the most bitter tatinti and opprobrious epithets;
' while he was speshieg, be drew a handful Of papers
from his pocket, and took from among them my two
notes end at-o an old letter front Dr. Ilosack, writ
ten many ,years ago, aad congratulating him on his
success in getting tee appointed Professor of Chem
istry—" You see" lie sail, "I
-got you into your of
' fide, and now I ii hi get you out of it." lie put
back into his pocket all this papers except the letter
and the notes. I c coot to!I how long the torrents
'of threats and invectives continued, tii.d I cannot re
'call to memory but a sin ill portion of what he said.
'AT first I kept interpo-inn trying to pacify him, SO
that I could obtain the obj...ct her wide!' I sought,
the interview; but I coelli not stop him, and soon
my temper was rip. I forgot every thil,g.a and felt
nothing but the stilg of his words. I it as excited
'to the highest degree of - pas,dm, and while he was
speaking and gesticulating in the most violent and
menacing, thrusting his letter and his list into toy
face, in my fury I seized whatever thin''r was handi
.est, (it was a stick of woody and dealt him an in
:staptaneous blow, with all the force that passion
could give it. I di! not know, or think, or care
"where I should hit him, nor hew hard, nor what the
effect would be; it. was on the side of the head, and
there was nothing to break the force of the blots;
he fell
instantly upon the pavement; there was no
second blow; I stooped duwe :mei- dial, and he teem
ed to be lifelss; blood'llewed from his mouth, and I
got a sponge an I ii flied it away; I got some ammo
nia' and apple I it to his no,e, but without effect;
perhaps I spent ten minutes in atte m pt s ti, resuscij
tate him, but I llurid tie was absolutely d ea d. id.
my horror Mid donsternatitm I ran instinctively toj
the doors and bolted them—,the d tors of the luborael
tory below and the lectube room—and then whatd
'was Ito do? It never occurred to me to go out and
declare whn,t tin I been &melted obtain assistance;
I saw nothing but the alternative of a successful
movement, and concealment of the body, on the one
hand, and of infamy and perdirioft`on the other.—
The first thingl did as sown a- I could do anything
was to draw the body into the private room adjoin
ing; there I took off the clothes and begun putting
them into the fire, Which was burning in the upper
laboratory; they were all coesumed there that after
nqent with pipets, pocket book, and•whatever they
contained. I. did not examine the pockets, uor re
move anything except the watch; I saw that or the
chain of 4. hanging out; I took it and threw it over
the bridgle as I went to Cambridge; •my next move
was to get the body into the i.iuk , which stands in
in the small private room, by setting the body par
tially erect against the corner, and by getting up
into the sink myself; I succeeded in drawieg 'it up
there, it was entirely disineuthered—it was quickly
done as a work of terrible and desperate necessity
—the only instkinent was the knife found by the
officers in the tea 'chest, which I kept fur cutting
corks.,
I made no use of _the Turkish knife as it was called
St the trial,—thuttd long been kept on my parlor
or mantle-piece il k 4taibridge, as a curious orna
ment. My daughter.' frequently cleaned it, hence
the marks of oil and whiting found on it. I had
lately brought it to Boston to get the silver sheath
repaired. White disalembOring da body, into a
stream of Cochituate water was running into the
sink, carrying off (lie blood in a'T pipe that passed
down through the timer laboratory,—.there must
have been a leak in the pipe for the ceilling below
was stained immediately around it. There was a
fire - burning in the furnace of-the lower laboratory.
Littlefield was mistaken in thinking there had never
been a fire there. lie had probably never kindled
one, bun I liatl;dono it myself several times. I had
tiowe it that day fur the purpose of mating oxygen
gas. The head and the viscera were put into that
'furnace that dpy, and the feel heaped un. I did not
-examine at niteht to see to v.bat degree they wet',
.consumed. lime of the extremities were put in
there, I believe.; on that day. The pelvis, nod some
--of the limbs, perhaps, were all pet tinder the lid of
'the lecture room table, in what is called the well—
a 'deep sink lined with le"1.1. A stream of Cuchituate
was turned into it and kept running thruugh_it, all
Friday night. The thruitxjvas pit into a similar
.well in the lower laborato:y, which I filled with
-water, and threw in a quantity of potash which I
found there. This disposition of the remains was
not Changed till after the visit of the facers on
Monday.
- When the body had heed thus 'all disposed of, I
cleared away nil traces of what Int,) bet!, done; I
think, the stick with which the fatal Wow had been
struck, proved to boa piece of the stump of a large
grape vine—say ton inches in diameter, and two
feet long. It was one of seteial pieces which I had
carried in from Cambridge lung before fur the per
-pegs of showing the effect of certain chemical fluids
in , coloring wood, .by being oiistnbed into the pores.
The grape vine'being a very porous wood was .well
adapted to ibis purpose. Another longer stick had
been used as intended, and exhibited to the students
this oile had not been used; I put it into the fire,
I took up the two mites either from the table or
the floor, 1 think the table; close by where Dr.
Parke:ion had fallen, I seizsd an old 'emetic pen
lying on the table and daubed it across the face and
through the signature s and put them in my pocket.
I do not know whYYrdid this rather than put theta
in the fire, for I ' had nut considered -fur a , mo-,
ment what effect either mode of disposing of them
would have in the mortgage or my indebtednea to'
Parkrnan and 'the other persons intereated,: end
I had not yet given a single thought to the questhin
as to what account [ should give of the objects or re
sult of my interview with Dr Perlman. I never
saw the sledge hammer spoken •.Of by Littlefield,
never knew of its existence, At least I bavo no re4=
collection of it.
DotTON, July 2.
I left the Cullege to go home as late Cs six o'clock.
I collected myself as well as I could that I might
meet my family and others With' Composure. Oa
Saturday I visited my rooms at the college, but
made no change in the disposition of the remains,
and laid no plan as to my future course. On Satur
day evenining I read the notice in the "Transcrt"
respecting the disappearance. I was then de eply
impressed with the neisersity of immediately
taking
some ground as to the character of my interview
with Parkman, fur I saw that it must become known
that I had such an interview, as I had appointed it
first by an unsealed hum on Tuesday, and on Friday
had myself called at his house in open day, and rati
fied the arrangement—and had been seen,—and had
probably been overheard by the man servant; I
nut how many persons Dr. P. might have been seen
entering my rooms, or how many persons he might
have tole by the way where he was going the inter
view would in all probability be kauwu, and I must
be ready to explain it..
The question excited me much, but on Sunday
my crurse was taken. I would go into Boston, and
be the first to declare - myself the person as yet on
known with whom Dr. P. had "made the appoint
ment. .1 would take the ground that I had invited
him to the College, to pay him money, and that I
had paid it; accordingly - 1 fixed •upan the sum by
taking the small note and adding interest, which it:
appears I cast erroneously. If I had thought of
this course earlier, I should nut have deposited Pet
tee's.check fur 890 in the Charles River Bank' on
Saturday,. but should have suppressed it as going so
far to make up the sum ,which I was to have profes
sed to have paid the day before, and which Puttee
knew I had by me nt the hour of interview. It had
nut occurred to me that I should ever show the notes
cancelled in proof of it, or I should have destroyed
the large note, and let it be inferred that it was goo.)
with the missing than, and should only have kept
the small one, which was all that I could pretend to
have paid. My single thought was cunceafinent and
safety,—everything else incidental to that. I was
in no state to consider my ulterior' pecuniary inter
est. Money, though I needed it so much, was of no
account with me condition of mind. If I had de
signed and permeditated' the homicide of Dr.
Parkman in order to get the possession of the
notes and cancel my debt. I nut only shuld
not have deposited Pettee's check the next
day, but I shopld Nava some show of getting and
haying the money the morning before; I should have
drawn my money from the Bank and taken occasion
to mention to the Cushier that I had a sum to make
up on that day fur Dr. Parkman, and the ewe to
Henchman when I borrowed the ten dollars, I should
have remarked thatl was so much short ofa large sum
that, 1 was to pay Perlman; I borrowed the money
of henchman as mere pocket money for the day; if
I had intended the homicide of Dr. Parktnan I should
not have made the appointment with him tWice, and
each time in so open.a manner that other persons
would almost certainly know of ; I should not have
invited him to my rooms on an hour when the Col
ledge would be full of students and others, an hour
when I was most likely to receive calls from others
fur that was the hour just after the Lecture, at which
persons having business with me, or in my rooms,
'were always directed ‘ to call; I looked into my rooms
on Sunday afternoon, but did nothing; after the first
visit of the officers, I took the pelvis 'and sumo of
the limbs from the upper well and threw them into
the vault under the privy; 1 took the thorax from the
well below, and pocked it in the tea chest as found;
my own impression has been that this was not done
till after the second visit of the officers, which was
on Tusday: but Kingsley's . testhnony shows that it
must have heen s done sooner; the perforation of the
thorax had been made by a knife, at the time of re
moving the viscera on Wednesday; I pet' cm kin-,
dlings and made a tire in the titirnce below, having,
first puked down the ashes; some of the limbs, 'can
not remembered which or how many were consumed
at 'that time; this was the last I had to do with the
remains; the tin box was designed to receive the
thorax, though I had not concluded where I had not
concluded where I shioild finally put the box. The
fish-hooks tied up as grapples were to be used for
drawing up the parts in the vaults whenever I should
determine how to dispose of them, and yet strange
enough, I had a confused double object in ordering
the box, tind making grapples; I had before intended
' to get such things to send toFsyal; the box to hold
the plants and other articles which I wished to pro
tect
from the salt water and the sea air, and hooks
to he Used.there in obtaining Corralline "from the
sea. •
It was this previously intended use of them, that
suggested and mixed itself pp with the idea of the
other application; I doubt even now to , which use
the hooks at the time of discovery. The tan put into
tea chest was taken from a barrel of it that had been
in the labratory for some time; the bag of tan-brought
in on Monday was not used, nor intended to be used,
it belonged to a quantity obtained by me a long time
ago for experiments in tanning, and was sent in by
the family to get it out of the way. Its being sent
in just at that time was accidental. I was not aware
that I had put the knife in the cheat. The stick
found in the saucer of ink was fur making coarse
diagrams on cloth. The bunch of filed keys had
been used long ago by me in Print street; and
thrown carelessly into a drawer; I never examined
them and du nut know whether they would fit any
of the college or riot. If there were other keys flit
ting doors with which I had nothing to do, I, sup
pose they must have been all duplicates, or keys
of former locks left there by the mechanics or janitor.
I know nothing about them, and should never be
likely to notice them among the multitude- of arti
cles large and small, of alt kinds, collected in my
rooms. The jauitor had Curnised me with a key to
the dissecting room fur the admission of medical
friends visiting the College, but I bad never used
it. The nitric acid on thestairs was not used to
remove spots of blood, but was dropped by !mei
ident, When the officers called for me on Friday,
the 30th, I was in doubt whether I was under arrei.,
or'whethcr a more strict search of my rooms was to
be had—the latter hypothesis being hardly leas ap
palling than the former. When 1 found that we
went over_ Cragiee' Bridge, I thought the arrest
most probable; when 1 found that the carriage was
stopping at the jail, / . was sure of my fate. 'Before
leaving the Carriage I took a dose of strychnine
from my
,pocket and swallowed it. I had prepared
it in the shape of a 4)in before 1 left my laboratory
on the twenty-third. I thought I could not bear to
survive doction. I - thought it was a large dose—
the state of my nervous system, probably, defeated
its action partially—the effects of the prison were
terrible :beyound description. it was in operation at
the College, and before I went there, but most se
verely afterwards.' I wrote but one of the annony.
moue letters produced the trial, the one mailed at
Bait Cambridge; the little - bundle referred to in the
letter detained by the jailor comaied only a bottle of
nitric acid, fur domestic use.. I had seen it stated
in a newspaper that/ had purchased a quantity of
oxalic acid, which, it was presumed, was to be used
in removing blood stains. I wished the parcel to be
I:ept untouched, thatiit might be shown if there should
be Occasion, what it might really was that I had
.purchased; I have drawn up in 'separate papers an
e'xplanatitin of the use I intended to make of the
blood sent f'r on Thursday, the 22,1, and of the con
versation with. Littlefield ebout the dissecting vault;
I 'think that Pettee, in his testimony on the trial,
put too strongly my words about havingsettled with
Dr. P.; whatever I did:say of the kind was in the
hope I entertained that I ahcrild be able to pacify Dr.
P., and make some arrangements with him, and was
said in older to quiet -Pettis., who was becoming re
strive under the solicitation ofDr. P."
After- Dr. Webster had stated most of thq facts
with
cordeall TO
d
above on the 23d- of May, this question
all the earnestness, solemnity and authority of tone
that Dr. Putnam was master of, addressed blot:
! , Dr. Webater, in all probability ruur days are num
bered—you cannot, you dare not speak falsely to
mo now—you must nut die with a lie in your mouth
—so prove to yourself that your repentance for the
sins of your past life Li sincere, Tell me the truth
then—a confidence to be kept sacred during your
life time; and as much longer as my regard fur the
happiness of your family shall seem to require, and
the interest of truth and justice to permit—..search
to the bottom of your heart fur the history of your
motives and tell me he(ore God, did it ever occur to
you before the decease of Dr. Parkman, that his
death, if you could bring it to pass, would be of real
advantage tolous or that 4ersonsti,injory_ to bias
might possible be this result of your *Waled . confe&
eace with him! Al a dying maa — l charge you to
answer me truly and exactly, or be silent: laid you
not such a tho'd 'No, never!' said he, with energy
anti feeling, 'A• I Ilvist and u God is my witness nev
er! lam no more capable of such a thought than
one of my innocent children, I never had the remote
est idea of injuring Dr. P. until the moment the
blow was struck. Dr. P. woos extremely severe
and sharp, arid the most provoking of men, and I ant
irritable and passionate-64 quickness and brief vio
lence of temper has been a besetting sin of my life.
I was an only child, much indulged, and 1 have never
acquired the control over my • passions which I
ought to have acquired early, and the' consequence
is all this. But you notified Dr. Parkman to meet
you at a certain hour, and told him you would pay
him, when you knew you had not the means! 'No,
'he replied, 'I did not tell him I would pay him, and
there is no evidence that I told him so. except my
own words spoken after his disappearance. and after
I had determined to take The ground that -I had paid
him, those words were the miserable tissue of false
hood to which I was committed from the moment I
had began to conceal the homicide. I never had a
thought of injuring Dr. P.' " [This was accompa
nied by the statement in which Pruf.Webater at
letups to explain as to his seeing Littlefield, sending
for blood, and inquiring about gasses from the mull.]
After readeng the statement,' Dr. Putman proceeded
to argue as to its truthfulness, saying, that it was
made when the writ of error was still pending; also
that Professor Webster's estate was worth several
thousand dollars, and that he was not in such a
strait as to commit such a crime deliberately. The
preyi o ns petition from Professor Webster protesting
his innocence and praying fof absolute pardon, he
said was got up by his family who were unwavering
in their belief of his innocence until his confession
was communicated to them about a week since.
He - concluded in asserting his belief thet•thecon
feesion was true. Members of the Council have re
tained &copy of the petition previously presented,
and withdrawn by the advice of Dr. Putman, which
will probably be published. It asserts his inno
cence, and it also asserts that Littlefield or some
other person placedthe remains in his room to com
,. ass his ruin.
ARRIVAL OF THE PHILADELPHIA-TWO
WEEKS LATER FROM CALIFORNIA.
The Sarah Sands had put into St. Simeon, abotit
150'iniles from San Francisco, without coal, had
been delayed by head winds the whole way. The
following► detail of her perilous situation is thus de
scribed by the Pacific News of May 27pt:—
When'the Sands made the little harbor where she
now lays, she had but , a' few tons of coal left.
At St. Simeon, there is no settlement—nothing
to indicate that a human being had ever resided there,
except a single deserted house. How far it Was to
a habitation was entirely unknown, but it was im
portant to the welfare of the vessel and the four
hundred souls on board, to convey information of
their situation, that relief might bo sent to their
aid.
Under these circumstances, Messrs. Rice
Brown 'volunteered to go cross the San Antonio
mountains of the coast range and reach this place,
a distance of over three hundred miles by the Joule
travelled. A search was made by a large number
of passengers for a trail, with-nit success, and on
the next day, Messrs. Rice, Brown, W. A. Light
hall, and--Thompson, started on this huzardous
excursion, with five days' provisions, and their blan
kets on their backs. Five miles out, they fortunate.
ly struck a trail, and after thirty-six hours' journey
over terrible mountains and ravines, reached the
Rancho of Don Mariano Soberana. With some
difficulty, horses were procured at the mission of
San Antonio, ten miles further on, and in sixteen
hours, without change of horses, these indefatiga
ble and generous•hearted men rode into Monterey,
a distance of one hundred and fifty miles. On the
succeedindday,(Thursday,) horses were purchased,
and the distance to• San Jose,“3s miles, made by a
little after midnight. Yesterday, at half-past
twelve, these messengers of good tidings reached
San Francisco, having been four days since leave.
ing the vessel, and performeng nearly forty miles on
foot, through almost trackless wilds.
From the Alta CallAwala
TIM LAST MortsTßa•—The twenty-three pound
lump, already noticed in this paper, as being found
in the neighborhood of the Sonorian Camp, I. tow
in this city. We took a look Wt. on' the tannter
of Burgoyne Co., and can testify to its monstro
sity. The gold is in the centre of the lump princi
pally, covered with a thin layer of quartz, through
which the treasure peeps out in a variety of forma.
To look at it one would suppose its value to be a
boutsthe same ..s any other rock of tho same Size;
but let him lift it, and his mind is altered directly.
Altogether, it is ono of .the most curious and
valuable specimens we have seen, if not the mast
60.
AUBURN Dar Diaotrtos.—Tho miners in the vil
lage of Auburn. near the North Fork, are doing re
markably well. The ravine running through the
town is being dug up even to the doors of the stores.
Six men, working a lead in front of Mr. House's
store, took out one morning last week $6OO in
coarse gold, and have averaged $lOO each' daily,
for the last week.
The ground under the store is undoubtedly . very
rich, as the largest day's work was only interrupted
from the fact that the proprieter of the store claimed
aright to the gronned on which his building is sit
uated. He can be said to have a safe of gold under
his store, and can employ his leisure moments in
digging until a customer calls him off. One party
in the ravine near the 'village, took' out $lOOO on
Wednesday last.
A person is taking daguerreotype likenesses, and
also views ()like ravines, with miners at work, and
is making his fortune with great rapidity.
From the Pacific News
BLOCK FOR THB WASHINGTON Mostoarnsz.—Cal
ifornia sends greeting to her sisters of the confeder
acy. and announces that she also, is ready with a
memento in honor of our "Father of his Country."
The Oregon carries to the Atlantic States, on her
present trip, the stone ordered by the I?egislature to
occupy in the Washington Monument. On behalf
of the resoltitiou, Goviturnett employed Willian L.
Smith, Esq., to visit the different localities. and se
lect the best and most characteristic specimen; and
nobly has he performed his.duty. From the motto
tains of the Mariposa he has cut out a block of the
gold-bearing quart; with the shinning ore spark
ling through it. This block is in the form of us ob
long, eighteen inches in length, by an average of
fifteen in bredtb, and about six inches thick. Ac
companying it, are five or more very rich' quartz
specimens of golden ore, and ore of cinnabar--all to
be presented by the lion. J. Bidwell and H. A..
Schooleraft of the State. The specimeis are to be
inserted in the block. The expense to the State
will be near th , ce thousand dollars.
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT Ix AimsTartoza.—A
late London paper says—Mr. Beli,a gentlemen con
nected with the medical profession, has decidedly
and with - the moat complete success, achieved •
new discovery in the science of terostation—that of
controlling, directing or steering- a balloon. On
Friday evening the appearance of a balloon of a sin
gular form traversing the metropolis, occasioned
some speculation as to whether the" frail car, from
its oscillating gyrations, contained an animate or in
animate leronaut. The occupant of the car was
the gentlemen above mentioned, who manmuvered
his bark through the realms of air with a dexterity
that throws all his cotemporariea in the shade.—
wit bout endeavoring minutely to describe this new
balloon, it may be briefly stated that it is of an elip
tic shape, somewhat resembling in form the Span
ish melon or vegetable marrow, manufactured of
the finest silk, with netting or cordage. and with a
spring valve constructed on an entirely new princi
ple. It Was estimated that the balloon would con
tain about 15,000 cubic feet of gas, its dimensions
being fifty feet in length, and twenty-two feet in di
ameter. The inflation, conducted with the greatest
privacy, took place from the monster gasometer of
the Phcenix Gas-worka,.(formerly the Water=works)
in the Kensington-oval,. under the direction of Mr.
Munroe, the superintendent. The ascent was made
at about six o'clock, and the decent took place at
Essex, with a result favorable to the intrepie eron
aut but, causing , the loss of life of One who bravely and kindly hastened to the rescue oft fellow -creature
in his perilous desient from the regions above. •
UT A pious' African at Louisville. shambled while
walking one very dark night. and was pitched bead font.
that down a cellar. which afforded him an "e 1 ea.
trance." Springing to his feet. he acclaimed . '• &wade
Lord dat I lit on-my head! If din nigger had eciapedble
tibias se bard. I spec ho broke his leg."
Erie Ote o#zerue"r.
ERIE. P
SATURDAY MORNING; JULY 13.1830.
MIXOCOLS2W 'NIMMONS.
CANAL COMMISSIONER,
WM. T. MORISON, of Montgomery.
AUDITOR GENERA . 1.,
EPHRAIM BANKS, of Mifflin.
SURVEYOR GENERAL.
J. P. BRAWLEY, of Crawford.
L . LAtil!ar ALa.L.IA
On Ttiesduy evening Jut., the Telegraph announced
the dangerous Muse of Gen. Zscautv TATUM, and on
Wednesday morning hie subsequent death. fie expired
on Tuesday evening at 35 minutes past 10 o'clock.—
Thus is the nation called to mourn the lose of another
Chistldigistrate—and thus are we all reminded of the
startling fact that the ontstreatched arm of death . spares
not the exalted .— but that with him relentless scythe he
cuts down ell, causing the tears of the multitude to flow
with u little regret as he has at the silent grief of the
most obscure.—and calling hone* those in the loftier
walks of life as surely and suddenly. as the most degraded
wretch ' that ekes out his miserable existence from the
reluctant uterus's. drawn from the cold hand of charity.
The life of Gen. Taylor. has been an eventful one.
full of 'widest, of enlivening interest. and his death is
most sincerely to be regretted by all. Though his body
is_ laid in. the silent tomb. and his "spirit returned to the
God who gave it"—yet his name will be honored with a
place on the pages of the hlitory of his country that will
last while the names of her heroes and statesmen shell
be remembered.
The Fourth of July.
Our exchanges come to hand filled wifh the proceed
ings of the "Glorious Fourth." fulfilling in letter and
spirit the prophetic letter of the !Patriot JOHN ADAM.
written on the sth of July 1776. In every city and vil
lage from one end of the land to the other. the day is
given to 'mirth and revelry. to "pomp, shows. games.
sport. bonfires and illainivationit," and could the fathers
of the declaration of our Nation's Independence witness
the aniversary of the day upon which they sat their seals
to that sacred instrument. their hearts would lisp for joy,
and their bosoms swell with gratitude to the giver of all
good that they were made the instruments of such un
bounded happiness. No day. in the annals of ally coon
try,was ever so generally observed as a holiday. Reis the
fourth of July in the United States. and by American
citizens wherever they are.,
With these facts before them. some men, holding
high places in the Councils of the nation talk of a disso
lution of the Union, of • diviiiion in the National broth
erhood. tkud even go so far as to say that brother shall
take up sans against brother. and that war in its worst
of forms shall dissolve the bands of this great and grow
ing union. But how futile appear those threats, when
upon the ••Notion's Holiday." we behold the great and
the small, the rich and the poor, the strong and the
weak. all engaged in doing honors to the day that gave
us birth.and returning sincere thanks for its continuance.
and for the prosperity and happiness of the whole people
under its wholesome provisions. Fanatics should learn
a lesson from the observance of this day.—they should
learn that however much to their personal advantge it
might be to tear asunder the bands of the Union.the peo
ple by whom it must be done, if done at all, have treas
ured up in the closest recesses of their hearts a love for the
Union as strong as that of life itself. and that far, very
far in the distance is the day when this love shall expire,
or when it will be permitted to be torn from them by
croaking demagogues or mis-called Statesmen. Wel
come. then, to ;the Fourth of July, which brings to us
from all quarters renewed tidings of the permanency of
oar beloved Mims.
Webster', Confession.
In another column will be found Professor Webster's
confusion of the murder of Dr. Parkinan. in detail. We
publish it for the reason that we presume every one,la
anxious to see it—bat whether it be true or false we are
at a loss to know. He has steadily maintained, from the
time that Dr. Parkman was missing, to the time of ma
king this statement, that he was entirely innocir of the
crime for wide he has been tried and sentenced. and
had but lately ;sent 'a a statement. declaring by every
thing sacred that h was innocent, and demanding an
unconditional pardon on the truth of that statement.
What effecrthesa thin may have upon the minds of
those to whom his petition is addressed we know not.—
but there is certainly nothing in the confession to lead us
to believe that it is "the truth," and the "whole truth."
It is the coolest and most selfish confession that we
ever recollect of having seen.—not one word of regret at
the deed•-not a syllable of the feeling that a man would
be supposed to have manifested upon such an occasion.
buts mere cool recital of the transaction as though it had
been an every-day occurrence of his life. We can hard
ly believe that a man of Webster's mind would not see
instantly, that the course which ho says he took in the
matter. would surely prove his ruin. If ire had killed
Dr. Parkman in the manner described. and if it was
purely accidental. as stated. it seems to us that it would
have been his first and greatest desire to make it appear
so—to have called iu help immediately, and to have
proved to the world that he at least had a desire to bring
him to after the fatal blow. and show signs of regret for
the deed.' But Roos of this was the can.
That he killed Dr. Parkman we have never had a
doubt. since the publication of the overwhelming circum
stantial evidence, but that he did it accidental!). we
never believed. and his confession fails to bring any
woo& to our mind even now. thas t anch is the fact.—
What tact it will have en the Govirnor and Council.
to whom it is addressed. remain , to be seen.
The Paine Light.
This light, like all other great discoveries,—if indeed
it be &discovery. Is rather on the wane at present. The
Committees who have been appointed to investigate the
matter give it any thintbut a favorable report, and the
pressure almost unanimously pronouncing it a humbug.
On the contrary. Mr. Paine contends strongly for his
discovery. and btti commenced an action ageint Geo.
Darricott, of the Boston Gas company, tor slander. in
calling him a humbug end cheat. and his invention to
make gas from water a swindling operation. The dam•
damages ate laidrat $lO.OOO. The invention is having
new features developed every day. How the matter will
terminate we are unahle to determine. but hope that Mr
Paine has really made the discovery for which he con•
tends.
rir The numerous friends ofd. J. BALL. Esq.„ of this
city, late Sta►e Treasurer, will be glad to learn that he
has received the appointment of Chief Clerk, in the 6th
Auditors office at Washington city, at a - salary of 2000
dollars. We congratulate Mr. Ball upon his success,and
tho department. for theirs, in having secured the services
of one so competuet to perform the arduous duties of
the office.
la A boy named PORTO:H, aged eleven years. whose
Parents reside - in Le &cuff township. was committed to
jail on Friday lut on the charge of killing his younger
brother. aged mine. It is supposed that he inflicted the
fatal blow with a club on the back of the bead. and that
the deed was done in a fit *ranger. The one is "dimly
painful one, and we trust circumstances will be diurelop
ed exhibiting the conduct of the'young offender in a less
übuosioas light..--GaseUs.
s3' Hastw Stir
his
to please the easourof the
people. ices reeseeed his Ladles. Babes to his reeldenee
ea State "net. a mere relined place for visitors. Give
Aims call Is bb wow feeettea. '
TIN editor has Wes absent the provost week ois a
visit to flotraliN Niagara Pall. Detroit dre.. bolt will prob
ably nitro to-day.
Tbitahl Oblifkiulidatelor UMW'
The folkowingiparagraph. which Is copled_from the VA.
-lon Times.priblished in Mr. Snydiestown, op. may go to
"sbow how ruttlib the man is the% of at honse. - That a man's
tether wee honest and faithful twirl public trusts to but a
poor guaranty for the son. It is an old saying and none
the less true .that the son of the Parson is the worst boy in
the parish. So it is undoubtedly iu this cese,fer wi.on s
man is obliged to mu for office on the strength of his
fore-fathers, we think there is a poor chance of his being
much of a man himself. Its toe much like putting the
"Tyler too" on for the sake of the rhyme. 11u to the
paragraph:
Geernis Golpbin Whigs met in State
Convention. at Philadelphia, on the 19th inst. per
ceive that the - name of Hoary W. Snyder. of this county.
was brought before the Convention for Surveyor Gener
al. but failing in tide. on the second ballot, he was tricky
enough to get the nomination for Auditor General, a po
sition of the highest importance - and responsibility. re.
quiring talents of the most distinguished order, and for
which ftlr. 8. is notoriously disqualified both by education
and experience. Mr. 8. is a brother of the Bon. John
Snyder. and son of ex-Governor Snyder. and for many
years a warm and uncompromising Democrat, but con
ceiveing himself wiser than hisfather, he eventually tore
himself loos, from the Democracy of the country, and
since 1820 has acted with the opposition. Disappointed
ambition was the cause- of his spostscy. As far as our
recollection extends. Mr. Snyder has never shown much
talent as a leader. but has tuvariaby been compelled to
submit to the dictation of others, and occupy a secondary
position in the ranks of his party. Although frequently
up for nomination for Senator. arc be has never as
much as commanded a respectable vote in convention,
owing to the antipathy of the Whigs against him. occa
sioned by his reserved habit's and aristocratic sirs. Ile
is disliked as much by the Mae and sinew of the Whigs
as he is discountenanced by the Democrats, and most.
cerlainly his nomination was as unexpected as hie un
popular and detested. So far as the Democrats are con
weed. we can freely say, that we look upon his nomi
nation with perfect indifference.. He's not going to "set
the river on fire" through his popularity here. Some of
I the most prominent whigsin Ike country will oppose him
‘•tooth and nail," and we predict his triumphant defeat
in his own ballot box which usually gives a Whig ma,
jority of 100.
There was a very heavy storm extending through the'
central part of the State of New York on:Friday night of
last week. At Buffalo considerable damage was done
in the way of blowing down. anJ unroofing buildings,
dr.c...and along the line of the Railroad, it le said to have
eurpassed any thing of the kind that has been experienc
ed for year.. The railway was undermined in several
places by the flood of water, and the trains both ways
met with 60f101111 accidents. The most formidable break
was about six miles west of Fonda, where the track was
undermined for the distance of front sixty to eighty feet
and the bridge or culvert swept entirely away. Tho en
gine, tender, baggage cars and .one pasenger epir. were
precipitated into and filled up the chasm, cr airing the
cars, and throwing the baggage into the strei‘in. down
which It was carried by the force of the current. The
only persons known to be killed are, a man who was in
one of the baggage or freight can, in charge of two
horses, and a woman, name unknown, who was swept
away by the water-and drowned; her body was soon re
covered. The train going east elan fell through Palatine
Bridge, the batmen's of which had been weaned out by
the force of the current beneath. The engine got safely
over; but the tender, baggage cars and ono paseenger
car fell through into the stream. One man was instant
ly killed, and one lady drowned. The canal suffered
considerable damage, several breaks occurring in con
sequence of the immense flood of
Accidents on the Fourth.
The usual number of aceidents appear to have taken
place on the fourth of July..till caused by the carless use
of powder. The day passed off here tree of anything of
the kind, but it will be seen that all places were not so
lucky. At Meadville a small cannon which some boys
were firing. burst, dangerMisly wounding the son of Dr.
Yates of that place. and, slightly injuring two others.
At Troy. N. Y.. two men were severely injured by the
Premature discharge of a cannon. one of thorn so much
so as to have his left arm ampu'ated below the elbow. the'
hist his thumb.
At Lausttighiug. N. 1..0 Mr. Ca.siday, hod both
hands blown off. A Mr. Butler, lost 11:2 left arm, be
low the elbow. cod a Mr. Davenport his right hone.
In New York City. Addison Babes), residing at 118
Hestor stroet. was badly wounded by the routrod
small cannon. which was permaturely discharged in the
Perks
At Now Haven. Ct., a young girl 'about 14 years of
age was instantly killed by the discharge of a cannoti.—
She ran before tho cannon, and the top of her head was
entirely blown away. A boy, also about 14 years of age,
was badly wounded in the knoo by the accidental dis-
charge of a gun.
In East Haven, one man lost a •leg and another an
arm. and in West Haven another man lost an arm.
These multiplied catastrophes seem to spring from one
cause—the presumption of ignorant men in assuming
the manigentent of artillery. They occur every year and
no amount of painful experience seems to have the hiast
influence or effect to prevent them.
The Crops.
Judging from the exchanges. there will be a plentiful
harvest this fall. From all quartere'wo see it stated that
the crops were never better, and where the harvest or
wheat has commenced ° it is said to exceed the anticipa
tions of all. We are glad that the predictions of man
cannot effect the crops for if they could we should have
had a &mins unequaled in the annals of history this
year. for every dry day produced its hundreds of proph
ets. (false though they have proved) that the crops were
entirely ruined. AU abundance. however appears to be
in itore for us.
Wheeling Bridge Caie.
Chancellor Walworth. to whom the Weeding Bridge
case was referred, by the U. S. Supreme Court. has sub
mitted to the Court. that the bridge is a nuisance. This
will undoubtedly be received with great joy by the Pitts
burgher!, and aorrow_by the IV hee lingers.
'Drowned.
Mr. Wm. D. Noble, a l laborer who had been engaged
during the day in quarrying stone, was drowned on Sat.
urday of last weak whila bathing near the south channel
pier.
after
goingwas taken with a rush of blood to the head after
going into the water. and before assistance could be rent
dered life was extinct. lie was in his 24th Year, aticl
had been married but a short time.
Mos. FANNY Kuzma, salted on Wednesday in the
steamship Cambria for Liverpool. Sho is called home
in consequence of the sudden illness of her father.
OT Vie Cunard steamer Asia. which recently made
the,Jpassage from Boston, to Liverpool in nine days and
eleven hoary. averaged 300 mile, per day. The highest
speed in any one day was 325. and the lowest 295 mites.
UT Meagre. Lewis L. Lord, former editor of tho Mead
ville Gazette, cud John Jtohimon of Titusville have been
appoiuted deputy Marshals for Crawford county.
Er We notice that the Mercer Luminary has changed
hands, u well u title. and is hereafter to be called "The
Flee Presbyterian." and to be under the control of .the
Rev. Joseph Gordon. The paper is to be the organ of
the Free Presbyterian Church. - Success to it.
Telegraph Tariff.
The tariff of the older Morse line of- Telegraph be
tween New York and Albany. is reduced to 90 cents for
ten words or under. end 2
. cents for each 'editions)
word. The O'Reilly line has commenced business with
g similar tariff between the two cities.
Long Trsin.
The Hudson River Railroad. on Thursday. brought
down ■ train of twerarthrse large cm. having 1.750
passenger. The train was MV s mils in length—the
heaviest train. probably, ever drawn in this country by a
single locomotive.
Mr The of and cadets at West Foist ban ems
tritutat 4300 to the Washingtonmenument. and the
odd fellows Of Penni7lvania. daring fhe, month of Jane.
.
Storm
LIPS ON TEE RIO GRAND
. -
Commondesee or tas Erie Observer.
Rio Claanin CITY, Taxes. June 11th. IEO.I
Dear .fferak:--Since my last, Capt. Ford, of the TerY
volunteers while upon a scoot, with twenty men o f ba
command, met the Indians, over upon the wawa of th.
Maces river. - He first .encountered them near i on
erril, a station about fifty-five miles up the river
was on the night of of the 13th of May. They were Ce.
mancheesotod brought on the fight by oa attempt to m a i
the hones of the company. On this occasion they W ets
caught on foot, and in a amallparty..so the affair wee
soon over."
The "rangers" however learned from a dying !adieu,
that there were plenty more down from the moontsh at
'This piece of intelligence waked up the energy of the
"boys," and the Captain kebping the while, a Aw l ,
cookout. started in hot chine. -His course lay op the Tal
ley of the river, and on the 23d tilt, he overhauled nab
er party in the prairie. The Camanchen fought with
great desperation, but CapL F. and his moo are "old
Texans."^His company comprises some of the most ix
perienced guides. and Indian fighters in the country;
whose skill !cm told upon the enemy. and taught thew
' the difference between these bold riders and the clumsy
mounted footmen of the U. 5. Infantry. The Mi t
which was conducted entirely on boneblack—a main
skirmish, depending almost entirely upon indiridai
prowess,—lasted the better part of the day, and resehed
in the Mal route of the Indians; of whom there were s
few more engaged than whiter. COntinuing his rom a ,
these rangers on the 16th Ott, "jumped up" another par.
tr. and after a smart brush came offwith two pae an ,'
as trophies of the chase. ICapt. F., whose statiint
within forty miles of the place. is now in town. and is ,
very modest way recounts many incidents of Wong
which WI had space, I would repeat. From his accent
I'm inclined to think our "colored fiends" are beeom.
ing quite in earnest with the joke;—they hose poireasi
their arrows. A camanchee quiver is now exhibited by
"rangers" which gives forth a strong poisonous stench;
the principal ingredient used is the venom of the rattle.
' mike, a concoction peculiar to the savage. One of the
prisoners owns to the death of eighteen of his fellows, is
these skirmishes, besides the wounded; and the superi
ority of the ranger. is shown in the great disparity of
results. Capt. F. had but one matt killed, who died
more from the effects of the poison than from the deadly
character of the wound, and four or five wounded slight.
ly.
,Ile lost many horses. one, his own; a fine charges
was shot from under him. The Camanckee use an ft.
tanned thick bull hide shield, with great dexterity in de.
fence; in addition to which ho is capable of casting bhp,
self completely upon the tunnelled aide of the barn, and
if needs. ho can fire with great certainty from under the
neck of the animal. His arrows are discharged with
such rapidity.ihntiwithin en hundred yards. he can hale
three iu the air, at the same instant, vac's prop'lled wah
sufficient force to pass directly through an ordinary horse.
Some of these feats are in seccessful practice among
the rangers—one particularly,—the throwing of the per.
eon upon the side of' the charger. and hanging by the
opposite heel. Thus. in a tight placeo , ,e makes a shield
of the horse; whicli practice may in a . 4anstire account
for the waste of horseflesh in these skirmishes.
The came prisoner speaks of en expedition on foot end
shortly to come oft, comprising fro seven to eight hue
dred warriors, and commended by one of the celebrated
chiefs The expedition is to come down in three divis
ions; one of which will strike an the vicinity of San
Antonio, smother against the settlement 411 the Nome
end the third 'division will operate in the valley ofthe,
Rio Graude. I give this for what it is worth and hare
no doubt. it will be truo whenit happens.
Wb have just heard of the Cuba expedition. "I knew
it." qnath the wise ones,—and 1 know this: we hare a
glorimns country of our own, rich in every quality sad
quantity of that food essential to the most active energies
of my aspiring countryman; and which may be enjoyed
in an honest, praiseworthy legal way. For one, I'm very
shy of these great liberators; they are usually great fel
lows fur pouring out -the last vital spark of—otter peo
ples' blood. Moreover the little I know of history teach
es me that no people ever retained civil liberty-who did
not acquire it mainly by their own energy and blood.—
Lot the high smiled young man whAs pants for glory.
then "just pant again and have a pair hf pants," whisk
is mtic4 haler than playing liberator for a set of conning
loa f er , w h o fi, ; - 0 .' 11 ,;! the courage to strike in their owe
behalf, and iufinitely tnere a p:nable, than being march
ed out some film morning to in: shot, a-la Fannin's
command at Goland. Taxes. I make theft; remarks be
cause I do not believe the expedition is yet given up.—
There, the advice don't cost you the "firer rod" 104 it
given by your friend - "031E00,"
Letter From Mr. Morrison.
Tho following letter from Mr. Mortarsos. the Demo•
erotic candidate for Canal Commissioner. is quite to the
point and must be satisfactory to the Democracy of the
OM
MAYFIELD FARIS, Jane 13, 1850.
To Thomas C. McDowell. Esq., Hollidaysburg. Pi!.
Dear Sir:—Your letter dated the 3d inst., coovatula
ting me upon my nomination for the responsible position
or Canal Commissioner, is at hand.-
For the high honor thus conferred, by an intelligent
and highly respectable -body of gentlemen, I feel deeply
grateful.
1 can Barely say that I STAVE MADE NO ?LEM] TO ART
ONE TO OBTAIN TIM NOMINATION; NOR DU I BELONG TO
ANT mmtur. OR /ACTION.
I claim to be a independent but bumble membei of
the great Democratic party, and to that party alone I ant
pledged both by principle and profession, to promote the
best interests of the people. ti
Should my nomination be ratified by the Democracy
of Pennsylvania at the ballot box, I shell enter upon the
duties of the office with a fixed determination to discharge
those duties, to the best of my &Inlay, with impartiality
and fidelity.
1 thank yon, my dear sir, for the interest manifested by
yon in my behalf.
Yours, truly.
tYM. T. MORRISON.
in Phibidelplda—Lm of Life.
Great
On Tuesday laat.9th inst.. the most serious aid alarm
ing fire occurred at Phila s delphia that hair ewer happened
in that city. It broke out about 3 o'clock, in the whole
sale grocery:store of Brook,Sent & Co.and before it was
checked it had consumed THREE HUNDRED AND
NINETY EIGHT buildings. Thews were narnerons
explosions during the fire, by which together with the fat-
Hug of the walls. f3O persons were killed. 709 wounded.
and 17 ware missing The loss of property is Iminease.
The Insurances so far as has been ascestainerk amens*
to $463,500. The efl y councils of Philadelphia leave op
propriatod $ll,OOO. •
We are unable to girl Partisalfiut•
Wcorogyet to learn thatlettisrs harp been realvati
here froni California. anuounolog the death of Geo.
Southwick of this city, who l i ft hero among Mo Gin for
thot country.
Disrmetsuen viarrorm—Tho steamship Wuhing•
ton. which loft Ssuthampton on the 20th alt.. hue bit.%
120 passengers. amongst whom are the Count and Cons
tees Dembinski, two of the Hungarian refugees. who
arrived there from Constantinople. Mr. G. P. R. James
the celebrated novelist. who, with big family. intend to
make a tour of the United States; and Mr. Henry Wells.
bearer of despatches from the American legation. •
The Washington made the yip In 13 days .and brought
a cargo valued at $1,000,000.
Usosust..—No train of ears left Albany for the West
from Friday night until Sunday night. The Evening
Journal: says no such occurrence has happened beAlui
since the completion of the line. And', perhaps. this
Gut time in fifty years that Taman has ft for the Weak
during this period of thirty-six hours. More mail matter
went out in the Sunday night's Wain than on any single,
occ •,:on before.
Na YORK Pon Orrics.—During the three teesdis
eodiog June 30th. there were received from Europe. al
the New York Poet Office. 289.048 letters; from Califor
els. 65.314. Sent to Europe. 346,572; to Califorsie.
108.991; Taking. with other ship letters. a greed total
of 887,625 fetters palsod through the foreige department
of the (ace in three mhuths.
9